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AUGUST 24, 2016
With a  crazy election year getting even crazier, Olympic swimmers vandalizing stuff  in Rio and North Korea upping the ante  on their little peninsula with the missile launches it's all too easy to come to the understanding that what the world needs now is love sweet love. While the sentiment behind the music of APOLLO UNDER FIRE might not be quite as sticky and sweet as all that their empowerment approach to active rock is a most welcome in a musical environment that has become indicative of disillusionment and cynicism. The songwriting team  of vocalist DONALD CARPENTER (of EYE EMPIRE) and guitarist PETER KLETT (of CANDLEBOX) is a  strong one and the band's debut release stand out by a mile from everything we've been hearing lately.  The term super group might be a little premature but  APOLLO UNDER FIRE is sounding like one to us. 

AUGUST 24, 2016
Back in May, ROCKWIRED was invited to Winnipeg, Manitoba for the first ever INDIGENOUS MUSIC CONFERENCE which was a part of the MANITO AHBEE FESTIVAL.  It was at this conference that we had to opportunity to meet the Opaskwayak Cree rock band DEE ERIN BAND who were both attendees of the conference as well as performers for the CELEBRATE NATIVE MUSIC CONCERT. We'd be remiss if we didn't add that this was the band that kicked off the proceedings with their straight ahead, driving rock n roll approach to music which is all perfectly captured on latest album BROKEN ROAD.

AUGUST 16, 2016
Despite much of the hard rock and heavy metal that comes our way here at ROCKWIRED we have to admit that THE BEDROOM SESSIONS has got to be the most provocative title for an album that we have seen in a long time. And it comes to us from a folk duo in Atlanta. The debut release from THE ORMEWOODS was recorded in a bedroom proving once and for all that great albums can be recorded anywhere. In speaking with CLAIRE PEARSON and DON McCOLLISTER it was clear that when the production of the album shifted to an actual studio something would be lacking in both songwriting and performance. Thankfully they chose to keep it in the bedroom with this fine collection of songs that examine the highs and the lows of a romantic relationship. In particular the relationship between PEARSON and McCOLLISTER. THE ORMEWOODS is an exciting coming together of talent. CLAIRE PEARSONS' soul searing lyrics and delivery send the music to dizzying heights while the production smarts of  McCOLLISTER packs the very punch that has served acts such as SISTER HAZEL and SHAWN MULLINS so well and earned him two GRAMMY's for his handiwork behind the recording console. 

AUGUST 16, 2016
One doesn't think of a word like "refinement" when it comes to today's pop music  but it was every where you looked back in the early half of the eighties  with  artists such as DURAN DURAN, BRYAN FERRY and SPANDAU BALLET. We could call it je ne sais quoi but the truth is we know exactly made artists such as these leap off of the tv screen and the stereo - style and pop smarts.  JONATHAN CAVIER is an artist who has taken his queue from the chops of the artists that we have mentioned but don't think for a moment that his debut solo album PREMIER is some sort of obvious exercise in nostalgia. It isn't. In fact the former half of the atmospheric pop duo EYE TALK  ( who used to go by the name ALAN CLARK) goes to great lengths to carve out his own musical identity starting with a new name and pop songs that eschew the obvious pop psychological heartache but instead embrace themes such as change and rebirth as he does on the album's shimmering first single JANUARY. so yes, JONATHAN CAVIER is refined as hell and PREMIER showcases a signature sound from an artist who will certainly go the distance. 

AUGUST 11, 2016

Four years is a long time to keep anything going and ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE has done so without any interruption inthe monthly release of our publication until now. Due to a shake up in administration and the econominc picture not being the rosiest, ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will not be presenting an August issue just so we can focus on our September issue whichis slated to be one of the biggest issues in our calendar year. Rock n roll is all about persistence and not giving up and ROCKWIRED intends to stay the course. The nest issue of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will be released on September 2, 2016 but inthe meantime ROCKWIRED.COM has some exciting editions of our podcast series ROCKWIRED RADIO PROFILES and ROCK IS RED comig your way. This hold up is simply are-grouping and not a surrender  And as always, ROCKWIRED will be featuring some insightful interviews with the best that active rock has to offer and in the August issue we will be welcoming back the band SHALLOW SIDE on the strength of their brand new single REBEL and ONE LESS REASON who have returned with their new album THE MEMORIES UNINVITED and their new single WHERE WERE YOU. We will also be featuring the bands APOLLO UNDER FIRE and MOXY & THE INFLUENCE.  Stage presence and personality go a long way in rock n roll. Sure you don't notice it much in the indie scene but in the arena of active rock, that shit still counts for something and in the upcoming September issue of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE, rock's leading   front men  will get their due in our exclusive editorial spread FRONT & CENTER. We will be giving it up for 25 of our favorite front men in active rock and the proceedings will be complete with photos and exclusive interviews and sound files.

FOR iMMEDiATE RELEASE:
August 1, 2016 - The polls have closed for ROCKWIRED.COM's recent ARTIST OF THE MONTH campaign. Voters from all over the U.S. and the world made their vote count and MOXY AND THE INFLUENCE is ROCKWIRED.COM's newest ARTIST OF THE MONTH with a  3639  votes and over 95% of the  vote. High energy Rock and Roll, best when played at full volume. With ages ranging from just 13 to 21, MOXY AND THE INFLUENCE are four young Southern California rockers who bring it with power and drive to every performance. Their female-fronted sound is a modern mix of all that was great in the 80's hard rock scene, and all that continues to move audiences today. Performing mostly original material, now and then they feature a cover with their own energy and style. Bursting onto the Southern California rock scene in late 2013, this young band surprised audiences with hit-worthy original rock songs combined with a high-energy stage performance complete with headbanging and crowd interaction. Catchy lyrics infused with a message of individualism span generations. Currently the band's musical smarts and charm can be heard loud and clear on their latest EP THE BEST REVENGE and their cracking new single STOMP YOU DOWN.

FOR iMMEDiATE RELEASE:

August 1, 2016 - ROCKWIRED MEDIA is kicking off another ROCKWIRED ARTIST OF THE MONTH campaign. Every month, seven artists who have been featured on ROCKWIRED.COM and our online radio show ROCKWIRED RADIO PROFILES will be nominated. Listeners and fans of can vote by clicking their selection on an easy-to-use electronic ballot. Polling will be provided by MICROPOLL.COM. Voters can only vote once per IP address. This month's nominees include SHALLOW SIDE, ONE LESS REASON, APOLLO UNDER FIRE, SUSAN AGLUKARK, JIR ANDERSON PROJECT BAND, JONATHAN CAVIER, SWEET SWEET. The polls will close on Friday, August 26, 2016.  The  will be highlighted in a special edition of ROCKWIRED RADIO PROFILES which will stream continuously through ROCKWIRED.COM's index page and additional exposure on future editions of ROCKWIRED RADIO PROFILES and all ROCKWIRED related press releases.

JULY 29, 2016
A punk band  coming out of Indian Country is certainly no novelty anymore and the guys form ETHAN 103 ain't not novelty act either. Their in-you-face punk sound packs all of the punch that made bands like BAD RELIGION and THE MISFITS the big deals that they were but ETHAN 103 brings something else tot he table other than the typical white boy errancy that has marked much of the genre. These guys use the straight-forward approach of punk to address issues of American Indian survival and resistance against oppression as they had on their 2011 single 500. What would punk be without an eye-catching, raucous live set? Well these guys have made their presence known throughout much of the Southwest. They even got our attention at a show in Albuquerque not too long ago and front man MASTER WAYNE has enough stage presence and charisma to put the band on the map. Their new single PUNK ROCK FASHION POLICE is a jab at the hypocrisy of  punk scene that puts posing above being genuine. Given the fact that we feel these guys are the real thing, their observations are definitely worth listening to and taking as gospel.

JULY 29, 2016
In speaking with Inuk singer songwriter SUSAN AGLUKARK, it is surprising to learn that her resolve as an artist and a musician was never truly solidified in her mind until after the release of her fourth album THIS CHILD. The 1995 album went three times platinum in Canada and earned her two JUNO AWARDS yet AGLUKARK maintains that her role as singer songwriter felt undefined until the follow up album UNSUNG HERO.  "On that album is a song called STAND UP written around 1997 or 1998." says AGLUKARK. "I remember having this moment of realization . I was the artist the EMI RECORDS had signed. I'm the center of this thing. I am the focus. I have to lead this. If I'm the writing the songs I'm directing he story and with  that knowledge came this profound peace. I needed to stop writing hit songs and just answer the call of the song. I fell inn love with being a conduit using the music as a tool to share the culture. That was when I knew that I had to commit to this musical career. That was when I knew."  And commit she has! AGLUKARK's musical career has been beautifully cataloged on nine albums over the span of twenty-five years. Her sound marries Inuk folk music traditions with contemporary pop and country flourishes. Now she is in the midst of putting together a brand new album with songs that speak to and for her Inuk culture, the wrongs of the past and the frailty of the human condition. While these themes are nothing new to AGLUKARK's music, she maintains that there will be a few surprises.  As she progresses in her life as both a musician and a spokesperson for numerous non-profit organizations working with Aboriginal and Inuit youth AGLUKARK has never lost sight of the importance of her music and it's message.  "Sometimes we (as Native people) feel like we begin when the government says we begin. Our identity comes from an institutional organization and they say this is what you are and this is what you do. When I got into this career it was all too easy to let everyone else make choices and decisions for me. That was how I had been conditioned . The more I engaged art and the more I wrote, the more I was empowered and realized that I had  the opportunity through music, singing and songwriting to share my views and my culture. This is mine but I had to come to that place first. At the core of all of the problems with our youth is this identity crisis."

JULY 14, 2016
History has proven that a lot of time some of the best rock music is fueled by a single. solitary vision and not so much compromise. Early on in his career CRIS BROWN saw the detriments of working as a group and seeing the music suffer due to line up changes and whatever the hell else that gets thrown in front of a band these days. In 2003 he began recording as ONE LESS REASON. Setting his music apart from most active rock fare is BROWN's approach to telling an engaging story through song with his assured delivery, musicality and know-how when it comes to working the recording console. For five albums now ONE LESS REASON has garnered some impressive sales with all five albums in their impressive catalog and BROWN is on the verge of releasing ONE LESS REASON's sixth album THE MEMORIES UNINVITED and to paraphrase BROWN -"...if this were to be my last album I would be so happy with it!"  While we hope to hear more from ONE LESS REASON in the future we must agree that THE MEMORIES UNINVITED is definitely something to feel proud of. It's meaningful approach to hard rock never comes off heavy-handed and BROWN cleverly shows the world that he's got something. Check out the single WHERE WERE YOU?.

JULY 14, 2016
KAIT DIBENEDETTO and TOM KUNZMAN are a dynamic duo in every sense of the term. DIBENEDETTO first experienced fame through MTV's TOTAL REQUEST LIVE with her band JUST KAIT and has maintained her chops as the guitarist for the band WHAT'S EATING GILBERT. KUNZMAN was formerly in the band A CRIMINAL RISK. 18TH & ADDISON was born out of two guitarists wanting to get their yah-yahs out creatively and results of their decision to join forces was the 2015 EP LITTLE PARASITES. Now they have released their brand new album MAKESHIFT MONSTER. "We're so excited!" exclaims DIBENEDETTO. "It's funny because we were super proud of the EP that we released a couple of years ago but we've had all of these songs that we've written since that release. These songs have been brewing in our brains and have kind of been sitting for a while so it's great to finally bring those songs to life on this album and record them and finally make something of them. That is super-exciting for us.  We got a lot off of our chest with this album. It's a step up from what we used to do." 

JULY 12, 2016
We've never been the type of people to put a great deal of stock in what ROLLING STONE has to say about anything but in a recent issue they cited that the folk sounds of bands such as MUMFORD AND SONS and THE LUMINEERS went the way of OBAMA's first term as President. Trust us, the movement - if we can call it that - is still very much alive. If you don't believe us just look at the majority of acts that fins their way onto THE VOICE or AMERICA'S GOT TALENT but if you're looking for something a little more refined or even elegant, look no further than the aptly titled folk duo SWEET SWEET out of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina whose whimsical spirit and musicality are on full display on their brand new EP IN TANDEM. JEREMY DUNHAM (guitars and vocals) emerges as a truly distinctive and formidable vocal talent and KERRIN GIFFORD's virtuosity with the cello gives DUNHAM the pitch perfect accompaniment. The first single TO THE STARS  has the potential to take this duo to some fantastic heights.

JULY 8, 2016

JUNE 26, 2016

There was a time when rock n roll was a dream that guys strove for  but now it's all about survival and the band RED TIDE RISING wears the survival on their sleeve proudly. And you thought that MAD MAX-styled figure on the cover of their latest EP VOICES was just them being cute but for music that's all about surviving a world that's on the brink of coming apart, the sleeve is all the more purposeful for what ends up being a five-song concept album. The hard and heavy sound and the subject matter have even made a strong impression on the band's recent live shows with lead singer ANDREW WHITEMAN taking to the stage in ROAD WARRIOR get up. Produced by MIKE LUCE of DROWNING POOL, VOICES is a step in the right direction creatively and given the recent chart action the EP has seen  commercially. This is indeed a classic case of survival of the fittest.

JUNE 23, 2016
My how times have changed! Back when the AMERICAN IDOL juggernaut was piping hot there were concerns by some who felt that the massive spectacle was no way to discern true musical talent but time has proved that to be baseless and largely fueled by folks who haven't made much of a dent in the music world themselves.  The AMERICAN IDOL phenomenon had shined a light on a tremendous amount of talent and a lot of it came our way to the pages of ROCKWIRED. One of them was CLINTON CUNANAN and his band ANOTHER LOST YEAR. In 2012, they were one of the band's that gave ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE it's big push and all of that was on the strength of their album BETTER DAYS and it's lead single WAR ON THE INSIDE. CUNANAN's knack for commanding a stage as well as a studio have truly come in handy in leading ANOTHER LOST YEAR to being one of active rock's most highly regarded bands.  Two years later was the EP THE REVOLUTION PART ONE - THE OTHER SIDE and now ANOTHER LOST YEAR is back with the ultra-ambitious LP ALIEN ARCHITECT where CUNANAN's songwriting and vocal performance goes up a couple of notches and the extra kick is proudly displayed on the albums first single WE ALL DIE ALONE accompanied by a gritty music video.

JUNE 23, 2016
Sure, a six-minute song titled EVERYTHING YOU LOVE WILL SOMEDAY DIE doesn't sound like anything that will conjure up images of sun and fun this sweltering Summer but it is the first single from CAGE 9's new CD ILLUMINATOR - the latest release from DAVE ELLEFSON's EMP label. Sure the track ain't about singing in the sunshine but what you hear is a band that is willing to take things a step further with their instrumentation and song craft. Everything that makes this song work can be heard and felt everywhere else on ILLUMINATOR with the band slamming the metal down like nobody's business and front man EVAN RODANICHE acting as the narrator through these tales of love and life gone wrong and then on an upturn once again. The albums message of hope in a world gone mad is a refreshing one given some recent tragedies of late and a contentious election year. When we spoke with RODANICHE the band was getting set to take the stage in Idaho with the likes of ASKING ALEXANDRIA and BOBAFLEX. Given the promise we hear in ILLUMINATOR, it's only a matter of seconds before people realize that CAGE 9 is something worth holding onto.

JUNE 20, 2016

JUNE 16, 2016
It's got to be the season for troubadours here at ROCKWIRED. First there was the plaintive folk leanings of MICHAEL TODD and the soul searching wanderings of singer songwriter JORDAN BENNETT and now you have the plucky mixture of soul, country and rock with BUCKY HAYES and his band of merry men aptly named THE COMMMONWEALTH ( two of the guys in the band are from the State of Virginia). While the southern born and reared HAYES is based in Brooklyn these days there is no denying the southern charm that rings through loud and clear on the songs that make up the bands forthcoming CD 100 MILES TO MACON. Even though he is actually a thousand miles from Macon these days there is not denying the honesty and earnestness of the music here. While the album isn't going to see an official release until September, BUCKY HAYES AND THE COMMONWEALTH have given us some easygoing summertime jams to kick out when we're on the porch with that cold can of FOSTERS. You thought we were going to say PABST BLUE RIBBON, didn't you?

JUNE 16, 2016
We've got to be honest. It wasn't likely that a Christian punk rock band with a name like ZANZHIMINT was going to have much of a shot in the same way that a band like BLINK-182 did. Singer songwriter JORDAN BENNETT - the former lead singer of said band - was kind enough tell us that ZANZHIMINT was a curiously flavored ice cream and at the time of us writing this piece, we can't for the life of us remember but ZANZHIMINT (the band anyway) is simply water under the bridge and BENNETT is embarking on a solo career marked by reflective, biographical lyrics and a stripped down acoustic sound that should have not trouble resonating with folks who don't go to church on Sunday. OUTCASTS AND UNTOUCHABLES is a bold artistic statement and a statement of life aims to be true and righteous despite hard times and some rather complicated relationships. BENNETT has mined some gold with these cathartic tunes and we can see form hear that a great musical talent has been born.

JUNE 16, 2016
You can't make up a story like MICHAEL TODDs' career in music. The guy has been a professional musician since the age of eight along wit his brother in a touring musical act called - quite expectedly - THE TODD BROTHERS. The two siblings traveled alongside a magician which only adds magic to this already magical and musical life . Music has taken this guy all over the world whether the gig was by a campfire or a subway platform in New York City or with his band THE WILD FRONTIER opening for such acts as STARSHIP, BJ THOMAS, PAM TILLIS and LORRIE MORGAN. All of the passion and romanticism that goes  with the territory of being a dyed in the wool troubadour finds it's way onto TODD's first ever solo album CRASHLAND. These songs of longing and and searching are given that little something extra  with TODD's soulful rasp and the albums sparse acoustic instrumentation. Intimacy and heart are in abundance on this album  and in a time where music is more about grand sonic splashes, MICHAEL TODD proves that less is indeed more. Hell, it's downright beautiful.

JUNE 9, 2016

In all of the years that we've been doing this magazine we have never once did an issue about the Summer season which is strange given the fact that there is no other season quite built for rock n roll like the one where there is no school and people can get away to beach.  Don't know how we missed this opportunity in the past but we're making up for it in issue number 51 with a sizable spread and a podcast presentation that will be available for download for the pages of this issue. Details are still being worked with the production of this podcast so please stay tuned to this page for more info but ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE seeks to give you a Summer that you will not soon forget filled with great conversation and the sort of tuneage that would make anybody's Summer. Despite all of the fun ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will be getting down to business as usual with exclusive interviews with ROCKWIRED favorites such as ANOTHER LOST YEAR who are back with a brand new album ALIEN ARCHITECT and L.A. rockers DIAMOND LANE who have already electrified the Summer season with their brand new single and music video SLIPPING AWAY. We will also be interviewing some newcomers to ROCKWIRED such as CAGE9 who have just been signed to EMP RECORDS and have just released their album ILLUMINATOR and singer songwriter ATHENA ANDREADIS will give us some easy going tunes to relax to and some fine conversation as she discusses her latest album READY FOR THE SUN. If that title doesn't scream Summer I don't know what does. We are in the midst of a contentious election year and people are more divided than ever over just about anything and we're sure that our choice of red white and blue lettering will rub some the wrong way but so what. The July issue is going to be a party. and will eb available July 1, 2016 just before the fourth. 

MAY 28, 2016
When you're as old as I am 22 years feels like it goes in a flash and because of that the debut album from CANDLEBOX feels like it was a released just yesterday. Memories of it come back to me in the form of that album's singles CHANGE,  FAR BEHIND and YOU and for the fact that the band was signed to MADONNA's MAVERICK RECORDS - a proposition that probably helped the album attain multi-platinum status. I seem to remember a few grunge folks being puzzled by the signing and leery of the success. Ah fuck them and fuck the nineties. CANDLEBOX deserved every bit of their success.Two more albums would follow on the MAVERICK label (1995's LUCY and 1998's HAPPY PILLS). After a ten year hiatus CANDLEBOX reunited for the 2008 album INTO THE SUN (SILENT MAJORITY GROUP) and 2012's LOVE STORIES & OTHER MUSINGS (AUDIONEST). Now after four years CANDLEBOX has signed to PAVEMENT ENTERTAINMENT and has now released the curiously titled DISAPPEARING IN AIRPORTS. Having worked with producers CARSON SLOVAK and GRANT McFARLAND (AUGUST BURNS RED, EVERCLEAR) CANDLEBOX now embraces a modern sound that is more immediate and visceral than any they've issued in the past - a taste of which could be provided in the albums first single VEXATIOUS.

MAY 26, 2016
It's hard to dismiss rock n roll has being dead when you've got a band based out of Inland Empire issuing the fattest, most unapologetic rock n roll sound that we've heard in a while. The band is BRUCE MOUNTAIN BAND and their debut album ANOTHER LOST DAY is a big album with some pretty big ambitions in a time when five-song EPs and digital singles are all the rage. Comprised of Southern California music scene veterans, the band is releasing this 16-song opus on 2-disc vinyl - the kind of release that their big rock n roll sound deserves. The album is catalog of love and life gone wrong and right without a riff or a lyric wasted. The moments to remember here are the  blistering rock anthem SHINE ON, the slow-burning WOMAN and the closing acoustic ballad (more of a gentle headbanger) LONG WAY HOME.

MAY 26, 2016
The unofficial rule here at ROCKWIRED is that country music doesn't figure into the sort of listening experience that we want folks to have when tuning into our podcast but when the "country music" is actually good it leaves us having to explain ourselves. This is the case with the fledgling band THE RYE BROTHERS. We first became acquainted with RYE BROTHERS co-founder JUSTIN FOUTZ fives years ago when he was a solo country rock artist with the kind of magnetism that should've made him a bigger and better deal than that goober BLAKE SHELTON but we're happy to see his resurface with this project along with friend and singer-songwriter PAUL JUSTIN. At the moment the band has a sturdy set of songs available through SOUNDCLOUD which can be accessed through their site. It's not exactly an official release but if you ask us these are top notch country rockers that are ready to roll thanks to so some rather fine production work by producer TIM HUTTON. In a time when rock has been largely country-fied and and country music has take on more pop and rock characteristics this should be an arrangement that should work out well for both FOUTZ and JUSTIN.

MAY 23, 2016

Announcing the news of an upcoming issue is always exciting but this time we're twice as excited. The weeks leading up to the editorial planning for the  Summer edition of ROCK IS RED MAGAZINE have indeed been one of the most rewarding of my career as music industry professional and as an American Indian. On May 19-20 I was invited to Winnipeg, Manitoba to attend the world first ever INDIGENOUS MUSIC CONFERENCE presented by MANITO AHBEE as a panelist for a workshop on marketing and promotion. The conference coincided with MANITO AHBEE's annual Pow Wow and Festival and while it was great to witness the pow wow's grand entry and to be eating bison stew with wild rice and bannock bread it was way more exciting to meet native musicians and a performers all throughout Canada as well as some important figures in Native media such as JANET ROGERS of NATIVE WAVES RADIO, DAVID MCLEOD of ABORIGINAL PEOPLES TELEVISION NETWORK (APTN) and the chance to get reacquainted with STEPHEN BUTLER of CANYON RECORDS. The conference was punctuated by panel discussions dealing with music managment, touring, marketing and promotion and a keynote interview with award winning Inuk singer-songwriter SUSAN AGLUKARK  on the struggles of surviving the music industry. In conjunction with conference was an intimate SONGWRITER'S CIRCLE hosted by JEFF LEAKE of SiRIUS XM. In stark contrast to the intimacy  of the SONGWRITER'S CIRCLE was the CELEBRATE INDIGENOUS MUSIC CONCERT which was held at the CLUB REGENT EVENT CENTRE and boasted electrifying performances from the likes of DEE ERIN BAND and RESCUED BY DRAGONFLYZ, shimmering performances from TWIN FLAMES and WILLIAM PRINCE and tribal drumming and singing by the STONEY PARK SINGERS. This forthcoming issue of ROCK IS RED comes right onthe heels of the quarterly's re-launch and with all I've expereinced through MANITO AHBEE'S INDIGNEOUS MUSIC CONFERENCE, ROCK IS RED now has a renewed and replenished sense of purpose. All of the artists that I had the pleasure to sit or stand shoulder to shoulder with will all be featured in this issue and I look forward to some of  their "magic" rubbing off on the readers and the listeners of our podcast.

MAY 16, 2016

Due to all of the hustle and bustle here at ROCKWIRED, we overlooked that fact that the May issue was in fact our annual issue marking four years for this digital endeavor and now we are on the verge of releasing our fiftieth issue and what makes it even more exciting is the fact that it is our bass player issue - one of those special issues that always gets our readers going and newcomers astonished by the realization that there is still a rock n roll magazine out there that is still rocking and rolling. We've put a lot of rock n roll into fifty issues in our four year run and there will be no shortage of if it in thsi upcoming issue where we will reacquaint ourselves with such ROCKWIRED favorites as JANE BADLER (who is back with a surprise single and a mesmerizing music video from director JESSE DAVEY) and RED TIDE RISING who are back with a brand new EP VOICES.  New to ROCKWIRED are the bands LOVE AND A .38 and EVEN THE DEAD LOVE A PARADE and we are blown away by the punch these two bands pack. Why the hell else would we have put them on the cover?  And then there is the matter of our list of bass players. Our list of 25 bass players is quite impressive. Some of the names have been featured on previous lists but the majority of them are newcomers and ROCKWIRED is behind these pluckers one-hunded percent.  The fiftieth issue  of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will be launched on Friday, June 3, 2016.

MAY 9, 2016
Los Angeles is city that gets a bad rap and a lot of times for good reason but for some it's a chance to pursue a better life and maybe even get your name in lights. That is certainly the case for singer-songwriter ATHENA ANDREADIS (who simply goes by ATHENA) but the Greek-born, London-raised artist has already known acclaim and chart success on her native continent with her three previous releases. A year ago, the rising star set up shop in Los Angeles and found herself  blessed with inspiration and under the tutelage of producer ETHAN ALLEN (BEN HARPER, SHERYL CROW, BETTER THAN EZRA). An expansive catalog of songs was filed down to thirteen tracks which will be released as a trilogy comprised of two EPs and on LP. Recorded at  THE VILLAGE the forthcoming EP READY FOR THE SUN is a five-song recording that showcases an artist ready to reach out to a broader audience. ATHENA and ALLEN have brought such rousing songs to life such as the plucky opening track YOU BRING ME LUCK and the soaring ballad AUTOPILOT. So far, the City of Angels agrees with this rising talent and it's only a matter of time before ATHENA's brand of heartfelt, soul-searing pop rock finds it's way into the consciousness of a public that wants something deeper to listen to.

MAY 9, 2016
The pursuit of rock n roll is a precarious one with twists and turns with everybody from parents to society in general telling you that you need to get a real job. Well STEVEN WOLFE and MYLA SNOW both had real jobs in the mortgage industry and being based in Southern California who the hell could blame them? After years of climbing the corporate ladder things came to screeching halt with the stock market crash of 2008 where two found themselves with front row seats to witness the deadening of the American Dream with the foreclosures displacing and disenfranchising millions. If the mortgage industry was shaky, the need for playing music felt stronger than ever and the two set out to form SOLES OF PASSION. There was to be nothing escapist about this new musical endeavor. The duo set out to release music that spoke to life and the hopes and despairs  that come with it in a world full of classism and inequality. Displacement - an issue that hit close to home for both of them was a theme addressed in their 2012 album BUMP YOU UP and it's single GOT ME SURROUNDED . Now they are back with the single TAX SLAVE which precedes the forthcoming album ESCAPE FROM JURISDICATION B. The funky track combines elements of rock with rap and highlights the absurdity of a tax code that is designed to keep the poor struggling. Creating music that speaks to the struggles of people is the only business there is for SOLES OF PASSION and we are eternally grateful.

MAY 5, 2016
RAY GOREN has a musical talent that is beyond comprehension and beyond his sixteen years of life. At the age of three after tinkering away on an electronic keyboard he came to the realization that TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR and the ALPHABET SONG were the same bloody tune.  Almost immediately he was given the building blocks for playing and composing music. His early years (it sounds strange putting it that way) were marked by virtuosity on the piano but his love for the six string was stoked when he accidentally came upon a performance by the legendary BB KING on line. From there a love for blues, soul and rock n roll was cultivated as well an ear for whatever passes as new these days and all of it can be heard on his brand new EP SAVE MY SOUL. The guitar playing is seasoned, the vocal delivery is confidant and assured and the songwriting is brash but that can happen when one of your songwriting mentors is the legendary LEON RUSSELL. With songs such as the blistering title track, the irresistible pop rocker STOP and and pleading blues/gospel rocker RISE TOGETHER, GOREN proves that he is in this for the long haul and we are happy to be seeing this potentially legendary career unfold from the beginning.

MAY 5, 2016
You never think that anything good can come of doing karaoke but in the case of MONICA SORENSON the great American past time ended up changing her life. While singing what was more than likely an ALANIS MORISSETTE tune according to the press release, MONICA's voice and soulful phrasing caught the ear of guitarist RICK WALKER - a man whose musical past goes back to the halcyon days of the Chicago scene of the early nineties which was filled to the brim with artists such as LIZ PHAIR, SMASHING PUMPKINS, MATERIAL ISSUE and URGE OVERKILL. At this point in the story WALKER was looking for words to put to his musical arrangements and it just turned out that the woman singing karaoke not only had a voice but dabbled in a little bit of verse as well. Before long the two began swapping ideas and eventually songs were born as was the act they curiously dubbed SOMETIMES JULIE. By 2014 they made their presence known with their award-wining debut HEAD FIRST and now they're back with a brand new EP BRIGHT SIDE OF THE LINE. To call a six song EP an emotional roller coaster sounds like a bunch hyperbole but in this case it ain't hyperbole. SOMETIMES JULIE's songsmithing marries stomping grooves and funky, bluesy flourishes with dark and edgy subject matter that is given extra heft thanks to SORENSON's buoyant vocals and emotional delivery.

MAY 3, 2016
Much of the music coming out of Indian Country these day is marked by entrepreneurship as well as musicality and in these D.I.Y. times those two things are going hand in hand more than ever. For years ROCKWIRED has gotten to know Yankton Sioux hip hop artist and entrepreneur BRANDIS KNUDSEN for his own series releases and the promotion of his own label DAKOTA SOUTH RECORDS. Now, we're excited to get to know one of the artists on his fledgling label. Oglala Lakota pop artist JACOB SCREAMING EAGLE goes by the moniker JUQ (pronounced "juke") and finds himself at a rather exciting junction in his life. This is the very beginning of his career as a recording artist with the release of his debut EP OGP.  On it, JUQ has swagger and groove to spare on this collection of slow burning R&B numbers of which the lead single CALLING BULL stands out by a mile. There is no doubt here that JUQ loves the Indian ladies and the track's clever mix of modern slow burn with  the sort of unabashed, positive message that elevates the tune above everything else that's out there. It's my sincerest hope that the girl mentioned in the song who is "so in touch with what our people should be" will look this guy's way. OGP is just a slice of things to come. Apparently a full length album will be dropping in the Fall of 2016 and we're all too anxious to hear how JUQ's musical journey plays out

APRIL 24, 2016
ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE SNEAK PREViEW!!!:
When you're as old as I am 22 years feels like it goes in a flash and because of that the debut album from CANDLEBOX feels like it was a released just yesterday. Memories of it come back to me in the form of that album's singles CHANGE,  FAR BEHIND and YOU and for the fact that the band was signed to MADONNA's MAVERICK RECORDS - a proposition that probably helped the album attain multi-platinum status. I seem to remember a few grunge folks being puzzled by the signing and leery of the success. Ah fuck them and fuck the nineties. CANDLEBOX deserved every bit of their success.Two more albums would follow on the MAVERICK label (1995's LUCY and 1998's HAPPY PILLS). After a ten year hiatus CANDLEBOX reunited for the 2008 album INTO THE SUN (SILENT MAJORITY GROUP) and 2012's LOVE STORIES & OTHER MUSINGS (AUDIONEST). Now after four years CANDLEBOX has signed to PAVEMENT ENTERTAINMENT and has now released the curiously titled DISAPPEARING IN AIRPORTS. Having worked with producers CARSON SLOVAK and GRANT McFARLAND (AUGUST BURNS RED, EVERCLEAR) CANDLEBOX now embraces a modern sound that is more immediate and visceral than any they've issued in the past - a taste of which could be provided in the albums first single VEXATIOUS. ROCKWIRED has a chance to speak with the band's front man KEVIN MARTIN regarding the new release. Here is how the interview went.

APRIL 22, 2016
When I lived in a Los Angeles years ago I couldn't find four musically inclined guys who weren't concerned with trends and obscure sub genres of music. Now that I'm far away from the City of Angels I've now become acquainted with LOVE AND A .38 - four guys who are all about keeping this rock n roll thing pure, simple and direct. In this day and age doing so almost comes off as a trailblazing effort and it's one that folks will get lost in when they play the band's new release NOMAD. The album is a testament to the staying power of rock n roll. We would've said anthemic rock n roll but that would've been a sub genre. Kind of. More importantly the album showcases LOVE AND A .38 as a leading force in what could very be the re-emergence of the very music and attitude that got us through the Cold War. The songs OH MY GOD and I WON'T WAIT crackle with the very urgency that made music of this kind "dangerous" when we was kids and the haunting ABRE LOS OJOS is the only thing close to a ballad on NOMAD but the track is guaranteed to hit home for just about anyone who longs for the days when ballads had balls. Over the years we've seen so many take on the mantle of bring rock n roll back to the forefront. Here's hoping that these lads can stay the course.

APRIL 21, 2016
It's always great to welcome back a band that has been featured on the pages and the sound waves of ROCKWIRED and to see and hear what changes (if any) have taken place since the last time we got them on the phone. In the Spring of 2014 CONQUEST has just released their album THE WAR WE RAGE and had shown that after twenty six years of rocking out the band fronted by DERRICK BRUMLEY, the band showed no signs of middling or slowing down. Once rock n roll gets into the bloodstream it apparently sticks around. Two years later, the band is back with a brand new album but this time original compositions are put aside in favor of covers and do these guys have some covers for you! The aptly dubbed new album UNDER THE INFLUENCE is a band giving it up for the heavy metal architects that  gave DERRICK and the gang a baseline to work with back when CONQUEST was forming in 1988 and while the interpretations of anthems from the likes of JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, MOTORHEAD and BON JOVI (Yes, BON JOVI with a smoldering rendition of WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE) are performed with due reverence don't expect the proceedings to be all stuffy as it's only rock n roll. UNDER THE INFLUENCE is an unrelenting party to be turned up at full blast. In a time when rockers past a certain age look to the American Songbook for inspiration, it's great to see a band opening peoples eyes and ears to metal music's own deep well of classic performances. Nothing more inspired than that.

APRIL 20, 2016
I will first address the fact that BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN himself makes an appearance on the opening track of STEWART FRANCKE's self-titled EP. The song is SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YOU HEAR ME) and if no one could imagine THE BOSS himself making some magic out of this gloriously stomping rocker on life on the pointlessness of war than I don't know what I can say to convince you but SPRINGSTEEN isn't the point. It's STEWART FRANCKE's lyrical narrative and parched delivery that anchor this SPRINGSTEEN-esque tale.  FRANCKE's self-titled EP is an eight song collection that truly tells a story of the Detroit singer songwriters own musical journey over the years. An informal greatest hits if you will where the FRANCKE and company sway with balladry, stomp with rockers such as KISS KISS BANG BANG and rolling to an R&B groove like he does on the HALL AND OATES-ish splendor of SAM COOKE'S ON THE RADIO.

MARCH 22, 2016
Oh the delicate and desperate situation that America has found herself in! On one end you have a maniacal supposed billionaire with  woman, Arab and a Mexican problem making a mockery of the Grand Ol' Party and on the other side you have an elderly socialist crying revolution versus the embodiment of a career politician linked to this word "Benghazi" that gets bandied about by people who hate the woman. And while all of this is going on that fat guy in North Korea is positioning his nukes just so, Brussels has been attacked and we're all like "When can we get to Mars?" Everyone's got an opinion and they're willing to throw down for it and I find it strange that none of this kind of thinking ever finds it's way into our music. In comes THE REFUSERS fronted by former Wall Street wizard-turned-whistleblower on American greed  MICHAEL BELKIN with a punchy, guitar-driven punk rock sound that calls out the crooks and calls for the heads of the infidels and two-bit bandits who call themselves bankers. Does the song HANG THE BANKERS need any explanation? In an age where music moves products in order to move units we've gotta give it up for THE REFUSERS whose heart and balls are in the right place. BORN TO ROCK indeed. 

MARCH 22, 2016
Guitarist JUSTIN McCAIN knows all about seeing the rock n roll dream through. Throughout his ten year tenure with the EMPHATIC he had paid the price for a life in rock n roll with blood sweat and tears and the struggles had paid off with some chart action and one hell of a loyal following. While that bands self-titled album and two follow up EPs GOOD BYE GIRL and RIOT 10 didn't make too much of a dent it was their 2011 album DAMAGE that put EMPHATIC on the map with it's two singles BOUNCE and GET PAID. They followed this up with ANOTHER LIFE in 2013 which boasted the single REMEMBER ME. Despite these brushes with success it's important to remember that ten years is a long time and in a time when most marriages don't last ten years it's silly to think that a band could but EMPHATIC put on a brave front despite a revolving door of members. JUSTIN McCAIN proved to be the only constant. In 2015 McCAIN realized that something had to give without dismissing the fan base that had been accrued over the years so he locked himself in the studio, wrote some songs, got a band together and EMPHATIC was re-nicked THROUGH FIRE and the moniker sums up his sense of survival. At the moment it feels like more that a reboot and less than a debut for THROUGH FIRE. According to McCAIN the new album is in the can and will be released in the Summer of 2016 but it's been preceded by the single STRONGER which demonstrates that despite mostly new members that primal instinct for issuing a not-so-subtle rock n roll punch and this time it's served up with an electrifying vocal performance by new front man GRANT KENDRICK.

MARCH 20, 2016
Super heroes are a bigger business than they have ever been thanks to DC COMICS and MARVEL having set their sights on the silver screen but they all got their start in comic books. I'll have to admit I'm a little out of my area of expertise when it come to the world of comic books but in doing research on Native American superheroes I see that the list is surprisingly long. The only one that I was familiar with was APACHE CHIEF from SUPER FRIENDS. However finding out all of this information doesn't take anything away from ARIGON STARR's (Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma) comic book creation SUPER INDIAN. In fact of all of the Indian super heroes out there SUPER INDIAN might be the only one created by a Native person. STARR began her career  producing cartoons, drawings and artwork for many organizations including NATIVE VOICES AT THE AUTRY, NATIVE VOICE ONE RADIO SERVICE, the legendary rock band QUEEN, WALT DISNEY and the NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. She also boasts a background in theater and playwriting. The initial idea for SUPER INDIAN came when STARR was on a train ride in Australia on her way to an Indigenous Theater workshop. "I've always thought our Native community didn't have enough comic book heroes and most of the ones that were already out there weren't created or drawn by Native artists or writers" says STARR. SUPER INDIAN first came to national attention when it was turned into a 10 part radio series on NPR. Fueled by the positive reception to the radio series SUPER INDIAN has continued as a weekly webcomic but now STARR has joined forces with WACKY PRODUCTION UNLIMITED's CEO JANET MINER and has formed REZIUM PRODUCTIONS in an effort to bring SUPER INDIAN back to radio and whatever media there is to take advantage of.


MARCH 20, 2016
When we first met B. OF DAKOTA SOUTH RECORDS two years ago he had just released his twenty song, self titled debut album and what blew our minds about the Yankton Sioux hip hop artist was his knack for thinking big. But then again in the hip hop world thinking big is the only way to be. B is not only an artist but the CEO of his company DAKOTA SOUTH RECORDS which is home to such artists as TREY DEMI and juQ. While Rapid City, South Dakota may be the last place that anyone would think of as a hot spot for rap and hip hop, B has managed to make it a domicile to take seriously for future consideration on the strength of his artistry and entrepreneurial acumen. Now said artistry and entrepreneurial spirit have come together on B's eagerly awaited follow up album OHHH! B. Once again B issues a twenty-song compilation featuring state-of-the-art production, guest spots by folks on DAKOTA SOUTH RECORDS' roster and most importantly rhymes that speak to the highs and lows of life. B has his sights firmly set for going straight to the top and if there are any doubts about that they will squashed after hearing the album's first single COME AND GET YOUR LOVE. The homage to the RED BONE classic has "smash" written all over it it's a wonder that no other Native hip hop artist has sampled the tune. We are clearly at the beginning of B's ascent to the hip hop glory and it should be interesting to see where all of this goes a year from now."

MARCH 17, 2016
There is that old saying about debut albums that goes "...you have all of your life to get ready for your first album and six months to get ready for you second one." In the case of Bay Area- based singer-songwriter SCOTT SMITH the former is true. Having grown up with the sounds that emanated from San Francisco thanks to bands such as THE GRATEFUL DEAD and JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, SCOTT SMITH took to music with a great deal of enthusiasm but the furthest he was able to go was in a series of cover bands over the years. It was only a few years ago that SMITH - feeling like he needed to get something off his chest - decided to pick up the guitar and put pen to paper and begin the process of expressing himself through song in a way that performing cover songs couldn't. The fledgling songwriter has finally made a statement all on his own with his debut album THE SUM OF LIFE - a country folk-tinged collection of songs with some rock n roll and boogie woogie flourishes. The track THE WORLD IS STRANGE is a one hell of a rant about a world that is getting crazier and crazier by the second. PAYDAY is a punchy country rocker number that gives it up for the working man and all that crap he's got to put up with and BLUES GUITAR SLINGER is a strutting rocker about giving the music everything you've got. 


MARCH 15, 2016
Rarely does  the list of past members of a band bring about a sense of intimidation. The Swedish goth metal band BESEECH has been a revolving door for over twenty years but the whole thing started with guitarists  KLAS BOHLIN and ROBERT VINTERVIND and vocalist JORGEN SJOBERG. For a decade the band enjoyed a tremendous cult following on the strength of their releases ...FROM A BLEEDING HEART (1998), BLACK EMOTIONS (2000) and SOULS HIGHWAY (2002). The last of those releases marked the end of KLAS BOHLIN's tenure with the band which continued one with the albums DRAMA (2004) and SUNLESS DAYS (2005). Now more than ten years after the release of SUNLESS DAYS guitarist and founding member KLAS BOHLIN has stepped things up in more ways than one with the re-emergence of BESEECH as goth metal force in music. KLAS has now stepped into the lead singer role along with ANGELINA SAHLGREN SODER for the band's latest album MY DARKNESS, DARKNESS. On their first release in over ten years the band's knack for exploring all matters dark and light has not lost any of  it's bite and the contrast of KLAS and ANGELINA's voices give this latest step in BESEECH's musical journey an immediacy that is sometimes lacking in much of the drone that gets written off as 'goth'. And returning guitarist ROBERT VINTERVIND and a brand new set of players also keep the proceedings stimulating on tracks such as BEATING PULSE and their stirring cover of the JOHNNY CASH song HIGHWAYMAN.

MARCH 14, 2016
There is no denying that television is a medium where native people are alarmingly underrepresented. Sure you have FNX (FIRST NATIONS EXPERIENCE) Channel but who the hell can find it even with all that they've put down for advertising in glossies. However, one medium where First Nations and American Indian people have made their presence known is radio whether it be through public broadcasting, the private sector or podcasting. Radio has been a  forum for Indian people for more than three-quarters of a century so it's strange that there hasn't been some stuffy article or academic paper on the subject. But thanks to Mohawk writer and producer JANET ROGERS we've got something better. She has produced a seven-part podcast series NDNs ON THE AIRWAVES which examines the history of the relationship between Native people and radio and the role it plays in Native communities throughout the U.S. and Canada and the innovations that have come along in the past few years that could only help in making the voice of Native people even louder. ROGERS developed the programming along with  CFUVfm - the University of Victoria campus radio station - and CRFC RADIO METERS FUND.

MARCH 11, 2016
With a tumultuous election year already upon us in the United States a great number of eyes are looking to Canada to see what our neighboring country is all about. Maybe it could be  a place of refuge should a TRUMP presidency become the case. Politics aside ROCKWIRED has enjoyed an appreciation for the rock n roll that comes from the True North Strong and Free from bands such as GHOST TOWN ORCHESTRA, LUKAS ROSSI, CRAWL, SATE, DISTRICT AVENUE and FINGER ELEVEN and now we're happy to be adding DEAD AIR REPUBLIC to that list. Rock n roll is certainly the name of their game and their brand new EP WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE is an in-your-face affair that is destined to attract attention from active rock radio programmers beneath that U.S-Canadian border. The music is simply stomping with some rather layered guitar riff-age brought to you but DAVID MALTAIS and RICH BENT and an imposing rhythm section consisting of bass player BEN BARNES and drummer MIKE DESTROFF. Despite all of the heavy metal thunder lead singer MARC BOURGON gives the chaotic material a touch of humanity in his nuanced vocal performance and crafty lyrical approach.

MARCH 9, 2016
Sure we could call the EP REFLECTIONS a debut recording for singer songwriter TODD APFEL but the recording is more than that. It is in fact a return to music making for APFEL who first had a taste of the rock n roll life when he had formed a "hair metal band" at the age of eighteen. That band won second place in some battle of the bands contest but more importantly had the tremendous opportunity of opening for CHEAP TRICK on a leg of one of their tours. Normally one would expect a rock career either great or small to have emerged from such a billing but the hard scrabble rock n roll life was dropped in favor of the pursuit of a business degree and a corporate career which came to an end in the early 2000's when the internet cut into the profits of his print-based business. After opening a bowling alley and then getting a divorce in which his ex-wife took the bowling alley APFEL settled in a small Iowa town called Vining which boasts a population of 50. While in correspondence with his friend CHRIS CAFFERY (of TRANS SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA)  he was urged to turn his attentions toward making music again. Slowly but surely APFEL invested in a home studio and began laying down the blueprints for the next leg of his musical journey. REFLECTIONS is the first step on said journey with songs that showcase a world-weariness and sensitivity that only a troubadour who has been there and done that is able to convey but the track HOT SUMMER LOVE shows that APFEL hasn't entirely shaken off the rock n roll.

MARCH 8, 2016
One would think that we were on some sort of alt-country kick at the moment with our recent editions of ROCKWIRED RADIO PROFILES and who could blame us with the music that has been coming our way from the likes of acts such as JACK THE RADIO, SMALL TOWN SOUND and THE MORNING SEA.  However this current edition features an artist from ROCKWIRED's past. Alt-country artist JASON WHITTON was first featured on ROCKWIRED ten years ago with the release of his haunting album THRIFTSTORE COWBOY which boasted some of the moodiest and subdued country rock this side of THE COWBOY JUNKIES. The young singer-songwriter left a strong impression on us that year so his disappearance from the scene was a loss that we felt deeply but it turns out the WHITTON had started a family and within the past decade has released a couple of CDs here and there but this year he is back in a big way with his new album HONEY BUTTER. In a decade where country music seems to have taken claim to the dominance that rock music once enjoyed WHITTON could have a shot at some mainstream recognition with that easygoing charm that made us take notice ten years earlier. Despite the gentility of the material there is enough of an edge here that's not likely to get the guy confused for that dufus who's currently dating GWEN STEFANI. If there's any doubt about WHITTON's musical edge how many country artists do you know that could paraphrase ROB BASE's IT TAKES TWO as he does on the track HEART BROKE?

MARCH 4, 2016
Being a Southwest-based publication we found it curious that a recording filled with numerous rustic, wild west motifs was recorded by a band based in North Carolina. JACK THE RADIO takes Americana music to a whole other level on their newest album BADLANDS - the band's first CD in three years. In speaking with vocalist and guitarist GEORGE HAGE and bassist CHRIS SAYLES it was clear to us that sci-fi Spaghetti Westerns inspired the songwriting here and one can hear such influence on tracks such as THE RUNAWAY, BAD MAN and THE HILLS. BAD MAN maybe the only track there released as a single but HILLS and THE RUNAWAY leave strong and haunting impressions and the thumping single AIN'T SO BAD ain't no slouch either. The band's GRAM PARSONS -meets- BLUE OYSTER CULT formula has earned them some rather glowing recognition from such publications as the INDEPENDENT WEEKLY, THE  VINYL DISTRICT and AIDING & ABETTING which refers to them as an "...acid-rock version of THE EAGLES." The packaging and release of the album has us particularly excited in that BADLANDS is available both electronically and through vinyl. BADLANDS is just the sort of album that you want to hear on a turntable while reading the lyric sheet and taking in the artwork vibrantly illustrated by DAVID PAUL SEYMOUR. Alt-country has never been more alternative.

FEBRUARY 26, 2016
When we first became acquainted with Aussie blues mama ANNI PIPER back in the summer of 2013 she had just cut an album that she had recorded alongside another female blues artist and was on the verge of going on a tour that would take her through much of the United States. Almost three years later PIPER is now a citizen of the United States and married and living a good life in the State of Florida but what's important to us is that she has released a brand new album MORE GUITARS THAN FRIENDS and this time the bassist and singer steps into the light as a true solo artist having written much of the material herself. With previous recordings PIPER has built an audience with some fine musical know who and a knack for a delivery but with MORE GUITARS THAN FRIENDS - a songwriter has emerged with a voice that is distinctive and soulful. The first single PAPER BAG is a playful blues romp and gives PIPER the chance to growl seductively and sink her teeth into the chorus aimed at empathizing with a guy who's got to screw an ugly chick. The title track of the album sums up the lonely life of a musician on the road and the countrified swing of BLACKBERRY BRANDY has PATSY CLINE written all over it. While she is a few albums into her career MORE GUITARS THAN FRIENDS  feels like a good first impression all over again.

FEBRUARY 24, 2016
We feel that that Akron, Ohio-based band L.A. KNIGHTS have something with their newest single and title track of their new EP PSYCHOANALYZE. Given the curious state of rock n roll in this day and age L.A. KNIGHTS get a whole new years started off with an infectious rock anthem and an instantly memorable chorus that could even win over a non-rock fan. Their EP as a whole is testament to a band that is putting it all on the line for rock n roll that is direct, punchy and spirited however guitarist JOZEY assures us that the EP is merely a taste of a larger work to come within the next couple of months but in the meantime there is plenty here at the moment for anyone who wants their rock n roll to be a non-stop party such as the stomping opener DEVIL ON MY HEELS and the strutting DANCE which given the the time and the exposure will become a poll dancers anthem.

FEBRUARY 23, 2016
Just going by the name of the town, one can hear that Minco, Oklahoma is a million miles away from Nashville, Los Angeles or New York but that hasn't stopped a band like SMALL TOWN SOUND from grabbing the ears of music fans as far away as Europe and music industry professionals with the release of their brand new EP FOR MAMA. How do we begin to describe the band's sound? It's definitely American. It walks that fine line between old time rock n roll and some of the more celebratory, stomping country music that is all the rage these days. At the heart of all off this are songs that speak to the everyday joys and hardships that come with the territory of making a living and coming home to that loved one and being yourself. The band is a dedicated group of guys who know how to come at a song from the ground up while front man TUFFY CASTEEL gives the proceedings the warmth and personality that it deserves with that delivery of his that will bring back a memory or two of MATCHBOX TWENTY's ROB THOMAS. However there are two  ingredients that set SMALL TOWN SOUND apart from that seminal late-nineties/early-aughts pop rock band - playfulness and spunk. The opening track WHISKEY opens deceptively as a downbeat tale of drinking an old love out of one's mind but the songs turns into a rocker two thirds of the way and the sorrowful sentiment turns celebratory in tone. RACING TO YOU is amid tempo roots rocker driven but by a never ending, soulful harmonica and a chorus that reminds us that "There's a party going on tonight!" The track recalls the blue-collar bliss that JOHN MELLENCAMP was able to convey perfectly in his music. HARDER TIMES is country-tinged rock ballad about holding onto dreams of better days as work and romance are on shaky ground. We're catching a new talent at the very beginning. Not only can we say that we knew SMALL TOWN SOUND when, we can also say that we enjoyed the ride that is their debut EP.

FEBRUARY 21, 2016
When we spoke with singer-songwriter JILLIAN KOHR regarding her new EP FREE she made it clear to us that she wanted people to appreciate real music written by real people. In a time when much of what is popular in music is dismissed as being digitized and lacking in substance we find something noble in KOHR's hope to connect with a listener on a deeper level. Of course she shouldn't have a problem finding an audience for the songs on FREE. The songs on her latest release are family affair with her husband and 12-year old son chipping into the songwriting process and the pay off here is that the songs not only deliver but transcend the genre of country music. The EP's opener is the bluesy LEAVE THE LIGHT ON which will bring back a memory or two of SAMMI SMITH'S "HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT". The verses for the title track are built around a soulful groove but the chorus simply soars and WRAPPED is a moody rocker about being a fool for love and is curiously sung from a guy's perspective. She maybe two EP's into her music career but it feels like this is only the beginning for a fine talent.

FEBRUARY 18, 2016

The quarterly publication ROCK IS RED magazine was launched in the Spring of 2015 to tremendous response from throughout Indian Country and beyond on the strength of it's coverage of American Indian and First Nations recording artists form throughout North America. ROCK IS RED was a venture by ROCKWIRED MEDIA LLC - the publishers of the monthly rock music publication ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE and the website ROCKWIRED.COM.  The American Indian-owned publishing company had sought to create a  publication that would reflect the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of music makers form throughout Indian Country and exceeded expectations with the publication of three editions which featured exclusive interviews with artists such as GHOST TOWN ORCHESTRA, INNASTATE, CODY BLACKBIRD, KICKIN KROTCH, BLACKSTONE, LOGAN STAATS, ANIMAL TEEF, DAWN KARIMA, CASPER, SCATTER THEIR OWN,  JULIA KEEFE, WILL BELCOURT, JANA MASHONEE, WOLF SAGA, LEAH SHENANDOAH, 2 8 THA NATIVE and others. While the receptions form readers proved enthusiastic, advertising sales were hit and miss. The low returns weighed heavy in the decision on whether the magazine would continue or not. "It was a really tough decision for us to make!" says Brian Lush  - the founding editor of ROCK IS RED and ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE. "We set out to do a quarterly and only ended up publishing three issues because the ad sales were a bit sluggish."

FEBRUARY 14, 2016
In all of the write ups for Oneida singer-songwriter and guitarist IRV LYONS JR. his music is described as being "rooted in Latin influenced jazz" in the vein of  CARLOS SANTANA but after hearing his latest album WONDERLAND one can not dismiss a clear and present STEELY DAN influence as well. The CD WONDERLAND is a nonstop party and LYONS and company lay down one irresistible rocking R&B groove after another. The opening track STARLENE is a sexy little romp about a leggy looker - the kind that thousands upon thousands of guitar riffs have been inspired by and written for. In addition to his own serviceable vocal performance LYONS partners with a a couple of other talents on the album. While he gets the party started on the track FIRE WITHOUT A FLAME it is the vocal performance of KIM MONROE that gives the playful little number it's playfulness. On the bluesy title track LYONS shares the mic with JOE DRISCOLL and the two of them give the track a SAM AND DAVE-styled delivery . In our interview with him LYONS gave us his reasons why Native music has never quite hit the mainstream since REDBONE's COME AND GET YOUR LOVE. It was strange that he brought that band up because a lot of WONDERLAND's roots can be heard in that legendary minimalist approach to R&B. Yes, this album carries on a whole different kind of musical legacy in Indian Music outside of Traditional music. Pop chart success may not be int he cards for LYONS and WONDERLAND but a NAMMY or GRAMMY nomination doesn't seem like too much to hope for.

FEBRUARY 14, 2016
Americana is a music form that we've never been able to shake off here at ROCKWIRED. There is something enticing about taking the raw and melodic approach to rock n roll which tends to go out of it's way to make Country and Folk music listeners feel right at home. THE MORNING SEA is a gloriously named New York City band which is the latest to take on this musical tradition and give it a whole new twist and name. Front man ADAM COHEN has dubbed his band's sound as "Gotham Americana" which perfectly sums up the bands rustic musical tendency with their oh-so New York City sensibility. And we love the description because it sounds like something out of THE DARK KNIGHT. THE MORNING SEA was a band formed accidentally when singer-songwriter ADAM COHEN went into the studio and formed alliances with some pretty savvy players and studio engineers. Eventually they came up with the name THE MORNING SEA and took their act on the road. Of course they had some stellar material to show off with their debut recording STRANGE CAPTIVE. Now the band have released MAL DE MER and the band and Mr. COHEN are able to deliver a collection of songs that navigate the entire spectrum of emotions much in the same vein as NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS have dome album after album.

FEBRUARY 11, 2016
Talk about hitting us where we live. Without the presence of small independent internet radio webcasters there would be no music scene for ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE or ROCKWIRED.COM to report on. The last time we checked CLEAR CHANNEL hadn't backed off of their goal to monopolize almost every radio station in existence and that band that  is building their following and fortune the slow and hard way through touring wasn't getting their new song played on any of those said CLEAR CHANNEL stations. A new movement has risen called SAVENETRADIO 3.0. According to them this is how the situation stands:

FEBRUARY 10, 2016
The death knell has been sounded for rock n roll for over ten years now and with some recent losses of music legends such as LEMMY KILMISTER and DAVID BOWIE the death knell is ringing louder and louder. People can mope around all they want about the shaky ground that this genre of music on but CURTIS McKINNEY and BRAD HENNINGTON have done something about it with their syndicated radio show CRANKED UP LIVE. For anyone who thinks that rock n roll is out of here, these fellas have proven that there is still a viable market out there. CRANKED UP LIVE is available on over 55 markets (both terrestrial and online) throughout the world with a listenership in the millions who tune in for the comdeic rantings of the shows two hosts, the music and the interviews with today's leading active rock artists. After years of building their brnd McKINNEY and HENNINGTON have their eyes set on expanding CRANKED UP LIVE to an even wider audience. Based in New Mexico (as is ROCKWIRED) CRANKED UP LIVE has earned both McKINNEY and HENNINGTON two NEW MEXICO BROADCASTER AWARDS for BEST PERSONALITY AIR CHECK and BEST INTERVIEW.

FEBRUARY 10, 2016
Over the years we have profiled many artists who have taken a myriad number of paths toward rock n roll glory but SCOTTIE SOMERVILLE of ARTIFAS is probably the first one to have been a drum line coach. The progression from doing drum line to being the front man of one of the most exciting active rock bands ion the scene is a curious one but we're glad that SOMMERVILLE landed were he did. ARTIFAS first marked their territory with their debut EP ENEMY INSIDE and now they are back to secure that territory and then some with the release of their new LP INHUMAN - a collection of first rate rockers that are bound to make a huge impression on active rock radio in what remains of 2016. If having a solid release in their corner wasn't enough ARTIFAS will be hitting the road with ROCKWIRED favorites BOBAFLEX and THE VEER UNION for the ROUND 2 LIVE AND LOUD U.S. TOUR.

FEBRUARY 8, 2016
Toward the end of 2015 BAD MARY made a huge impression on us with the release of their EP KILLING DINOSAURS due to their embrace of the spirit and energy of the punk scene that had exploded in their hometown of New York City forty years ago.  In a time when you have young hipsters wearing CBGBs tee-shirts without even knowing what the fuck it means BAD MARY is issuing the very primal sound that was responsible for one of the last great music movements of this great U.S. of A and KILLING DINOSAURS captured the feverish, frenetic abandon that the band has created on live stages throughout New York City and beyond. Now the band has released their follow up EP WE COULD HAVE SAVED THE WORLD and the band positively cracks on such RAMONES inspired rockers such as CREEPER and MARZ ATTAQX with singer AMANDA MAC channeling DEBORAH HARRY of BLONDIE from the PLASTIC LETTERS days. Needless to say, the package is an intriguing one.  Hopefully it's the first sign that the lumberjack beard-sporting, skinny jean-wearing sensibility that has come to typify what we call "indie" is on it's way out.

FEBRUARY 8, 2016
Never in my life did I think that the aggressive rock guitar styling of folks like RITCHIE BLACKMORE and JOHNNY WINTER would ever be considered music of a by-gone era but all one needs to do is scan the radio to hear that hard rock is no longer that music of the day. This makes DAVID M'ORE's musical ambitions seem like the story of DAVID AND GOLIATH. It's hard for any artist these days to to stand out among the crowd but but M'ORE manages to do just that with the release of his new, aptly titled album PASSION, SOUL AND FIRE. With his penchant for blues-drenched hard rock and a growling voice  M'ORE's PASSION, SOUL AND FIRE plays like a a slice of life set to music. M'ORE is an Argentinian-born Italian who's musical education stated with the Nylon string classical guitar. The dexterity he gained from the instrument has gone on to inform his unique approach to playing rock music.  As a young man he ventured tot he States to form the band BLIND HOLE to great local stardom in Los Angeles in the early nineties. For the past few years he has built a reputation for his electrifying stage show that has left many in awe and PASSION, SOUL AND FIRE has succeeded in capturing the very drive and spirit that has kept this talent going strong all of these years.

FEBRUARY 6, 2016

It feels as if the year has officially begun here at ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE and now we are moving on with the the publication of our annual  special issue BANG THE DRUM LOUDLY which celebrates those men and women who lay down the unrelenting backbeat in today's active rock music. It's always exciting for us to go through the list of bands and artists who have been featured on our magazine and our website and pick out the players that we feel deserve the recognition that can often times be elusive. With rock music becoming the royalty game that it has become we feel it's important to acknowledge the talents of today's emerging bands and artists. In this issue we will be highlighting twenty different percussionists form twenty different bands that deserve some due for all they do to make rock n roll that thing that we are going to keep banging our heads to. These musicians will be featured in a 30 page pictorial and editorial spread with a few surprises here and there. The complete list of who made the cut can be viewed below. In addition to this exciting special feature is our usual reportage which will include exclusive interviews with ADELITA'S WAY, DEATH VALLEY DREAMS, ARTIFAS and KINGS HAREM. The March issue of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will be available exclusively at ROCKWIRED.COM on Tuesday, March 1, 2016.

JANUARY 25, 2016
JESSE W. JOHNSON is the first male solo artist to be featured by ROCKWIRED in the new year but don't think for a second that this Chicago-based troubadour serves up the same old fair that has become typical of many a male solo artist in the indie music vain. What sets JOHNSON apart is pure unadulterated guitar riff-age. The Windy City is somewhat famous for riff rock by the likes of bands as HUSKER DU and URGE OVERKILL and JOHNSON made a name for himself in that respect with his band JET W LEE. The band had built a following with such releases as CANNON ROWS, WESTERN NIGHTMARE, HOME TO ROAST and WHO SHALL REMAIN SHAMELESS but now that outfit is on an indefinite hiatus and JOHNSON is now gaining attention for his solo work. His latest EP PRIMAL SCREAM is the sort of gritty, gut-bucket, foot-stomping rock n roll  that is both joyous and dark all at the same time. Now where is this featured more prominently than on the EP's scorching title track. But that doesn't mean that one should stop there. The feisty rocker FUCKED UP FIRST is a foul-mouthed anthem they may not get radio play but will definitely get a live audience fired up and EXPECTING TO FALL is a gentle, plaintive closer to a recording that has us wanting more from this man. 

JANUARY 24, 2016
While many throughout the world capped off the year 2015 on the night of January 31, 2015, ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE officially put the previous year to rest on the evening of Sunday, January 24, 2016 with the 2016 ROCKWIRED READER'S POLL AWARDS SHOW. The two hour on-line radio program was webcast on the on-line radio station RADIOKSCR.COM. Throughout the course of the two hour program, host and ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE editor BRIAN LUSH announced the winner in every category and spun tunes from the winners and select favorites from each category. This year boasted the smallest number of award winners  due largely to the fact that  two of the winners walked away with three categories each. Singer-songwriter JOHN TAGLIERI  cleaned up this year with three wins for BEST MALE ARTIST, BEST RECORDING (EP) for TRUE BELIEVER and BEST SONG for  DON'T ASK WHY.  Also walking away with three wins was the band ACIDIC who walked away with BEST BAND, BEST RECORDING (LP) for their album CREATURES and BEST MUSIC VIDEO for CHICAGO. Rounding out the remaining categories was LAURA COLE who walked away with BEST FEMALE ARTIST on the strength of her album DIRTY CHEAT and reggae rock band INNASTATE for  BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN AMERICAN INDIAN/FIRST NATIONS BAND OR ARTIST on the strength of their self-titled debut EP.

JANUARY 18, 2016
Yes the road to rock n roll glory is a long and winding and sometimes you run into dead ends and cul de sacs. There is no one route that works the same for anybody so there is almost no way to advise one to tread the shaky ground of this here music industry but a fellow like NICK COYLE could be a textbook example of how not to give up. NICK COYLE first hit the scene in a big way with the band LIFER and later DRAMA CLUB. ROCKWIRED first became acquainted with him three years ago when he had formed the band STARDOG CHAMPION with members of BREAKING BENJAMIN. A year later he broke off on his own and released a solo album which boasted a more electronic side to his songcraft. Now the past has caught up with NICK in a sense but it's paying off artistically as well as musically. He has formed his newest band DEATH VALLEY DREAMS with guitarist JON NOVA who was a guitarist from DRAMA CLUB and together they've created a straight-forward rock sound punctuated by icy electronics. While a a couple of the tracks on their recently released debut EP such as the punchy opener WORDS LIKE FIRE may bring back a memory or two of the likes of a heavier ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN or THE CHURCH, DEATH VALLEY DREAMS is far from being a mere nostalgia act. This newest chapter in COYLE's musical journey is an exciting turn of events and we get a sense that this outfit is in this for the long haul.

JANUARY 14, 2016
Maryland is where I grew up so when someone comes out of the the "Old Line State" and makes some noise I naturally want to join in on the commotion and share the news with the world. Back in 2014 we gave it up for the band SILVERTUNG and their album DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS which boasted the singles such as the hit NEVER TOO LATE, COMING ALIVE, JUSTIFY and DEJA VU. Comprised of singer/guitarist SPEED, lead guitarist ZZ, bassist SKOOT, and drummer DANNO, SILVERTUNG had and continue to create a tremendous buzz in their own backyard  but 'DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS' has given the band some favorable attention throughout the United States and have given them spots on some rather desirable rock festivals. Now SILVERTUNG is back with a new single and music video called FACE THE MUSIC - a headbanging ode to the perseverance that it takes to survive in a music. Sounds pretty damn autobiographical to me. FACE THE MUSIC is the first offering from their upcoming album OUT OF THE BOX where the band is teamed up once again with producer STEVEN WRIGHT (AVRIL LAVIGNE and SLIPKNOT).

JANUARY 14, 2016
It makes all of the sense to us in the world why bands choose to release a single here and there as opposed to that one large release. This is the reality that music makes have been dealt but in the case of the band WAYLAND the formula has certainly paid off. Since the release of their self-titled debut EP back in 2012 WAYLAND has built their massive following the old fashioned way - by living on the road and hitting every major city with their now renowned live performances. Toward the end of 2014 WAYLAND scored a hit with their single GET A LITTLE - an anthemic stomper that celebrated the struggles and joys of the working man. Anthems have been where it's at for WAYLAND since they first hit the scene so it's exciting to announce that their newest single BLOODY SUNRISE is a nice little departure. Don't think for a second that the band's penchant for directness has taken a backseat. It's only been tempered by some rustic southern rock flourishes that typify bands such as LYNYRD SKYNYRD and THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND. Not bad for a band whose members hail from both Wisconsin and Indiana. According to the band's guitarist PHILLIP VILENKSI the band recorded the single in Atlanta which would probably explain the songs Southern vibe of the track. The single is a taste of a larger work to come and VILENKSI promises that what people will hear is a band coming along as one should in rock n roll - wiser and a hell of a lot more confident. Without a doubt one will hear that in this new offering form WAYLAND.