Doug Gray is the Founder and Lead Singer of The Marshall Tucker Band.  He has been with the band for 40 years now and shows no sign of slowing down.  He recently released a solo album of lost recordings called “Soul Of The South”.  The Marshall Band will be appearing in Orlando, FL at the Orlando Jai-Alai Fronton on Friday April 13th, click here for more info on that show. Doug took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about the new album, touring and what else the band has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your new album “Soul Of The South”?
Doug Gray: This was a record that never had a name and was never going to be released. I started recording it within a year after Tommy (Caldwell) had gotten killed, our bass player, so around 1981. I wanted to go to Nashville and pick some songs out.  I had wanted to do something more rhythm and blues, since I grew up singing rhythm and blues.  I found a Michael Bolton song that he had written but never release, as well as a bunch of different songs. I thought it would be fun to do if not to keep my mind off things. I ended up with the Memphis Horns on there and a lot of other players from Nashville and also other rock ‘n roll bands.  Once we made a cassette of it…we never listened to it for about 28 years. After that time, one of the partners for the record label got a copy of the cassette and said we should pull try and pull some of these tracks out and release them.  So we put it out and people really seem to like it. It was just another experiment and so far it’s paid off.

MG: What do you like most about touring today?
DG: You know what, people that left us after the first five years came back in 20 years and said “Man, you are as good as you ever were”.  20 years later, you get parents that come with their kids.  Now I am even seeing pregnant women and I know there is going to be another generation of fans.  I think that is cool as can be.  The music is good and that is what it is. We just love going out their and sharing it with our fans. As long as the fans come, we will still get up there on the stage.

MG: I know the fans have their favorites songs but what are yours to perform?
DG: Well I think “Take the Highway” is one of the first original rockers. You go back and listen to it today and it sounds better now than it did on the record. The good part is that we actually are playing it better.  We did it as good as we could back then but we updated it as time went along.  We play it faster.  It wears me out singing it and it is just intense. Just so fantastic and it only gets better and better.

MG: Do you feel that The Marshall Tucker Band as evolved from when you started?
DG: We had no choice.  A lot of the times, guys get older and they don’t want to be on the road. Toy (Caldwell) himself told me, before he passed, he said “I am glad you got it, your the one that will keep it going”.  We don’t sell anything compared to people that walk around with submarines on their head [laughs].  But we are continuously selling CDs and digital downloads. We have opportunity for the next five years to be with Sony Distribution.  They see it just like the public sees it.  Am I proud that I stuck with it and do I believe in all the people I brought in this thing? You better bet your butt I do!  Everyone plays and everyone is a part of it.  That is what is important!

MG: I am a big Lynyrd Skynyrd and Zac Brown Band fan, would love to see you guys tour together in the future.
DG: We do stuff with Skynyrd all the time.  As far as Zac Brown goes, we do have a gig coming up with them.  Somehow Marshall Tucker always seems to get incorporated in the mix.  As far as big group shows, I would love to go to Philadelphia at the JFK Stadium and have 120,000 people there with us.

MG: What can we expect from 2012?
DG: Oh man.  December the 21st, we will be waiting to be lifted up into the sky with this Mayan calender thing.  We will probably be on the tour bus and no better way to go if you gotta go.  We are going out there and got a lot of concerts and festivals upcoming.  I love doing the festivals, whether we are playing for 4,000 people or 200 people it doesn’t matter. As long people show up they are going to be treated to some of the best music they have heard in a week.

MG: Tell us about next year’s Rock Legends II cruise?
DG: It is going to be cool, man.  It is from January 10-15th, 2013. The most important thing is that Paul Rodgers is now on the roster, he is such an amazing singer.  The Foreigner guys are gonna be there. Hatchet is on there with us.  We are just so excited for this.  There is going be some amazing four-hour jams on this cruise.  I have already spoke Rodgers and plenty of other guys.  I don’t have to even ask Hatchet or .38 Special because they can’t keep their asses off the Marshall Tucker stage [laughs]. We just jam and it is going to be fantastic.

“Return of the World Maggot Tour”
GWAR, Municipal Waste, Ghoul, Legacy of Disorder
Date: Thursday, March 22nd 2012
Venue: Wescott Theater, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

The theatrical shock rock band GWAR made its way back to the Wescott Theater in Syracuse, NY on March 22nd as part of their “Return of the World Maggot Tour”. Though the venue was not completely full GWAR and the rest of the bands on the bill provided a great night of entertainment for those brave enough to weather the dousing’s of fake blood and ooze.

Legacy of Disorder who hails from New Zealand started the night off playing what could be considered as a unique blend of technical grind metal. Though the crowd response was somewhat minimal as fans were still filtering through the doors the band played a solid, straight forward set. Ghoul would take the stage next bringing their own style of horror inspired theatrics to the stage. The band clad in blood stained burlap hoods set the tone for what was to come later in the evening. At several point during the bands set they treated the crowd to free blood showers and some comedic banter provided by vocalist/guitarist Digestor and bassists/vocalist Cremator. Thrash heavy weights Municipal Waste were up next and elevated the night’s energy to a whole new level. Singer Tony Foresta worked the crowd into a frenzy by enlisting the help of the ever so popular “Wall of Death” and the more traditional “Circle Pit”. As the crowd slammed away to classic tracks by the band they were also treated to several new songs off the bands upcoming album “The Fatal Feast: Waste in Space”.

The latex clad kings of Richmond, VA better known as GWAR would close out the night leaving no stone or person un-bloodied. The band blasted out vintage tunes such as “Sadam A Go Go” and “Crack in the Egg” along with songs of the bands more recent album “Bloody Pit of Horror”. A likeness of “Jersey Shore” star Snookie was brought out and quickly put to rest by GWAR front man Oderus Urungus and his slaves which sent fake blood and ooze spewing everywhere. Later on in the evening the dreaded “World Maggot” was awoken from its slumber and preceded to attack a couple of unworthy slave pit scum before being beheaded by the bands faithful side kick Bone Snapper. Gwar closed out the night with “The Road Behind” which was a touching tribute to guitarist Cory Smoot aka Flattus Maximus. Smoot passed away while on the bands previous tour from a pre-existing heart condition. All in all those in attendance appeared to leave happy and will undoubtedly be going to work or school the following day with tinges of red and green speckling their skin.

GWAR Set List:
1.) Zombies, March!
2.) Sadam A Go Go
3.) Immortal Corrupter
4.) Crack in the Egg
5.) Jagermonsta
6.) Bring Back the Bomb
7.) Tormentor
8.) KZ Necromancer
9.) The Salamanizer
10.) Uberklaw
11.) Ham on the Bone
12.) Metal Metal Land
13.) Sick of You
14.) Maggots
15.) Road Behind

Mike Mushok is the guitarist for the band Staind. The band is currently part of the Mass Chaos Tour which includes Godsmack and Halestorm. Media Mikes had a chance to be a part of a teleconference with Mike to discuss the tour.

Adam Lawton: In the last couple of years there have been a lot of bands teaming up for multi band headlining tours. Is this a reality of the music business today? And are these larger scale tours something that needs be done in order to survive?
Mike Mushok: In my opinion it’s something we’ve always tried to do. I know we always try to put together the best package we can. I think in this economy it’s tough for people to have extra money to be able to go to a show. It’s kind of a luxury. The more bang for the buck you can give them, I think the more likely chance you have of getting people there and, hopefully, give them the most value for the dollars. That was really the idea for us and we had this record and we were looking to who we could play with. Godsmack was like, “That would be fantastic if those guys wanted to do it.” So, we went and put it together.

AL: How do you think the Staind of 2012 compare with the Staind of 1995 or 1999?
MM: We have a different drummer now so that’s one big difference. I think what we did with this record was to kind of come back to what Staind of ’99 was. That was really the idea behind it, to kind of get a little more aggressive. The reason we started the band was to play more aggressive music. We kind of went on this journey and I think the last record we lost the progress. I enjoy the journey. I love some of the songs on the last record, but I think after completing that we said, “Let’s kind of go back to why we started the band,” and that’s really what the idea was behind the album. Aaron also has a solo thing going on now, so that kind of ties up his time.  It makes it a little more difficult to get all the time we need for STAIND. So, those are really the big differences.

AL: How did drum tech turned band member Sal Giancarelli end up being the new drummer for the band? and how have you seen him change both musically and personality since his promotion?
MM: Sal has been with the band since ’99 and previous to that he was in bands that we used to play with. We always knew he was a great drummer. Even during his career as a drum tech he had other bands that he tried to pursue a career in music with. Being able to be a drum tech was a way of getting out there and kind of getting some of his stuff out there. There were a couple shows where John was sick and Sal filled in. So this wasn’t the first time Sal played with us. Sal just seemed like the perfect fit to go from behind the drums to playing them. He knew all the material and we knew he could more than handle it. Personality-wise he’s the same guy. We had these web-isodes on our website where we made him seem like this big egotistical guy and wanted to name the band after him, it was all a joke. Sal’s the most quiet, down-to-earth guy you’ll ever meet, and he hasn’t changed one bit. Sometimes when you introduce someone else, it’s a whole other personality. We knew his personality. He’s been on the road with us for 12-13 years so he was already part of the family.

AL: Besides the new drummer did anything change on the last album? And are the same problems that were there before this hiatus still there?
MM: No. We made the record basically the same way we always make a record. I’ll come in with a bunch of ideas. We get together and figure out what Aaron likes and wants to sing over, and then pretty much finish them and start tracking. Making the record was pretty tough. I mean, losing John along the way wasn’t easy. We had a deadline to meet for the label. Aaron put up the solo record. As far as problems go, I mean, I don’t know. You play with somebody and you’re around somebody so much there’s always issues. Did they go away? I mean, look, we just deal with them. We’re all adults. We’ve been able to maintain this for a long time and I think that you have to pick your battles. I think between Johnny, Aaron, and I we can say pretty much what we want to each other and realize that the band is what’s important. And that’s why people ask me when we’re doing a record. They thought we were going to break up. No, we knew we had to finish the record and that’s what we wanted to do, but you kind of work through all of those things. It takes people making compromises and being able to admit sometimes when you’re wrong and being able to give in.

AL: “Not Again,” was released last summer. Do you have any plans to release additional singles and any videos from the new album?
MM: No, that’s it. We’re calling it quits. Yeah, there’s a single, “Eyes Wide Open,” is out now, and we’re trying to figure out what’s going to be next. There’s a live video that we did with “Eyes Wide Open” also. So, yeah, we’re on single number two now and I think its top ten or something.

AL: Was there any real thought process or purpose behind making this album self-titled?
MM: Yeah. We really wanted to kind of go back to where we started as far as a band, and I think that was kind of why we ultimately decided on having it self-titled. I mean, there was talk about it being called, “Seven,” because this is the seventh record and that’s what seven demons on the cover kind of represents is that. That’s kind of how we ended up incorporated that. But, no, it was really just about the fact that we kind of got back to playing with the music.

AL: Staind has been together for 15 years or more now. What would you say are the biggest reasons for the band lasting that long?
MM: I think all three of the bands on this tour know that if it wasn’t for the fans, we wouldn’t be here. They allow us to do this. Those are the ones that buy a ticket, come to the show, support the bands, and, I mean, that’s why we’re still around obviously. We do our best to write the best music we can. I know Lzzy and Sully do also and you try to put out the best product that you can and you hope that people like it and want to listen to it and be a part of it. So, we’ve been fortunate so far and, hopefully, we can continue.

Composer/Conductor: James Horner
Release Date: March 26, 2012
Number of Discs: 4
Running Time
Label: Sony Masterworks

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

With the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Titanic launch and the 15th anniversary and re-release in 3D of James Cameron’s film, I can’t seem you get enough of “Titanic“. It is one of those movies that once you start watching you are hooked. The same goes for the wonderful score by James Horner. I spent countless hours listening to this score on repeat back in ’97 through at least ’99. It has been quite a while since I’ve listened and it still is just amazing. This amazing Collector’s Anniversary Edition is not just the score to “Titanic”. It includes much much more.

Sony Classical is the label behind this amazing 4-CD set with newly remastered versions of both the original and “Back to the Titanic” soundtracks. It also features a previously unreleased disc of period music recorded for the movie by I Salonisti (the 5-piece quintet that appears in the film) and also “Popular Music From The Titanic Era”, which is a new compilation of songs from the early 1900’s. I mean honestly what else can you ask for if you are a fan. Well, there is more…this release also comes packaged with four vintage Titanic luggage stickers and a booklet with previously unseen production photos. This is easily one of composer’s James Horner best pieces of work and it will be recognized for many years to come.

Even if you own the “Titanic” soundtrack already, I mean who doesn’t it sold over 25 million copies worldwide. I would suggest picking this up. It is a wonderful compliment to the film and includes so much new recordings that it is worth it just for the three bonus discs. I really enjoyed the disc of music from I Salonisti, which was recorded for the movie itself but never recorded. I am a big fan of music from that period and this was a great addition to the already amazing score. It really made you feel like you were re-experiencing the movie and the music for the first time.

Lzzy Hale is the singer of the rock group Halestorm. The bands has a new album out is currently on tour with Staind and Godsmack as part of the Mass Chaos Tour. Media Mikes had a chance to be a part of a teleconference with Lzzy to discuss the tour.

Adam Lawton: When did Halestorm realize they were different or differentiating from the local area bands? And was there ever a time that you wanted to walk away from music?
Lzzy Hale: As far as being discouraged or anything, I mean, this is a crazy business and there’s no real set way to do it. I think a lot of it is learning as you go and you learn a lot about yourself. I think there were a lot of moments that I thought, “Am I really this crazy to do this?” But I think in a lot of ways there’s a fine line between obsession and determination over the course of many years, it’s a little bit more towards the obsession. I think in a lot of those moments now , where I’m like, “Oh, my God, I can’t do it.” It’s just kind of making the decision to put one foot in front of the other. We celebrate the low times as well as the high times. My guys and I do, we have a song on the record called, “Here’s to us,” actually written about that. I mean, my guys and I literally celebrate the low times, like when you think, “Well, guys, we could go home right now. This could all be over tomorrow,” then you literally go and buy a cheap bottle of champagne and write the date on it and say, “I’m just glad we did it with each other.”  We can always go back and play bars and clubs. We would love to do that anyway. It’s never really going to stop. I just think that it’s all about putting one foot in front of the other and we’ve just always had that goal. As far as setting ourselves apart from the local band scene, I mean, we definitely stick out. I started when I was 13; my little brother was 10. I mean, throughout our early years it was always like there’s that  kid band with the chick and the tiny kid on drums, that has always, by the way, looked younger than he was! You can’t stick out more than that! We definitely knew that we were different, but we were very lucky, though. We had a lot of the local bands and a lot of the bands from around the Central Pennsylvania area and on the East Coast who’d give us a chance. We would open up for them and for local bands. We did a mini tour with a couple of them. I owe our first real leg up as a band to all of those bands. It take a village to break a band and to raise a band. I’m literally in awe at all the support we got from you guys. We were little tikes. We want to thank the entire scene there for that.

AL: Who are the influences that helped create the sound and presence you have?
LH: I’ve always been about 10 to 20 years behind when it comes to my interest in music, much to my little friend’s chagrins. So, when I was growing up, I listened to a lot of my parent’s music. It was a lot of 70s and 80s hard rock. Deep Purple and Pink Floyd, anything with  a color basically. Ha! Black Sabbath. I had a very crazy family.  It was very Partridge Family meets Spinal Tap. We always say – when my brother and I started the band, our parents were like, “Sure, absolutely.” So, obviously they are out of their minds. But that really was what influenced me at an early age and also the reason that I kind of dropped piano for a while and started guitar, because you had to kind of say to yourself, “Well, do you want to be Elton John? Or do you want to be Black Sabbath?” The great thing about a lot of those old records, though, is that even now you can still go back to them and learn something new and still be inspired. Those records are definitely responsible for how I identify with HEAVY music. When I was a teen the Spice Girls were what all of my friends wanted to be. I was listening to Alice Cooper. I feel it was the wiser choice.

AL: You started performing when you were about 13. How does the Lzzy of today compare to back when you started? What’s been the biggest change as a musician and what has stayed the same?
LH: I am definitely more confident now than I was at 13. We started out playing anywhere and everywhere. After we started making a name for ourselves you could see that it became my identity and it’s just something that I couldn’t live without. So confidence is a factor from before I was a band member to now, but, some things are different and some things stay the same. In the beginning, you’re in a rock band and you’re having fun because you are just getting a little bit of a taste of it. You don’t care what’s going to happen. We play one club and then that leads to  another club ,that leads to a tour. Now, I still have that fire, but it’s also balanced with a lot of politics and a lot of business sense. In a way it’s just growing, there’s more things I’ve got to think about now like maybe I should sleep a little bit, because I’m got some big gigs coming up. You don’t really have to worry about as a kid. I look back fondly at the early years and I’m lucky to still have that spark and that I love it as much as I ever did. I’m very lucky to have turned something I love into my career. I get to go up on stage rock out with my best friends and with my little brother. I have the best job in the world!

AL: After the success of the bands first CD, what aspects of the new release are you most excited about?
LH: Everything. I’m so proud of this record. I mean, when we made our first record, it’s our first record so we weren’t really sure what we were doing and we weren’t sure who would grab on to it  and who we were actually going to be singing to. So, with this record, we had just a better concept of our fans and a lot of what we did was inspired by them and the feeling that we got during our live shows. Also, the music is bridging the gap between what we do live and what we can do in the studio. This was lost on our last record, so for the people that are geeks about this stuff, we recorded drums to 2″ tape and we hashed out most of the stuff, just the four of us sitting in a room as a band. So, it’s a nice step up from the last record! There more energy and also more intimacy. You’re going to be hearing and tasting a lot of different sides of Halestorm on this record. I’m excited about what people are going to think.

AL: How did “Love Bites” set the tone for the new record? And what was the thought process behind putting out the digital EP in advance of the album?
LH: Yes that was the first song that we wrote and the first song that we recorded for the new record. That particular song was directly inspired by the cover “Slave to The Grind” by Skid Row that we put out a couple months ago. When we recorded it we discovered that, wow, we can actually do a song at this tempo. We should write one like this. We ended recruiting “Love Bites (So Do I). You have to realize that we literally got off tour, had 24 hours to pack, and then got on a plane to L.A., and were in the studio the next day recording this song. We got to record drums for it at Sunset Sound in the Van Halen room! It sounds amazing, It definitely set the tone for the record because we were barely off tour, the amps were still ringing in our ears. There’s a lot of energy that we captured while we were still kind of in that tour mode. Really that one and then the first eight songs that we recorded to be considered for the record were very aggressive and probably the most aggressive that we’ve ever done. They’re very riff heavy and I’m screaming my head off, It’s funny because what happened halfway through was I ended up writing some of the most intimate and personal songs that I’ve ever written, and I was like, “Wow! What a turn.
The finished product ended up being this record that has a very strange duality  to it and showing literally all sides of myself. “Loves Bites” gave us the road map for keeping that sort of live, human element throughout this record.

AL: Are any of the songs on the new record leftover from the last studio album sessions? Or that have been around longer?
LH: It’s kind of all of the above. They aren’t necessarily the same songs from what was considered for last record. Basically that entire time is the cut off and we started anew. However, there were a lot of riffs and small parts that were written around that time that we incorporated into some of the new songs.  “Love Bites” was a song we played on our last tour and that was us kind of testing it out to see how a song like that would go over live. We were listening to a lot of Lamb of God at that time and my guitar player, Joe, had this amazing riff and I kind of turned to him like, “Do you want to do something strange”? I wanted to kind of harness my inner James Hetfield for the bridge/breakdown, and ranted some crazy stuff over his riff. With “Love Bites (So Do I)” we’re trying to do something different that would stick out.

AL: Halestorm are known for having a really awesome support schedule and you have played with some of the biggest names in rock music. Do you guys ever get star struck with some of the people that you’re touring with?
LH: There definitely has been the occasion. I am a girl after all and being surrounded by such handsome men on nearly a daily basis, it’s a great position to be in! You learn so much from all these people and the fact that both STAIND and Godsmack, have had such huge careers and have such experience on the road, I think that to me I’m really looking forward to just watching, listening, and being completely put in my place, because it seems like every time I think, “Well, you know what? I’ve got this. I’m the boss.” And then you play a tour like this and you’re like, “Man, I’ve got to practice.” So, I am star struck. I am amazed every night at what there is to learn from these great bands. I’ve also had the amazing privilege to open for some of my classic idol such as Megadeth, Black Sabbath with Dio, Alice Cooper. They definitely leave me speechless. I’m going to be talking with Pat Benatar soon too. It’s like, “Man, what do I say to these people?”

AL: How did you prepare yourself vocally for this tour?
LH: You do have to prepare yourself for any tour. I mean, you’re going to be singing every night. You’re going to be talking to everybody. To me, it’s about common sense. We’re practicing as a band, then I’m making sure I’m not doing anything too stupid before we start the tour. I will do warm-ups and cool-downs and drink my water, and do a live show. It’s really quite simple on my end.

AL: Are you going to be performing any cover songs on this tour?
LH: Probably not. We might throw in one or two depending on the show, but considering the new album is dropping, we’re going to be playing most of our new stuff!

Thomas Dolby
“Time Capsule Tour”
The Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT
March 31, 2012

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“I keep hearing about artists who have made a big comeback album after 2 years. Try two decades.”

Yes, indeed: it’s been 20 years since Thomas Dolby released his last disc comprised of original material, 1992’s “Astronauts & Heretics”. And it’s been 30 years since the release of his signature hit song, “She Blinded Me With Science”, in 1982.

None of the elapsed decades seemed to make any difference whatsoever at the Ridgefield Playhouse stop of Thomas’ appropriately-named “Time Capsule” tour, though. Throughout the entire show, Dolby more than adequately proved that his abilities as both a musician and a songwriter have not diminished one iota over the course of time that he’s been largely absent from the music scene. And he’s still one hell of a storyteller, both in terms of lyrics and between-song recollections and anecdotes that are full of his distinct British wit and accessible sophistication.

Even though Dolby may be dismissed by most as an 80’s one-hit-wonder, his musical catalog has always showcased a myriad of musical styles and influences – all of which he handles with a degree of mastery that makes each foray its own wonderful little aural journey. The cross-section of songs played in Ridgefield readily displayed this as Dolby bounced from quiet piano ballads (“Love is a Loaded Pistol”) to ethereal jazz crooning (“The Flat Earth”) and even some toe-tappin’ knee-slapping country bluegrass (“The Toad Lickers”).

Unlike his one-man “Sole Inhabitant” tour in 2006 in which he surrounded himself on three sides with an array of techogadgetry and delivered songs entirely synthesized, Dolby brought along a backing band this time around. Comprised of drummer Matt Hector and guitarist Kevin Armstrong (with occasional appearances by opening act bluegrass musicians Aaron Jonah Lewis and Ben Belcher), his musical entourage added the right level of instrumentation to Dolby’s songs – never overpowering the maestro’s keyboards but never slipping too far into the background as to become irrelevant.

The 110-minute, 16-song set concert touched upon all of five of his studio releases, including his most-recent release, “A Map of the Floating City”. There was even time for one mega-obscurity: 1986’s collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto, “Field Work”, a song that had never appeared on a Dolby album until the 2009 reissue of his debut disc, “The Golden Age of Wireless”. And, of course, a little bit of “Science” was thrown in for good measure.

It’s refreshing to have Dolby back on the scene performing music that’s every bit as powerful as it was decades ago as well as new material that easily matches the caliber of his earlier work. In a day and age that seems to produce so few virtuoso musicians, Dolby’s “Time Capsule” is a pill that, when taken, reminds us how rich and rewarding pop music can be when prescribed by someone as gifted as he genuinely is. One can only hope that Thomas doesn’t go on another multi-year sabbatical. I’m going to need a refill sooner than that.

To read Dave’s interview with Thomas Dolby, please click here.
To read Dave’s review of Thomas Dolby’s “A Map of the Floating City”, please click here.

For more information about Thomas Dolby, visit www.thomasdolby.com

Merrell Fankhauser
The Best of Merrell Fankhauser
Release Date: July 5, 2011
Number of Discs: 2
Format: Import
Label: Gonzo Multimedia

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Merrell Frankhauser is one of the most unique singers I have ever come across. His look is a mix between Jimmy Buffett and Jeff Bridges. This best of collection includes the best tracks selected from Merrell’s entire career. They have been personally selected by Merrell himself. The album itself covers his music ranging from from 1964 to the present and from his early days, including his early band Merrell And The Exiles. He has a mix of sounds ranging from “The Beatles” to “The Monkees” to “The Beach Boys”.

Some of the tracks to keep an eye out for are: “Too Many Heartbreaks”, I am Flyin’ Home”, “The Land of Mu” and “Waterfall”. On the second disc there are four previously unreleased tracks, including “Haiku Jam”, “Surfin’ Pismo”, “When Merrell Met Jane” and “Tiki Lounge”. This collection of songs will definitely entertain his longtime fans and definitely give a good introduction to his new fans as well.

The first disc easily contains the best songs. Disc two includes some more of his “weird” music as I like to call it dealing it UFO’s and the beyond. Though overall his mix of rock to folk to reggae to psychedelia is definitely fun to just put on and tune out to. This release also includes a 16-page booklet with rare photos and sleeve notes by Merrell himself.

Disc 1:
1. Too Many Heartbreaks
2. She’s Gone
3. Lila
4. Supermarket
5. Drivin’ Sideways On a One Way Street
6. Girl I Am Waiting For You
7. I am Flyin Home
8. The Clouds Went That Way
9. One More Day
10. The Land Of MU
11. Blue Jay Blue
12. On Our Way To Hana
13. Garden in The Rain
14. Make a Joyful Noise
15. Dharmic Connection
16. Some of Them Escaped it All

Disc 2:
1. Calling From a Star
2. Alien Talk
3. Matthew’s Dream
4. Waterfall
5. Who Can You Call?
6. Workin’ In The City
7. Flying To Machu Picchu
8. Goin’ South
9. Queen Mu
10. Haiku Jam
11. Tale of Misty Mountain
12. Move to Higher Ground
13. Two Vegetarians
14. Surfin
15. When Merrell Met Jane
16. Tiki Lounge

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Shadows Fall, Maps of War, Spire, All That Is Sacred, One Step From Falling
Date: Friday, February 17^th 2012
Venue: Station 58, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Shadows Fall came to the intimate Station 58 venue in Syracuse, NY on February 17^th and performed to a near capacity crowd. The band came through the city as part of a 5 date tour that is in preparation for their appearance at this year’s Sound Waves festival held in Australia.

One Step From Falling started the night off playing an interesting blend of experimental rock that reminded me of early System of a Down however with less substance. All That Is Scared took the stage next as the club began to slowly fill and though the bands set was brief each member appeared to put their best foot forward. Local favorite Spire was up next and received a very warm welcome from the crowd. The band played a technical blend of prog metal that received a great response from the crowd that helped set the stage for the rest of the evening. Maps of War followed playing to a packed house. The band was very technical and provided an intense in your face performance.

Shadows Fall would close out the night and though the band had not performed since the summer of last year it did not show. Lead vocalist Brian Fair with his signature dreadlocks had the crowd in a sweat filled mosh from the word go. Fair took several trips into the crowd which seemed to only fuel the crowd that much more. Guitarists Jon Donais and Matt Bachand laid down their signature riffage while drummer Jason Bittner and Bassist Paul Romanko filled in the band’s sound with thunderous bass runs and beats. The band played a variety of tracks from their 6 album catalog as well as the track “Fire From the Sky” which will be on the bands upcoming album due in May of this year. Shadows Fall along with all the other bands on the bill really delivered by putting on a great show for the Syracuse crowd.

Shadows Fall Set List:
1.)    My Demise
2.)    Thoughts Without Words
3.)    Enlightened By The Cold
4.)    Burning The Lives
5.)    Stepping Outside The Circle
6.)    Still I Rise
7.)    Fire From The Sky
8.)    The Power of I and I
9.)    King of Nothing
10.) What Drives The Weak
11.)  Inspiration on Demand
12.)  Destroyer of Senses
13.)  The Light That Blinds
14.)  Redemption

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The Devastated
“Devil’s Messenger”
Century Media Records
Producer: Chris Eck
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Devil’s Messenger” is the first release from Southern California’s The Devastated a band whose line up consists of former Impending Doom and Oblige members. Their album is being released via Century Media Records and features 12 original tracks produced by Chris Eck. Fans of these members’ previous groups will surely want to check out this album.

Each of the 12 tracks contained on “Devil’s Messenger” is a gritty, down tuned master piece each containing enough power to raise the dead. The song “Swallowing Tumors” is what I would assume pure evil would sound like while tracks like “The Devils Messenger” and “Zombies” will feed the needs of those in love with the standard breakdowns often associated with grind core music.

Chris Eck did a good job of capturing the sheer intensity of the music while creating a very listenable album. If you are looking to expand you grind core collection go out and get the debut album from The Devastated.

Track Listing:
1.) Drip Drip
2.) Psuedo Smile Campaign
3.) Swallowing Tumors
4.) Failure in Thrive
5.) Roof Top Party Drop
6.) The Devil’s Messenger
7.) Spit Vitriol
8.) Zombies
9.) Blood Bag Drag
10.) Tongue In Cheek
11.) Caprice
12.) Conductor

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Municipal Waste
“The Fatal Feast: Waste in Space”
Nuclear Blast Records
Producer: Municipal Waste
Tracks: 16

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“The Fatal Feast: Waste in Space” is the fifth album from the Richmond, VA thrash band Municipal Waste. The band consists of Tony Foresta- Vocals, Ryan Waste- Guitar/Vocals, LandPhil- Bass/Vocal and Dave White- Drums. “The Fatal Feast: Waste in Space” features 16 new tracks and is being released via Nuclear Blast Records. This album is the follow up release to the bands 2009 album “Massive Aggressive”.

Relentless and in your face thrash metal! From the opening riffs of “Repossession” to the last note of “Residential Disaster” the latest album by Municipal Waste takes hold and won’t let go. The albums sound is very reminiscent of early 80’s hardcore groups like M.O.D. and Suicidal Tendencies.

Guitarist/Vocalist Ryan Waste lays down some blistering riffs that are truly worthy of the head banging induced neck pain they will surely cause. Vocalist Tony Foresta’s straight forward guttural vocal performances energize all 16 songs while bassist Landphil and drummer Dave White provide a thunderous bass driven back line.

While tracks such as “Covered in Sick/The Barfer” and “The Monster with 21 Faces” were personal favorites all of the tracks on the album had a little something for everyone. Fans of both new and old thrash/hardcore will surely enjoy listening to Municipal Wastes “The Fatal Feast: Waste in Space”.

Track Listing:
1.) Waste in Space
2.) Repossession
3.) New Dead Masters
4.) Unholy Abductor
5.) Idiot Check
6.) Covered in Sick/The Barfer
7.) You’re Cut Off
8.) Authority Complex
9.) Standards and Practices
10.) Crushing Chest Wound
11.) The Monster with 21 Faces
12.) Jesus Freaks
13.) The Fatal Feast
14.) 12 Step Program
15.) Death Tax
16.) Residential Disaster

3 Inches of Blood
“Long Live Heavy Metal”
Century Media Records
Producer: Terry “Sho” Murray
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Long Live Heavy Metal” is the newest album from the Canadian heavy metal band 3 Inches of Blood. The bands 5th full length album was produced by Terry “Sho” Murray and is being released via Century Media Records. The group consists of Cam Pipes, Justin Hagberg, Shane Clark and Ash Peason. Together the band blends a variety of both new and classic metal techniques while still forging new ground.

Vocalist Cam Pipes could be describes as half Halford and half Dickinson as his vocals ring out in the highest of falsetto ranges while tracks like “Look Out” and “Storming Juno” are drenched with dual guitar chugging, and sweeping solo passages.

Though a majority of the songs on “Long Live Heavy Metal” have a more vintage sound and structure, Tracks like “Dark Messenger” and “Die for Gold” feature a unique blend of the two which makes the latest release from 3 Inches of Blood quite an entertaining listen.

Track Listing:
1.) Metal Woman
2.) My Sword Will Not Sleep
3.) Leather Lord
4.) Chief and the Blade
5.) Dark messenger
6.) Look Out
7.) 4000 Torches
8.) Leave it on the Ice
9.) Die for Gold
10.) Storming Juno
11.) Men of Fortune
12.) One for the Ditch

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Brian Fair is the lead singer of the metal group Shadows Fall. The band has released 6 full length studios and is set to release their as yet titled 7^th album sometime in 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Brian about the upcoming album and the bands tour plans for this year.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the upcoming album?
Brian Fair: The band always tries to cover a good amount of ground with each record and we have a wide variety of influences. I feel this album is a further extension of us. We are getting more comfortable with putting all those influences into great songs. There are songs on the album that are on the real heavy side, some that are more classic metal and some that are full on thrash tunes. We try to cover a variety of styles without sounding schizophrenic.

AL: Do you guys have an album name and release date set?
BF: Everything is still being wrapped up. We have just started getting the mixes. Until everything is really mastered and finalized all of our release dates are just hopeful. Everything is best case scenario. (Laughs) It’s looking like by early May we should have the album out.

AL: Did you guys take any different approaches to the recording process this time around?
BF: Yes. It was a real different approach. We recorded with Adam D. of Killswitch Engage for the first time. That was a new experience in general bringing him in. Adam was involved from the demoing stages. He wasn’t helping us write or anything but he helped with the structuring and editing of the tracks. It was cool to have him involved and suggesting different twists and turns. With Adam on board we could step back and look at the songs as a whole. He was very easy to work with. Adam is like a comedian so it was really fun working with him even though we were there for hours at a time.

AL: How do you guys go about the writing process for your material?
BF: Usually Matt or Jon will have sort of a frame work of riffs that they are working on. They will put together a general song structure. From there we start jamming on it and add each of our own tweaks and suggestions. We will make a rough recording and then take it from there. Some songs fall together within the first few practices. Some take shape over the course of a month or so. The last song on the new record we wrote on the spot in the studio. That has never really happened before so it was kind of cool. Once there is a general idea for the song is when I start writing lyrics. I usually don’t get to that point until the music is about 80 percent there. Once I see where the songs going I can start to add lyrics.

AL: Can you tell us about the upcoming Australian tour?
 BF: It’s going to be sick! This will be our third time doing the Sound Waves festival. It’s always unbelievable. This year the line features bands like Slipknot, System of a Down and Hatebreed. It’s going to be like summer camp. We also will be doing some off dates while we are there with Machine Head and Chimaira. I can’t wait.

AL: Are you going to be playing any songs from the upcoming album during those shows?
BF: We have one new song that will be in the set. We have really only had time to rehearse that one new track. We were thinking about slipping in another one but we are only playing short festival sets. We don’t want to spend a lot of time playing songs people don’t know yet but, we do want there to be a preview of what’s to come.

AL: Are there any plans in the process for more shows in the states?
BF: Yes. When we get back we will have a lot of set up and promo type stuff for the new album going on. We then will be taking a break from shows until about mid-April when we have some shows booked in Mexico City with Anthrax. Right after that we will be starting our own tour. Everything will start to be announced in the coming weeks after things have been confirmed.

Cory Johnson is the guitarist for the Christian death metal band Impending Doom. Cory and the band are set to release their 4^th studio album titled “Baptized in Filth” on March 13^th. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Cory about the new release and his thoughts on the bands upcoming tour with Devildriver.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the new album?
Cory Johnson: We feel that this album is the best musical album we have ever done. The album is being released via Eone and we think that this album is really our best effort. We are anxiously waiting to get out on the road.

AL: What was the recording process like?
CJ: We spent about 6 months writing the album. It was probably our most stressful. We had a headlining tour over the past summer and we left for the road prior to completion of the writing phase. We ending up taking our demo rig out on the road which made things a lot harder than we thought it would be. Not only were we doing a headlining tour but we also had to find time to get away from everything and write the rest of the album. Every album is stressful but this one felt more out of control. As soon as we got in the studio with Andreas Magnusson he took everything and helped us tie it all together. Having an actual producer this time around helped a lot. We have never had that before. Prior to this record the engineer would just push record and we would take the best takes. Andreas was very involved in the musical process. We think that helped us put out a better musical product. Having Machine produce the albums vocals also helped out. He is phenomenal.

AL: Was there any specific inspiration behind the album?
CJ: The album is not a concept album. We do try and push some boundaries as we are a Christian band with Christian views. We try and step out of our comfort zone and push people to do the same thing with their faith. A lot of Christians see the title of the new album and think it sounds kind of evil. If you read our lyrics it will all make sense.

AL: Do you find it harder to write material having that Christian background/association?
CJ: We don’t want to step outside of faith but, whatever inspires us comes out. We then will take time to evaluate it and see if it’s what we really want to do. It’s not that much different than any normal band.

AL: Are there any songs off the new album you are really looking forward to playing live?
CJ: The song “Murderer”. We just finished a video for that song a few days ago and hope to have it out soon. That song will be available as a single also. We are definitely looking forward to playing that song live.

AL: What are the tour plans for the album?
CJ: This summer we have dates confirmed on the Warped Tour. Starting March 13^th we will be part of this year’s Metal Alliance tour. We will be playing with Devildriver, Job for a Cowboy and Dying Fetus.

AL: Do you find it hard blending in on tours where the other bands/fans don’t have Christian backgrounds?
CJ: We have never toured with an older set of bands before. All of our previous tours were with bands like White Chapel where everyone is around the same age. There has never been an issue when we have toured with bands that have different beliefs than us. I am interested to see how this upcoming tour will go. We have never toured with such extreme bands. I am confident that we will all be getting along back stage. I think the fans are going to really enjoy the show. We have such an extreme live show that I think everyone will have a good time. We don’t preach on stage or try to make people feel uncomfortable. I feel as long as we go up there and put on a good show people will enjoy it. Everyone can have a good time no matter what.

The boys are back! One of the greatest rock bands of all time, Van Halen will rock the Amway Center on Apr 12 2012 at 7:30 pm. The lineup features David Lee Roth, along with Eddie, Alex and Wolfgang Van Halen. They will also be joined by special guest Kool & The Gang. As band, they’ve had more number #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart than any other in history.

After performing at the world famous Cafe Wha? January 5th in New York City to announce their upcoming world tour, the Big Apple Press roundly applauded as fans and followers posted videos and photos of Van Halen’s unique first show opening. The band continues its campaign with the release of its brand new studio album A Different Kind Of Truth on February 7th.

Van Halen’s new single, “Tattoo” has been played on more than 160 stations since its release on January 10th. Currently, it’s #1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Singles chart, #1 Most Played Song at Classic Rock Radio in its first week and #1 Most Added song at Mainstream and Active Rock Radio.

A Different Kind Of Truth was released in the U.S. by Interscope Records on February 7th. The album is Van Halen’s first original studio album with singer David Lee Roth since the band’s diamond certified album 1984.

“Van Halen is still one of the most limber bands in hard rock, with a higher center of gravity than most.” New York Times

VIP Packages are also available through VIP Nation, including premium seats, exclusive merchandise and more. For more information please visit: VIP Nation.

“The Toasters 30^th Anniversary Tour”
The Toasters, The Rudie Crew, The XSKAVATORS
Date: Friday, February 24^th 2012
Venue: The Haunt, Ithaca, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Toasters 30^th Anniversary tour made a stop in the eclectic college town of Ithaca, NY on Feb. 24^th where they performed to a diverse crowd sprinkled with punks and old school rude boys. The first group to take the stage was The Rudie Crew who like The Toasters hail from New York, New York. The group performed a 40 minute set playing what could be described as Rasta infused ska music. The group provided an upbeat performance which got the crowd instantly off their checker clad feel. Home town favorites The XSKAVATORS would take the stage next performing their own unique version of early traditional ska.

The Toasters would close out the night providing me with some great flash back moments from the first time I saw the band some 13 years ago. Lead vocalist and guitarist Robert “Bucket” Hingley and his band belted out such classic hits as “2 Tone Army, “Dub 56” and “Weekend in LA”. As the crowd continued to skank their way through the evening the band closed out the night with their classic anthem “Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down”. Though the band now features a stripped down 5 piece line up The Toasters still provided their signature big band sound. The only negative from the night came in the way of time. The first group did not take the stage until 10:30pm which was an hour and a half after their scheduled time. After two stage changes and 3 full sets of music the show finally wrapped up at around 2 am making for a very long night.

The Toasters Set List:
1.)    House of Soul
2.)    Two Tone Army
3.)    Shocker
4.)    I’m Running Right Through the World
5.)    East Side Beat
6.)    Run Rudy Run
7.)    Social Security
8.)    Pirate Radio
9.)    Sitting on Top of the World
10.)  Dub 56
11.)  History Book
12.)  Talk is Cheap
13.)  Dog Eat Dog
14.)  Ploughshares Into Guns
15.)  Matt Davis
16.)  One Track Mind
17.)  Weekend in LA
18.)  Decision at Midnight
19.)  Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down