Vents Magazine 17th issue
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Transcript of Vents Magazine 17th issue
wwww.facebook.com/ventsmagazine wwww.twitter.com/ventsmagazine
www.ventsmagazine.tk wwww.myspace.com/ventsmagazine
Rafael JóvineEditor/Writer
Lena Marisola &Nicholas DiNatale
MA Photographers
Fred GakuruCover Designer &General designer
TWO YEARS LATER....
That’s right! 2 years ago I started this magazine. Back then the plans where to spread
about. Sick and awesome bands that could easily kick or reach those actual mainstream
called HOPEWHEN.
As month got by, before 2010 ended I began with what now we know as VENTS. Really i
But due to several things, I decided to change and in a way «renew» the vision beyond.
and people started to know about us.
Since then, things have been going AMAZING. Never expected that we would had our ow
spiration and music heroes I always loved and help me in my music career in an inderectly
out there.
But something I am really sure about... The mission is just beginning. Are you ready?
Rafa
Georgia RawsonUk’s photographer
Bree SteeleWriter &
SoCal Photographer
Luisa FernandezWriter and
SoCal Photographer
Emily RawsonUk’s writer
Kevin SloanDesigner
Melissa HurryUk Writer
Cody BlevinsWriter
the word of those bands I loved, but nobody knew
m bands. That way I created what in that time was
it was supposed to be a sis’ mag from HOPEWHEN.
Also got in more social networks where readership
wn radio show. Or that I would have in my pages in-
y way, of course. Never expected such GREAT talent
Cello Fury are the antithesis of the current music scene, with obtuse arrangements, unorthodox in-strumentation, and a a fleeting concern for what's hip. They are visionaries in the dying breed sense.It is a joy to hear experimentation, an with the musical skills they possess, it would be wise to lendan ear.
By Cody BlevinsInterview by Rafael JóvineLayout by Fredrick Gakuru
How did you get into music?
I started playing piano at age 9, and was singing and acting in musical
theater from junior high through college at Penn State University. But it
wasn't until I moved to Los Angeles and became great friends with Vijal
Patel (my guitarist), that my discovery of songwriting really occured.
We formed a trio with an amazing celloist, Craig Treusdell, and put out
our first album, "Sweetloop".
I then met, and was taken under the wing by the amazing singer/song-
writer Jerry Hannan, who helped push me to work on my own solo proj-
ect, and get in the studio to record with help from all my great musician
friends. A year later, I had written, recorded and released the four songs
that are now on my self entitled EP!
What's the message you want to spread with your music?
A lot of my songs are about love and relationships, in all it's crazy and
mystical forms...bad/good, healthy/corrosive, requited/unrequited,
etc...but in the end, you realize that they were all worth the going through
of them, no matter what the outcome. And that without making mistakes
in life, you cannot evolve and grow. Artistically and personally, at the
end of the day, I want my songs to intrigue, inspire and uplift.
Can you describe your music?
I've been described as a Sheryl Crow on a piano, or Taylor Swift, but
with songs aimed more at 20-30 year old women, which totally works
for me, as they are both songwriting idols of mine! But literally, i feel
that half my songs are more country/pop, while the other half dwell in
the 'introspective girl on a piano'/ballads.
Who are your music influences?
Tori Amos, Neil Young, Avett Brothers, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Sheryl
Crow, Neko Case...to name a few.
What has been the funniest moment you guys have been or took part?
Well Vijal and I have been friends and making music together for 13 years
now, so we have a ton of funny memories, but the rest of my band (Aaron
Dubois, Dan Riley, Terence Young) and I have only been officially 'together'
for the past 7 months but i'd have to say, it is ALWAYS fun getting together
with them. Being the only female in the band I definitely get to enjoy the
raunchier side of my humor with these guys as you can imagine. A funny,
but also cute moment just happened the other night in the green room before
our show at THE MINT in LA. I'm 8 months pregnant and the boys put all
their hands on my belly, kind of like, a "Gooooooo Team!" kinda thing.
Super cute, and funny.
What plans do you guys have for the future?
Onward and upward from this point. Write new songs, create, collaborate
and I hope to use the amazing individual strengths that each of my bandmates
have to help expand my own musical and songwriting horizons.
What has been the greatest moment as a musician?
Probably the night of my EP Release party at Molly Malone's. I've been
called a procrastinator who has had problems finishing projects throughout
my life, and making this EP was something that I not only set my mind out
to do, but I finished it all in less than a year, and pregnant at the end! The
feeling of accomplishment was stellar to say the least. Also, after our gig at
THE MINT, my 4 year old son, Jack, ran up on stage and gave me these
sparkly beads and said, "You were awesome, mommy!" It was his first time
seeing me on stage. That definitely would be a tie for 'greatest moment'.
Do you feel you are moving on the right direction?
Oh yes. Most definitely. Since my EP Release in November, I've signed
with a fantastic manager, Rebecca Edelson at Lovestruck Productions, and
in turn, she got me a publishing deal with Left Lane Publishing in Miami,
so yeah, this mama is pretty damn happy these days... :)
Rafa/Vents: Where does Bonedome name stand for?Allan/Bonedome: When I was in high school I had a pretty bad
car wreck where I got tossed out of the door and ended up skid-
ding across an asphalt parking lot on my head. There were two
lasting effects of this. First, the scar tissue caused a little bit of
asymmetry in my hairline that only became more obvious and
weird-looking as male-pattern-baldness began to reveal itself
over the next decade. Second, right before I was released from
the hospital the doctor came in holding a couple of skull X-rays
in his hand, chuckling. The doc threw the images up on the light
and showed me how much thicker my scull was than a "normal"
person's skull, and said "you may have landed on the safest
place, your head." The doctor's comments inspired a notion that
I have a sort of internal bone helmet, and that notion stuck with
me.
Cut to about 7 years later, and I'd finally started shaving my head
bald, tired of the weirdness with my head and hairline--I figured
if you're gonna have a scarred & dented head, you might as well
wear it loud and proud. And although I was playing in a band that
had signed a major label deal, the writing (of my eventual depar-
ture) was on the wall, and I was taking opportunities to play in
other bands. I had to mark my gear with something short and
unique as I bounced from gig/band to band/gig, and my email ad-
dress at the time was "bonehead," So the first mnemonic device
was born that way.
Eventually I had to change email services, and "bonehead" was
taken, so "bonedome" was the next closest thing. And I was
slowly accruing a large collection of songs that didn't really work
in any of the bands I was in, and I had to label them something.
So, just as I continued labeling gear that didn't belong with other
bands with "bonedome," so I started labeling the multi-tracks,
CD's, DAT's etc. on which I was amassing all this material.
When it finally came time to put together all this material, we all
referred to it as the Bonedome material to distinguish it from other
stuff, and it stuck. In the last couple of years self-Googling has
educated me to the fact that some people in military aviation also
refer to a pilot's helmet as a "bonedome," which works fine for
me. too.
Rafa/Vents: How did you all guys decided to create this band?
Allan/Bonedome: I'm lucky enough to be a member of a large group
of working Dallas musicians, AKA "sideguys," who play as much as
we can for whomever we can. Almost all of us are writer/composers,
too, and when the time comes for a project to come together we all
kind of pitch in for each other however we can. That's one reason, for
example, there are so many people contributing on the record...every-
one likes to record.
At the core of the band, however, are me and (drummer) Gerald
Iragorri. I'm the primary writer for this project, and Gerald was crit-
ical to building the arrangements and keeping the project going in
the face of adversity. There's sort of a rotating cast of guitar players
we call on--it's just the nature of the beast for working musicians.
Original bands like Bonedome don't make much money at first, so
we have to have a deep bench of people who can afford to do the gigs
for "love" every once in a while. Our first (live band) bass player Dave
Mabry, normally a drummer in other bands, has moved on to his own
solo project, and I wouldn't be surprised if I end up playing bass in
his band a few times while he's playing guitar--in the mean time Doug
Neil, who made an amazing guitar-prog record last year, will be play-
ing bass for Bonedome. Paul Williams recorded on the record, mixed
it, and has played all the live gigs, but he's a busy engineer/producer,
and he'll end up mixing it up, too.
I'm currently working on demoing the next batch of Bonedome ma-
terial, and Gerald and I will flesh it out, getting a whole host of great
musicians to contribute whenever and wherever they can. Then we'll
rebuild the band around the material...who knows, there might be
more keyboard stuff on it next time and we'll try to rope in Chad
Stockslager (who played on Thinktankubator, too) as a permanent
member.
Rafa/Vents: What's the process at the time of writing a song?
Allan/Bonedome: It always starts with a core idea--sometimes a hook,
sometimes a lyric, sometimes a chord progression, sometimes a sonic
tidibit, sometimes just a vibe or a groove. I'll work it as far as I can,
then when I run into a roadblock I do something else--either work on
some other aspect of the song or work on a completely different song,
always adding and subtracting recording layers using whatever tool
I have handy. Eventually the songs will find themselves about 95%
written and about 85% arranged, all in demo form with a pro-
grammed drums (I love Reason for that). Then I get together with my
available collaborators and start recording, tightening up the loose
lyrical/sonic/musical bits as the need and/or opportunities present
themselves. Eventually you end up with a song that has effectively
written itself.
Rafa/Vents: What has been the greatest moment asmusicians?Allan/Bonedome: Sheesh...I've been doing this a long long
time, and there have been a lot of great moments... The
greatest Bonedome moment, so far in our relatively short
life as a band, was the first time I looked out in the audi-
ence at a show and saw a young, good-looking girl who
was there alone, not with anyone else. Don't get any ideas-
-it wasn't a groupie thing, and I won't embarrass her by re-
vealing her name. She was obviously really into it, we didn't
know each other and didn't have any mutual friends or fam-
ily, and had heard our stuff somewhere... She was there
completely on the merits of the music, and came to the
show based on how the music had touched her. That's one
of the happiest moments I, as the proud parent of all these
songs that I've kicked out of the nest into the wild, could
have. She was "Bonedome (real) fan #1" and we love her
for it. And yes she's been to a few shows since, too.
Rafa/Vents: What has been the funniest moment youguys have been or took part?Allan/Bonedome: Bonedome's short life so far hasn't had
that many funny moments--just some really sweet shows
in front of warm rooms full of friends. So far, nothing as
funny as when, in a previous band long ago, we discovered
when we got to overdubs that we had accidentally/unknow-
ingly recorded all the basic tracks 1/2 step sharp.
Rafa/Vents: What plans do you guys have for the fu-ture?Allan/Bonedome: We're having a great time doing what
we're doing right now, so in the future it'll probably be the
same but more. As I mentioned, we're demo-ing songs for
the new record, which based on the current pace may have
a fall release. In the mean-time we're having great success
getting the word out--lots of great press and college/pub-
lic/community/indie/internet radio is really having a lot of
fun with us because we are not like your average indie
bear. We'd like to continue the progress we've made to-
wards getting some stuff licensed for TV/Film, which we
think will be the best way to propel the economic machine
forward and enable us to keep doing the stuff we really like
doing. I'd like to do some limited touring where it makes
sense. But the primary objective is to keep writing/record-
ing/performing cool music, and doing whateve we need to
do to keep that happening.
Rafa/Vents: Situation question: You guys are been at-tacked by zombies. There's no guns or weapons. Whatwould you guys do?Beat them to death with flaming vampire limbs, duh!
Rafa/Vents: Who are your music influences?Allan/Bonedome: When I was in 6th grade some friends
and I used to walk round singing the tunes from The Bea-
tles "blue" and "red" albums (greatest hits), in the order
we found them on the record, and in multi-part harmony,
so this must represent some kind of influence, right? Up
until then I'd been playing violin in the orchestra, my dad
had been blasting me out of bed on Sundays with Bach
organ pieces in glorious mono, and my only album was the
Star Wars soundtrack (which I found very disappointing,
because I didn't understand why it didn't have dialog and
sound effects). Just a year later I received a copy of the
Clash's "Give 'Em Enough Rope" and began a crash-
course in culture-lagged late-70's/early 80's non-pop
music, including Gang Of Four, The Cure, Stiff Little Fin-
gers, Sex Pistols, Bauhaus, Buzzcocks, Mission to Burma,
The Jam, XTC...anything that had the aroma of "punk" or,
it turns out, was just contemporaneous with punk bands.
My first huge concert was The Who with Billy Squier open-
ing...somehow I tried to draw a line between those bands
and the punk bands. My friend Colin's older brother had a
cool record collection, and someone made a mix tape that
we all copied drove around with for a couple of years in
high-school; The Skunks, Surf Punks, Big Boys, Terminal
Mind, TSOL, Roky Erikson. Those bands that I immersed
myself in along with my high-school friends are probably
the ones that meant most to me, and from there it was sim-
ply a matter of working forwards/backwards. Bauhaus does
a really rockin' cover of "Telegram Sam," for example,
which inspired me to dig deep into and fall in love with
T.Rex. Bauhaus' cover of "Ziggy Stardust" led a winding
path that, years later formed the foundation of a love for
David Bowie, particlulary pre-"Let's Dance."
Rafa/Vents: Do you guys feel the band is moving onthe right direction?Allan/Bonedome: I think so...we're making our way in a rap-
idly involving music environment, and it's pretty exciting.
We're focused on 2 things: making music we can be proud
of and figuring out the best ways to get it into the ears of
the people who are prone to appreciate it. The opportuni-
ties like talking to Vents are pretty promising towards those
ends, and we're grateful for that. We're having fun trying a
little bit of everything towards these ends, except of course
the things we've tried a million times expecting different re-
sults. We'll probably go down a few dead-end paths, either
because we're clinging to old modalities or because we're
trying something new that doesn't turn out work, but we
think if we stick to those fundamental objectives we can't
go wrong, no matter what the outcome.
How did you get started in music?I’m not from a musical family per se but Dad sang a lot
of Johnny Cash around the house and Mom would hum
along to Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66 while passing hors
d'oeuvres at their soirees. It wasn’t long before I was
standing in front of a mirror using a tennis racquet as a
guitar. That was really the foundation I guess. Also, I
went to Catholic school where the nuns made me sing
the soprano solos because I could hit the high notes.
They thought that was a hoot. Jump forward forty years
and here we are. After enjoying a gratifying career as a
Creative Director, I suddenly felt compelled to pick up a
guitar and start singing again. That inspired me to write
which made me determined to record.
What message do you want to transmit with yourmusic? Life happens – enjoy it! There is a mythology
built up around love, success, glamour, beauty, wealth,
intelligence, creativity, all those sorts of things, and folks
get caught up in striving to achieve or at least project, a
perfect picture and we beat ourselves up when we fall
short. The truth is everyone has a story to tell and every
single one of those stories is more complex and more in-
teresting than any romanticized Disney fantasy. My radar
is always up for a colorful anecdote or slanted opinion. I
will eaves drop at a confessional to get good material.
That’s what life is about - the struggles and foibles of the
hoi polloi, the skewed view of the quirky. Celebrate it.
What songs do you love more than the ones you’vewritten? My favorite song of all time is “Pennies From
Heaven”. I love the sentiment. I also love Roy Orbison’s
“Crying” because it’s perfect – PERFECT. And as corny
as it sounds, I still well up when I hear “Hey there Delilah”
by Plain White Ts. There is something about the marriage
of that simple melody and the plaintiveness of the words
- “Oh, it’s what you do to me.” It kills me.
I’m a big sucker for good lyrics so Tom Waits slays me, as does a
band called Elbow. I actually get dizzy trying to keep up with their
clever wordplay. Oh, and here’s a good one - Jeremy Messersmith
– a wunderkind out of Minnesota. Check out “Organ Donor.” Some-
times these songsters are so overwhelming I have to stop listening
cold turkey for fear that I won’t be able to write anything better or dif-
ferent than what they are putting out.
Is there any plan for the future?The goal is to finish up this album by August and start performing it.
Then I’d like to start right up on another. I’m excited about what that
might be. Maybe I’ll do a record inspired by 60’s French Pop, or
maybe Italian Spaghetti Western soundtracks. I’m open. Whatever
it is I hope my current producer, Adrian Holtz, is willing to take an-
other ride. I’m also curious about licensing and publishing. I’d love
to find out if there is a place for me at that table. And I’d love to ex-
periment with
writing something linear like a song cycle or a theater piece. I have
a couple of stories in mind that are ripe for that sort of interpretation.
What’s the funniest prank you’ve ever taken part in?Well, I had a friend visiting from out of town and I invited my neighbor
over for dinner. I told my friend that my neighbor was legally deaf
and to be sure to speak loudly… almost shout when conversing.
Then I told my neighbor the same thing about my friend. When they
finally met they stood there screaming at each other for the first 5
minutes. We still laugh about that.
What country would you like to play?Canada, hands down – dream big. There is something in the water
up there. Their singer songwriter tradition is unparalleled. I revere
their royalty, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, but it’s the new guard
that really blows my skirt up. Guys like Hawksley Workman, Ron
Sexsmith, Rufus Wainwright and the heir apparent, Royal Wood.
These songsmiths are prolific, soulful, humorous and just all around
crazy good.
To play for an audience that understands and appreciates these
unique voices would be a kick.
What are your hobbies?This whole music thing is my hobby. Writing
songs and short stories and clever tweets and
posts. I don’t knit or play with model trains. I’m
not an aerialist or a card shark. I don’t do Su-
doku. I don’t bake sugar dusted fruit tarts and
I don’t prune bonsai trees. I don’t play Xbox
360. I’m not one to fly a kite. I never go an-
tiquing and I certainly don’t whittle, not soap
or wood or otherwise. I’m not into curling and
I don’t raise Alpaca. I like to write and play and
sing.
Do you feel you are moving in the right di-rection?Absolutely. I’m keeping my majestic nose to
the grindstone and writing as much as I can.
This album is taking up most of my time but as
we near completion I’m getting excited about
the prospect of putting a band together and
making the rounds. Everyone says it’s a long
bumpy road but the cool thing is you never
know what’s waiting around the corner. I’ve
met some extraordinary fellow travelers who
have challenged me, inspired me, grounded
me, lifted me, tripped me, picked me up and
pushed me forward. They say it’s about the
journey, not the destination. I think I get that
now. Once you surrender to that notion things
seem to fall into place and you discover that
every moment, every opportunity is preparing
you for the next. Cheers!
Where does VOICE IN THE ATTIC’s name come from?It was inspired by Patrick McGrath’s novel Spider. The protagonist hears voices allegedly com-
ing from the attic of the boarding house he is staying at. Only later does the reader realize that
this guy, Spider, suffers from schizophrenia. The voices are in fact created by Spider’s disturbed
mind and can only be heard by him. To me, this is also an image for all sorts of creative
processes, such as music. You can only be an artist by way of introspection, that is, if you listen
closely to what your ‘inner voice’ tells you. But if you wish to stay sane, the voice in the attic
must enter into a fruitful dialogue with the outside world. That’s one part of the explanation. Be-
sides, I’m a singer and I own a recording studio in the attic of an old house. So I think the name
fits perfectly.
How did you get started in music?My family is a very open-minded one, so I was never forced to practise an instrument as a child.
I was encouraged to discover the sounds of the objects and instruments surrounding me,
though. When I was an adolescent, I started writing my own lyrics and began recording songs
on tape and playing and singing in bands. The feedback was always good, so I guessed that I
was a musical person. When I was in my early twenties, I studied opera at a prestigious con-
servatory. But I didn’t want to end up merely interpreting what others had thought, felt and writ-
ten. I must express my own thoughts and feelings. Also, I missed the down-to-earth feel playing
rock music gave me, which is why I dropped out and focused on my own songwriting instead.
What's your method at the time of writing a song?I once said that I’m a singing poet rather than a poetic singer, meaning there’s usually a story
behind a song written by me that connects to my life, my way of looking at things. One thing I
remind myself of when trying a new song and it doesn’t come out right is this, I tell myself: “BC,
if you’ve got nothing to say, just shut up.” So normally, I have a concept first – a line or perhaps
a topic I wish to write about, something that bothers me or which has recently happened to me,
etc. Once I know what the song will be about, the music comes naturally. To give you an exam-
ple: “Wrong” came into existence when I was at a post office early one morning. Upon leaving,
I couldn’t open the bloody door. I looked up and saw this large sign saying “PULL” just in front
of my face. I had been pushing at the door all the time. Leaving the building I said to myself,
“What the hell is wrong with you, man?” Getting on my bike and riding back home, the melody
for the chorus popped up in my head. As soon as I got home, I grabbed a guitar and a mic and
recorded it. It’s still the same as the one you can hear in the song.
How has the acceptance of your music been so far?Great. I mean, we haven’t got thousands of fans yet, but I believe that’s just a matter of net-
working and distribution. VOICE IN THE ATTIC is still in its first year, and I’m the band’s only
permanent member at the moment. What I’m really proud of is the fact that the feedback espe-
cially from those people who have been inside the music business for many, many years is so
great. I have fans among people whose music I adore, which makes me
really proud. And then I’m in touch with musicians and sound engineers who’ve worked with
legends – and they too dig my sound!
What has been the funniest moment you guys have been or took part?There isn’t a single moment I could pick but when you’re in the music industry you
meet all sorts of weird people and lots of bizarre things happen. One example
might be that I know people who’ve worked behind the scenes with people such
as Motörhead’s Lemmy or the AC/DC drummer. If only 10 per cent of the anecdotes
they’re telling me is true then this biz really is a freak show.
What plans do you guys have for the future?VOICE IN THE ATTIC’s second EP, “Shark Rider”, will come out this year and I
hope to garner a good record deal and get lots of airplay. I really believe in the
new songs. Next I wish to create a permanent line-up for the band and play as
many live shows as possible, both in Germany and abroad. The next step is to
support a headliner. Ah yes, and there are more music videos coming soon.
What bands you think can be somehow distinguished from your music?Among those bands that have influenced VOICE IN THE ATTIC I would count
King’s X and The Tea Party or singer-songwriters like Tori Amos and Tracy Chap-
man. What many people say I sound like when I hit the lower register, though, is
Barry White. I must concede I didn’t even know who that was, so obviously he was
not a direct influence. Apart from the latter comparison I have been told my voice
was recognizably my own, which I think is good in terms of “unique selling point”.
What has been the greatest moment as musician?Having been accepted as an opera singer at Robert Schumann conservatory cer-
tainly was a defining moment for me. From then on, I knew I could achieve anything
I wanted in terms of music. I was always self-taught and I had been practising
opera for less than a year before I went to the audition. Many people thought I’d
make a fool of myself because other than in talent shows on TV anybody who ap-
plies at a conservatory is able to hit the right notes and normally they’ve been prac-
tising for years on end. The audition is as raw as it gets: It’s just you, a pianist and
a panel of judges who are renowned singers. No technology, no room for cheating.
When I was singled out I knew I must be a natural, and that I can trust my intuition
regardless of what others may say.
Do you feel you are moving in the right direction?Yes, absolutely. I’m particularly proud of the fact that although VOICE IN THE
ATTIC’s music is diverse the feedback is so good. That is to say, although I’m not
‘only’ writing rock songs but also singer-songwriter tunes that feature strings or
even rap beats occasionally, people accept this diversity, I think, because my voice
and my way of writing songs serves as
a unifying element, as a kind of trademark. Life, after all, is multifaceted. I like to
mirror that fact in my music.
JUST FREE
What does Just Free stand for or what is the meaning?Just Free has robbed a little from my name (Justin Fremont). It
was decided on for the meaning behind it, which is, to lead a
lifestyle of freedom. Just be free, do not feel tied down, and do
what you want to
do with your life.
How did you begin your music career?I have been around music since birth. I was raised with my parents
istening to plenty of classic rock from the 60s and 70s and also a
fair amount of 90s grunge and alternative. I started out playing
dums at the age of 12. My parents could not afford a drumset, and
did not know if I would stick with it, so they bought me a pair of
drumsticks and I would use them to bang on pillows in the back-
seat of the car while we would listen to the radio on weekend
drives. Once I became a Pillow Rockstar, they bought me a drum-
set for getting straight A's on my report card. I played drums along
with my favorite Green Day, Metallica, and Black Sabbath CDs for
a couple years but had the desire to write my own songs, which
is something you can't really do on drums. My step-dad played
guitar and I started learning on his acoustic and then finally, after
getting good grades again, got my first electric guitar when I was
15.
What's your method at the time of writing a song?I used to write a lot of lyrics and then sit down with a guitar and try
to put music to them. I rarely liked how any of that turned out. It
always seemed like I was trying to force the music to fit with the
songs. Now I just noodle around on guitar for awhile and come up
with some catchy riffs, then I just put words to them that will fit
what is already going-on. Most times I will just start singing ran-
dom things that come into my head. These are generally the first
lines of many of the verses and then I will write out the rest of the
lyric lines to fit the flow that the improv verse had. Although some-
time the entire song can be based on ad-libbed lyrics, "Say/Go"
is an example of this. There was no though behind the lyrics. They
were purely made up and then written down because they fit the
music so well.
What plans do you guys have for the future?Plans are to Go Big! I have been in plenty of bands before and had fun, but this is the first one
that I truly believe in. The music is
original and catchy and our live shows are full of so much energy that it makes Angus Young
look like Celine Dion! We do want to focus on getting an actual album done, but we are all about
playing live and rocking some faces!
How would you describe your music? Rock and roll the way it is meant to be played. Raw, energy-filled,
sexy, and unpredictable. Most of the influence is drawn from immortal rock bands like Led Zep-
pelin, Jimi Hendrix, and Black Sabbath. However we have to tip our hats to some new acts like
Wolfmother, The White Stripes, The Killers, and some of the early Kings of Leon stuff.
What has been the funniest moment you have been or took part before, during or after ashow?We had a gig booked in Denver, CO on a Saturday night and had to play in Columbia, MO on
Friday night. We finished the Columbia gig and drove straight to Denver. That is a 12-hour drive
and most of it is through Kansas, which is THE worst state ever to have to drive through. We
were supposed to have a friend of a friend that was going to let us shower and sleep at her
place before the gig. Well we get there and she decides that she isn't going to let us come over
and shower or crash because her boyfriend might not like it. So, without any money for a hotel
room and an aversion to truck stop showers, we instead opted to sleep in a tree in a park that
was at the foot of the capital building and then bathe in the Colorado River. We got plenty of
strange looks and it was a rather Woodstock-esque experience that I imagine defined the "Just
Free" lifestyle even more. We later found out that this girl's boyfriend was in New York at the
time and would not have even know we were there. I guess our irresistibly sexy reputationpreceded us!
What inspires you to make what you do?I play music for the sheer love of playing music. Nothing makes me happier than when I have
a guitar in my hands. I would love nothing more than to be playing in fround of thousands of
fans, but would be just as content rocking out in seedy bar somewhere. Watching per-formances by some of the rock greats also helps keep me going. Watching a live Hendrixor SRV performance it is like a drug to me. I will be instantly amped up and itching tohave a guitar in my hands.
Do you feel you are moving on the right direction?I think we are. I mean, we are doing this interview, right? The mission is to get our musicout to as many people as we can and even this interview is something that I would nothave even dreamed of a year ago. We have some decent recordings that give people anidea of our sound, but really we just need to get out and play some major gigs. Once theright people see us play live I am fairly certain we will be set on our path to making rockand roll history!
Hot as The White Stripes, Just free easily get you attracted right
away. Riffs, voices, everything combine perfectly.
By RJ Frometa
www.facebook.com/JustFreeFans
Where does GodCry name came from? It reflects the purpose of the band in that we hope to be used as
God’s instrument to cry out to anyone who listens to our music.
It also is a reference to the bible passage I Thessalonians 4:16.
How did you get started in music? Each member comes from a different background. Michael and
Colin are trained musicians, whereas John and Jeannette have
worked on their talents for many years, but have received little
to no training.
What's the message you guys want to transmit with yourmusic? That Jesus is the answer. Nothing else matters really. You can
do everything the world tells you will make you happy, and you’ll
find out it’s all a lie. It won’t make you happy. That void you still
feel inside when you think you have it all, that’s where you don’t
have the peace having Jesus in your heart gives you.
How has been the acceptance of your music so far? Its been great as the response is mostly positive. Not everyone
will like what we do, but we have found that a wide range of peo-
ple of different ages and backgrounds enjoy our music. It’s a
good feeling to know you are connecting with different types of
people.
What has been the funniest moment you guys have been or took
part in?
Our manager John once worked as an assistant at a major fes-
tival. He was told to only let people with the proper credentials
backstage. He denied one gentleman access the second day
of the festival and unlike others who were turned away, this gen-
tleman was truly shocked. The next night, while enjoying the in-
troduction to the festival’s headlining act, John noticed the
gentleman again—he was the lead singer for the headliner.
Ooops.
What plans do you guys have for the future? 2011 looks to be our busiest year yet. We hope to release our songs on Itunes and other
distribution outlets later this year, and are currently looking for labels and/or management
groups to partner with. We are also looking at several options for radio play, and are using
social media (Facebook, Reverbnation, Myspace, etc) and adverstising to get the word
out about us. 2011 is shaping up to be a great year!
What are your hobbies? Jeannette loves to cook. Colin is a jack of all trades—if you give him something mechan-
ical that is broken, 5 hours later it is fixed. John builds his own tube amps, and Michael
plays cello. Our manager John likes to eat--alot.
Situation question: You guys get stuck in an island on the middle of nowhere. Whowould you guys send to look for help? And by waiting, any possible food finishedand the only way to eat now is by recurring to cannibalism, who would you eat first? We would send Colin to find someone because he never gets lost, and we would eat our
manager John first. The guy eats like a horse, and if he couldn’t eat for a while he probably
would lose his mind and go all ”The Shining” on us. So he would have to go first.
What bands you think can be somehow distinguish from your music? I think its pretty clear we are heavily influenced by Evanescence. You could alsothrow Heart, Nickleback, Fireflight, and Flyleaf in there. They are all amazing bandswho have had an impact on us.
What has been the greatest moment as musician? I would say seeing people come to know Jesus at our concerts. We love music, and are
very proud of our work. We feel our music speaks for itself. However, it’s a vehicle for
what the band is truly about. We loves Jesus more than anything else and we play for
him. So when people are brought into contact with Jesus through us, that’s the best feeling
in the world. Once a teenager didn't take his life because he heard our lead singer's tes-
timony and he decided not to go through with it. Sometimes your proudest moments as
a musician have nothing to do with music.
Do you feel you are moving on the right direction? Yes. We all feel called to do this and its our passion. Its not easy, and being fulltime mu-
sicians along with working fulltime, having families, and being an independent act make
it very challenging. However, we love what we do, and we truly feel we are exactly where
God wants us right now.
Awesome vocals, great riffs and one great message fortoday’s society is only part of what this guys are about.Get yourself drag by this outstanding band.
By RJ Frometa
www.reverbnation.com/godcryrock
Q1: Where does The Brymers name came from?A1: The Brymers were originally called “The de-Fenders” and started out as a surf band in California (1963). The average
age of all of the band members was 15. The founding members were Dick Lee (drums), Mike Wagner (guitar), and Ken
Valentine (guitar). In 1964, the group was signed to Diplomacy Records and taken to Los Angeles to record. After the
recording session, Diplomacy Records and West Coast Artists decided to take the members to a plush hair salon in Hol-
lywood to get their hair cut off in front of fans and cameras. The label changed the name of the group to The Brymers in
hopes that the audience would associate the name with the actor Yul Brynner.
Q2: How did you guys get started in music? I got understand you guys began on ¡1963!... Can you tell us theroad from then to now?A2: On a Saturday night in May 1962 I was attending a Melco Dance by Mel Simas, a local radio deejay in Lemoore. A
good friend named Charlie Brown introduced me to Ken Valentine, a local guitar player. Ken and I stated talking about
music and as the evening progressed we decided to start a band. Mike Wagner, another Lemoore resident and friend,
was a guitar player, too. The music bug sort of hit all of us at the same time.
The next weekend all three of us were in my parent’s garage on Champion Street in Lemoore attempting to learn a few
songs. Soon, another guitar player joined the group. His name was Frank Bento. Frank played with the group for a
month or two then left. After a few months of playing we decided we needed a name. Hence, a new band with a new
name was born. We were called The Challengers. Bass player Robert Virden (from Stratford) joined soon afterwards.
We rehearsed at nights and on the weekends until we had enough songs for a gig. Our first gig was at the local Navy
base. Needless to say we were excited, but the excitement subsided when we found out that only male Navy personnel
were in the audience. We made the most of it and had a great time.
In late 1962, Mel Simas approached the group and asked if we would like for “Melco Int.” to become our manager. The
group voted yes and our longtime friendship with Mel began. The surf sound was “in” so a lot of music played was from
The Ventures, Dick Dale, etc.
In September 1963, an electric piano player joined the group. His name was Bobby Cox (from Chowchilla). During that
same time period, Sharon Lee (guitar and vocals) joined the group. She added the female voice for high harmonies and
for some of the girl songs out at the time (i.e., “A Thousand Stars”). What made it even better was that she was my sis-
ter.
To our surprise, we received a letter that stated we had to stop calling ourselves The Challengers as another group in
town owned the name. Therefore, “The de-Fenders” (for Fender amps) was decided upon. After a period we began learn-
ing how to play our various instruments and started playing at local dances.
In November 1963, The de-Fenders were comprised of: Mike Wagner, lead guitar and vocals; Ken Valentine, lead guitar,
vocals, sax; Robert Virden, bass guitar and vocals, and Dick Lee, drums. This line-up made two recordings in January
1964: “More,” an instrumental, and “Irritation,” an original tune. “Irritation” was our first attempt at an original song and
“More” was taken from a movie, but with a surf sound added. The purpose of the recordings was for demo purposes and
to press two tracks. The group rented a studio in Fresno, California and proceeded. During the same time period, Mel
Simas became our manager. Mel heard the recordings and agreed to attempt to shop out the tracks to various record
companies in Hollywood. Two days after the session, Mel was in Los Angeles and visited with executives of Dot Records,
Liberty Records, Del-Fi Records, and numerous others. He returned to Lemoore and met with the group with the same
message from all labels, “The tracks had no commercial value.” The group did not rehearse for two weeks and we began
to wonder whether The de-Fenders were good enough to play professionally.
It was during this time period that Mike Wagner left the group due to his draft notice. Bobby Cox soon followed him. The
de-Fenders now had only three members: Ken Valentine, Bob Virden, and me. The de-Fenders found a new guitar
player/vocalist named Jim Mellick (from Lemoore and later Hanford). The group was up to four members: Ken Valentine,
Robert Virden, Jim Mellick, and me and would remain so for several months.
We began playing at high schools, parties, and local events. We initially played a lot of local gigs for free and then someone
actually paid us. This first paid gig was probably more of an event for us than our first record. It was difficult to believe
that individuals would actually pay us to play music. It sort of made it more special because we were all such good friends.
None of us ever took what we were doing seriously. On the weekends you could find The de-Fenders in my parents
garage at 234 Champion Street or around the corner at my aunt and uncle’s garage on Hamlet Street. To this day, I often
wonder why the neighbors never turned us in to the local police for excessive noise.
We began to play all over and also became a recording band for various other vocal groups. The 1960’s saw an explosion
of musical groups. We traveled and backed up many groups and/or artists including: Chuck Berry, Ian Whitcomb, The
Isley Brothers, Cannibal and The Headhunters, The Five Satins, The Penguins, Dick and Dee Dee, Roddy Joy, Chuck
Berry, The Uniques, The Isley Brothers, Frank J. Wilson, The Coasters, Dick Dale and The Del Tones, The Drifters, The
Pyramids, Bobby Freeman, and Paul Revere and the Raiders.
Q3: How has been the acceptance of your music so far?A3: To date, The Brymers have released four CD's. Sacrifice was released in 2007 and contains 24 tracks that the group
recorded during the 1960's. "Where Are They Now' contains 14 new original tracks with that 60's sound. "40 year Broth-
erhood" was released in 2009 and contains 18 driving tracks. "Never Too Old To Rock-n-Roll" was released in 2010 and
contains 20 tracks. The group has performed on Fox TV Summer Concert Series, and has over 40 videos on You Tube.
The Brymers music appears to be enjoyed and well received.
Q4: What has been the funniest moment you guys have been or took part?A4: One of my favorite memories occurred while backing up Chuck Berry. It was late 1964 and we were on a
Melco Dance bill with Chuck Berry, The Isley Brothers, and The We Five. Chuck Berry was the last act to perform.
Fifteen minutes prior to his time slot he still hadn’t appeared. He finally arrived about five minutes prior to going
on. Remember, that we did not have any time to rehearse any songs. I approached Berry and asked, “Chuck,
what songs do you want us to play?” Berry responded, “What do you mean boy – we are going to do Chuck
Berry songs.” And with that he jumped out on the stage and began playing the intro to “Johnny B. Goode”. We
collectively said, “Oh Shit,” and began following him through the beginning cord progressions of Johny B. Good.
The Brymers performed with Chuck Berry many more times over the years and he always kidded me about the
look on my face that evening. The night went well…but what an experience. I heard a recent interview with Bruce
Springsteen and he described the same sequence of events with our hero, Chuck Berry.
Another crazy time occurred while the group was booked into a San Francisco venue in 1967. Bobby Hollister
(lead guitar and vocalist) had hooked up with this beautiful young blonde after a concert. He proceeded back to
his hotel with the young lady and both entered his room. The rest of the group was next door playing poker and
having a few beers to unwind. At one point, we heard Bobby yelling and banging on our door. As we opened the
door, Hollister came running into the room yelling, “ She has a dick! - She has a dick!” To his surprise, he had
hooked up with a transvestite who was a working female impersonator in a North Beach nightclub. Needless to
say, Bobby was always ribbed about the incident and always checked that future women did not have a “package.”
Q5: What plans do you guys have for the future?A5: The Brymers plan to continue performing and recording an album per year. It is hoped that the lovers of the
60's sound will continue to enjoy our music.
Q6: What are your hobbies?A6: I personally enjoy reading, hiking, playing music, and looking at beautiful women. I am also involved with
producing a compilation box set of 1960's garage rock music from artists from Central California.
Q7: Situation question: You guys get stuck in an island on the middle of nowhere. Who would you guyssend to look for help? And by waiting, any possible food finished and the only way to eat now is by re-curring to cannibalism, who would you eat first?A7: I would definitely send Bill "The Wolfman" Brumley for help since he is not directionally challenged. I think
the rest of us would keep an eye on Jim "Sluggo" Mellick's ass since it is of good size and would probably provide
something to snack on until help arrives.
Q8: What has been the greatest moment as musician?A8: Being interviewed for induction into the Central California Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame one year ago. In addition,
one of the Brymers songs (Fit Me In) has charted in Europe and the group has had two songs placed in movies
(Sacrifice and The Summer of Love).
Q9: Do you feel you are moving on the right direction?A9: The Brymers plan on recording another album this year.
40 years later, a band that has been rocking the world with their
music. Catchy riffs and sounds that would get you in, right on.
By RJ Frometa
www.thebrymers.com
How did you get yourself started into music world?The short version is that I was working at a radio station, and took a fancy
to a lot of the great music that passed my way through the music library ei-
ther destined for airplay or into the non-playable's bin. The process started
in about 1985 and it took me 11 years for the realization to take place that
what I really wanted to do was write songs & perform them, instead of just
playing them on the radio. I started writing & performing in 1996.
What's your method at the time of writing a song?It varies...sometimes it's just a title that pops up & I write toward that by al-
lowing a flow of consciousness do the work, for instance, on Can't Stop
Wonderin' & Who's Gonna Take Care of the Horses? On other days, I map
out the entire theme, hook-line & melody and then make sure my characters
and their situations in the story are in order before starting to write the lyrics.
For example: Still Crazy, Once Chance & Kisses Won't Cut It. And on the
odd occasion, its just a guitar lick that starts it all and takes the whole idea
home like on Give Me Some Twang. I like to co-write as it's a 1+1=3 equa-
tion in the creativity and musical input.
Who are your music influences?They are numerous, from The Eagles to Tom Petty & Bruce Springsteen,
to Johnny Cash, Radney Foster, Chris Knight, Steve Earle, Dwight Yoakam,
and Marty Stuart. I am also heavily influenced by a couple of the relative
newcomer writer/artists like Dierks Bentley & Keith Urban who bring a re-
freshing approach to the old school. Even if their more pop-oriented sounds
are getting them hits, it's the tracks where they do tradition that give me the
buzz for their talent.
Can you describe your music?It's country fueled with southern rock. STILL CRAZY is a record filled with
songs about love, heartbreak, guitars, dreams, tornadoes, trains, living to
the max & dying - featuring killer guitar licks & sizzling pedal steel solos that
will leave you dizzy. It's pure, raw energy...and music that does really well
in a live environment. That's my take on it, anyway!
What has been the funniest moment before, during or after a show?I would have to say it was the time I was playing a show on a Saturday
night, and a woman made her way up to where I was on the stage and
started screaming a request in my ear while I was singing, and then offered
me a drink from her red high-heeled shoe.
What plans do you have for the future?The plan at the moment is to continue promoting the latest album Still Crazy as much as
possible to recoup recording & promotional costs and get the album out to the audience it
deserves. I feel it's a strong record and something a bit different whereas country is con-
cerned. But there are a lot of great albums and artists, so the challenge is always to find a
way to break through. It's been reviewed positively all over the world, and has enjoyed air-
play all over the world as well, although in terms of commercial play in the U.S. and Canada
quite limited. I released single to Canadian radio and it's a tough and challenging market
to break at radio, not to mention a costly game to get into as an indie artist. Radio is alluring,
but you also need to be smart with your money if you want to be profitable as an indie artist.
My intention is to take my calling where it leads, take calculated risks, and turn up the vol-
ume on the amps & give audiences a great show wherever the band gets a chance to play.
We are currently booked as headliners at a couple of festivals in Sweden, and planning to
get over to Nebraska in the U.S. to play some shows there and create a contribution to a
tornado relief fund of sorts that coincides with the airplay I am getting for the song Spring-
time in Nebraska..a song from Still Crazy inspired by the 1980 Grand Island tornado out-
break. Renew the plan from there and keep forging ahead with writing and recording while
surrounding myself with capable people that know more than me about "how" to gain visi-
bility for the music.
Do you feel you are moving on the right direction?That is a challenging question, really. Thanks! Hmmm....if I had three wishes...
No, but seriously...it is certainly a pause for thought question. I often look at things with a
constant level of constructive discontent. I feel that the record deserves a large audience,
and I do what I can during most days to get music out there, book shows & hone the live
aspect. Sometimes I wish for that big magic wand and a Major label to come along and
say "Hey kid, let our team of experienced people show you how it's done. We'll invest in
you!". I wouldn't complain! But at the same time, I am happy with the momentum that has
been built to this point nearly single-handedly as an indie artist.
Country and rock combine together to create some-thing just perfect!... Totally a most look listen musician
By RJ Frometa
www.evanwesterlund.com
Where does Sun Travellers name come from?That was my idea, based on two main concepts as a mediterranean sun
worshipper... The first of a cosmic and upsetting nature, about a dream of
being able to populate planets orbiting different suns, and wondering about
life on earth origins. Also inherited from many Pink Floyd lyrics (Why can't
we reach the Sun... Set the controls for the heart of the Sun... Fat Old Sun...
Two Suns in the sunset...), which sank in my mind since my very early
teens. The second ironically travel-agency oriented, having all of us met in
Amsterdam, with none of us actually from Amsterdam, so travellers, con-
stantly chasing the sun when it shows up between the torrential rain show-
ers.
How did you guys decided to create this band?We met while studying and later teaching Audio and Multimedia here at the
local SAE Institute, originally with the intention of working as engineers for
other artists. We did that for a bit and we decided that we rather wanted to
do it for ourselves and wanted to work on our own music. Some of us still
teach at SAE though, as music certainly doesn't pay the bills, and some
work in the IT/Web.
What's the message you guys want to transmit with your music?The lyrics are often introspective and describe our own crisis, sometimes
nostalgic and quite dark, but at the same time follow a great epiphany.
There's a sense of reaction to a status, the desire to break away, to look
into ourselves and see who we really are behind our day jobs. The instru-
mentals I write are also very soulful and inspired from Classic Rock bluesy
psychedelia, and there's a lot of sonic research to try to reach a sort of
metaphysical dimension.
What has been the greatest moment as a band?So far being able to produce and self-release worldwide our album, which
is quite diverse and contains all our multiple influences, being all of us from
different places and backgrounds (Italy, Sweden, Morocco, UK).
What are your hobbies?Luc (guitars) restores classic sport cars, in fact he has a passion for wrecks
of all sort, underwater, on the ground, or up in the sky. Gordon (vocals) is
the king of fresh homemade pasta and pizza, and also a great skater: could
definitely make him a speedy rollerblading pizza delivery boy. Paul (key-
boards) is an amazing skier and snowboarder. Mehdi (bass) is a fantastic
cook and also plans to have his own brewery. Matt (drums) is a film maker.
Who are your influences?To name a few... Pink Floyd, Genesis, Santana, Doors, AC DC, Grateful Dead, Caravan,
Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, Yardbirds, Crosby/Stills/Nash/Young, Nick
Drake, Simon & Garfunkel...
What has been the funniest moment you guys have been or took part while tour orafter a show? Luc when he doesn't remember how the song starts and keeps upsetting the others with
way too long intros...
Situation question: One of you guys are doing something on a bank (Taking money out,
putting money in your account... whatever); suddenly a robbery take place: What would
you do?
Being broke musicians, we don't happen to go to a bank. Anyway we would try to activate
our metamorphosis devices and turn everybody into plants and little critters. That would
fail. So we would try to convince the hot chick in front of us to take off her pants so the rob-
bers would be distracted by primordial instincts. That would fail too. So we would shout "I
am a broke musician!", the robber would respond "Me too! Come here buddy, give us a
hug!"
Do you guys feel like are moving on the right direction?We are passionate about our music but sometimes we think we live in the wrong place.
We had quite a hard time just after the debut album release, because of two of the original
members leaving, being relocated elsewhere or back home. The line-up suffered and that
unfortunately didn't allow us to do a promotional tour. Besides we wish there was a larger
audience nowadays for alternative and instrumental rock, but at the same time we just want
to leave our mark, transmit our message, doesn't matter if it takes time to get delivered.
Sun TravellersSmooth, awesome riffs and tracks makes a perfect combi-nation that would drag you right away and get you in Love.
By RJ Frometa
www.suntravellers.com
A few months ago, Internet’s world, specifically YouTube, changed forever. A video reached soon
the inordinate number of 40 million and more visitors within a month. You'd think this would be
a mega video created by a legendary artist/band or known character such as Rolling Stone, Led
Zeppelin, Queen, a President's speech, a message from God to the world directly from heaven...
or all together. But no! It wasn’t absolutely anything like that. It was the worst video with the ter-
rible lyrics I think ever written by a human in the history of the world.
Don’t know you guys, but this got me thinking for a while. I mean... The world is so lost now that
nonsense stuff generates popularity? Was it all a plan made by sects to dominate the world?
How did this all happened?
Get ready to know the truth. For a while I decided to find the reason, the solution. In my quest to
find the answer, several theories emerged and I will share them here only to you. None of this is
in any other magazine, only here. It's time to know the secret behind Rebecca Black and her evil
song: Friday.
Network TheoriesAs today's society, which seems to have many things for them to do, but for some reason has
nothing better things to listen than garbage. Proof of it is the video. But unlike us, many people
have tried to decode it. Getting into wrong and simple solutions, though at least provide us with
laughter and such good moments. Below, we got few of those:
Boring TheoryNow, coming to our thing, the first theory could be the answer to all our questions. The reason
why it has generated so many views is because, as humans after all, as also mentioned above,
people today seem to be in a constant boredom. Many healthy and not so healthy ways to have
fun have been created since the earth is earth -Say 350, 000, 000 or 10, 000 years- yet we go out-
side, read the news, and what do we see?... Bad news pretty much committed by people that
deeply beyond psychology was caused besides mental issues, also by boringness. Sounds
ridiculous, but in so many cases that’s correct.
However, there’s an interrogation yet not been answered: if this is the problem, why stupid
movies like Furry Vengeance and Justin Beiber songs, that compared to Friday, are way to awe-
some don’t get this all attraction? How many people spend their time on that? Problems of per-
ception between right and wrong? Maybe. But maybe the answer it’s the following…
Spam TheoryIt would be hypocrite to say we haven’t seen the video several times, etc… However, seventy
million in a month. That’s quite a big number. If our first theory is true, I still hope and really
think that there aren’t so many people with quite a lot of patience to click that video so many
times. I mean, even the biggest hater of all, must have a limit. Thus, as in all social networks are
always weirdos, viruses and spam, it would not be surprising that some of these visits were
made by programs that are used today to raise the ranking and the numbers to impress. And
yes, it exists; I am not making this up.
Funny Special Articles
The Curious
Case of
Rebecca Black
Black – Friday TheoryIt was something that came to me like Puff! It was so obvious!... As we know, the song is
about a Friday. But what Friday? She does not say ... or does it?... Then I found out the truth:
The message was in the title. Many were looking at the lyrics, committing the first and big mis-
take. For you all can understand me, let's take Rebecca out of the title… What’s left after done
that? Black Friday.I know that many have not yet caught the idea. Shortly and without ado, the video hasn’t
generated popularity, but it is all part of hysteria.
Hysteria? That’s right. For those who are not related to the dreaded Black Friday, is what
comes after the much loved and waited Thanksgiving Day. It's very ironic, and after listening to
the lyrics of the song all makes sense. The problem is that whoever wrote the song forgot or in-
tentionally didn’t say what happened, for example, on Thursday. That day, many families were
sitting all giving thanks. Very nice and charming. Then came Friday, where even the most of the
civilized suddenly got possessed by a spirit of insanity, which in many cases, not even the
wildest third world citizen can compare. The buildings are full with mad people all around; others
are buying online more and more until the servers are to be exploited. Saturday everyone feel
the losses that perished in the terrible hours of discord. On Sunday many bury their loved ones
in their churches according to their beliefs, remembering the fallen.
If we look at it that way, behind the lyrics is a subliminal message to all the listeners fall invol-
untarily possessed by the terrifying demon of ignorance and madness. The most sadistic, then,
would such a thing is being watered with a catchy sound. Perhaps even the same artist knows
what she’s doing... Or of course, also the video is in memory of the Black Friday. In that case,
the sadism is still standing. I mean, who sings a pop song about a terrible day?
ConclusionThose who said “I don’t know how to write a song”, “it is hard”, “I would never make it”…
. There’s still hope. Rapper looking for a successful music career in today’s industry? Grab a
kid and make him sing, do a featuring with him and that’s it! I know, isn’t that great?!... And third,
but not less important: How would it be a song about Monday?
Funny Special Articles
Het Madden, A Zombie Perspective/The Zombie's Survival Guide by Calvin A.L.
Miller II
2009/2010 Zilyon Publishing
I'm a zombie fan, I admit it! So this past December when zombiehoard.com was giving
away all kinds of cool undead merch for Christmas, I HAD to try for something! I was
lucky enough to get by my hands on (signed) copies of these two books (and a third)
by Cal Miller! Thanks guys! And my mind was blown away!
I'm sure most of you reading this have seen your fair share of zombie movies, tv shows,
comics, or books. These two gems intriged me because, unlike so many others, they
showed us inside the mind of the living dead.
I read the "Survival Guide" first as its a short book and I wanted to get a feel for
Miller's style and ideas before moving on to the novel. It cracked me up from beginning
to end, yet never let me forget how horrifying zombies actually are. This book also
laid a nice ground work in getting to know the other books main character, Het Mad-
den.
Now, "Het" is another book all on its own. Obviously tipping the hat to zombie con-
ventions created by such masters as Romero, this book takes those conventions, tears
them apart and gives them new undead life ("Who is Alive?").
Beginning at the start of the zombie apocalypse (December 2012), we shamble with
Het as he turns, fights to survive, and becomes a leader for his oppressed brethen. The
plot has quite a few twists & turns, as well as a few surprises along the way. But what
struck me the most is how Miller gets us inside Het's head and makes us sympathetic
towards his journey, then quickly reminds us how he'd feast on us all given the chance.
Both books also deal with heavy issues like racisim, oppression, and feeling alone, but
without getting heavyhanded. Certainly there are a few flaws along the way (mostly
editoral and I would've liked a little more description during the battles) but these
books are must reads for any one who loves zombies! I recently asked Cal about the
sequel to "Het" and he told me to look for it this spring or summer, so now would be
a great time to get ahold of these books!
By Mike Reardon
Book Reviews