CD Review: Mark Tremonti “Tremonti Sings Sinatra”

“Tremonti Sings Sinatra”

Mark Tremonti
Tracks: 14

Our score 4 out of 5 stars

Grammy Award Winning musician, producer, and author Mark Tremonti (Creed, Alter-Bridge) has teamed up with the surviving members of legendary singer Frank Sinatra’s orchestra to release a covers album titled “Tremonti Sings Sinatra”. Consisting of both classic and deeper cuts approved by the Sinatra Estate Tremonti took extra steps to make this release even more special by gifting the album to the National Down Syndrome Society. All proceeds from the album will be going towards bringing the gift of music to children with developmental disabilities.

Take whatever you may know about Creed/Alter-Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti and set it aside for 47 minutes. That’s the runtime of the award-winning guitarists latest offering “Tremonti Sings Sinatra”. Backed by some of the same legendary players who made up “Ol Blue Eyes” Orchestra through-out his career Tremonti takes the helm attempting to fill some pretty big shoes, A feet he does with surprising believability. Over the course of the albums 14 tracks Mark shows a different side of his musicality as he croons his way through well know tracks like “I’ve Got The World On A String”, “Fly Me To The Moon” and a classical guitar tinged version of “My Way”. The guitarist turned singer goes one step further in ensuring this isn’t just another interpretation of Sinatra’s greatest hits by digging deep into the Sinatra song catalog with the inclusion of songs like “Wave”, “Nancy (With The Laughing Face)” and “This Song Is You”. Fresh and colorful backing instrumentation (provided by some of the same players heard on the originals) sets a near perfect backdrop for Tremonti to lay down his vocal interpretation.

If you are a Sinatra purist don’t let Tremonti’ s heavy metal guitar roots sway your decision in checking out this record. The guitarist turned crooner in my opinion does a really great job staying true to the original versions of each song while at the same time adding his own elements and style. “Tremonti Sings Sinatra” is like putting a new pair of laces in your favorite pair of old shoes. By doing so you retain that element of comfortability while adding a newness that doesn’t cheapen or change the original. To top things off Mark has donated this release and its proceeds to the National Down Syndrome Society a group very close to the artist (Tremonti has a daughter with Down Syndrome). To assume this was a labor of love project could probably go without saying but I can only think that if this record was as fun to make as it was to listen to then I hope this is only the first and there more albums like this to come from the veteran rocker.

Track Listing:

1.) I’ve Got You Under My Skin
2.) I’ve Got The World On A String
3.) I Fall In Love Too Easily
4.) Wave
5.) Fly Me To The Moon
6.) Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
7.) My Way
8.) You Make Me Feel So Young
9.) Luck Be A Lady
10.) That’s Life
11.) Come Fly With Me
12.) In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning
13.) This Song is You
14.) All Or Nothing At All

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GRAMMY® Award Winning Musician Mark Tremonti Announces ‘Tremonti Sings Sinatra’ To Support NDSS

FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE BANDS ALTER BRIDGE/ CREED/TREMONTI – PARTNERS WITH NATIONAL DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY (NDSS) FOR NEW CHARITY INITIATIVE INSPIRED BY HIS DAUGHTER STELLA

Album Tremonti Sings Sinatra – Scheduled for Release On May 27th Through Mark’s New Charity Organization
Take A Chance For Charity – Now Available For Pre-Order: https://linktr.ee/marktremonti

Album Features Mark’s Interpretations of Selections From Frank Sinatra’s Catalog Backed by Members of Sinatra’s Touring Band –
Video For “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” Can Be Seen Here: https://youtu.be/vSqQ7Bdpxn0

GRAMMY® Award Winning musician, producer, author as well as founding member of hard rock bands Alter Bridge, Creed and Tremonti, Mark Tremonti is “stepping out” with his most-ambitious and challenging project to date. Mark has partnered with National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) as he releases an album of Frank Sinatra covers entitled Tremonti Sings Sinatra. The album of selections from Frank Sinatra’s catalog is being released as part of a new charity initiative created by Tremonti called Take A Chance For Charity. Proceeds from the album – scheduled for release on May 27th – will go to support NDSS and the work they do to advocate for and support individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Mark and his family were blessed to welcome their first daughter Stella last March – who was born with Down syndrome – and the idea for the project was born. A video sharing the story of Take A Chance For Charity can be seen here: https://youtu.be/7FroQm-63RI.

“For years, I’ve loved singing along to Frank’s songs,” Mark explains. “One night, I found an old video of him performing ‘The Song Is You’ from 1944. It made me want to dive into his vocal approach. I was all in and I wanted to do something with it. When we found out about our daughter Stella’s Down syndrome diagnosis, the stars aligned. My obsession with Sinatra had its reason. Frank Sinatra raised more than a billion dollars for charity and that is a fact I wish the public the public knew more about. Beneath his cool and calm persona, he had a big heart. Doing this charity in his name was another way the stars had aligned. I decided to do this record to raise funds for families and individuals with Down syndrome. This project is the start of a new purpose that I will have for the rest of my life.”

Mark Tremonti has come together with surviving members of Frank Sinatra’s orchestra, creating new takes on some of the classics and some deeper cuts from Frank’s catalog. From the opening horns and piano of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” to final vocal outro of “All Or Nothing At All,” Mark Tremonti showcases the signature vocal approach and exemplary musicianship that made Sinatra’s work timeless. To see his vision through, Mark reached out to Frank Sinatra’s musical director Mike Smith who collected as many remaining members as possible of Frank’s touring band to record the music for Tremonti Sings Sinatra. Popular standards like “I’ve Got The World On A String,” “My Way” and “That’s Life” find new life in the hands of these incredible musicians. Mark Tremonti – known for his guitar work that has won him countless accolades – leaves the instrument behind and just sings on the 14-track album. The artwork on the album cover is an original painting that Tremonti created especially for this project. A video for the first track “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” can be seen here: https://youtu.be/vSqQ7Bdpxn0.

Tremonti Sings Sinatra is now available for pre-order at: https://linktr.ee/marktremonti.

The track listing for Tremonti Sings Sinatra is:
1. I’ve Got You Under My Skin
2. I’ve Got The World On A String
3. I Fall In Love Too Easily
4. Wave
5. Fly Me To The Moon
6. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
7. My Way
8. You Make Me Feel So Young
9. Luck Be A Lady
10. That’s Life
11. Come Fly With Me
12. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
13. The Song Is You
14. All Or Nothing At All

Mark Tremonti in Frank Sinatra’s Dressing Room
Photo Credit: Chuck Brueckmann

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BPMD – Featuring Bobby Blitz, Mike Portnoy, Mark Menghi and Phil Demmel – to Release New Album, American Made

Watch Music Video for Cover of Aerosmith’s “Toys In The Attic” HERE

American Made to be Released on June 12, 2020 via Napalm RecordsPre-Order HERE

“Absolutely f*cking brilliant! God bless the real music krankers of America! Godspeed!”-Ted Nugent

”Turbocharged version of D.O.A. by BPMD. These guys are rocking!”– Michael Anthony (Chickenfoot, Ex-Van Halen)

“Super charged versions of some all time great (but not overplayed!) classic rock songs done by a killer band. I loved the originals of many of these tracks, and these versions bring a whole new edge and energy that make it fun to rock them once again.”– Eddie Trunk, iconic rock radio and TV personality

The time has come! Shortly following the recent announcement of their signing with Napalm Records, 

BPMD – the new juggernaut featuring heavy metal icons Bobby Blitz (Overkill) on vocals, drummer Mike Portnoy (The Winery Dogs, Sons of Apollo), bassist Mark Menghi (Metal Allegiance) and guitarist Phil Demmel (Vio-lence, ex-Machine Head) – are thrilled to announce new details regarding their debut album.
BPMD will release their upcoming full-length, American Made, on June 12, 2020 via Napalm Records. The 10-track homage to some of rock music’s greatest treasures is turbocharged by the experience and enthusiasm of its four creators, and its first single, “Toys In The Attic” – an Aerosmith classic just begging for a heavy reimagining – is only the first boisterous sliver of proof. 

The “Toys In The Attic” video was directed by Victor Borachuk / JupiterReturn, with art direction and motion design by Natália Tanus and Leonardo Gill. Watch the brand new video for the track below!

Frontman Bobby Blitz says about “Toys In The Attic”:“I remember waaaaaaaaaaay back when Overkill formed, we were cutting our teeth on covers as I was finding my way around the mic. The Aerosmith covers were right in my wheelhouse, so when Mike [Portnoy] picked ‘Toys’ to cover, I was like… ‘Hell Yea’!”

Guitarist Phil Demmel adds about recording the track:“It was tricky because Aerosmith have two guitarists, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, playing different things. So, as one guitar player, I had to pick a medium place between the two that sounded good. I thrashed it up a little by adding a lot of down picking and some gallops and triplets.”

Watch the brand new video and listen to BPMD’s “Toys In The Attic” HERE

Pre-Order American Made HERE 

It’s evident within the initial seconds of BPMD’s American Made, as the legendary Bobby Blitz chants the introductory lyrics to Ted Nugent’s “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang” in his signature skyscraper-high howl, that he and his equally iconic bandmates are here to have a damn good time. Featuring 10 unforgettable rock classics reimagined as heavy bangers, American Made is a party on wax. Tracks such as the raucous “Toys in the Attic” (Aerosmith) and rager-ready “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers” (ZZ Top) prove that BPMD not only manages to capture the essence of each original track on the album, but skillfully transforms each classic into an unforgettable metallic anthem for a new age.

The seasoned quartet flex their musical muscles on renowned classics such as “Saturday Night Special” (Lynyrd Skynyrd), “We’re an American Band” (Grand Funk Railroad) and “Walk Away” (James Gang), and introduce a whole new heavy generation to deeper cuts like blues standard “Evil” (Cactus/Willie Dixon) and “Never In My Life” (Mountain). Channeling nostalgia while maintaining a fresh attitude, American Made is a summer soundtrack for all ages.

Bassist Mark Menghi remarks on BPMD’s origins:“Last summer, right after the Fourth of July, I was sitting in my backyard. I was listening to a bunch of ‘70s stuff and Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s ‘Saturday Night Special’ came on. I said, ‘Man, I would love to play that song,’ and my eight-year-old son turned to me and said, ‘You should do a record of all these songs, Dad.’ And I was like, ‘Hmmm? Yeah, why not!?!’”

After connecting over their mutual love for the classics and forming their current line-up, the members of BPMD traveled to drummer Mike Portnoy’s home studio in Pennsylvania and set up shop. Since the whole concept of the band was born the night Menghi was listening to “Saturday Night Special”, BPMD were determined to record the song for the album. Beyond that, each musician picked two ‘70s rock tracks and everyone had to learn them!

Menghi chose “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers” in addition to “Saturday Night Special”. Blitz’s choices were a little more obscure – “Never in My Life” replete with cowbell and a blazing repeated blues lick, and Cactus’ version of “Evil”, a fiercely Zeppelin-like take on an old Willie Dixon song.  For his tracks, Demmel picked “D.O.A.” and had a blast channeling his inner Eddie Van Halen, and took a deep dive with “Tattoo Vampire”. Recalling the days when Ted Nugent was more of a bad boy than a gunslinger, Portnoy picked “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang”, in addition to “Toys In the Attic”.

Menghi, who also co-produced American Made, adds:“We didn’t go into it trying to make everything metal, we just wanted to play the way we play and this is what you get… we’ve all been influenced by a wide variety of bands including Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Metallica. So, of course, we’re going to attack the songs a little harder than guys that didn’t grow up on heavy music.” 

Blitz adds:“We made sure we did high-quality versions of these songs and gave them all a little twist. I think there’s a place for that in the music world today. There’s something really great about nostalgia, especially if it’s reimagined.”

American Made was mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis, also known for his work with Metal Allegiance (featuring Mark Menghi), as well as artists such as DevilDriver, Trivium, and many others.

American Made Tracklist:

1. Wang Dang Sweet Poontang

2. Toys in the Attic

3. Evil

4. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers

5. Saturday Night Special

6. Tattoo Vampire

7. D.O.A.

8. Walk Away

9. Never in My Life

10. We’re an American Band

American Made will be available in the following formats:

– 1-CD Jewel Case

– 1-LP Gatefold Black

– 1-LP Gatefold Red/White/Blue Splatter (NPR Mailorder exclusive)

– American Made T-Shirt + Jewel Case Bundle (NPR Mailorder exclusive)

– American Made T-Shirt + Vinyl Black Bundle (NPR Mailorder exclusive / North America ONLY)

– American Made T-Shirt + Vinyl Red/White/Blue Splatter Bundle (NPR Mailorder exclusive / North America ONLY)- Digital Album

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Lamb of God Guitarist MARK MORTON Reveals Video for Cover of Pearl Jam Classic “Black”

Watch “Black” Featuring Mark Morales Today via Consequence of Sound Solo EP, “Ether,” Available Now via Rise Records

The second video from Lamb of God guitarist MARK MORTON’s new solo EP – a cover of the Pearl Jam hit “Black” featuring vocalist Mark Morales – has been revealed today. Watch the video today, exclusively via Consequence of Sound at https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/01/lamb-of-god-mark-morton-video-pearl-jam-black/. 

“The early ‘90s were such an important and vibrant time for rock music in general, and I feel like ‘Black’ is one of the great songs from that era,”MORTON says. “Our approach in covering it was to present a super stripped-down version, sticking the essence of the song. It’s got a very lonely feel to it and Mark Morales delivered an absolutely incredible vocal performance.”

Ether, MORTON’s second solo offering, was released this month via Rise Records. The primarily acoustic EP is comprised of three original tracks and two covers that showcase MORTON’s diversity as a musician. As with last year’s solo debut, Anesthetic, the guitarist enlisted the talents of various musicians and vocalists to bring his songs to life. 

Morales, who regularly tours as part of MORTON’s live band, sings two songs on the EP – the original track “All I Had To Lose” and “Black.” Additional vocals are provided by Lzzy Hale on TheBlack Crowes cover “She Talks To Angels,” Killswitch Engage/Light the Torch vocalist Howard Jones on “Love My Enemy” and Moon Tooth singer John Carbone on “The Fight.” Ether was produced and mixed by Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God, Gojira, Trivium). 

Watch the video for the EP’s first single, “All I Had To Lose” featuring Mark Morales, at https://youtu.be/0oEBUIAqlQY. Ether is available via digital retailers. For a list of providers, visit https://riserecords.lnk.to/ether.

Physical copies of Ether are available for pre-order via Rise Records. 

Anesthetic, MORTON’s first 10-track solo album, was made alongside a dream team of highly respected musicians from a multitude of musical worlds. Singers on the album include Chester Bennington, Randy Blythe, Jacoby Shaddix, Myles Kennedy, Alissa White-Gluz, Mark Lanegan, Chuck Billy, Jake Oni, Josh Todd, Mark Morales and Naeemah Maddox. Musically, MORTON performs all guitars, with Roy Mayorga, David Ellefson, Ray Luzier, Paolo Gregoletto, Alex Bent, Mike Inez, Jean-Paul Gaster, Steve Gorman, Marc Ford, Yanni Papadopoulos and Chris Brooks completing the band. The single “Cross Off,” featuring late Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington and Trivium‘s rhythm section of Paolo Gregoletto and Alex Bent, spent six weeks in the Top 10 Active Rock US radio chart and has now amassed more than 14 million plays on Spotify and YouTube. 

Following the 2019 release of Anesthetic, MORTON took his live band, consisting of Morales on lead vocals, Doc Coyle (Bad Wolves) on guitar, Nick Villarreal (Sons Of Texas) on bass, Art Cruz (Lamb of God, Prong, Winds of Plague, on a North American co-headline tour with Light the Torch. 

MORTON recently wrapped a handful of intimate acoustic shows in the UK as a three piece with vocalist Mark Morales and guitarist Joe Harvatt.

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CD Review: Mark Morton “Anesthetic”

“Anesthetic”

Mark Morton

Spinefarm Records

Tracks: 10

Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

“Anesthetic” is the debut solo offering from Lamb of God Guitarist Mark Morton. The album which features 10 tracks from Morton and a who’s who list of top rock and metal musicians is being released via WPP/Spinefarm Records and while the album certainly has plenty of heavy moments it also shines the light on other aspects of the Grammy Nominated guitarist playing which listeners will surely enjoy.

From full on in your face metal to hip-hop tinged southern rock and all points in between the soft spoken guitarist Mark Morton appears to hold nothing back on his debut release. Pulling from a list of top players including Mike Inez of Alice in Chains, Ray Luzier of Korn and Dave Ellefson of Megadeth “Anesthetic” takes listeners on a stylistic roller coaster ride deserving of multiple listens. The album opens with the track “Cross Off” featuring deceased Linkin Park front man Chester Bennington on vocals. Easily one of the heavier tracks on the record the song explodes like a shotgun blast setting the stage for what is to come. “Axis” the third track on the record taps into Morton’s love of hip-hop as its repetitive beat lays the foundation for a raspy vocal performance courtesy of Screaming Trees front-man Mark Lanegan while Morton showcases a slew of southern rock like riffs that would make Lynyrd Skynyrd very proud. “Anesthetic” is not just all heavy guitar riffs and double bass drums fills as the song “Reveal” gives listens something quite different from the albums other 9 tracks. Featuring Brooklyn based guitarist/vocalist Naeemah Maddox “Reveal” is a multi-layered blues/rock track complete with Stevie Ray Vaughn like solo acting as the icing on the cake.  

Fans of Mark Morton or any of the other guests who appear on “Anesthetic” will definatley want to give this record a listen.  The albums solid performances and top notch production make for a great listening experience that can be enjoyed time and time again as the albums diverse textures and styles will appeal to a wide variety of listeners.

Track Listing:

1.) Cross Off (Featuring Chester Bennington)

2.) Sworn Apart (Featuring Jacoby Shaddix)

3.) Axis (Featuring Mark Lanegan)

4.) The Never (Featuring Chuck Billy and Jake Oni)

5.) Save Defiance (Featuring Myles Kennedy)

6.) Blur (Featuring Mark Morales)

7.) Back From The Dead (Featuring Josh Todd)

8.) Reveal (Featuring Naeemah Maddox)

9.) Imaginary Days

10.) Truth Is Death (Featuring Randy Blythe and Alissa White-Gluz)

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Filed Under: CD Reviews, Music Tagged With: anesthetic, cd, mark, morton, review

Mark Morton Releases New Song “Save Defiance” Feat. Miles Kennedy

MARK MORTON RELEASES NEW SONG “SAVE DEFIANCE” FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY — LISTEN HERE

TOUR WITH LIGHT THE TORCH SET FOR NEXT MONTH

DEBUT ALBUM ANESTHETIC OUT MARCH 1

“Myles was our first and only choice for ‘Save Defiance,'” Morton says. “He’s such a tremendous talent and a remarkably down-to-earth and humble dude. Even before the instrumental pre-production demo was finished, we knew we were going to ask Myles to sing on it. We felt like it was a perfect fit for his voice. He dug the track and made it his own. I’m grateful to have had the chance to work with him.”

“Having the opportunity to work with Mark was a really cool experience,” Kennedy says. “I’d been a fan of his work with Lamb of God for a long time so I was honored when he asked if I wanted to sing on his record. Mark did a great job creating a track that would be inspiring for me to sing over. The first time I heard the music, a melody and lyric popped into my head. The creative process felt pretty effortless. I am really happy with how the song turned out overall.”

Mark Morton will embark on a co-headline tour with Light the Torch this spring. Moon Tooth will also appear. The live configuration of Morton’s band will include Mark Morales (Sons Of Texas) on lead vocals, Doc Coyle (Bad Wolves, God Forbid) on guitar, Nick Villarreal (Sons of Texas) on bass, and Art Cruz (Prong,Winds of Plague) on drums, plus additional special guest appearances along the way.

Tickets and VIP Meet & Greet Packages are available now HERE.

MARK MORTON + LIGHT THE TORCH ON TOUR:
3/13 — Richmond, VA — Broadberry
3/14 — Philadelphia, PA — Underground Arts
3/15 — Toronto, ON — Lees Palace
3/16 — Montreal, QC — Astral
3/18 — Boston, MA — Brighton Music Hall
3/19 — New York, NY — Gramercy Theater
3/21 — Chicago, IL — Bottom Lounge
3/23 — Colorado Springs, CO — Black Sheep
3/25 — Los Angeles, CA — Roxy
3/26 — Phoenix, AZ — Club Red

Joining forces with WPP Records and Spinefarm Records on a worldwide basis, Morton will release the 10-track album Anesthetic on March 1. The record, produced by Josh Wilbur and executive produced by Jake Oni, sees him further explore his creative drive for writing and collaboration. CD and vinyl pre-order and merch bundles are now available HERE.

The full track listing, complete with the list of guest artists, is below. The album was made alongside a dream team of highly respected musicians from a multitude of musical worlds; some friends and some who would never be expected to collaborate with metal genre leaders Lamb of God. Singers on the album include Chester Bennington, Randy Blythe, Jacoby Shaddix, Myles Kennedy, Alissa White-Gluz, Mark Lanegan, Chuck Billy, Jake Oni, Josh Todd, Mark Morales, and Naeemah Maddox. Musically, Morton performs all guitars, with Roy Mayorga, David Ellefson, Ray Luzier, Paolo Gregoletto, Alex Bent, Mike Inez, Jean-Paul Gaster, Steve Gorman, Marc Ford, Yanni Papadopoulos, and Chris Brooks rounding out the band.

“Cross Off” featuring Chester Bennington is available everywhere HERE. Also, listen to “The Truth Is Dead,” featuring Randy Blythe and Alissa White-Gluz, HERE.

ANESTHETIC TRACK LISTING:

  1. “Cross Off” (feat. Chester Bennington)
  2. “Sworn Apart” (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)
  3. “Axis” (feat. Mark Lanegan)
  4. “The Never” (feat. Chuck Billy + Jake Oni)
  5. “Save Defiance” (feat. Myles Kennedy)
  6. “Blur” (feat. Mark Morales)
  7. “Back From The Dead” (feat. Josh Todd)
  8. “Reveal” (feat. Naeemah Maddox)
  9. “Imaginary Days”
  10. “The Truth Is Dead” (feat. Randy Blythe + Alissa White-Gluz)

MORTON ONLINE:
https://www.facebook.com/markmortonmusic/
https://twitter.com/MarkDuaneMorton
https://www.instagram.com/mark.duane.morton/

 

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LAMB OF GOD’S MARK MORTON ANNOUNCES NEW COLLABORATIVE PROJECT

LAMB OF GOD’S MARK MORTON ANNOUNCES NEW COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
SIGNS WORLDWIDE DEAL WITH WPP RECORDS/SPINEFARM RECORDS
STUDIO ALBUM ANESTHETIC OUT ON MARCH 1, 2019
LEAD TRACK “THE TRUTH IS DEAD” AVAILABLE TODAY HERE

Mark Morton, the prolific guitarist of Lamb of God, has announced a new project that sees him further explore his creative drive for writing and collaboration. Joining forces with WPP Records and Spinefarm Records on a worldwide basis, Morton will release a 10-track album under his own name and titled Anesthetic. It arrives on March 1, 2019, but CD and vinyl pre-order and merch bundles are now available HERE.

Listen to the lead track “The Truth Is Dead,” featuring his Lamb of God bandmate Randy Blythe and Arch Enemy vocalist Alissa White-Gluz, HERE.

The full track listing, complete with the list of guest artists is below. The album was made alongside a dream team of highly respected musicians from a multitude of musical worlds; some friends and some who would never be expected to collaborate with metal genre leaders Lamb of God.

Starting as idea between Jake (leader of heavy rock band Oni and founder of WPP Records), producer Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God, Trivium, Oni, Gojira), and Morton, the project quickly gathered steam – with Mark at the creative center, Josh Wilbur co-writing, recording, mixing, and producing, and Jake Oni also co-writing and performing.

Morton had been writing some of this debut for years. “This album wasn’t a concerted effort to start something outside Lamb of God,” he explains. “Music is always in my head, and until I write and record it, it’s stuck there. But once I record it, it’s out. It’s a catharsis, more for my own sanity.”

Singers on the album include Chester Bennington, Randy Blythe, Jacoby Shaddix, Myles Kennedy, Alissa White-Gluz, Mark Lanegan, Chuck Billy, Jake Oni, Josh Todd, Mark Morales, and Naeemah Maddox. Musically, Morton performs all guitars, with Roy Mayorga, David Ellefson, Ray Luzier, Paulo Gregoletto and Alex Bent, Mike Inez, Jean-Paul Gaster, Steve Gorman, and Marc Paul rounding out the band.

ANESTHETIC TRACK LISTING:

  1. “Cross Off” (feat. Chester Bennington)
  2. “Sworn Apart” (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)
  3. “Axis” (feat. Mark Lanegan)
  4. “The Never” (feat. Chuck Billy + Jake Oni)
  5. “Save Defiance” (feat. Myles Kennedy)
  6. “Blur” (feat. Mark Morales)
  7. “Back From The Dead” (feat. Josh Todd)
  8. “Reveal” (feat. Naeemah Maddox)
  9. “Imaginary Days”
  10. “Truth Is Dead” (feat. Randy Blythe + Alissa White-Gluz)

MORTON ONLINE:
https://www.facebook.com/Mark-Morton-Official-341982462499123/
https://twitter.com/MarkDuaneMorton
https://www.instagram.com/mark.duane.morton/

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Book Review: “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest” by K.K. Downing w/ Mark Eglinton

“Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest”
Author: K.K. Downing w/ Mark Eglinton
Da Capo
Hardcover: 277 pages

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

As guitarist for the iconic British heavy metal band Judas Priest, Ken “K.K.” Downing lived the fast-paced, opulent life of a rock star. It was a far cry from his tedious, impoverished childhood in the heart of England. In “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest”, Downing recounts his forty-plus years with the band recounting events such as his first meeting with vocalist Rob Halford and guitarist Glen Tipton to stories of touring with bands like AC/DC and Iron Maiden.

There aren’t many music fans out there who can’t name at-least one Judas Priest song. From “Living After Midnight” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” to “Breaking the Law” the band has a memorable catalog that for many was the soundtrack of their youth. “Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest” is the chance for fans of the band to see just what was going on behind the scenes during the bands early years and on up through guitarist K.K. Downing’s departure from the group in 2011. Over the course of the books 277 pages the guitarist and his collaborator Mark Eglinton give detailed accounts of the bands formation, the growing pains all new bands go through and what the band was like during the recording of some of the most influential heavy metal records in music history. Downing is candid and no subject seems to be off limits as he recounts his own personal struggles as well as inner turmoil between band members, management and producers giving the reader a fly on the wall perspective that until now was not available.

At times I did find the stories to be a bit drawn out with a few too many “poor me” moments for my liking. Yes this is a memoir/autobiography and those types of things come with the territory however there were some redundancies and details that probably could have been thinned down or omitted completely with a little more editing. Do not get me wrong, the book still has a bunch a really cool moments and stories that aside from the people who lived it have/will never be experienced by most so being able to read about those is worth it. There are also some really great photos included the hardcover book comes with a super cool metallic like slip cover which will look awesome displayed next to other Judas Priest and music memorabilia.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Books Tagged With: book, days, downing, duty, eglinton, heavy, ...

Nothing More Guitarist Mark Vollelunga Talks About the Bands Recent Single “Just Say When”.

Mark Vollelunga is the guitarist for the Texas based rock band Nothing More. The group’s latest single “Just Say When” (which is a bit of a departure from the bands heavier style) recently rose to number 16 on the Billboard Charts for main stream rock songs. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Mark recently about the release, the bands current tour with Five Finger Death Punch and the bands plans for the remainder of 2018.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the band’s latest single “Just Say When”?

Mark Vollelunga: Personally I am really stoked and happy with how the song is doing. It is a bit of a different color for us. It’s nice to have something that is a little more bare bones and that is all about the lyrics and melody. The song really came about after having toured so much on our self titled release. Touring takes a strain on your personal life and it had started to cause some division for Johnny and myself. What I poured into the song was the idea of co-existing. Sometimes you use that spark or connection which can cause a point of staleness. It can be sad when you just co-exist with the love of your life. Not to be a complete dreamer and say that is completely realistic as we all go through dry spells. This song hits at that pinnacle point when you are not sure whether to hold on or let go.

AL: Was this song actually created while you were out on the road or was put together after you were back home and in the studio?

MV: It started when we were still on the road. I was listening to a lot more folk jam songs at the time and I came up with this start of the start and showed it to Johnny. We clicked on it right away and started putting melody to it pretty quickly. After that the song sat for awhile until we were jamming together one day. After that we finished it to the point of what you almost here now. When we were done we weren’t sure if the song really fit with the rest of what we had put together and it almost didn’t make the record. The song emotionally fit but sonically we just didn’t know if it was in the same vein. At the eleventh hour we thought it would be cool and different to include it and I am so glad we did.

AL: Being that this track was much different from your other material did you approach the initial writing process any differently?

MV: Writing for me is different every time. If I have a guitar part or lyric thing happening or Johnny has a wacky programming idea or interesting spiritual thought it all just depends. Other times it comes out us all sitting and jamming together. We try not to limit ourselves in any way. I think if you go through the same process every time things can get stale. Even though we are approaching the same thing we try to come at it from different angles in hopes of inspiring something neat and unique.

AL: At what point was the decision made to release this song as a single?

MV: Generally you try and go with a more emotional song on your second or third single. This song really appealed to everyone and the feedback we got from people was great. I think a lot of people have been at the point that the song talks about and they can relate to it.

AL: There is also a video for the song as well. Can you tell us a little about that?

MV: We got to do something different once again with this as well so it’s been another great experience. My wife recently got me interested in to contemporary/lyrical dance. She loves a lot of the dance shows which are on television right now. At first I thought they were kind of cheesy and I didn’t really get them but the more I watched them I learned to appreciate them. What I like is when the choreography matches with the emotion and mood of the song. That’s kind of what we tried to do with “Just Say When”. We some professional dancers come in and we made this great piece which is sort of out of our genre but we try to tie everything in through our lyrics. The others guys may have been a bit skeptical at first but after showing them some pieces that moved me and were very compelling they became interested in the whole thing.

AL: Can you tell us about the tour that the band is currently apart of?

MV: We are coming off of doing three festival shows with a bunch of different bands. We got to play with Stone Temple Pilots headlining one and Incubus headlining another. I hadn’t seen Stone Temple Pilots with their new singer yet and being able to do that was really cool. It was a trip down memory lane for sure. Currently we are out on the road with Breaking Benjamin and Five Finger Death Punch. We have toured with both of these groups before and they are seasoned bands that have a lot of wise words they can pass on to us. We definitely try to be sponges when it comes to stuff like that. We will be going all over the United States from now until September. After that we will be doing this great self help festival that A Day to Remember puts on in Detroit. After that we go back to Europe for a run with Of Mice and Men and Bullet For My Valentine. To end the year we will be touring Canada with Three Days Grace. All these tours are going to a lot of fun.

AL: What is it like being able to play with such a diverse group of bands on all these different tours?

MV: It’s awesome! I love that we can cater to our audience. If you are a metal fan, a rock fan or just an alternative pop person I feel there is a lot in our music that touches on all of those genres and it can be appreciated. At the end of the day a good song is a good song. I feel our society puts too much importance on the style of songs and where it needs to be lumped into. If you think about bands like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin who had so many different genres of music within their own sound I am proud that we can do that as well.

AL: Was it difficult for you starting out being that you were trying to be very diverse?

MV: Absolutely! It was difficult. In 2011 I think we had our first label interest. We did some showcases and I remember hearing back from one label on my birthday that we weren’t left of center enough. We were just too much in the middle of the road for some people. To us it’s always been if the song is good then that’s what we go with. It has been hard to gain belief and understanding at times from the music industry because of that. Put us in front of any crowd though and we will win people over.

For more info on Nothing More visit www.nothingmore.net

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music, Music Interviews Tagged With: bands, guitarist, mark, single, talks, vollelunga, ...

Mark Hamill’s Pop Culture Quest Set For Fall 2016

THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH COMIC-CON HQ
MARK HAMILL’S POP CULTURE QUEST
SET FOR FALL 2016

The stage and screen star will host and executive produce the new series with fellow Star Wars alum, Return of the Jedi producer Howard Kazanjian

SANTA MONICA, June 2, 2016 – Best known for his iconic role as Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy, Mark Hamill will bring his encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture and passion for memorabilia to Comic-Con HQ, the new subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) destination that will extend the experience of San Diego Comic-Con into a year-round event.

Mark Hamill’s Pop Culture Quest, a docu-style series featuring authentic stories about passionate fans and their collections, will be hosted and produced by Hamill. Production on the series will begin in June when he returns from shooting Star Wars VIII in the U.K. The series will debut on Comic-Con HQ this fall.

Hamill has been amassing memorabilia, including comic books, toys, lunch boxes, records, puppets, original artwork, and much more since the early 1970s. Now with Pop Culture Quest, he can share his appreciation and introduce other interesting collectors and their treasures to the Comic-Con community.

“I’ve been a collector all my life,” said Hamill. “This show is a natural outgrowth of that passion. Now I have an opportunity to collect other people’s collections! I can’t wait to see what’s out there and share it with the world. Collectibles are a living history of who and what we are, so we just might learn something…but there’s no doubt we’re going to have fun!”

Seth Laderman, EVP and General Manager, Comic-Con HQ, added, “From the moment I started talking with Mark about this idea over three years ago, his enthusiasm was infectious. It had such an impact on me that after I came to Comic-Con HQ, my first call was to him and his team about how to bring this show to our community. Passion is at the heart of all of our original series, with a goal to allow innovators like Mark the opportunity to create and bring their ideas to life. We couldn’t be happier to help Mark’s show find a home.”

Hamill will once again team with his friend and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi producer Howard Kazanjian. Kazanjian was Executive Producer on Raiders of the Lost Ark and served as VP at Lucasfilm during the dramatic expansion of the company in the 1980s. Producer Darren Moorman, whose film Same Kind of Different as Me will be released next year, and longtime collector and vintage show promoter Scott Kinney will round out the producing team as Executive Producers on the series.

More news about upcoming programming and partnerships for Comic-Con HQ will be announced in the coming weeks. Anyone can register now for a free extended trial on Comic-ConHQ.com via web browsers and iOS/Android devices. The paid subscription service will officially roll out this summer across more connected devices and distribution platforms such as Roku, AppleTV and Amazon’s Streaming Partners Program, with additional devices becoming available in the months to come.

 

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Filed Under: Film Headlines, Movies, TV, TV Headlines Tagged With: 2016, culture, fall, hamills, mark, pop, ...

Suicide Silence’s Mark Heylmun talks about album “You Can’t Stop Me” and Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival

 

Mark Heylmun is the lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Suicide Silence. The band recently released their 4th studio album titled “You Can’t Stop Me” via Nuclear Blast Records and is featured on this year’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Media Mikes had the chance recently to speak with Mark about the new album, the bands new singer and how they overcame the loss of the bands original vocalist Mitch Lurker.

Adam Lawton: With the new album being out just over a month now what has the overall reception been like from the fans?
Mark Heylmun: It’s been really amazing. To be honest I am waiting for this whole thing to become difficult. This time last year I was looking into the future thinking that things were going to be very hard. I knew we were going to have to be comfortable with whatever happened and just ride it out. The record is out and people a really loving it. Were out on Mayhem right now and it feels like were just killing it every day.

AL: What was it like for the band working on both new material and with a new singer all at the same time?
MH: We had to build a working relationship with Eddie. We were of course friends beforehand but Eddie’s the type of guy who when you catch up to him you have to hear all of what he has going on. Building that new relationship was a lot of fun because he is our friend and now he is in our band. Surprisingly it was a very easy transition as he works in the same way Mitch worked. We would give him a song and he would either feel it or not. With Eddie being new to the band things were very fresh for him and us as well which made the experience very exciting. In a week we wrote 3 songs together. After those first three songs were written we knew things were going to be ok. This was the first time as a band that we all collaborated together on material. It was very much a group effort this time around.

AL: The album features two songs written by Mitch before he passed away. Can you tell us about those?
MH: One of those tracks is actually a really old song that appeared on our first EP in 2005. We wanted to redo it because we have had a lot of requests to hear those songs. We chose “Ending is Beginning” because it just made sense with what we are doing. A lot of friends wanted us to do one of these old songs as well to see if Eddie could really pull this off. He just slayed it! “You Can’t Stop Me” is the other track Mitch was working on and it’s one of the two last songs we worked on with him. “Blue Haze” was the other track which appeared on a B side. The music for both of those songs was done in the same writing session in 2012. Mitch had only written lyrics for one and we had to looks at those and figure out which song they were actually meant for. It ended up being very easy to figure out because of the structure in which the lyrics were written. The song had no title but the lyrics were “You can’t fucking stop me!” so we really took a lot from those words as it just all fit so well with what we were doing and what we were going to have to do in the future. That song really built us up. Even though Mitch wasn’t physically there he still had a lot to do with the latest record.

AL: What was it like on an emotional level revisiting these songs?
MH: The whole time we had it in our minds that we wanted this album to really mean a lot. We wanted this album to be all that it could be. We postponed jamming and getting together with Eddie until we could all be there at the same time. We got those lyrics sent to us and we all read them together. From there we just started jamming and playing music together. I remember that first session and we didn’t even really play Suicide Silence songs at first. We were playing songs by Pantera, Metallica, Sublime and Offspring. Eventually we started doing our songs but it was just an emotional time that felt new and very real.

AL: So far you have released 2 songs off the album as singles. Are there plans to release any others?
MH: We have had the discussion. We couldn’t really decide which songs we wanted to roll out first because we liked all of the songs. There is potential to release a video for every song off the album. We have a pretty good video team that is in our world and we facilitate all those things. We have a bunch of ideas right now on what to do.

AL: Have you found people are more focused on this being the band’s first album with a singer as opposed to it being your senior release?
MH: A lot of people ask if we feel like this is our first record. I don’t think it feels like that because we are building off of what we have learned from each other. “The Cleansing” was our first full length and that album was really done because of the response from our EP. We had a lot of offers come our way and we had to decide which would be best for us and then write a record. We wrote the record because we had gotten signed and that record was our reaction to those events. We learned that we had to put ourselves in a position to where we were motivated to write. We learned a lot over the course of three records and this new album is the culmination. I think after this we have really learned to write a piece of music and I am looking forward to continuing with what we are doing.

AL: With Mayhem Fest wrapping up in August does the band have any plans for the remainder of 2014?
MH: We will be a part of this year’s Knot Fest which is being held in San Bernardino, CA in the later part of October. That’s going to be just an insane time. We also will be heading over to Europe in November for a tour run over there as well.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, drink, energy, festival, heylmun, mark, ...

Mark McGrath talks about hosting truTV’s reality series “Killer Karaoke”

Photo Credit: truTV

Mark McGrath is known best as the front man of the rock band Sugar Ray. McGrath is also known for his work as a co-host of “Extra”, and he was the host of “Don’t Forget the Lyrics!”. Mark is taking over the role of host in truTV’s hit reality series “Killer Karaoke”, which premieres February 20th. Media Mikes had a chance to chat about the show with Mark and find out what can we expect.

Mike Gencarelli: You are no stranger to hosting; what drew you in for “Killer Karaoke”?
Mark McGrath: It was a slam dunk for me, honestly. It involves performances, karaoke and live animals. That is just the perfect triad for me. I said “I am in! It sounds like a typical night in the 90’s for me” [laughs]. I had seen the show last season and I was a big fan of it as well. It is interesting that when I first saw the show, I thought to myself that it was such a great hosting gig. Then I literally got a call two months later. It was just a no brainer. A good buddy of mine, Tony Yates, is the CEO of the production company, Zodiac and I worked with him before on “Don’t Forget the Lyrics”. I was always impressed with the way that Tony puts a show together. I spoke to Tony and he said the show was “Killer Karaoke” and I said “I’m in! Where do I sign?”

Mike: This show is very funny, I wouldn’t be able to not crack up if I was hosting…
Mark: I knew the show was going to be funny Mike, like I said I’m a fan but I was doubling over in laughter the entire season. I was ruining takes because I would just keep laughing and they would have to start over. It was so funny. The contestants are amazing. I think that the thing I took away most from the show was how funny it actually is watching the show in real-time and that the contestants can really sing. All of them sing better than I do [laughs]. That is the scary part, I am not kidding you! [laughs].

Mike: Tell us about the fresh, new format and how it differs from season one?
Mark: I think they really brought in some geniuses to increase the gameplay and really get you involved with these contestants and get an emotional component for them. The show just seems to have a little more gravitas now. Steve-O hosted the first season (read our interview here) and those were huge shoes to fill. He was a perfect match for this show, so I am honored to take the torch from him and carry on.

Photo Credit: truTV

Mike: What kind of hilarious and unexpected challenges the contestants can we expect from this season?
Mark: I think what is great about this show is that it is all about spontaneity. You never know what is around the corner. The contestants never know what they are facing. But they know that there will be a fear element. One of their biggest fears will be met. You throw a little bit of karaoke in there with a live audience and it is quite the fun afternoon. When you have live animals…you cannot control them. I am looking at the side of the stage and I am seeing 300lb animal handlers. I am wondering “What are those guys for” and then I look around and you see camel heads, snakes and spiders backstage. You just wonder “What are we in for today?” It is fun because you not only have the fear element but it is mixed with the surprise element and the laughter element. You never know what is going to happen. Then on top of all that you have to sing….on key. I think that is what makes this show so great, anything can happen…and it usually does.

Mike: I tell you one thing Mark, in the episode I watched this season, a contestant had to sing in a helmet full of spiders…I do not do spiders man [laughs].
Mark: Listen Mike, I don’t blame you dude. Let’s just say people literally come face to face with their greatest fears. Some of the things that these contestants have to deal with that you wouldn’t think would be to intimidating like Canadian Geese, let’s just say, you would be surprised. If you get two of them together in little pen, they start making these shrieks and it’s crazy. But they are wild animals man and you can’t forget that. These animals get treated really well man. In fact they get treated better than I do man, they kicked me out of my dressing room to bring in the Canadian Geese [laughs]. The earth has provided us with some pretty incredible creatures and “Killer Karaoke” is happy to put them on a TV show.

Photo Credit: truTV

Mike: How do you think you would do if you were put in these contestants’ shoes?
Mark: I am the biggest baby. This is something I found out about doing this show [laughs]. I am afraid of everything. I think “I am a man. I can handle this. I toured in the 90’s. I lived on a bus with 10 guys for 12 years. I HAVE SEEN IT ALL! Bring it on!” But I would never put my hand in a scorpion pit, no matter how much money is attached on the back of the scorpion. I am not grabbing it off the back of the SCORPION! I do not think that there is one challenge that I would do. There is one called “Leader of the Pack”, which is a dog challenge. It is the scariest thing to see those dogs running at you full force. Even with the protective suit on it would be very intimidating. I would be terrible man. I am afraid when I see a cockroach at night and I run. I am not kidding you. [laughs].

Mike: Lastly, on a musical note; please tell me you are planning to come back to the Eat to the Beat Concert series during Epcot International Food and Wine Festival this year?
Mark: Oh Mike, that is one of the things that I look forward to most all year. I have had the good fortune of playing there four years in a row now. It is interesting, when I first started playing my wife was pregnant and now last year, I brought my kids up on the stage, which is so cool for me. It is so much fun. I love coming down to Disney World for a week and spending the time with the kids and just having fun during the day and then getting to play three shows at night to some killer crowds. It is so much fun. So I am standing by the phone and I hope to be there again this year!

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: hosting, karaoke, killer, mark, mcgrath, reality, ...

Kill Devil Hill’s Mark Zavon talks about new album “Revolution Rise”

Mark Zavon is the guitarist for the hard rock group Kill Devil Hill. The group, which also features former Pantera bassist Rex Brown, Heaven and Hell drummer Vinnie Appice and vocalist Dewey Bragg, has just released their second album titled “Revolution Rise” via Century Media Records. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with mark recently about the creation of the new record and what the band has planned for the coming year.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the new Kill Devil Hill album “Revolution Rise”?
Mark Zavon: The new album is just killer! Jeff Pilson co-produced the album with us. That guy was a huge positive influence on the whole process. He is a great songwriter and had a lot of good input. The album turned out great and we are super proud of it.

AL: What do you feel were the biggest changes made on the record compared to the bands previous release?
MZ: We had a lot more time to spend on this new record. The first record we had to do in about a month. Along with the limited time frame we also had a limited budget so we had to try and get things done as quick as we could. Things are both good and bad that way. This time around we had the time to spend getting things together. We also had a couple breaks in there as well as Rex had his book come out and Jeff plays with Foreigner. Getting everybody’s schedules to line up at times was a little difficult. Even though that part of things was a little bit difficult it gave me time to work more on the songs. We were able to put a little more energy into the writing/recording process this time around. I think it turned out a lot better than the first album.

AL: What type of approach do you guys take when it comes time to start working on a new record being that you all don’t live in the same area?
MZ: Every song is different. Sometimes we work together sometimes we work separate and send ideas back and forth to one another. Some of the songs on this new record were written originally for the first album however we had too many tracks so we held on to them. There was definitely a more collaborative approach to writing on this record as everyone was involved and contributed ideas. It was nice having everyone involved this time around as with the first record a bunch of that stuff was written before Rex even joined the band. There was a lot more of a combined effort this time around and we all demoed stuff in different places and then put it all together. We literally came from every angle when putting this album together.

AL: Prior to the albums released you signed to Century Media. What has that partnership been like thus far?
MZ: The thing that we were really missing on the first record was the promotional aspect of things. We were working with a label from Germany who had no real presence here in the States. That was tough as they didn’t really get behind the release all that much. With Century Media things have been much different. We actually started out by going down to their offices and playing a small acoustic set for everyone there. They are located right in Los Angeles, which is local for me. They came to one of our shows at the Roxy and they have been like family. Century Media is the type of label that likes to get behind their artists and promote them. Combining that with the whole family vibe has been a step in the right direction for us. Something like this is what we have all wanted for a long time.

AL: A lyric video for the song “Why” was released recently, Are there any plans to shoot a full production video for any of the songs of this album?
MZ: I think there will be some more lyric videos to come out for the other songs but we also just shot a video for the song “Leave It All Behind”. That should be coming out soon and is going to be really cool. We shot the video at an old missile silo site north of the San Fernando Valley. It was cool and we all had a good time. We actually worked with the director before on our last video and I think it turned out great.

AL: What other plans does the band have in place for the rest of this year leading into 2014?
MZ: We have plans to take the holiday season off and then start back up towards the end of January. There are some plans in the works for the upcoming NAMM show to do some things with our sponsors. From there the plan is to hit it hard and promote this record through out the coming year. The more we play the happier I am.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, devil, hills, kill, mark, revolution, ...

Keanu Reeves and Mark Mann talk about working together on “Generation Um…”

Keanu Reeves is known for his films in franchises like “The Matrix” and “Bill & Ted”. In this film “Generation Um…”, he plays a much different role within this character piece. Mark Mann is the writer and director on the film, which is his feature film debut. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Keanu and Mark on the film and what we can expect.

Click here for our interview with Adelaide Clemens & Bojana Novakovic

Mike Gencarelli: Mark, tell us how did “Generation Um…” come about for you?
Mark Mann: Alison Palmer (Bourke), the producer on the project, gave Keanu the script to look at as a friend at first. He liked it and said he wanted to meet with me. We had a coffee and it was sort of monumental coffee. We riffed creatively for a bit and found out that we got along well. We shared visions for the characters and the story. So after that he decided to do the film, which was great. He was perfect for the role. So we went out and made a movie [laughs].

MG: Keanu, what was it that really drew you to the role of John?
Keanu Reeves: I liked so many things about the character. What stuck out for me was the writing, the structure, the humor, the humanity and the way the story was told. With John, in particular, I had a great sympathy for him. He felt like a character that was hyper-aware. He was trapped in his past, maybe with his confidence or trapped in his life.  He was seeking a connection, a friendship or something that we might think of as simple but is fundamental to life. I felt like a lot of people could relate to him. I also felt that since this took place in New York and it was more personal and I liked that.

MG: Any challenges with shooting in New York?
KR: [laughs]
MM: I had no issues whatsoever [laughs]. New York is a great place to shoot. Just because you are shooting there doesn’t mean that it is going to behave any different than New York does. It seems to add attention to the frame. We were using New York in a somewhat unorthodox fashion, with shooting in the park, running down streets, driving over bridges and staring at trains. In general, I think that New York tolerates you if you shine at the end of it all.

MG: Keanu, this is a real change from some of your past action driven films; was it a challenge taking on this character piece?
KR: I wouldn’t really say a challenge but more of an opportunity. What struck me was getting a chance to actually shoot the footage that John does in the film. That was a very unique situation for me and it was something that I really appreciated and enjoyed. The trust that Mark put into me was great. He was like “Ok Keanu…go shoot!” We shot on Super 16 with a lot of wide angle lenses and fixed perspectives. So we get to learn about John through the camera but also get to learn about the other characters from John’s perspective. For me that was very unique, fulfilling and a fun opportunity.
MM: What was interesting about that, as well, you will notice in the film that he bundles that into the character. You watch the character developing his own feelings through the camera itself.

MG: Mark, what was your biggest challenge taking on your first feature film?
MM: I would have to say just making a film. It is an impossible pursuit. Once you start getting into it there are so many things going on at the same time. It is like you are one with the inside of your head with little tentacles extending out sort of taking of the form of all these different people all handling various tasks. It is impossible…
KR: No it’s not [laughs].
MM: Yeah it was easy. It was like butter [laughs].

MG: Keanu, I loved the chemistry between you and your leading ladies, Adelaide Clemens and Bojana Novakovic. What did you do to form that bond between the three of you for this film?
KR: We started with the audition process. Mark went on search for Violet and Mia. Luckily, I was a part of that process. He asked me to videotape the actresses that came in to meet on the project. It happened with both Bojana and Addy that there was a nice simpatico between us and we got along right away. They were interesting and loved the material. As me moved forward in rehearsal and just hanging out, everyone seemed to be on the same page. We just got along really great, so that was really cool. Mark really let me in and be a part of the creative process and I really appreciated that as well.
MM: That was part of the fun though. The film ultimately is what happens between the people making the film. It was just great. Having Keanu, Adelaide and Bojana together work through it all in rehearsals and then turning on the camera and watching them do it was amazing.

MG: Mark, you also wrote the screenplay. How much did it change throughout the production?
MM: The script was god. It was bible. It didn’t change.
KR: Urgh…writers and directors, they say that the script is god. [laughs]
MM: [laughs] If you asked me the question as a director, I might have a different answer but in terms of writing you have to have a moment when you can be a writer. That is what writers do.
KR: It was just really a great script. One could think that it was improvised since the words are just so great.
MM: There are also a lot of moments of silence in the movie and I had to try to push it into direction. But there were these long moments with Keanu, Bojana and Adelaide where they are just there and they are doing what they are doing. That is not something you can write. It was very exciting to see them take the implications that I wrote and then completely bring it to this magically level where they were and just embodied these characters.
KR: Human animal footage [laughs].

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: experience, film, generation, keanu, mann, mark, ...

CD Review “Mark Twain: Words & Music”

Performed by: Clint Eastwood, Garrison Keillor, Jimmy Buffett
Release Date: September 21, 2011
Label: Mailboat Records
Tracks: 27 – 14 Disc one / 13 Disc two

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Normally, I wouldn’t think that I would ever listen to a CD about Mark Twain’s life. This CD is being released by Mailboat Records, which is backed by Jimmy Buffett.  Yes, that is all I need to have in order to listen to a CD about Mark Twain. “Mark Twain: Words & Music” is a double-CD which tells the story of Twain’s life in spoken word and song. Voices on this project include Jimmy Buffett (as Huck Finn), Garrison Keillor (as the narrator), Clint Eastwood (as Mark Twain) and Angela Lovell (as Susy Clemens). Yes, I did mean that Clint Eastwood.

This is not just a typical spoke word album. There are perfect blend of 14 story segments with 13 corresponding songs performed by Emmylou Harris, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Rhonda Vincent, Bradley Walker, Carl Jackson, The Church Sisters, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Marty Raybon, Val Storey, Vince Gill, Joe Diffie, and Ricky Skaggs. Is that enough talent for you to handle on on CD? This project was produced by Grammy Award-winner Carl Jackson in order to benefit the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum in Hannibal, Missouri to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Twain’s death and 175th anniversary of his birth back in 2010.

This CD doesn’t just stop at the tracks on both discs, also includes is a very detailed 40-page linear notes included, which complements this album very well.  The liner notes are great and even include pictures of Twain along with the text. I recommend listening to the album and then checking out the book. If you are a history buff, this gives a unique approach to the life of one of our greatest scholars.  If you are a Jimmy Buffett fan, then you are going to love getting to hear him put his spin on Huck Finn, it is awesome. Clint Eastwood also channels his inner Dirty Harry once again for his role of Mark Twain. Lastly, if you are a fan of bluegrass/country music then you will definitely dig this.

Track Listing:
Disc 1
1. Hello yourself, and see how you like it… – Jimmy Buffett, Clint Eastwood, Garrison Keillor
2. When Halley Came To Jackson – Emmylou Harris
3. Hannibal, Missouri, where my boyhood was spent… – Garrison Keillor, Clint Eastwood, Jimmy Buffett
4. Better Times A’ Comin’ – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
5. He agreed to teach me the Mississippi River… – Garrison Keillor, Clint Eastwood, Jimmy Buffett
6. Run Mississippi – Rhonda Vincent
7. Several years of variegated vagabondizing… – Clint Eastwood, Garrison Keillor, Jimmy Buffett
8. A Cowboy In His Soul – Bradley Walker
9. It liberates the vandal to travel… – Garrison Keillor and Clint Eastwood
10. Safe Water – Carl Jackson
11. You ain’t ever to love anybody but me… – Garrison Keillor and Clint Eastwood
12. I Wandered By A Brookside – The Church Sisters
13. It was a mighty nice family… – Garrison Keillor, Clint Eastwood, Angela Love
14. Beautiful Dreamer – Sheryl Crow

Disc 2
1. Don’t scrunch up like that, Huckleberry… – Garrison Keillor, Clint Eastwood, Jimmy Buffett
2. Huck Finn Blues – Brad Paisley
3. The crows would gather on the railing and talk about me… – Garrison Keillor and Clint Eastwood
4. Huck Finn Blues – Marty Raybon
5. So wounded, so broken-hearted… – Garrison Keillor and Clint Eastwood
6. Love Is On Our Side – Val Storey
7. Wheresoever she was, there was Eden… – Garrison Keillor and Clint Eastwood
8. I Know You By Heart – Vince Gill
9. My concsience got to stiring me up hotter than ever… – Garrison Keillor, Clint Eastwood, Jimmy Buffett
10. Ink – Joe Diffie
11. The report of my death was an exaggeration… – Garrison Keillor, Clint Eastwood, Jimmy Buffett
12. Comet Ride – Ricky Skaggs
13. The truth, mainly… – Garrison Keillor and Jimmy Buffett

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Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: cd, mark, music, review, twain, words, ...
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