Jim James has spent the better part of almost two decades as the lead singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of My Morning Jacket. Through seven studio albums, My Morning Jacket has grown into one of the most acclaimed rock and roll bands in the world. The New York Times heralded the band as, “…the new kings of expand-your-mind, religious-experience rock…” Their last three albums, 2008's Evil Urges, 2011's Circuital and 2015’s The Waterfall, each received Grammy nominations for Best Alternative Album -- the latter debuting at number 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. Alongside the band's recording and touring, James has maintained a steady, bordering on voracious, flow of work.
In 2013, James released his debut solo record, Regions of Light and Sound of God. James wrote, produced and played all instruments himself (except for strings and some percussion) for the record, which was inspired by life and the 1929 novel (written in woodcuts), ‘God’s Man’ by Lynd Ward. It was named one of the best albums of the year by PASTE, MTV and FUSE and was “the year’s first great record” (GQ). A performance of track “A New Life” on the then-hosted Late Night earned high praise from the now-Tonight Show host, Jimmy Fallon just this year: “"…to this day my favorite musical performance was 'A New Life' on Late Night that we did...He [Jim James] is fantastic. I love him”.
In 2016 James released the politically charged solo record, Eternally Even. Rolling Stone described as, “nine flamboyantly spiritual songs wrapped in creamy electronics and set to funk and hip hop beats...an eccentric, gently compelling pleasure. [Jim James] renders his change gospel with conversational grace, Bill Withers warmth, Sly Stone optimism and Neil Young conviction”. The album’s release saw him embark on a national tour with appearances on the Tonight Show, the Late Late Show with James Corden and a debut at #1 on Billboard Alternative chart. The album topped many year-end ‘best’ lists, with NPR praising the record’s “arresting, soulful … transcendent tunes”.
James’ released his third solo album, Uniform Distortion, in June 2019, which was received with immediate acclaim. "A giddily powerful response to these troubled times,” hailed the Guardian in its 4-star review. “His mix of musical joie de vivre and lyrical home truths prove fiendishly effective." The Washington Post said, “With driving guitar riffs and catchy hooks combined with his signature soaring vocals, James delivers an utterly engaging, hard-charging, straight-ahead record that almost feels like a throwback to a different era while also being very much current,” while American Songwriter claimed, “"There are enough artistic twists and turns to please even the most dedicated Jacket fan, showing that James remains as musically edgy as ever on an album that pulses with energy, enthusiasm and the restless spirit James has always personified." Four months after Uniform Distortion was released, James followed with the companion record of Uniform Clarity comprising acoustic renditions of the songs in a more stripped down and honest response to what went before.
Although splitting his time between LA and Kentucky, James has little plan to remain in one place. James has continued expanding on his zealous lists of credits, lending his voice to albums by the likes of the Roots, David Lynch, Brandi Carlile and John Fogerty and partnering with other artists on numerous side projects such as New Multitudes, Monsters of Folk, and T-Bone Burnett’s The New Basement Tapes. Known for his live performances, James has found himself in the touring company of those like Neil Young, Pearl Jam, and Bob Dylan – even appearing in the Dylan-inspired film, I’m Not There – and My Morning Jacket supported Roger Waters as his surprise backing band during famed Newport Folk Festival in 2015. He has embedded himself in the world of film and television, be it through the use of his music in various projects or his long-running relationships with those in the field. James has also established himself as a producer in his own right, producing records by Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dean Wareham, Basia Bulat, Amo Amo, and Ray Lamontagne’s Ouroboros (2016), the same year in which he collaborated with NASA for the launch of their Juno Mission and Sundance Film Festival and their “Freedom of Expression” event. In the fall of 2018, James embarked on successful, intimate, career-spanning solo acoustic tour, which saw him play sold out dates through historic theatres and performing arts centers across the United States. In Spring 2019, James will set out on the Jim James Presents Uniform Distortion Tour, playing the complete record with a full band for the first time nationally.
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Traptis an American rock band hailing from Los Gatos, California. Since its formation in 1997, Trapt has released six studio albums, one live album, one compilation album, three EPs and thirteen singles. This includes number one hits, a platinum album, and placements in movies and video games. Trapt has also traveled the world with some of the best known rock bands of today and of all-time, while managing to sell more than 2.4 million albums.The members of Trapt met in high school in the mid-'90s and shortly thereafter developed an act with Chris Taylor Brownon vocals, Simon Ormandyon guitar, Peter Charellon bass, and David Stegeon drums. The band's first few rehearsals were in Ormandy's guesthouse, which had a party-like atmosphere with its loft overlooking the living room.They began playing at local venues in 1997 before any members had graduated high school. The band received a great response and a positive buzz soon started to grow. In 1998, still before graduation, they were already opening for up-and-coming fellow acts like Papa Roach.Amalgamationwas thedebut independent release by Trapt, released in June 1999 and sold only in the Los Gatos, California area. The album wasconsidereda local success, even though this album sports a drastically different sound compared to later releases. In 2000, Trapt followed-up with an EP entitled The Glimpse.With these two releases and vigorous touring, Trapt caught the attention of major labels. In 2001, the band proceeded to sign with Warner Bros. Recordsand started recording their debut album.. On November 5, 2002,the band released their self-titled album, Trapt,which produced a total of three singles. In 2002, Trapt’s debut single"Headstrong" reached No.1 on both the Modern Rock Tracksand Hot Mainstream Rock Trackscharts, as well as No.16 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Headstrong”also won the 2003 Billboard Music Award for Modern Rock Track of the Yearand Rock Track of the Year, in addition to the Larry Award for Guilty Pleasure Award. Since then, “Headstrong”has been certified Platinum and was rated the No. 1 Alternative Song and No. 8 Rock Song of the Decade (2000s) by Billboard.The second single from the album, "Still Frame,”alsomanaged to achieve No.1 spot on the US Mainstream Rock chart and No.3 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The third single, "Echo" peaked at No.10 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The Traptalbum was certified Platinum by the RIAA, selling over 1.8 million copies to date. "New Beginning,"wasalsofeatured in the film Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler.Before releasing their next full-length album, the band released a self-titled three-track EP, released March 30, 2004, that included live versions of the "Made of Glass" and "Echo" tracks from their debut album, as well as a previously unreleased non-LP track, "Promise".Their second full length album, Someone in Control, was released September 13, 2005.It produced three singles for the band: "Stand Up,""Waiting,"and "Disconnected (Out of Touch).""Stand Up" peaked at No.3 on the US Mainstream Rock chart. In support of this album, Trapt toured with Thousand Foot Krutch, Silvertide, Chevelle, Three Days Grace, Nickelback, and others.
Their live album titled Trapt Live!, was released September 18, 2007.The album featured two new studio songs ("Stay Alive" and "Everything to Lose") as well as live versions of nine songs from their earlier records. On June 10, 2008, Trapt released "Who's Going Home with You Tonight?" as a single. They also recorded a music video for the song.On July 1, 2008 "Who's Going Home with You Tonight?" was released as part of the weekly downloadable content for the Rock Bandgame series. Only Through the Painwas released on August 5, 2008. Trapt toured in support of the album by opening for Hinderon the Jägermeister Music Tourwith Rev Theoryas well aspart of Mötley Crüe's Crüe Festalong with Buckcherry, Papa Roachand Sixx:A.M.. In March 2009, Trapt started the Contagious Tour, also featuring Red, Halestorm, Inept and Since Octoberat several shows. "Contagious" was the album's second and last single, and was also available as a free playable track in the iPhoneand iPod Touchgame Tap Tap Revenge 2.No Apologieswas released on October 12,2010. A year later, Cleopatra Records and Trapt released a compilation album called Headstrong. It featured re-recorded versions of songs, demo tracks, remixes, and acoustic versions of "Headstrong" and "Echo."Trapt’s latest album Rebornwas releasedindependentlyin January 2013. Reborn peakedat No. 44 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on Top Hard Rock Albums. From Reborn, “Bring It”climbedintothe Top 20 of the Mainstream Rock chart andwas used by ESPN as its promo song for Nascar Series.“Love Hate Relationship”was also released as a singleand peaked at No. 29 on Mainstream Rock chart.Trapt will be beginning the Self-Titled Tour in June of 2014, playing tracks off of their major-label debut album Trapt, as well as many fan favorites. Get Trapt music and tour updates at trapt.com.
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Formed in 2013, the Kansas City trio's funk/indie rock sound, mixed with their grasping stage performance, makes for an incredible live show that captures both musical ingenuity and visual spectacle. Captiva produces positive vibes and phunky sounds that are sure to leave every fan feeling buzzed. After releasing 'Basement Creations' in 2014, Captiva is planning their first tour in 2015, and will be traveling nationwide throughout the year.
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Bio
It’s not every band that’s still staking out new musical territory and embracing fresh challenges more than 23 years into their career, but that’s the case with Blues Traveler. Having long ago graduated from the jam-band underground to mainstream stardom, the iconoclastic combo has consistently stuck to its guns and played by its own rules.
For their new release (and Verve Forecast debut) North Hollywood Shootout, the quintet ventured out of their creative comfort zone to explore some adventurous new horizons. The resulting album is a landmark in Blues Traveler’s large and widely loved body of work, demonstrating the enduring strengths of the band’s songwriting while capturing the spontaneous spirit of their legendary live shows.
The aforementioned body of work encompasses eight studio albums and four live discs, six of them certified Gold or Platinum, with combined worldwide sales of more than ten million units. The band’s best-known single, “Run-Around,” was the longest-charting radio single in Billboard history. Along the way, the band has played more than 2000 live shows in front of more than three million people.
“We’re still trying to reconcile the different things we do, and cultivate what we’re individually good at into something that’s bigger than the sum of its parts,” notes frontman and harmonica-slinger John Popper. “When we’re all playing and it’s working, it becomes this separate entity, and that’s still the thing that we’re chasing.”
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Every song from Alex Di Leo is an automatic escape from day-to-day life, a retreat into a state of mind that’s more hopeful and carefree and full of possibility. With his soulful vocals and crystalline melodies, the Nashville-based singer/songwriter delivers an impassioned breed of indie-pop that melts away everyday worries and leaves the listener inspired to live more fearlessly.
Given their transportive power, it’s fitting that so many of Di Leo’s songs are sparked by his adventures in visiting new cities all over the country and across the globe. “I’m always most motivated to write when I’m in a place I’ve never been before,” says the 22-year-old artist. “Even just riding on the plane when I’m traveling somewhere new seems to do something to me, and the melodies just start to come together.”
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Manic Focus is the musical conception of John “JmaC” McCarten that breaks the bounds of the typical electronic music realm. Being classically-trained on piano at an early age, his musical talents have brought him through the realms of hip-hop beats and electronic music, having now evolved into the dynamic, bass-induced sounds of Manic Focus. A Minnesota native and recent transplant to Chicago, this producer is blowing up the EDM scene.
Manic Focus isn't your typical electronic dance music. His first album, Definition of the Rhythm, provides a broad array of tracks, from energized electro hip-hop to tranquil, melodious grooves. His deep bass lines and popping beats drive the tracks along, while spellbinding melodies and carefully-chosen vocal samples entrance the listener. The essence of Manic Focus lies within his flawless production, weaving together rhythms and effects to create a sheer masterpiece every time.
His second album, Expanding Mind, showcases how Manic Focus is broadening his spectrum, going from dark, majestic sounds toward a funky, bass-laden dance vibe. Now dipping into the realms of house, drum & bass, and glitch-hop, Manic Focus is exploring new genres and continuing to produce pure musical magic along the way.
With continuous new releases and dates stacking up across the country, Manic Focus is on pace to take the music industry by storm. The talents of this producer create a spell-binding effect that only further showcases the evolution of his undeniable musical ability.
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From their first LP Are You In or Out?(2009) to their latest LP Casual Acquaintances
(2018), The Growlers have forged their own twisted path on the global music scene. They’re the party band that grew into a traveling circus that spawned their own hit event, Beach Goth. Lead singer Brooks
Nielsen draws a particular devotion among Growlers fans, as does chief cohort Matt Taylor, The Growlers’ music director and lead guitarist. The band's 2016 LP, City Club, produced by Julian Casablancas, saw them expand their palette to include West African, dance and electronic influences.
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Shawn James’ voice is a force of nature, a musical preacher to a flock that accepts everyone, a combination of the gospel choirs he sang with as a youngster and his training in classical music and opera. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago,
James’ timeless sound is steeped in blues legends like Robert Johnson and Son House, forever at the crossroads of damnation and redemption, the two inextricably woven into the fabric of his songs
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Illustrating the perfect underground success story, Slightly Stoopid's dual front-men Miles Doughty (Guitar, Bass, Vocals) and Kyle McDonald (Guitar, Bass, Vocals), created their own label, Stoopid Records, in the early 2000's to avoid signing a record deal and keep their DIY work ethic and freedom. West coast DUB/Rock pioneers later added musicians Ryan 'RyMo' Moran (Drums) and Oguer 'OG' Ocon (Congas, Percussion, Harp, Vocals) from the B Side Players, as well as C-Money (Trumpet, Keyboard) and Dela (Saxophone) from John Browns Body; solidifying their on stage line up. Slightly Stoopid has built a large n' loyal fan base, and has soared to one of the most successful independent artists of this decade. The buzz surrounding the group continues to increase with each successive release; their album catalog sales have topped the 700,000 mark and the group continues to fill the most prestigious concert venues around the world.
The Slightly Stoopid story can be traced to Ocean Beach, California, when childhood chums Miles and Kyle formed the group in 1995, mixing reggae and punk sounds into one smooth stylistic cocktail. Soon after, late/great Sublime frontman Brad Nowell caught wind of the group, and signed them to his Skunk Records label – while the band members were still in high school. A pair of releases soon followed for Skunk - 1996's punk-tinged SLIGHTLY STOOPID (featuring a guest appearance by Nowell on the song "Prophet" – later covered by Sublime and released on their box set, EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN) and 1998's surf-inspired cult classic THE LONGEST BARREL RIDE.
The group self-released 2001's ACOUSTIC ROOTS: LIVE AND DIRECT (a 40-minute acoustic set, captured live at San Diego 's Rock 105.3 radio station) – the first for their own label, Stoopid Records, before issuing 2003's EVERYTHING YOU NEED on Surfdog (a musical departure for the band, that sold more than 130,000 copies). The band's talent for mixing styles was never more apparent than on 2005's CLOSER TO THE SUN (on Stoopid Records / Caliplates / Reincarnate), which featured collaborations with such renowned reggae names as Barrington Levy and Scientist. A year later, Slightly Stoopid issued their first-ever electric live album, WINTER TOUR '05-'06, as well as their first-ever DVD, 'Live in San Diego,' while 2007 saw the release of the group's fifth studio effort, CHRONCHITIS, which debuted at #55 on the Billboard 200, and #2 on the indie charts.
And through it all, Slightly Stoopid has logged some serious road miles – in addition to their incessant criss-crossing of the U.S., which includes appearances at prestigious festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and New Orleans Jazz Fest, among others, the group has played sold-out shows in Australia, Japan, Guam, Amsterdam, Portugal and Denmark, the U.K., Germany, Holland, and the Dominican Republic. "Without [the fans], we'd just be playing at the bar," admits Kyle. "They make it worth our while – when we go out and people are having that good of a time, the energy goes back and forth. Just a good time – we rely on each other's energy." And all you have to do is look at the list of artists that Slightly Stoopid has played with, to get a feel for how much of a large and diverse audience they appeal to - the Dave Matthews Band, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley and the Marley Brothers, Sublime, the Roots, G. Love & Special Sauce, Ozomatli, Toots and the Maytals, and Pennywise, among others, as well as their first-ever sole headlining tour of amphitheatres in 2008, joined by their friends Pepper and Sly & Robbie.
"I think consistently touring is important," explains Miles. "Most people take the route of trying to be successful without even getting out there for people to hear what your band is about. The most important thing is you can be playing in front of zero people or 20,000 people, and you've still got to rock the show. When we were first starting out, literally, we played in front of nobody. We'd show up at the club, and it would be bartenders and security guards, and 'Yo, play your hour set – here you go!' But after you play that show, they tell some of their friends and their friends tell some friends. I think the Internet has helped us a lot too, because people were able to spread the word about the music easier. The most important part is being out there 200 days a year. You're going back to towns twice a year, so people get to come out, and that gave us a real loyal following. Wherever we go, you have these Stoopidheads going crazy. For us, it's pretty much the greatest job in the world."
2008 saw the band issuing their first-ever 'odds and ends' collection, SLIGHTLY NOT STONED ENOUGH TO EAT BREAKFAST YET STOOPID – the group's newest release for their growing label, Stoopid Records (which will also feature releases by other groups, including the label's first signees, Santa Cruz's The Expendables). Included on SLIGHTLY NOT STONED ENOUGH are outtakes from both the CLOSER TO THE SUN (including tracks that were previously issued as a limited edition bonus CD) and CHRONCHITIS sessions, as well as bevy of new material recorded at Miami's famed Circle House Studios, and such cover tunes as UB40's "I Would Do For You" and the traditional "I Know You Rider" (most notably covered by the Grateful Dead). Also making their first appearance on a Slightly Stoopid studio album are newly recorded renditions of such long-time live standards "False Rhythms" and "Sensimilla."
Seemingly always on the move, there appears to be no slowing down in sight for Slightly Stoopid, and according to Miles, that's precisely what fuels the group's creativity. "For us, the most important thing in the future, we just want to stay busy and always playing music – whether creating, touring, or just sitting on your couch and jamming. I think we'll always be recording. And just have fun – without the fun part, it ain't worth it."
In April of 2005 a fresh voice announced his arrival on the international stage with a stunningly inventive document titled Live at Stubb’s. Six years later, Matisyahu returns to the renowned Austin venue that helped to launch his career with Live at Stubb’s, Vol. II, a new CD-DVD package that demonstrates the continued originality and increasing depth of this longtime New Yorker’s craft.
Inspired by the runaway success of the original record, which spawned the hit single “King Without a Crown” and has to date sold over 700,000 copies in the United States, Matisyahu says he always knew he wanted to make another live album. “Performing is such a big part of what I do,” he says, “and there’s a lot about that live energy that you just can’t catch in the studio. So for me it was simply a matter of figuring out the right time to do it.”
He chose well: Last year Matisyahu released Light, a David Kahne-produced studio disc on which he jumped boldly from hard-edged dancehall and ska-inflected New Wave to laidback pop-rock and acoustic folk-soul. The album took Matisyahu well beyond his stylistic comfort zone and charted the growth of his vocals from traditional reggae toasting to a more dynamic, emotional place. But it didn’t necessarily show off his onstage evolution.
“I’ve played so many shows and gone through so many metamorphoses as a performer,” he says. Especially valuable was the opportunity to showcase that evolution at the very club where his career really took off. “It was kind of a return-to-roots occasion,” he says—albeit one where we see how far he’s come, as well.
Part of that transformation has been fueled by Matisyahu’s new band: Brooklyn’s acclaimed Dub Trio, which includes guitarist D.P. Holmes, bassist Stu Brooks and drummer Joe Tomino. The singer first came across the group—as fate would have it—while in Austin recording the first Stubb’s record. “I remember seeing their name at a record signing and being intrigued,” he says. “So I got one of their records while I was on tour, and there was this one song I couldn’t stop playing.”
Shortly thereafter, Matisyahu spent an entire day walking around Boston writing lyrics to the tune. “I love the way they bounce back and forth between really beautiful music and heavier, harder-edged stuff,” he says. “I knew right then that I wanted to work with them.” Last year he booked a show with Dub Trio at a small club in Brooklyn. “We just did an improv set after maybe one rehearsal,” he recalls. “It felt so right.”
That improvisational spirit looms large throughout Live at Stubb’s, Vol. II, which pulls primarily from Light and Youth, Matisyahu’s 2006 full-length. “Dub Trio understand the concept of space,” he says, “which for a vocalist is great, because that leaves a lot of room for me to really get into my lyrics in new ways.” Here Matisyahu uses that room to dig deeper into his sound than ever before, shedding new light on its hip-hop, rock and reggae dimensions to the vocal delight of the enthusiastic (and demographically varied) Stubb’s crowd.
That audience was central to what Matisyahu set out to accomplish with Live at Stubb’s, Vol. II. After all, the fans were the ones who enabled his return to the venue in the first place, affording Matisyahu the opportunity to extend the legacy Stubb’s represents. In fact, one crowd member made a lasting contribution.
“The night before the show I took a picture of my tour bus in the hotel parking lot and posted it on Twitter,” Matisyahu remembers. “Someone sent back a tweet saying they’d figured out which hotel it was and asked if they could come say hi. I said sure and a couple of kids showed up; we hung out for a few minutes on the bus. Then the next night at the show I’m pulling people up onstage during ‘King Without a Crown’ and one of them is the kid from Twitter!” The singer laughs. “So the last clip on the DVD is actually me giving him a high-five.”
The appreciation, no doubt, was mutual.
From San Diego, California, award-winning reggae group Tribal Seeds have become known for their spiritually driven, refreshing rock vibe they have infused with the roots style of reggae music. Originally started by two brothers, Steven Rene Jacobo [lyrics, lead vocals, rhythm guitar] and Tony-Ray Jacobo [producer, keyboard player], Tribal Seeds now boats six members, including: Tony Navarro [lead guitar], Carlos Verdugo [drums], Jose Rodriguez [keys, percussion], and Victor Navarro [bass].
Tribal Seeds’ unmatched musical talent and authentic sound has brought them to the forefront of the reggae rock genre, as their art form has reached people of all ages across the United States, and worldwide. The band’s self titled debut album, “Tribal Seeds” was released in 2008, and their second album “The Harvest” was released in June of 2009. iTunes named both albums the “Best Of” in the Reggae genre, for their respected years. Their debut album helped garner them the “Best World Music” title at the San Diego Music Awards in 2008, and “The Harvest,” which contained fourteen new and original songs, debuted at the number 5 spot on the Billboard Reggae Charts. The tracks, written and produced by Tribal Seeds, were recorded and mixed by Alan Sanderson at Signature Sound Studios in San Diego, and mastered by Erik Lobson at Universal Mastering.
On July 19, 2011, Tribal Seeds gave listeners a brand new EP entitled “Soundwaves,” which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Reggae Charts. The band notes that the album was inspired by their life experiences, being on tour, and their desire to inspire youth to raise their voices and seek a higher consciousness. Tribal Seeds have toured throughout the United States including Hawaii & Guam, and have also performed in Mexico & Aruba. They have shared the stage with artists such as Dave Mathews Band, Jack White, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, Skrillex, MGMT, Cee Lo Green, Jason Mraz, Matisyahu, Sublime with Rome, Taking Back Sunday, O.A.R., Pretty Lights, Pepper, Collie Buddz, The Wailers, Julian Marley, Stephen Marley, Gregory Issacs, SOJA, Rebelution, and many more
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Fans across America are talking about Syracuse-based Sophistafunk, the product of three multi-talented musicians — Adam Gold, Jack Brown, & Emanuel Washington — who combine spoken-word artistry, old-school hip hop, & funky rhythms to create a unique live band experience.
The band met in 2007 and rapidly evolved into a national-touring live act. Known for their HUGE sound (created by only three members), the band has won over crowds with a captivating stage presence and tight musicianship. Rooted by old school funk / hip hop, the trio explores electronic dance grooves while infusing each tune with soul and positively charged lyrics. Sophistafunk is a multi-genre tour de force, jam packed with vintage tones and live instruments.
For six years, this road warrior band has been hitting the pavement and blowing minds across the United States. They’ve collaborated live with greats spanning Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Talking Heads) to Nikki Glaspie (Beyonce/Dumpstaphunk) and were featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives when Gold’s restaurant and music venue, Funk n’ Waffles, was featured on the show on December 25, 2012. Host, Guy Fieri, dug the band so hard, they’ve since played his birthday party in Santa Rosa, CA and became the first band ever to play the International Home and Housewares Convention in Chicago, IL on March 3, 2013, by Fieri’s personal request.
Sophistafunk has played high-profile venues including The Blue Note Jazz Club (NYC), The Boom Boom Room (San Francisco), The Belly Up (Aspen), Brooklyn Bowl (NYC) and more and supported acts including Soulive, G. Love, Foreigner, Trombone Shorty, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, EOTO, Marco Benevento and more. They’ve also gained attention from publications including New York City’s Village Voice and Beyond Race Magazine.
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Yonder Mountain String Band has always played music by its own set of rules. Bending bluegrass, rock and countless other influences that the band cites, Yonder has pioneered a sound of their own. With their traditional lineup of instruments, the band may look like a traditional bluegrass band at first glance but they’ve created their own music that transcends any genre. Dave Johnston points out “What could be more pure than making your own music.” Yonder’s sound cannot be classified purely as “bluegrass” or “string music” but rather it’s an original sound created from “looking at music from [their] own experiences and doing the best job possible.” The band continues to play by their own rules on their new record The Show.
The Colorado-based foursome has crisscrossed the country over the past eleven years playing such varied settings as festivals, rock clubs, Red Rocks Amphitheater in the band’s home state, and recently the Democratic National Convention in Denver at Mile High Stadium opening for Barack Obama. Their loyal fanbase has been built from this diverse setting of music venues as fans latched on to their genre-defying original sound.
In between tours the band spent time this last year working on its fifth studio album. Set for a September 1 release on the band’s own label, The Show is the second album with rock producer Tom Rothrock (Beck, Elliott Smith, Foo Fighters). While some might scratch their heads as to why a string band would want a rock producer, this decision was a natural choice for the band. “We don’t have a lot of nostalgia for the past,” says banjo player Dave Johnston. “You shouldn’t try to recreate the 1940s. I like to think of us as informed by the past and all the great performers before us. But we also want to look forward rather than give people something that has already been perfected.”
The Show has the similar acoustic instrumentation (Adam Aijala on guitar, Johnston on banjo, Jeff Austin on mandolin and Ben Kaufman on bass with all four singing) as many of its classic bluegrass forefathers. Though once again drums are present (as with the self-titled fourth album) with the great Pete Thomas of Elvis Costello’s bands adding a rhythmic backdrop to Yonder’s still-acoustic sound on six of the tracks. The record consists of thirteen songs all written by Yonder.
The band has long cited such varied influences as the bluegrass of Del McCoury, Johnson Mountain Boys, Jimmy Martin, Bill Monroe, Osborne Brothers as well as the punk rock of Bad Religion, Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys. Somewhere in between these two tent poles are early 20th Century composers and alternative rock bands like Grandaddy and Postal Service. It’s all funneled through the band’s unique chemistry, honed since they first met at an informal club performance in 1998. With band members writing individually, in different pairings and as a collective, the album proves that this group is a collection of creative peers and you can hear it in the rich tapestry of music that makes up The Show.
Here Yonder offers such traditional bluegrass sounding fare as “Out Of The Blue” and “Casualty.” The band has explored its country roots in the past and does so again this time on “Steep Grade, Sharp Curves,” a song that describes the roads around its home base in Nederland as well as a particularly dangerous femme fatale. A little further from the roots is the impressionistic “Isolate” with its simple but ominous bass line and minimal arrangement. There is also a bevy of rockers like “Complicated,” “Fingerprints” and “Belle Parker,” a gem of a song about a hard-hearted woman. The band even finds some excellent middle ground between bluegrass and rock on “Fine Excuses” thanks in part to a scorching guitar solo from Adam Aijala. There is also the extended “Honestly” -- at eight-minutes, the longest song on the album, with a middle section that is an excellent platform for lengthier live excursions that are as improvisatory as any electric band on the live music circuit.
The band is a regular at bluegrass festivals like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and the band's own Northwest String Summit as well as massive multi-stage events like Austin City Limits Festival, Bonnaroo and Rothbury. Fans are no doubt drawn to Yonder’s anything goes attitude, its humor and passion about music, and the band’s ability to stretch out live. “We love that people come to see us,” Johnston points out. “Everyone appreciates good music. Some people want to go to a recital and some people want to party.”
But as its fans know, Yonder Mountain String Band does something a little different, more than just a musical party. The Show is the band’s most varied and versatile album to date, and the summation of the journey that these guys are on together. It’s bluegrass for the masses, acoustic tunes filled with dazzling chops, and it’s fun to boot. The humble Johnston sounds as surprised as anyone by the band’s success, but knows that it all boiled down to chemistry, which has never changed. “Somewhere down there we all kind of recognized that we had something unique,” he explains. “But there is no way I could have imagined the amount of success that the band has had.”
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The Magic Beans are a traveling band from Nederland, CO set out to bring their unique, genre-blending music to the masses and inspire a good time. Their diverse songs move your mind, while tight grooves move your booty when they come to town or through the speakers. Drawing from a wide range of influences, The Magic Beans leave nothing off the table as they combine americana, funk, rock, and electronica into a one sound and sometimes even one composition. Their sound has been described as space funk, ameritronica, and groove grass. The group uses no pre-recorded tracks or samples in favor of a more traditional approach to music: original songwriting, diverse instrumentation, and continually pushing the envelope are what have set this group apart. Seamlessly combining acoustic roots music and traditional instruments with modern technology and electric dance music, The Magic Beans are as unique as their place of origin, the Colorado Rockies.
The Magic Beans have shared the stage with an eclectic group of musicians: ranging from members of String Cheese Incident, Lotus, Leftover Salmon, ALO, The Motet, to acts like Eliot Lipp, Railroad Earth, Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Great American Taxi, Zac Deputy, Elephant Revival, Greensky Bluegrass, Split Lip Rayfield, Juno What, Papadosio, & The Werks just to name a few. They've performed over 200 shows as group across the nation in venues like; Ogden Theater, Boulder Theater, Mishawaka Amphitheater, Bluebird Theater, Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Animas Theatre, Belly Up Aspen, the Cabooze, George's Majestic, Parish austin, The Grenada, Gothic Theater, Funky Biscuit, State Bridge Amphitheater, Fox Theater, City Hall, 320South, The Eldo CB, Ghost Ranch Saloon, and many more across the country. The group has a full studio album and live shows available for free to fans at themagicbeans.bandcamp.com and has also put on two of their own festivals and participated in countless charity and benefit events. Look for the groups second studio effort, a double album, to be released early next year.
Scott Hachey – Electric/Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Josh Appelbaum – Bass Guitar
Casey Russell – Keyboards, Synth, Acoustic Banjo/Guitar, Vocals
Cody Wales – Drums, Beatbox
Hunter Welles – Electric/Acoustic Mandolin
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On the title track of “This Land,” Gary Clark Jr. is staking his claim to a literal place on the map, settling
in and declaring: “I told you there goes the neighborhood… This is mine now, legit.” It’s a song with real-
life roots in how Clark and his family have traded up in turf in his native Texas and been met with some
suspicious glances upon move-in. And if it sounds like he’s had some practice in defiantly ignoring
expectations about where he ought to live, well, that’s something he’s been doing musically his whole life.
He’s a rock-and-soul omnivore who can survey the entire landscape of American music — not just the
blues with which he’s so often associated, but reggae, punk, R&B and hip-hop, too — and say: This land
was made for you and me.
He owns it all on This Land, his third studio album for Warner Bros. Records, which is sure to be seen as
a breakthrough in establishing just how much stylistic variation Clark has at his command. There are
plenty of the guitar-hero sounds that have already established him as a headliner, with tunes that reiterate
that Cream influences always rise to the top, from a guy who’s long since come to be considered by
Clapton as a friend and contemporary, not just acolyte. But if a lot of fans would consider Clark the
closest thing we have to a modern Hendrix, what comes through implicitly in This Land is the sense of
just how much Jimi loved and borrowed from Curtis Mayfield. You can think of Clark as one of the last of
the real rock gods, along with fellow master singer/guitarists like Jack White, John Mayer, or the late,
great Prince and the new album certainly won’t do anything to diminish that perception. But This Land is
also a great soul record — one in which it’s easy to hear the lineage that connects Muddy Waters and
Childish Gambino, with distinct nods to Marvin Gaye somewhere in the middle.
You’ll hear strains of Gaye not just in Clark using his falsetto more than he ever has before. It’s in the
mixture of social consciousness and sensuality that was a matter of course for records like “What’s Goin’
On”… not to mention “Sign O’ the Times.” Obviously you hear the awareness of what’s goin’ on in the
song This Land itself, in which Clark finds himself “paranoid and pissed off” among well-heeled neighbors
who “think I’m up to something” just because his family doesn’t fit the local demographics. The attention
to the greater good also informs “What About Us,” which has Clark announces that “the young bloods
are taking over” — something he says to a fictional figure who recurs in several songs, “Mr. Williams,” a
guy who could be a past-his-prime neighborhood boss… or, who knows, a stand-in for some bigger
political figure who also has to go. “Feed the Babies” brings in the brass to augment a call for
understanding that’s a pleading, purposeful antidote to the raw nerves of the title song.
Yet Clark also uses the album to get more personal than he ever has on record before, often assessing
the tough balance between career and family. “Pearl Cadillac” is a payback to a mother’s devotion. He’s
the parent in “When I’m Gone,” preparing a child for yet another trip away on the road, a topic he also
takes up with a significant other in “Guitar Man,” where he’s weighing the “stamps in my blue book” and
the fellowship of the road against the fear of a toll taken by time apart at home.
But if it’s the ballsy tropes of rock, blues and R&B that you’d like a fresh spin on, This Land hardly
foregoes the twin towers of swagger and regret. “Friday night and I just got paid/I’m out looking for some
trouble,” he sings in “Feel Like a Million,” a number that starts out as Peter Tosh and ends up
somewhere closer to an arena-rock anthem. He’s found that trouble and then some in “Don’t Wait Til
Tomorrow,” a balladic plea to the woman at home to forgive dalliances, with the knowledge that she may
exact some what’s-good-for-the-goose revenge. “Low Down Rolling Stone” is an affair-ending lament
from a wayward soul who’s discovered “darkness is my comfort zone.” But there’s no sorrow — yet – in a
pair of kick-ass “got to” songs. “Got to Get Up” brings on the trumpet as Clark repeats “Kill ‘em all!” like
the rock mantra it is, and “Gotta Get Into Something” finds him reaching to pure Chuck Berry territory…
or maybe not so pure, since there’s something positively Ramones-y in his take on furious proto-punk
rock and roll.
It may sound diffuse as an album, but it all holds together as part of a singular vision from Clark and his
co-producer, Jacob Sciba, a longtime Austin friend and chief engineer at Arlyn Studios where most of
This Land was laid down. Clark has had interest from some of the top producers in music but has found
most of them are interested in bringing out just one aspect of his multi-faceted musical persona. Sciba is
the pal and sonic wizard who comprehends the scope of what Clark does, and welcomes it… and is faced
with the challenge of making something sonically coherent out of all these styles.
How to position Clark has been a cheerful problem from the start, since he was a blues aficionado who
loved hanging with the hip-hop kids just as much as he relished going to local Pinetop Perkins shows. He
grew up watching music television, but not so much MTV. “I kind of got introduced to everything by
watching ‘Austin City Limits,’ which had Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmie Vaughan, Robert
Cray,” he’s said. “It all kind of hit me at once, and I just loved anything that sounded bluesy or rock & roll
that felt dangerous and had loud guitar solos up front. Ultimately I figured out where it all came from, and I
think the thing that really resonated with me was guys like Albert King and Freddie King — the three
Kings,” along with B.B. Soon, as a barely-teen prodigy, he was making his way out in to the real world,
being mentored by Austin club owner Clifford Antone as he hooked up with every available local legend.
Local legend Doyle Bramhall brought him to meet Eric Clapton at a Crossroads Festival in 2010, where
they jammed with Sheryl Crow. A year later, his Warner Bros. debut release Bright Lights EP became
the first EP ever to get the lead review in Rolling Stone, which wrote, “A genuine 21 st -century bluesman,
raised on the form in all its roughneck roadhouse glory but marked by the present day? That’s been as
hard to find as a 21 st century clockmaker.”
But Rolling Stone may have really been on to something when the magazine got past his prodigious licks
and added, “Suddenly you can envision him dueting with Adele, swapping tunes with Jack Johnson or
singing hooks for Nas.” Not all those collaborations came to be, but soon enough he was asked by Alicia
Keys to co-write and play guitar on “Fire We Make,” a song from her Girl on Fire album, not long before
he released his Warner Bros. Records debut album, Blak And Blu, in 2012. Not long after, "Ain't Messin
Round", from Blak And Blu was also nominated for Grammy in 2013 and in 2014, Clark had won his
first Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance for the track "Please Come Home", from that album.
Before long he was benefitting from the advocacy of the Rolling Stones, who’ve repeatedly enlisted him
as an opening act and on-stage guest. He played for the Obamas at the White House alongside not just
Mick Jagger but B.B. King, Jeff Beck, and Buddy Guy. On a prime-time tribute to the Beatles, he
performed alongside Dave Grohl and Joe Walsh. On a similar TV tribute to Stevie Wonder, he teamed up
with Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran. On record, he co-wrote and played guitar on Childish Gambino’s “The
Night Me and Your Mama Met.” In 2017 he was widely praised as a standout among standouts at the
MusiCares benefit honoring Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, making two appearances that night, one by
himself and once in collaboration with the Foo Fighters, huge fans who had recorded with and taken Clark
out as their opening act before he graduated to major headliner status.
When the (then-) president of the United States has not only included you on his famous Spotify playlists
but called you “the future,” is there anywhere to go from there? This Land proves there is — and it’s a
genre-free future that encompasses virtually the entirety of electric roots music and African-American
forms and moves forward from there. It’s a landscape that’s his eminent domain.
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For the past five years. Kansas City based group Quixotic has created a full spectrum of music with sounds rich in electronic tones that soar and twist from emotive rich classical string progressions to driving tribal dance music.
Composer Anthony Magliano, along with an award winning band including violinist Shane Borth, keyboardist/vocalist Laura Scarborough, drummer Brandon Draper and Rick Willoughby on Bass, create music with instrumental foundations and diversity that is meant to inspire movement within the group’s other half; dancers, multi media designers, and aerialists.
Quixotic’s use of effects, synths and laptops harness technology in a unique way that’s never been seen, or heard before. The innovative musical technology is combined with the fierce and organic rhythm section to create a marriage between two musical worlds within the five-piece band.
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Amanda Fish began as a singer songwriter in late 2012, refining her original material as a solo act for 2 years before she formed her band in early 2014, a Roots Rock and Soul project featuring Amanda's signature 'from-the-gut' vocals locked into a sturdy groove.
In 2015, she released her first LP, "Down In The Dirt", on VizzTone Label Group, for which she was awarded the 2016 "Sean Costello Rising Star" Blues Blast Music Award. Amanda and her band set Beale Street on fire in the 2017 International Blues Challenge Semi Finals, playing new material slated for her next release.
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Backwoods bravado, patriot’s pride, country soul, keg-thumping beats — these are the qualities that Moonshine Bandits have championed since they began burning up the California club circuit back in 2003.
Their message spread as they rolled from there through the heartland, the dirty South and beyond on their tour bus. No matter whether color their collar is or even if they wore a collar at all, people heard something of their story in their music — and popped back a cold one to celebrate that connection.
Plenty of their trademark sound and message resonates through Baptized In Bourbon, their new album — reverence for God and country on “Red, White & Blue Collar” (“We answered to the call when Uncle Sam cried/You know we always stand for what is right”), a celebration of backwater saloons and Saturday nights on “Stomp Like Hell” (“Before the bar doors close, I’m a-get to stepping/I’m gonna stomp like Hell just to get to Heaven”), a promise to stand firm for freedom on “Raised Up” (“If you ain’t proud of where you’re from, get the hell out of town”).
But there’s more — a new depth that encourages reflection, even hints of doubt. None of this compromises the defiant pride that’s always threaded through the songs of Bird and Tex, aka Moonshine Bandits. Still, something has changed since they released Blacked Out in 2015.
Tex knows why. “This year has been a whirlwind of touring,” he explains. “We’ll play at a bike rally in Oregon one day and then fly to Alaska. That’s had a lot of input on this album, especially on our songwriting. We’ve always been entertainers first, songwriters second. Now I feel like our songwriting has caught up to the entertainment part of who we are.”
In these past couple of years, he and his fellow bandit Bird have been in transition personally as well as artistically. They’ve gone from bus tours to jetting out for extended weekend jaunts. While playing for their die-hard, “blu-core” fans, vestiges of wilder days do appear, sometimes bringing old ways into conflict with new responsibilities.
Tex lays out the question candidly. “When we’re away from our family, is the way we’re living acceptable to God, with all the partying and crazy shit we do on the road?”
This dilemma was somewhere in whatever dream Tex was having late one night when he woke up suddenly. “Three words came to me: baptized in bourbon,” he remembers. “I texted Bird and my manager and said, ‘Hey, I don’t know what this means but it could be some pretty heavy stuff.’ The whole album started with that title.”
The Bandits and producers, Burn County, withdrew to a cabin/studio deep in a forest in the state of Washington. They talked about things they’d experienced, lessons they’d learn and questions that remained. Conversations evolved into lyrics; feelings took on musical shape; tape rolled. And after two weeks they emerged with Baptized In Bourbon, a project unlike anything they’d ever cut before.
“We didn’t sit down and say, ‘Hey, let’s do a themed album,’” Bird insists. “But the themes we were thinking of seemed to carry over song after song. It was like a circle. It wasn’t all heavy. There’s a lot of fun songs on the album too. But basically, Baptized In Bourbon isn’t just about bonfires and keg parties. There’s a lot more to it than that.”
“The Sermon” starts mournfully, with strings and a quiet acoustic guitar. Then a preacher breaks in, a beat kicks off and from the pulpit we hear the query that underlies all of Baptized In Bourbon: “In light of knowing that God is with us, and in light of knowing that He sees us always, how are we going to respond with our lives?”
The answer appears to be that you celebrate, you rock hard, you love without hesitation and fight without fear when you have to. And, if you’re Moonshine Bandits, you drive this story home with help from a gang of gifted guest artists: Crucifix on the slamming “I’m A Hellrazor,” Bubba Sparxxx on “51Fifty,” The Lacs on “Cards I Was Dealt,” Uncle Kracker on “Baptized In Bourbon,” Colt Ford and Outlaw on “Dad’s Pontoon,” Matt Borden on “Shook Me Up,” Jelly Roll on “Wild Ones” …
… and maybe most memorably, the legendary David Allan Coe. David Allan Coe has done some shows with the Bandits to rowdy audiences. Apparently he liked what he saw when Tex and Bird sent him their arrangement of his classic anthem “Take This Job And Shove It.” He volunteered to join with them in the studio and later on stage. Coe also personally called both Tex and Bird to thank them as well as tell them he enjoyed their energy-filled live show.
“I’ve always said there are three guys I wanted to work with before I quit music,” Tex says. “Two of them are dead; the third is David Allan Coe. We decided to shoot a video together at Shawshank. The night before we met in his hotel room. It was like we were old friends, listening to him talk about songwriting. The next day we went to the prison, where he had done three or four years of his life. We were kind of skeptical about what might happen because there’s a lot of emotion involved. Hell, I threw up after going into some of the cells. But he had a great time. Then that night, when we played a show in Bucyrus, Ohio, he did the song with us so we could have the footage.”
Bird smiles at the memory. “Then when we stopped the show to do it again, he gets on the microphone and starts rocking Kid Rock’s ‘Sitting Here Wasting Time.’ It was incredible to see a 77-year-old guy rap to a slow drum beat. The crowd went bonkers. I’ll never forget that. We were so proud to earn his respect.”
Baptized In Bourbon doesn’t stop there. The guys spin parallel stories on successive tracks, featuring male and female archetypes that their blu-core followers can recognize. “‘Renegade Rides Again’ says that you don’t know when the life we’re living is going to catch up with us. Then you go to ‘Hell On Heels,’ which is about some of the girls we’ve met,” Tex says, with a knowing laugh. “It’s pretty much all a true story. We don’t even embellish it. But that’s what happens when you run in this type of circle.”
This is the music that Moonshine Bandits will take on the road later this year, most likely on a bus tour this time. Maybe it’s a bit of a risk to mix the sacred and profane, the rowdy and the introspective, on record and then onstage. But the payoff here is twofold: Their music demands attention from first note to last. And because they enjoy a strong mutual trust with their fans, honesty is essential to that bond.
“I’m away from my wife and kids,” Tex sums up. “My partner has lost numerous fiancees because of this ride. Yeah, we’re out partying — not too crazy to where we’re out of control. And Bird’s dad is a preacher. So sometimes we do wonder if this lifestyle is acceptable. But this isn’t just about our lives. It’s a universal thing.”
At heart, we’re all blu-core. We all hear some of our truth in what Moonshine Bandits are throwing down. Maybe it’s time for us all to be Baptized In Bourbon.
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The Phantastics are a eight member musical ensemble that specializes genre-blending hip-hop. Expect to hear rock, rap, dance, funk, jazz and soul in our music. We were formed in December of 2010 and have been trying to save live music ever since.
thePhantom*- Lead Spokesman/Vocals / Bowties
Leigh Gibbs - Vocals/ Soul Sista lovin'
JJ Cantrell- Lead Guitar/ Vocals/ Nipples
Danny Florez- Elictric Bass/ Vocals/Kill Streak
Ashley Thompson- Drums / Twizzlers
DJ Mitchell- Saxophone/ Karate chops
Tim Pistone- Percussion / loaded brownies
ZSonic Bailey- DJ / busted ear drums
Austin Quick-Keyboard / Bee Gee
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You’ve heard our name, you’ve seen our records, our t-shirts and our stickers. We’re probably the favorite band of someone you know and yet we’re still a mystery to you. Well my friend, that’s okay, I’m here to fill you in and help you to get to know the greatest rock-n-roll band in the world, The Supersuckers.
Our story is almost impossible to believe. This band is literally a human cartoon. We all grew up among the dead-ends and cactus needles of Tucson, Arizona and have known each other since grade school. We graduated from the same high school together at the same time (a school immortalized in our song “Santa Rita High”) and we chose to play in a band together because we liked to hang out together, not because we were great musicians or anything. I truly believe that a band is defined by their limitations, that what they can’t (or won’t) do is just as important as what they can do. I guess that, in this era of pre-fabricated, put-together-to-have-a-hit bands, we’re kind of an aberration and I gotta tell ya that that makes us smile a little every day.
We formed the band in 1988 and we were initially a five piece called The Black Supersuckers ( a name found in some quality “adult literature” we had laying around in our impeccably clean band house!), with me on bass, Dan “Thunder” Bolton and Rontrose Heathman on guitars, Dancing Eagle on drums and a lead singer by the name of Eric Martin. After firmly proving ourselves to be the best band in town we decided it was time to get out of Tucson and try our luck somewhere else. So we tossed a coin with heads as New Orleans and tails as Seattle. Tails it was and in May of “89 we packed up and went north.
We had no idea that Seattle was about to become “Rock Mecca USA”, we just wanted to go somewhere where we could wear our leather jackets a little more often. It was exciting and encouraging to see all of the great bands there, doing their own thing and making some kick-ass, aggressive rock-n-roll that we could relate to, so we started recording immediately. After some classic “creative differences” with our lead singer, we decided to try it as a four piece with yours truly as the singer (I was the only one who knew all the words) and The Supersuckers, as you may or may not know them today, were born.
Our first recordings as a four-piece wound up on various singles for small labels and then were compiled for a C.D. called The Songs All Sound The Same. (For the full story on these recordings I highly recommend picking up the re-issued version on our own label, Mid-Fi Recordings). But it was our live shows that caught the eyes of the good people at Sub-Pop Records and, after a particularly scorching show one night, they offered to put out our records. We said ,“Buy us some beer and you got a deal!” And our long and enduring rock-n-roll ride was officially under way.
Starting with 1992,s “The Smoke Of Hell”, we released a total of three rock records, one country record, split singles with Steve Earle and The Rev. Horton Heat, countless singles and a “best-of” double album (all on Sub-Pop,) then we put out what is considered to be our finest recorded moment to date “The Evil Powers Of Rock-n-Roll”(Koch/Aces & Eights) in late 1999. We’ve also been touring our asses off all over the world with bands like Mudhoney, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Ramones, Motorhead, The Toadies, The Butthole Surfers, The Reverend Horton Heat, The Dwarves and White Zombie. We’ve played a couple of Farm Aid shows and backed Willie Nelson on The Tonight Show. Our music has appeared in T.V. shows (Beverly Hills 90210), Movies (Baseketball, Hype) and commercials (Mountain Dew) as well as countless snow and skateboarding video compilations.
Throughout this entire time, our sole mission has been to create and perform timeless, quality music and get as many people as possible to hear it. That goal has never changed. The pursuit of that perfectly imperfect rock-n-roll moment is all we’ve ever been after. We’ve been doing this for well over a decade now and we’re just getting started.
2001 found us starting our own label; Mid-Fi Recordings. We’ve finally decided to take control of all of our affairs and have become a lean, mean, self managed, totally independent rock-n-roll machine. We’ve got the greatest fans in the world and no one cares more about them and our music than we do. Having our own label gives us the freedom to make more of our music available to them without the hassles of “the middle-man” worrying about things like “marketing” or “demographics”. Hell, these are just hard words. All we want to do is get some kick-ass music out to the people and with Mid-Fi we have been able to do just that. Our first release was a live country record entitled “Must’ve Been Live”, that came out in March, 2002. Since then, we have dug into our “private reserves” and released several singles of some our finest outtake stock (a habit we intend to keep). We’re also planning some split singles with other great artists, the first one being “Never Go Home” by The Hangmen b/w “Flyin’ Into The Mid-Day Sun” by the ‘suckers.
But, by far the most exciting thing we’re doing now is gearing up for the release of our new rock record, Motherfuckers Be Trippin’. It’s the perfect follow up to The Evil Powers Of Rock-N-Roll and will be available to rock your ass on April 22, 2003. We feel better about this record than any we’ve done to date, which is amazing for a band that has been around as long as we have, and we know you’ll dig it as much as we do. It truly seems like we’re just getting the hang of this music making thing!
So, the next time you see The Supersuckers name, whether it’s in the record store or on the marquee at your local nightclub, know that there’s some quality, honest, ass-kicking, hard working individuals in there, trying to make your life a little better through the “Evil Powers Of Rock-n-Roll” (and the occasional detour into the country of course) and we’d love nothing better than to have you there with us. Just remember to wear you clean underwear, because we’re gonna rock your pants right off of you.
Rawkously Yours,
Eddie Spaghetti
Crowning achievements of rock-n-roll glory
•Performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” backing Willie Nelson
•Played Woodstock 2000
•Played Reading/Leeds festivals
•Toured extensively throughout the world including Russia, Japan, Australia, etc...
•Recorded with Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, Kelley Deal of The Breeders
It’s true that the Reverend Horton Heat have been called a great many things over the course of their storied career: Perpetual Carriers Of The Rockabilly Flame, Genre-Shattering Problem Children, Filthy Drunks, and The Most Electrifying Live Act In America (150 shows every year can’t be wrong). But whatever you happen to call them, their country-flavored punkabilly and onstage antics have brought the Reverend Horton Heat a strikingly diverse fan base and a devoted cult following. The Rev himself, aka Jim Heath, leads the way with signature guitar riffs, while pounding out the bottom notes (often on top of) his upright bass is Jimbo Wallace, while Scott Churilla keeps time on the drums.
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PRETTY PINK·FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2019
Emerging from the woods of the Harz in Germany, Pretty Pink has made her mark with her natural distinctive sound and self-made empire.
The versed German DJ, artist and producer captivated people’s attention on a global scale with her relentless drive and passion for her craft. With an ever-changing yet consistent sonic delivery, she is always trying to find a way to take her artistry to the next level. Her recording debut arrived in 2013 with an unforgettable edit of Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’, which demanded the attention of the deep house scene with her uncanny ability to create instantly astounding dancefloor records.
With releases on Armada, Found Frequencies, Suara, and more, Pretty Pink’s impressive discography boasts a variety of sounds bound to please electronic music lovers across the board. She has taken her sound on stage to over a hundred cities worldwide and is planning to extend her journey into North America soon. Playing alongside respectable tastemakers at a myriad of revered venues in her homeland and enchanted the crowds - Nature One, Sonne Mond Sterne, Airbeat One, New Horizon, World Club Dome and more - her loyal fanbase and bookings began to skyrocket.
Her rise to the top is a result of her ever-present work ethic. Having acquired millions of streams across all streaming platforms, along with a self-launched record label WANDERLUST, bi-weekly Radioshow DEEP WOODS, and her own event brands, Pretty Pink has made her work a never-ending party.
With support from distinguished publications like Dancing Astronaut, EARMILK, WARP, Magnetic Magazine, or DJ Mag Mexico, Pretty Pink has cemented her position as one to watch. Her summer record ‘PURE’ in 2018 landed support from industry heavy-hitters, Lane 8, The Mambo Brothers, Lost Frequencies, and WhoMadeWho and still climbes the Beatport Top 100. Her latest track “OVERRATED” (Found Frequencies Records), gained over 500k streams just after one month on Spotify! So, there’s no question that Pretty Pink will continue to command the scene, not just domestically but on a global scale.
Do816 Presents:
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