Jon Secada talks about his passion for music and new single "I'm Never Too Far Away"

Jon Secada is a three-time Grammy Award winner with one hell of an amazing career over the last 20 years, selling over 20 million records worldwide, touring the world and releasing 18 studio albums including both English and Spanish language versions. He recently released his latest single, “I’m Never Too Far Away”, which is a must-listen for fans. Jon took out some time to talk to Media Mikes about the single, his passion for music and education and also plans for his next album.

Jennifer Kish: With a career spanning over two decades, two Grammy Awards, 20 million albums sold, tell us about this new single “I’m Never Too Far Away” and it’s story/inspiration?
Jon Secada: This marks the first time that I am releasing and promoting a song that I didn’t write myself. The song is written by my dear friend and producer Rudy Perez. I have known him for a long time and the minute he played that song I fell in love with it. I told him I wanted to use it and promote it as a single. For me as a singer/songwriter, I love that when you hear a great song that is all that matters. It really feels like it fits me. That is what it is all about especially after all these years to connect with a song that hopefully people will like.

JK: You’ve had so many amazing accomplishments throughout your career – from starting out performing with Gloria Estefan, becoming a tremendous success as a solo performer, penning songs for other artists such as Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez, performing a duet with Frank Sinatra – even starring on Broadway! – Are there any unique projects that you’re currently working on that will surprise and amaze fans – and if not currently is there something you’d like to eventually do?
JS: At this point I am enjoying this cycle of things that I have developed over the last 20 years. I’ve got my songwriting career; I’ve done some theater and the fact that in the last five years I have also done some television, especially being a judge from in a reality based talent show for the Spanish market. At this point if I can keep doing what I am doing I will just keep the cycle going for all things that I enjoy. I have had some great opportunities and I just want to keep doing shows, concerts and singing my songs.

JK: You’re obviously in fantastic physical shape! How do you manage to fit an exercise regimen into your busy schedule of touring and other things?
JS: I have decided about five or six years ago to make it a part of my life. I want to see if that by the time I was 50 that I could be in the best shape of my life. And I feel that I am right now. It is a commitment all around and I just make time for it. I find time to be able to go to the gym and to eat well and all those things to stay in shape. I will just continue to keep doing that.

JK: I know you’ve been very involved with music education in public schools. Tell us about this passion?
JS: Education always has been and always will be a very big part of my career. It is the reason I have a career and it started with me going to college. I will always be connected especially if I am asked by the institutions to lend a hand in terms of supporting education. Thanks to education, I have been successful with my career, with singing, with music and everything that I have been able to do over the last 20+ years and I want to keep doing that. Through television, on “Latin American Idol”, for me it is the connection and a privilege to recognize and discover new talent and to encourage them to always keep educating themselves and never stop learning. I do not think I have ever stopped learning since I started getting into music. So I am always willing to help anything that helps supports the arts. I also love teaching and doing seminars and talking with these kids. Teaching for me was a big part of my career early on. So I will always be a big supporter and do what I can to help others.

JK: I know you have a personal connection with the organization “Tune in to Hep C”, can you tell us about that?
JS: That started for me with the American Liver Foundation, the company that I worked with to create an awareness campaign for Hepatitis C. My father passed away from complications from Hepatitis C about a year and a half ago. So I learned a lot about what Hepatitis C means and what it represents. There are over 4 million people infected in the US alone. Being involved with the American Liver Foundation, I was honored to be a part of the campaign and I continue to be a supporter and a spokesperson for them.

JK: So you’ve given us a taste of some new music with your hit single, when can we expect the new album?
JS: I am working with Rudy Perez right now with what would be a bilingual record. Of course starting with the song “I’m Never Too Far Away”. There is also a Spanish version of that song as well. We are in the process of completing the rest of the project that I have in mind in both English and Spanish. I grew up bilingual living in Miami and South Florida. Everything that I have done has been in both languages, so I love that fact that I can do that with Rudy. I would say it should be completed in the next three or fours months.

(C) Gio Alma

JK: What really drives you to keep performing and touring after all these years?
JS: I think I just really love what I do. I am still very passionate about it. Every time I get to the shows, I just love it even more. I love that I still have the energy to entertain. I am very lucky and I hope I can just keep doing it.

JK: Lastly, tell us your upcoming tour schedule?
JS: I am doing some stuff right now in Latin America. Right now I am getting ready to leave for Argentina and Chile for some shows and promotions since I just put out a CD there. So very soon after that I will be putting something together to do some more shows in the US. So stay tuned!

JK: Any plans to return to Walt Disney World’s Epcot during the Food and Wine Festival?
JS: We love doing that! I did the Food and Wine Festival for many years and I would love to come back. So maybe this year we will!

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: jon, music, passion, secada, single, talks, ...

Jessica DiCicco talks about voicing Flame Princess on "Adventure Time" and directing Kovas' music video for "Ice Cream"

Jessica DiCicco is a voice actress best for voicing Flame Princess on “Adventure Time”.  She also various characters like Patches on “Pound Puppies”. She recently stepped behind the character directing Kovas’ latest music video for his song “Ice Cream”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jessica to chat about her voice work, her love for directing and her plans for visiting fan conventions.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you ended up voicing Flame Princess on “Adventure Time”?
Jessica DiCicco: It happened like they all do, which is through auditioning. It’s a way of life in this business, you try out for different projects everyday. The funny is that I had a feeling about the Flame Princess audition right away when I first got the email. I had heard of “Adventure Time” but I didn’t know what it was really about. So I did a little research and I watched some YouTube clips. Immediately, I knew this was a show I wanted to be on. I sent the audition and I was very happy when I found out I had booked the role. From the very first script that came in, I thought the show was just so amazing and well written. I knew that I was in for something great.

MG: What do you enjoy most about voicing that character?
JD: I love that she has such a range of emotion. She can go from super sweet to insane and crazy at the drop of a dime. It is so fun to play a character like that.

MG: Can you reflect on the fandom surrounding your character and the show itself?
JD: I have never been a part of such a big show. It has been such an amazing experience. It is very reminiscent for me of “Simpsons Mania”. I remember when “The Simpsons” had just come out, there was so much energy surrounding the show, it truly struck a cord with its audience. I was a huge fan of “The Simpsons” when I was a kid, I would wear my Simpson’s denim jacket, talk on my Bart phone, then go to sleep draped in my Simpson’s bed sheets. The insanity and excitement surrounding “Adventure Time” is reminiscent of that. I was actually at the Annie Awards this year and was presenting with Lucas Grabeel, and Matt Groening also was there. I got the chance to talk to him and it turns out his son is a big fan of “Adventure Time” and even was an intern on the show. I ran my theory by him about how “Adventure Time Mania” is reminiscent of “Simpsons Mania” and he said that he couldn’t agree more. Right from the creator’s mouth! So glad that I ran that by him, it was a very cool moment for me.

MG: How does your work on “Adventure Time” differ from Patches on “Pound Puppies”?
JD: I feel lucky that I get to voice so many different types of characters. It satisfies my desire to act and be creative. Patches is so much fun, he is so cute, fun and playful- he’s a puppy! I love dogs, so I put my love for my own dog, Kody, into that character. The head writer is Bart (Jennett) and he is incredibly talented. The episodes of “Pound Puppies” are so well written, they have so many layers, twists and turns throughout. It is always very fun to work on this show.

MG: How did you get involved directing Kovas’ music video for his song “Ice Cream”?
JD: Directing the video for “Ice Cream” was blast and easily one of my favorite experiences to date. I met Kovas, he is an incredibly talented music producer and also has a solo artist career, and we became quick friends. I listened to his mix tape while it was in the works and that song just inspired me. I am also friends with Jessie Heiman, the “nerd” from the GoDaddy Super Bowl XLVII commercial, he’s the one who made out with Bar Rafaeli [laughs]. We have been friends and have always wanted to work together. I thought it would be so funny to have Jesse be the main thug in a rap video [laughs]. That is what actually inspired the entire “Ice Cream” concept.

MG: What was your biggest challenge directing your first music video?
JD: I am very hard on myself and I like everything to be as good as it can possibly be. Even with my voice-overs, I really try to focus on my characters and have a deep connection with them. So I wanted to apply this to directing. I wanted the characters to be very solid and consistent throughout the entire video. One of the most fun parts of this video was casting it. As soon as it was cast with these incredibly talented people, a lot of it was setting up the scenes and it was such a joy to watch it all unfold. I was also fortunate to work with the best editor of all time, Steve Forner. It was such a great experience. I didn’t realize how truly happy directing makes me and I can’t wait to try this again.

MG: Do you see yourself pursuing more directing gigs in the near future? Film or TV?
JD: I’m actually directing another music video next week! I was actually offered this next video based on my work from “Ice Cream,” which I did just for fun! I’m excited to let this new-found love for directing unfold organically. I am going project by project. But I would like to challenge myself and try and tackle a short film in the near future. So that would happen within the next year hopefully. At this point, it is just a matter of finding an incredible script that inspires me.

MG: Tell us about “Sheriff Callie’s Wild West” coming out on Disney Junior starring Mandy Moore, Lucas Grabeel and yourself?
JD: I am very excited about this show. It’s the first Western musical for preschoolers, and it has been fantastic working with Mandy Moore and Lucas Grabeel. I play a 7-year-old boy cactus named Toby. The songs we sing get stuck in our heads for days, hopefully the kids love it, that way I don’t feel silly for liking it so much [laughs]. It has such a stellar cast in addition to Mandy and Lucas. It also includes Kevin Michael Richardson, Mo Williams, Cree Summer, Carlos Alazraqui, and Gary Anthony Williams.

MG: I know you can’t talk about it but you also have a few video game roles in the works also right?
JD: I wish I could tell you about them at this very moment! I’m so excited about these new roles. Voicing characters in a video game satisfies a whole other part of my creativity. It is very natural acting, very cinematic. So it challenges me in a very different way which is very fun for me.

Fan art by rorpie

MG: Tell us about how you got started with your girl DJ duo called Kittypillaz?
JD: I just started making appearances at conventions and anime cons. I didn’t realize how much fun they were. I went recently with a fellow voice actress, and we decided to also DJ at the con. She is big in the anime world. The first one we just did was Ichibancon, this past January in Charlotte, NC. We just figured to get out there play some good music and have fun with our fans. It was such an amazing experience, I look forward to doing it again!

MG: What else do you have going on that you would like to talk about?
JD: Fans can reach out to me on Facebook and Twitter. Also I love friendship bracelets. So when I make appearances at conventions, I am offering exclusive friendship bracelets for each con, that will only be available at that specific con. Also I am going to have a contest on deviantART for artists to submit the best Flame Princess fan art for the postcard my next exclusive friendship bracelet will come with. I am a huge fan of art and I love all the fan art that people do for “Adventure Time” and any of my characters. I am very excited to incorporate fan art into this project.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: adventure, cream, dicicco, directing, flame, ice, ...

Win Family of Four Pack to See Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival at UCF Arena in Orlando FL This March! [ENDED]

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

To celebrate Disney Live!’s latest show “Mickey’s Music Festival”, Media Mikes would like to giveaway a FAMILY FOUR PACK of tickets to see the 5:30pm show on March 3rd. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of these great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email indicating your favorite Disney character. This giveaway will remain open until February 15th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to residents of the United States only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Mickey Mouse and friends rock the world with the stars from The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story in their new touring show Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival. Disney hits are remixed to the hottest sounds of today featuring hip hop, pop, swing, reggae, rock, country and much more! The irresistible lineup of performers, including Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy; Ariel, Sebastian and Ursula; Jasmine, Aladdin and Genie; and Woody, Buzz and Jessie; are among the more than 25 Disney stars featured in this jam session fit for the entire family! You can’t resist dancing, singing, playing your air-guitar and laughing with this band of characters! Come join them at Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival for a lively concert experience guaranteed to deliver enough rockin’ memories to last a lifetime.

UCF Arena, Orlando FL
March 3, 2013
View Venue Info

Visit the official show web site

Visit the Facebook page

 

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: arena, disney, family, festival, fl, live, ...

Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival Comes to the UCF Arena in Orlando FL This March!

Mickey Mouse and friends rock the world with the stars from The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story in their new touring show Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival. Disney hits are remixed to the hottest sounds of today featuring hip hop, pop, swing, reggae, rock, country and much more! The irresistible lineup of performers, including Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy; Ariel, Sebastian and Ursula; Jasmine, Aladdin and Genie; and Woody, Buzz and Jessie; are among the more than 25 Disney stars featured in this jam session fit for the entire family! You can’t resist dancing, singing, playing your air-guitar and laughing with this band of characters! Come join them at Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival for a lively concert experience guaranteed to deliver enough rockin’ memories to last a lifetime.

Coming soon to:
UCF Arena
March 3, 2013
View Venue Info

Visit the official show web site

Visit the Facebook page

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Filed Under: Art/Theatre Tagged With: area, disney, festival, fl, live, march, ...

Theater Review "Billy Elliot: The Musical" – Music Hall, Kansas City, Missouri

Billy Elliot: The Musical
Music Hall, Kansas City, Missouri
January 22, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“I never had that much energy at that age,” is what I told myself after watching 12 year old Drew Minard steal the show as the title character in “Billy Elliot: The Musical.”

The show, based on the film of the same name, tells the story of a young man who, bored with boxing classes, finds himself drawn to ballet, an endeavor that does not go over well in his tough, English household, where it’s easier to make fun of “the bally,” as it’s called, then appreciate the beauty of the art.

As the show begins the audience is thrust into the beginning of Britain’s 1984 Coal Miner’s strike.  Billy’s father, Joe (Rich Hebert) is one of the leaders of the strike, hoping by holding out that he can better the life of his sons.  His oldest boy, Tony (Cullen Titmas) also works in the mines but doesn’t have his father’s temperament.  Joe and his sons live with Grandma (Patti Perkins), Billy’s mother having died some time ago.  They are working class, as is the majority of their small town, which makes Billy’s new found hobby even more difficult to embrace.  But, urged on by his teacher (Janet Dickinson), Billy follows her advice and, true to the song she sings to motivate him, he shines!

Photo by Amy Boyle

Winner of 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical, “Billy Elliot” is what I would call a “solid” musical.  It has all of the great elements you want in a show:  great cast, intriguing story and a good score.   Which is kind of disappointing since the music was written by Elton John (“The Lion King”) in a collaboration with Lee Hall, author of the book and lyrics as well as the screenplay to the original film.  While a couple of numbers stand out (“Solidarity” and “Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher”) there really isn’t a song that you leave the theatre humming.  But don’t let that keep you away.  The show is entertaining and well choreographed.  Heck, the curtain call is a production number in itself.  And if you go, make sure you give a standing ovation to Master Minard (or any of the other boys, there are four in total, who are playing Billy on this tour).  He certainly earns it!

“Billy Elliot: The Musical” continues in Kansas City through January 27 and then visits the following cities:

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA                 January 29 -30

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA                   February 1-3

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA           February 5 -10

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA                February 12 -17

NAPLES, FLORIDA                            February 19 -24

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA              February 26 – March 3

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA     March 5 – 10

PEORIA, ILLINOIS                             March 12 – 14

FOR LATER SHOWS VISIT  http://www.billyelliottour.com/us-tour-tickets

 

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Filed Under: Theatre Reviews Tagged With: billy, city, elliot, hall, kansas, missouri, ...

Brahm Wenger talks about creating music for “Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups”

Brahm Wenger is the composer and writer of the original music for Disney’s “Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups”.  He has been working within this franchise since “Air Bud”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brahm about working on this series and it’s latest installment “Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups”.

Mike Gencarelli: With “Santa Buddies”, “The Search for Santa Paws” and now “Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups”, you’ve not only composed the score but also written original songs; tell us about that aspect?
Brahm Wenger: Well the difference about when you write songs for a film is that it effectively then becomes a musical. The biggest difference is that you start before they start filming. You start when the script is written and you work with the director to find where the story will be best served with a song. When you write the score, you wait for them to finish the film and then you write the score. When you do films like “Santa Buddies”, “The Search for Santa Paws” and now “Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups”, you are in from the minute they finish the scripts. You start by writing the songs. You are part of the casting process, since you have to write the songs to fit the people singing. They have to be able to perform it. If there are dance sequences, then you have to work with the choreographer. Then you are also working with them at the set level, so you are involved with the assistant director, the director etc. It is a real collaborative effort.

MG: Where do you get the inspiration for the Christmas music, specifically in “Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups”?BW: I think the inspiration comes first from the script. Once you see the story, you can see what you are trying to accomplish. The beauty of doing music and writing songs is that you can say so much more with a song that you can with dialogue. There is a famous lyricist that one said “a page of lyrics is equal to ten pages of script”. It is just so much more effective. So the inspiration is from the story and you find what they are trying to say in that particular moment and then you nail it as a song.

MG: How long did it take create the eight original songs for “Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups”?
BW: We started about 9 months before they started shooting the film and once the script was done. Not only do you have to write them adapt to the singer, you also have to please the director and the writers etc. It has to work and also has to be in sync for everybody.

MG: How was it working at London’s famed Abbey Road Studio for these scores?
BW: Abbey Road also has a sister studio in London called Air Studios. It was started by the famous Beatles producer George Martin. Sometimes we go to Abbey Road and sometimes we go to Air Studios. It really depends on the feeling. Air has a bit of a warmer sound. It is like a 300-400 year old church. Abbey Road is more of an industrial strength room. It feels a little brassier. So we go back and worth but they both work beautifully.

MG: You’ve been working with the Disney Buddies series since the beginning with “Air Bud”, how has the series evolved?
BW: It is very different. They come from the same genesis but are so completely different. “Air Bud” series focuses on his playing various different sports. He would figure out, how to play a sport and then have some sort of a championship game and go on win it. With the “Air Buddies” franchise, it is completely different because they dogs talk and that opens up a whole new avenue. There are also five of them instead of just one. And it is also a continuing adventure so in when they went to Alaska for the dog sled. The Alaskan theme of the great north is completely different from when they went to Egypt in “Treasure Buddies”. As a composer it is like one minute you are writing the Duke of the North and then the next minute you are working for Indiana Jones. There is no connection. When we did “Santa Buddies” or “Santa Paws 2”, it is straight forward Christmas music but here it is completely different. The next one is “Super Buddies”, which is a superhero movie and again that is completely different. It is really a challenge to start each time with a fresh format.

MG: So “Super Buddies” is next for you then?
BW: Yep, that is next now. We are working on it right now as we speak. They are just about finished shooting that. Then I should be seeing a cut in the next few weeks. So I am looking forward to starting on that one next.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: 2, brahm, creating, music, paws, pups, ...

Marti Frederikson talks about music and working on Aerosmith’s new album

Marti Frederikson is a writer, producer, performer who has worked with artists such as Buckcherry, Carrie Underwood and Gavin Rossdale. Frederikson recently completed work on tracks for the upcoming Aerosmith album titled “Music From Another Dimension!” which is set for a November 2012 release. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Marti about his career and what it was like once again working with Aerosmith.

Adam Lawton: How did you first break in to the music business?
Marti Frederiksen: I started off playing in bands and had gotten a couple record deals. I was just trying to be myself. I started off playing the drums when I was very young and I have always loved music. From the age of 5 on I never gave up on music.

AL: What type of process do you take when a band is looking to work with you?
MF: I try to work with bands and artists that I really like while at the same time not spreading myself to thin by wanting to do everything that comes my way. There are only so many days in the week so it’s hard. If I hear something new and like the approach of a group or artist then I don’t want to change their sound. What I want to try and do is to help them make their work better. I am attracted to cool sounds that I want to try and make better.

AL: Do you have a favorite out of writing, producing or performing?
MF: Doing live stuff I would have to say is my least favorite these days. Songwriting is what I really enjoy. Getting together with someone and 3 hours later you have a great song is something I really like. The producing usually will happen when you are just trying to get a song to the finish line. You end up spending a lot of time as producing is very time consuming. Depending on how good an act is generally dictates how long things will take.

AL: How did you first get involved working with Aerosmith?
MF: I worked with a band many years ago called Brother Cane and their Aerosmith’s A&R guy heard the song we had done and he really liked the approach of the song. I was lucky enough to get a meeting with him from this and he asked me if I would be interested in working with Aerosmith. This was in 1997 and at that time the band was coming off of the “Get a Grip” album.

AL: What type of role do you as the produce take with such an established band like Aerosmith who have a very defined, signature sound already?
MF: I first met with Steven and Joe. I tried to guide whatever ideas came out of us playing in to full songs. I really wanted to get some hooks and put those together into a bunch of songs that people would want to listen to and buy.

AL: Can you tell us about working the track “What Could Have Been Love” which has been in the works for many years now?
MF: The song has been around for years now. Finally everyone got to play on it as there has been a demo floating around for a bit. This song was always something Steven wanted to do and releasing it was just a matter of when and what the song would be for. I am really glad this song turned into an Aerosmith song which is what is was intended to be.

AL: Was it difficult in any way going to work with the guys knowing some of the member’s recent troubles with one another?
MF: It was probably harder for them. I will just wait until they are ready. They came prepared and we just took it from there. Once they were prepared to get in the studio and start putting songs together it was pretty simple. There was a lot of outside press going on which impacted the members prior to this but that stuff was all sorted out before they came in.

AL: Did the band work together as a whole or did the members work separate from one another?
MF: The stuff I worked on had some pretty decent demos already. There were a few other tracks we got together on such as “Beautiful” and a duet with Carrie Underwood titled “Can’t Stop Loving You” that really came from scratch.

AL: What other projects are you currently working on?
MF: I just got in with the 3 Doors Down guys who are putting out a greatest hits record. I did 3 new songs with them which will be included on that release. I have also been doing a lot of writing with various writers and groups.

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Filed Under: Music Interviews Tagged With: aerosmiths, album, frederikson, marti, music, talks, ...

Attika 7’s Rusty Coones talks about music and appearing in “Sons of Anarchy”

Rusty Coones is the guitarist and founding member of the band Attika 7. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Rusty recently about the band’s formation and his upcoming appearance on season 5 of Sons of Anarchy.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us what made you want to form the band?
Rusty Coones: It was not planned at all. In 1999 I caught a Federal case for conspiracy to distribute a listed chemical. But before all of that I had played guitar since I was around the age of 9 and took lessons into my teens where I learned to read and write music. I had songs structures in my head and even though I wasn’t playing in bands I still loved music. When I went into prison I spent a lot of time in solitary confinement. When you’re inside you spend a lot of time getting in your own head. The first few years I was in there I read a lot of books and wrote a lot for my website freerusty.com. I had a lot of follows worldwide and though it’s not currently active the site is still up. I was in the metropolitan detention center in Los Angeles about 2 years before I received my sentence. I was then sent to a prison Oregon. While there I was working out with weights 5 days a week. Right by where the weights were was a music room. If you signed up for that program you had to actively participate with a group. I would walk past that room everyday and I just became really inspired. I ended up going in and began playing with a band that was already there. They played mostly blues, rock. The first day I was there I asked if I could bring in a song I had written. They were very receptive to that. We got to go in that room twice a week and each time I would bring new songs. Most of the songs at that time had that blues, rock sound. A couple months later there was a riot in the yard resulting in a bunch of us being sent to other prisons. I ended up at a prison in Texas. When you’re shipped to a new place you have to spend a certain amount of time in confinement before you can go in to the yard. 3 days after being released in to the yard I was playing a concert in front of 1,800 inmates. It was all songs I had written. That material was all blues, rock. During this time I started experimenting with drop tunings. When you’re playing in that dropped key there are some real sweet spots on the fret board. I wrote 32 songs while I was there. I still have all of my notes. When I got out it was my goal to assemble the best band of musicians I could to start a band with. There have been a few different lineups of the band since I started. Evan Seinfeld and I joined up about a year ago when I was looking for a fill in singer. Evan became hooked on the songs and he and I started working together. We re-worked some songs and wrote new material which is what makes up “Blood of my Enemies”.

AL: What was your song writing process like being allowed only limited resources for short periods of time?
RC: 90% of the songs that I write the riffs and music are done first. From there is usually when I start on the lyrics. As soon as they let me out in to the yard I would go grab a little box guitar and start working on my riffs. Once I got them dialed in and they were in my head I would go back to my cell and write line by line the verses, choruses and such. Every song that I wrote was never given a title. The songs named themselves by the time they were done. The first few lines of a song are always the most difficult for me. Once I have those, stuff just starts flowing.

AL: I assume a lot of the material was written about the situations you were encountering each day?
RC: Some of the songs for instance “Serial Killer” was written in the words of a serial killer. I of course am not a serial killer. I was in my cell and went really deep in to my imagination so I could get to a dark enough place to allow me to write like that. It was kind of like when an actor gets in to character before performing a role. I was around a few people in prison that were possessed pretty heavy so it wasn’t too hard to come up with this type of material. Some of the other songs are about being on the inside and what you have to do to adapt.

AL: How have the recent lineup changes helped the band progress?
RC: The band is a little different now. Tony Campos is a great bassist as is Scott our new bassist. Scott has more of a Geezer Butler from Black Sabbath style where Tony is a serious metal player that is very precise. I think that with the way the songs are now Scott learned to play the songs the way Tony played them. Scott didn’t get to put a lot of his flavor in yet but, I can see this is going to be a lot of fun. Scott loves to run around and play riffs. I love that type of feeling. Scotts playing is bringing a really cool flavor to the band. We want this band to be timeless and we aren’t trying to be trendy. Evan is melodic in his approach which I think only adds to that timeless feel we are looking for. We are not trying to sound like anyone or anything else. Whether that’s good or not that’s the way things ended up. These songs were written in a vacuum. At the time I didn’t have any music to listen to. I just had to draw from what was in my head. I had all these little pieces floating around of things I liked. I developed my own style from that.

AL: Can you tell us anything about your upcoming appearance on “Sons of Anarchy?
RC: I have already shot 2 episodes and in the coming weeks I will be shooting some more. I am really excited to be a part of the show. I play a character by the name of Quinn who is the president of the Nomads motorcycle club. There have been talks of this character since season 1 but this will be the first time he comes out of the shadows. It’s going to be really interesting.

AL: How did you first get involved with the show?
RC: Kurt Sutter is a very smart guy. When he started the show he really immersed himself in the outlaw biker culture. He learned everything he could learn. When he was looking to learn he wanted to learn from the best so he came to us. (Coones is the founder of the Orange County Chapter of the Hells Angels.)Kurt’s research paid off and he has a lot of really good people around him. The show is a dramatic television show. There has to be some dramatic elements to keep people watching. If anyone tuning in is saying certain things are “bullshit” it’s TV! It’s supposed to be entertaining. You don’t turn on the television to watch actual everyday realism. Yes the show has some realistic elements but there’s entertainment factors combined into that. I am honored to be a part of the show.

AL: Were there any aspects of the shoots so far that have been difficult?
RC: This show has been the most professional production that I have ever been a part of. There are stunt people and fight choreographers that cross every t and dot every i. Everything is very organized. Things like the fighting and such were second nature. (Laughs)

AL: What other projects do you have in the works?
RC: Attika 7 is waiting for the last few things to be completed for our U.S tour. The band is also doing a West Coast tour that will be announced in the near future. I have some television things in works as well however I can’t really say anything just yet about that. Things should be quite interesting.

 

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: 7s, anarchy, appearing, attika, coones, music, ...

NFL New England Patriots’ Bret Lockett talks about his new single “Get It All”

Bret Lockett is a football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He also recently released a single called “Get It All”. Media Mikes got a chance to chat with Bret about his new single and his transition from football to music.

Adam Lawton: What made you want to get in to music?
Bret Lockett: I’m an extremely creative person and love art. Music is a huge passion of mine and has been ever since a very young age. I was in the percussion section in band my 6th and 7th grade years and was in choir my 8th grade year. It’s a part of me as well as in my genes from my late cousin Etta James to my Uncle Vernon Green.

AL: Can you tell us about your single “Get It All”?
BL: My newest single “Get It All” is a collaboration with ex MJJ star Prince Syc and the very talented Dejaun Turrentine. We came together to inspire people to literally get it all, not through greed or haphazardly dreaming but through dedication, hard work, and perseverance. We also started a campaign with the same message called the “Get It All Campaign”. You can find more about the campaign by going to www.GetItAllCampaign.com

AL: Do you plan on releasing anymore tracks?
BL: Yes I will be releasing my mix tape called “Inception” later on this year. It has 18 classics on it which I put my blood, sweat, and tears into.

AL: What do thinks is harder writing/performing or NFL training camp?
BL: They are both a challenge because they are so different but one in the same. Writing requires creativity, cleverness, and emotion while performing on the field requires emotion, relentless effort, and reaction. Furthermore, to do both at the highest level take an unwavering commitment and a persistant drive to want to be the best and win.

AL: Other upcoming plans or projects?
BL: My team and I always have a few different plans going on so stay tuned because you never know what’s next!

 

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: bret, football, lockett, music, nfls, talk, ...

Midnight Red’s Thomas Augusto talks music with Media Mikes

Thomas Augusto is a member of the pop group Midnight Red. The group has recently released a new single titled “Hell Yeah” and Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Thomas about the single and the groups plans for the summer.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the formation of the group?
Thomas Augusto: I first met Eric Secharia about 5 or 6 years ago. He at the time was living in California and I was living in Texas. Eric had started to put a group together with Anthony Ladao and they called me to join them. From there we found Colton Rudloff by searching “kid that can sing” on YouTube and, from there we had found Joey Diggs through a mutual producer. That was pretty much the formation of Midnight Red.

AL: What was it like when you all first got together in the same room for the first time?
TA: I think we were all measuring each other up. There was definitely no tension but we were trying to figure out what each other was about. We had actually met Colton and Joey on the exact same day. We took some time to get to know each other but once we were Midnight Red things were effortless.Everything blended together well and it seemed meant to be.

AL: What is the group’s writing process like?
TA:  There is a mixture. Some of the things we write on our own and some of it is written as a group. Anthony is a very talented producer who makes some great beats. We usually will just bring all of our ideas together and go from there.

AL: Can you tell us about the new single “Hell Yeah”?
TA: We recorded “Hell yeah” in Paris with Red One. It was just a blast! It’s a really cool song that we all like. The song fuses several genres in to one. There are some huge pop elements in the song along with dance elements and hip-hop elements. There is a guitar riff in the song that almost reminds me of Red Hot Chili Peppers.

AL: How did the idea for the song come about?
TA: “Hell yeah” was actually created by Red One and his team. We first heard the instrumental portion of the track before it was even done being made. There was a portion of the chorus done but when we heard it we just started exchanging ideas.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands EP?
TA: The EP is currently available on ITunes and was something we put out to help promote us out on the roadduring our tour with New Kids on the Block and The Backstreet Boys. We worked with Red One on that as well and it was a really fun project. We recorded it in Los Angeles and performed a number of the songs while we were out on that tour. The EP gives fan a taste of what they can expect from the full length album.

AL: What are the bands plans for the rest of this year?
TA: The full length album will be out towards the end of this year. We also will be touring and doing a lot of radio promotion.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: augusto, media, midnight, mikes, music, reds, ...

Merrell Fankhauser talks about surf music and his “Tiki Lounge” DVDs

Merrell Fankhauser is one of the innovators of instrumental surf music. He recently released two volumes of “Tiki Lounge” DVDs and a new “Best Of” collection through Gonzo Multimedia. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Merrell about his music and his plans for the future.

Mike Gencarelli: There is a real lack of surf music in today’s music, how can you reflect?
Merrell Fankhauser: I still have been doing surf music, Mike. Disc jockeys and radio stations all across the United States and in Europe remember me from the hey-day of surf music. In the late 80’s there was a resurgence of surf music and what members were left from The Impacts we got together in ’89 and had an album come out in ’94 called “Surfin’ 101”. Then the movie “Pulp Fiction” came out and the label we were on re-issued our albums. I still get emails requesting more instrumental surf music. So “The Impacts” ended up doing three CD’s from late 80’s through the 90’s. So in 2000 I did one called “Rockin’ and Surfin'”. That led Volume 2 & Volume 3 in 2003 and 2004 and now I am working on Volume 4.

MG: What do you enjoy most about touring still today?
MF: I play with my son Tim now and I am producing his first solo album. We sing good harmony together. He is an awesome guitar player. We are having a lot of fun playing concerts. We recently got together with a band I used to play with The Rebels, who had the song “Comanche” in “Pulp Fiction”. We were totally rocking out. It was a real blast.

MG: Tell us about your recently released “Tiki Lounge” Vol.1 & 2 on DVD?
MF: I started out in 1991 doing a show called “California Music”. It was broadcast out of NY and it went out to 150 stations out of satellite. A lot of my old 60’s pals came out and we chatted and then jammed a little. I did that show till around 1995, since I was doing a lot of touring. But I had a lot of interviews in my archive. One day after coming back from Hawaii and touring with Willie Nelson, I looked out on my patio, which is a Tiki themed and I thought to myself “I should do a show called Tiki Lounge”…and that was 11 years ago, Mike. It is a laid back Hawaiian style show and there really isn’t anything like that out now.

MG: Tell us about working with Gonzo Multimedia and your recent “Best Of” collection?
MF: I owe a lot to the head of Gonzo Multimedia, Rob Ayling. It’s been really nice working with them. It was his idea to do the “Best of” collection. I have over 30 albums of material so I started going through them all. It was very difficult what to keep and what not to use. I found a few unreleased tracks in my archives on a few two-track recordings that I found. A lot of that ended up on the “Best of”.

MG: What do you have planned for 2012?
MF: I got releases on different labels coming out and scheduled well into next year. This summer, Gonzo is going to be be releasing “Area 51 Suite” album with bonus DVD”. At the same time, I have a song with drummer Ed Cassidy from Spirit. I have a song with him called “Two Guys from the 60’s” coming out on a Sky Saxon (of The Seeds) tribute CD box. I also got a Greek label that wants to put out a rarities with outtakes etc release together. So combine that with a lot of touring and my TV show, so I am keeping real busy!

 

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: fankhauser, lounge, merrell, music, surf, talks, ...

Zac Brown Band Debut Animated Music Video for ‘The Wind’

Check out the new animated music video for Zac Brown Band’s song “The Wind”. It stars an animated, guitar-shredding, big game hunting robot.

If that wasn’t cool enough it is directed by Mike Judge (King of the Hill, Beavis and Butthead) and produced by Titmouse (Metalocalypse, Motorcity, Superjail!, China, IL, Black Dynamite).

Zac Brown Band’s album ‘UNCAGED’ is available in stores and online on July 10th!

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Filed Under: Music Headlines Tagged With: animated, band, brown, debut, music, video, ...

Laura Wilde talks about music and touring with Ted Nugent

Laura Wilde is an Australian singer/songwriter who is currently out on tour with her band supporting classic rock icon Ted Nugent. Laura just released a new single titled “Sold my Soul” and Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Laura recently about the single and the current tour.

Adam Lawton: What was it that made you want to get in to playing/performing music?
Laura Wilde: I have been obsessed with guitars ever since I was a kid. It was something that was always on my mind. My parents wouldn’t buy one for me so it just started to become a deeper and deeper obsession. Around the time I turned 12 I finally received a guitar for Christmas. I was so happy to have one that I played it all the time. When I was about 16 I decided that I wanted music to be my career. I started recording songs as soon as I finished high school and all while I was attending university. After a year of university I asked my parents if I could try music and see how things go. I have been working at it ever since.

AL: How do you personally describe your sound?
LW: I think it is pretty much just straight up rock and roll. There are screeching guitars, heavy drum beats and some melodic tracks thrown in the mix.

AL: Can you give us some background on your first single “Sold my Soul”?
LW: The song was written and demoed pretty much over night. It was a very fast process and the song sort of wrote it’s self. It’s a celebration song about coming to America and all of the places I want to visit while touring. We had the toe tapping drum beat and then we threw the guitar riffs over the top of that and everything just fell in to place.

AL: What has been the biggest difference for you performing in the States as compared to performing in your home of Australia?
LW: In Australia there wasn’t a real rock scene. There it is more of an indie rock type thing going on. I am more in to the leather and big hair. (Laughs) I decided to come to America after an A&R guy told me that I would be more suited in the States. There are more opportunities here in the States because there is a larger group of people. America is the heart land of rock and roll.

AL: Can you tell us about your current tour supporting Ted Nugent?
LW: It has been such an honor to be invited to tour with Ted. He is a legend and does over 300 shows per year. Ted runs a very tight ship and everything is very professional. It’s been a huge learning experience.

AL: How did you initially become involved with the tour?
LW: My publicist at the time used to be Ted’s publicist as well. She was the one who put it together thinking it would be a good fit. Unfortunately she passed away before she could see everything happen. She has been with us in spirit every step of the way.

AL: What are your plans for the rest of the year?
LW: We are out with Ted until late August. Once we get back home we will be going in to the studio to start on the record. We will definitely be doing a full-length release next and you will probably see some of my older influences shine through. I have about 30 tracks written that we can choose from but I know there will be more stuff being written while we are out on tour. We are looking forward to being busy in the coming months.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: laura, music, nugent, talks, ted, touring, ...

Kimberly Cole talks about her music with Media Mikes

Kimberly Cole’s first single “Smack You” made it to number 3 on the Billboard music charts and Kimberly’s current single “You Make Me Wanna” is on its way to doing just the same. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Kimberly about her such and her recent audition tape which has since gone viral.

Adam Lawton: What has it been like for you after the success of your first single “Smack You”?
Kimberly Cole: It has been crazy! Things have been amazing. After the video release on Oxygen and then the song going to number 3 on the billboard charts it was game on. I think that song legitimized me as an artist. So many doors have been opened which has allowed to me to really grow. I will still watch that video from time to time.

AL: Did you think the song was going to do what it did when you were writing it?
KC: That song was written in an hour. It was inspired by real events and when we were done writing we knew we had something. I played it for my manager and some other people and they all thought it had something. My choreographer did some work with the song and people started asking how to get it. Then people started blogging about it. The song is two years old now and still to this day people are still finding out about it. It’s sort of this cult underground hit. It’s been exciting.

AL: What experience have you gained from opening for acts like Katy Perry and LMFAO?

KC: It is amazing to be at a place where I am with their crowd and the energy. It makes me feel like I am not only on the right track but we are colleagues. I am working my way to being a headliner but I still love opening for other bands. I love the surprise factor. In the studio I am a writer but on stage I am something completely different. I am someone who likes to think a little outside of the box when it comes to my shows so it’s great. It’s really fun to get the energy from someone else’s crowd and win them over.

AL: Can you tell us about some of the other things you were able to be involved in through the release of your “Bad Girls Club” album?
KC: The album did really well and because of the success of the single the Oxygen Network put a clip of the song on one of there shows. From that minute and a half song placement the network was very excited to do something else. We ended up premiering the video for “Smack You” on the network and it did well. Through the album I was able to create a unique relationship with the network which has resulted in talks of doing more work with Oxygen.

AL: What are you currently working on?
KC: I have a new clip out that is sort of a pre-video to my new song “You Make Me Wanna”. It is called “The Kimberly Cole Audition Tape”. The video has a character in it who is sort of a “Napoleon Dynamite” type guy. This character played by Nathan Barnatt crashes the supposed video shoot for “You Make Me Wanna”. The clip has created quite a buzz around the official video because in the audition tape people are rooting for this guy who crashed my shoot to be in the actual video. Because of this we are in talks for the new video and we have a really great treatment planned. Nathan blew us away so we are going to be changing the game a little bit with what the official video is going to be. I also will be doing a show called “A Day in the Life of Kimberly Cole”. The show will have me hanging out with friends and people who I work with. Some of the people I work with also work with major celebrities and are what I call the “Glam Squad” behind some very famous looks. We go behind the scenes to see how these iconic looks are put together. There’s really a lot that goes on to make these looks work. I also have some television things coming up as well. There is a lot of good stuff going on and we are in a really great place.

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Filed Under: Music Interviews Tagged With: cole, kimberly, media, mikes, music, talks, ...
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