Tim Lambesis is the vocalist for the metalcore group As I Lay Dying. The group released their 6^th studio album titled “Awakened” in September of 2012 after spending the summer performing on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival. Tim’s side project Austrian Death Machine is set to release their third album titled “Triple Brutal” and with the help of indiegogo.com the group is offering fans once in a life time chances to help make the new album a reality. Media Mikes spoke with Tim recently about the upcoming release and found out just how dedicated he is to this record and the fans.

Adam Lawton: How did Austrian Death Machine originally come together?
Tim Lambesis: I wanted to do something that would be light and fun. There are all these great Arnold Schwarzenegger one liners from movies I grew up watching as a kid that I thought would make great song lyrics. The project really started out as more of a joke. I started writing the music and things just began coming together. We have this sort of cult following now which is pretty cool.

AL: In the past you have been responsible for the majority of lyrics and instrumentation. Was this still the case for the new album?
TL: With this being our third release now I kind of wanted to mix things up. I wanted to bring in friends and have them work on various songs. Most of the songs on the new album have been co-written which I think gives the record a more diverse feeling. There are a couple of tracks on there where I did things the old way which had me playing all the instruments and doing most of the vocals. Having those different people come in I think has made this release the best.

AL: I assume things were a little less stressful then for you this time around?
TL: It was. The thing is that even though I wasn’t doing as much song writing I was doing a ton of coordinating. Getting everyone together took some work. We actually are still working on the solos as we speak. Once those are completed we will be able to start the mixing process. I sort of traded one stress for another.

AL: Did the recent resurgence of Arnold Schwarzenegger in films influence the new album at all?
TL: That was definitely one of the motivating factors. We kind of let the project sit for awhile after putting out 2 records. Fans of those records were always asking me when new material was going to be coming out. That is what made me decide to get things up and running again.

AL: Can you explain your involvement with indiegogo.com?
TL: One of the reps for the site had gotten in touch with me and asked if I would be interested in doing something with them as Austrian Death Machine hadn’t done a new album in awhile. Fans of this band are real diehard fans and I thought doing something like this would give those fans more of a direct connection with the group. We have come up with some really special perks that probably wouldn’t happen when working on a normal record.

AL: Can you tell us about some of the unique packages that are available?
TL: We threw a bunch of stuff out jokingly and we actually ended up using some it. It’s one of those things that will get people talking and keep things interesting.  We did have to limit some of the packages like the one where if you pledge $5,000 I will tattoo your name on my ass. That one is limited to two. One on each side will be the maximum. I came up with about 20 initial ideas and brought them to the guy at indiegogo.com I am working with. We narrowed it down to the best ones  and then we fine
tuned them.

AL: Are there plans to tour in support of the release?
TL: That sort of depends on a couple things. First we have to see how the pledging campaign goes. We still have quite a few days left on that. If there are funds and the means to do a tour we will definitely be out there. The shows in the past have always been a fun time and the guys who play with me on those dates are always asking if we can do more shows. It’s one of those things where it’s hard to put together shows when I am gone so long with As I Lay Dying. If the opportunity becomes available I would love to do it.

AL: Has As I Lay Dying confirmed any dates for the coming Spring/Summer?
TL: We are getting ready to release the info for a tour that is going to be really cool. That I think starts in May sometime. After that most of our summer will be spent over in Europe doing festivals.

To help support Austrian Death Machines new album “Triple Brutal” and get your hands on some really cool limited edition stuff head over to http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/336354/ and pledge now!

The Motor City Mad Man Ted Nugent is prepping to hit the road again as part of “The Midwest Rock ‘N Roll Express”. His notable tracks include “Stranglehold”, “Cat Scratch Fever”, “Wango Tango”, and “Great White Buffalo”. After the tours successful summer run Nugent, Styx and Reo Speedwagon are back together again to bring their legendary sounds to the masses. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with “The Nuge” about the upcoming tour and the possibility of a new Damn Yankee’s album.

Adam Lawton: What was it that first interested you being a part of the “Rock N Roll Express” Tour?
Ted Nugent: When you are fortunate to be blessed with a band of such gifted, passionate, gungho musicians like Mick Brown, Greg Smith & Derek St Holmes, you just know that the musical joy & adventure that is guaranteed every night is what dreams are made of. Magnify this with the accumulated energy, spirit & attitude of the REO & Styx boys, and how could anyone possibly turn it down.

AL: What are you personally most looking forward to about the second run of shows?
TN: What my band delivers every song, every concert, every night is the highest of highs. The raw animal celebration of our audiences creates a powerful force to reckon with, so every concert has a life of its own. Such forces drive me into uncharted territory on the guitar each night that is absolutely compelling and inspiring.

AL: Do you have anything different planned for the set this time out?
TN: We are still performing as many classics as we can squeeze in every night, but we are also reaching back for some deeper and more recent songs like QUEEN OF THE FOREST, CRAVE, TOOTH FANG & CLAW and FRED BEAR that are a riot to perform. Plus we are trying very hard to figure how we can get Mick to drive a golfcart onto the stage each night. That is so much fun.

AL: With all the recent legislation directed towards firearms and such will you be bringing the bow and arrow on stage for this run?
TN: Yes. My assault bow is such an interesting and always controversial topic of discussion and we know it to be a fascinating and always funny stage maneuver.

AL: Are there any new “Uncle Ted” projects in the works? Maybe something with Damn Yankees or a new solo album?
TN: I am creating wonderful fun pieces of music all the time, but the damn calendar is so constricting! You never know.

I have to admit, 9 months ago I did not know Genevieve Goings or the music of Choo Choo Soul.  But thanks to the birth of my daughter we discovered the wonderful thing known as Disney Junior, a 24 hour channel aimed at preschoolers. While watching this station, we heard the fun and exciting videos from Choo Choo Soul with Genevieve! These songs really captured the attention of my daughter from a very young age. Their take on the ABC’s brings a new and fun way to learning.  I have a feeling that as my daughter grows up these songs are going to be more and more helpful in learning. Choo Choo Soul recently released a new CD consisting of “Disney Favorites” with classics like “Hakuna Matata”, “Bare Necessities” and “When You Wish Upon A Star”, with a little extra soul added to them. I was lucky enough to be able to track down Genevieve in order to get the inside scoop on how Choo Choo Soul started and chat about the new album and their love of entertaining children.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you tell us about the birth of Choo Choo Soul and how you met Constantine “DC” Abramson?
Genevieve Goings: It is pretty crazy how things work out. DC and I were actually in a band together, which was this R&B/Soul sort of group. I was also doing a video game (“Toe Jam & Earl III”) voice over for a guy that has now become a good friend Greg Johnson, who also created the concept for Choo Choo Soul. We were doing this game and I was voicing these Gospel singers, except they weren’t singing they were just talking. I told Greg these characters should be singing their lines and getting down with some soul. So I ended up singing the lines and we had so much fun with that. He ended up writing like 10 pages of lines that had me singing and that sparked this little thing inside of him. He said he always had an idea for a children’s CD about trains [laughs]. So we did it and it ended up being “Choo Choo Soul”, our first album. It was great and caught on like wildfire. It is actually good funky music for kids. Our tagline was “Music for kids that will not drive parents crazy”.

MG: How did you then get involved with Disney?
GG: It worked out great. Disney Channel got a hold of it and liked it. They flew me out for a meeting, which actually ended up being an audition. We didn’t know this at the time, all we got an address to meet them and it turned out to be a classroom. There were these people in suits, cameras and 30 kids on the floor sitting Indian style. They just said “Alright go!” [laughs], but it worked out. DC and I both love what we do and we have been doing it for eight years, which is crazy. But we are still going strong.

MG: What is it that you enjoy most about entertaining children?
GG: They are just so genuine  I mean they will tell you like it is. If they don’t like it baby…they don’t like it [laughs]. If they love it…then they LOVE IT with their whole entire soul! It is just really amazing. I like to say they don’t care who I am dating, what I weight or who I am wearing [laughs], you know? It a polyester suit [laughs]. They are just so pure and to be able to entertain them at that young age is great. With the magic of Disney behind us, which is the greatest children company, it gives us this platform to succeed. It is just so amazing.

MG: Tell us about your latest CD “Disney Favorites”?
GG: That was actually brought to us by Disney. It was their idea to work with Disney Junior channel, which is 24 hours of programming for that young preschool age. I think the big point for them was to really marry the classic Disney with the new era and I think that is what the whole channel is doing. So having their fun little Choo Choo crew translate these old classics to the younger generation is what they were going for with that.

MG: I like how you guys take these wonderful songs and put your little twist on them, especially with “Hakuna Matata”! I love it.
GG: Thank you. We love that. Disney Records wanted us to put together these as a full album since we only had filmed eight of these songs as videos. They said “Gosh, we need to fill up a whole CD with more songs”. So that was a great day for us. We definitely had a blast with that.

MG: What is your all-time favorite Disney classic song?
GG: Oh…Oh my gosh! I would have to say “When You Wish Upon a Star”. I can’t even believe I got to do that song. It is just amazing and very special.

MG: Like you said you’ve been doing this for 8 years now, what has been your highlight?
GG: It is really the live interactions. DC and I are both live performers. Stage has always been our thing. So I think that ending up on television has been an added bonus for us, which of course is absolutely amazing. I mean getting to dress up like Cinderella and Prince Charming and dancing around was a great highlight [laughs]. The real peak for us though is live with actual kids, getting to meet and see them. Sometimes they come dressed as us, which is really fun. Plus we are using our actually names, it is not a character name. My name is really Genevieve. So when a parent tells their kids “There’s Genevieve” and I bend down to hug them…that is the best! I just am grateful to Disney since they really have embraced us. It is not like a lot of other kids music and I think that is why it is working.

MG: What in the cards next for Choo Choo Soul? Any touring?
GG: We are really hoping to come to the Disney parks but nothing is setup yet. We will be definitely touring this year. Disney will be posting our dates. We also have a Facebook page and we put up all of our stuff there and handle it personally. We love to keep in touch with our fans and see photos/videos. Right now we are working on getting feedback from our fans as which songs are their favorites. We are trying to build that into a tour which would be like a party-along and sing-along show. We are working on that for the Summer and Fall. So hopefully we will have some dates near everyone soon.

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Charlie Benante is the drummer for the legendary thrash metal band Anthrax. The band is set to release a new EP titled “Anthems” in March. The EP will consist of six cover songs and one special remix of the Anthrax song “Crawl” and the album version also, which was originally released on the bands 2011 full-length release “Worship Music”. Media Mikes caught up with Charlie prior to the bands appearance on this year’s Metal Alliance tour to discuss the new EP.

Adam Lawton: Where did the idea to do a covers EP come from?
Charlie Benante: We have been doing cover songs here and there going back as far as our second record. We have always been open to do those things. Some of the covers we have done in the past sort of became hits for us. Originally there was talk of re-releasing our last album “Worship Music” with this covers disc as a bonus. We didn’t want to make our fans have to buy the album again so we decided to release it as its own EP. We were able to keep it inexpensive and to the core of what we are. That’s just 5 guys in the studio just having fun.

AL: Was it hard choosing which six songs to put on the release?
CB: There were a few songs that we didn’t quite get to as we were really concentrating on the six which are featured on the EP. These 5 were the ones that really hit us all so we spent the majority of our time working on those. We all had ideas of songs that we wanted to do. Rush has always been one of those bands that we all love. To tackle one of their songs was not an easy task. I was totally up for the challenge and it worked out good.

AL: Can you tell us about the re-mastering of the song “Crawl”?
CB: When we were working on “Worship Music” with Jay Ruston he and I had a talk about doing something similar a few remixes that were done to the song “Black Lodge” off the album “Sound of White Noise”. There were some really cool orchestral things that were done on those mixes so Jay took some time and found someone to do it. The song I think came out really good.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands upcoming tour?
CB: The Metal Alliance tour is mixture of bands that have been around for awhile and some that are a little newer. For us it gives us a chance to go out and play some songs that we haven’t played in forever. We will be doing songs mostly off the “Among the Living” album so that’s going to be the special thing about this tour.

AL: Can you tell us how things are going with Jon Donais of Shadows Fall filling in on guitar and how he was brought in to the lineup?
CB: Rob Caggiano I guess had talked with Jon about filling in for him. We had gotten wind of that and were like “ok”. (Laughs) I have known Jon for a long time and he is a great guitar player. Scott has been jamming with him out in Los Angeles and from what I hear everything is going great. It will probably take Jon a few shows for him to feel comfortable with everything.

AL: Has there been any talks of starting work on a new album after this tour wraps and how do you generally go about working together with member scattered across the U.S.?
CB: Yes. I am sure we will tackle that at some point. We have two or three songs left over from the last recording sessions that we want to work on again. We hope to work on stuff during the summer before hitting the festival circuit which starts in August. Usually when we start working on a new record we will meet up in Chicago. If not there I go out to either Los Angeles or New York. The last album was written in Chicago which was pretty helpful.

The Gallery is a four-piece indie rock band that originated from the eastern New England area of the United States. The band consisting of Dave Mozdzanowski, Ben Lozan and brother’s Brendan and Ryan Cooney have been making and performing music together all of the states now for almost 5 years. On February 26th the band will release its new full length album titled “Restless”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk recently with both Brendan and Ryan about the bands formation and the making on the band’s new album.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on how you all met?
Brendan Cooney: Ryan and I are brothers, so we have known each-other quite some time now. (Laughs) Ryan and Dave started playing together in a band (under a different name) during high school, which I later joined. After a few member changes we became “The Gallery.” We stuck together through the college years by all transplanting to Florida, until we hit the road for our first national tour in 2009. Now fast forward to 2012. Our new guitarist, Ben, was attending Berkley College of Music when he responded to a Craigslist add we had posted, after recently losing our guitarist, Shea. He was very persistent in getting the opportunity to audition, so we figured there was nothing to lose. He showed up to practice having learned all of our current songs flawlessly. We were all really impressed, but most importantly his personality fit the dynamic of the group perfectly. Long story short, Ben dropped out of school and packed his bags for California. I don’t think he has any regrets as of yet.

AL: How does the new album differ from your previous EP release?
Ryan Cooney: I think one major difference is the addition of our new guitarist Ben. Naturally our sound changed a little bit because of his different influences, tendencies, etc. As a group we decided we wanted to pursue a “rockier” sound for this album while not straying too far from our roots.

AL: Can you tell us how you got involved with indie gogo?
BC: Our producer Warren Huart was encouraging us to get back in the studio, but finances were a concern. We were kind of on the fence of doing a fundraiser, because we felt it is was a lot to ask of our fans, friends, and family who have already done so much for us. But after looking more into it, we decided it wasn’t so bad of an option as long as the rewards were worth people’s donations. In the end we raised the funds needed and we couldn’t be more appreciative of all the support from those who donated. Without all those people this project wouldn’t have become a reality.

AL: What was your initial response to the fans donations?
RC: Well, we have had the opportunity to meet some amazing people over the years through this band. People encourage us with their words all the time, and it’s a whole other level when they trust you with their money to go in and make a record they haven’t heard. It’s crazy when you start to realize that people besides our moms like our music. We are honored to have the opportunity to make this record because of the generosity, and faith that our friends and fans have.
BC: At first we were worried we wouldn’t raise enough. In this economy it’s hard to let go of money for something that you may not reap the benefits for until months later. Our initial reaction to the generosity of our fans was shock. We couldn’t be more thankful that so many would invest their money into something that they haven’t even heard yet. Without that kind of faith, we would still be brainstorming how to fund this project.

AL: What was it like working with producer Warren Huart?
RC: It was great. Warren has such a great ear, and a real ability to translate ideas or a vision into a great sounding recording. We have a lot of fun doing pre-production for songs with him, and seeing them really come together as a team in the studio. He helped us out in so many ways over the last three years, and we wouldn’t be where we are now without the opportunities he’s given us. He has had some great experiences, working with Jack Doulas, Aerosmith, and some newer bands we love like Augustana and The Fray, so after hearing those records we knew he’d be great for the kind of record we wanted to make.

AL: Do you have plans to make a video and or tour in support of the release?
BC: Yeah we are currently brainstorming video ideas for a couple songs with film guru/ friend Mike Barone. Be on the lookout for those shortly after the release.
RC: As for touring, we hope to be on the road more than ever this year. We have 3 CD release shows booked for LA, West Palm Beach, FL, and Western Massachusetts, where we grew up to kick everything off. We can’t wait to play the record for everyone.

Buckcherry
“Confessions”
Century Media
Producer: Buckcherry
Tracks: 13

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Ladies and gentlemen of the Sunset Strip rejoice as Buckcherry are back with a brand new studio album titled “Confessions”. The first release from the band since joining Century Media records “Confessions” features 13 new tracks produced by the band. This is the bands 6th studio album and is the follow release to the bands 2010 album “All Night Long”.

Josh Todd and the boys open up the new album with the in your face rocker “Gluttony”. The song is definitely one of the harder tracks off “Confessions” however it seems that some of the grit and edginess that put the band in the spotlight is missing. The album is a mixture of musical styling’s that range from radio friendly rock tracks like “The Truth” to songs like “Dreamin’ of You” which features tremolo filled choruses that sound boarder line country. Every so often you can catch glimpses of the bands hard rock roots most notably on tracks like “Water” and “Seven Ways to Die”. “Confessions” is a big step for Buckcherry however I am not sure if it is in the right direction. You can clearly tell the band is either looking to widen their fan base or they have grown out of the sex, drugs and rock and roll scene and want a more mature look and sound. Progression and change can be good as long as it doesn’t alienate your core fans at the same time and sadly I have a feeling “Confessions” may leave a few people disappointed.

Track Listing:
1.) Gluttony
2.) Wrath
3.) Nothing Left But Tears
4.) The Truth
5.) Greed
6.) Water
7.) Seven Ways to Die
8.) Air
9.) Sloth
10.) Pride
11.) Envy
12.) Lust
13.) Dreamin’ of You

 

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The Tossers
“The Emerald City”
Victory Records
Producer: Andy Gerber
Tracks: 14

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Originators of Celtic punk rock The Tossers are back with a new album titled “The Emerald City”. This will be the bands first studio album in 4 years and is packed with 14 upbeat numbers that will have you up on your feet in no time. The album was produced by Andy Gerber and is the follow up to the bands 2008 release “On a Fine Spring Evening”.

Leroy Brown better take notice because The Tossers are back with their blend of Irish tinged punk rock that will surely have the entire South Side of Chicago dancing in the streets. Probably the bands most ambitious album to date each song is carefully crafted to employ the wide range of instrumentation the band is known for. Songs such as “Here’s to a Drink With You” and “Where the Beer and Whiskey Flow” are destine to become St. Patty’s day staples with their raucous, upbeat approach while tracks such as “Where Ever You Go” and “The Southside of Town” feature more traditional, laid back approaches that the whole clan can enjoy. Each track on “The Emerald City” seems to compliment the next as T. Duggins and company seemed to have really given their all with this album. Producer Andy Gerber and mixer Ken Sluiter should be commended for their work as each musical layer seems to be recorded and mixed to near perfection. Fans of Celtic Punk rock will surely want to grab a copy of this album before sitting down with a big pint of Guinness.

Track Listing:
1.) The Rover
2.) Here’s to a Drink With You
3.) Emerald City
4.) Wherever You go
5.) USA
6.) St. Patrick’s Day
7.) Bombo Lane
8.) The Break of Dawn
9.) The Southside of Town
10.) Where the Beer and Whiskey Flow
11.) God Bless You
12.) Johnny Mcguires’ Wake
13.) The Fermony Lasses and Sporting Paddy
14.) Slainte

Morgan Rose is the drummer and a founding member of the heavy metal group Sevendust. The Atlanta, GA group formed in 1997 and have since released eight studio albums and toured the word over playing their own unique version of melody infused metal. The bands ninth studio titled “Black Out the Sun” will be released in March of this year and Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Morgan about the release and the bands touring plans.

Adam Lawton: What can we expect from the new album?
Morgan Rose: For me personally I think it is my favorite record. Usually when you finish a new record it tends to be your favorite. This was the first time we went in with no expectations and wrote from scratch. We wrote this as a band instead of people coming in chunks of material or fully written pieces. We weren’t going to be second guessing ourselves and we took our time. The record is pretty raw but at the same time the feedback I have gotten so far is that it sounds like old Sevendust.  We didn’t reinvent the wheel but we did semi-reinvent our band.

AL: Did you enjoy working as a group more so than everyone bringing in various pieces?
MR: I liked doing it that way. There have been times when Clint or someone brings in a riff and we would lay some sample beats on top of that. If I end up liking those 80% of my job is done. (Laughs) Other times if I am not completely sold on something I at least have the idea in my head and can go from there. I get excited working both ways. It just really depends on how things play out. We have done everything from me saying a drum part to having Clint show me how to program things as I am a Dinosaur when it comes to that stuff.

AL: With band taking a year off was it hard to get things going again?
MR: Not really. We did change the start date a few times of when we were going to start on the album. Things started off a little strange as we weren’t all ready at the same time. We all have our own lives and Sevendust is a priority but everyone was sort of moving on with other things. It took a little bit to get everyone to agree on a date. Once we did everything went perfect.  The year off did wonders for us. I don’t think anyone really enjoyed the idea of taking a year off but it ended up being a great decision.

AL: Have you guys thought about doing any videos for songs of the new album?
MR: We actually just did one. We shot a video for the song “Decay”. The gods were definitely not trying to let us do that video. I have no idea how we actually got it done. We had to cut our rehearsal schedule short, things cost more than expected, we had some really mysterious weather then there were delays at the airport among other things. Everything was pointing to us not doing the video but we pulled it off. I think it’s going to turn out amazing when it’s all done. We shot it in this 1800’s mansion that I am sure is haunted as shit! The video is sort of based around things that haunt each of the band members. Mine happened to be women. I enjoyed filming my portion of the video quite a bit.

AL: You and Clint did some of the producing on the album. What is the hardest part for you when producing your own band?
MR: There are many different facets to producing. I have dealt with so many things and liked little pieces of each one. There’s producers who get their hands dirty and help with songwriting and things and there are guys who help keep the peace when members get amped up. Then you have guys that are sonically amazing but they couldn’t tell you how they do it. The hardest part when we are doing it is your kind of the boss in a sense. You are putting your trust in someone to make a record according to what your vision is. We have been together for 20 years and we don’t have a boss in this band. People think we have a boss there is not. Everyone has certain roles they take on. When we get in a room together we all have a say but someone does have to take lead. At times things can get testy but we didn’t have any problems this time around.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands upcoming tour with Coal Chamber?
MR: Right now we are out on tour with Lacuna Coil and Avatar which has been great. Once we wrap up with that we hit the road with Lacuna Coil and Coal Chamber. That tour will start towards the end of March. We will be doing shows before then but that line up won’t start until late March. We had some shows in Australia with Devil Driver and Dez Fafara and I were hanging out and he mentioned that he was thinking of doing some Coal Chamber shows. He told me that if they are planning on doing shows in America then the right thing to do would be to do them together.  I was all for that! Things took a little while as Devil Driver tours really hard but this is going to be massive. I think a lot of people are going to be in to it. I think the tour is going to make people scratch their heads.

AL: Do you have any other projects going on right now that you can tell us about?
MR:  I produced an album for a band called Devise. I don’t know if they are going to stick with that name or not though. That project is going really well and I can’t wait to see the reaction of people when they hear it. Candlelight Red’s new stuff is almost done being mixed and their new single should be out very soon. I am really proud of that record. When I get a little bit of free time I am sure me and Clint will be doing some dates with Call Me No One. As we get older I don’t know how much longer we will continue touring. I don’t see us stopping anytime soon but I don’t think I am going to be 60 out here playing like this. I keep dabbling in stuff to see what I could do next. We are just going to be really busy this year.

Tahrah Cohen is co-founder and drummer for the Pink Floyd cover band, The Machine. The band is celebrating 25 years of performing and spreading the music of Pink Floyd. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Tahrah about the music and what she loves most.

Mike Gencarelli: You and Joe Pascarell founded The Machine back in 1988. What has been the highlight of the past 25 years?
Tahrah Cohen: We have just been having a great time touring all over the world. We have been to so many wonderful places and just love spreading the music to them.

MG: Given that you guys play the entire Pink Floyd back catalog – from well-known classics like “Comfortably Numb” to obscurities like “Careful With That Axe, Eugene”, is it difficult swing back and forth through the songs?
TC: Everyone in the band really knows how to do their part really well. Whether they are playing a David Gilmour part or singing a Roger Waters part it is not a problem. We are really experts for these situations at this point.

MG: Pink Floyd was known for their elaborate stage shows that, over time, evolved into massive-scale light shows and stage sets that were really ideal for large venues like outdoor stadiums. In terms of The Machine’s live performance, how important is the visual part of the

show? Do you feel that if your audience doesn’t get to see the circular-screen film projections, lasers bouncing all over the place and pigs flying that they’ll come away disappointed?
TC: It is very important. We use the visuals as accentuations of the show. Our focus has always been the music. We do not neglect the visuals. We have the video and lasers with an elaborate light show. Our shows do come with the visual aspect but our focus is the music.

MG: Are there any Floyd songs that The Machine will not play and, if so, why?
TC: Some of the earlier music, when Pink Floyd was developing their own sound is a little amateur. It doesn’t really stand the test of time like most of the material will. Just like any musician. We stay away from certain era’s of their development but still play from their first album to their last.

MG: What are your personal favorites? And what is the one song that everybody in the band collectively enjoys playing most?
TC: Personally, I love playing “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”, the whole thing – all parts. I love it. We have probably played it 2500 times, easily. Every time it is on the set list, I am still excited to play it. The crowd always goes crazy for “Comfortably Numb” every time. We go crazy for anything on “Animals”. People that love Pink Floyd love it all.

MG: Over the course of the band’s career, how have the audiences that you play to changed?
TC: They have changed as we have changed. We’ve gotten older and they have gotten older. But their are also parts of our audience has have gotten younger, as well. There is a whole new generation of Pink Floyd fans under 20 years old and they are coming now to see us.

MG: What do you (and the other members) do when you’re not out there playing Floyd, both musically and non-musically?
TC: We all have other musical projects. We are all active with other bands and shows.

MG: Finally…which one’s Pink: Roger or David? 😉
TC: Ah…that is up to you to decide [laughs].

“3 Doors Down and Daughtry”
Aranda, 3 Doors Down, Daughtry
Date: Saturday, February 9th 2013
Venue: Main Street Armory, Rochester, NY

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

The second leg of the 3 Doors Down & Daughtry tour made its way to the Main Street Armory in Rochester, NY on Saturday despite cancelling the previous night’s show due to extreme weather conditions. Though some of that weather was still lingering it didn’t stop any of the bands from putting on a solid show for the near capacity crowd.

The hard rock band Aranda would open up the night and though their set was brief the band definitely seemed to give it their all. At one point during the 30 minute set guitarist Dameon Aranda began playing slide guitar with his boot. An interesting touch if I do say so myself. 3 Doors Down would be up next and from the first notes of “Time of My Life” to the closing sounds of “When I’m Gone” singer Brad Arnold and the boys commanded the stage. Though the setlist was virtually unchanged from the first leg of the tour the band sounded just as good if not better. To take things up another notch Chris Daughtry would make a guest appearance on the bands most notable hit “Kryptonite” sharing vocal duties.

Daughtry and company would close out the night performing a somewhat hodge podge of songs from the American Idol alums 3 albums. The beginning of the set started off a little rough as it was plagued with sound issues causing the fans in the first few rows closest to the stage to begin voicing their displeasures. As the set progressed the sound seemed to get better however the crowd began to noticeably thin out only after a few of Daughtry’s song. This really made me question the lineup for the evening. Those things aside probably the most exciting part of Daughtry’s set was the cover of Phil Collins classic song “In the Air Tonight” which featured Brad Arnold returning the favor as a guest vocalist.

If you didn’t have a chance to catch this lineup on the first leg of the tour and are a fan of either artist you surely won’t want to miss your second chance. All three acts put on a solid show belting out hit after hit which makes for a great night of music that the whole family can enjoy.

3 Doors Down Set List:
1.) Time of My Life
2.) It’s Not my Time
3.) Duck and Run
4.) The Road I’m On
5.) Away From the Sun
6.) Let Me Go
7.) Goodbye
8.) Loser
9.) There’s a Life
10.) Landing in London
11.) One Light
12.) Here Without You
13.) Citizen/Soldier
14.) Symphony of Destruction (Megadeth Cover)
15.) The Better Life
16.) Kryptonite (w/ Chris Daughtry)
17.) When I’m Gone

Daughtry Set List:
1.) Break the Spell
2.) Feels Like Tonight
3.) Outta My Head
4.) Crawling Back to You
5.) What I Want
6.) Renegade
7.) Start of Something
8.) Gone Too Soon
9.) Tennessee Line
10.) Over You
11.) No Surprise
12.) In The Air Tonight (Phil Collins Cover)(w/ Brad Arnold)
13.) Every Time You Turn Around
14.) We’re Not Gonna Fall
15.) Home
16.) September
17.) It’s Not Over

Hollywood Undead have now announced even more new Spring tour dates in April with support from Falling In Reverse kicking off April 17th in Pharr, TX. Those run of dates will follow the March run with Dance Gavin Dance and Abandon All Ships. These dates follow the wrapping up the entirely sold out ‘Underground Tour’ this past January in support of Hollywood Undead’s newest album, Notes From The Underground, which is available on iTunes now. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200, which is the highest debut to date for the band. Make sure to check out the tour dates below to find out when the band will be in a city near you.

For more information on Hollywood Undead including VIP package offers for the tour, make sure to check out their official website, as well as their Facebook and Twitter pages. Pick up a copy of Notes From The Underground available now.

Hollywood Undead Tour w/ Dance Gavin Dance, Abandon All Ships

3/4 – Reno – Knitting Factory Concert House*
3/6 – Boise – Knitting Factory Concert House*
3/7 – Spokane – Knitting Factory Concert House*
3/8 – Portland – Roseland Theater*
3/9 – Vancouver – Rickshaw Theater**
3/11 – Calgary – MacEwan Hall Ballroom**
3/12 – Edmonton – Starlite Room**
3/13 – Saskatoon – Odeon Events Centre**
3/15 – Winnipeg – Garrick Event Center**
3/16 – Fargo – The Venue @ The Hub
3/19 – London – London Concert Theatre**
3/20 – Toronto – The Phoenix Concert Theatre**
3/21 – Guelph – Guelph Concert Theatre**
3/23 – Jonquiere – Theatre Palace Arvida**
3/24 – Quebec – Imperial de Quebec**
3/25 – Laval – Marcellin-Champagnat**
3/27 – Providence – Fete (Ballroom)

* w/ Dance Gavin Dance
** w/ Abandon All Ships

Hollywood Undead Tour w/ Falling in Reverse

4/17 – Pharr, TX – Pharr Event Center
4/19 – San Antonio, TX – Backstage Live
4/21 – Lubbock, TX – Lonestar Ampitheatre
4/23 – Austin, TX – Emo’s East
4/24 – El Paso, TX – Tricky Falls
4/25 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theatre
5/1 – Panama City Beach, FL – Club La Vela
5/3 – Chattanooga, TN – Track 29
5/4 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
5/9 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theatre
5/10 – Sioux Falls, SD – Sioux Falls Expo Center
5/14 – La Crosse, WI – South Hall @ La Crosse Center
5/15 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Orbit Room
5/18 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Pierre’s
5/19 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
5/21 – Clifton Park, NY – Upstate Concert Hall
5/22 – Stroudsburg, PA – Sherman Theatre
5/24 – Rochester, NY – Main Street Armory
5/25 – Louisville, KY – Expo 5

######

Notes From The Underground iTunes: http://smarturl.it/gmf2gh

Official Sites:
www.hollywoodundead.com
www.facebook.com/hollywoodundeadofficial
www.twitter.com/hollywoodundead

Bullet For My Valentine
“Temper Temper”
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Label: RCA/RED
Produced by Don Gilmore

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I was first introduced to the Welch metal band “Bullet For My Valentine” back in 2010 with the “Fever”.  Since then I have yet to take “Fever” off of my iPhone and consistently listen to it.  When I heard that the band was releasing a new album, which could be a good thing or bad thing, I was very excited and also nervous. Well let’s just say I have another favorite album to listen to. “Temper Temper” is a very fierce and foot-to-the-pedal metal album.  It has the same feel as “Fever” but more heavy and amped up.  If you are looking to rock out hard, be sure to check this album out. You will not be disappointed.

The first single from the album is “Riot” and it really sets the mood for this entire album. It is fast, in-your-face and great to get to pumped up. “Leech” is also a fantastic track.  The title track “Temper Temper” is very catchy and was one of my most replayed songs.  Speaking of reply value, when I listen to an album I like to be able to leave it on repeat and forget when I am at.  The first time I listened to “Temper Temper”, I left it consistently on loop for nearly eight hours and I honestly was not tired of any of the tracks. In fact, I only wanted to listen to them more. That is how you know that you have an amazing album.

“Temper Temper” is produced by Don Gilmore (Linkin Park / Pearl Jam), who also worked with the band on their previous album, 2010’s “Fever”. I must say that this is a match made in heaven. This duo is a win-win here.  In fact the more I listen to “Temper Temper”, I have to proclaim that this album is the band’s best attempt to date! I can’t wait to catch them live during this tour since I am looking forward to the execution of these new songs live.  If you are a die-hard “Bullet for My Valentine” fan, be sure to pick up the deluxe edition with three additional tracks “Not Invincible” and two tracks from the Live Lounge show on BBC Radio 1: “Whole Lotta Rosie” and “Scream Aim Fire”.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Breaking Point
02. Truth Hurts
03. Temper Temper
04. Pow
05. Dirty Little Secret
06. Leech
07. Dead To The World
08. Riot
09. Saints n Sinners
10. Tears Don’t Fall (Part 2)
11. Livin Life (On The Edge of A Knife)

Johnny Christianson is the trumpet player for the ska band Reel Big Fish. The group’s latest album “Candy Coated Fury” was released in July of 2012 and the band has been on the road ever since promoting its release. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Johnny about the album, the bands new music video and what he is most looking forward to during this summer’s Warped Tour.

Adam Lawton: With there being 3 years between album releases did the band take any different approaches once you were back in the studio?
Johnny Christianson: I think maybe we played better than we ever have. One thing about getting older is that you hopefully get better at your instrument and your craft. As a result of that the song writing and performances will also get better. When a band has been around for 22 years like we have hopefully they are able to write some good stuff in that time. “Candy Coated Fury” is a really fun album and I think it’s the best one we have done yet.

AL: With the band using a number of different instruments what are your song writing sessions like?
JC: Usually Aaron will bring an outline for a song he wants to do. For the latest album we jammed out the songs and made some demos. We then went out on the road and started playing those songs during our sound check where we hashed things out. 99% of the songwriting is done by Aaron. On this last record he and I wrote a song together which was really fun. If someone in the band has a song they want to bring in Aaron will definitely take a look at it.

AL: Can you tell us about the new video for “Don’t Stop Skankin”?
JC: We had a lot of fun working on that video. Sometimes when you shoot these things they can be quite tedious. It’s not as glamorous as people may think. There is a lot of waiting around. At the same time we were shooting the video we also were doing and interview/photo shoot for Beer Magazine. In between takes we would be bouncing between to the two things. We had a full day of running around. There were a lot of fans at the shoot which was also really cool. I hope us having a good time translated through the video.

AL: The band has been around since 1991 and things have changed quite a bit since then. What do you feel is the hardest part about being in a ska band in 2013?
JC: For me it’s being away from my family. Having just had a baby recently being on the road can be tough. Over the past 5 years with the invention of Facebook and other similar sites how we communicate with our fans has been revolutionized. We are able to get the word out much faster and easier than we could in the beginning. Incredibly the band has been impervious to the ups and downs of the economy as we can pretty much go anywhere and play on average to a thousand people a night. We are lucky enough to be able to travel with music and we are all very thankful.

AL: What do you think has attributed to the bands staying power?
JC: I think a lot of it is that for anyone who comes out to one of our shows they are going to have a good time. They are going to be entertained. We take playing very seriously. Not only are we there to play music but we also need to entertain people. I think a lot of bands don’t understand that. Doing this for 22 years now you get really good at what you are doing. I think anyone can come to our shows and have a good time.

AL: What are the bands plans after the current portion of the “Candy Coated Fury” tour wraps up?
JC: I think we have about 3 days off towards the end of February then we fly straight to Europe where we will be for two months. We will be hitting every place from England to Poland. We also we be heading down in to Spain and Italy. That runs till about April and then we will be back in the states playing colleges until the Warped tour starts up.

AL: It’s been a little bit since the band has been on the Warped tour. What are you most looking forward to playing on it again?
JC: One of my favorite parts about being on the tour is the autograph sessions we get to do each day. We get to talk to a lot of people as we will sign for about 2 hours each day. Getting to meet all these different people every day is my favorite part about being on the tour for sure.

AL: Is there anything else that we can be watching for from the band in the coming months?
JC: Maybe some more new videos? Right now we are really looking forward to heading to Europe and then coming back for the Warped tour. After that we will probably start work on a new record.

Brian “Head” Welch is a founding member and former guitarist of the multi-platinum selling hard rock band Korn. Welch left the group in 2005 and embarked on a solo career releasing his first album “Save Me From Myself” in 2008. More recently Brian is back with a new band called Love & Death who recently released their first full length album titled “Between Here & Lost”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Brian about the new and as well as the recent announcement of him re-joining Korn for several shows.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the process of the new album?
Brian Welch: I and our bass player Valentine started writing and working with producer Jasen Rauch in 2011. We worked off and on until we finished it last year. The album came together in bits and pieces but it was more of a group effort. When I started as a solo artist I hired the band and we just became friends. From there we all talked and decided we wanted to make an album together and have things be more of a group project.

AL: All the songs were written collectively then?
BW: Yes we all wrote them together. We also had some help lyrically from a few outside writers as well. This was the first time I had ever brought in someone from outside the group to work on songs. I have to say I loved it! There are times when other people hear different things that you didn’t and a lot of the time it’s really good. I enjoyed the experience. Lyrics aren’t my strongest thing so bringing in some other guys really helped a lot.

AL: For you personally what was the hardest part about transitioning back to a group setting after being a solo artist for a few years?
BW: Letting the producer take over. The solo album was all about what I was feeling and what I wanted out of the album. With “Between Here & Lost” I just handed everything over as I didn’t want that producer type role. Jasen was just awesome and I would highly recommend him to anybody. He is really good at making good things great! Everything was new this time around which made for a really creative environment.

AL: This was the second time you had worked with Jasen correct?
BW: Yes. We did an EP with him last year that came out in April. Things were very comfortable being that we had worked together before. Jasen is a guitar player also and has this great ear for making riffs sound up to date and tweaking them to sound really great.

AL: What prompted the idea of covering Devo’s “Whip It”?
BW: I was trying to think of the weirdest New Wave song I could do and that one came to me. I remember those guys as being the weirdest guys on MTV back in the day. It seemed like everyone knows who Devo is because they are so weird and those hats. I wanted the song to be something everyone was familiar with. At first the other guys in the band thought the idea was pretty stupid. When I played them the music and the idea it changed their minds and they thought it could work. It was really fun.

AL: What can you tell us about the bands new video for the song “Abandoning”?
BW: The video just came out within the past week or so and it was cool shooting it as we got to work with Daniel Davison from Underoath/Norma Jean. Being he is a musician he just gets it so the shoot went really good.

AL: Can you tell us how things came about for you to be joining Korn at this year’s Rock on the Range Festival?
BW: I went to a show of theirs last May and ended up jamming a song with them on stage. It was very last minute but it felt so good and it was very emotional. Right after that Munky, the other guitar player asked me if I wanted to come back and do some shows with them. I told him that I didn’t think now was the right time but I would think about it. I just started thinking about how awesome and emotional it was for everybody. I started getting advice from other people and they were all leaning towards this being the right time. This door obviously opened for a reason and there will be some reconciliation going on that needs to happen. I went back to the guys and said let’s do it. Everyone was very agreeable and things came together pretty easily.

AL: Is there any chance drummer David Silveria will be back as well?
BW: No. David has really said some crazy things online about personal things and he’s not in a place where people would really want him around. That happened before I talked with them but I guess the things he said were really crazy. Those guys were in a band together for so long so I don’t know, but for now it’s just not going to happen.

AL: Have you and the guys from Korn started rehearsing yet?
BW: We have been getting together off and on but we will be starting to get things going more in the next couple of months. It’s going to be a lot of fun to play those old songs again. The times we have been together so far have been nothing but positive between everyone. It’s like nothing negative ever happened between any of us. Things were never really crazy between any of us as there were just a few things said here and there. We never had hate for one another as I love my old friends and it feels good to connect again.

AL: Is thing going to be just a short run of shows or will you be fully re-joining the band?
BW: We are going slowing with things right now. We don’t want to rush things and we also aren’t sure how far we want to take it. Anything is possible at this time but we are being really careful not to move to fast and have something happen. Even if I was to fully re-join Korn I will still keep doing Love & Death.

AL: Does Love and Death have any shows lined up in support of the new album?
BW: Yes. We will be heading out on the road starting Feb. 22 for a month long run with Thousand Foot Krutch. We will be hitting everything from Texas to the east coast. After that we have some weekend shows planned and after those there is a chance we will be doing some opening slots for Korn over in Europe. Those details are still being worked out.

AL: In the past few years you have done things like releasing a solo album, writing a book and now you are doing Love & Death and working again with Korn. What do you think has been the most rewarding thing to come out of your time away from Korn?
BW: I would probably have to say my faith. That is really the foundation of my life and it helps me in every way. My book was very liberating and cleansing to my soul. I was able to poor out all of that garbage and live the new life I was given. It’s funny when you find faith like I did as everything turns around for good. Even the bad and ugly stuff gets turned around to use for good purposes. It’s so cool to be able to think back about all your past screw ups and see how now they are now being used to help people. It’s the coolest thing ever.

To check out Love & Hates new video “Abandoning” and to also see a full list of tour dates be sure to check out Brian’s official website at www.brianheadwelch.net

 

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The Machine
Ridgefield Playhouse
Ridgefield, CT
January 25, 2013

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Above all other bands, Pink Floyd live concerts were a feast for the eyes and ears – a true spectacle combining finely-crafted progressive music and a grand scale high-tech theatrics. At their best, they blended these elements perfectly and their shows were in a league of their own both aurally and visually. With this in mind, any band that exclusively covers Pink Floyd faces a massively daunting task in trying to recreate what going into the “Floyd void” was like. It’s a Davis versus Goliath situation that requires one hell of a slingshot.

Out of the trifecta that currently dominates the Faux Floyd scene – The Machine, The Australian Pink Floyd show, and Brit Floyd – the New York City-based Machine has been tackling this task for the past 25 years making them the band that’s been in the game for the longest span of time. And for good reason: on a musical level, they’ve really mastered the Floyd back catalog with a degree of virtuosity and meticulousness that borders on the realm of the uncanny.

This phenomenon was clearly on display at the Ridgefield playhouse who were treated to a broad-ranging set list that not only included many of the well-known song staples from mega-selling LPs “Wish You Were Here”, “The Wall” and “Dark Side of the Moon” but also from almost every other Pink Floyd album – including ones from the David Gilmour-led “Momentary Lapse of Reason” and “Division Bell” albums. To the delight of the assembled masses, the band delved into the epic “Pigs (Three Different Ones)” from 1977’s oft-desired but seldom heard in live performance “Animals” album – songs from which the Floyd themselves last performed during the 1978 tour supporting that album. Even the title track from the last studio album to feature Roger Waters, “the final cut” as well as the first song of their encore set, “Careful With That Axe, Eugene”, were there to please the fanatics who hungered for the deepest of deep tracks.

As a band, The Machine rarely takes any liberties with the songs; they’re pretty much note-for-note renditions of the classics that the Floyd committed to vinyl for over 30 years. When they do break the mold, however, the results are mixed. In general, the excursions work best when they involve softer more hushed tones, such as shifting into acoustic mode mid-way through 1994’s “Coming Back to Life” or adding a spacey outro jam to “Money”. Things don’t fare as well when the band cranks their amps past 11, as was evidenced during “Echoes” in a spacey Grateful Dead-style jam that disintegrated into a cacophony of swirling keyboard looping. It was an ear sore – one compounded by its bisecting a track that is one of Pink Floyd’s most defining and sacred songs.

On a visual level, however, the show lacked the true spectacle of latter era Floyd mega-shows. Sure, the iconic circular movie screen was there for all to see but, like the rollercoaster that’s shut down undergoing repairs the day you’re at the amusement park hoping for the thrills that it can usually provide, it remained dormant throughout the vast majority of the show. And while the fog machines were clearly working overtime, there were no lasers to be found – only a bank of Vari-lites that frequently maneuvered themselves to point directly at the crowd. This had the effect of making the band difficult to see due to the need to squint and occasionally turn away completely.

Overall, The Machine’s show was a worthwhile one – but could indeed use a fair degree of fine-tuning to truly provide an approximation of what the total Pink Floyd experience was all about.