#FREERANDYBLYTHE

So I'm sure most people have all heard the bummer news thus far.  Lamb of God frontman, Randy Blythe, has been arrested on charges of manslaughter when the band arrived in Prague, Czech Republic on Thursday, June 28th, 2012.

"LAMB OF GOD management will be issuing an official statement on Monday regarding the charges made against singer Randy Blythe. As no formal charges have yet been made and the case is only in the investigation stages, it would be premature to make an official statement filled with false truths or innuendos.

Having said that, management wished to address today one false piece of information that has been included in many of the news stories released so far. Under no circumstances was there a fight of any kind involved. This incident deals with a fan that three times during the concert jumped the barricade and rushed Randy during the performance. It is alleged that the third time, security was not able to reach him and that Randy pushed him back into the audience where supposedly he fell and hit his head.

Again, until the investigation is concluded this weekend, nothing more will be released, but clarity and the facts needed to be addressed on this one reported point which is totally inaccurate." -Adrenaline PR (management for Lamb of God)

Shortly after 9pm (EST), #freerandyblythe hash tag was posted on the Lamb of God Twitter account (which is maintained by a fan and not the band themselves).

[the charge is] "bogus and outrageous and will be dropped immediately." -Mark Blythe (Randy's brother)

As of July 4th, 2012:

"However, there are YouTube videos, which 100 percent show Randy's innocence. As a matter of fact, all of those videos have now been sent to our lawyer, and he's presenting it to the judge tomorrow morning [July 4th]. This case is so full of holes. Nobody reported an injury of any kind at the concert, or after the concert. It was at least an hour to two hours later, supposedly, when this kid went to a hospital.

"So that's number one – why did nothing occur during the show? Number two, he had supposedly been in a coma for 30 days, but it wasn't [until] a couple of months later that they contacted the promoter to ask his understanding of the events. He said the same thing – that the show went on fine, no nothing, no incidents. They told him that a person had been injured, which led to a death, which he had no knowledge of whatsoever. And then it went away. Two years go by, and Randy gets arrested." -Larry Mazur

Apparently, Mr. Blythe has been cooperating quite well with the courts and jail guards.  He even has a cell mate who is attempting to teach him Mongolian, while Blythe is trying to teach him some English (haha go figure eh).  At least he's being productive.  Here is also a shot of Mr. Blythe in the courts over the last few days:

If you want to show your support as a music enthusiast, then help speed up the process and sign a petition to be sent to the White House (25,000 signatures required).  Blythe is schedule for another court appearance on July 19th, 2012.

Video of the alleged incident involving the 19 year old fan:



"American singer of the group Lamb of God Randy Blythe may be released from custody. The Prague Municipal Court dismissed the complaint because the prosecutor, who disagreed with the singer's release on bail. Municipal court bail but increased to twice, ie $ 400,000. Confirmed the singer's lawyer." -iDNES.cz (loose translation from Czech)

As of July 17th, 2012, Randy got a chance for an exclusive interview with Blesk.cz about his time in Prague:


Blesk.cz: What happened during the incident at Prague’s Club Abaton on May 24th, 2010? 

RB: I do not know about any incident. Few remember, because I have a lot of concerts. Just remember that the club was a small stage, which barely fit and group facilities. Apparently there was a security guard because many people climbed onto the stage. I think that one small boy in particular, but I could be confused with other clubs. Since the concert I have glasses, I see very little more than outlines details. In any case, I did not attack anyone.

Blesk.cz: How do you spend time in custody and what inmates? 

RB: I read, I write letters to friends, family, also write a diary. I'm starting to write a book about Pankrác prison and write lyrics.

Blesk.cz: Do you have reservations about the work of the Czech police and justice in your case? 

RB: As for the police, I believe that it is very professional and it follows the principles of good conduct. But in terms of justice, then frankly I do not understand because it is different than the US. I thought that if the group folds on bail, I'll be released.

Blesk.cz: You have passed the bail and soon get to freedom. What are your future plans? 

RB: If I go back to the US, I have to mow the lawn, spend some time with family and plunge back into performing, so I can pay for legal services. Friends help earn money so that we can live decently. If I'd had to stay in the Czech Republic, I would look at the sights, especially in Prague.

An official statement has been released to the general public, announcing the cancellation of Lamb of God's 2012 tour, which also includes my hometown show of Heavy T.O.  The prosecutor has asked for Blythe to remain behind bars, even though he has posted the now $400,000 bail.  Gotta love the judicial system in Czech...
"LAMB OF GOD/ DETHKLOK TOUR CANCELED...

Due to the continued incarceration of LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe in the Czech Republic, the band’s co-headline tour with Dethklok scheduled to begin August 1st in Seattle is being cancelled. The band regrets the decision but the uncertainty of Randy’s release makes it impossible to carry on with the tour. Upon Randy’s release, it is the band’s intention to rebook a tour in the fall and at this time the band fully intends to participate in the Mayhem Cruise in December. 

LAMB OF GOD wishes to thank Dethklok, Adult Swim and Gojira for their support and patience as well as all of the promoters who had dates on the tour. Last but certainly not least, the band thanks all of the fans who bought tickets for the tour and who have been supportive of Randy and the band over the last month that Randy has been held in Prague. Without the fans, there is no LAMB OF GOD."

As of August 2nd, 2012, Randy Blythe was released from incarceration in Prague and is now on his way back to the US.

"I can confirm that [Blythe] was released yesterday afternoon.  The decision was reached yesterday at the end of a closed session.  The only condition of release was the approximately 8 million Czech Koruna bail [which has already been paid]." - Gabriela Pohlová (a spokeswoman for the prison)

Randy recently spoke with MTV News and how the whole situation was handled...


"It could become very easy for me to become aggravated over the fact that my bail was appealed twice, and that the prosecuting attorney was really just spinning the wheels of the system in order to keep me incarcerated … you know, 'This isn't right and that's not how we do it in America' … Well guess what? I wasn't in America.  Their system is different; I think it's archaic, but I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of our legal system, much less the Czech legal system.

I certainly think the prosecuting attorney is going to come at me with everything he has … due to the fact that the American government did not comply with their requests. Initially, after this young man died, they wrote a letter saying 'We want to investigate this,' and the American government said, 'No.'  So I think that's one reason why I remained in prison, because the prosecuting attorney was very angry with the American government. I'm not too pleased with our justice department either, because, if they don't want to comply with an investigation, OK. But have the common courtesy and do your job to safeguard your citizens by at least maybe popping me an email saying 'Hey, you're wanted for manslaughter in the Czech Republic.'"

GNOSIS: An Interview With Monuments

OK, I feel I have strayed away from this band who I instantly fell in love with after hearing "We Are The Foundation" (see below).



UK's MONUMENTS have generated some good buzz surrounding their upcoming (and highly anticipated) album "GNOSIS", which is set for August 27th in Europe, September 25th, 2012 in North America and August 31st in Australia/NZ!

1. Admit Defeat

2. Degenerate

3. Doxa

4. The Uncollective 

5. Blue Sky Thinking

6. Memoirs

7. 97% Static

8. Empty Vessels Make The Most Noise

9. Regenerate

10. Denial

The limited Digipak in Europe/Australia/NZ: 

11. Doxa (instrumental) 

12. Denial (instrumental) 

iTunes exclusive version:

13. Empty Vessels Make The Most Noise (Paradigm Shift Remix)

(Photo taken by Patrick Häberli)

With a new vocalist and a fresh ink deal with Century Media Records, these guys are ready to debut some new material and get their asses back on the road for some touring!



"Century Media Records is proud to announce the signing of the London quintet MONUMENTS with the band being equally excited to join the family: 'We're looking forward to working with Century Media and getting our music to every corner of the world. Expect to have your ears and minds destroyed before the end of 2012. Get ready planet Earth, we're coming to fuck you!'

MONUMENTS are also pleased to announce that singer Matt Rose has joined as the new front man after they went through a long, grinding, and global search. 'We have found the perfect guy right here in our own back yard, we couldn’t be happier with the work Matt has done so far,' says John Browne.

For the past seven months, Rose has been working with the band to make this a monster of an album. Rose will enter Fortress Studios for final vocal production and recording with Dan Weller (SikTh) later this month.

MONUMENTS will continue its work at the forefront of UK Tech Metal having already forged their complex soundscapes into the minds of thousands. More touring is currently being planned."

And now for my favourite part of the article, the Q&A!  I managed to get in touch with Monuments' guitarist Olly Steele for some extra info (and chuckles) about GNOSIS...

- Who did the artwork for GNOSIS?

A friend of ours called Fall Mckenzie. We love his style and the imagery he implies and we feel it reflects our sound perfectly. He also does all of our merchandise, and has done all our art since the beginning.

- You guys must be pretty stoked for the newly inked deal with Century Media?  How did the deal come about?

Absolutely.  Essentially Browne and Steve had been chatting via email over the years. I believe it was around the time over Euroblast Festival last year, which steve attended, that serious talks of a deal started to occur. Perhaps slightly earlier. 

- How did MONUMENTS end up recruiting Matt?  Was it a tedious process?  Can you give us some insight?

He was introduced to us during a very long and arduous audition process including over a hundred entries. As soon as we heard his voice we knew we wanted to jam with him, when we did there was instant Qemistry...

- Where was GNOSIS recorded?  How long did you guys spending working on those tracks?

Haha. Browne's bedroom. The the album's been finished for over two years.  

- How was working with Dan Weller and how did it come about for his assistance with GNOSIS?

It was awesome, we asked Weller to get involved quite early in the vocal writing process, as we wanted someone with the experience and studio know-how to really capture the best performances from Matt, and safe.

- "More touring is currently being planned"... Can you give us any updates in that field?  Will we see MONUMENTS eventually touring Canada/US?

We wanie. We really wanie.

- Are there any other goals (besides releasing GNOSIS) that MONUMENTS hopes to complete in the near future?

Money, guns and pork.

- What's one adjective you would use to describe GNOSIS?

Wheelbarrow.

Much thanks to the management (John) and Olly for taking the time to go through the questions and make this article that much better!  Cheers and start your order some swag (and new album)!  You can also check out some great music videos for "97% Static" and "Regenerate":

Music Releases For June 26th, 2012

So a great set of albums set to hit shelves today folks.  Have you had the chance to preview any of them?  If not, some of the album have previews to check out before making the purchase.  I am thoroughly excited for a few of these albums (coughMMFcoughgojiracoughoffspringcough) and you should be too!  Anyways, check out the albums dropping today and some of the reviews accompanied with them:

"But therein lies the record’s beauty, and, really, that of the band in general. First-time listeners will likely find Worship a grind to get through, and even those with ears more acutely tuned to the band’s mind-melting, wall of noise style might not make it through the whole album in one listen. Fortunately, the release unlocks more answers and offers up more rewards with each additional listen. Beneath the cacophonous rumbling on the surface, the music is actually very lush and textured, even in its own spectacularly loud way. Worship, like Exploding Heart before it, is a grower, music that only truly reveals itself with time, attention, and lots of repeated listens." -Consequence of Sound

"Jackson takes 15 Ellington classics and, combining some into unique medleys (not to mention adding some quotations from other pieces), arranges them into 10 highly original tracks. He is clearly having himself a good time, just listen to the quotation at the end of "The Mooche/Black and Tan Fantasy" or the drum and bass coda at the end of "It Don't Mean a Thing." In the middle of Vieira's hot and sexy romp through "Perdido" he inserts a time bending "Satin Doll" piano solo. This is Ellington's music, but there is no escaping Jackson's aesthetic touch." -BlogCritic

"Everything culminates on the bluesy stomp of "Kiss", which stretches past the seven-minute mark and gives all of the players room to truly shine. Ultimately, Overexposed exposes every facet of this versatile outfit more clearly than ever before, whether its funk, pop, or rock. At the end of the day, Maroon 5 made a classic record here that'll get you moving…" -Artist Direct

"'NO' is not a bad album by any means. It displays Old Man Gloom performing the kind of hardcore-influenced sludge that they are so undeniably adept at, and this part of their musical persona rarely falters. The one thing that holds back this album from true greatness is that songs like 'Shuddering Earth' suffer from a disproportionate amount of ambient noodling, made all the ore disappointing by the knowledge that Old Man Gloom, as referenced by Seminar III, are incredibly good at crafting longer pieces of music. However, fortunately for fans new and old, this unfortunate misstep is greatly overshadowed by the fact that the parts of NO that contain real substance are just as good as anyone could have ever hoped for. We can only hope that NO will not be followed by yet another nearly decade-long break, and that Old Man Gloom will continue to astound for years to come, learning from their mistakes and bettering themselves with each new release." -Sputnik Music

"To say the six years between 2006's Welcome to the Drama Club and 2012's Invisible Stars were tough for Everclear is something of an understatement. Only one of the musicians who appeared on Drama Club remains -- that would be guitarist/singer Art Alexakis, who already was leading a rejiggered lineup in 2006 and now has a completely different crew on Invisible Stars. This is roughly the same group that appeared on Everclear's pair of 2011 releases of re-recorded hits for budget-line Cleopatra, a sure sign a group has skidded into a rough patch, and if they're not explicitly re-recording songs on Invisible Stars, they're certainly eager to evoke memories of the past by reworking hooks from "Everything to Everyone," "I Will Buy You a New Life," and "Wonderful." Of course, Alexakis has never hidden how he works with a limited palette -- he may have expanded sonic horizons on the two-part Songs from an American Movie back in 2000 but he retained allegiance to the same three chords and topics that brought him fame on Sparkle and Fade and So Much for the Afterglow -- so this isn't necessarily a fair criticism to level at this late date. What does count is that the hunger to return to the spotlight results in a looser, livelier record than Welcome to the Drama Club; he's so desperate for somebody to pay attention that his hooks are harder, bolder than before and the band rocks, albeit in the coolly restrained manner of seasoned hired hands. Whether this nostalgia -- so calculated that the prom queen of "Falling in a Good Way" pointedly enters high school in 1995, the year Everclear had their first big hit, "Santa Monica" (and this album's "Santa Ana Wind" certainly brings to mind that tune as well) -- has an audience in 2012 is almost beside the point; after many years in the wilderness, Alexakis has once again found the sound of Everclear on Invisible Stars." -All Music

"There are a few scatterbrained pieces of bliss on Days Go By, but The Offspring have proven that they need a boost before creating their next studio album. Whether it’s more re-written punk anthems or a complete revisiting of the past, they need something. The edgy and exciting punk stylings of The Offspring are there, but they’ve better put into a much better light before. For a band that has been revered since the 90’s for their quirky sense of humor, but respect for punk’s fundamentals, The Offspring have hit middle age with Days Go By. It’s going to be played frequently on the radio, that can’t be denied, but if you’ve been tracking these guys since day one, there’s no sense in blurring that vision of nostalgia any longer. The Offspring’s Days Go By is another unsettling look at a band whose bag of tricks is running dangerously low, so if you’re hoping for a return to the roots for this otherwise influential band, just remember: days go by, and so do The Offspring." -Sputnik Music 

(For a limited time, check out the whole album here)

"France's Gojira have established themselves as one of heavy metal's most wildly creative and cerebral forces. Their fifth studio album sustains their trademark blend of unfathomable heaviness, structural invention and ecological-cum-existential poetry while subtly enhancing its dramatic and emotional impact. As fans have come to expect, songs such as labyrinthine opener Explosia and the scabrous, melancholic trawl of Planned Obsolescence eschew metal cliches in favour of exhilarating percussive twists and turns, churning dissonance and deft flashes of melody. The uninitiated may detect shades of Killing Joke amid the epic, tectonic grind of Mouth of Kala and the skittering menace of the title track, but overall this is a ferociously original piece of work that reaches its electrifying zenith on The Gift of Guilt: six minutes of sledgehammer sorrow built from riffs that sound like warning shots fired from the planet's doomed and turbulent core. This is metal taken to a higher plane of brilliance." -The Guardian (UK)

"Having come to prominence as one of the more tuneful exponents of nu-metal at the dawn of the millennium, Linkin Park have spent much of the past decade steadily paddling away from the wreckage of the genre. Living Things builds on the experimentation of 2010's A Thousand Suns, with subtle electronica having largely replaced the abrasive guitars of yore, although they're still canny enough to throw in a decent number of big rock choruses, as on Burn it Down and Lost in the Echo. By refusing to play it safe, they'll further diminish their original fanbase, but such boldness is to be applauded." -The Guardian (UK)

"Challenger does not deserve to be ignored. Although it is not the most original piece of work to ever grace the earth, it is passionate, rock solid, and extremely impressive. I can’t think of much to detract from Challenger; if I had to single out one song as less impressive than others, it would have to be “Legacy”, but at the end of the day, Challenger is a monster of an album that will most definitely be in the running for album of the year at 2012’s end. Don’t miss out on this one." -Sputnik Music

"You know your record’s weird when the track featuring Yoko Ono comes as precious respite, but that’s how we’d describe ‘Do It!’, and – uh-oh – looks like you’ll need it, because here comes ‘Is David Bowie Dying?’’s monolithic dirge (with Neon Indian), chiming doom for the Thin White Duke before introducing a Can-like twist on the chorus. After all that, Erykah Badu’s scene-stealing cameo comes as some sort of blissful, cosmic slow-jam for the ages, but the record tails off with New Fumes’ shrug-worthy inclusion and a skit featuring Aaron Behrens of Ghostland Observatory, er, ‘fame’.

It all adds up to a deeply deranged and intermittently great listen, and serves as a decent stopgap ’til the band’s next album proper (maybe due this year). Now please – won’t someone shut that fucking wallpaper up?" -NME

"There are many moments when this album shines, particularly in the five tracks I discussed above. Other tracks have potential to be as great as the rest, but unfortunately fall short. I feel that they play it safe at times. For example, the tracks “Makes You Stronger” and “Run Away” have less of the grit and thickness than their preceding tracks have, and I was ready to move on before they were over. I enjoy certain parts of some tracks, but the structures of some of the songs caused my interest to fluctuate.

Despite the few misgivings that I have with What Doesn’t Kill Us, I thoroughly enjoyed this album. It’s been quite a while since I was able to listen to an album all the way through multiple times from the alt rock genre. I found this album to have qualities similar to Thousand Foot Krutch and possibly even Bullet For My Valentine at times. If you are looking for a fun, undemanding, easy-listening rock album that you can belt out the lyrics to, I recommend you give this a spin. It took me by surprise, and while I may not return to it on a regular basis, there are several tracks from it that earned a spot on my summer soundtrack." -The New Review

There are also two awesome DVD's being released this week as well:

(For a limited time, check out the full CD/DVD here)

So if you get the chance, make your way to your local record store or an online retailer to grab yourself some of these great titles!  I have already previewed a few of these albums and all I can say is... you're in for a treat.  Cheers!

As I Lay Dying Gets Awakened & Cauterized!

I hope you folks were pay attention to my blog/music news over the last few weeks.  If you have been, you would know that the always entertaining AS I LAY DYING dropped tons of new tracks from their upcoming album "Awakened".

1. Cauterize

2. A Greater Foundation

3. Resilience

4. Wasted Words

5. Whispering Silence

6. Overcome

7. No Lungs To Breathe

8. Defender

9. Washed Away

10. My Only Home

11. Tear Out My Eyes

There's no denying that the first single ("Cauterize") smacks you right in the face from the first note.  The track leaves much anticipation for September 25th, when AILD will be dropping their 6th album "AWAKENED" via Metal Blade Records, as the fury of AILD doesn't digress whatsoever.  The classic thrash attitude that you saw in their focus shift after "An Ocean Between Us" continues to get more brutal into the new LP.  Anyways, enough of me gabbing.  I know you all just wanna hear the f**kin tracks!

And I give you the official lyric video for the track:



(Side note, listen to that squeal at appprox. 2:35/2:36!)

And now the new addition to this article.  Coming back from vacation, I saw the new music video for "A Greater Foundation" in my inbox.  And HOLY F**K!  What a great debut music video for what seems to be a great record thus far...



There have also been a few reviews starting to kick around the new for all those who got the early play copies to review.

"That's what listening to Awakened feels like. Like the clumsy youngsters pouring their hearts into songs like Forsaken and Nothing Left, on Awakened AILD strive to recapture the magnitude of the impact of their past records. But it's not only the music that tries to feel familiar. AILD are also trying to re-create entire memories, fool us with the image of comfort and ease. Oddly, we can just feel the details. The bits and pieces we never bothered to put into words. And we can feel these extreme moments, even if we don't want to. We put these together, and we get the feel of an album. Enough to know how much we miss them, and how much we hate the people who took them away. Yet most of the praise surrounding Awakened is forced on, by and for the listeners themselves. When we listened to Awakened we thought we saw recocgintion. Now we know. We fake it. If we think we're supposed to recognize some hidden sonic pattern, we just pretend. We bluff it to get a pat on the head from the others. We bluff it to seem less like a freak.

Awakened is the sound of a band caught in a cycle that should have been stopped too long ago, yet the band still continues to push on. It is irrelevant whether the record is awarded 1 or 5 stars, because the album as such does not exist. It exist on an entirely different plane; oddly enough on the same plane that's occupied by other AILD records before there even was an idea of AILD. And this is where I raise concern for the band as a whole, with all their perfections and imperfections: How can they heal if they can't feel time? That's something only the band can figure out, while we silently suffer in the glory of their most recent record. After all, it is us who desperately seek what AILD chose to find. We all need AILD to remind ourselves of who we are. I'm no different." -Sputnik Music

Since the album is nearing it's release date (Sept. 25th, 2012), we will see many more updates to this article so keep checking back!

Metal Blade Records gave us all the juicy details into the upcoming work of AILD:

"The Grammy-nominated group AS I LAY DYING will premiere a new song "Cauterize" today (Friday, June 22) on Sirius Radio's "Liquid Metal" channel at 5:00pm ET. This Sunday, the song will debut on www.AsILayDying.com for free starting at midnight PST for 24 hours only. It will then be available for download on iTunes and online everywhere the next day. AS I LAY DYING are currently holed up in the Blasting Room with renowned rock producer Bill Stevenson, who's also the drummer for Descendents (and has played with Black Flag); and mixer Colin Richardson. The group -- NICK HIPA (guitar), TIM LAMBESIS (vocals), JORDAN MANCINO (drums), PHIL SGROSSO (guitar) and JOSH GILBERT (bass) -- are putting the finishing touches on their new album AWAKENED, due out September 25 on Metal Blade.

AWAKENED marks the follow-up the Decas EP (2011) which reached #2 on the iTunes Rock Chart. The group's last LP, 2010's immensely successful The Powerless Rise debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at #10. The Powerless Rise also reached #2 on Billboard's Independent Albums Chart and #3 on Billboard's Hard Music Albums Chart.

AS I LAY DYING will join the fifth annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, the world's largest touring heavy music festival, which kicks off June 30 in San Bernardino, CA. The main stage will be the strongest ever with the headlining slot occupied by multi-platinum Iowa legends Slipknot, with legendary metal acts Slayer, and Motörhead supporting. AS I LAY DYING will join the main stage in rotation, alongside The Devil Wears Prada and Asking Alexandria; see all dates below. During the Mayhem Festival, AS I LAY DYING will be offering a limited edition laminate which serves as the way to pre-order a copy of AWAKENED from the band directly at their merch booth onsite. Each laminate will have a unique code which fans can enter at www.metalblade.com/awakened for the CD to be shipped directly to their doorstep. Fans must redeem the code by November 1st, 2012 (available in the continental U.S. only). Redemptions received by September 12 will ship by September 18. The laminate will only be available for purchase at the band's merch booth on the Mayhem Festival (purchase price includes the laminate, CD, and shipping)."

Since AILD had a very successful run with the Rockstar Mayhem tour this summer, they are all shipped off now to Europe, and then US/Canada to get everyone hyped up for "Cauterize":

 

Fore more information on AILD, check out their sites below:

- www.asilaydying.com

- www.facebook.com/asilaydying

- www.twitter.com/asilaydying

- www.youtube.com/asilaydying 

AND of course...the pre-order for the new album.

Be sure to drop some comments on your thoughts about "Awakened".  For now, here's is what you'll be expecting if you catch them on tour.  Cheers!

Emotions and Music/Never Making Mistakes

Yeah, I know.  Why the hell is this guy posting ANOTHER Ted Talks article?  Can you blame me for wanting to learn from inspiring and extremely musically gifted people.  Anyways, two videos caught my attention while surfing through the lectures.

One involves the ever gifted Michael Tilson Thomas, director of the San Francisco Symphony and (if you check my previous post) conductor of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra, among many other credentials.  In a nutshell, from what I gathered from this video, Thomas is giving his opinion on how music relates to emotion and how the right combination of notes can make or breaks someone's emotional ties toward the music.  In case you're wondering who this guy is, I think I'll let MTT's website do the introduction for me about this man's work:

"Musical theory, practice and fashion.  In classical music we can follow these changes very, very accurately because of the music's powerful, silent partner...the way it's been passed on." -M.T.T.


(Photo courtesy of Michael Tilson Thomas)

Michael Tilson Thomas is Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony, Founder and Artistic Director of the New World Symphony and Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Born in Los Angeles, he is the third generation of his family to follow an artistic career. His grandparents, Boris and Bessie Thomashefsky, were founding members of the Yiddish Theater in America. His father, Ted Thomas, was a producer in the Mercury Theater Company in New York before moving to Los Angeles where he worked in films and television. His mother, Roberta Thomas, was the head of research for Columbia Pictures.

As Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra from 1988 to 1995, Mr. Tilson Thomas led the orchestra on regular tours in Europe, the United States and Japan as well as at the Salzburg Festival. In London he and the orchestra have mounted major festivals focusing on the music of Steve Reich, George Gershwin, Johannes Brahms, Toru Takemitsu, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov and the School of St. Petersburg, Claude Debussy and Gustav Mahler. As Principal Guest Conductor of the LSO, he continues to lead the orchestra in concerts in London and on tour.

His fifteen-year tenure as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony has been broadly covered by the international press with feature stories in Time, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Times of London and The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung among many others. With the San Francisco Symphony he has presented eight summer festivals including ones devoted to the music of Mahler, Stravinsky, Wagner and American Mavericks. With the San Francisco Symphony he has made numerous tours of Europe, United States and the Far East.

Mr. Tilson Thomas is a Chevalier dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France, was Musical America's Musician of the Year and Conductor of the Year, Gramophone Magazine's Artist of the Year and has been profiled on CBS's 60 Minutes and ABC's Nightline. He has won ten Grammy Awards for his recordings. In 2008 he received the Peabody Award for his radio series for SFS Media, The MTT Files. In 2010, President Obama awarded him with the National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists by the United States Government.



The other video involves American Jazz Vibraphonist Stefon Harris.  In this 13 minute video, taken back from November of 2011, Harris give his views and opinions on big band sound, improvisation and like the description in the video states, sounds can often be took as incorrect or a mistake because of the way that humans perceive the note, scale, even just the sound itself.  Now I am no jazz expect my any means so I don't intend to break this video down and give my analysis on it.

"Every mistake is an opportunity." -S.H.

(Photo courtesy of Stefon Harris)

A graduate of The Manhattan School of Music, he received a B.A. in Classical Music and an M.A. in jazz performance. Stefon is a recipient of the prestigious Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center and has earned back to back to back Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Album including The Grand Unification Theory (2003), the 2001 release of Kindred (Blue Note) and his 1999 release of Black Action Figure (Blue Note) for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo. North Sea Jazz (Netherlands) named Harris for the prestigious International 2002 Bird Award for Artist Deserving Wider Recognition. He has been voted Best Mallet player by the Jazz Journalist Association (2003, 2002, 2001 and 2000), Debut Artist of the Year by Jazztimes, Downbeat's Critics Poll Winner for Vibraphone and Rising Star, Vibraphone (2003) Newsweek's Best Jazz CD, Best New Talent and 1999-2000 Readers Poll Best Vibraphonist by Jazziz Magazine and Chicago Tribune's Debut of the Year. 

Mr. Harris has performed at many of the world's most distinguished concert halls, including Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. The Kennedy Center, San Francisco's Herbst Theater, UCLA's Royce Hall, Chicago's Symphony Center, Detroit's Orchestra Hall, and The Sydney Opera House. He has toured and recorded with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and performed his original compositions with the Dutch Metropole Orchestra in Den Hague. He has toured South Africa, Brazil and Europe performing at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Istanbul Jazz Festival and the Umbria Jazz Festival, among others.

An active educator Mr. Harris conducts over 100 clinics and lectures annually at schools and universities throughout the country. He is currently Artist in Residence at San Francisco Performances and in 2002 at The Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. In addition he has been an active member of the Executive Board of Directors for Chamber Music America. 

In addition to leading his own band, Mr. Harris has recorded as part of The Classical Jazz Quartet, a series of jazz interpreted classics with Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, and Lewis Nash. He has also recorded and toured with many of music's greatest artists, including Joe Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson, Buster Williams, Kenny Barron, Charlie Hunter, Kurt Elling, Cyrus Chestnut, Steve Coleman, and Steve Turre among many others.

Have I lost you attention yet?  Haha, I sure hope not.  Give yourself a few minutes to check out the 13 minute video, comment on whether you agree/disagree/impartial on his views, and take on music, specifically jazz and bandstand.

Hard Lesson To Learn: An Interview With Myke Terry

Well, it's times like this where the lil kid in you wants to smile because you just got to chat with a musician/band you have been following for years.  Well, this was one of those moments.  Background story for moi, I started listening heavily to Bury Your Dead when they dropped their 04' album "Cover Your Tracks".

(Photo courtesy of Returntothepit.com)

Long story short, the band had line up changes and ended up recruiting talented vocalist Myke Terry for (what I consider) two exceptional albums ("Bury Your Dead" & "It's Nothing Personal").  Terry since then has parted ways with BYD, but that didn't stop Mr. Terry from getting back on the horse and get more music running with his now full time project "The Silent Age".

Anyways, I was fortunate enough to get in contact with Myke and ask him about his latest endeavours and what exactly can we expect from his new music in THE SILENT AGE...

***

Hey Myke, thanks again for taking the time to sit down and answer a few questions for AFGM about your latest band, 'The Silent Age'.  For starters, what are you up to today?

Well right now, I'm riding down to hang out with my girlfriend at her beach house for a few days.

What tunes/bands did you grow up listening to?  Did those bands prompt you to start doing music for a living?

My earliest music memories are of myself with plastic tennis racket in hand, listening to Madonna and Billy idol on my parents stereo they had set up in the living room. I would use the racket as my guitar, just shredding all of the solos I heard on the records. I think that being exposed to music at such an early age definitely had a hand in making me into the musician I am today.

You seem to have a great vocal range and it shows in TSA.  Did you go to school/receive any training for those pipes?

Thank you! I took a couple classes with a vocal coach and learned a few exercises from watching "The Zen of Screaming" DVDs but that's pretty much the extent of my "vocal training". Most of what was picked up along the way, I learned by experience, studying peers, and just trusting my abilities.

What is the Myke Terry method for maintaining good vocals consistently?

Haha...uhhh well without giving away all of my secrets... I think the key to maintaining good vocals is taking care of yourself and not incessantly "overdoing it". Unlike the other dudes in the band, as the singer, you only have one instrument....your voice.  Youve got to take care of that thing. Eating well, exercise, and getting good sleep every now and then will do wonders for ya.

Coming from someone who started listening to you in your time with BYD, is playing guitar is something new that you have picked up for this band or is it something you have always done in your music career?

I've been playing guitar since I was about 10 or 11.  I only recently finally started accepting the fact that I'm also a singer. In most to all of my old bands, I was only the guitarist and wrote the majority of all our songs. I had no desire to be a frontman. I was perfectly content being able to hide behind my guitar. It was only until after my band at the time (Cassius) lost our vocalist, was I persuaded by my  mates to act as a temporay singer until we found a replacement. We all agreed that we could easily find a guitarist but trying to find a voice we could trust to serve as a mouthpiece to convey everything the band stood for would be  much harder. It took a lot of practice and psyching myself up before i was ever be able to get on stage.  The rest is history.


(Photo by Kevin Faison... for Rumors Boutique)

What's your guitar setup looking like right now for axe, amp, pedals, etc.

As of late I've been playing Fender and ESP guitars. I am really big on telecasters and ESP's phoenix guitars. For amps, I'm running a fender hot rod deville 212 III and a fender deluxe. I've got a couple of boutique pedals that I use here and there, but my pedalboard  staples include my fulltone full drive 2, my boss DD-20 and DD-6.

Second part of that questions, what kind of mics are you using/recommend?

I've really only ever used Beta 58a's so I guess I would have to recommend them. They've never let me down and feel good in hand.

Are doing any projects on the side besides TSA?

I've spent the last 2 years writing with/for bands and artists as well guest appearing on a few bands albums. As of right now however, all of my energy has been used working on  TSA material.

TSA seems like a much different beast than Bury Your Dead.  You must have found a major difference between the two vocal styles?

Definitely, the main and most notable difference is in delivery. With TSA, the task of writing is a little more tedious because you have to come up with the theme, then the words, then a melody that sells the track in the chorus. You have to focus on not singing flat or sharp...it's a process. In BYD or for most bands with super aggressive vocals,  you don't have to necessarily concern yourself with "singing in key". As long as your scream sounds pissed and emotional, usually... you're good. Haha

There is also less demands on you physically with TSA. When I would finish a  BYD set, I would come off stage  the smelliest, sweatiest mess; Out of breath and feeling like I'd  just ran an hour long sprint.  I still sweat a lot in TSA just because I am part penguin and any degree over brisk is too hot, but it's way less gross.

The Band:

So what is The Silent Age?  How did the band come about and how did you guys end up that band name?

The Silent Age is an American rock band! After BYD, I went through a lot,mentally  to say the least. Without delving too far into it, I decided that I wasn't ready to give up on music despite being burned so badly. I was working with Zach and his other band on some tracks at the time. We eventually started writing together separate of his band and we meshed too well. He had a friend who knew someone who knew someone, so on and so forth until we found Trav and Wayne.

These days with technology constantly advancing and changing, there is less and less natural communication in the world. Nowadays, You can have endless hours of conversations with someone without ever having to open your mouth.  Theres not enough people talking face to face or using our voices to express ourselves. We live our lives in a silent age of  smart devices and technology being used to communicate our feelings and emotions. The one medium of communication that remains relatively untouched is the dialogue between musician and listener. We feel that playing music to convey our thoughts and feelings is our best chance at preserving something that is quickly becoming obsolete. That's how we came up with the name.



TSA states their influences from Coldplay, Radiohead, and Smashing Pumpkins.  Are there anymore bands to add to that list?

There are lots of bands that I could say have an influence on us as musicians and as a band in general. I feel that when making a connection with a group or artist you like you're going to inevitably take something from their work and apply it to your own style.

Any particular songs come to mind when you think of those bands?  Just curious if you have some favourite songs from those influences. 

One of my favorite songs from Radiohead is a track called Kinetic. I spend most of my day listening to music from a zillion different artists, trying to pick a favorite is always so difficult.

Do you guys do much as a band in your spare time, or does everyone just get back to their personal lives in between recording and touring?

Yeah we are all really good friends and live in the same apartment complex so there is always at least one or two of us hanging out at any given time. I think  us being such good friends translates over to us being more of a cohesive unit when it comes time to riff.


(Photo taken by Brandon Copeland)

The Music:

"Guitar driven rock and roll from Richmond, VA."  What about TSA makes it guitar driven?

We all grew listening to huge rock bands with blaring guitars. In TSA we are huge on experimenting with different guitar tones and chords as the foundation to our songs.

Where are you guys doing your recordings at?  Any specific equipment you're using that you would encourage others to use? 

Lately we have been recording with our really good friend and producer, Kenny Barnes over at his studio, The Palisade, here in Richmond. We use lots of Fender, Marshall, ESP, Ampeg, and Tama equipment.

Loved the music video you guys put out for "Hard Lesson to Learn".  Can you give us some background info on the video?  Where was it shot?  How did you come to the idea of using special effects?

Thank you! The video was shot here in Richmond by Kris Cox and Dave Odell. They approached us with the idea and we loved it. Those guys really worked hard to help us get the video out and to capture everything we wanted in the video.


(Directed by Dave O'Dell, Produced by Kris Cox, Special Make-Up Effects by Beth Gorley and Hannah Elvington)

"Richmond friends, we need your help! On saturday, April 14, We are looking for about 10-20 people interested in being turned into zombies for a day for the video we are shooting. We will feed you lunch and give you copious amounts of high fives..."

I take it that's how you recruited your zombies?  How was the response?

The response was great, we had a lot of people contact us on being interested in helping out. I mean, who wouldn't want to get made up into a zombie for a few hours? I heard that some of the zombies, went out on the town scaring people after the shoot was over haha. It was a good time.

Where does the inspiration come for lyrics in TSA?  Do they come from personal experiences?  World issues?  Politics?

I like to write about my life and own experiences... how they affect me. However, I write in such a way that anyone can take something away from our songs and apply it to their own lives. I find it extremely important to write in this way. If you write a song where no one knows what you're talking about or no one can relate to you, who's going to want to listen to your song? As an artist you must connect with your fans, writing songs they can understand and feel as well. It's all about communication.

The Shows:

Any pregame rituals before a show? A shot? Special tunes to listen to? Workout?

As of right now pre-gig rituals include: making sure all my gear works, a drink or two to calm the nerves, some stretching and focusing all of my energy into putting on the best show possible. That's what we want to give our fans every night we step on stage. We all workout pretty frequently but that usually happens in the morning, hours before we see the stage.

Have you ever been at a show/played a show where your music and sound was vastly different from the other bands on the bill? If so, What was the crowd reaction and how easy did you feel playing on that stage versus stages shared with similar genre bands?

Yes.  Earlier this year, we played e RVA music festival with Girl Talk and Best Coast headlining. Those two acts are much different from our sound but we were very well received and had a pretty good time playing such a big stage. Being such a young band, we take every show as an important opportunity to win over anyone we play in front of and turn them onto our brand of rock and roll.

Let's talk about the music scene in Richmond. Do you guys feel Richmond has been kind to you? Do you feel that Richmond is a great place for bands to start their careers?

We have received a lot of love so far from everyone here in Richmond. I do feel that Richmond is a good place to start your career but it is a really hard city to win over. There are a lot of music buffs and snobs here who don't take very kindly to bands who dont keep it real or have their heads stuck up their own bums.

Favourite city/venue you played in thus far and why?

Atlanta. We played a festival there last spring, ripped it up on stage and partied harder than I have in a long time after the show was over. Definitely a night to remember.

Fun & Random:

Favourite album of 2012 thus far?

The new m83 record kills,  The Naked and Famous album is dope also.  Not really a record released in 2012, but I have been listening to the "Watch the Throne" album like crazy. Nothing but hits on that thing!

Now pulling the second piece from your Facebook bio..."Rocking, rolling, riffing, partying, sexing, loving." All done in that order?

haha well, the order isn't too important. As long as all of these things happen at least once a day...everyday, well... Then mission accomplished :)


(Photo taken by Blair Reynolds)

One musician you would love to play with/record with?

Chris Martin.

One band you would want to tour with?

The Killers. Such a good band, we would love the opportunity to share a stage with them.

If you were not playing music, what do you think you would be doing?

I did the not playing music thing for 2 years and I can say wholeheartedly that in my off time, I spent it being depressed and trying to figure out how to get back into playing music full time again. Haha

Where can people find out about you guys?

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/thesilentageva
Bandcamp: bandcamp.com/thesilentageva
Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/thesilentageva
Reverb Nation: www.reverberation.com/thesilentageva
Twitter: www.twitter.com/silentageva
Email:   Thesilentageva@gmail.com

The Bottom Line:

What the next move from TSA?

We are hitting the road this July for a few weeks. Afterwards we are looking to record our first studio album in August and will start touring heavily shortly thereafter this fall.

Words of wisdom to other musicians who want to follow in the footsteps and influences of TSA?

Trust yourself, and have faith that you can make it. Work hard to see your goals come to pass. I'm a firm believer that all you need is one chance to prove that you deserve the opportunity to work to make a name for yourself. If you keep at it and don't quit, your chance will come. I wouldn't be doing this interview if that were not true. Thank you everyone for taking the time to read this, and thank you for interviewing me. See everyone this summer!

Music Releases For June 19th, 2012

Prepare to have your bank accounts drained today folks!  This wasn't even the full list of things to come out today, but since this is a blog and I try to post relevant things that I like, I narrowed it down to about 18 choices.  Nonetheless, make sure to hit up your local record store or an online retailer (Amazon.ca for my fellow Canadians) for some great deals on albums dropping in North America today! 

("The View from the Bottom is the fifth studio album by the rock band Lit, to be released on June 19, 2012 through Megaforce Records. This will be their first album with new material in eight years, since the release of their self-titled album in 2004 [the longest gap to date between two consecutive Lit studio releases]. The View from the Bottom is also going to be Lit's first recording with Nathan Walker on drums, replacing the late Allen Shellenberger, who died from cancer in 2009, as well as their first with guitarist Ryan Gillmor, making it the first time the band has recorded as a five-piece under the name Lit.")

 

(Yeah, that's right.  The Montreal four piece are back with a new album, their latest one since 2003)

("Its official! CABIN BY THE SEA will be released on June 19th, 2012! Huge thanks to Matisyahu, Ky-Mani Marley, Del The Funky Homosapien and Rome for adding their talent, style and voices to the album. We hope you all enjoy and as always, thank you for the continuous love and support.")

(Whitechapel - Whitechapel)

("Returning to their rightful place on the road, the band are enthused to take these new songs to their rabid fan base. They stand confident in their belief that their followers will hungrily devour the latest evolution of their sound, and having dramatically bolstered their fan base through blowing away the unsuspecting crowds on 2010’s Warped Tour they are sure to draw in new adherents anywhere they play. While Wade firmly believes that the band are still growing and striving to improve, for now he could not be happier with the fruits of their labor. 'Every band at some point plateaus, it’s inevitable, but we’re not there yet, we’re still growing, and I think this record proves that. Looking at the finished thing – the music, the vocals, the overall vibe behind it, all the way down to the mix and the master – it’s almost like a perfect storm where everything came together just right and resulted in the record that we needed to put out.'")

("Grammy-nominated alternative-metal act SPINESHANK have reunited after a six year hiatus and are back full force and completely rejuvenated. The band have inked a worldwide deal with Century Media Records for the release of their new album, Anger Denial Acceptance, that will be released in North America on June 19 and in Europe on June 18. 

'We're very excited to be on a great label like Century Media,' comments guitarist Mike Sarkysian. 'Aside from being the premier label for rock and metal, the seem to really understand our vision and are as excited as we are about taking Spineshank to a whole new level!'

Anger Denial Acceptance will be the band's fourth album and follow up to their 2003 release, Self-Destructive Pattern . 'This is by far the proudest I have ever been of any Spineshank record,' says Sarkysian. 'Anger Denial Acceptance is the darkest and the most honest this band has ever been.'" -Century Media)

("The Rotten Thing To Say LP was recorded and produced by Kurt Ballou at God City in Salem, Massachusetts and released on Southern Lord Records in June 2012. The band is planning more tours upon its release, including Canada, Australia and a full US tour with Black Breath, Sweden's Martyrdod and Enabler, featuring Poison Idea and others. The LP is the first Burning Love LP in collaboration with Southern Lord Records, and is licensed in Japan from Daymare, in Australia by Resist and digitally in Canada by Dine Alone.")

("I N 6 D A Y S W E E V O L V E")

("California’s most passionate and articulate exponents of hardcore will release their exceptional third album, Get What You Give on June 19th. The album, produced by Jeremy Mckinnon of A Day To Remember, embraces The Ghost Inside’s powerful and affecting sound that merges insightful and introspective lyrics with charging drums, lightning fast riffs and devastating breakdowns.")

("The material for the box set was recorded at four Devin Townsend Project concerts, each entitled "An Evening with the Devin Townsend Project". Each concert featured one of the first four Devin Townsend Project albums performed in their entirety. The Ki, Addicted and Deconstruction concerts were held at the University of London Union, and the Ghost concert was held at the Union Chapel.

The box set contains four DVDs, each featuring one of the concerts, and four CDs containing the audio from the concerts. A fifth CD will contain the audio of the encores played during the concerts.")

("No More Waiting on Long Overnight Lines at your local Hottopic's & FYE's! THE WAIT IS OVER.. 'NATION' is in stores everywhere! GO GO GO!")

("Now the first thing that struck me about Exotic animal Petting Zoo is they don’t sound like a typical Mediaskare Records band! This album isn’t bulging with Progressive Djent riffs or head splitting breakdowns, actually it’s the complete opposite. EAPZ follow in the tradition of bands that don’t obey the conventional genre rules and pretty much do whatever the fuck they want. I admire the fact you can’t generalize this bands sound by saying  ‘Oh they sound like a Mediaskare Records band’, this band are doing their own thing and doing it very well." -Rocknreelreviews.com)

("Outspoken is the second studio album album from Minnesota-based post-hardcore band For All Those Sleeping, released through Fearless Records on June 19, 2012, nearly two years after their debut album Cross Your Fingers. Like the first album, this album was also produced by Cameron Mizell.")

("We are happy to announce that Ihsahn´s fourth solo album Eremita is out today."

"Eremita is the fourth studio solo album by former Emperor frontman Ihsahn.")

("What we’re facing in 2012 is a rebirth of sorts – with only Mircea and Guillaume remaining of the former line up, MNEMIC simultaneously present a new second guitarist, bassist and drummer. With that said, the sheer brilliancy of their fifth studio record 'Mnemesis' becomes fully clear: Maintaining the trademark sound that has been shaped since the band’s inception in 1998 while incorporating innovative alterations in abundance at the same time – all that being done by an almost entirely renewed combo – undoubtedly bears witness to MNEMIC’s splendour. No matter what will come, MNEMIC will stay MNEMIC – with might and main!")

("Oceania was created by the band as a true album experience for listeners to fully immerse themselves in the songs and musical performances. For its release, the band is making the best efforts for all the fans to hear it at the same time as press or radio. In 2012, The Pumpkins will perform Oceania in full at their solo shows worldwide, backed by visuals prepared by Sean Evans, whose most recent work was assisting Roger Waters on the newest staging of “The Wall.” The Pumpkins will be using new technology in video mapping to create something new and previously unseen. For the second half of the show, The Pumpkins will perform classics from their body of work.")

(Check out the AFGM article for The Overseer)

(Deluxe Anniversary Edition)