“Salvation Town” is the debut solo release from Social Distortion guitarist Jonny “Two Bags” Wickersham. Produced by David Kalish the album is an interesting departure from Wickersham’s previous body of work as the album is packed full of acoustical performances. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Jonny recently about the album and what it was like working with Jackson Browne.

Adam Lawton:Can you give us a little background on your new solo album?
Jonny Wickersham: I started recording the album awhile back and it’s probably been 3 years now since we first started working on it. At the time when I started Social Distortion was very busy promoting and touring behind the “Hard Times and Nursery Rhythms” album. I didn’t initially have a lot of time to work on things. When I went in to record the first track it ended up being more than just working on the song but it was a chance for me to work with one of my idols, Pete Thomas who was Elvis Costello’s guy on drums. Once we finally got started things moved along pretty well and the whole experience was just great. I was really inspired by all the people who were willing to work with me on this album.

AL: What do you think was the main reason you waited until now to release a solo album?
JW: My good friend David Kalish who produced the album was always on me about doing a solo record. I kept putting it off because I didn’t think it was something I could do. I had always written songs however I never had any other vehicle to do them other than with the bands that I was in. I would write material and whether it was Mike Ness or the Cadillac Tramps or Duane Peters they would take what they liked from what I had brought in and then add their own parts especially, when it came to lyrics. I had never really learned to sell one of my songs or perform it. There’s a big difference between being in the recording studio and singing a song and being up in front of a crowd and playing. Then those two things are completely different from me sitting in my living room with an acoustic guitar performing for my cat. (Laughs)

AL: Can you tell us about some of the guest performers that appear on the record?
JW: The guest performers were something I didn’t put a lot of thought in to beforehand. Things just sort of happened off the cuff. I was certainly a fan of everyone involved and really worked out on a song to song basis. We did this record differently than what I am used to. I am used to working up songs as a band, demoing them and then going down to the studio to record the tracks. The bass and drums lay down a foundation and then everything else is built on top of that. There is a process to the whole thing. With “Salvation Town” it was much different. We laid down some acoustic guitar to a click track and then usually just Dave and I would go back and add a simple drum beat and bass line. From there we would try and think ahead of what the song could be. We would just have these ideas of about who might be able to add something really cool to the tracks. We ended up getting David Hidalgo from Los Lobos and his two sons David Jr. and Vincent, Gaby Moreno who was just so great and of course Jackson Browne. The song Jackson appears on is one that I have had for quite some time. It started out as straight ahead punk sounding song but with this being a different record I wanted to give it a different style. As we were working on it I said to David that I thought it could be Jackson Browne song. I never thought Jackson would be a possibility but David called me the day after mentioning and said that Jackson was down for it. I couldn’t believe it when a few weeks later Jackson came in to do his parts. Everything happened very organically. Having Jackson Browne and David Lindley on my album is just gnarly! (Laughs)

AL: Was there any point during the three years of working on the album that you got discouraged?
JW: There were so many discouraging times that I can’t even count. I am a stickler and very detail oriented. I am also one of those guys that have to exhaust every possibility so I was driving David crazy with this thing however; I think we balanced each other out perfectly in the studio. I wanted to make a good record that shows where I am at in my life while reflecting my influences. I didn’t want things to be over produced but at the same time I didn’t want it to sound like a demo. There were times where I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. That’s when I would get sketchy. It was all new to me. Fortunately over the years I have learned that you have to let things take their course.

AL: Do you have any plans to tour behind the release?
JW: Yes! As much as possible. We just recently played at South by South West. With the exception of the aweful tragedy that happened outside of the venue where we were playing the show was really great. It was trip being out there front and center. Every night I am always worried about how I am going to sound. (Laughs)

Photo Credit: Jarrett Gaza

Richard Sterban is best known as the bass singer for the country and gospel quartet The Oak Ridge Boys since 1972. He started off his career singing with the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Going 40+ years strong, the band is currently touring around 150 days a year and shows no signs of slowing down. On tax day, April 15th, the band is releasing their first live album “Boys Night Out”. So if you have any money left over, I would highly recommend checking it out. Media Mikes had the privilege to chat with Richard about the live album, singing with Elvis and non-stop touring.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about the new album “Boys Night Out” and why a live album now?
Richard Sterban: This is something that our fans have wanted for a long time. Our fans always tell us that they love our studio albums but that live and in person we are so much more exciting. So we decided that it was time to capture that excitement on a CD. It seemed like every time we were going to try and record a live album, we would get an opportunity to do a new studio album whether it would be a new country album, Christmas album or Gospel album. So we always put the live album on the backburner, so to speak. Last year, we just decided we were going to record some of our shows live. We ended up recording eleven live shows and between all of those we chose out what we thought were the best cuts that would describe a live Oak Ridge Boys show. I think it turned out really well.

MG: How much planning when into picking the playlist for this album?
RS: There were certain songs that we felt had to be included, “Elvira” for sure and “Thank God for Kids” was another. Then we listened to the input of Cleopatra Records, who we just recently signed with. It was a combination of their input and what we wanted. We just put our heads together and came up with fourteen songs. I feel that it is really a great example of a boys night out with The Oak Ridge Boys.

MG: What was it like starting your career singing with Elvis? How do you top something like that?
RS: I have had a pretty excited life and career. For two years prior to joining The Oak Ridge Boys, I sang with JD Sumner and the Stamps Quartet and I had a chance to sing with the King of Rock and Roll, which was really exciting. I got a call one day that the bass singer from The Oak Ridge Boys” was leaving and they wanted me to take the job. So I had to make a very important decision. I loved singing with the King of Rock and Roll…lip-singing with Elvis but I joined the Oak Ridge Boys and I have gone on to bigger and better things with them.

MG: I know that you also have a book out that also covers your early years with Elvis and through your amazing career with The Oak Ridge Boys.
RS: Yes, I do have a book out called “From Elvis to Elvira”. It is my life story and is filled with tons of great stories. It is available on my personal site RichardSterban.com, Amazon.com or catch up with us at a show and I will have them with me to sell and sign if like.

MG: Over 40 years with The Oak Ridge Boys, what continues to drive you?
RS: I think it is several things but the most important is that even after 41 years we still enjoy doing what we do. We look forward every night to getting up on that stage and taking our music live to our audiences. We are still having fun doing this and I think that is the most important. We also love the creative process of going into the studio and creating new music. So that is what keeps us going.

MG: Why do you think that generations of fans are still following you guys today?
RS: We pride ourselves on that. There is no question that we have gotten older and our core audience has aged along with us. But we are really considered family entertainment. There is something for every family at our shows whether you are a grandpa/grandma or a young kid. We encourage parents to bring their kids to their show as well. Our shows are definitely fun for the whole family.

MG: Which of your songs really gets you going the most when you are on stage?
RS: Naturally, I would have a tendency to levitate to “Elvira”. That is our biggest song and everyone has to hear “Elvira” at our shows. We have tons of other really great songs. I think one of the most meaningful songs that we ever recorded is “Thank God for Kids”. We do that song every night and we look out in the audience and see parents hugging their kids and people holding hands. It is pretty emotional. Now at our age, when William Lee Golden sings this song at the end he says “Thank God for Grandkids too!” [laughs] We are all grandparents now and I hate to admit this but last week I became a great grandfather as well, so that is definitely something amazing.

MG: Can you reflect on music today in the age of Facebook, Twitter and other social media?
RS: We try to pay attention to that. Duane Allen is on Facebook all day and keeps the fans posted there. Joe Bonsall, our drummer, is on Twitter all day. There is an advantage to being in a group since you can spread the responsibility out. I am not a big social media guy. I am on Twitter though. I spend my time doing the old fashion thing, like we are doing right now. I talk to

Photo Credit: David Bean

newspapers and radio stations all the time. So that is the function that I serve. In this day and age, we have a lot of ways to get the news out and we are really embracing it.

MG: You guys never seem to rest; tell us about your non-stop touring this year?
RS: We average about 150 days a year on the road. You can tell by looking at our schedule this year going to be no exception, in fact probably more. But it is what we love doing. We look forward to each night and sharing our music with our fans and that is why we are still going strong. Touring is a big thing for us and we love getting out there and doing it. Health is probably the key to our future. I think as long as the four of us continue to enjoy good health then we are going to keep getting out there and touring.

To celebrate one of rock’s most powerful voices the “Ronnie James Dio: This is Your Life” tribute album is being released and garners an all-star group of Ronnie’s friends and fans performing 13 of their favorite tracks from various era’s of Ronnie’s career. Slipknot/Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor is one of those friends/fans who appear on the record and Media Mikes was fortunate enough to talk with Corey recently about his involvement in the project and about some of his fondest Dio memories.

Adam Lawton: What was your first exposure to Dio?
Corey Taylor: I got in to Dio when I was still quite young. I remember seeing the video for “Rainbow in the Dark” on MTV. That was my first taste of Dio. It wasn’t until years later that I realized he had this whole career with Rainbow and Black Sabbath and even going back to Elf. When I saw that video it instantly became one of my favorite songs. There was just so much power and clarity in Ronnie’s voice. It was like he could sing anything. When I went back years later and really explored his catalog I found his voice to be just so vibrant and he really became one of my favorite singers.

AL: Did yours and Ronnie’s paths ever cross?
CT: They did. I actually met and got to spend time with him shortly before he passed away. We met at the Golden God Awards as we were both up for best vocalist. I never really root for myself at these things so I was rooting for Ronnie like crazy. I wanted to him to win really badly and he did. I was back stage doing an interview and Ronnie walked up so we in a sense hijacked him in to this interview. Ronnie was everything I wanted him to be. He was just so cool and gracious. Even at the end he was fighting. It was really awesome to feel that from him. There was a mutual respect that he didn’t have to put out there. I told him I was a big fan and he replied “Like Wise”. That lit me up like the fourth of July. It was very cool. I had seen him perform live a handful of times but to get to meet him like that meant the world to me. I was just crushed when he passed.

AL: How did you get involved with being a part of the tribute album?
CT: I was asked though Jay Ruston who was the overall project director on this album. He and I have worked together in the past and are good friends. I was actually at his place writing when he mentioned his involvement with the project and that Ronnie’s wife Wendy wanted me to be involved. I was instantly in! I didn’t really want to go through the channels of selling either band on it so I decided I would put together a band full of my friends. Once I got the ok to do that I made sure I had enough time to work on the project and that we were doing this in the right spirit. Being a huge fan of Ronnie and of his music I wanted to make sure I paid proper tribute to him.

AL: How did the song selection for the album play out?
CT: That was all my call basically. (Laughs) I looked on the call sheet to see if it was still available and it was. From then on it was mine and I had a real vision for the song. The guys I chose to play with were all obviously my friends but they are great players as well. I had to step up my game vocally.

AL: After the initial recording of the track were you involved in any of the post production?
CT: Really just for balance. Jay has such a great ear especially when it comes to rock and metal music. That’s the reason I used him on “House of Gold and Bones”. Whether he’s working with Steel Panther or Anthrax his stuff is always great. I knew with Jay I was in good hands and that he would do his thing. When I mentioned trying something he knew right away what I was talking about. Jay works with bands he is a fan of so when that happens a natural energy happens and that really shows in the finished product. We were very lucky to have Jay involved.

AL: What do you feel is the biggest factor in Ronnie’s ongoing appeal?
CT: I think it’s a lot of different things. He was so good at fitting in with ever who he was playing with. He had his own style but I think he was able to elevate the music to another level. Ronnie’s material has a natural life to it which is something a lot of music from that same time period is missing. Not to say that some of those bands aren’t great but Ronnie had this consistency to take things to that next level and put it over. I think that’s why people keep coming back and rediscovering Ronnie’s work. I don’t think we will ever see an end to his legacy.

AL: Can you give us any updates related to the new Slipknot album?
CT: All I can say is that Slipknot is working on an album. I will be doing a couple one off shows with Stone Sour this summer but after those are done it will be pretty much all go and no quite with Slipknot.

Lawrence Gowan is the lead vocalist/keyboardist for the legendary rock band. Earlier this year, they announced their 2014 summer tour titled “Soundtrack of Summer”, which will feature a co-headline with Foreigner and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Lawrence Gowan about their upcoming tour, creating new music and his thought’s on being a member of Styx for 15 years.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some info on the bands upcoming tour?
Lawrence Gowan: We will be out this summer with Foreigner and Don Felder. We have toured the states with Foreigner in some time. We did some shows with them over in England and we realized that the pairing of the two bands was just really great. We wanted to add a little more to the bill like we had done last summer bringing Ted Nugent out with this. This year were brining Don Felder formerly of the Eagles. It’s a great night of entertainment when you can add a third element that takes things over the top. We had done a show last year with Don and it was fantastic. The fact that he has written so many of those Eagles classics that people know is great but he also has an amazing band as well. We added him to the mix and now fans will get 3 hours of music that they know all the words to. The tour is being call the “Soundtrack to Summer” tour and I think that is very fitting. It definitely describes our experiences from playing in the U.S. and Canada. I think people will probably be tired from singing after it’s all over.

AL: The last tour featured Styx performing the “Pieces of Eight” and “Grand Illusion” albums in their entirety. Will the band be picking different albums to perform for this tour?
LG: I don’t think it will be this time. The evening is very much hit driven so I think people will be hearing all the songs they know. Having performed albums in their entirety I have found this to be a curious thing. The big thing is that audiences seem to keep getting younger and younger. So many people seem to have discovered classic rock in the last 10 years. At our shows we see younger people enjoying the experience of hearing some of our albums in their entirety. They seem to share their enthusiasm for both our hits and other tracks from the various albums that don’t get as much play. One of those tracks is “Man in the Wilderness”. That song was never released as a single and it has become a huge favorite. Of course we will be playing “Come Sail Away”, Blue Collar Man” and Renegade” as they are some of our corner stone’s but we can change our set a little to hit some of those more obscure songs which have become peoples favorites over the years. There’s going to be diversity in the night with an element of cohesiveness among the three bands.

AL: Being this is not the bands first time out in a multi-band tour format how do you go about keeping the shows fresh and new from year to year?
LG: That’s our task. It just so happens that we are band who is up to that challenge. We love hearing from fans that the show was even better than the last time they saw us. We are always trying to figure out ways to elevate the show and play the songs better than we have before. A song is a living thing. It’s not stagnant piece of music that stays the same. Every time we play one of our songs it’s going to be a little different. Each night songs take on new meaning for us when we play them. Each day is new and it’s another opportunity to try and get the song right. There is a lot more going on with the music than just being a collection of notes. There are feelings and emotions that need to be navigated every time you play a song. That’s our challenge. In addition to that Styx is a band of 5 front men. Everyone on stage is a great entertainer and musician. I think that’s why the audience is so engaged in what we do. We have a tremendous connection with the audience and we are certainly aware of that. The combination of the band, the song and the audience is infectious. We love what we do and constantly want to do it better.

AL: As an artist I am sure you always want to be creating new material however, does the fans wanting to hear the bands previous catalog make it tough to introduce new material?
LG: There is definitely a balance. We did a full album about 10 years ago that we are still trying to play as much as we can. It hard to squeeze a song in to the set but when we have the chance we will do that. We also had a cover album come out where we did a cover of “I am the Walrus” and that ended up being a big hit with classic radio stations. We try and get that one in there whenever we can. We have been trying to put out some new pieces when we can. We also have re-recorded some of the classic Styx songs and added new pieces to those. We always look for the opportunities to add something new. We also have to try and grapple with the reality of the music industry right now. The one thing that can’t be downloaded or replicated in any way is the live experience. That’s what people are drawn to.  Every show is different
and its own separate experience.

AL: This May will mark your 15^th year as a member of Styx. When you first joined the band did you ever envision being where you are today?
LG: I have had a really fortunate career. I had a successful solo career in Canada prior to joining Styx and was able to garner a big enough audience to where I could one day perform with Styx in 1997 when they came to Montreal. That led to the second half of my career where I get to be a part of this legendary band. Not many people can make a claim like that. My career has gone backwards in that I had the long solo career and then a lengthy band career. I really have enjoyed the whole thing. There is always something more you want to accomplish but when I am beating myself up about that I look at where I am and see how fortunate I am. It’s a very unique situation and I am so grateful to be part of this.

Charlie Daniels is best know for delivering the world with the hit song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” and numerous others. Today on April 1st, 2014, The Charlie Daniels Band is releasing their first album in 7 years called “Off the Grid – Doin’ It Dylan”, which is a tribute of songs to the great Bob Dylan. Charlie has been in the business since the early 1950s and shows no signs of slowing down.I know it is April 1st but no this is not an April Fool’s Joke, Media Mikes had a chance to chat with the legendary singer/songwriter about the new album and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: This is your first album since 2007, tell us about how “Off the Grid – Doin’ it Dylan” came about?
Charlie Daniels: Actually, it came about in an rather offhand way due to a TV show called “Hell on Wheels” that takes place back in the 1800’s. We were asked to do some music for this show and we had these instruments that were around the 1800’s, which were acoustical instruments. We had never done any acoustic work before. We always used electric instruments in one degree or another. We were so impressed with the different sounds that came out of the band that we decided that we should do a whole album of acoustics. Well, we taught what better well to draw on than the Bob Dylan catalog since you can never run out of material that way. I am a big Bob Dylan fan and I just wanted to pay homage to Bob and some of his music in our way. We tried to pick songs that we could put our mark on. We didn’t want to copy anyone else’s arrangement or something. As a result we get “Off the Grid – Doin’ it Dylan”.

MG: How did you end up choosing these specific ten songs (and only ten songs) from Dylan’s library to cover?
CD: Well, we went through the common process of trying to do songs that we felt we could do totally different than they have been done before. We didn’t want to copy “Mr. Tambourine Man” like The Byrds did it or other people’s recordings of his songs. We were looking at his songs and seeing if we could make a CDB song out of it. We simply approached it like it was new music like we were doing for these songs for the first time. We came across one that we felt that we couldn’t get far enough away, which was “Lay Lady Lay”. I really wanted to do that song but we could not find a way to do it that would take us away from the version on “Nashville Skyline”, so we decided to leave it alone. The great thing about it though like I said is that with Dylan, you can never run out of material.

MG: Did you have a plan upfront to add your unique style of music to Dylan’s songs or did it just happen in the studio?
CD: Yeah, we had a plan. We knew that they were Dylan songs but we wanted them to come out as CDB songs, if you will. It’s not that they still weren’t Dylan songs after but we wanted to have people to realize that it was a Dylan song but it was Charlie Daniels Band re-doing it.

MG: You previously recorded “Country Pie” on Dylan’s album “Nashville Skyline” in 1969; how was it getting to record this song again?
CD: Yeah I recorded “Country” Pie” with Dylan back on “Nashville Skyline”. I was also worked on his albums” Self Portrait” and “New Mornings” as well. I had fun recording that song both times though [laughs]. It is such a great song.

MG: Why do you think that these songs are still so relevant in today’s times?
CD: Well, they are classics and a classic is a classic. Half the time we don’t know what Dylan is talking about anyway [laughs]. We all can draw our own conclusions for some of them. “Time They Are a Changin'” and songs like that are very clear. But there are some that he leaves up to us to find out what they are about…and that is a beautiful thing. Everyone in this generation can find their own meanings.

MG: Was there any order to the composition of these songs?
CD: No, we didn’t anything chronological or genre-wise for this album like let’s pick one from the 60’s and then from the 70’s, nothing like that. We just went through his catalog and picked the songs that we were capable of doing that, like I said, we could put our mark on. Our main criteria was to make them CDB songs.

MG: Did you find that any of these songs were more difficult to cover than another?
CD: Well some of them were to an extent. Dylan writes his songs in his own way. Some of his songs have longer verses than others. I tried to make them basically the same length. I actually cut out some stanzas in order to make that work. I did it though without violating what the song was about. It didn’t affect the tune at all. But I also did it so that the song sounded our way, which was the goal.

MG: Having been in the business for 50+ years; what inspires you to continue making music?
CD: I love what I do. I am in LOVE with playing music and entertaining people. I just love it. It is just a blessing from God that I have been able to make a living doing something that I love so very much. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

MG: Do you have any plans to tour for this album this year?
CD: Oh yeah, I am on tour right now. As I speak with now, I am in Pennsylvania. So stay tuned because we have a lot of dates scheduled in the upcoming months.

 

Related Content

• Eddie Jackson talks about the future of Queensrÿche and their new album
• Hawthorne Heights’s JT Woodruff talks about new album “Zero”
• Country singer Hudson Moore talks about new movie “Sweetwater”
• Monte Pittman talks about newest solo album “The Power of Three”
• Eric Johnson talks about live album titled “Europe Live”

Doug “dUg” Pinnick is probably best known as the bassist/vocalist for the hard rock/progressive band Kings X. Doug has also been a part of a number of side projects such as “Poundhound”, “Tres Mts.” And “Third Ear Experience”. Doug’s newest project simply titled “KXM” is a 3 piece super trio featuring Korn drummer Ray Luzier and legendary Dokken guitarist George Lynch. Media Mikes spoke with Doug recently about the group formation and the upcoming release of their debut album.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the bands formation?
Doug Pinnick: Ray was having a party at his house for his son and we all happened to be there. During a break from the party Ray took us to see his new drum room which was also set up to record in. George threw out the idea to do some jamming and I think him and Ray actually did end up starting things there. A short while later I get a call saying George had booked some studio time. Luckily we were all free and we got together and started working on the album. It all came together very quick. We would be in the studio for a couple days and then Ray would have to fly out to Singapore or somewhere to play with Korn. We are pretty happy with how things turned out and I am all ready to do another.

AL: What can we expect to hear on the album?
DP: I think people will hear who we are as individual players. My bass tone is something that can’t be disguised as it is what it is. George is a unique guitar player and he brings that element to things. He doesn’t do as much soloing as on some of his other projects but I think there’s still a good amount of that on this record. Ray showcased his intricate cymbal work which is something that hasn’t always showed up in the mix of his previous work but on this record, Oh man!

AL: Did you approach this album any differently than you would with a Kings X album?
DP: Yes. The approach we took was that no one could tell the others what to do. You had to be 100 percent trusting in the parts that the other members created. Whatever we did we all complimented each other. When I listen back to the recordings there are no preconceptions. This is the first group I have been in where I can almost step outside of things. (Laughs)

AL: Was this approach laid out before hand or did it evolve over time?
DP: When we started out we were talking about a number of different things. George had a bunch of material that he wanted to bring up but we decided to do this thing from scratch. George agreed and things turned out great. I have a whole hard drive of songs that we could have pulled from as well but we chose to start fresh. Started from scratch was something I was very adamant about.

AL: Can you tell us about the video for the song “Rescue Me”?
DP: I never know what song to pick as a single as I always seem to pick something different from everyone else. I sort of stood back from the selection process and let the label and Ray and George decide. Everyone thought “Rescue Me” was the song to release first and I was totally ok with that. We worked with some of the guys who have done work on Korn’s videos and Ray and George pooled some other resources to come up with this video. I just kind of went along with the process and every draft we got back was really great. They did a very good job at making me like me. That at times can be a difficult job. (Laughs

AL: Has there been any talks of touring the album?
DP: We have all been talking about touring. As soon as we can find time that works with everyone’s schedules you better believe that we will be out there. Why not? We all have a bunch of other things going on but when we find that window we are jumping in.

AL: What other projects do you currently have in the works?
DP: I will be singing in a Jimi Hendrix tribute at South by South West this year with Perry Farrell and Slash. After that I will be playing in Los Angeles at The Guitar Center convention with my blues band. I will also be doing some stuff with a few of my other side projects as well.

Related Content

• Volbeat’s Rob Caggiano talks about Grammy nominated song “Lonesome Rider”
• The Dirty Heads’ Jared Watson talks about “Phantoms of Summer: The Acoustic Sessions”
• Richie Kotzen talks about new band The Winery Dogs and debut album
• Doyle talks about new album “Abominator”
• Oleander’s Thomas Flowers talks about latest album “Something Beautiful”

Monte A. Melnick worked with the legendary band The Ramones since the group’s inception in 1974 and served as the group’s tour manager up until the bands last show in 1996. Monte’s book “On the Road with The Ramones” which was co-wrote with Kevin Meyer and released in 2007 garnered rave reviews and has gone on to be released in several other languages. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Monte recently about his time with the band, the success of his book and the upcoming 40^th anniversary of the Ramones formation.

Adam Lawton: How did you initially start working with the Ramones?
Monte A. Melnick: I grew up with Tommy Ramone and we went to school together. We had also played in bands with one another along with setting up studios with each other. I was there at the very beginning when Tommy first got involved with the Ramones and that’s really how I became involved with them as well.

AL: Were you still looking to be in a band at this time or were you looking to move more towards the management side of the business?
MM: By this time Tommy and I had already built Performance Studios and we were also managing it. While doing all of that we still had time for our own bands and my band Thirty Days Out put out two records on Reprise Records in 1971 and 1972. Tommy had his own stuff going on at the same time as well but he was mostly doing engineering. When it started Tommy was really only looking to produce the Ramones however after a couple showcases they couldn’t find a drummer and Tommy ended up becoming the drummer. Eventually the studio had to close down because of noise problems and the Ramones started to get jobs here and there and they asked me to go along with them. Sometimes when there’s a fork in the road you just have to take it and that’s how I transitioned.

AL: What was your first impression of the Ramones?
MM: When I first saw them I was playing in bands that did three part harmonies and had already done some album work myself. At the beginning the band was incredibly raw. I didn’t like them.  They had to develop and grow which took them awhile. That wasn’t my kind of music to start with but working with them and watching them develop I got used to it and they grew on me.

AL: What was it like dealing with Johnny and some of the
other stronger personalities in the group on a daily basis?
MM: John was a difficult personality however he kept everyone in line and was very good at that. John had a very good business sense. We weren’t really friends but we were co-workers. I was more friends with Joey and the other guys as John kept to himself around me. Its part of the tour manager’s job to be able to not only handle the personalities of the band but also those of the crew as well. The tour manager has double the people he has to account for. That was a big part of the reason I wrote the book was to show both sides of what I was dealing with on a daily basis.

AL: Did you notice a big shift in the band with the addition of members like Marky, CJ and Richie?
MM: Most of the changes that happened were very good. There have been eight different Ramones but basically the members dealt with the changes and tried integrating the new members as best as possible. Guys like CJ filled some remarkably big shoes helped elevate the band to the next level. Richie was another guy that was a great addition to the band as he wrote songs and sang. It was terrific. Sadly he left on a bad note which I have the whole story about that in my book.

AL: How did the idea for your book “On the Road with the Ramones” initially come about?
MM: People kept coming to me and telling me to write a book. I’m not a writer so I didn’t think there was any way I was going to do something like this. Joey had released a solo album on Sanctuary records and at the time they were doing publishing as well. They dragged me in to this thing and gave me a ghost writer by the name of Frank Meyer. Frank was a huge fan of the band and is a great writer so when he came in things just fell in to place and I ended up giving him a co-writing credit because he did such a great job. When we started I didn’t know how things were going to turn out. I submitted around 250 images for the book and they all made it in which is very rare for a biography. I have a room full of stuff and they let me put in all of this stuff. The book had a great art director so when you look at the pages everything just flows together. I am very happy how it turned out.

AL: Do you have plans to release another update anytime soon for your book?
MM: I have done one update already so fans who haven’t got the book yet will want to make sure they get the updated version as it has everything in there. Lately I have been focusing on releasing the book in different languages. We are currently working on our 7^th language right now which is going to be in Italian. It’s great to be able to spread the book out around the whole world.

AL: With a lot of the recent commercialization of the band do you feel they would still be around today recording and touring had Dee Dee, Johnny and Joey not passed away?
MM: I think it’s great that stuff like the t-shirts and what not is available. The Ramones were never against commercialization which is why they tried so many different producers. They wanted to make money. The band just tried so hard to make it through out their career. After Joey’s death, the group’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002 and then Johnny and Dee Dee’s deaths the Ramones have become bigger than ever. If the Ramones were this big when I was working with them I would have gotten a raise. (Laughs) They are iconic and it’s a shame that they all can’t see this.  I think if they were all around and in good health they still would be playing. They probably would have played passed 1996 just how far though I don’t know. Joey was not in the greatest of health at the time they decided to call it quits and Johnny figured if Joey wasn’t going to be in good health then he would quit also while he was ahead. They had tons of offers to keep the band going.

AL: Looking back on the bands 40 years of existence/history what is your fondest memory and have there been any talks of a 40^th anniversary celebration?
MM: That’s another reason I wrote the book was to tell all of those fond and not so fond memories. There was a lot of stuff going on during 22 years on the road. I loved traveling and seeing the world. After awhile the band got big enough to where traveling became comfortable because in the beginning it was not always the easiest. I miss being out there and experiencing all of the different cultures. As for celebrations I haven’t heard of anything yet. Joey’s brother Mickey has his Birthday Bashes in New York and Linda, Johnny’s wife has her thing in Los Angeles at The Hollywood Forever Cemetery where Dee Dee is buried and they have the statue of John. I am not sure what else they could really do.

 

Related Content

• Cradle of Filth’s Dani Filth talks about debut album “The Great and Secret Show” with Devilment
• Upon a Burning Body’s Ruben Alvarez talks about touring with RockStar Mayhem Festival
• Sworn Enemy’s Sal Lococo talks about new album “Living on Borrowed Time”
• Matt Sorum talks about solo project Fierce Joy and album “Stratosphere”
• Korn’s Jonathan Davis and Nicholas O’Toole talk about composing film “After the Dark”

Jessie Bridges is the daughter of actor and musician Jeff Bridges and also a singer/songwriter herself. She has put out two albums to date, the first is an EP and the second is a full-length album called “Let it Breathe”. She recently toured with her father in 2013 and opened for him at the CabFest this year. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jessie about her music and what inspires her.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you found your sound for your music?
Jessie Bridges: My dad taught me how to play the guitar and growing up I used to strum along and play covers. I went through all the puppy love stuff that I was inspired to write and some really cheesy songs came out of that. Back in 2009/2010, I came out with my first EP, which was just four songs that I produced with my two friends. We went to a little house in Vermont, lived there for about two weeks and figured out the songs and how we wanted to develop the sound. It was like a music retreat. My goal for the EP was to have this experience of what it would be like to be in a studio. I feel that it is very well done but with my second and latest album “Let it Breathe”. I was able to locate something in me that felt much more authentic and real. It all happened in Vancouver, Canada. when I was working on a movie with my dad, as his assistant. I ended up falling into this circle of musicians at the time and ended up writing the song “Let it Breathe”. It just kind of developed on its own and I realized that that was the sound that I was going for. Then once “Let it Breathe” was recorded, I had an opportunity to stay in Vancouver. So I extended my trip and recorded the rest of the album.

MG: Can you give us the story behind your song “Heartbreaking Heart”?
JB: Absolutely, it is obviously a really sad song but it also has a very interesting story. As far as my songwriting goes, I don’t have a formula or structure. My songs come to me in all different ways. That song came to me years after my boyfriend and I had broken-up. I had this guitar pick with the word “heartbreaker” on it and so from there I just started playing and it manifested itself. It was also a way for me to work through these old pains and feelings that I wasn’t able to recover from previously. I have to say it is probably one of my favorites of all of them. As sad and emotional as it is, it is one of my favorites.

MG: How did it feel getting to open for your father at CabFest this year?
JB: It was actually really cool. My dad actually went on tour this past summer. We did an eight show stretch and I ended up opening for those shows and then he would ask me to comeback out and sing backup vocals on a few other songs. We have such a blast together and it is so much fun. There is a lot of love on that stage and I think people see it and really support that.

MG: Any new songs/albums planned for 2014?
JB: I do actually. In fact, out of all the interviews that I have ever done you are the only one to ever ask that question [laughs]. This is the deal though, due to the way that the music business is run these days anyone can put anything out. I originally got advice back for “Let it Breathe” album to release it as two seperate EPs and not a full album. But I said “Fuck that” because this album is an 11-song compilation that I put all this work into and I wanted to get it out there. I have been in the studio working on a new song that I am really excited about. It just needed to be mixed, do some background vocals and maybe add a little piano. So what I think my next move will be that once that is done, I am going to release it as a single on iTunes, Soundcloud etc. I think I will release my next few upcoming songs as singles in fact. I find that that way I am able to keep people’s interest more makes them excited as to what is coming next.

MG: Lastly, can you help me convince your father to come out with another album soon [laughs]?
JB: [laughs] Yeah, I think that he is exploring that possibility. I know he hasn’t been in the studio recently to record but he is always buzzing with excitement over music. He loves it so much.

On March 11^th 2014, Australian industrial metal band Our Last Enemy released their newest album titled “Pariah” via Eclipse Records. Produced by Christian Olde Wolbers the album is a perfect melding of all things metal. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with the band recently about the album’s release and the bands plans for coming to the United States.

Adam Lawton: How did Our Last Enemy originally come together?
Matt Heywood: The band formed in 2006 in Sydney, Australia. Myself, Oli and Jeff’s previous bands had all broken up and we all ended up meeting through a mutual friend. Bizz joined the band in 2010 after leaving the Genitorturers and relocating to Australia. We had heard through friends that Bizz was looking for a band to jam with. Zot joined the band in 2013. He had actually played with Oli in another band.
Oliver Fogwell: The Australian music scene is just one big family so you eventually end up working with everyone.

AL: How would you describe the bands sounds to someone unfamiliar with the group?
MH: We use the term “Industrial Metal” to describe ourselves when we only have time for a short answer or when we know someone doesn’t have a long attention span. (Laughs) Maybe “Metal Industrial” would be better suited? When we have time for a longer description we like to say it’s a kick in the nuts with a brick on our collective shoe! Sometimes fast, sometimes slow. We like to blend genres with metal being the first and then mixing in electronic, punk, gothic and hardcore, etc.
Bizz Bernius: I would describe our sound as a horror movie soundtrack on steroids.

AL: What can you tell us about the band’s new album?
MH: Our debut North American album is titled “Pariah” It was released on March 11^th via Eclipse Records. Christian Olde Wolders who used to be in Fear Factory produced the record along with some bonus remixes by Travis Neal (Divine Heresy), Angel (Dope) and Mortiis. The foundation of the album is “Industrial Metal”. We try to make each song have a particular feel, and throw in all kinds of different styles to achieve that. The album has everything from high level triplets and double kicks to slow brooding grooves. We want people to make up their own minds after hearing it and take from it what they want.
OF: Every review thus far has found something different in “Pariah” which is great. That’s what the album is. It’s a blend of heavy genres that we like to listen to.

AL: Are there plans to tour in support of the release?
MH: Yes! We hope to tour in North America as soon as we can. We want to get out there and play for as many people as possible. We are planning a tour but as right now we can’t yet announce the specifics.
BB: Absofuckinglutely! I can’t wait to tour my home country now that I am in an Australian band. How strange is that? (Laughs)

AL:  Coming from Australia, what do you feel is the hardest part about getting your music heard in different countries other than your own (for example the united States)?
MH: With so much of what a band does now being online, it makes the world a smaller place. Getting our music out on the radio, TV, YouTube or online in general is just as easy for us as it would be for any other band foreign or not. The hardest part for us is getting to play live in other countries and giving people the opportunity to hear our songs in their raw form. We pride ourselves on our live shows. That distance between North America, Australia or Europe is the hardest thing. It costs a lot more money for us to get places so it’s an uphill battle in those terms but, we like it that way.
BB: The expense of touring outside Australia is very high. Flights alone are just ridiculous! (Laughs)

Matt Sorum has been the drummer for such legendary bands as The Cult, Velvet Revolver and Gun’s N’ Roses. Matt’s newest musical endeavor is a solo project titled “Matt Sorum’s Fierce Joy”. The album simply titled “Stratosphere” comes out of Matt’s desire to give back while also addressing his past with startling insight and maturity. Media Mikes had the pleasure of speaking with Matt recently about the creation of the album and his evolution as a musician and person.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on how you started working on this new album?
Matt Sorum: I have always been a fan of acoustic guitar. I will generally sit down and write a song when I am having some sort of emotional feeling. That is my outlet. I have acoustic guitars all around my house. I will just pick them up and start playing. A lot of this record was compiled from cassette tapes I had made as I used to keep a cassette player around to record these ideas when I had them. When I got ready to put this album together I knew I wanted it to be around my other love of music that is a bit separate from my love of rock and roll. I love artists like Tom Petty, Lou Reed and Joni Mitchell. I have this whole other set of music that I love and I wanted to do something in that vein. When I started putting everything together I noticed that my style was geared more towards that type of Americana writing. I grew up on progressive music and that is another influence that came out on this record. I spent a week out in the desert with these riffs and ideas and wrote 8 or 9 of the tracks. I didn’t have any distractions and I was able to just write. Things worked out well and I had this great channel of energy. I stumbled on to a way of writing which allowed me to really flow. In the past I had a collaborator help me with the writing but on this new record I did most of it myself. It felt really good to be able to do that. When it came time to put the record out I knew I could record it at my home studio and I could bring in musicians but there was more a lot more to it. I ended up starting my own label with an investor friend of mine and we called it Rok Dok Recordings. We did everything ourselves and it was a lot of fun. This was just a great experience all the way around. Having total control of your music is a great feeling.

AL: Can you tell us about some of the musicians who played on the album?
MS: I knew stylistically where I wanted to go with this and it was going to be in a different wheel house so to speak. If I wanted to make a rock album that would have been pretty easy but with the sound I was going for with “Stratosphere” things were a little different. I picked the drummer because I didn’t play drums on the album. That was probably the hardest thing for me. I started with Paul Ill on bass. He has played with everyone from Tina Turner to Linda Perry. Paul was very instrumental in putting the band together. He brought in some really great players that have played with tons of people and appeared on a lot of great albums. The guys who played on the record are going to be the same group I take out on the road with me when that time comes. These guys put their hearts and souls in to this record I really appreciate that.

AL: Can you tell us about the webisodes you created to document the creation of the album?
MS: I was trying to come up with a way to get the material out there and make people aware of it. Even before I did the album I knew I was going to shoot all of from the rehearsals to the actual recording. I have seen this idea done before and I know people want to be invested in a project or have a part of it. I ended up doing a series of 5 episodes that will be released over a period of time prior to the album release. After the album comes out there will continue to be new episodes being released. We want to be able to just keep building momentum. We have a tone of stuff recorded that we want to share with the fans.

AL: What do you feel is going to be the biggest challenge in getting fans to see you outside of your normal “rock” element?
MS: I could have easily sat back and made a rock album. I know rock and roll very well so that probably wouldn’t have taken very long. It’s easy for me to write rock songs but it never feels as satisfying to me. I like rock and roll as an energy and a feeling that is separate from what I felt when I was writing the material on this new record. I don’t feel I could have written rock songs that go as deep in to my psyche as these songs do as it’s a different energy. I hope fans look at it as either being good music or bad music. They don’t know me as a singer so I just hope they like the different style and notice that I can sing. I hope people who have known me or have been a fan of me for a long time will sit down and give this record a chance. I want people to be able to see me in a different light.

AL: Do you feel you are past the point now of ever doing Gun’s N Roses again?
MS: I think you have to be past it. I have been past it for a long time now. The expectations will just kick your ass if you don’t move on. There’s not a day in my life that I don’t get asked about the band. I look at that as two fold. It’s sort of a blessing and a curse. (Laughs) It’s really more of a blessing. Being a part of that legacy for the time that I was a part of it was a blessing. That time really paved the way for the rest of my life. That was a great experience in my life and was one of the greatest rock bands ever! I have to look at it with respect and thank the fans and the other band members for including me. I will look back at the height of things with the band which I was there for and say “I did it”. That might be the way it should be left. We all have other things going on outside of Gun’s N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver that we are very happy doing.

AL: What other projects to do you have in the works?
MS: I really need to get this stuff with Fierce Joy out there. This project is where I can really show my artistic roots. It’s a cathartic thing that you have to do. Some people write in a book or diary or maybe go to a shrink. (Laughs) For me I chose to do that with this record. My band Kings of Chaos are going to be going out on the road and were set to break off a bunch of new stuff for this summer. We are going to be doing something called “The Celebration of Rock and Roll”. This will be with guys I have known for 25/30 years. We are going to be in a lot of different places with that. I am going to try and do all of this.

Gus G. is probably best known as the guitarist for heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne and for his own band Firewind. Gus can no add solo artist to his impressive list as in early March he will release his debut solo album titled ”I Am The Fire” via Century Media Records. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Gus recently about the new album and its creation.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about your new album “I Am the Fire”?
Gus G.: This is my first solo album and it features a lot of different collaborations with a variety of musicians. There are guest bass players, singers and drummers. It’s a bit of a different approach this time around especially if you compare it to what I have done with Firewind.  This solo album I wouldn’t even classify as heavy metal. I think it’s definitely more of a hard rock album. There a mixture of styles and it showcases a different side and background of my playing. You will hear a lot of acoustic and instrumental type sounds on this record.

AL: What made now the best time to release a solo album?
GG: We were on a break from Ozzy because he was out working with Black Sabbath and after our singer left Firewind in 2012 I had some ideas that I wanted explore however they didn’t really fit Firewind. After completing some prior commitments we decided to take a break while we searched for a new singer. This time off from both projects gave me the time to start working on these ideas while I was at home.

AL: Can you tell us about some of the guest appearances on the album?
GG: The main singer on the album is Mats Leven from the band Candlemass. He and I wrote 5 songs together and he sings on 4 of those. I did a song with the band Devour the Day which is actually the first single off the record titled. I also worked with Michael Starr from Steel

Panther and David Ellefson from Megadeth. There were a lot of people involved in the creation of this album. Jay Ruston who produced the album was very instrumental in bringing a lot of these guys in to the project. I took things track by track and Jay guided me through things.

AL: How did you go about putting the songs together for the record and did you make any adjustments to your guitar tone or playing?
GG: I mainly write the music. I will start from there and then go back and work on lyrics. I wanted to have people co-write with so I may have had a song title or something like that but for the most part I would send the tracks out and just tell whoever to surprise me. That’s really how we did things on this album. For the tone side of things I pretty much used all the same gear I normally use. I did experiment a little but you can still hear my sound and style on the record. I tried some new tones on this one and also id some acoustic guitar playing as well.

AL: Can you tell us why you chose “My Will Be Done” to be the first single release?
GG: I thought that track was going to be pretty suitable for radio. It has a sound that I think would fit well in to that format. I had hooked up with Devour the Day through my label and when I first heard their material it blew me away. When we started writing the song I knew it was going to one that was very strong and could be a single.

AL: Have you started to plan out any touring to help support the release?
GG: Yes. I will be starting out with some shows in Greece and then in May I will be tour with Marty Friedman called “Guitar Universe”. There have been talks about hitting some of the festivals this summer and I would love to tour the States as well.

AL: Has there been anything mentioned as to when you and Ozzy will start working together again?
GG: There has been nothing official yet. He is pretty busy with Black Sabbath and there is nothing I can really confirm. I don’t know a lot about that stuff. (Laughs) I know when he is ready we will all be there with him.

Micah Miller is the drummer for the Houston, TX band American Fangs. The group released their first full-length album titled “American Fangs” in March of 2013 and will be performing during this year’s South by South West Musical Festival. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Micah recently about the group’s formation, the creation of the album and the group’s recent appearance at Ship Rocked.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the formation of the band?
Micah Miller: Our singer Gabe and our guitarist Kenyon were actually in a previous band together. When that band stopped there was some time between projects. We had friends from around the Houston music scene who also were without bands and we would all get together from time to time and drink beer and play music. From there things just sort of ended up sticking with all of us forming this band.

AL: Can you tell us about the band’s debut album?
MM: It was sort of a roller coaster to get this album out. We started out just being a band in 2007 for fun really. In 2008 is when we started to make the band a consistent thing. We released an EP on our own and picked up some management. We had a few record label offers at this time as we were out on the road touring. We ended up signing with a label and went in and recorded an entire album. Within 2 weeks of turning that in the label went under. We decided to just continue on with touring in hopes another label would pick us up. We put around 150,000 miles on our van and just couldn’t get a deal. When it looked like we were going to hang it up Sony came along and offered to work with us. They didn’t know our label had gone under and were really big fans of the band. That rejuvenated us. This album is a culmination of songs we were playing in our live set that we love so much.

AL: How did working on this album compare to the work you did on the “Pomona” EP?
MM: It was very different. When we were working on “Pomona” we were all living together in a house while playing gigs on the weekend and working day jobs. A friend of ours built a studio in the dining room of the house and that’s where we recorded things. We would get home from work and record our ideas. It was a very slow process as we didn’t have any real time table. We wanted to come up with a small collection of songs that we were really proud of. With the LP we flew out to Long Island and worked with Mike Watts. There was a time line this time and a lot of other stuff. We went in with about 30 songs. From there we narrowed it down to about 11 and started working with Mike to make various parts better. Some songs were ones that had been around longer than others and we re-worked parts of those as well. I think we were more focused with the full length.

AL: The band just got back from performing on this year’s Ship Rocked cruise. Can you tell us about that experience?
MM: It was pretty crazy but exciting at the same time. There was a really good line up that featured well known bands and newer acts like us. We weren’t sure if anyone would come and see us as our first set was at the same time as Three Days Grace. It ended up being really cool. Jacoby and Jerry from Papa Roach came out and as the set went on the room filled in more and more. We got a great response and it was really fun. Each set we did after that got bigger and bigger. A lot of the other bands would come out and watch us which was great because we grew up idolizing a lot of those guys. It was pretty surreal. If only the water had been warmer. (Laughs)

AL: What other plans does the band have for this year?
MM: We are doing a few local shows in Houston but until the South by South West festival were going to be off the radar. That’s going to be kind of odd because last year we did around 120 shows. It just feels odd but it’s nice to be at home. We have a few offers on the table to head back over to the UK in the spring but we are still working out all of those details.

 

Related Content

• Ted Nugent talks about “Rock N Roll Express” tour with REO Speedwagon and Styx
• Cinderella’s Tom Keifer talks about solo album “The Way Life Goes” and tour plans
• Pantera’s Phil Anselmo talks about solo album and “Housecore Horror Film and Metal Fest”
• Richie Ramone talks about his 2014 tour and debut solo album “Entitled”
• Emmure’s Jesse Ketive talks about new album “Eternal Enemies”

Kimberly Caldwell is no stranger to the spotlight and has been performing since the very early age of 5. She appeared on the second season of Fox’s hit show “American Idol”, released her first solo album in the 2011 titled “Without Regret” before venturing in to the world of television hosting. Kimberly has recently returned to her singing roots with the release of a new song titled “On the Weekend”. Media Mikes spoke with Kimberly recently about the new release as well as about her time on “American Idol”.

Adam Lawton: What first sparked your interest in trying out for “American Idol”?
Kimberly Caldwell: I started out in beauty pageants when I was 5. When I was 11 I appeared on “Star Search” and ended up holding the record for most junior vocalist wins. I just loved that show and being on it was a dream come true. From there I ended up performing in Branson, MI in a production titled “Country Tonight”. I was kind of trained to be a singer. At about 15 I took some time off for high school and did all of that good stuff. By the time I was 20 I was still living with my Mom and we both decided I needed to be doing something. That’s when the idea to audition for the show came about.

AL: What was the audition process like for you?
KC: When I auditioned the show was still very new. Things were much different then as they are now. I slept on the side walk in Texas on a futon for about 2 days. My friends would bring me food and stuff to help pass the time but it was rough. There was a girl in line that did let me shower at their house while my cousin held my space. That was really nice of them. They had given tickets out to get in to the audition so my cousin was in charge of that while I went to shower. When I got back the ticket was gone. One of the show staff walked by and I explained to them that my ticket was gone. He ended up remembering me from being on the WB’s “Pop Stars” as he had worked on the show so he thankfully let me in. I was really very lucky. After that I had a couple auditions where there were some really good singers. I was chosen out of those groups after auditioning for Nigel. It was after that when you finally get interview by Ryan. I remember that day very well because I had the most awful outfit on that you could ever imagine. I seriously looked like a hooker. I went in and sang “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder and went on to Hollywood. I made it in to the top 24 and after the Wild Card Randy brought me back for the Top 10 where I finished 7^th overall.

AL: What was it like transitioning from being a singer to being a television host?
KC: There have been some aspects of transition however I have always wanted to entertain people. Where someone will give me a microphone I will use that microphone. From the day I got booted from Idol I was talking to people with in the business. I ended up getting an offer to be a host on Fox Sports and have been working and living in Los Angeles ever since. My job at Fox helped me find my legs as a host. From there I went on to do some more tings with Idol and work with TV Guide. For over 7 years I had a number of my own shows where I did various hosting duties. During this time I did realize that my main dream was always to write and record an album. I stopped hosting and began focusing once again on music. Music is a huge part of me and it is something that I just have to do.

AL: Can you tell us about your new song “On the Weekend”?
KC: I had started doing shows again and my guitar player Andrew who was producing the music for the shows he and I started working together on new material.  We sort of just did it for fun and after awhile we had some really amazing songs. One of those was “On the Weekend”. I think this is such a great anthem for the 9-5 person. The song really represents who I am and was one I wrote just for me.

AL: Can you tell us about the video for the song?
KC: People have always been intrigued by hair for I can’t remember how long now. I am always being asked how I get it to look certain ways. Really all I do is go to the grocery store spend $8 on shampoo, wash it and then cut it with construction paper scissors to how I want it to look that day. (Laughs) It’s not difficult but people seem to like what I do.  I was getting a lot of attention in the hair and beauty world and got a column with Sophisticate hair Style guide. Out of that I got a sponsorship to do my video. We teamed up with Let’Em Have it Productions who did this video is just great. A bunch of my friends helped with it and it was just a lot of fun. I had all sort of people come out and play the different roles in it. Even my sister has a role in the video. Terry and Clint the owners of the company were so professional and relaxed. It couldn’t have been more fun. When I got to see the first cut of the video I loved it and that’s pretty much what we ended up releasing as the final video. For people who still haven’t seen it yet they can check it out at www.Kimberly-caldwell.com

AL: Have there been talks of doing a full length album?
KC: We did two other songs besides “On the Weekend”. These days not a lot of people are doing full-length albums. Ep’s seem to be the way to go as you only need a few songs for one of those. On my first album there were a lot of great songs that didn’t get a lot of notice because there were just so many songs on that record. I feel very strongly about packaging these three new songs together as an EP format as they all are just so good. All three of the songs are now available on ITunes.

AL: Can you tell us about some of your other projects?
KC: When I am in Los Angeles I am always on the go doing something. When I am in Vancouver with my Fiancé I have nothing going on. (Laughs) One day while I was there I just started wandering around the city looking for something to do. I have always wanted to make some sort of accessories line and my Fiancé said that if I did it I should call it “Stage Presents”. I thought that was great name. I just started collecting things and putting it all together on my living room floor. I bought my own sewing machine and started taking lessons. I started working with a leather company who taught me all sort of different skills on how to make various things out of leather. A lot of what I have learned has been through trial and error and watching YouTube videos. I think I have gotten pretty decent over the last few years. I now have an Etsy store at www.etsy.com/stagepresents . I am also in the final stages of completing a Stage Presents hair accessories line.

Rob Caggiano is the former lead guitarist of the thrash metal band Anthrax and current guitarist for the Danish-metal group Volbeat. The group was recently nominated for a Grammy and also put out a new music video for the song “Lonesome Rider”. Media Mikes had the pleasure of speaking with Rob about the group’s nomination, how he came to join the band and what the group has planned for the rest of this year.

Adam Lawton: Can you walk us through your transition from leaving Anthrax, to producing Volbeat and subsequently joining the band?
Rob Caggiano: I first met Volbeat around 2010. They had taken my other band The Damned Things out on tour with them. We all became friends as we hit it off instantly. The first time I really heard the band was on this tour and was just blown away. During the tour they always asked me to come up and play on the Misfits song “Angel Fuck” which was just such a blast. In talking during that tour we all flirted with the idea of working together in the studio with me as a producer. They were fans of the Damned Things album as well as the Anthrax album “Worship Music” which I produced both. It seemed like a cool idea that I was into but it all seemed a bit far-fetched because of our scheduled and the fact that I am in the States and the rest of the band is in Denmark. A few years later when I decided I needed to move on from Anthrax my scheduled had opened up and it was perfect timing because Volbeat was set to go in to the studio. They heard of what was going on with me and Michael called me up to see if I would be interested in producing their album. Things happened all really quickly because a day or two after that phone call I was in Copenhagen and about two weeks after starting work on the album I was asked if I would join the band.

AL: Did you have any reservations about joining a band that you initial only signed on to produce?
RC: I am kind of used to that as I have done that a lot lately. (Laughs) It was similar with The Damned things and Anthrax. I did have to change how I looked at the project from a production stand point because now I was not only trying to get good performances out of the band but I was also trying to figure out how I was going to put my stamp on the music. What we ended up trying worked out perfectly for the record. We put my rhythm guitars on the left and Michaels on the right we put Anders bass in the middle and Jon is everywhere. You get the sound of the band running on all cylinders.

AL: Did you have to rework your sound at all in order to fit with the new band?
RC: My sound is my sound. Coincidentally it works perfect with Volbeat. (Laughs) I really didn’t change anything. There are certainly more stack of amps on the stage now and it’s a lot louder.

AL: What were your first thoughts when your first album with band both as a producer and as a member was nominated for a Grammy?
RC: It was an honor. I have been nominated a couple times before but never was able to go to the Grammy’s. This year I went and it was surreal. It was a very cool night. I think the Grammy’s is sort of misunderstood. For me it’s not a competition of whose better or worse it’s a celebration of the most successful artists of that year. Just to be able to be in that mix for me is a honor.

AL: Can you tell us about the new video for the song “Lonesome Rider”?
RC: I think this is the first Volbeat video not to feature the band. (Laughs) That was the main idea. Michael talked to our video guy and asked him to come up with something cool that didn’t feature the band. That’s exactly what they did. I think the video turned out great and totally compliments the song.

AL: You just returned from this year’s NAMM convention. Are there any new products being released that with have your signature on them?
RC: ESP is continuing with my signature line of guitars. There aren’t any changes to this year’s model as compared to last year’s however I have been thinking about some. I love the guitar the way that it is but I have just been thinking of some stuff. The newest thing I have coming out is a signature guitar pedal. It’s going to be put about by Haden which is part of ESP now. They are originally from the UK and put out boutique amps. They are just killer! I am excited about the pedal as it’s unlike anything that is currently on the market. You should start to see more about it in the coming months.

AL: What other plans do you and the band have planned for this year?
RC: Volbeat will be back touring the States in April. We are bringing Trivium out with us and hitting a lot of B market places this time around. Our last few time out we really only hit the major markets. From there we will be heading overseas for most of the spring and summer. I also have a few other things in the pipe but I can’t talk about those just yet.

Ciscandra (pronounced Casandra) is the front woman for the 3 piece electronic act Nostalghia. The group is set to release a new album in April titled “Chrysalis” and Media Mikes spoke with Ciscandra recently about the new album, the group’s foundation and how different audiences respond to the group’s unique sound.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us how you first met up with Roy Gnan?
Ciscandra Nostalghia: I was looking for a band mate who wasn’t going to waste my time. There are a lot of people out here in Los Angeles that aren’t super passionate about what they do. I was really looking for someone who was attached to their art and music as much as I am. I posted a very simple add with what I was looking for and Roy found that add via Google. He sent me some of his music and I thought it was very beautiful. I sent him some of mine after that as I didn’t want to meet in person until we worked back and forth some. We made our first song together via emails and when it was all completed is when we actually met in person for the first time.

AL: How would you classify your sound?
CN: We have an orchestral electronic sound. The music is very organic as there are strings and piano mixed with these electronic elements. There some very interesting programming stuff going on as Roy is a genius when it comes to that sort of thing.

AL: Can you tell us about your upcoming album?
CN: We have a new album coming out titled “Chrysalis” which will be released on April 8th. I am really excited about this release. However prior to the release will be in Australia playing the Sound Wave festival with Thirty Seconds to Mars.

AL: How does the process work between you and Roy when working on new material?
CN: Typically I will write a song very quickly and then take it to Roy and visual explain to him what I am seeing through the song. We will then collaborate on the production and orchestration of the track.

AL: Has there been talks of releasing a single along with a corresponding video?
CN: I actually just finished shooting a new music video. There is already a video out for the song “Cool for Chaos” which is off the new album. The new video has some really cool old style footage that I edited together to give it this vintage feel that is both heavy and dark. I don’t want to give too much away just yet though.

AL: What type of tour plans do you have in place for this year?
CN: After Sound Wave we will be most likely jumping on another tour. We aren’t sure which one yet but we will definitely be out on the road. With the album coming out in April we will be touring a lot. I also am always writing and creating so I will be quite busy.

AL: Having played all over the world what type of differences do you notice in the various audiences?
CN: We played a show in Mexico that was just so warm and welcoming. The audiences there are curious fans that love music especially music that is dark and emotional like ours. You certainly get different reactions in different places. I think that it’s due in part largely to what’s happening within the country itself. There’s a reason Mexico loves dark, moody, emotive music. The vibe is different in each country we go to.