Disco Stu will NOT be at the V Club tonite!

As part of The V Club's This Ain't No Disco DJ series, host Brett Fuller (aka Franklin Fuckin' Furnace) welcomes Attack Flamingo drummer Sam Hodge (aka Sir-Boy) -- himself admittedly NOT a DJ, more an IDM/glitch pop influenced electronic artist -- to the V tonight for his first live performance in over two years.

We caught up with Hodge to see what was up...

WVRockscene: Have you not played out in a few years? Are you anxious at all to get back out there?
Sam Hodge: It's been almost two years. My last show was April 10, 2009... Good Friday haha. The concentration has been on finishing quality tracks and becoming a musician at the next level. I'm very anxious to present some of my latest work.. nervous, but excited.



rockscene: I've read that you have finished up new songs? How has your approach to making music changed over the past two years, if at all, and how much new material do you have?
Hodge: I spent about 5-6 months "off the grid" so to speak. I spent that time creating a whole new soundtrack for the classic silent film - Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. That was a tremendous learning experience and I do plan to release the DVD soon. After this was done, I was just ready to start making cool electro again.

The hard copy for A Fantastic Booty Machine will be ready in a few weeks. The online sales of the album were slow so it took a while to get interest in the hardcopy. The approach is very similar in song construction but I'm making a promise to myself to do a lot more vocals. The newest stuff is very futuristic in the 80's sense :)

rockscene: For the H-D article we did you mentioned the different vibe between a crowd that might go to a rock show and a crowd that might go to a DJ set; how cool is it to have Brett Fuller's series at the V to spotlight DJs?
Hodge: I'm excited to be playing for a crowd more tailored to this specific kind of music. I'm nervous because I'm not a "DJ" and I'm not sure what they'll be expecting. Being that I'm an electronic artist, they will be getting original, not-so-typical sounding music. Hopefully they dig it.

On a side note, it's very funny that I met Brett Fuller at a screening of the soundtrack I did for Nosferatu. The Bad Employees hosted that at their apartment so... the connection was a happy coincidence.



Related: Sir-Boy article in the Huntington Herald-Dispatch

flyer: Jimbo Valentine/Amalgam Unlimited

Warm things up with Bonfire!

Things are looking up for the Morgantown “Quiet Grrrl” band Bonfire. The band (L-R: Amanda Burris, Liz Toler, Chris Quattro, Jodi Hollingshead) has been recording with Brian Spragg, posting new demos, getting ready for all kinds of shows, and finding functional Fender guitars in the ice walking around. We caught up with Chris Quattro for an update in time for their Tiny Scissors show Friday in Morgantown...

WVRockscene: You recorded with Brian Spragg recently and you’ve got some demos up; how far along are you in the process? How many total songs did you get recorded and are you finished?
Chris Quattro: Almost done! We have about one more session. Then it needs mixed and master before it’s ready to be released. I believe we have eight songs total. The idea was to have an EP ready for a cassette release.

Brian is fantastic and endlessly generous. We are very lucky to call him friend. He does a fantastic job and is a pleasure to work with. We have several more songs since we started recording though. I hope to get those recorded in the near future as well.

rockscene: So you apparently found a guitar in a near frozen creek this week; how weird/awesome was that, and will you be able to use it at all?
Quattro: We did find a guitar! Jodi does photography, we were out for a picture walk and we saw something on the ice on Decker’s Creek. It ended up being a fairly beat up Fender Toronado. It will be rebuilt and given new life though. It’s amazing how people throw away or often destroy expensive instruments.

I am “lucky” about finding instruments. I look everywhere all the time though. It’s almost a second job. I adore the physical mediums of music and I am an avid collector of music equipment. So it’s always cool to find something interesting and I often find things thrown away or cheap. But never floating on a ice sheet!

rockscene: Bonfire has a mini-tour set up for mid-February with Big Hurry and you play 123 with them and Arcane Rifles; looking forward to those shows?
Quattro: Of course! We have become friends with Big Hurry. We played with them a little while ago at Hambone’s in Pittsburgh. We decided to exchange shows. That’s really what it’s about to me. Friends playing with friends. It may be hackneyed to say but it’s very rewarding. On that note, my longtime friend J. Marinelli is the drummer for Arcane Rifles. I can’t wait to see his new band and for him to see what we have been up to!



flyer art: Liz Toler


rockscene: You play this Tiny Scissors art show Friday evening at Blue Moose; which will feature collages from Bonfire’s own Liz Toler and Dwight Pavlovic, who helps run Crash Symbols. Are you going to end up releasing some music on CS? And how neat is it to play this kind of show to feature Liz’ art?
Quattro: Well, we are endlessly lucky to have talents outside of music in the band. I really like Liz’s work. She does almost all of the advertising for the band.

Dwight has approached us to do a release with him. I can’t say which label it would be released on. The release is still in the recording process. I guess when we have something finished, we will have more information.

rockscene: I understand there will be free coffee at Tiny Scissors, is the beer and snacks free or do you know?
Quattro: That’s a Dwight and Liz question!

Tiny Scissors starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday, January 28 at The Blue Moose Cafe (248 Walnut St.) in Morgantown. Admission is free. Free coffee will be served, along with beer and snacks. For more information call the Blue Moose at (304) 292-8999

photo: Ron Hollingshead

Tiny Scissors art show (+ Bonfire) Friday in Magic Town

Liz Toler and Dwight Pavlovic, set to be wed in October, will share their love of art Friday at The Blue Moose Café in Morgantown, followed by music from Toler’s band Bonfire

Readers of the blog here may remember our recent chat with the Morgantown-based “cupcakewave” band Bonfire. In addition to getting some recording done recently, Bonfire is set to play a pretty cool art show in Morgantown Friday at The Blue Moose Café.

It is an extra special show for Bonfire drummer Liz Toler, as she and her fiancé Dwight Pavlovic will unveil some previously unseen collages at the opening reception of Tiny Scissors, starting at 6:30, followed by a Bonfire set starting at 8 p.m. We caught up with Pavlovic over email to see how art and music collide…

WVRS: How did the idea to have a split art/music show come about? How welcoming of an atmosphere does the Blue Moose Café offer for this kind of event?
Dwight Pavlovic: Having the band play wasn’t actually our idea. The suggestion came from Eli Pollard, who helped us organize the show. I told Liz and everyone thought it was a great idea. It surprised me to think that it’s not a more common occurrence in town – I know that most cities with active art or music scenes pretty commonly make the connection, which only makes the prospect more exciting for us. The Blue Moose is definitely the most relaxed venue for artists and music in town and given the high traffic, it’s a great place to imagine having your work displayed.

"Engaging Christ" by Dwight Pavlovic


rockscene: You put together a mixtape for 40 oz. Clothing, and Liz designed the cover. Putting together this Tiny Scissors show, what, in your mind is the nexus of your art and music? Whether it’s the mixtape, what you do with/for Crash Symbols, Liz designing flyers/art, or Bonfire playing the show?
Pavlovic: I think for both of us the nexus of our work is in those sorts of creative intersection. I’ve had a lifelong interest in media and culture, so the idea of making all of our activities communicate in some way is very meaningful to me. We made and hung the flyer for the show together, and both of us regularly collaborate on a variety of activities – I recently released a cassette that she designed packaging for and we’re preparing to collaborate on some t-shirt design commissions.


"The Angry Prow" by Dwight Pavlovic

 
rockscene: In your artist statement on the Tiny Scissors Facebook description it says you and Liz make your collages from the same supplies, but they end up obviously different. How cool is it to be able to share that kind of creative experience with your fiancé?
Pavlovic: Unbelievably cool, naturally. It’s one of our favorite things to do when we both have the time and energy and it’s ended up being a serious part of our extraneous projects. I think it’s great for both of us to be able to collaborate creatively and influence each other’s development as artists.


"Seedy Gold" by Liz Toler


rockscene: Couples are known to sometimes squabble; has there ever been a time where either of you gave thumbs down to the other’s art project or are you just wholly supportive of each other?
Pavlovic: Wholly supportive. It’s made easier by similarities in our taste, but that kind of squabbling – in my mind at least – defeats the whole purpose of the activity. Although we try to give each other input, when we collage together, we aren’t necessarily there to critique each other. We both have favorite pieces by the other, but I’m not trying to make Liz’s collages more like mine and she’s not trying to make mine more like hers.


"Party Dress" by Liz Toler

 
rockscene: Are these collages of yours posted on your Facebook page going to be featured? Are you trying to sell your art or just show it?
Pavlovic: Some will be, but we’ve done a lot of new work that hasn’t been shown anywhere yet, Facebook or otherwise. All of the pieces will be for sale, at as-of-yet undetermined prices, so God willing we’ll be able to sell a few!

"Big Tongue Candy Mountain" by Liz Toler


rockscene: Featuring/showing your art in public must be just as personal as playing a song, is this Tiny Scissors show even more personal since you and Liz are an item?
Pavlovic: I think it might seem more personal if Liz and I collaborating struck me as more of an admission to be made, than as an advantage. It’s a point of pride. How many people can exhibit artwork with their fiancé? I’m incredibly proud of all the pieces we’ve framed for the event, hers and mine… so it’s personal in the sense that people are getting to see things we’ve made in private, but we’re just excited to get some new feedback.



"Tiny Scissors" show flyer by Toler/Pavlovic



Tiny Scissors starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday, January 28 at The Blue Moose Cafe (248 Walnut St.) in Morgantown. Admission is free. Free coffee will be served, along with beer and snacks. For more information call the Blue Moose at (304) 292-8999

Jason Sells (aka Slate Dump) coming to V Club

Reposted from The Huntington-Herald Dispatch

Talking to Jason Sells over the phone, you get the sense that he has an old soul.

The 33-year old Beckley native and Memphis, Tennessee resident’s humble Raleigh County roots come through loud and clear.

“I don't care to talk about myself, honestly,” Sells said from Memphis as he ferried Sao Paulo, Brazil’s Jam Messengers (Rob K and Uncle Butcher) about, sightseeing during a few days off on their U.S. tour, which Sells (also known as Slate Dump) jumped on.

The tour brings Sells and The Jam Messengers to The V Club, 741 6th Ave., Friday, Jan. 28.

“I’m going to show them around Memphis,” Sells said. “We’re going to hit Graceland, Sun Studios, visit some graveyards, record stores and Beale Street. When we get to West Virginia, Marco (Butcher) is a big Hasil Adkins fan, and we plan on going to go clean Hasil’s grave and maybe lay some hot dogs down in his honor. We’ll maybe see if my buddy Jesco’s home, see if he wants to tag along.”

While Jesco White’s family calls Sells “nephew,” they’re not really related, just good friends.

“People ask me if I’m his nephew, but I’m not, in actuality. He’s been a close friend for over 10 years; I’ve taken him to the store, the post office, I took him to get his I.D. made at the Kanawha Mall,” Sells said laughing.

Sells, playing out as the minimalist, bluesy, roots-based Slate Dump for about five years, described how he got introduced to these Brazilian acts.

“About four or five years ago, a good friend of mine and another one-man band, J Marinelli, gave me the ‘Attack of the One Man Bands’ compilation CD,” he said. “He told me about guys like Chuck Violence, Chucrobillyman, Fabulous GoGo Boy from Alabama, and Uncle Butcher, of course. And I just fell in love. They’re doing cooler things than a lot of Americans right now. I kept in touch and told them if they were ever in America I’d be glad to try to set them up some shows.”

For Sells, even though he's in Memphis, after calling Morgantown home for a few years, his musical roots lie in Raleigh County.

“Raleigh Hollow, growing up on McQuillen hill,” Sells said. “My great-grandfather, Hughie McQuillen, had eleven kids, and during the depression he worked in the mines and played stringed instruments in bars at night, and was able to support all of his kids. I learned all my rudimentary chords from him and my grandmother, Doris McQuillen-Bennett. She’s 73-years old and still plays guitar. She loves Chuck Berry, Bill Withers; my grandmother is rockin’. Yeah, I learned the only four chords I know from them,” Sells said laughing.

There was also inspiration from other sources.

“My mom and my biological father used to take me to blues and folk festivals and let me run around naked, that had something to do with it,” Sells said. “Her record collection had a big influence on me, too. My stepfather introduced me to the Ramones, the Kinks and Butthole Surfers, which really warped my brain.”

After playing in a few bands as a teenager in and around Raleigh and Fayette counties, Sells kicked off his career as Slate Dump with more help from his grandmother.

“It wasn’t until 2005, I picked up my grandmother’s 1960 model Gibson, and the songs started comin’. In about a 48-hour period I wrote five or six good songs and I didn’t even know what to do with them.”

After a tough period “couch surfing” in Morgantown “living on Ramen,” Sells has found happiness in Memphis with his fiancé, Marly Hazen, who he met while she was studying at WVU. Hazen penned the lyrics for one of Sells’ songs on his most recent release, 2010’s ‘Electric Punching Machine.’”

“Yeah, she wrote the lyrics for ‘Collarbone,’ which has been requested pretty much everywhere I play. It's one of my favorite songs to play.”



Sells said he can’t wait to bring The Jam Messengers through Huntington and Morgantown.

“The college towns should love these guys,” he said. "They’re everything; glam, trash, punk and blues, and raw. They’re the kick in the (butt) that America has been needing for a while. I hope to continue bringing in this Brazilian influx, because we need the rhythms. We need to get back to the roots. I flip on the radio here in Memphis and there’s no blues or roots stations. One station will play blues from 9:30 to midnight. There’s rap, pop crap and top 20 country. But the Jam Messengers are going to kick all that in the (butt), I can promise you that.”

Jeff Ellis draws a line in the sand, helps wounded veterans

Jeff Ellis, arguably the most talented songwriter in West Virginia, starts off 2011 like he has so many others; getting ready to release a new CD. Ellis has nearly finished recording his new seven-song EP The Line, songs written during his last stint in Iraq as part of his duties in the U.S. Army.

But Ellis is doing something cool with this release. To help get the new EP out, Ellis has teamed up with Pledge Music to raise money for not only EP-related costs, but proceeds from your pledges will benefit the Wounded Warriors Project. You may have already heard about this group, and a fine charity it is for Ellis to help. We love when area rockers do charity stuff, and this is a pretty cool one.

So not only will you get cool Ellis stuff like the new EP, by pledging more, you get more Ellis merch, schwag and even cooler stuff. Ellis will even play your house and let YOU decide the set list if you pledge enough. We caught up with Jeff over email to ask him about the new EP, Pledge Music, and the recent change in his marital status...

WVRS: So how has married life been treating you so far?
Jeff Ellis: It's amazing! We ran off to Hawaii back in December and had the most beautiful wedding. It was a private, intimate ceremony on Ko'Olina Beach on the island of Oahu. We exchanged personal vows as the sun set over the Pacific. Michelle is a wonderful person and very supportive. We're very happy and excited about sharing the rest of our lives with each other.

rockscene: Where are you at with the new EP, The Line, when can fans expect that and how would it fit in with your previous releases?
Ellis: The new EP is all but finished. We have a guitar solo and some backing vocals left to do and it still needs to be mixed and mastered, but that should all be wrapped up within the next two weeks. The goal is to upload one new song per week to the pledge page until the campaign is finished; then we'll release a hard copy sometime in the spring.

I think the hard copy will have seven songs; however those who make a $10 or more donation to the pledge page will receive access to all of the digital material as it is released, previously unreleased live tracks and studio demos, and a hard copy when it is released. As to where the EP fits in to the other albums, it has two functions. Lyrically, it would fit right in with anything from the second album, "A Front Seat for the End of the World", and it actually features a song from the 2007 demos that has been polished up a bit to fit the new batch. Musically, its the next step to transition into the upcoming full-length album.

rockscene: Did you record with Eddie Ashworth again? If so, how comfortable have you got recording with him?
Ellis: We did record with Eddie again, and we're already underway recording the next full-length album with him as well. Ed and I have become great friends over the past few years, and I think he and I see eye to eye on how we want the albums to sound. He's become a trusted source of inspiration and advice when it comes to making big decisions in and out of the studio, and I look forward to working with him for a long time to come.

rockscene: You’re doing something really neat with this Pledge Music site, where fans can not only pledge money to get your music and more, proceeds benefit the Wounded Warriors Project. It’s a well known group, and conditions at places like Walter Reed were reported to be not exactly perfect. How important is it for you to do this to help veterans?
Ellis: Being a Veteran and a student of psychology, I am very concerned with the rising number of suicides in the military. To my knowledge, 2009 and 2010 were both record highs for suicides in the Army. I believe that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) plays a large role in this. The Wounded Warrior Project website states that over 300,000 returning service members suffer from either PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

The WWP is just one of many organizations that are working to help these men and women by raising awareness and helping to develop programs to study and treat these injuries. Most of the songs on the EP are about Soldiers dealing with these issues. Writing these songs was my way of raising awareness and probably helped me to sort out some of my own issues along the way.

rockscene: Aside from the new EP, what else are you looking forward to in 2011, musically?
Ellis: As I mentioned earlier, we've already begun recording the follow-up to last year's "The Forgetting Place". I'm very excited about that. Eddie and I have some big ideas for the way we're going to approach this record, and I think I have some of my best songs yet waiting to be heard. Expect lots of melody, jangly guitars, and BIG choruses!

rockscene: On the pledge site, it says if you pledge $500 you’ll play at someone’s house, what would it take for you to turn that money down?
Ellis: I think some of the additional pledge items are kinda funny. I don't really expect anyone to put down that kind of money for me to show up at their house and sing happy birthday to them, but hey, who knows? At that point, its more about making a donation to the WWP than it is getting to join me onstage. Hell, most people just do that for free anyway. I think the best deal is the $10 pledge to get the digital tracks, unreleased material, AND a hard copy of the EP. That's a hard deal to beat these days.

Ellis plays the Empty Glass in Charleston this Saturday (tonite) with Benyaro, and plays Tamarack in Beckley Sunday at 2 p.m.

Jeff Ellis @ Taylor Books 5.9.2008

“Something Bad’s Gonna Happen”

WVRockscene: mid-January update special

Yes, dear friends, WVRockscene is still fully operational. Been working on all kinds of awesomeness that we cannot at this time either confirm or deny.

There have been two promising developments in recent days WVRockscene related. We will spell them out thusly:

1. Our friend Whiskey Brian from the Whiskey & Waterbeds podcast recently did an hour-plus long interview with the head editor in charge of WVRockscene, Max Power. Whole lotta cool area bands songs got played, and Max stammered about regarding why people just don't like the blog anymore, assuming people liked it in the first place.

B. Always late to catch on to any cool technology trends, WVRockscene recently set up its own bandcamp page. On said page will be hosted some of our favorite CDs from bands that are either defunct or no longer selling the CDs. All CDs are uploaded as free downloads (with permission from the bands) and we're looking forward to posting more.

So, check that out, and maybe sometime in the spring we'll get around to posting something here.

Bad Employees do good work Thursday night

Bad Employees play for charity Thursday night in Huntington

We always love seeing bands we think are cool support great causes through benefit shows. It's two for two this Thursday night at the Thirsty Whale in Huntington, as our friends Andy Rivas and John McComas -- the Huntington-based electronic rock duo Bad Employees -- play out to help raise money for Stepping Stones.

Stepping Stones is a Huntington-area non-profit group that helps kids. We could go on, but why not get lazy and cut and paste the description of the event and the group from the Facebook page for it?

Yo, Yo Ladies and Gents!

The holidays have passed, but who's to say that we shouldn't keep up with two of my favorite parts--the celebration & "goodwill toward men"--all year long?

Bearing this exact combination in mind, the electronica/indie rock geniuses BAD EMPLOYEES will be gracing the stage of the Thirsty Whale (formerly Gumby's/Drop Shop/C&O/Club Echo) on Thursday, January 13th in support of local group home Stepping Stones. 100% non-profit, this amazing group helps foster kids (boys ages 13-17) who are between homes, and they do EVERYTHING (house, feed, clothe, and most exceptionally, genuinely care). The $5 door fee benefits monetarily, but they will also always accept donations of clothing, games, and sporting equipment (new or used, as long as it's in good condition), as well as food and grocery giftcards.

Doors are open at 11am for the Whale's everyday lunch, but this event will kick off at 9pm, show at 10pm. All in all, a good time for a good cause, so we hope to see your smiling face there!! Thanks!

--- Well, you read that, and it sounds cool, right? Well, hold on to yer pants because we caught up with McComas over email to learn a little more about the show and what's up with BE these days:

"Really the motivation for playing this show was, first, because it is a good cause and also because we will pretty much play any time we are available. We just really enjoy playing live for anyone who will listen.

It's a major plus getting a chance to actually help people just by showing up and doing what we love to do. We are really excited to play right now because we're trying out a few new songs which will be on our next album, due out some time this year.

We've been on this kick lately of writing a new song, trying it out live, recording the new song and then repeating that process. That's how the majority of this album has gone down so far.

We only want to write maybe one to two more before buckling down and finishing it. It's really exciting and fun for us because our new songs have mostly been dance-oriented.

It's great when people who are coming out to our recent shows tell us they enjoy the new stuff and even hit the dance floor. Hopefully tomorrow's (Thursday's) show will be one of those fun nights for everybody."

You've read this much, pretty much everything you could read on Facebook, with a scoop from McComas. So why not check out the September 2010 Herald-Dispatch article on Bad Employees, or, Justin Johnson's 1318 4th Avenue Aural History series?

Related: Magic Town helps MAYSP this 9/11

photo: Taylor Kuykendall

Update (1.18)
Check out this video for an older Bad Employees song, “I Must Break You,” filmed and edited by Don Yeater on helmet cam in Boston, Mass.

CD Review: "Black Diamond"

CD: Black Diamond
ARTIST: The Resonators

Funny story about The Resonators’ four-song EP Beard Envy laying around the house since getting it early in 2009: It’s common practice around the WVRockscene home stereo to take CDs out and place them in the case of the next CD we’d play. As Beard Envy was just a plain white CD with no discernable notation or label on it, every time we’d want to play Arms and Sleepers’ untitled EP -- which looked exactly the same -- we’d get blasted with the catchy, quirky garage rock of “Wishful Thinking,” which, among a few other songs off the debut EP, finds its way onto the full-length debut.

It’s cool because we liked both CDs, but totally different sounds.

Well, fast forward about a year, and, much as we liked the songs on Beard Envy (which you can download for free on The Resonators bandcamp page), the thing that was lame about it was that there were just four songs.

It’s not something you want to lead off a CD review with, referencing someone else’s review, which is why this paragraph is where it is. But, irregardless nonetheless, getting into the review of The Resonators’ 11-song effort Black Diamond, we direct your eyeballs to Mike Sizemore’s review of it at his Rock o’ Clock blog.

Sizemore makes the quite correct point that hearing Andrew LaCara’s band evokes something about the 90’s, referencing Weezer, among a few other acts. But it’s precisely the Weezer nod in the Shepherdstown-based trio’s sound that deserves some expounding upon.

Opening Black Diamond is the highly charged “Your Resonation,” which does indeed (along with a few other songs on the new CD) bring to mind the sound and vibe that comprises Weezer’s eponymous debut blue CD. Remember running out and buying that CD after seeing the video for “Undone (The Sweater Song)” the next day? Remember buying that DGC Rarities CD just so you could hear their version of “Jamie” -- like Sizemore notes, this was before the internet made getting one particular song so easy.

On the whole, Black Diamond may remind you of early Weezer stuff mixed with the kind of retro garage rock stylings of something like The Strokes. The whole point about referencing Weezer is that The Resonators, with an all new lineup (Charles House: bass; Joni Mason: drums) since the EP came out, still have LaCara as the driving force musically, and the sound is something Weezer fans should love.

Jangly-meets distorted guitars with catchy progressions, fat, sometimes muted but walking bass lines, nerd-core type vocals with a lot of loser-in-love type lyrics, rockin’ sing along choruses with no shortage of whoahs and backing vocals and a few rock star solos thrown in -- killer!

“Wishful Thinking” would be a track that may remind some listeners of The Strokes or something like that. Re-recorded versions of “Whatever It Takes,” “Gun For Hire,” and “Confessions and Lies” fill out the CD nicely. “Wasted Without You” is slower, fatter, and prettier. Is that even a good way to describe something? Slow, fat and pretty? Neat, dreamy kind of solo/bridge part as the song leads into the very awesome minute-long instrumental, acoustic (with xylophone?) interlude “I Took Too Many Drugs For The FBI” -- geez don’t tell ‘em that!

There’s a funny Mr. Show skit where David Cross is interviewing for an FBI job or something and Bob Odenkirk asks him about all his drug use and Cross openly and quite casually impresses him, detailing his past drug use. Great name for a song, and a hilarious skit. Would’ve been great to see LaCara flush this out into a full song, because it may have been something like “Island In The Sun” or something.

The acoustic-based “Enough’s Never Enough” is one of the sweeter songs on the CD, as LaCara finds himself at the end of his romantic rope and the song crests with overdriven guitar parts. LaCara ends Black Diamond with the driving, almost punk “We’ll Always Have Cusco.” While it’s nowhere near the song in terms of tone and style, this song seems to be LaCara’s own version of “Butterfly,” as he laments being a world apart from a long lost love interest in Peru, with only the memories to show for it. A really great song that finds LaCara learning it’s better to love and lost than never loved at all. The backing vocals and harmonies will evoke the original Cuomo-Sharp duo, maybe.

Recorded by Brian Spragg (It’s Birds/Pat Pat), mixed and mastered by Dave Klug (with art by The Demon Beat’s Jordan Hudkins), Black Diamond is, for a first official full-length, a great CD.

1994-ever? For some listeners, maybe.

Great rock and roll though, the kind that makes you write songs and be in a band in the first place.

--- Black Diamond will be available at midnight tonight on The Resonators bandcamp page

mp3: “Wasted Without You” by The Resonators


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Top 10 CDs of 2010

10. Todd Burge and The Odd Urges -- Distraction Packed

Todd Burge, “the dean” of West Virginia songwriters, as Mountain Stage host Larry Groce called him, debuted his new band The Odd Urges with “Distraction Packed,” following up on his last solo effort, 2008’s “My Lost and Found.” With his friend Billy Matheny (plus Joseph Hale and Rodney Crihfield) coming along for the ride, Burge takes listeners on a pretty wild (sometimes sad) ride through middle age over the course of ten songs worth of Americana, alt-country, and rockin’ folk flavored ditties. More than anything, Burge’s intelligent lyrics and witty word play keep the songs in your head months after hearing them.

Standout tracks: “Live it Up,” “I’m a Shark,” “Intervene,” “Whiskey Heaven”

--- Read the review here

9. Librarians -- Present Passed

The 10-song sophomore release from this Morgantown-based “baroque pop” four-piece sounds like no other CD we’ve got at WVRockscene this year, or years past. Sometimes approaching new wave (“Cranberry Palace,” “Hard To Unwind”) with some trippy acoustic-based material (“Candy Season”) thrown in but mostly always sung in hushed tones ala Leonard Cohen, these guys (Trey Curtis, Ryan Hizer, Billy Parsons, Kyle Vass) have a sound that isn’t exactly something you’d hear on the radio, and that’s what makes it great.

Standout tracks: “Candy Season,” “Cranberry Palace,” “Hard To Unwind,” “Kid Stuff”

--- Read the review here


8. Pat Pat -- Wizard of This

This new Morgantown-based trio, led by It’s Birds’ Brian Spragg, lay down nine songs of high energy post-punk indie rock (and sometimes grungy) type songs on one of the better debuts of 2010. Like he did on It’s Birds 2010 release “My Bloodless Wife,” Spragg incorporates a lot of challenging chord progressions and changes into the songs. But on the whole, the songs on “Wizard of This” are just a little more catchy. Not sure what Pat Pat (named after bassist Patrick Spragg?) are wizards of, exactly, but the tunes are rockin’.

Standout tracks: “Windham,” “WOEFAS,” “Dup,” “The Wavemaker Falters”

--- Read the review here


7. The Demon Beat -- 1956

Lyrically an ode to Carl Perkins, but with their own version of distorted, bluesy garage rock, this Shepherdstown-based trio sneaks into the top 10 with “1956,” not so surprisingly considering their previous material. Recorded over a few days during November and fittingly enough, mastered in Nashville, The Demon beat continue to expand their musical boundaries and explore new ground, conceptually. Not even 40 minutes long, “1956” is laid out in five movements, meant to be listened to as a record; talk about rolling back the clock. Singer-guitarist Adam Meisterhans still has his alternately soulful, guttural singing, as he tells Perkins’ story in his own words throughout. Everybody who loves rock and roll has pretty much fell in love with these guys, and this release will further extend the love affair.

--- Read the review here


6. Attack Flamingo -- Exit Anthem

The follow-up to 2008’s “No Star Could Be As Large” finds these Huntington-based electronic rockers expanding their sonic landscape (more acoustic) and expounding on their message of persecution, strength through faith, and ultimately, flight. Evoking something like Muse with Billy Corgan singing, it’s a superb sophomore effort that follows on the heels of their debut concept CD. Lyrically, “Exit Anthem,” is a concept album that places AF in a Stalinesque, New World Order-type prison planet, and the only thing that can save them is their music and faith. One of the more highly anticipated releases of the year at WVRockscene did not disappoint.

Standout tracks: “Counterfeit,” “Nothing,” “Y/our Kingdom/Cosmos,” “Remind These Wings of Infinite Skies”

--- Read the review here


5. Jeff Ellis -- The Forgetting Place

Huntington’s Jeff Ellis isn’t sneaking up on anyone anymore. Together with his friend Bud Carroll and the Southern Souls, Ellis, over 13 songs worth of rockin’ Americana, bluegrass and alt-country, put out another great record in 2010. Just throw it on the pile; with 2008’s “Covering The Distance” and 2007’s “A Front Seat For The End of the World,” added to his previous efforts, Ellis further cements himself as the pre-eminent rocker in West Virginia. Depending on your taste in music, you could put this record at number one on your list and you’d get no argument from anyone at WVRockscene -- because they’ve all been laid off.

Standout tracks: “If He’s So Good To You,” “Russell and Honeybee,” “Still Ain’t Over You Yet,” “Fooled”

--- Read the review here


4. John Lancaster -- Phantom Moon

The solo debut for the longtime Chum frontman and Huntington resident is great not just because of the songs; 14 songs of melodic, atmospheric hard rock, but because “Phantom Moon” is more than the sum of its parts. Pulling together an all-star list of guest musicians including Bud Carroll (among others) and guest singers including Dug Pinnick and Dave Angstrom, and collaborating over the web, the Huntington native proves he’s not done on “Phantom Moon,” an even better effort looking back on it after a few months. Conceptually nebulous, sonically coherent, with overtones of apocalypse and 24-hour alarmism permeating the lyrics, and a 90-second instrumental track thrown in, it is indeed one of the best releases of 2010.

Standout tracks: “A Burning Farewell To Us All,” “Liars,” “When Shadows Grow Teeth,” “This Fire Has Just Begun”

--- Read the review here


3. J Marinelli -- Pre-Emptive Skankery Sessions

Proving that punk rock is what you make of it and that you can make your own scene, the Morgantown native and Lexington, Kentucky resident returned in 2010 with 14 songs worth of his angry one-man band’s version of “maximum stomp and swing” on this vinyl release. Keeping things weird but always rockin’ with his caveman guitar, makeshift drum kit, harmonica, kazoo, and plug-in-and-go attitude, Marinelli revamps songs longtime fans know and love in echo-soaked, overdriven fashion, save for the stellar, stripped down version of “Pomade Years.”

Seeing someone sit down behind a skeleton drum kit with a guitar in hand, some might think Marinelli is some sort of novelty act; something silly or fake. Nothing is further from the truth. In an age of punk rock as fashion and a commoditized music culture, J Marinelli is a rock and roll rebel.

Standout tracks: “Rebel Without Applause,” “Hey Pinkerton,” “She’s My Cheerwine,” “Pomade Years”

--- Read the review here

2. Spirit Night -- What We Will Be

Shepherdstown native and Morgantown resident Dylan Balliett transforms his years at WVU into 11 catchy songs of intensely personal, acoustic-based atmospheric bedroom indie rock. With help from his friend, FOX Japan drummer Pete Wilmoth, who adds so much to the sound in the percussion department, and a few other friends contributing, “What We Will Be” sounds like a soundtrack to Balliett’s college years. This is a duo that played together in Morgantown’s Russian Tombstones, but absolutely came out of the blue this year with a great CD that you can download for free at the Spirit Night bandcamp site.

That these dudes can make a debut CD recording in various bedrooms, have something that competes with these acts sandwiched around it and put it up for free is a testament not only to Balliett’s songwriting, but what bands can do these days if they just have good songs and an internet connection.

Standout tracks: “Bear Costume,” “Brains,” “Don’t Miss Me,” “Gone Down,” “125”

--- Read the review here


1. The Fox Hunt -- Long Way To Go

Sometimes putting together a “best of” local CD releases can be tough. Sometimes, though, when it comes to picking the top release, it’s pretty darn easy. On their third full-length (and fifth overall) release since forming in 2006, this Martinsburg-based band makes it a no-brainer for 2010.

Released way back in February, over twelve great songs worth of drunken, lovelorn, and road weary Americana, bluegrass and country, with their traditional “fiddle-centric” (no drums) and acoustic (mandolin/banjo upright bass) sound, The Fox Hunt tells the story of living a rock band lifestyle, and all it entails.

The amazing thing is that pretty much all of the songs are “standout” tracks. Between the shared singing and songwriting duties of John R. Miller and Matt Kline, there are, simply put, no weak links on the record. The songs feature introspective lyrics (sometimes painful, sometimes uplifting) with great vocal harmonies. Great musicianship, superb production, awesome songs; this CD is the total package.

2010 found these guys not only playing South by Southwest and Mountain Stage, but touring Scotland, Ireland, and Japan, among other highlights. Maybe fittingly enough, keeping with the hard scrabble, travelin’ band narrative in the songs, Matt Kline left the band in October. But The Fox Hunt will no doubt keep making great music, and they’ll always have this great CD to show for their efforts.

--- Read the review here

Payola scandal rocks WVRockscene's Top 10 CDs for 2010

We got probably 30 CDs from bands from all over West Virginia and beyond this year. We were even lucky enough to get a whole slew of releases from out of state bands who may or may not have been passing through, and were kind enough to hook us up. Getting two Whiskey Daredevils CDs in any given year is always great.

As WVRockscene prepares to enter its fourth and likely final year of existence, it’s always both a pleasure and a challenge to look back and put a rank on what we feel like are the best local releases in a given year. There’s no real scientific ranking system like the BCS, which settles everything with no debate, but pretty much, the formula is as follows:

*Number of total songs on a CD

+ and/or divided by

*How much we personally like the music

There were a few variables that seemed to factor into how inclusive we were with bands; whether we count them as an out of state act or an in-state one. For example, Hurricane native Mark Bates’ spring release Down The Narrow could’ve likely found a spot in the top 10; he’s now not only living in Nashville, but the musicians on the record are not from around these here parts. It’s a great CD though.

Morgantown native J Marinelli may have recently moved to Lexington, Kentucky, but he’s a one-man band, one of our all-time favorite acts, and, hey, he recorded Pre-Emptive Skankery Sessions in the Mountain State, so, he’s supporting local business.

Hucklebuck is a pretty cool Americana/alt-country act with members from the Eastern Panhandle and Maryland, consequently, we didn’t really know how to count their solid debut Bender, so we counted ‘em as foreigners, but would have given ‘em a high slot in the out of state top releases, if there was one this year. Their song “Good Stuff” would’ve likely been our favorite song of 2010, if we put one of those together, which we did not. We got lazy.

There were a few releases that we didn’t snag, and we realize that. Anyone and everyone is free to put their own two cents in here re: why they think our picks suck, but doing so in a constructive manner would be much appreciated. Did you listen to more than one of the CDs? Or are you just dating the band’s drummer and hate all the other bands?

We don’t really know or hang out with anybody in any of these bands, so it’s not like we play favorites; these are just our favorite CDs from this year. So in a sense, you can indeed say we play our favorites. You, the reader, may have your own favorites and if you’d want to tell us why or just how much you like the CD please feel free.

Since the Huntington Herald-Dispatch is running our Top 10 in print over Thursday and Friday, we will here also tier the countdown similarly, so you can get the scoop here online or in print if you choose. They’re paying us the same for an article, so thank them for that and we of course will let them get first whack at it. Maybe they’ll get any hate mail instead of us.

We started WVRockscene to spotlight bands we like and think are rockin’, and for 2010, it’s mission accomplished.

Look for the countdown to start in a few hours...

CD Review: "There Ain't No Sanity Clause"

CD: There Ain’t No Sanity Clause
ARTIST: J Marinelli

The cover really does tell it all for this Christmas time release. We have been spending a lot of time in recent days on the J Marinelli bandcamp page, checking out the music he has been putting online. And lo and behold, a Christmas miracle late December 23.

Something about this review needs the mental imagery of the Morgantown native sitting around in a delightfully over the top bright red Christmas sweater. Marinelli keeps Christmas as real as ever on this just released Christmas time classic that’s everything but crass.

You might think that J Marinelli’s four-song Christmas Eve (eve) release is just another attempt to spread holiday cheer, or, conversely, another attempt by someone to shit on the holiday, or just release some stuff for free that didn’t make it onto his most recent efforts, this Fall’s Pre-Emptive Skankery Sessions or his cover series, Stone Age Kicks.

But it’s precisely that sonically, Marinelli is able to bridge PSS to the mainly softer, more acoustic-based material on Stone Age Kicks, simultaneously moving his sound into previously uncharted areas, all the while keeping Christmas punk rock and totally class conscious (as you know he would) that make this seemingly snuck-in-by-Santa present to his fans one of his coolest efforts.

Fewer songs might other times mean a shorter review, but not here.

Like on Kicks, Marinelli again revisits a Woody Guthrie song to kick off Sanity Clause, with a rockin’ acoustic version of “They Laid Jesus Christ In His Grave.” Marinelli, channeling Guthrie, reclaims the reason for the season.

Even Marinelli’s cover of old school L.A. punk band Fear’s “Fuck Christmas,” just 58 seconds long, has meaning for us all and especially those in need this holiday season.

Schizo panning of overdriven reverb-soaked screams and distorted guitar over satanic drums -- maybe the most unique and hardcore Marinelli tune ever? With the weird tape rewind or LFO type effects ending the song, this is a song that could’ve fit in with a few songs on PSS. It’s great to see him take this more experimental approach to his sound.

Marinelli shouts:

“All the children on the street hope they get something good to eat/But for me it’s not so great/Fuck Christmas!”

It has quite literally been awesome seeing how Marinelli has evolved his sound from Pity The Party through, really his best release, Keep It Fake, into the softer, more acoustic-type sound mainly found on Kicks, which finds Marinelli trading the jangly kazoo sound in for banjo and harmonica, into the more overdriven, echo soaked styles found on PSS. The only real exception on PSS being Marinelli’s touching, stripped down version of “Pomade Years.”

Before Calvin Johnson was a wide receiver for the Detroit Lions, there was Beat Happening’s Calvin Johnson. You may have either heard his band or read about him and his impact on the nascent Seattle scene of the 80’s and 90’s (Kurt Cobain famously had a K Records tattoo) but Marinelli’s simultaneously debaucherous and depressing version of Beat Happening’s “Christmas” really brings things down with down in the dumps lyrics.

Marinelli’s acoustic version of the Ramones classic “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)” closes out Sanity Clause in total somber, minimalist acoustic Marinelli fashion, maybe not the version you’d expect, but just as touching as the version of “Pomade Years” on PSS.

Just like he did on PSS and just like the Ramones did, Marinelli takes other people’s songs and gives them an all new unique sound and importance to his own philosophy and ideas about how things ought to be. We here at WVRockscene hope Marinelli is having a merry Christmas, because man, he sounds depressed or something on one of all of our favorite Ramones songs ever, one we can actually remember seeing on MTV as a kid. Like the song really means a lot to him, like it has to a lot of people and fans of the band.

And that’s what makes Marinelli great. He can play acoustic or banjo soft or loud, play an electric guitar completely fuzzed up and overdriven or jangly, sing through layers of distortion and reverb or clearly. But it’s the passion on display -- for not only the sound -- but for his beliefs and insight and his ability to show YOU his beliefs through not only covers but also his own originals, and for his love for punk rock in general but rock and roll in particular is all about: rebellion.

The Guthrie cover, like “Pretty Boy Floyd” does on Kicks, places an outlaw Jesus in a light of really what we’d all like for him to embody --

Love and charity:

“He went to the preacher, he went to the sheriff/He told them all the same,
‘Sell all of your jewelry and give it to the poor’
And they laid Jesus Christ in his grave”

Class warrior and spiritual rebel:

“When Jesus come to town, all the working folks around/Believed what he did say
But the bankers and the preachers, they nailed him on the cross
And they laid Jesus Christ in his grave”

Whether it’s our lord and savior, or a bank robbing outlaw from Oklahoma, robbing from the rich to give to the poor, on Christmas day, no less, Marinelli not only reclaims historical outlaw types, he reclaims punk.

So pick up a copy of the latest from Appalachia’s resident populist punk rock poet and defender of all things real. Oh, as he’s been putting more of his stuff on his Bandcamp page, you can from there buy a copy of Keep It Fake. This, if you love Marinelli’s music, you should do for that hard to buy for Marinelli fan for Christmas. Maybe stick it in a stocking with a burned copy of the Stone Age Kicks series and an instant Christmas time Marinelli classic.

CD Review: "1956"

CD: 1956
ARTIST: The Demon Beat

That The Demon Beat would, lyrically at least, dedicate what is in effect a concept record to Carl Perkins isn’t really a surprise if you’ve ever heard singer-guitarist Adam Meisterhans talk about his old school rock and roll influences. And it’s definitely cool for anyone who’s gotten into old rockabilly and/or read up on Sun Records.

On 1956 the three dudes from Shepherdstown (Meisterhans; Tucker Riggleman: bass; Jordan Hudkins: drums) release what is pretty much an EP as far as length goes -- it’s under forty minutes total -- but more ambitious than just a few songs on a CD.

Oh, there are no real “songs” on 1956 -- five “movements” that sound on the whole like one big extended jam session set to some lyrics that Meisterhans can relate to. Four (on average) eight minute-long parts sandwiched around the third heavily distorted, shorter instrumental movement, 1956 reminds this listener of NOFX’s 18-minute long punk rock masterpiece The Decline, not for the sound or style, just as a coherent jam with lyrics to kind of tie it all together.

While 1956 lyrically hearkens back to the golden age of rock and roll, it isn’t even barely a month old; the band recorded it over a few days at the end of November and 1956 was then mastered, fittingly enough, in Nashville. It could’ve been mastered somewhere else, but since Perkins was, as Meisterhans says, “a simple Tennessee man,” maybe it’s no coincidence.

And of course it does not seem like a coincidence the band will release 1956 on new year’s eve at The V Club, as that’s the date Perkins released “Blue Suede Shoes,” new year’s day 1956, to be exact.

While the overarching vibe of 1956 ebbs and flows between cymbal crashing, distorted blues and hear-a-pen-drop quiet verse parts, The Demon Beat nails the loud/soft dynamic and fits the sound on 1956 into some of their previous hard rockin’ bluesy material. It’s nothing like “This Is No Fun,” or “Make My Move,” off last year’s Shit, We’re 23, more like the sound of “You Only Love Me When You’re Stoned,” off the Caustic Eye/Bud Carroll split they put out. A great sound, just a divergence from any pop or punk feel they’ve had.

It’s cool to hear Meisterhans alternate between the distorted guitar sound and the clear tones you may have heard fifty years ago. You don’t have to stretch to see why Meisterhans chose Perkins as a muse of sorts; Perkins was sidelined with injury after a car wreck in March of 1956, shortly thereafter Elvis Presley would perform Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes” on The Milton Berle Show, helping to launch not only his own career but the new medium as well. A tough break for Perkins indeed.

Maybe Meisterhans sees in Perkins’ story something similar to trying to break through to the big time with The Demon Beat. There’s not a lot separating his band and others that “make it” except maybe the right A&R guy getting his hands on a Demon Beat CD or seeing them live in, say, New York City. But this is an attempt to kind of psychoanalyze Meisterhans; leave that to another post.

One of the best parts on the record is the stomping kick and snare beginning to the second movement, as Meisterhans soulfully and barely audibly sings about screaming girls and bright lights.

At 5:50 into the fourth movement, Meisterhans absolutely goes off on the solo riffage, just jamming it out for a few minutes heading into the fifth and final movement. The fourth movement has one of the prettier chord changes on ‘56, as Meisterhans sings “If my ship comes in, and I’m standing by/and if it sinks, and I’m left high and dry/got to lie” it is maybe the highlight and hook of the entire effort.

Having followed the band since getting 2006’s Heavy Nasty in the mail from Riggleman, it’s been great following the direction they take with their sound through the self-titled EP and 23. Maybe they’re maturing, maybe it’s something simpler, but whatever they seem to put out rocks.

Everybody who’s followed The Demon Beat to this point can tell they have a kind of throwback sound and style. But until now it’s been mainly a 60’s and 70’s feel. Pulling the 50’s into their sphere of influences only makes The Demon Beat that much more appealing to rock fans. While not much longer than a half an hour and recorded in just a few days, 1956, like a lot of The Demon Beat’s songs, seems years in the making.

mp3: Movement 4 from 1956
Movement 4 by The Demon Beat

Related: Huntington Herald-Dispatch article on The Demon Beat from April

The Demon Beat to release "1956" NYE

Larry Keel brings Natural Bridge to V Club Friday

Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

The holidays are a time for being thankful, being with family and friends and maybe doing some charity. It’s all these things too for flatpicking guitar master Larry Keel.

Talking over the phone the day before Thanksgiving from the mountains of Southwest Virginia, Keel, like many others this time of year, talked about being home for the holidays; thankfulness, charity and family came up right away.

Talk about progressive-yet-traditional bluegrass, touring with his wife and bassist Jenny Keel, and an insurance policy on his near-iconic beard, also came up.

Keel, with his band, Natural Bridge (Jenny Keel: bass/vocals; Mark Schimick: mandolin/vocals) and the help of his brother, and his old friend Will Lee, are playing more than a few charity events over the holiday season.

Keel and company bring their high energy, genre-skipping version of rockin’ bluegrass and Americana to Huntington and Morgantown this weekend. They play The V Club Friday, Dec. 10.

Supporting causes ranging from a domestic violence shelter, to Toys For Tots, to a no-kill animal shelter benefit at the end of the month with his longtime friend and collaborator, the Fredericksburg, Va.-based “one-man jam band” Keller Williams, for Keel, already established as a kind of bluegrass deity for his fiery pickin', it's great to lend his music to great causes.

“It’s wonderful,” Keel said of playing the various benefit shows. “I really want to do as many of those as I can each and every year. It’s just special. I’m just extremely blessed and fortunate to be able take what I do and translate that across to people who are in need this time of year.”

This year has found Keel, like he has for more than a decade plus, playing out at various bluegrass or jam band-type festivals and bringing young and old together with his and Natural Bridge’s music. And like years past, 2010 found Keel collaborating with friends and bluegrass legends old and new and touring all over.

In May, “Thief,” the second installment of the Keel’s work with Keller Williams, was, like “Grass” in 2005, released to much love and critical acclaim, debuting at number one on the Billboard bluegrass chart.

“It was gangbusters right out the chute,” Keel said of Keller and The Keels second release.

Playing with Williams, whether it’s covering other people’s songs on “Grass” and “Thief,” or having Williams produce Keel’s 2009 record “Backwoods,” or playing some dude’s couch like they did for a contest this year, is always great, Keel said.

Learning and playing a few of the 13 cover songs on “Thief” was a fun challenge for Keel.

“He picked out all the tunes and showed us versions of ‘em and we got his arrangements down and went out and performed ‘em,” he said. “A lot of the songs I’d never heard the original versions of, like (Marcy Playground’s) “Sex and Candy.” We’d go out and play ‘em and people would be singing along and I’d be like ‘I guess I’m the odd man out.’ I didn’t even know any of the words,” Keel said laughing. “We just had a great time being spontaneous.”

The most immediate shows were set to be ones with his older brother Gary, and Larry talked about the early influence on him.

“He bought me a guitar when I was 8 years old, and taught me how to play melodies and rhythm guitar and all that,” he said. “After all these years, getting to get back together to play shows with him over the holidays, it’s one of the most special times of the year for me. It’s super special.”

Talking about his exposure to progressive bluegrass and his incorporation of that into his love of traditional bluegrass, Keel explained how it all came together.

“Well, you know, I’ve always loved bluegrass, that’s definitely always been the heart and soul of my music,” he said. “But from an early age I’ve liked all kinds of music. From jazz to reggae to blues and rock and roll, of course. I guess listening to it so much and loving all those different styles, it just kind of crept into my music. Kind of infected it, in a good way, you know?

“I just love every kind of music. Well, most of it. This new country or new rock developed for record sales, it just doesn’t have a heart or a soul.”

Keel and Natural Bridge are joined by Keel’s old friend Will Lee from Keel’s first band, Magraw Gap, formed in the early 90’s.

“Will has come back out on the road with Natural Bridge and will be at the V Club show and at 123 as well,” he said. “We’ve been really excited about that. Will and I have been playing music together for 25 years or more, and there’s a great chemistry there; we read each other really well.”

New music is on tap for Keel and Natural Bridge in 2011, Keel said. The band will be releasing digital downloads of new songs off Keel’s website. And as Keel brings his bluegrass into the digital age, and as the fans change the way the industry works, Keel changes with them.

“It seems like a lot of the bands and the music industry itself has changed so much, just in the last five years,” he said. “People aren’t buying CDs like they used to; people all have iPods or a computer and can pick their favorite four songs off a record for 99 cents apiece. So we’re getting on that train. On my website we’ll have a whole page dedicated to 99 cent downloads where I’ll be releasing a new song every 30 days or so. So we can take our time with, produce correctly and release the real version we want to release, so we can have something fresh out there.”

And as Keel keeps putting his own contemporary spin on traditional bluegrass, looking back, he realizes making music is what he was bound to do.

“I heard a quote one time, some musician once said they can’t see themselves doing anything else,” he said. “It’s what I’ve always known I wanted to do.”

photo: Bright Life Photography

Following a sudden lineup change, The Sword now riding new momentum

The Austin, Tx.-based metal band The Sword performs Nov. 30 at The Orange Peel in Asheville, N.C. The band plays The V Club Thursday night with Karma To Burn and Mount Carmel


Reposted from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

It’s not every day you find a metal band releasing a record that debuts at number 47 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, then, preparing for a European tour a few weeks later, has its drummer abruptly quit.

But that’s where the Austin, Texas-based metal band The Sword found itself in October.

In 2010 the band (J.D. Cronise: guitar/vocals; Kyle Shutt: guitar; Bryan Richie: bass; Kevin Fender: drums) was opening for and touring with metal legends like Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne, and releasing its third record, the interstellar concept album “Warp Riders” in August on the New York-based independent label Kemado Records.

Talking over the phone from Asheville, N.C., The Sword’s co-guitarist Kyle Shutt talked about the highs and the low point of 2010.

“It was incredibly disappointing,” Shutt said of drummer Trivett Wingo’s decision to leave the band. “I wish it would’ve happened differently. But you have to accept reality and move forward. Now we’re back out here trying to make it up to our fans.”

Now, with Kevin Fender sitting in on drums, The Sword kicked off a U.S. tour Nov. 27, in Baton Rouge, La., and is joined by Morgantown’s Karma To Burn and Columbus, Ohio’s Mount Carmel.

They come to The V Club in Huntington on Thursday, Dec. 9.

“It’s been a blast so far, I can tell you that much,” Shutt said of the first few days of the tour. “It’s been good having some fresh energy.”

“Fresh energy” is a good way to describe what The Sword, together since 2003 and evoking Black Sabbath and Slayer, has brought to metal with its retro-type sound.

“I don’t know for sure,” Shutt said when asked what makes the band’s sound and new record so appealing to metal purists. “We just grew up a little bit, you know? We just wanted to make something that had more of a positive vibe to it; a little less aggressive, a little more tasty. We just try to write the best songs we can and go up there and be ourselves. We’re just happy that a few hundred people show up to our shows.”

Shutt recalled The Sword’s beginning around 2003, forming after playing a Halloween show as a Misfits cover band.

“J.D. and I were in different bands, playing around town, kind of in the same musical circles,” he said. “I played guitar, J.D. sang, our friend Ben played bass, and our other friend Ben played drums.

“After that show, J.D. handed me a CD that said “The Sword” on it, and it was a bunch of songs with a drum machine, just a demo, you know? He was like, ‘Hey, check this out, it’s my new thing I’m trying to do, and if you want to play guitar, let’s do it.’ I listened to it, and I was way into it.

“It was like five songs that made it onto “Age of Winters,” and a few others. Then, Trivett moved to town and he became our drummer. And we did one show with Ben, the original bassist, and that didn’t work out. Then, we were just a three-piece; J.D. sang and played bass, I played guitar and Trivett played drums. And at that show J.D. asked if anybody in the crowd wanted to play bass, come talk to us, and Bryan was there and he asked to join the band,” Shutt said, laughing again recalling that night.

Shutt described the sci-fi theme of “Warp Riders,” based on a story written by Cronise called “The Night The Sky Cried Tears of Fire,” also the name of the final song on the record.

“It’s more like a soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist. A lot of concept records actually have a discernable story that you can follow through the lyrics. This album is more like the theme songs for the story, you know? It really doesn’t have much of a narrative if you just read the lyrics. We were thinking about putting out like some sort of a comic book or like a graphic novel to piece together the whole story, but that was going to be way too expensive,” he said laughing once more.

To help expand the narrative of what the record is about (an archer, Ereth, whose planet, Acheron, has suffered an apocalyptic tidal lock and must restore balance with the help of a mysterious orb and a being called The Chronomancer), The Sword is releasing a trilogy of videos. The band just put one out for “Lawless Lands,” and will release one for “Night City” later.



“The “Lawless Lands” video just came out,” Shutt said. “I think Spin.com had it as their video of the week or whatever, so that’s cool. I love making videos, to tell you the truth. I wish that there was still an MTV to show them.”

Shutt said while 2010 has been a great year for The Sword, he’s looking forward to even bigger things in 2011, one highlight being getting to play with metal gods Slayer.

“I hope it’s only the beginning, seriously,” he said. “We’re in this for the long haul. I’ll go anywhere, play anywhere, fly anywhere. This is what we were born to do.”

If you go:
Who: The Sword, Karma To Burn, Mount Carmel
Where: The V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington, 304-781-0680
When: 9 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 9
Cost: $13 advance, $15 at the door
Online: www.swordofdoom.com/, www.k2burn.com/, myspace.com/mountcarmel1

photo: Joseph F. Carney III/EarthMusic Photography