“Radical”

Every Time I Die
Epitaph
Producer: Will Putney
Tracks: 16

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Buffalo-based hardcore band Every Time I Die have released their ninth studio album titled “Radical”. Produced by Will Putney (Acacia Strain) and released via Epitaph Records “Radical” is the follow up to the bands 2016 release “Low Teens”. Consisting of 16 brand new tracks which could be described as a swampy summoning of southern rock and coarse poetry and clever wordplay.

Chants of LET’S GO BUFFALO! will undoubtably be raining down across the Queen City on October 22nd however not for its football team but instead for its native sons, hardcore legends Every Time I Die and in celebration of the bands newest studio album simply titled “Radical”. Packed with 16 mind melting tracks the band consisting of vocalist Keith Buckley, Guitarists Andy Williams and Jordan Buckley, Bassist Steve Micciche and drummer Clayton Holyoak put all their cards on the table and swing for the fences with this new album. Opening “Radical” is the track “Dark Distance” which begins with the wail of a warning siren which then fades into the background as the lyrics “Spare all the ones I love and slay the rest” are belted out via Buckley’s signature rasp only seconds before the rest of the band kicks in with a bombastic break down capable of doing mass damage if played in a confined space. As the album progresses listeners are treated to a unique variety of tones, noises and verbiage that is both frantic and thought provoking. Tracks like the catchy “Post-Boredom”, the hauntingly delightful “Desperate Pleasures” and “Distress Rehearsal” are all in your face, riff heavy bangers while tracks like the laid back, sonic landscape titled “Thing With Feathers” and the sludgy bass heavy “White Void” showcase the band stretching their musical legs while not straying to far from the sounds they are synonymous with.

No matter if you’re an early era ETID fan or you are into the more recent releases “Radical” is the album to unite all fans into one joint faction. Mind boggling guitar riffs and overdriven, grindy bass runs mix perfectly with bombastic drum beats and razor like vocals which will captivate listeners while punishing their senses. Don’t be left out in the cold this fall as “Radical” may not the album you want but it’s the album you NEED!

“Radical” Track Listing
1. Dark Distance
2. Sly
3. Planet Shit
4. Post-Boredom
5. Colossal Wreck
6. Desperate Pleasures
7. All This and War
8. Thing With Feathers
9. Hostile Architecture
10. AWOL
11. The Whip
12. White Void
13. Distress Rehearsal
14. SexSexSex
15. People Verses
16. We Go Together

Gus G is the guitarist for Greek power metal band Firewind. Gus has also played with Kamelot, Arch Enemy and Ozzy Osbourne. Gus’s latest release is an instrumental solo album titled “Quantum Leap”. Media Mikes had the chance recently to speak with Gus about the creation of the album and his progression as a guitarist.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the creation of “Quantum Leap”?

Gus G: This is my first fully instrumental record. I had the idea to do an album like this in the back of my mind for awhile however just never decided to do it until now. With all the lock downs I knew I was going to be stuck home for a while. I was doing press for the latest Firewind record and we were gearing up to start touring and then everything got cancelled. In between all of those interviews I started writing down different thoughts and ideas. Before I knew it, I had seven or eight new ideas. This was around springtime and I knew it was still going to be awhile until we could do any live shows. I figured now was the time do a solo record on my own. My plan was to not have any outside collaboration. I spent all of last summer working on this record.

AL: Did the effects of the pandemic help mold this material in any way?

GG: It could be! I think it had a lot to do with it. To me when you are making albums it’s like a snapshot in time of where you are at. The material reflects my psychology and where I was at during this time. Like everyone dealing with this I had a lot of ups and downs where some days I had a lot of energy while others I had none. This is not your typical metal album as there are a lot of different styles and vibes.

AL: Do you have a different approach for working on an instrumental record compared to one with vocals?

GG: It is a different process. Making music without vocals in general is a whole different process in because you must fill that gap. I wasn’t really used to that. It was an interesting learning experience. I had made instrumental music in the past, but I never really dug deep into that. With this I wanted to find a balance. I wasn’t interested in making a shred album as I wanted to make an album that had cool songs with good music. I wanted there to be a musical statement instead of just a collection of guitar licks and riffs.

AL: Did you build the songs around vocal melodies, or did you add those passages later?

GG: It usually starts with riffs. This part of the process was the same for me as when I am writing for Firewind as it all starts with the riffs. The big difference was where to go after the initial riff starts. You could go any where be it a melody or certain key change. Those are the things I had to find out and build from scratch. At the end of the day, it was about balance as well as the hooks and melodies. At the time I didn’t really have vocal ideas but now looking back maybe I did have ideas about big vocal melody parts that would grab the listener.

AL: What was your process like for producing and editing being it was just you working on the record?

GG: That’s one of those things where how do you really know when something is done. A track is done when you have listened to it enough times through that you are happy with it and you send it on for mixing. There were a few tracks that went through many re-writes and edits. You just get a feeling when you are writing something that it is done. This can be a double-edged sword though because you can always think it could be better. I try and keep a little bit of a distance with the music I make. When I think something is finished, I will not listen to it for a few days and then come back to it with fresh ears. That’s when if I need to, I will make changes. It’s really all a feeling.

AL: Was this all newly written material or did you have some of the material prior to deciding to make the record?

GG: It’s both. I always have riffs laying around. I keep a file of different ideas. Some stuff I didn’t use for other projects and other ones are ones that I came up with at that moment with no specific place for them in mind. I never know what these will end up being used for, but I do go back and listen through them for ideas. Sometimes its weeks or months later that I go back but that folder tends to be a great starting point. I might use things as they are or completely start from scratch.

AL: How do you decide what material to keep for yourself and what to use for other projects?

GG: Sometimes it is hard to do that. It is all my writing and my style. There are times I set out to write something specifically for Firewind or for my solo stuff and during the process that material goes the opposite direction and ends up on something it was originally intended for. Firewind has a certain sound and style so I am less likely to experiment with that material but like I said things have a way of working their way into places they were not originally intended for.

AL: You worked by yourself and provided all the instrumentation for this record. Is that how you prefer to work, or do you prefer the more traditional route of recording with other musicians?

GG: I have always done things on my own for the most part. Firewind actually started out as a file exchanging band in the early 2000’s. I have become very used to putting together a complete and good sounding demo that it was a pretty natural process for me when it came time to record the parts for “Quantum Leap”.

AL: Looking at your guitar playing do you feel it has progressed more naturally or have you taken conscious steps to ensure it has progressed in a specific direction?

GG: I think I am sort of somewhere in the middle. The last few years I don’t think I have practiced as much as I would have liked to. When I do go into practice mode, I really get into it. I try and learn or develop new techniques and licks. Then there are times where I don’t pick the guitar up as much. I don’t allow myself to get sloppy, so I am on top of things, but I am not putting in ten-hour practice days like I did as a teenager.

AL: Now that “Quantum Leap” is out have you started thinking about your next project yet or are you giving yourself a little breathing room?

GG: I did a side project with Rob Chapman from Chapman Guitars and Youtube. It’s called “Criterium” and we did a three song EP. We are not sure when its going to be coming out, but we have been recording and Rob is getting ready to do the vocals for it very soon. I have known Rob since 2006 or 2007 so it has been great working with him on music after being friends for so long.

For more info on Gus G visit www.gusgofficial.com or on Instagram and Twitter @gusgofficial

TICKETS AVAILABLE THIS FRIDAY, OCT. 1

“Let’s finish what we started. Shall we?” – Maynard James Keenan

TOOL have announced a mammoth 2022 tour, with the Los Angeles-based band spending 3 months traversing the U.S. followed by a month of European dates.

TOOL elected to kick off the highly-anticipated trek in Eugene, Ore. as a nod to the abrupt halt to their 2020 Fear Inoculum tour. Slated to play the Matthew Knight Arena on March 12, 2020, the show, along with the band’s remaining tour dates, was canceled as nationwide lockdowns began to take effect that evening.

“It is with great pleasure I get to announce our return to the road,” said Danny Carey. “These past 18 months have been trying to say the least but from great trials come great lessons and great rewards. We are genuinely looking forward to sharing them with you.”

Tickets for all dates are on-sale this Friday, Oct. 1 at 10 am local time (UK and Irish dates are on-sale at 9 am local time). TOOL Army members can purchase pre-sale tickets for European dates on Sept. 28 at 10 am local time (24 hour pre-sale window), while U.S. pre-sale tickets are available on Sept. 29 at 10 am local time (36 hour pre-sale window). A selection of exclusive packages, which include a pre-sale ticket, will also be made available to TOOL Army members on Sept. 29 at 10 am local time.

January 10 Eugene, OR Matthew Knight Arena

January 11 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome

January 13 Boise, ID Ford Idaho Center

January 15 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center

January 16 San Francisco, CA Chase Center

January 18 Anaheim, CA Honda Center

January 19 San Diego, CA Viejas Arena

January 21 Phoenix, AZ Footprint Center

January 22 Las Vegas, NV T-Mobile Arena

January 25 Salt Lake City, UT Maverik Center

January 27 Denver, CO Ball Arena

January 30 Tulsa, OK BOK Center

January 31 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center

February 2 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center

February 4 Houston, TX Toyota Center

February 5 New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center

February 8 Orlando, FL Amway Center

February 9 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena

February 10 Miami, FL FTX Arena

February 19 Boston, MA TD Garden

February 20 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center

February 22 Washington, DC Capital One Arena

February 23 Belmont Park, NY UBS Arena

February 26 Newark, NJ Prudential Center

February 27 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Center

March 1 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena

March 3 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena

March 4 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center

March 6 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena

March 8 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena

March 10 Chicago, IL United Center

March 12 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center Arena

March 13 Minneapolis, MN Target Center

March 15 Kansas City, MO T-Mobile Center

March 17 Moline, IL TaxSlayer Center

March 18 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center

March 20 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

April 23 Copenhagen, DK Royal Arena

April 25 Oslo, NO Spektrum

April 26 Stockholm, SE Avicii Arena

April 28 Hamburg, DE Barclaycard Arena

April 29 Frankfurt, DE Festhalle

May 2 Manchester, UK AO Arena Manchester

May 4 Birmingham, UK Resorts World Arena

May 6 Dublin, IE 3Arena

May 9 London, UK The O2 Arena

May 12 Paris, FR AccorHotels Arena

May 13 Antwerp, BE Sportpaleis

May 15 Berlin, DE Mercedes-Benz Arena

May 17 Cologne, DE Lanxess Arena

May 19 Amsterdam, NL Ziggo Dome

May 21 Krakow, PL Tauron Arena

May 23 Prague, CZ O2 Arena

May 24 Budapest, HU SportAréna

Blonde Redhead opens on dates from Jan. 10 to Feb. 10. The Acid Helps opens from Feb. 19 to March 20.

Fear Inoculum (http://smarturl.it/TOOLFIa) arrived in August of 2019, following years of anticipation. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200, shattering sales and radio records while also earning widespread critical praise. NPR said, “Fear Inoculum was worth the 13-year wait,” The Atlantic declared the release “precise and devastating,” Revolver dubbed the 10-track album “a masterpiece that will be dissected for years to come” and Consequence of Sound said Fear Inoculum finds “TOOL in peak performance.”

Watch the Video For “Invisible Monster” HERE: 

THEIR 15th STUDIO ALBUM SCHEDULED FOR WORLDWIDE RELEASE ON OCTOBER 22nd NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER HERE:

Part 1 of the In-Depth Behind The Scenes Interview About The New Album Can Be Seen Here:

As anticipation grows for the release of their 15th studio album, GRAMMY-nominated and millions-selling progressive music titans Dream Theater are releasing the music video for the first official single “Invisible Monster.” The song comes from their upcoming InsideOutMusic / Sony Music album A View From The Top Of The World scheduled for release worldwide on October 22nd. The new track clocks in at 6:27 and showcases the musicianship and creativity that has garnered the band fans around the globe. The video for the song was directed by William “Wombat” Felch (Mudvayne, HellYeah, Crobot, Static-X, Nefariant) and follows the story of an artist’s internal struggles as the band is showcased performing the track. The piece of art created by Felch in the video now lives inside DTHQ. The video for the song can be seen here: https://youtu.be/s0Wmg7Tq4Pk.

“It was written after we’d written a bunch of material. A lot of the music was super energetic and upbeat tempo-wise. Mike suggested we do something a little different though. So, we started working on a more mid-temp song. The hook, riff, and melody changed so naturally. I equate it to ‘Pull Me Under’ back in the day where we’d just start playing, something would come out, and we’d be like, ‘Whoa, that’s cool’. There’s a serendipitous moment where it happens. Lyrically, it’s about how anxiety plagues people. It’s like there’s an invisible monster beating you. You don’t see it, but it’s haunting you all of the time,” explains John Petrucci.

Dream Theater recently released an in-depth behind the scenes interview about the making of A View From The Top Of The World. The interview is a 3-part docuseries hosted by ProgReport Editor In Chief Roie Avin as he interviews the band about creating the new album. The interview takes place at the band’s new headquarters DTHQ – the space where the band recorded their latest album. Part 2 of the interview will be released on September 29th and the final part will be out on October 10th. The first part of the interview is now live and can be seen here:  Also, an animated video for album opener “The Alien” (viewed over 1.4 million times) that clocks in at 9:32 was released last month and can be seen here: 

A View From The Top Of The World is now available for pre-order in various configurations including a limited Deluxe Box incl. Gatefold 2LP (180g bright gold vinyl) with exclusive alternate cover, limited deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook with exclusive alternate cover, Zoetrope Slipmat, Beanie, Enamel Keychain, 8 x Artcards, Poster, Hand-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity in a Lift-off Lid Box. The album is also available in a limited Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook, Special Edition CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g 2LP+CD+LP-booklet. The Blu-ray contains a 5.1 surround sound mix with full album animations, plus ‘Digging For A Spark – A View From Inside DTHQ’, a specially filmed documentary that gives a glimpse behind the scenes of the band’s new home-base and the making of the new album. The album is also available for pre-order digitally and fans that pre-order the digital version will receive an instant download of “The Alien.” A View From The Top Of The World was produced by John Petrucci, engineered and additional production by James “Jimmy T” Meslin and mixed/mastered by Andy Sneap and available for pre-order here:

Dream Theater – comprised of James LaBrie, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, John Myung and Mike Mangini – was in the middle of a sold-out world tour in support of their last release Distance Over Time and the 20th anniversary of Scenes From A Memory when a Global Pandemic brought the world to a stop. The musicians found themselves at home with LaBrie in Canada and the rest of the group in the States. As fate would have it, they’d just finished construction on DTHQ (Dream Theater Headquarters) —a combination live recording studio, rehearsal space, control room, equipment storage, and creative hive. With LaBrie in Canada, he initially wrote with the band via ZOOM on a monitor in DTHQ. In March 2021, he flew down to New York, quarantined, and recorded his vocals face-to-face with Petrucci. The album ultimately threaded together lean and uncompromising hooks with tried-and-true technical proficiency.

The track listing for A View From The Top Of The World is:

1) The Alien (9:32)
2) Answering The Call (7:35)
3) Invisible Monster (6:31)
4) Sleeping Giant (10:05)
5) Transcending Time (6:25)
6) Awaken The Master (9:47)
7) A View From The Top Of The World (20:24)

Today, multi-platinum Danish band Volbeat announce their 26-date coheadlining arena tour with Ghost and special guests Twin Temple, coming to cities including Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix (full dates below).

Said the band: “We are so incredibly excited to get back to these cities with a Volbeat headline show, but getting to do it alongside a headline show from our goulish friends in Ghost AND bringing the incomparable Twin Temple with us? How soon will it be January already!? Start getting ready, the thunder and lightning is coming to your town in 2022.”

Tickets for the tour, co-Produced by Live Nation and Frank Productions, are available here on Friday, September 24 at 10am local time. Limited VIP packages will also be available starting at Tuesday, September 21st at 10am ET. Details at volbeat.dk.

Later this week, Volbeat will embark on their first headlining shows in nearly two years. The ten date “Wait A Minute… Let’s Tour” headline run will see the band coming to cities including Atlanta, San Diego, and Los Angeles (full dates below). Special guests The Hu, Twin Temple, and Municipal Waste will be joining them for select dates. The band will also be appearing at Rebel Rock Fest in Orlando, FL, Louder Than Life in Louisville, KY and Aftershock in Sacramento, CA. Tickets for these dates are on sale now here.

Since forming in 2001, Volbeat has gone from the clubs of Copenhagen to headlining stages around the world, including the famed Telia Parken stadium in Denmark (becoming the only domestic artist to ever sell out the venue). Over the course of seven record-breaking albums the band has picked up number one songs (including nine #1s on the US Mainstream Rock chart and counting, the most of any band based outside of North America), multi-platinum certifications, awards and accolades (including a Grammy nomination) all over the planet. Their latest album, Rewind, Replay, Rebound, was released on August 2nd, 2019 and has spawned the hit singles “Last Day Under The Sun,” “Die To Live (feat. Neil Fallon)” and “Leviathan.” A live album featuring songs recorded during the subsequent world tour, Rewind, Replay, Rebound: Live in Deutschland, was released digitally on November 27th, 2020. Most recently, the band shared a “double blast” of brand new songs for the Summer: “Dagen Før (feat. Stine Bramsen)” and “Wait A Minute My Girl.” They also contributed a cover of “Don’t Tread on Me” to The Metallica Blacklist, with all proceeds from the track benefiting the All Within My Hands Foundation and the Børne Cancer Fonden of Denmark.

GHOST/VOLBEAT COHEADLINE TOUR DATES:
Tue, Jan 25, 2022 – Reno, NV – Reno Events Center
Thu, Jan 27, 2022 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Fri, Jan 28, 2022 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Arena
Sat, Jan 29, 2022 – Portland, OR – Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Mon, Jan 31, 2022 – West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center
Wed, Feb 02, 2022 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Fri, Feb 04, 2022 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
Sat, Feb 05, 2022 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
Mon, Feb 07, 2022 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Tue, Feb 08, 2022 – Hershey, PA – GIANT Center
Thu, Feb 10, 2022 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Fri, Feb 11, 2022 – Worcester, MA – DCU Center
Sat, Feb 12, 2022 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion
Mon, Feb 14, 2022 – Pittsburgh, PA – Petersen Events Center
Tue, Feb 15, 2022 – Toledo, OH – Huntington Center
Wed, Feb 16, 2022 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
Fri, Feb 18, 2022 – Chicago, IL – Allstate Arena
Sat, Feb 19, 2022 – Cincinnati, OH – Heritage Bank Center
Sun, Feb 20, 2022 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
Mon, Feb 21, 2022 – St. Louis, MO – Chaifetz Arena
Wed, Feb 23, 2022 – Independence, MO – Cable Dahmer Arena
Fri, Feb 25, 2022 – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Sat, Feb 26, 2022 – Dallas, TX – Fair Park Coliseum
Mon, Feb 28, 2022 – El Paso, TX – Don Haskins Center
Tue, Mar 01, 2022 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
Thu, Mar 03, 2022 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center

VOLBEAT WAIT A MINUTE… LET’S TOUR DATES
Thu, Sept 23, 2021 – Orlando, FL at Rebel Rock Fest
Fri, Sept 24, 2021 – Atlanta, GA at Tabernacle*
Sat, Sept 25, 2021 – Louisville, KY at Louder Than Life
Mon, Sept 27, 2021 – Oklahoma City, OK at The Criterion*
Tue, Sept 28, 2021 – San Antonio, TX at Sunken Garden Amphitheater^
Wed, Sept 29, 2021 – Lubbock, TX at Lonestar Amphitheater^
Sat, Oct 2, 2021 – San Diego, CA at The Observatory North Park # – SOLD OUT
Sun, Oct 3, 2021 – San Diego, CA at The Observatory North Park
Wed, Oct 6, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA at Hollywood Palladium %
Fri, Oct 7, 2021 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock
Sat, Oct 9, 2021 – Paso Robles, CA at Vina Robles Amphitheatre*
Sun, Oct 10, 2021 – Oakland, CA at The Fox Theater*

* Twin Temple
^ The Hu & Twin Temple
# Municipal Waste & Twin Temple
% Municipal Waste
Itallics denotes festival appearance

NEW ALBUM RADICAL OUT OCTOBER 22

Buffalo-based hardcore heroes Every Time I Die have unveiled another track in anticipation of their ninth studio album Radical out October 22 via Epitaph. Today, the band unleash “Planet Shit,” which takes an unflinching look at the inevitable social upheaval born of generations of inequity. “I was just calling it like I was seeing it,” expresses vocalist Keith Buckley. The track follows the previously released “Post-Boredom,” “AWOL,” “A Colossal Wreck,” and “Desperate Pleasures.”

Produced and mixed by Will Putney (Acacia Strain, Body Count, The Amity Affliction), Radical is 16 tracks of peak-ETID, alchemized by a swampy summoning of southern rock and coarse poetry, the music swirls beneath sardonic and clever wordplay, cementing the band as leaders, not followers.

CHECK OUT “PLANET SHIT” NOW
WATCH | LISTEN

While inspired by the unrest and upheaval around the world over the past five years, Radical focuses on humanity, decency, self-worth, and even a bit of spirituality more so than politics.

“I’m dealing with difficult matters this time that isn’t only personal for me but are also universal and more communal experiences,” Keith explains. “The songs are realistic in that they acknowledge that things require a lot of work. But it’s ultimately a very hopeful and uplifting record.”

RADICAL TRACK LISTING
1. Dark Distance
2. Sly
3. Planet Shit
4. Post-Boredom
5. A Colossal Wreck
6. Desperate Pleasures
7. All This And War
8. Thing With Feathers
9. Hostile Architecture
10. AWOL
11. The Whip
12. White Void
13. Distress Rehearsal
14. sexsexsex
15. People Verses
16. We Go Together

Every Time I Die has a handful of tour dates throughout the rest of 2021 including their holiday extravaganza, ‘TID The Season taking place in their hometown of Buffalo, NY on December 10 & 11. The band has also just announced that they will support post-hardcore band Underoath on the road early next year. Tickets are on sale now. For more information, visit https://everytimeidie.net/.

EVERY TIME I DIE TOUR DATES
2021
9/23 Memphis, TN Growlers
9/24 Birmingham, AL Furnace Fest
12/10-11 Buffalo, NY ‘TID The Season

2022
supporting Underoath
2/18 Dallas, TX Southside Ballroom
2/19 Houston, TX Bayou Music Center
2/20 San Antonio, TX The Aztec Theatre
2/23 Phoenix, AZ The Van Buren
2/24 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
2/25 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
2/26 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
2/28 Seattle, WA Showbox SODO
3/1 Vancouver, BC The Vogue Theater
3/2 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory
3/4 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex
3/5 Denver, CO The Ogden Theatre
3/7 Minneapolis, MN The Fillmore
3/8 Chicago, IL Radius
3/9 Detroit, MI The Fillmore
3/11 Toronto, ON History
3/12 Cleveland, OH Agora
3/13 Wallingford, CT The Dome
3/14 Boston, MA House of Blues
3/15 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE
3/17 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Steel
3/18 Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore
3/19 Philadelphia, PA The Fillmore
3/20 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
3/22 Cincinnati, OH ICON
3/23 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore
3/25 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle

Every Time I Die is Keith Buckley (vocals), Jordan Buckley (guitar), Andy Williams (guitar), Steve Micciche (bass), and Clayton “Goose” Holyoak (drums).

“Scumdogs” 30th Anniversary Tour Starts Thursday September 16th

Rejoice humans! The day you’ve been waiting for is here! GWAR have released “Scumdogs Live!” an epic live event, filmed in the basement of GWAR’s Antarctican fortress, now available for you to own on Double LP, Blu-Ray/DVD/CD and cassette. What? You haven’t picked up a copy? Act now to spare your life! You can still order one HERE.

The band’s lead singer, the Berzerker Blóthar sez: “In making this recording, we spared no expense to recreate the atmosphere of those early tours for Scumdogs of the Universe. You can really hear the urgency and drive that comes from a group of rockstar primadonnas, worn down from truckstop love affairs and running dangerously low on shitty cocaine, frozen chicken chimichangas and fortified wine. I had forgotten how powerfully stupid these songs really are, but we managed to capture that perfectly!”

“It was a great honor to don the armor of my fallen comrade, Flattus Maximus, and perform the songs from Scumdogs. Unfortunately I shall be searching the galaxy for an audience worthy of indulging in the soundwaves captured on this audio recording. Until I find them, I suppose Earthlings can take this record for spin,” added guitarist Pustulus Maximus.

Coinciding with this release, GWAR is streaming a performance video of “Sick of You,” from “Scumdogs Live!” Watch the video HERE.

All worked up from seeing that clip? Answer the call to worship at the feet of your Lords and Masters “in person” when GWAR returns to the road on September 16th in Richmond, VA. This short run features a stop at RiotFest and headline dates featuring support from Madball and Eyehategod. The band then returns to the road October 28th in Norfolk, VA through December 14th New York, NY. Support on this run comes from Napalm Death and Eyehategod.

Tour Dates:

$ – with Madball / Eyehategod supporting
x – with Napalm Death / Eyehategod supporting
# – Festival
9/16/21 – Richmond, VA – The National $
9/17/21 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall #
9/18/21 – Chicago, IL – RiotFest @ Douglas Park $
9/19/21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls $
10/28/21 – Norfolk, VA – The Norva x
10/29/21 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium x
10/30/21 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall x
10/31/21 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza x
11/1/21 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage x
11/2/21 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom x
11/4/21 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave x
11/5/21 – Detroit, MI – Crofoot Ballroom x
11/6/21 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue x
11/7/21 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues x
11/8/21 – Toronto, ON – The Opera House x
11/10/21 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel x
11/11/21 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts x
11/12/21 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade x
11/13/21 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville #
11/14/21 – Pensacola, FL – Vinyl Music Hall x
11/15/21 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live x
11/16/21 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey Bar & Grill x
11/18/21 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater x
11/19/21 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theater x
11/20/21 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues x
11/21/21 – Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco Theater x
11/22/21 – San Francisco, CA – The Regency Ballroom x
11/23/21 – Ventura, CA – Ventura Theater x
11/24/21 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory x
11/26/21 – Reno, NV – Virginia Street Brewhouse x
11/27/21 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory x
11/28/21 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom x
11/30/21 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SODO x
12/1/21 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom x
12/3/21 – Calgary, AB – MacEwan Hall x
12/4/21 – Edmonton, AB – Midway Bar x
12/6/21 – Billings, MT – Pub Station
12/7/21 – Denver, CO – The Oriental Theater x
12/8/21 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater x
12/9/21 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue x
12/10/21 – Lincoln, NE – The Bourbon Theatre x
12/11/21 – Sauget, IL – Pop’s x
12/13/21 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club x
12/14/21 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza x

Global industry homecoming to present three days of transformative business opportunities, know-how and connections at once-in-a-lifetime gathering.

Today, The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) announced that The NAMM Show, the annual “family reunion” of the global music, sound, and entertainment technology industry, will reconvene in Anaheim, California at the Anaheim Convention Center on June 3–5, 2022. Previously scheduled for January 20–23, the new dates will offer global industry leaders, buyers, sellers, music educators, artists, media, and music makers the opportunity to reconnect and renew their businesses while taking greater advantage of reimagined indoor and outdoor events, activations, professional development sessions, an expanded digital reach, and more at the crossroads of business opportunity.

Joe Lamond, NAMM President and CEO, says, “The industry has not stopped evolving and innovating during the pandemic, and The NAMM Show is evolving, as well. As the health and safety of our members remains top of mind, and after carefully listening to companies here in the U.S. and around the world, the new dates will help members maximize their opportunities and accelerate what has arguably been a transformative time both in new products and in how they come to market. I imagine this gathering will have the kind of impact of a Beatles moment or the introduction of MIDI—definitely one you will not want to miss.”

The news of the return of the Show and the change in dates addresses ongoing concerns about pandemic activity, new product development and launches, available in-store inventory, and current travel restrictions. The announcement was met with support and enthusiasm from business leaders across the industry.

“The NAMM Show is the best opportunity of the year for Yamaha to reach our dealers, end-user customers, and the music industry as a whole. It’s the one place where the new products from across our brands meet the global industry, and we can’t wait to get together in June,” shares Tom Sumner, President of Yamaha Corporation of America.

“No matter when NAMM happens, Shure is excited about the industry finally getting together to engage with each other at this important event,” comments Abby Kaplan, Vice President of Global Retail Sales for Shure Incorporated. Mark Terry, CEO, Exertis/JAM US Music Group, shares the same sentiment: “[NAMM] has made a great decision on moving the show to June. This move ensures that it will be a very successful show for vendors and dealers. We certainly plan on being there!”

“At Taylor Guitars, we applaud innovative ideas as we all attempt to navigate these unusual times,” affirms Barbara Wight, CFO of Taylor Guitars. “Since its days in the ballroom of the Disneyland Hotel, The NAMM Show has always been an invaluable platform for us to launch new products and deepen our connections with our treasured retailers, suppliers and fans. We see this change to June as a smart opportunity to try something new, and we’re looking forward to being back together with our industry family.”

“Global travel restrictions continue to be unpredictable and challenging for our industry. Rescheduling the NAMM Show to June is absolutely the right call,” comments David Via, Zoom North America Vice President of Marketing.

John Hopkins, President and CEO of Sweetwater, shares, “One of our priorities here at Sweetwater is creating content and providing information to our customers about new products — we want them to have immediate, up-to-the-minute news about the latest gear and innovations. The NAMM Show brings us all together and provides an ideal platform for this each year. And this year, we’re excited that there will be even better synergy between the new NAMM Show dates and our own annual GearFest event. It’s a big win for our customers.”

Jamie Deering, CEO of Deering Banjos, notes, “The NAMM Show has been an integral part of our family business’s growth since our founding in 1975. All the work they have done to help our industry has been immensely appreciated. I commend the care they are giving to do all they can in making next year’s show safe and inclusive, and we are excited to be a part of this new, reimagined launch. It’s a chance to not only reconnect with our industry and music friends in a place and event that we love but to take a fresh look at the global market and to move forward together.”

“We fully support NAMM’s decision to move the 2022 NAMM Show to June,” says Larry Morton, CEO of Hal Leonard. “Not only does this make sense from a public safety standpoint, but the June timing gives the entire music products industry an opportunity to put the pandemic behind us. Hal Leonard will work hard to transform and elevate The 2022 NAMM Show experience for our customers.”

Chair and Founder of Bandit Lites, Michael Strickland, echoes the sentiment: “The one certain fact about COVID is the uncertainty. I applaud Joe Lamond and the great people at NAMM for making the decision to pause the show, as in the long run, it works to provide a better, more robust NAMM 2022. The importance of The NAMM Show can never be diminished, and we must deliver the complete show and not some muted version. Thank you, NAMM.”

Sammy Ash, President of Sam Ash Music, shares that “I, for one, am glad they moved the show to June. With a little luck, Covid will be better contained worldwide, so we can have all the exhibitors present. Personally, I like L.A. in the winter—I’m from New York—but the pandemic has created opportunities for change in everything we do. I think this is a prudent move, and we’ll be there in force!”

The largest NAMM Show in the history of the organization took place in January 2020, when the Show welcomed 115,888 members and industry professionals and more than 7,000 brands. The show also hosted 350 professional development sessions, numerous live events, networking opportunities and concerts each evening on the Grand Plaza, as presented by Yamaha.

With the move of The 2022 NAMM Show to June, the organization has decided not to hold Summer NAMM in Nashville, Tennessee, for the 2022 year, effectively combining the two shows.

On Friday, January 21, the organization will host a one-day global livestreamed event: Believe in Music: The online global gathering to unify and support the people who bring music to the world. Building on the success of this year’s Believe in Music week, the livestreamed event will again welcome leaders across the industry, music educators, and music makers to connect in a live, online setting and take part in sessions and experiences. In total, 2021’s Believe in Music week welcomed 93,226 industry professionals and attendees from 187 countries and territories to support those who bring music to the world through nearly $500,000 in charitable donations made by participants and generous donors. Read the release here: https://www.namm.org/news/press-releases/believe-music-week-online-global-gathering-unify

Additional details of The 2022 NAMM Show and Believe in Music day will be released in the weeks to come. Please visit NAMM.org or follow the conversation on social media with #NAMMShow for the latest news. To learn about the health and safety measures that will be put in place to help reunite our industry, please visit our Safe and Sound site: https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2022/safe-and-sound.

WATCH THE UNBOXING HERE
PRE-ORDER IS LIVE NOW HERE

An integral part of the early-’80s thrash metal movement that spawned acts like Metallica and Anthrax, New Jersey’s Overkill garnered a reputation for brutal, pounding speed and technique. Taking their moniker from the 1979 Motörhead album of the same name, an early demo; Power in Black, made waves in the underground tape-trading circuit and caught the attention of Megaforce Records, which issued the band’s full-length studio debut, Feel the Fire, in 1985. High-profile shows alongside luminaries like Slayer and Anthrax followed, and with the American thrash scene in full tilt, Overkill inked a major-label deal with Atlantic, which put out their sophomore effort, 1987’s uncompromising Taking Over. This was followed quickly in 1988 by the equally uncompromising, Under The Influence which spawned the MTV hit, ‘Hello From The Gutter’. Continuing their breakneck pace, the band issued the Terry Date -produced Years of Decay the following year in 1989, which saw them pushing their sound in a more epic direction, while maintaining the neck-snapping attack of their debut. Expanding their lineup to a five piece in 1990 they released the brooding and relentlessly heavy Horrorscope, which introduced elements of doom into the mix and would go on to become a defining release and fan favorite. Overkill continued to move toward a more epic Sabbath style on 1993’s I Hear Black but switched up again on 1994’s W.F.O. which marked a return to the whiplash-inducing thrash of the past.

Overkill are held in high regard as one of the true greats of the global metal scene, one they dominate to this day. These six albums cemented Overkill in the thrash hall of fame, while contributing to their 16 million record sales, notched up over the last 40 years and are all considered stone cold classics.

All six of these albums are back on vinyl for the first time in over a decade. Half speed mastered for dynamic range and pressed on 180g vinyl. Also available as a CD collectors box.

The Atlantic Years 1986 to 1994 contains :
TAKING OVER
UNDER THE INFLUENCE
THE YEARS OF DECAY
HORROSCOPE
I HEAR BLACK
W.F.O.

HIS NEW LP, BRIGHTEN
OUT ON OCTOBER 29, 2021

TOUR BEGINS MARCH 24, 2022

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
(BEGINNING FRIDAY, AUGUST 27 10:00 AM LOCAL TIME)
WATCH THE TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT HERE

LISTEN TO FIRST SONG FROM BRIGHTEN: “ATONE”
WATCH THE VIDEO
PRE SAVE LINK ​​ https://hoo.be/jerrycantrell

Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Alice In Chains co-founder Jerry Cantrell today announces a North American tour beginning on
March 24, 2022 in support of his soon to be released album Brighten. Tickets are on sale Friday, August 27 at 10:00 AM local time.

The upcoming tour follows the release of his first song from Brighten, “Atone”, which was met with praise from fans and critics. Rolling Stone writer Jon Blistein said, “Atone” is a heavy track, although it’s undergirded by a sinister twang while the guitar riffs hit with grit and menace, as well as a bit of psychedelic unease. “Running out of time,” Cantrell wails right before the hook, “Gotta find a way to atone/Gotta find a way to atone/Trying to find a way to atone.”

Jerry’s expansive sonic palette incorporates everything from moments of moody organ and powerful pedal steel to the cathartic choruses and airtight riffs which is the hallmark of Cantrell’s sound.

The tour kicks off at the legendary First Avenue in Minneapolis and will wind its way across the country hitting major cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, NY, Philadelphia, Seattle and Los Angeles to name a few. See full tour routing below.

Tickets for the Brighten Tour are available via Ticketmaster and wherever tickets are sold.

Over the past year, Jerry co-produced Brighten with film composer Tyler Bates [300, John Wick] and long-time Engineer Paul Fig. Reflecting a classic spirit, they welcomed a dynamic cast of supporting players, including drummers Gil Sharone and Abe Laboriel, Jr. (Paul McCartney), Duff McKagan [Guns N’ Roses, Loaded] on select bass tracks, Greg Puciato [Dillinger Escape Plan] handling all of the backing vocals along with Lola Bates, pedal steel master Michael Rozon, Vincent Jones on piano, Wurlitzer, and organ, Jordan Lewis on piano, Matias Ambrogi-Torres on strings, and Joe Barresi [Tool, Queens of the Stone Age] overseeing the mixing of Brighten.

Brighten is available for pre-order and will be offered in an exclusive bone with gold splatter color 180 gram vinyl via Jerry’s webstore. CDs are also available in the webstore for pre-order. Pre-order and pre-save—HERE.

JERRY CANTRELL 2022 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

Thu-Mar-24 Minneapolis First Avenue
Sat-Mar-26 Chicago The Vic Theatre
Mon-Mar-28 Detroit St. Andrews Hall
Tue-Mar-29 Toronto History
Thu-Mar-31 Pittsburgh Roxian Theatre
Sat-Apr-02 Atlantic City Music Box @ Borgata
Sun-Apr-03 Philadelphia Theatre of Living Arts
Tue-Apr-05 New York Irving Plaza
Wed-Apr-06 Boston Big Night Live
Fri-Apr-08 Baltimore Rams Head Live
Sat-Apr-09 Raleigh The Ritz
Sun-Apr-10 Charlotte Fillmore
Tue-Apr-12 Orlando House of Blues
Wed-Apr-13 St. Petersburg Jannus Live
Fri-Apr-15 Atlanta Tabernacle
Sun-Apr-17 Nashville Ryman Auditorium
Tue-Apr-19 New Orleans Fillmore
Thu-Apr-21 Dallas House of Blues
Fri-Apr-22 San Antonio Aztec Theatre
Sat-Apr-23 Houston House of Blues
Mon-Apr-25 Oklahoma City Diamond Ballroom
Wed-Apr-27 Denver The Summit
Thu-Apr-28 Salt Lake City The Depot
Sun-May-01 Portland Roseland Theater
Mon-May-02 Seattle Moore Theatre
Wed-May-04 Sacramento Ace of Spades
Thu-May-05 Los Angeles Belasco Theatre
Sat-May-07 Las Vegas House of Blues
Sun-May-08 San Diego House of Blues

Brighten Track List
Atone
Brighten
Prism of Doubt
Black Hearts and Evil Done
Siren Song
Had To Know
Nobody Breaks You
Dismembered
Goodbye

The Cast of Players on Brighten
Jerry Cantrell – Guitar, bass, vocals, keys
Greg Puciato – Backing vocals
Duff McKagan – Bass
Gil Sharone – Drums
Abe Laboriel Jr. – Drums
Tyler Bates – Strings, percussion, guitar
Vincent Jones – Piano, keys, & strings
Jordan Lewis – Piano
Michael Rozon – Pedal steel
Lola Bates – Backing vocals
Matias Ambrogi-Torres – Strings

METALLICA 

THE BLACK ALBUM REMASTERED

THE METALLICA BLACKLIST ALBUM FEATURING 53 ARTISTS

Join Jason Newsted in Unboxing the Black Album Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set HERE

Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of The Black Album Your Way September 10th

Two New Instant Gratification Tracks Now Available With The Metallica Blacklist Album Pre-Orders:

“Of Wolf and Man” by Goodnight, Texas

“Sad But True” by Royal Blood

New Instant Gratification Track Now Available With The Black Album Pre-Orders:

“Of Wolf and Man (Mannheim, Germany – May 22, 1993)”

100% of The Metallica Blacklist sales will benefit 52 charities.

“Tiny Music…Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop” Super Deluxe Edition

Stone Temple Pilots

Rhino

3 Cd’s, 1 LP

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Released originally on March 26, 1996, “Tiny Music…Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop” was Stone Temple Pilots third studio release and the follow up to the bands 1994 sophomore release “Purple”. “Tiny Music…” would was a huge success achieving double-platinum status and yielding three #1 hits – “Big Bang Baby,” “Lady Picture Show,” and “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart.” To celebrate these achievements Rhino Records have release a “Super Deluxe Edition” of the album which includes a newly remastered version of the original studio album on both CD and vinyl, plus unreleased early versions of tracks, instrumentals, and alternate takes along with a complete concert recording from 1997 which all come housed in a colorful chromatic gatefold.

Easily one of the biggest bands of the nineties Stone Temple Pilots churned out hit after hit across four different albums, with three of those hits coming specifically from “Tiny Music…”. Given the albums achievements a special re-release was certainly fitting. Housed in a reflective gatefold adorned with the album’s original artwork the releases instantly grab’s the listener even before playing its first note. Upon opening the album, the release is separated into two sections. On the left you have the newly remastered LP of the record along with an oversized version of the liner notes which include lyrics and some great photos of the band from this era. The 180g LP remaster is crisp and pronounced which pairs nicely with the broad instrumentation and sounds on tracks like “Pop’s Love Suicide”, “Lady Picture Show” and the instrumental track “Daisy”.

On the right side of the collection are 3 different colored CD’s. Disc 1 is the remastered CD version of the album which includes all the same qualities of the LP version but in a more portable format.  Disc 2 features previously unreleased, alternate versions of each of the albums 12 tracks including one additional song (“Kretz’s Acoustic Song”). What I really enjoyed about this was that the track listing remained virtually the same as the studio release however, the alternate versions of each song brought a newness to the album that made it fresh while still retaining the structure and feel of the original. Often “previously unreleased” material is kept from the public for a reason and then when it is finally released often it’s done so as sort of an afterthought and it is lacking structure. This was not the case here. Disc 3 was easily my favorite of three as it is home to a previously unreleased live show from Spring break 1997. The band sounds strong and it’s great to hear the “Tiny Music…” songs performed live alongside other classic STP songs like “Crackerman”, “Vasoline” and “Interstate Love Song”. The only downside here is that I wish they had chosen a different show to include. Don’t get me wrong the one chosen is great however having been fortunate enough to see the band on the “Tiny Music…” tour it would have been great to have been able to relive more of that live show experience especially the mid-show acoustic sets they were doing at the time.

From front to back the “Tiny Music…Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop” Super Deluxe Edition is a nicely put together piece for Stone Temple Pilot fans. Even if you already have a copy of the original “Tiny Music…” album the newly re-mastering is certainly worth checking out but, where you will really find interest is the two discs containing brand new unreleased material. This is where the release really shined and the only thing I found lacking in this section was unlike the original album which included the liner notes and photos which accompanied the release in 1997 there was nothing visual to correspond with the studio outtakes and live performance. Had something additional like that been included this set would have been an instant homerun.

TINY MUSIC … SONGS FROM THE VATICAN GIFT SHOP: SUPER DELUXE EDITION

3-CD/1-LP Track Listing

Disc One: Original Album 2021 Remaster

1. “Press Play”
2. “Pop’s Love Suicide”
3. “Tumble In The Rough”
4. “Big Bang Baby”
5. “Lady Picture Show”
6. “And So I Know”
7. “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart”
8. “Art School Girl”
9. “Adhesive”
10. “Ride The Cliché”
11. “Daisy”
12. “Seven Caged Tigers”

Disc Two: Early Versions, Instrumentals, & Alternate Mixes

1. “Press Play” – Full Length Version *
2. “Pop’s Love Suicide” – Early Version *
3. “Tumble In The Rough” – Early Version *
4. “Big Bang Baby” – Early Version *
5. “Lady Picture Show” – Early Version *
6. “And So I Know” – Early Version *
7. “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” – Early Version *
8. “5 Or 4 Times (Art School Girl)” – Early Version *
9. “Adhesive” – Instrumental *
10. “Ride The Cliché” – Instrumental *
11. “Seven Caged Tigers” – Early Version *
12. “Big Bang Baby” – Alternate Version *
13. “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” – Percussion Mix *
14. “Art School Girl” – Jaw Harp Version *
15. “Kretz’s Acoustic Song” *

Disc Three: Live at Club La Vela, Panama City Beach, FL (3/14/97)

1. “Crackerman” *
2. “Meatplow” *
3. “Tumble In The Rough” *
4. “Vasoline” *
5. “Wicked Garden” *
6. “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” *
7. “Plush” *
8. “Big Empty” *
9. “Interstate Love Song” *
10. “Lady Picture Show” *
11. “Unglued” *
12. “Big Bang Baby” *
13. “Dead & Bloated” *
14. “Sex Type Thing” *

* previously unreleased

Malia J is a singer, songwriter with nearly 2 million views on YouTube and an astounding 3 million streams on Spotify. Malia J’s works have appeared in series such as “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer” and most recently Marvel’s “Black Widow” starring Scarlett Johansson. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Malia J recently about how she got her start in music, the idea behind her style and her upcoming debut EP titled “Reflections”.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on how you first became interested in music?

Malia J: When I first got involved with music goes back to about the time, I was four years old. My mom heard me singing in the car and thought that I had a voice like an angel, so she immediately put in voice lessons. As I got older, I sang in choir and in middle school I took up the oboe. During this I got scholarships to go to Interlocken Arts Academy during the summers and continued to sing at my local church. While I was doing that, I met a touring artist by the name of Paul Wilbur. I was singing and playing oboe and he asked me to go on tour with him. While on tour I realized that I just didn’t want to only do singing and oboe. During the tour one of the lead singers had gotten sick and that’s when I realized how much I enjoyed singing lead. When I got home that’s when I made the decision that I wanted to be a professional musician.

AL: At what time did you start writing your own material?

MJ: I had started writing while I was out on tour. About halfway through the tour I started opening for Paul Wilbur. Paul gave me the opportunity to choose a guitarist to come along with me, so I invited this guy I really like but when it came time to head to Italy this guy didn’t end up going. I was very upset that I had gotten stood up. I started writing about my feelings towards these events and ended up picking up the guitar since this guy didn’t show up.

AL: Were you writing primarily based off your orchestral experience?

MJ: I would say a lot of it came from me journaling. I wanted to make what I was writing down into music and add melody to these entries and poems. I think being classically trained gives you an extra layer of knowledge when it comes to music. During the time you are training you spend many hours working on music. I think that training certainly helped me with my song writing.

AL: At what point did the idea of re-working popular songs into your own style come about?

MJ: That came around the same time as when I was covering these songs. I was living in Los Angeles and writing pop songs. I knew I wanted to be an artist and write songs. These pops songs were the typical kinds you hear on the radio but, they just weren’t clicking with the labels or people I would show them to. From there I started covering songs with a darker production style and that really started coming together when I met Think Up Anger. At the time he was just doing sound effects for different productions and we decided to do a song. I laid the song out in this dark way and he produced it so that’s how the sound was created.

AL: How does the writing and arrangement process work for you?

MJ: I generally start with deciding what song we are going to cover. I will then lay it out on the piano or guitar. From there I will take it to a producer, and they will start adding all the eerie sounds. I like to experiment as much as I can but the key to the song is very important. I always want to make sure that I am staying true to the meaning of the song.

AL: How do you go about selecting a song?

MJ: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” started out as an experiment. We had already done a couple other songs in this style and I had the idea to try this Nirvana song. It’s one of my favorite songs and Think Up Anger thought it was a good idea. That choice came out of loving that song so much. Other times Think Up Anger and I choose songs based on if we think they could be creepy or not. (Laughs) With music lyrics can be dark and emotional yet have fun production behind them. I tend to lean toward songs that are cool and beautiful that even after we make them creepy people will still recognize them.

AL: When did the option to have these songs submitted for film use come along?

MJ: When we started doing these Think Up Anger and I both agreed that it could be fun to send these songs out for use in films and television. We sent them first to a couple different companies and trailer houses. The first one I ever got was for Discovery Channels “Racing Extinction” which is part of Shark Week. What’s cool is I think we were one of the first people to experiment in this way. We like to call it “Cine-Pop”.

AL: I know you are working on releasing your debut EP. Can you tell us about that?

MJ: Having been creating now for many years I believe these are the best songs I have put together. Lots of things inspire me. From heartbreak and anxiety to female empowerment those are all topics I cover. The most recent song written for the EP was done after learning about black widows and that’s titled “She’s the One”. The production is very similar to that of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. There are songs some songs that have more pop elements to them as well. I worked with an incredible song writer named Charlie Midnight. He wrote the song “Living In America” that James Brown sang. I met him on the Sunset Strip one day and we decided to work on this song “If You Had Me”. I am very excited about that one.

AL: Aside from the upcoming EP release do you have any other projects in the works that we can be watching for?

MJ: I have two music videos’ coming out one of is for “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. That one is being edited as we speak. Everyone is working hard to get this video out. The other video is going to be for the single I choose and that will be an original song. I also have a livestream with Amazon that is scheduled for August 10^th at 2pm PST. I am very excited for that.

For more information on Malia J you can visit @Maliajmusic across all social media platforms and at her official website at www.maliajmusic.com