The Web ROCKWiRED

AUGUST 2, 2017
ROCKWiRED HiGHLiGHTS - G TOM MAC
TAKEN FROM THE JULY 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!
Being the child of some rather restrictive parents in the Summer of 1987 was a challenge. There were so many fantastic movies that had come out such as ROBOCOP and RUNNING MAN, but the one that got me the most excited was THE LOST BOYS. I was around the same age as the COREYS (HAIM and FELDMAN) and the notion of sexy, leather-clad vampires terrorizing a Southern California coastal community seemed like a new, exciting slant on the vampire sub-genre of horror. Unfortunately for me, the film was rated R and I was forbidden to see such a film but with some slick maneuvering, I got to see the film with a friend and his parents, without my mom and dad ever finding out. All of my expectations for the film were succeeded. The vampires were sexier. KIEFER SUTHERLAND was a most menacing villain, the romance between JASON PATRIC (MICHAEL) and JAMI GERTZ (STAR) was electrifying and the antics of the COREYS struck the perfect balance between fear and laughter.

JULY 22, 2017
ROCKWiRED HiGHLiGHTS - NEVER i
TAKEN FROM THE JUNE 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!
NEVER I, what made you decide on the band's name?
NEVER I is the title of a song by THE CHARIOT that we interpreted as being synonymous with selflessness. A perspective we strive to hold true in our lives and the music we make together.

Who are your biggest influences both musically and personally?
Musically we'd have to go with bands like NORMA JEAN, UNDEROATH, and THE CHARIOT. Personal influences include LEONARDO, DONATELLO, MICHAELANGELO, RAPHAEL, and of course MASTER SPLINTER.

JULY 21, 2017

ROCKWiRED HiGHLiGHTS - SiGNALS OF BEDLAM
TAKEN FROM THE MAY 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!
ESCAPING VELOCITY is a fantastic album and now that's it's out there for people to take in how do you feel about the finished work?
CERO: If you're doing your job right you're always going to look back on the things that you've done with glasses that allow you to see all of the mistakes. So for everything I've ever done it's hard for me to look back and kind of enjoy it. I always look back on things and think about the things that I could improve. So I think we're all really proud of it but at the same time we use it as a tool for things that we want to develop in the future and improve upon.

And how about you TOM? Do you look back on what you've released with a critical eye as well?
TOM: I don't know. That's kind of a hard question to answer. I'm really proud of it. I was like a ton of work and it's the firs thing that we've created as a band that I feel was distinctively the product of all of us. It's funny looking back on it now too because we're not quite the same anymore and we can hear all of the things that we did and you might go "Oh, I might do things differently now." It's not just a reminder of things to improve upon. It's more like it a snapshot of us at the time and that was how we approached things then. And now I'm wondering how we do things differently now.

JULY 21, 2017
ROCKWiRED HiGHLiGHTS - A WAR WiTHiN
TAKEN FROM THE MAY 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!

You have this great CD out BELIEVE. Now that the album has been out there for a little bit how do you feel about the finished work?
I'm really proud of that record. I joined the band halfway through as they were working on that record. When I joined and saw what they were working on I thought the whole thing was awesome and was glad to be apart of this. I was able to put some touches on the song SLAVE. The piano parts that you hear are mine. That was really cool. I'm really proud of how we covered a bunch of different bases on that album. We didn't stick to one specific genre. That was cool!

Who all did you guys work with in terms of production?
For the BELIEVE record, we tracked it all ourselves and then it was mixed by JOEY STURGIS and half of it was mixed by two other people - NICK and JOSH.

JULY 17, 2017
ROCKWiRED HiGHLiGHTS - BLAMESHiFT
TAKEN FROM THE MAY 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!

You guys are a part of the UNDISCOVERED:ROCK compilation that is out there but I notice that your contribution to it is an older song.
Yeah, the track was picked by the guy who actually set up the compilation. It's just one of the songs from us that he really likes and he requested that we use that for the compilation. Our first choice would've been our new single off of our new release but he thought that OPERATING TABLE would help diversify what the compilation is. It's an older song but we still feel that it's a great song. It was a track that was a little under the radar for us form that album and we always felt that it could've gotten more exposure and this compilation gave us that chance to give that song a little bit more love. We never shot a music video for it and we never really gave it a real push and this compilation gives that song that extra recognition.

JULY 16, 2017
ROCKWiRED HiGHLiGHTS - ANDREW W. BOSS
TAKEN FROM THE JUNE 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!

INVINCIBLE is about to get it's official release, and now that all of the work that went into it is behind you, how do you feel about the finished work?
I think the album is amazing and I really think that a lot of people are going to like it.

Who all helped you behind the recording console?
I worked with my executive producer JIM FOGARTY out of Westfield, Massachusetts. He's got a couple of albums behind him from artists such as ALL THAT REMAINS and a KILLSWITCH ENGAGE. I arranged the album but he mixed and mastered and he came up with some ideas here and there that really worked out. My drummer COREY did a lot of the drum tracks and we had both JEREMY TABOR and JOHN BOSS on guitars. JIM did some bass work and so did FLIP. We had a handful of people working on this, plus there are some guest spots on there. For the title track we had PABLO VIVEROS of CHELSEA GRIN on bass and guitars. He did all of the music and I did the vocals on top of that. Even though it says ANDREW W. BOSS, a lot of people helped in putting it together. That's why I think it turned out so good.

JULY 3, 2017
ROCKWiRED HiGHLiGHTS - LULLWATER
TAKEN FROM THE JUNE 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!

Your live EP THE SEATTLE SESSIONS is an interesting listen. Now that it's out there for everyone to hear, how do you feel about the finished work?
I feel very surprised by it. It brings me back to 2013 when we recorded it, and the songs are different from the ones off of our official LP REVIVAL. It's its own thing. It was recorded in a  couple of days at LONDON BRIDGE STUDIOS and we had a good time with it. It;'s different feel for the songs than we're used to. It's cool to look back and hear how we were playing these songs in 2013. After three years of playing them, it's interesting to to hear how our approach to them has changed.

With the recent passing of CHRIS CORNELL and EP like THE SEATTLE SESSIONS kind of has an eerie resonance.
Yeah. We're I'm actually in Seattle right now. It's been really somber. CHRIS CORNELL was that iconic, legendary singer that I grew up idolizing. It's so odd. It's so weird. When I was on the flight to Seattle the news broke and everyone was just bummed out. It was really surreal. You wake up one morning and look at the news and you find out that CHRIS CORNELL has passed away. It's weird. SEATTLE SESSIONS was done on a whim as we were touring. Seattle has always been that city and place that we've always gravitated toward. It's the history of  the city itself that gets to us, and the history of all of the people that have ever recorded at LONDON BRIDGE STUDIOS and all of the music that was made there.

JULY 3, 2017
ROCKWiRED NiTE OUT FEATURiNG YNGWiE MALMSTEEN
Whether you love Albuquerque, or hate it, one thing that we have going for us is geography. Sitting right on the infamous Big-I, where Interstates 25 and 40 meets, is hugely advantageous to music lovers in the area. While Albuquerque does have a couple of high volume venues, that draw in major tours, we often miss out on the smaller ones. We do have venues to accommodate these shows, nonetheless we often get skipped. On a near weekly basis, I'll read about a band announcing a tour, and excitedly check the dates only to find Albuquerque missing from the list. Occasionally, however, a band's management will realize that there are three days off between a Las Vegas, and a Dallas show, and have a gig booked in Albuquerque, on short notice. This was the case with Yngwie Malmsteen's World on Fire Tour that came to Albuquerque June 8th at the Historic El Rey Theater.

JULY 3, 2017
ROCKWiRED HiGHLiGHTS - DEREK DAViS
TAKEN FROM THE JUNE 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!

REVOLUTIONARY SOUL is a very ambitious LP in a time when people are releasing EPs and singles these days. The fact that it's an LP is an accomplishment in itself.
Yeah. People have suggested to me that I just release a single instead of an album and I'm like "What's that?" A single is not a work of art.  I could put out one of those once a week. I grew up on albums. I can't see myself doing a single at a time.

And now that the album is out there for everyone to hear, how do you feel about the finished work?
I listen to a lot of stuff. There are some parts I'd do over again but all in all I'm really happy with the album from start to finish. I'm also happy with some of the critical responses . I had let people that I've known for years listen to the album before it was released. If any of them said "I don't know about this", I wouldn't have released it.  But everyone thought it was great . You never know if something you've been working on is only going to resonate with others but this album is a universal soul, funk, rock type of a thing. I'm very happy with it.

JUNE 25, 2017
For the better part of a decade, JEFFREY HALFORD has maintained a reputation for issuing music that speaks to the plight of the working man and the high and lows that come with both love and life. In these times, doing so successfully is a tall order, given the "share and share-a-like" mentality of that pervades anything having to do with music. But at least we can count on JEFFREY and his HEALERS standing out by a mile with an electrifying live set which they have managed to take throughout the United States and Europe. A year ago, everything  had felt like it had reached a zenith with the songwriter and band issuing their finest album to date, RAINMAKER. The album boasted a full, rich, vintage sound with HALFORD demonstrating songwriting chops the size of JOHN HIATT. Now, the band is back (well, three of them anyway) with a gritty surprise of an album called LO-FI DREAMS, where HALFORD and the band move from the refinement of their previous album to the raw, reckless rock n roll sound that made the genre dangerous sounding in the first place."I dig it!" said HALFORD, when we spoke over the phone regarding his latest catalog of music. "I know it's a cliche, but you wait for the magic to come into the room and it did. The last album RAINMAKER was pieced together in pain. I couldn't get the mixes right and the whole project killed me. Not to say that I hated that album. I loved the album, but the way the whole thing came together was difficult. After that, I got a trio together and went to Europe to do some shows. When we came back we got into the studio and recorded the new one live. There was a real focus to what we did in the studio and you can hear it on the album."

JUNE 20, 2017
When we spoke with MARISSA LAMAR of HIGHLAND KITES, we asked her what she wanted people to come away with after they had heard the music on her band's latest release I'M NOT WEAK. To paraphrase her response, one of the points that she brought up was that she didn't want people to be brought down by her music, given the heavy themes that are on display within this mesmerizing EP. Given the execution of these songs, which recalls the haunting production and songcraft of works by DANIEL LANOIS and BRIAN ENO, it is hard for us to see the music reducing a listener to sobbing mess. We hear music that uplifts, and because of that I'M NOT WEAK is nothing short of a miracle. Music is more that just something to do for LAMAR. It was a means of survival. Music got her through the years she struggled against Lyme Disease and the struggle turned her into a songwriter with a confessional quality that is unparalleled. Damned if we can find a anything like HIGHLAND KITES in the current indie set, and that's a good thing. It makes the reward of discovering an EP like I'M NOT WEAK all the more sweeter.

JUNE 20, 2017
Let's face it. Indie music has come to mean music that is acoustic based and conveys a sense of longing and introspection. The term almost has nothing to do with the fact that the music is coming form a band that isn't signed to a major label. The subtlety of this sound is even used to push goods and services such as PANERA BREAD, SABRA and UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX. Yes, "indie music" has gone the way of "alternative rock" in terms of not meaning anything anymore, so when a duo like THE SHRIMPS is described as such, it does the duo and their music a massive disservice. This isn't introspective music. It's extroverted music! THE SHRIMPS are comprised of the brothers BENAJAMIN, and their musicality is proudly displayed on their new EP ABSTRACTS AND KEYWORDS. MARCUS and SIMON BENJAMIN take their queue from that other English songwriting partnership of LENNON and McCARTNEY and deliver songs that run deliver on melody, hook and that punchy lyric that proves to be elusive amongst the greater "indie rock" crowd. If you were ot hear these blokes in coffee shop. you'd put to your i-phone, stop your conversation with so and so and really give these guys a listen, and in the era of social media, that is really fucking doing something.

JUNE 1, 2017
The recent passing of SOUNDGARDEN's CHRIS CORNELL has been a blow to the music industry and has left many asking 'why'? Unfortunately the phenomenon of charismatic front men from the Seattle area passing before their time is due has cast an eerie pall over a city famed for bringing back rock n roll's uncompromising edge. From the opposite end of the country (Athens, Georgia to be exact) is the band LULLWATER who have taken tremendous inspiration from the sounds of Seattle and one can hear that inspiration on the band's previous efforts LULLWATER and REVIVAL. If their back catalog hasn't convinced you, than their forthcoming release SEATTLE SESSIONS will. Their embrace of the Seattle sound is worn proudly on the band's sleeve in this live recording where the band's cover of the PEARL JAM classic RELEASE. You can call this forthcoming EP a grunge tribute but LULLWATER manages to keep these solid performances raw and unflinching, on their own terms.

MAY 31, 2017

The element of surprise is what keeps a publication like ours going, and we've got to say that the Martin, South Dakota - based heavy metal band UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE has indeed surprised the hell out of us with an electrifying live set that they had put on recently at the ALBUQUERQUE CENTER FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE. At the moment that band is on a tour throughout the Southwestern United States in promotion of their brand new single FALLEN STAR and while this series of shows is taking place in small venues, we feel that it is only a matter of time before the venues and the band become much bigger. UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE is a band made up of varying members of local South Dakota bands RAZOR CHAIN, NUCLEAR DECADENCE and LOST IN IRRELEVANCE. Together, these Lakota brothers-in-arms are determined to bring their brand of metal to the masses and leave a profound impression on listeners throughout Indian Country and beyond. 

MAY 29, 2017
There are all kinds of professions that are keeping the music industry an industry. You've songwriters and  producers and the heads of independent record labels but none of those professions and business models would mean anything without the actual music makers creating the very thing that separates this industry from everything else. Before becoming the owner of  the indie label  RAVE ON RECORDS, FRANK MIGLIORELLI had written and recorded an extensive catalog of music used for advertising agencies, video game projects, children's publications and television. Eventually, MIGLIORELLI made that life altering decision to start writing music for himself  and after listening to FRANK MIGLIORELLI  & THE DIRT NAPPERS latest release BASS, DRUMS, GUITARS AND ORGANS, we are indeed grateful. The straight-ahead production and approach to rock n roll  showcases MIGLIORELLI's strength's as a songwriter in the vein of JOHN HIATT and the band's considerable chops.  The band's rhythm section is comprised of TONY TINO on bass, PHIL CIMINO on drums and ERIC PUENTE on percussion. Rounding out the sound are JEREMY BAUM on organ,  ANDY STACK and DUCAN CLEARLY on guitars, MIKE BOOKER HEAPHY on steel guitar and backing vocals but SHERRYL MARSHAL, STEVE CHIZMADIA and DAN PELLETIER. With such a wide cast of talent, BASS, DRUMS, GUITARS AND ORGANS brings rock n roll back to the days when it truly popped with melodies, hooks and a spirited delivery. Some things never should've gone out of style.

May 5, 2017

Since we're on the subject of crazy, talented seventeen-year olds, we're going to be turning our attention to singer songwriter MEGAN FLECHAUS. As a publication, we've made mention of the fact that rock n roll is no longer the music of the day and that goes double for anything that can be described as folky an introspective but that in no way takes anything away from FLECHAUS' hard hitting new album NEW. Rather than go it alone,with just an acoustic guitar FLECHAUS brings a full band to the proceedings, elevating her knowing and heartfelt songcraft to some pretty rocking heights.

May 5, 2017

Ah! A boy wonder who writes and plays every bloody instrument on his latest release! It sounds like a novelty these days but in the case of RAY GOREN, it's just the way that the seventeen year old whipper snapper does business. RAY is certainly no stranger to us here at ROCKWIRED. We practically heard this young man grow up before our very ears with a sound that spans gut bucket blues to all out rock n roll. The kid's musicality is a knowing one and has captured the ear of JIMI HENDRIX's legendary producer EDDIE KRAMER who continues to mentor this one-of-a-kind talent. One his newest  release FREE, GOREN widens his musical palette to include strong R&B and hip hop flourishes.

May 5, 2017

2017 marks the 25th anniversary of  a moment in time when rock n roll gave itself a grunge-y make under and took a rough and raw approach to getting people to bang their heads. If you're reading this we don't need to drop names or mention that these guys were largely from Seattle. At around the same time there was a jam band out East making there presence known in frat houses on the Villa Nova campus. Such an inconspicuous beginning for a band but didn't the CHILI PEPPERS start out the same way? Aside from gaining a massive following thanks to their electrifying live sets, RUGBY ROAD is a band that has achieved something spectacular. They have stuck it our for over 25 years now and their latest EP RUGBY ROAD III only goes to prove that these committed troubadours are all to eager to keep giving the people what they want - music that can get a crowd going.

APRIL 25, 2017

With rock n roll already on shaky ground in terms of it's public acceptance, it is strange to see bands such as SIGNALS OF BEDLAM embracing a high-end progressive metal sound. Historically it has always bands that took the direct and in-your-face approach that got people talking about rock n roll again but we at ROCKWIRED have embraced this band's adventurous, musical spirit which is in full force on their brand new release ESCAPING VELOCITY. CHIKA OBIORA on bass and RICH ABIDOR on drums lay down an intoxicating rhythm section while TOM HOY's virtuosity on the six strings elevates the proceedings to dizzying heights. On top of all of the musical know how is vocalist CERO CARTERA whose innate ability to go from bombastic to plaintive can only be attributed to his significant classical training. Just give the haunting vocal track PIECE OF US a listen and you will hear what an arsenal that band has in the way of a vocalist. But let's not put one man above everyone else. SIGNALS OF BEDLAM is a band with some serious musical ambition and in an age where GENE SIMMONS has declared the genre dead, that is really saying something.

APRiL 24, 2017
Back in 2014 when  ROCKWIRED first became acquainted with Haida/Cree songwriter KRISTI LANE SINCLAIR, she had just been nominated for what was called the ABORIGINAL PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD for BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE for her album THE SEA ALONE - a moody collections of songs that showcased SINCLAIR's considerable Classical music training and her fondness for the maudlin rock lyric worthy of BILLY CORGAN at his best. It's no accident that we mention the name CORGAN. It was the SMASHING PUMPKINS that got SINCLAIR excited about the six-string and music making in the first place. From there SINCLAIR went on to study classical music but eventually found her own sound and voice and has released a a catalog of music marked by classical flourishes and rock n roll angst. On her latest INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARD nominated album DARK MATTER, SINCLAIR embraces the punk and grunge sounds that got her going artistically in the first place and as a result we are taken on a dark and moody journey that most certainly exhilarates.

APRIL 19, 2017

In all of the time that we've been doing ROCK IS RED we have feature a punk band here and a punk band there but we've never had anything as hard, heavy and fast as the band NO MORE MOMENTS. Hailing from the Siksika Nation in Alberta, Canada, NO MORE MOMENTS epitomize the D.I.Y. philosophy of punk. Formed in 2009, the band have shown what they are made of on the Calgary music scene and throughout the provinces. Their hardcore punk sound has proven to be a relentless as the band who have given their public something to bang their heads to in the form of two EPs MOMENTS REBORN and MOMENTS NEVER SAY DIE and now the band is riding the wave of their new release STILL GOING. After eight years of being together, the title of their latest EP sums up the band's solidarity and we've gotta give a shout out to the STAR WARS-themed CD cover. Short, blistering sets rules the day on this recording with the stand outs being CALLIN' IN, RETIREMENT PARTY and HANGOVER BLUES. In a time where what's left of rock n roll has become slick and refined, it's nice to hear a band like this keeping it raw. 

APRIL 18, 2017

Rock n roll survival is all about endurance and BLAMESHIFT's ability to survive for well over ten years is truly a testament to the band's creative core of vocalist JENNY MANN and guitarist TIM BARBOUR. Back when ROCKWIRED did a radio show for the rinky dink radio station KTSTFM.COM in Anaheim, California, BLAMESHIFT made a stop at the station on THE JAKE LARSEN show. It was a show that I personally sat in on. At the time, the Long Island-based band had just received an endorsement from TACO BELL and were in the midst of a nationwide tour. Ten years later, the band still make their living on the road and are releasing one album or EP after another one and while the band isn't as TACO BELL fueled as they used to be, they are most certainly living that rock n roll dream that has eluded many. BLAMESHIFT has just released their new EP HEART OF STONE featuring the single MONSTER and the proceedings demonstrate a band that knows who they are and appreciates all that it took to get where they are now. Rock n roll could use more survival stories like this one.

APRIL 17, 2017

ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will be celebrating it's fifth anniversary in the month of May with two issues. One will be the regularly scheduled MAY issue celebrating  active rocks's top bass players and the other is the return of the supplemental digital magazine ROCK IS RED - which highlights American Indian and First Nations music makers. The May issue of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will be our annual special issue highlighting our favorite active rock's bass players. Twelve, four-string slingers have been selected and will be profiled in our 24 page special feature MUTHAPLUCKAHS. This issue will mark the fourth year that ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE has made a big to-do for the men and women who keep rock n roll's groove extra tight.  This year there are some familiar names and faces who have made previous lists such as CODY EVAN HOFFMAN of CITY OF THE WEAK,  NICK ERICSON of EDGE OF PARADISE and SCOTT CLARK of CRAWL but we are truly excited by some new bands and their respective bassists such as CHICK OBIORA of SIGNALS OF BEDLAM, TY QUACKENBUSH of MAMMOTH SEED and RICHARD ERWIN of SCATTERED HAMLET. Rounding out the list are bassists from some pretty familiar acts ont he active rock scene such as MIKE LAROCHE of BLAMESHIFT, ZAC BARDSLEY of A AWAR WITHIN, ADAM LOUIS KLEIN of VAJRA and MARK JAMES KLEPASKI of VYCES. In addition to this special feature, the magazine will also profile the bands BLAMESHIFT, SIGNALS OF BEDLAM, REMADA, A AWAR WITHIN and more.  This issue of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will be released MAY 5, 2017 exclusively at ROCKWIRED.COM.

MARCH 30, 2017

On the dial between Country music and Americana, the music of A LITTLE BIT MORE leans closer to the country side of things but as the moniker of the duo suggests, there is "a bit more" to the story. JILL HAMLIN fell in love with the piano at age three and quickly developed into a musical prodigy which had culminated into studying music abroad and earning a degree in the not-so-prolific field of ethnomusicology. According to HAMLIN her degree "...is another way of saying you'll never have a real job." REED FIELDS honed his writing  and his rather fine voice in numerous country and rock bands over the years until a chance meeting with HAMLIN led to the formation of their musical partnership which sees the light of day on their glorious new release SILHOUETTES. FIELDS' rustic croon compliments the angel-in-flight vocals of HAMLIN over an inspired set of songs that celebrate the highs and lows of love and life. The songs GOOD HABIT, IF ONLY FOR A MOMENT and BEER BOTTLE only prove that this partnership knows what they're talking about when it comes ot matters of the heart but that doesn't mean they're afraid of taking on an issue like substance abuse as they do on the haunting WHERE I AM.

MARCH 30, 2017

It's no secret that bands these days have a rougher go at being able to maintain a lineup. One minute the chemistry is there and next it's gone. Singer NIKHIL RAO came in at the second act of the band A WAR WITHIN as they had begun putting together the ideas for what would become their latest album BELIEVE. If you ask us, there couldn't have been a better time to join a band such as this given the simple fact that BELIEVE is a fucking revelation. Boasting the aggressive power chording that makes metal metal and RAO's own vocal stamina which goes form plaintive to growling in a flash. A WAR WITHIN walks that thin red line between metal angst an melodic sophistication on an album that defies categorization. Is it progressive? Is it nu metal? Sounds like all of it to us.

MARCH 27, 2017

(March 27, 2017 - Albuquerque, NM) ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will be celebrating it's fifth anniversary in the month of May with two issues. One will be the regularly scheduled MAY issue celebrating  active rocks's top bass players and the other is the return of the supplemental digital magazine ROCK IS RED - which highlights American Indian and First Nations music makers.  On the cover of this brand new issue will be the NAMMY WARD-winning hip hop artist and entrepreneur B OF DAKOTA SOUTH RECORDS (Yankton Sioux)  and JUQ (Oglala Sioux).  Neither of these artists is new to pages of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE our our podcasts. In the past year, B's profile has grown tremendously thanks to his re-working of the REDBONE classic COME AND GET YOUR LOVE which has earned him an NATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARD for  BEST SONG. The music video for the song has been gaining traction online and through FNX (FIRST NATIONS EXPERIENCE) so 2017 is shaping up to be the year for the Yankton Sioux artist. However, B is also a business man  with a label - DAKOTA SOUTH RECORDS. Signed to that label is his protege JUQ. The Oglala R&B artist has made a strong impression with his EP OGP and it's single CALLING BULL. and is now on the verge of releasing an LP designed to take the artist to the next level.  This new issue will be released digitally March 5, 2017 and will also feature interviews with DISTRICT AVENUE, A.K. McLEOD, BLACK RAIN, DIGAWOLF, KRISTI LANE SINCLAIR, NO MORE MOMENTS, REZMANIAN DEVILS SOCIETY, SOULS ON MONDAY and SIGNAL 99.  In addition ot profiles on these artists, this forthcoming issue of ROCK IS RED will also feature profiles on Navajo artist LYDELL MITCHELL regarding his line of skateboards,  Oglala Lakota poet LAYLI LONG SOLDIER for her new collection of poetry WHEREAS and Navajo filmmaker BLACKHORSE LOWE for his latest film CHASING THE LIGHT. 

MARCH 25, 2017

Three days shy of his 70^th birthday, musical legend ELTON JOHN and his band, highlighted his talent, showmanship, and several hits in front of a sold-out crowd of over 11,500 multi-generational fans at Albuquerque's Tingley Coliseum on Wednesday night.

In a set of twenty-three songs, covering 50 years of music and nearly two and a half hours long, Elton John and his band gave Albuquerque a performance that was as extraordinary as the man himself.

"It's been awhile since we were in Albuquerque," John told the crowd. "I hope you enjoy the night."

Clad in a sparkling purple suit and matching signature glasses, with "EJ" emblazoned in gold on his back, Elton John electrified the decrepit Tingley venue on the Duke City stop of the "Wonderful Crazy Night" tour, in support of his 32^nd studio album of the same name.

MARCH 16, 2017

For millions of Queensryche fans the last five years have gone from sad to angry, frustrated to annoyed, disappointed to indifferent. Left feeling hollow from the departure of Geoff Tate, many lashed out in anger. "Geoff just doesn't have it anymore" and "They haven't done anything good since Promised Land," were common phrases thrown around in 2012. Others felt like they were forced to choose sides. Rumors of every kind surfaced; one week it was the band was back together, the next it was lawsuits and courtroom testimony. When all was said, and done, Queensryche has gone one way and Geoff Tate, another. In 2013, in response to a question about starting and maintaining another long-term band, Tate told a reporter, "I want to work with different groups of people. I want to play with as many great players as I possibly can." Different groups of people and great players is exactly what The Whole Story Tour is about. Geoff is playing a selection of songs from his entire career in an acoustic setting. This is not a revival of Queensryche's 1992 MTV Unplugged performance, this is a more unique and daring endeavor.

MARCH 17, 2017

(March 17, 2017 - Albuquerque, NM) ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will be marking it's fifth anniversary with the release of a special annual feature ROCK IS RED MAGAZINE. The American Indian-owned publication is calling  out to Indian Country and beyond for talent to have showcased on its pages as well as it's podcast series as well as the pages of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE. ROCK IS RED was formerly  a quarterly digital magazine but becasue of a recent downsizing at ROCKWIRED MEDIA, there will only be one issue this year.  In the past ROCK IS RED has featured profiles of such American Indian and First Nations recording artists as GHOST TOWN ORCHESTRA, ETHAN 103, INNASTATE, CODY BLACKBIRD, DISTRICT AVENUE, BLACKSTONE, B. OF DAKOTA SOUTH RECORDS, LOGAN STAATS, ANIMAL TEEF, DAWN KARIMA, CASPER, SCATTER THEIR OWN,  JULIA KEEFE, WILL BELCOURT and others. The upcoming edition of ROCK IS RED MAGAZINE will be due out MAY 5, 2017.

MARCH 16, 2017

Four years seemed like an eternity while Albuquerque waited for the return of OVERKILL. The band had made an appearance on the Legends of Thrash tour, but tonight is OVERKILL's first full headlining show in the city since The Electric Age tour, a little more than four years ago.

The anticipation was palpable in the historic venue as a packed house awaited the band's return. What was heartening to see was that the median age of the crowd was about thirty. The band itself is thirty-seven this year. I am very pleased to report that there were fans in attendance, whose parents are not old enough to remember life before OVERKILL. A great sign that there is hope for these Millennials yet!

Opening the show was Albuquerque's DECEITFUL, a young heavy thrash fourpiece to definitely keep an eye on. Made up of vocalist/guitarist Andrew Sanchez, guitarist Vincent Garcia, bassist James Sanchez, and drummer Adam Montoya, you can hear the BIG 4 influences in their songs, but there are also the unmistakable influences of non-mainstream thrash acts, showing that DECEITFUL are not some Megametathraxler wannabes, but rather passionate musicians that have a true love for their genre and are doing it proud. They were a perfect choice to open this show.

MARCH 15, 2017

The Chicago-based band REMADA is operating with the tag line "music heals". Being that we're a music publication we aren't going to deny that for a second but in the case of REMADA and it's front man MATT DANIELS, music doesn't just heal. It seems to be the only way to go. REMADA is the brainchild of singer and songwriter MATT DANIELS and in the beginning with no band to accompany him on the road DANIELS took matters into his own hands and REMADA go it's start as a solo hip hop project within the Chicago music scene. s the crowds grew and the music began to resonate with folks REMADA grew from a one man operation into a full fledged band with a fierce hard rock sound which ended up seeing the light of day on their previous album A REALITY TO CHOKE UPON. Now, DANIELS promises that a new sound has been forged with the release of an upcoming EP and our first taste of it comes in the form of their blistering new single A BETTER TOMORROW.

MARCH 14, 2017
ROCKWiRED RADiO PROFiLES
FEATURES AN EXCLUSiVE iNTERViEW WiTH DEREK DAViS  AND CUTS FROM HiS NEW LATEST LP REVOLUTiONARY SOUL!!!

Everyone wants drama in their rock n roll! That's natural. The story of a quick ascent, a record label signing and hopefully a hit song has to result in a fall because that's the way gravity works. BABYLON A.D. was a band that was signed to ARISTA (the late WHITNEY HOUSTON'S label) and had a bit of a hit with the single THE KID GOES WILD which was featured in the 1990 film ROBOCOP 2 and enjoyed heavy rotation on hard rock stations at the time. But one needs to remember that this was the late-eighties/early-nineties and grunge was just around the corner and the bombast of metal (or what some would call "hair metal") would soon be on the retreat. As would BABYLON A.D. But that didn't stop the band's charismatic front man DEREK DAVIS and in the long run time away form music helped BABYLON A.D. Not many bands from the past re-emerge with the original lineup intact. No drama here. Just music. And music is what is clearly what is first and foremost on the mind of DEREK DAVIS on his latest solo album REVOLUTIONARY SOUL which proves to be a significant departure from the sound created by BABYLON A.D. This time around DAVIS  kicks out a different kind of jam with a  full on R&B sound with touches of funk and hard rock. BABYLON A.D. may scratch their heads at first but this amazing set of songs (all produced and played by DAVIS himself)  will no doubt find a home on their i-pod shuffles.

MARCH 13, 2017

Modern music is full of self-professed doctors or "docs". But in the case DOC FELL AND CO, the title is more than mere clever moniker. You seem the band's front man JOHN FELL is a real doctor - a general practitioner based where Cherokee country meets the Ozark mountains in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Given his locale, it's hardly surprising the he and his band have taken up the pursuit of music which combines the rustic charms of Americana, Country and blues yet manages to sound contemporary as opposed to quaint. The band's latest EP DUST BOWL HEART is fueled by the very emptiness, loneliness and heartache that makes music of this sort resonate. LONESOMEVILLE opens like a depression era country-gospel recording yet finds it's footing as a country stomper that exhibits all of the lyrical characteristics of country music when you play it either forwards or backwards. In our humble opinion THE LESS I KNOW is the sort of thing that ought to be topping the Country music charts instead of whoever is at the top of it now. If you can get a bunch of active rock fans like us rooting for an outfit like DOC FELL AND CO, then you've really done something.

MARCH 13, 2017

During my talk with hip hop artist CHINO XL and rocker RAMA DUKE, I got to thinking about the shaky relationship between rock n roll and hip hop and how we don't hear much of the cross pollination of the two genres of music anymore. Therefore it's been a delight to hear both CHINO and RAMA come together and generate some serious sparks with their take on the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS mainstay UNDER THE BRIDGE. It's hard for me to believe that it was 25 years ago that ANTHONY and FLEA and the rest of the CHILI PEPPERS dropped the somber ditty about alienation and finding one's sense of self in a world that has gone mad. Inspired by KIEDIS' battle with heroin addiction, UNDER THE BRIDGE has managed to stroke a broader meaning with listeners over the years and now CHINO and RAMA with the assist of GRAMMY winning producer JARED LEE GOSSELIN have molded this classic into a hard rocking, hip hop tour de force. Yes, new life has been blown into a classic that has hardly grown tiresome or trite with age but the real story for us is the coming together of these two formidable musical forces. In our interview with both CHINO and RAMA we were excited to learned that the chemistry between the two of them is still there. In fact the two of them, along with producer GOSSELIN, are currently working on a additional material for a new joint project called A BAD DAY FOR SORRY. In a time where rock and hip hop need each other more than ever, we've got to hand it to this dynamic duo for taking a stab at unity and putting out  a positive message. Not even our current president can claim that.

MARCH 11, 2017

Fresh from opening for the legendary REVEREND HORTON HEAT last month, Albuquerque's own MOONSHINE BLIND,  released their debut record ROADKILL, in a manner fitting a band with such a name, at THE LAUNCHPAD downtown.

In a party atmosphere that has made the LAUNCHPAD a favorite venue, the celebration of releasing the record began with Albuquerque's THE LORDS OF WILMOORE  followed by Espanola's IMPERIAL ROOSTER,  who play an impressive blend of folk, country, and rock that they call, fittingly, GONZO ROOTS MUSIC.

With the party kicked off right, MOONSHINE BLIND, who consider themselves "Boozegrass," although I cannot say with any certainty whether that is a reference to musical style, or to alcohol and weed, took the stage, along with copious amounts of beer and spirits, to celebrate their CD's release. Whatever label you want to give them, MOONSHINE BLIND is a well-mixed blend of bluegrass, punk rock, and Irish rockabilly that hits like a double shot of high end whiskey. 

MARCH 10, 2017

TRACK 1:
EDGE OF PARADiSE - ALiVE
We figured we'd kick this edition of our show off with a winner. The new release from EDGE OF PARADISE is now the number one rock and metal release on AMAZON. In ddition to that they are one of the bands who made the cover of the latest edition fo ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE and are also ROCKWIRED.COM's ARTIST OF THE MONTH. The stars have aligned for these guys and it will be exciting to see where they take  their brand of industrial  metal from here.

TRACK 2:
MiKE HORNBUCKLE - BABY ROCK
In his hometown of Denver, MICHAEL HORNBUCKLE has the built a reputation for being a fierce blues rock artist and while his latest reelease REPO MAN serves up the very blues sound that has given him some reknown, it is al filled with the very rock n soul grooves that have made men like PAUL RODGERS the rock n roll titans that they are. The single BABY ROCK is a swampy rocker that gets down dirty and mean.

TRACK 3:
LUCID FLY - ViSiONS OF GRANDEUR
It's hard to tell where the heavier punk rock influences end and the progressive rock ones begin for this band but the results are captivating. Their new album BUILDING CASTLES IN AIR is indeed an ambitious album both sonically and artistically and the single VISIONS OF GRANDEUR  delivers on both fronts.

MARCH 9, 2017

Indianapolis based singer-songwriter JASON ANDREW BROWN has just released his self-titled debut EP and it's a fantastic introduction to both the man and the artist but you must understand that this guy comes with one hell of a musical background. His tenure as a solo artist was begun in a coffee shop back in 2014 but before that he proved to be a formidable front man in the band PUSH DOWN & TURN in which he toured the country relentlessly and shared stages with the likes of COUNTING CROWS, BUSH, WIDESPREAD PANIC and THE BO DEANS. The band even had the opportunity to play on the H.O.R.D.E TOUR. When BROWN had gotten his fill of nonstop touring he turned his attention to forming his own band with fellow songwriter JAMES WESTON. That band was SEDNA and they carried on with BROWN int he command seat until 2014 where the fateful decision to do a solo set was made.  JASON ANDREW BROWN - the songwriter and performer both come to life on this shimmering debut EP where BROWN proves that he deft at conveying unbridled joy and abandoned without getting all sugary on the EP's opener SHINE SUN SHINE. At another turn he can paint a sorrowful, moving picture as he does on EMPTINESS IS FOREVER which deals with a friends suicide and on the final track ICARUS he gives us the chill off a lifetime as the song explores the last moments of a man jumping from the World Trade Center on 9/11.

MARCH 7, 2017

Just a few days ago we announced that ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE was going back to being a monthly issue and now we find ourselves announcing the arrival of one of the monst important issues in our editorial aresenal - the issue that gives it up for the women in rock. For fours years now this annual issue has shined the ever-loving light on women who are out there paying their dues in what has long been considered a boy's club and this year we've become acquainted with some new faces such as LUCID FLY and singer songwriter  DAPHNE WILLIS but we've also become re-acquainted with smoe very familiar faces such as EDGE OF PARADISE (who were featured in our previous issue) and VAJRA whose front woman ANNAMARIA PINNA is about to scorch the country with her electrifying stage presence with a new single and tour. All of these lovely ladies can be found on the cover of what promises to be a very exciting issue. "After having walked the edge of wanting to retire the magazine, ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE is an enterprise that feels reinvigorated." says ROCKWIRED editor-in-chief BRIAN LUSH. "THis issue will clearly show the whole music world that we as a publication are firing on all cylinders again!"  Adding fuel to the fire of this upcoming issue is an all out celelbration of one of the most celebrated rock icons. In this newest issue we will be taking a good hard look at the music of the legendary band BLONDIE ont he eve of the release of their eleventh studio album POLLINATOR (due out in May of 2017). In this exciting 32 page spread, ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE will review every single BLONDIE album and every single DEBORAH HARRY solo album. "In 2016 we had lost so many musical icons and ROCKWIRED this year wants to give it up for an icon that is still with us. In a way, this is the issue I've always wanted to do. BLONDIE was such a trailblazer. An album they released forty years ago sounds current today. Clearly this wasn't just another band on the skids of the Bowery. They were fucking onto something and it has set the tone for music and culture and while I have no idea about fashion they set the tone for that as well. And now with a new album coming out I couldn't think of a better time to celebrate this all too important band." 

MARCH 6, 2017

Debut release from LA-based label 1520 Entertainment unites pedigree artists with Grammy-winning producer.
Official Video for "Under the Bridge" Released Today on AXS.com/AXS BUZZ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2017

It is hardly commonplace for hip-hop and rock to become bonded bedfellows. And it takes a crafty vision to mesh the disparate musical species in a way that begets fire and ice in a single song.

"Under the Bridge," the 1992 global hit from Red Hot Chili Peppers, is a moody, potent expose about alienation, despondency and the search for one's truth. Lead singer Anthony Kiedis penned the platinum-selling song as he found redemption on the other side of addiction. Who can forget the indelible chorus: "I don't ever want to feel, like I did that day/Take me to the place I love, take me all the way."

Now press reset. Imagine the enduring song with commanding lyrical verses - cogent and again charged with strife - accompanied by the Chili Peppers' chorus loaded with 8-cylinder gusto via a flaming, fierce female vocal. Meet Chino XL and Rama Duke, both partnering with independent music label 1520 Entertainment. "Under the Bridge" is, in fact, the launch single for the company, which aims to release a new single from its eclectic roster each month throughout 2017.

MARCH 5, 2017
ROCKWiRED MAGAZINE HiGHLiGHTS - VYCES
FROM THE DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!
iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH

In reading up  on you guys I had no idea that you were with the band HEART-SET SELF DESTRUCT.
Yeah. That's a blast from the past. Some people remember that and it's always pretty awesome to hear that they do.

I'm sure it is but in the meantime you've got a great new band with a great new EP. What's all going through your mind in regard to the release.
I finally found the right guys . I've been searching for a band like this forever. They all care about the music and they are there to be there and are willing to make the sacrifice. It's an amazing feeling. I've been flying out from Chicago to California for a little over a year now every other week for this thing so you can imagine the work and time and money that we've put into this. The fact that we're now able to release this record is an amazing feeling.

MARCH 5, 2017
ROCKWiRED MAGAZINE HiGHLiGHTS - SEASONS AFTER
FROM THE DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!
iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH

The album MANIFESTO is coming out soon. What's all going through your head with regard to the pending release?
I'm very excited. I've posted it about thousand times. This album is very special thing for us. A lot of this was written before we even put our last record out. These were song that we put away because we weren't sure about them. We worked on these songs when we were in between album cycles. Working on these songs really pushed some boundaries for all of us. Especially for me vocally. These songs have really pushed me as a vocalist. We're pumped about this thing and we want to get it into everybody's hands and bridge the gap from our first album all the way to our third. We've written it, produced it, tracked it and mixed it all in house. 

Keeping in mind that the CD isn't out yet are there any preliminary reactions that  you've heard to the music?
Yes and so far it's been a great reaction. The things comes out November 11th on iTUNES and all that. We expected a shipment of the CDs this week but we got it last week so we've started selling them at shows. People are excited. It's an intense kind of record. It has a message to it.  Everything is sounding good as far as what people are saying about it. It's pretty exciting.

MARCH 5, 2017
ROCKWiRED MAGAZINE HiGHLiGHTS - DALi VAN GOGH
FROM THE DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!
iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH

I still remember the FACEBOOK message you sent me about your studio being destroyed in a fire. And  now it sounds like all is well and what's even better is that DALI VAN GOGH is back as a band.  Some people say that they've "been through the fire but you it seems to be true. And so have the name DALI VAN GOGH.
It's been one heck of a ride. I kept the name going as a record label after the band had broken up  but when we had that fire it was like a wake up call. I lost everything. The studio, musical equipment and my whole house as well. It was a real kick in the teeth. If I was going to do DALI VAN GOGH again now was the time. I would've died in that fire. According tot he fireman, if I had been in there 30 seconds longer I would've been dead. It was pretty crazy. Eighteen months later the band is very happy to be back. We've got a show in five days. It's both exciting and nerve-wracking. It's all kinds of emotions but it's all good.

What caused the fire?
It was a freak thing. It was those curly-whirly energy efficient light bulbs. In Canada, there are hundreds of brands. After the fire, the fireman told us that only three of those brands  are any good or are what the fire department would consider safe. One of those light bulbs heated up in my vocal booth which was all covered in flammable sound foam. It set the foam on fire and everything else. I was in the room fifteen minutes before it went up in flames. It was crazy. I was on the phone with my father and just as i hung up I noticed my dog was petrified. I heard what sounded like a vacuum cleaner . I looked up and the whole studio was in flames. It was crazy but we got through it. The band is up and running and we've got a brand new state-of-the-art recording studio. It's the only one built in Halifax as a recording studio from the ground up. We're better and stronger than ever.

MARCH 5, 2017
ROCKWiRED MAGAZINE HiGHLiGHTS - CiTY OF THE WEAK
FROM THE DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017 iSSUE OF ROCKWiRED MAGAZiNE!!!
iNTERViEWED BY BRiAN LUSH

You guys really have something special with the single CENSOR THIS. I also understand that you guys are getting ready to release an album in the coming year. Why was this single specifically earmarked as the first single?
The song was just one of my favorites. It sums up who we are as people and who we are as a band.  It perfectly captures our musical existence. We just felt like it was appropriate. I feel like it's a step up from our previous releases and it gives people a good idea of what they can expect form the new album. We've expanded musically as a band and we have wide range of songs. We're never going to lose our pop rock roots but for this new one we figured that we'd either go big or go home.

What  has inspired this music that you guys are about to put out?
For the past year and a half we've bee through a ton of stuff from simply being an independent band to working with a label and working with a different management company and doing all of these crazy festivals. And then we went back to being an independent band and working on a record with different producers , working with new writers and trying new things. This time around we worked by demoing things out as opposed to sitting around and jamming the songs out. Now there are only three of us in the band as opposed to the five that we had in the past. With these songs we tried to capture every aspect of what we've gone through in the past year and a half and how we felt about each experience from different people screwing us over to different people trying to bring us down. There is tons and tons of stuff on the new album that people aren't going to be expecting.

MARCH 3, 2017
Those that flipped through the pages of the latest edition of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE have probably read in our LETTER FROM THE EDITOR section about the curious state that our online magazine was in and how the new edition was almos the last. With going into details, things have turned around here at ROCKWIRED and stepping up the game has been the mission ever since. Now ROCKWIRED focuses it's efforts nthe podcasting front. ROCKWIRED.COM will be launching a new weekly podcast series THE ROCKWIRED MIXTAPE SHOW  on MARCH 10, 2017. The hour and a half long show will be a free form music show  spinning new music from independent artists and bands from throughout North America. According to ROCKWIRED Editor-In-Chief BRIAN LUSH, this is the type of show that ROCKWIRED should've been doing all along. " Our other show ROCKWIRED RADIO PROFILES serves as a great showcase for an individual artist but we needed a show that plays all of the music that comes ROCKWIRED's way. I truly feel that this new show will give people a true sense of what is out there musically -  that is outside of the realm of contest shows like THE VOICE or AMERICA'S GOT TALENT. I want people to understand that  independent music is hard work and that the music created is just as worthy -if not more - than what is currently topping the charts." 

FEBRUARY 28, 2017

All of the action of late seems to happening due North of where we are in Albuquerque.  Clearly when a State legalizes the use of recreational marijuana fin and exciting things happen. RACE TO NEPTUNE is not the first band from the Centennial State that we've profiled since the new year began which gives us reason to believe that there is something other than pot smoking going on just North of us. Of course our fondness for the band is due to the release of their gritty debut opus  OH CONTRAIRE and coming from folk who favor big riffs, interesting chord changes and  rhythms that change at a moments notice, we can safely say this is one of our favorite releases in this turbulent new year. It's hard to believe that this is only a debut and that speaks volumes of the musicality of this band. Whether they are re-living the alternative rock guitar glory days of bands like SMASHING PUMPKINS (IRON SATIRE), riding the killer wave of a surf rock riff (CONSTANT COLLAPSE) or kicking out the sort of souped up reggae-fied jams that made THE POLICE famous (CIGARS AND CELEBRATIONS), this band has it all covered.

FEBRUARY 27, 2017

The title track of singer-songwriter DAPHNE WILLIS' forthcoming EP FREAK LIKES ME is built on a steady and confident soulful groove and WILLIS' vocal strut above the groove playfully and knowingly. Not only is  this song effortlessly catchy, it  serves as almost a response to the political upheaval that has taken place since you-know-who has assumed the highest of this Nation. It's practically a rallying call for those living on the outskirts who either go unnoticed or don't get noticed enough. Of course this is only a guess on our part. It could mean something else entirely but our interpretation has led us to believe that WILLIS' FREAKS LIKE ME is one of the most satisfying listens that we've come across so far this year. A professional songwriter based in Nashville, there's no doubt that WILLIS knows what it takes to create a song that will stand out but when you combine that sort of know-how with a need to express inner turmoil, then you've really got something and WILLIS has tons to say despite this newest effort being an EP. In addition, the songs DOPAMINE (about a different kind of drug entirely) and the haunting SOMEBODY'S SOMEONE are bound to find that wider audience.

FEBRUARY 12, 2017

THE EDGE OF PARADISE is one of those bands where we can truly say "we knew them when". We've always had a soft spot for this band as they were one of the first bands to make the cover and the contents of the premiere issue of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE back in May of 2012. Founded by guitarist DAVE BATES, the band made no secret of their desire to go big or go home with their Wagnerian debut album MASK featuring dynamic range and vocal prowess of the band's lead singer MARGARITA MONET. Since that time EDGE OF PARADISE has taken their larger-than-life sound to the internet and the road and lead singer MONET has come into her own as a captivating front woman with vocal know-how and stage presence to spare. Now the band is on the eve of releasing a brand new album titled ALIVE (due out March 10) and it finds these metal torchbearers taking on a more industrial sound as one can hear and feel on their brand new single. Knowing these guys as well as we do we've got a feeling this this bold new direction will pay off big time.

FEBRUARY 13, 2017
The music industry is full of makeovers. The practice is all too often necessary for that band or artist that needs to prove to the world that they are a brand to be taken seriously. From my own perspective the band formerly known as KICKIN KROTCH was a band I always took seriously due tot heir embrace of the kind of balls-to-the-wall rock n roll onslaught that gets pushed aside for plaintive indie rock or the bragadociousness of today's hip hop. Yes, there was no thinking on our end that these guys lacked sincerity even if the band's moniker sounded like a bad case of epididymitis but what's in a name? Apparently quite a bit if this band of merry Maliseet rockers felt the need to change it and perhaps that was was the smart thing to do in these image conscious times. The new name DISTRICT AVENUE rolls off the tongue effortlessly with out the need to guard your groin area but more importantly this band is back with an exciting new album and an even more exciting single and music video. Their new album EPOCH is a thick slice of active rock heaven recorded at IGUANA STUDIOS and produced by VICTOR BRANCO. The albums first single - the aptly titled REVIVAL - sums up the band's musical agenda - blistering rock n roll with a sense of uplift. And don't get us started on the single's amazing CGI music video painstakingly directed by JAY MARKS.

FEBRUARY 12, 2017

Funny that ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE should be singing the praises of another industry awards proceeding so soon after we wrapped up the proceedings for our reader's poll  but MANITO AHBEE's annual INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS means something to us as a publication. For years, the INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS (formerly known as the ABORIGINAL PEOPLE'S CHOICE MUSIC AWARDS)  has done it up proper in terms of celebrating indigenous music makers on both sides of the Canadian border and this year it returns after a one year absence. In the latest edition of the ROCK IS RED podcast we speak with JACQUIE BLACK  of the INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS and spin some tunes from first nations rockers DISTRICT AVENUE and RELIC KINGS but we would also like to use this opportunity to give American Indian and First Nations music artists the opportunity to submit their work for the chance to be nominated in the 2017 INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS which will be taking place MAY 19, 2017. All one has to do is click the link below and start submitting their work. Submissions will close FEBRUARY 16, 2017 so act fast. 

FEBRUARY 12, 2017

Just check out any music video from the 1980's on YOUTUBE and if you turn your attention to the comments section you will find raw, unrestrained and unrequited longing for the music that made the REAGAN era such over-the-top fun despite IRAN-CONTRA and trickle down economics. Hell, we've even got youngsters longing for a time that was "simpler" even though I doubt they could function in a time and space without the internet or i-phones. The Long Island, New York based band MAYVE brandish a sophisticated synth pop sound reminiscent of the new romantic fair that was all the rage in the early eighties from such acts as SPANDAU BALLET, DURAN DURAN and ROXY MUSIC's glossier output. In my interview with MAYVE's front man NICK MICHELINE, I probably should've asked what the draw was for him to create this melodic synth sound that brings to mind a giddy sense of familiarity for a guy my age but why look a gift horse in the mouth? MAYVE's new EP MOTION proudly shows what these electro-pop torch-bearers are capable of in the studio with such ambitious tracks as 1924 and the pulsating CRUEL INTENTIONS. With all of the embrace of synths and guitars, don't expect mere nostalgia on this fine release.

FEBRUARY 12, 2017

We've stated before that we have a gentler side at ROCKWIRED and we don't mind letting people know about it when we come across an artist that ain't exactly one inspired by the heavier sounds of bands like BOBAFLEX or ZEROKING. Michigan-based singer-songwriter MARK REITENGA showcases a kinder, gentler and genteel style of of delivery and performance on his brand new EP UNSUNG but in no way does that mean that his music is benign. The opening bluesy, acoustic song DETROIT CITY BLUES speaks of a city in decay that deserves way more than the buzzard luck that it's been suffering in the past decade. ARE YOU WAITING is a whimsical ballad with a longing, yearning and anticipation that can be heard in every single note and ANGELS WATCHING OVER ME is probably one of the most joyous songs on the subject of divine intervention that we've heard since EURYTHMIC's THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL (PLAYING WITH MY HEART) without all of the cloying sweetness or a bunch studio wizardry. UNSUNG is pure and simple in a time when everything is crass and complicated and it's a welcome surprise. If you hear this guy in a coffee shop you're going to want to stick around and listen.

JANUARY 30, 2017

Lately the EP has been king in a musical environment where people want their music in easy to swallow snippets. Even some rather ambitious acts that have come ROCKWIRED's way have have been doing more with less by releasing EP's as opposed to LPs.  We're not ready to write off the LP as a dying art form and neither is the progressive rock band  LUCID FLY. After releasing a steady stream of EP's the band has released their first ever LP BUILDING CASTLES IN AIR.  The epic scope  and narrative that typifies progressive rock  has alwasy lent itself swell to the long play format and  LUCID FLY make excellent use of the time and space. The album's first single VISIONS OF GRANDEUR  sums up the trio's musical agenda with intricate guitar work. fevered yet measured drumming and multi-layered vocals artfully delivered by vocalist NIKKI LANE.

JANUARY 30, 2017
The power of the vote can lead to some startling results as we've learned in the most recent Presidential election. With that being said we at ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE were pleased with the voter participation for our tenth annual awards season. Votes for the 2017 ROCKWIRED READER'S POLL AWARDS came from throughout North America and distant reaches of the globe and the winners were announced in a special one hour online radio presentation on the online radio station RADIOKSCR.COM. This was the second year that RADIOKSCR.COM served as the home of the awards show and we at ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE are eternally grateful. This year the big winners were the Alabama-based hard rock band SHALLOW SIDE and Yankton Sioux hip-hop artist B OF DAKOTA SOUTH RECORDS. SHALLOW SIDE walked away with the awards for BEST BAND, BEST SONG (for REBEL) and BEST MUSIC VIDEO (also for REBEL) and B OF DAKOTA SOUTH RECORDS secured the prize for BEST AMERICAN INDIAN/FIRST NATIONS ARTIST OR BAND and BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN AMERICAN INDIAN/FIRST NATIONS ARTIST OR BAND (for his song COME AND GET YOUR LOVE). Rounding out the other victories were RICK SHAFFER for BEST MALE ARTIST on the strength of his latest LP OUTSIDE OF TIME, ANOTHER LOST YEAR for BEST RECORDING LP for their album ALIEN ARCHITECT and RED TIDE RISING for BEST RECORDING EP for their EP VOICES.  THe results for BEST FEMALE ARTIST proved challenging due to a three way tie. Singer-songwriter ATHENA missed the spot by one vote leaving a split decision betwen PEACH and ANNI PIPER. THe split was resolved by a good old fashioned coin toss which made PEACH the winner of the category. Exactly ten years ago PEACH won the very same category in ROCKWIRED's firs ever awards season. ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE wishes to extend a congratulations to all of the winners this award season and would like to thank all of the readers and listeners and newcomers who took the time to cast a vote.

JANUARY 24, 2017

What a difference three years and a couple of STAR WARS movies makes! Back in 2014 We first became acquainted with guitarist AARON ROBINSON when his band FORESHADOW was promoting their album STRANGER END OF DEATH. That band's take on death metal and old school thrash stood out by a mile or two from much of what gets called metal these days. At the very beginning of the promotion of their new album activity from the band seemed to lag and all of a sudden there was no FORESHADOW. From there AARON ROBINSON took it upon himself to become a little more ambitious with his music and find musicians who were committed to making the words and the motes on the page come to life and the resulting band is BLOOD OF ANGELS - a project that is determined to make heavy metal music and epic thing once again. We can hear and practically see the formation of something big on the band's debut EP RISE OF THE FALLEN GODS and the first single ODIN'S WRATH gives the band that glorious introduction that's going to have folks thinking and feeling that there is a new band out there that will propel heavy metal to the epic height once again. 

JANUARY 22, 2017

When ROCKWIRED first became aware of the Mile High City blues rocker MICHAEL HORNBUCKLE it was through his brother BRIAN.  Back in 2014, the brothers HORNBUCKLE released a the album VICE AND VIRTUE which celebrated the blues rock know-how that has made them staples within the Denver music scene. Apparently the chance for these siblings to rock out together on a recording happens only once in a blue moon as the two are  often feverishly at work on solo projects. Now we find ourselves acquainted with brother MICHAEL whose blues rock delivery rocks just a little harder on his new solo release SOUL REPO. With the album's first single BABY ROCK, HORNBUCKLE shows he's got the sort of chops that made PAUL RODGERS a big deal in rock and the rest of the album is a fine showcase for a singer-songwriter and  ax-man  who is ready for a little more than regional fame. 

JANUARY 17, 2017

Rock bands with siblings are nothing new to ROCKWIRED but seldom do we come across a band where siblings make up the sum of the parts as they do with the Albuquerque-based trio CONSTANT HARMONY. Yes, we didn't have to look further than our own backyard for the subject of this latest edition of ROCKWIRED RADIO PROFILES and CONSTANT HARMONY - comprised of brother LEE and sisters JENNY and AMY SILLERY - prove they've got enough primal rock n roll angst to move beyond the confines of the very spot that BUGS BUNNY didn't have enough sense to make a left turn out of. All Duke City references aside, CONSTANT HARMONY have released their brand new album PHONOLOGICAL ASSIMILIATION and it's filled with all of the sort of head banging rabble rousing abandon that gets ignored in today's indie rock environment. These hellcats have claws and fangs and they ain't afraid drawing a little blood (EAT THE RICH) or or sell their soul for rock n roll in the most volatile way (BLOOD MOON). Better than what Albuquerque deserves. And TRUMP is not our President!

JANUARY 9, 2017

TRACK 1:
FLOAT LiKE A BUFFALO - DOCTOR'S ORDERS
We're kicking the proceedings off with the band from Denver who happen to be ROCKWIRED.COM's ARTIST OF THE MONTH. The band's free-form alt-rock style mixed with touches of funk elevate FLOAT LIKE A BUFFALO to dizzying heights above anyone else in indie rock at the moment. They may not float like butterflies but they pack a sting like you wouldn't believe.

TRACK 2:
SCATTERED HAMLET - SWAMP REBEL MACHiNE
We never said we were whizzes when it came to geography but isn't Pennsylvania above the Mason-Dixon Line? SCATTERED HAMLET's front man ADAM JOAD hails form there yet the band boasts some high voltage Southern rock mixed with a menacing metal sound.

TRACK 3:
CITY OF THE WEAK - CENSOR THiS
The band and it's enigmatic front woman STEF WITH AN F have found their way onto the pages and the cover of the latest edition of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE. Their latest single CENSOR THIS has all of the bombast that we've come to expect from these pyromaniacal rockers but there is just enough pop sheen to suggest that these guys have bigger goals in mind for 2017.

JANUARY 3, 2017

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 SCATTERED HAMLET, CITY OF THE WEAK, TIM HOULIHAN, MITCH HAYES, INNASTATE, DISTRICT AVENUE and THEM EVILS. The polls will close on Friday, January 27, 2017.


DECEMBER 27, 2016

With the losses that we have suffered in music in the past year and a changing of the guard in terms of the U.S. Presidency, it is ROCKWIRED's theory that music with meaning will be making  comeback. That isn't to say that such music didn't exist. It was just slightly under the radar and featuring on the pages of this website if we may toot our own horn. We can hear such a music maker in singer songwriter MITCH HAYES on his latest album HEROES. While immersed in music as a youngster and as a young man playing in numerous bands, HAYES eventually took to the respectable route and sought a career in healthcare but the muse came calling at retirement age and HAYES has been chasing it ever since. HEROES marks a change in HAYES in a reach for wider recognition  and maybe even broader appeal. The song ALL FALL DOWN speaks of a society that has came undone by indifference and it's just one of the songs on this fine album that go form matters of the human condition to the intricacies of the human heart in a moment's notice.

DECEMBER 22, 2016

There is this school of thought out there that suggests that music these days is a visual experience and should appeal to the eyes as well as the ears. But that argument never meant much to a guy like JOEY STUCKEY. Blind since the age of two, STUCKEY got lost in a world of sound which led him to a career in sound, music production and eventually - his own music. With eight albums behind him, it is indeed a rich experience to see STUCKEY set his song BLIND MAN DRIVIN' to a music video and funny one at that. In it our protagonist is in a dilemma. He's got to get some place, his UBER ride (we're assuming) flakes on him and he has to to resort to carjacking an SUV and from there hijinx ensues. Personally, I think he the woman could've given the guy a ride. Apart from the video, BLIND MAN DRIVIN' and is a punchy, driving blues rocker and is just one of the gems to be heard and felt on STUCKEY's new EP SIX STRING SOLDIER. STUCKEY's musicality and songwriting chops are right on point and puts him on the level of JOHN BONAMASSA and JOHN HIATT, especially on the mood, jangly rocker 10,000 MILES.

DECEMBER 17, 2016

Musically and culturally we're due for music that uplifts in a blunt and honest way and if we add a strong, raw, sultry voice to the equation then I'd have to say it's a bout damned time. K.P. WOLFE is just full of surprises on her debut EP EXODUS and believe us when we say that both the music and it's chanteuse sound just as epic and biblical as the title. WOLFE's voice is of the bluesy, soulful variety with a bit of a rock n roll bite. JANIS JOPLIN maybe the obvious comparison but  the woman's tendency to stick up for herself and stick it to a man who has done her wrong has more in common with the approach that has been paved by the likes of PINK and PAT BENATAR. The glorious title track is a proud march toward independence with one's head held high and WOLFE's soulful wail floating effortlessly above the proceedings. The song TAKE BACK THE RING is a power ballad that doesn't go for sentimentality but for self preservation. A little girl power never hurt anyone.

DECEMBER 17, 2016

It's every band or artist's dream to be seen as something different and difficult to categorize but few acts - despite the seemingly infinite number of music acts that are out there - deserve to be seen in such a light as ALZARA & BROTHER SPELLBINDER. The unearthly combination of lead singer ALZARA GETZ's ethereal serenading and BROTHER SPELLBINDERS' acoustic charged folk-jazz approach is an alluring one. GETZ's musical tales of love, life and people in oh-so delicate stages and predicaments truly shine on the band's debut EP WHEN THE EARTH WAS STILL FLAT but then again such musicality on GETZ's part should come as no surprise given the fact that the woman was born into rock n roll. Her father - DAVE GETZ - was the drummer for BIG BAND AND THE HOLDING COMPANY. When you're a little girl who sleeps under "...her father's drum kit" as ALZARA said to us in our interview with her, then music clearly becomes something that you simply can't shake off. For years, ALZARA performed in a variety of bands in the Bay City Area  for years but eventually sense her own musical voice emerging. With the help of guitarist JAMIE WILSON to lend a little yang to GETZ's ying, BROTHER SPELLBINDER was born in 2012 and the band's artistry has been going strong ever since.

DECEMBER 12, 2016

To help drum up some excitement for ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE'S EDITOR'S CHOICE issue on December 16, 2016, the magazine will be getting the fun started early with the production of a five part podcast series celebrating all 27 of the bands and artists who made 2016 so damn memorable. The five part podcast series will be hosted by ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE's Editor-In-Chief BRIAN LUSH and will feature music and exclusive interview excerpts with the artists who made the year rock. The limited-run podcast special will run from December 12 - 16 and will be available exclusively through ROCKWIRED.COM and i-TUNES. What a year it's been with a crazy election and everything else that is happening in the world. It's been an eventful one for ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE as well with our recent shift from being a monthly magazine to a publication that will be released once every two months. The first  issue of this new  release cycle will be issued on December 16, 2016 and will feature our eagerly anticipated EDITOR'S CHOICE list where ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE gives it up for  27 of the bands and artists who made the 2016 editorial calendar something to experience. A lot of love and care was put into this list and - as the editor - I feel that not a space was wasted. A truly exciting year has come to a close and we here at ROCKWIRED are anxious to celebrate the close of the year with  you in what is sure to be a truly exciting issue and podcast series.

DECEMBER 5, 2016
Award season is upon us here at ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE and today we are pleased ot announce the nominees for the upcoming 2016 ROCKWIRED READERS POLL AWARDS. Our award season has always been a huge to do but this time around we will be doing it bigger than we've ever done before. This year the voting will begin on Tuesday, December 6, 2016  here at ROCKWIRED.COM with polling provided by MICROPOLL. Polls will close January 20, 2017. Toward the end of January the winners of the 2016 ROCKWIRED RADIO MUSIC AWARDS will be announced on a two-hour presentation which will be featured on the online radio station RADIOKSCR.COM. The date and time for this presentation  are still being discussed. This marks the tenth annual awards season for ROCKWIRED and this year's top nominees include SHALLOW SIDE, ANOTHER LOST YEAR, ETHAN 103 and others.This year we have come to a concensus on an impressive list of nominees. Please take a good look at who we have selected  and cast your vote with care.

DECEMBER 1, 2016

It's been a crazy couple years since the summer of 2014, when CORY PEARMAN (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and GARRET ACHTEN (percussion, backing vocals) - founders and core members of Denver based rock-funk-blues-folk powerhouse FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY - jammed out a few of CORY's acoustic tunes with a djembe and guitar in CORY's apartment. After countless creative differences, resulting personnel changes and stops and starts, they solidified their lineup in January 2016 with the addition of drummer PHIL PLECKHAM. This past year, they've become a non-stop machine, rocking their home region and beyond with the stylistic diversity of JACK WHITE and the fiery live energy of THE FOO FIGHTERS. With the release of their perfectly titled EP, the band - which also includes EVAN CRABDREE (lead guitar) and JASON CLUKIES (bass) from the band SHREDDING HEIGHTS - invites the world to follow their wild musical adventures and ENJOY THE RIDE. The band recorded the five tracks of ENJOY THE RIDE in two days at DECIBEL GARDEN STUDIOS in Denver, helped along by engineers SILAS MERA THOMASEN and EVERETT OKLAR. CORY penned the raucous title track in response to his girlfriend, who moved to Colorado from Southern California to be with him but was having second thoughts. It's crafty rhymes need a bit of clever deciphering but his core message makes for a great life philosophy: "You can let it go and enjoy the ride while there's still time." Inspired by a botched attempt to tell her he loved her before midnight on New Year's Eve, the likewise spirited THIS MOMENT offers a similar seize the day philosophy: "When it feels just right, don't let it slip away." Drawing on CORY's acoustic roots, he was in full on retro MARTY ROBBINS mode when he wrote the bar-soaked singalong WHISKEY DREAM. The band's balance of harder rock edges and lush vocal harmonies is perfectly reflected on GARRETT'S jamming DR. ORDERS.

NOVEMBER 30, 2016

SCATTERED HAMLET is honky tonk metal mixed with enough octane to drive in an 18 wheeler.  Created to capture the essence of growing up in the country while giving nods to the original classic rock and outlaw country pioneers, SCATTERED HAMLET is one part LYNYRD SKYNYRD and MOLLY HATCHET and one part MOTORHEAD and DOWN, featuring a sleazy southern influence laced with heavy rock elements. SCATTERED HAMLET's influences range from southern rock to groove metal to doom metal with the attitude of punk rock.  With humble origins all across the US and a relentless touring schedule of 100+ shows all across America, the band makes no apologies for the equal love of HARLEY DAVIDSONS, honky tonks, LES PAULS, MARSHALLS, shotguns and classic American symbolism. Their debut full length album, SKELETON DIXIE, was produced by two time Grammy nominated producer JASON DONAGHY(ROB ZOMBIE, JOHN 5, THE MURDER DOLLS) and mastered by legend HOWIE WEINBERG (PANTERA, SLAYER, WHITE ZOMBIE, DANZIG). The band has amassed a strong underground following called "Hell Riders" who maintain their own "chapters" (fan clubs) independent of the band. The band's new album SWAMP REBEL MACHINE has been released through BUCK MOON PRODUCTIONS. The album was produced and mixed by JASON DONAGHY and JAKE RODENHOUSE and contains 11 supercharged anthems.

NOVEMBER 29, 2016

Readers may not share in our nervousness and apprehension in what a TRUMP presidency has to offer and that's fine but this is where we're at as a publication right now. The number of things that have us excited these days a minimal outside of the release of ROGUE ONE - A STAR WARS STORY and new music from one of our favorite bands in the past couple of years - CITY OF THE WEAK. Fronted by the enigmatic and most-definitely-photogenic front woman STEF WITH AN F, CITY OF THE WEAK is a band that has stood out from the crowd with their not-so-subtle approach to a brand of pop rock that one finds themselves banging their heads.  The band set the public up for some pleasant surprises with the release of their 2014 EP DISCLOSURE which had yielded the singles WHITE FIRE ALARM, JUST ANOTHER EULOGY and THE BLAME GAME (all packaged lovingly with some top notch music videos proudly displaying Ms. WITH AN F's undeniable charisma and star power). In the spring of 2017 STEF and the boys will be releasing their first ever LP. Preceding this release is another anthemic stomper CENSOR THIS with a music video that winks  at the electoral process  that is coming into question. Seriously, we're not trying to make this political. 2017 is going to be huge year for CITY OF THE WEAK. All you've got to do is give CENSOR THIS a listen and realize this band has the pop smarts to make rock n roll great again.

NOVEMBER 25, 2016

On Sunday, November 20^th at the Student Union Building of the University of New Mexico Campus, the university Native American student group THE KIVA CLUB presented the WATER IS LIFE BENEFIT CONCERT FOR THE STANDING ROCK LAKOTA TRIBE in an effort to raise money for the men and women protesting the DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE. The six hour show featured talent that has been featured here on rock is red before such as FRANK WALN, INNASTATE and RADMILLA CODY but also some new voices with some surprising messages and sounds. We were in attendance and we managed to score some interviews with the likes of FRANK WALN, the punk band WEEDRAT and Din'e hip hop artist DEF-I. You'll be hearing all of those interviews in this latest edition of ROCK IS RED. The band INNASTATE got the crowned going with their infectious live set but before they did they presented their brand new music video for the song WATER IS LIFE featuring EMMET SHKEME GARCIA of NATIVE ROOTS, rapper DEF-I and the spoken words and saxophone of JOY HARJO. 

NOVEMBER 21, 2016
As a child who attended pow wows and various Indian-themed conferences thanks to my mother working for the NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS (NCAI), I would often retreat into fantasy and play with my STAR WARS action figures with some of the other children while the adults did their thing. Now, at the age of 41, I have attended the first ever INDIGENOUS COMIC CON at the HISPANIC CULTURAL CENTER in Albuquerque, NM and to call the experience "surreal" was an understatement. It had all of the elements of a pow-wow, an Indian art show, a conference and sci-fi convention complete with cosplayers. It was the childhood pow wow experience complete with droids, DARTH VADER and some storm troopers. No event with COMIC CON in it's title would be be complete without any of these elements, but this one was different. This event was all about Native people creating imagery and stories that define them as people. One of those people is ARIGON STARR - the creator of SUPER INDIAN - whom ROCK IS RED has profiled previously. At this event we also got to meet Mdewakanton Sioux writer Z.M. THOMAS - the owner of TREPIDATION COMICS and creator of SIOUX FALLS - a steampunk comic inspired by the DAKOTA UPRISING of 1862. Since iconography is essential in comic art the subject of mascots and taking charge of the imagery that defines us as native people made all the sense in the world to be included in this event and the presence and wisdom of SUZAN HARJO was most welcomed. Accompanying HARJO were Standing Rock Sioux filmmakers JOHN and KEN LITTLE to discuss their upcoming film MORE THAN A WORD: MASCOTS AND POP CULTURE REPRESENTATION.

NOVEMBER 17, 2016

2016 was an unkind year with  the loss of such musical luminaries as DAVID BOWIE, PRINCE, LEONARD COHEN and LEON RUSSELL. If there was ever a year where the music felt as if it had died it's this one and we haven't even touched on one of the most brutal election years in recent memory (and since we're not a political publication, we're not even going to get into the results!) 2016 was interesting year for ROCKWIRED. For four years, ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE has put forth one issue every month filled with interviews and insight into what is happening in the world of independent rock n roll and with 2016 coming to a close, it's publisher ROCKWIRED MEDIA LLC has made the decision to scale back the digital online publication to a bi-monthly (six issues a year) release citing a downturn in advertising and a desire to branch out into other areas. While the scale back may come as a surprise or even a shock to readers, Editor-In-Chief BRIAN LUSH wants readers to understand that the dream is not dead at ROCKWIRED. " Given the economic picture at the moment, the scale back - I feel - gives us the time to re-focus on what needs to be done to make the magazine  more profitable but also allows us to move forward in expanding our podcast programming. In the years before the magazine it was our podcasts that we were known for and we would like to see where we can go with that in the coming year." 

NOVEMBER 14, 2016

To say that the new SEASONS AFTER record MANIFESTO is an evolution would be an understatement. The album set to release in November 11th, 2016 is a brash declaration of the policies, goals, and opinions of a band that has weathered the storm and come back with a vengeance. Building on past radio success with three Top 40 singles and over 3.5 million YOUTUBE views, the band has grown, matured, endured, and developed a chip on their shoulder that results in a blistering array of songs that will satiate the tastes of both rock and metal music fans alike. Guitarist JIMMY BEATTIE states, "This album was written with nothing but the truth in mind. It's about the unspoken realities that a lot of us live with, and some of the hard truths we all face at one time or another. The idea is to let listeners know that they are not alone, and that someone understands. We can find each other in the dark." Listeners can expect to experience a variety of emotions ranging from rage to bliss and everything in between. The band has truly arrived in thunderous fashion with this record and successfully bridged the gap and improved on their already vast catalog of songs. The desperation and longing for something more truly translates on this record. Having toured coast-to-coast multiple times, the band is primed and ready to do it again to further grow their already rabid fan-base, and showcase what their hard work and dedication have brought forth in the form of their newest release, MANIFESTO.

NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Given ROCKWIRED's penchant for the heavy stuff in terms of music and in light of the all that has happened with this country's electorate in the past couple of days, it feels good when we get a chance to turn down the volume and easy into something as satisfying at singer songwriter TIM HOULIHAN's newest album ANOTHER ORION. HOULIHAN's heartfelt Americana approach is given some extra gravitas thanks to KEVIN BOWE's ace production but the songs are where its at on this catalog of material that speaks eloquently on life and love and all of the whimsy that is attached to it. The opening track and first single I GET LONESOME TOO is a plucky number filled with instrumental charms here and there. It could almost be a country radio hit (not that we have a true grasp of what was popular in country today, but we'd rather hear this than anything from BLAKE SHELTON). On SOMEBODY TALK TO JESUS, HOULIHAN gets political and in this post election haze the song probably has more resonance than ever.

NOVEMBER 8, 2016

The best music out there is the music that tells a story. Even if there are no words involved. Russian-born guitar virtuoso JAY KATANA has a story to tell through music and images in his new EP release BLEEDING BOYFRIEND VOL.1. It's all here! The ups and downs of love on the nightclub scene gone right and completely wrong and illustrated in stark black and white and punctuated with a sound that marries electronic dance music with heavy metal guitars. BLEEDING BOYFRIEND VOL. 1 is indeed a stylish offering from a talent that will have everyone asking for KATANA's business card. A rock n roll visionary has been born and we are almost certain there will be an enthusiastic audience along for the ride.


NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Rock n roll is a driving force that will not be denied. Just ask front man and guitarist DAVE NARUSZEWICZ. After making his musical presence known with the band HEART-SET SELF DESTRUCT and their two LP's, NARUSZEWICZ felt it was time to move on and chase that musical muse that could potentially lead to a wider audience and even wider appeal. After not finding what he was looking for in his native Chicago music scene he went to Los Angeles and reached out to drummer RUSSELL RAY formerly of OLD FASHIONED BEATDOWN. Along with former OLD FASHIONED BEATDOWN guitarist SHAWN PATTERSON, the three began to lay down the foundation of what would form the potent sound of VYCES. Eventually the band filled out to include MARK JAMES KLEPASKI on bass and EVAN SEIDLITZ to round out the band's hard edged sound on keyboards and synths. Tons of songs have been written by this unit which explore the darker side of human emotions and now an unsuspecting public is getting it's first taste of all that this band has to offer with the bands debut EP DEVILS. The guitar-driven, aggressive approach of the band is balanced the SEIDLITZ's nuanced approach to the keyboards making this first offering from VYCCES something to pay attention to.

NOVEMBER 3, 2016

What a years it's been with a crazy election and everything else that is happening in the world. It's been an eventful one for ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE as well with our recent shift from being a monthly magazine to a publication that will be released once every two months. The first  issue of this new  release cycle will be issued on December 16, 2016 and will feature our eagerly anticipated EDITOR'S CHOICE list where ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE gives it up for  25 of the bands and artists who made the 2016 editorial calendar something to experience. A lot of love and care was put into this list and - as the editor - I feel that not a space was wasted. A truly exciting year has come to a close and we here at ROCKWIRED are anxious to celebrate the close of the year with  you in what is sure to be a truly exciting issue.


NOVEMBER 2, 2016

The marriage of punk and pop has often made for a potent blend of music - one that we don't hear too often these days unless you happen to catch an old BLINK 182 song on the radio spun for some retro purpose. Giving the dearth of punk music on the market it is safe to assume that the ground is right enough for a band like WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES to come in and make the form respectable again on the strength of their new EP THE BETTER FRIENDS. Based in Oklahoma, DANIEL BASDEN (bass), STEVEN WALKER (guitar) and BLAKE WESTERBY (drums) have formidable opposition when it comes getting on stage in a market where cover bands and country bands rule the roost. But worry not for these punk rock troubadours. They've got us by the ear with such tracks as TOO MANY COOKS, the slamming title track and FAIR WEATHER and if it takes people getting comfortable with the band through their cover NO DOUBT's SPIDERWEBS so be it. It's all coming from the right place.


OCTOBER 29, 2016

If there is any proof that the music industry is a tough place to thrive, take a look at all of the guides that are published so you will know where to send you music to for getting signed, getting representation or getting airplay. And if it isn't aimed at where you need to send your music there are countless guides on how to present your demo and build up your social media presence and how to secure a gig. All of this is well and good but these books operate from the premise that you've got your stage act down cold. Do you? In comes PEPPER JAY a woman with decades of experience in coaching performance skills for actors, public speakers and singers along with her coaching partner JOHN MICHAEL FERRARI. After years of coaching those seeking to strengthen with presence and sharpen their performance skills, PEPPER JAY shares her wisdom in her new book DYNAMIC SONG PERFORMANCE: THE SINGER'S BIBLE. ROCKWIRED had a chance to speak with PEPPER JAY in regard to her new book. Here is how the interview went.

OCTOBER 24, 2016

What's made us nervous about this whole "indie" rock business is it's need to go the acoustic path and throw in an accordion and foot stomping and hand clapping in lieu of drums. We don't understand the apprehension that exists within the scene to crank up the guitars or to find a fellow to get behind a drum kit and neither do the guys and gal from ONE WAY RIDE. The Colorado-based band has eschewed the very delicate sensibility of much of what indie rock has to offer these days in favor of a heavy guitar sound, heavy percussion and a soulful groove and listeners can hear this in abundance on the band's debut album PUT ME ON.  Chemistry is everything when it comes to keeping a band together and the line up for ONE WAY RIDE almost seems feels as if it were written in the stars. It goes all the way back the time that lead singer LYLE WORK and guitarist MARVIN BRAKES got onstage and performed a rough rendition of SWEET CHILD O' MINE for a high school talent show. PUT ME ON is a satisfying listen punctuated by such bombastic moments as the unrelenting groove rockers DEVIL EYES and LIE TO ME and the epic ballad WAITING.


OCTOBER 24, 2016

Ten years ago, when ROCKWIRED.COM was in it's infancy, blues artist PEACH made one hell of an impression upon us with the release of her album THE REAL THING. Any woman who picks up an electric guitar is cool with us and this was the case with PEACH who not only knew her way around the six string but could also navigate her way around matters of the heart on that fine debut recording featuring well crafted and well played songs plus a guest appearance by the legendary TAJ MAHAL. THE REAL THING went on to earn PEACH some serious accolades (not to mention the first ever ROCKWIRED READER'S POLL AWARD for BEST FEMALE ARTIST back in 2006) and one would've believed that this was one hell of a starting point for an artist. Unfortunately, THE REAL THING was the only offering from PEACH for many years, until now. PEACH has found her muse and "the performer" that was always inside of her in Copenhagen of all places as well as a band of merry men known as THE ALMOST BLUES BAND. The two forces have come together for an intimate and raw live recording entitled A NIGHT IN COPENHAGEN. The singer and guitarist is at the top of her game with her heartfelt performances of both her original material and some choice covers (with the stand out being LOVE-ITIS). PEACH's power as a live performer can not be denied. We can't wait to see this blues treasure return to recording in a bigger way.

OCTOBER 20, 2016

For four years, ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE has put forth one issue every month filled with interviews and insight into what is happening in the world of independent rock n roll and with 2016 coming to a close, it's publisher ROCKWIRED MEDIA LLC has made the decision to scale back the digital online publication to a bi-monthly release citing a downturn in advertising and a desire to branch out into other areas. While the scale back may come as a surprise or even a shock to readers, Editor-In-Chief BRIAN LUSH wants readers to understand that the dream is not dead at ROCKWIRED. " Given the economic picture at the moment, the scale back - I feel - gives us the time to re-focus on what needs to be done to make the magazine  more profitable but also allows us to move forward in expanding our podcast programming. In the years before the magazine it was our podcasts that we were known for and we would like to see where we can go with that in the coming year."

In the coming year, ROCKWIRED.COM plans to increase the output of  it's current podcast series exponentially and to turn it's other podcast series ROCK IS RED into a weekly ninety-minute show with interviews and music.  There will also be a weekly free form music show interspersed with talk in the works as well. More information regarding the changes in programming will be coming to ROCKWIRED.COM in the coming weeks.

OCTOBER 4, 2016

Much like DALI VAN GOGH on the previous edition of ROCKWIRED RADIO PROFILES, CRAWL is another Canadian hard rock band that has come back with a fine new release but the story here is one that spans decades and some startling changes in the music industry. In the early nineties CRAWL hit it big in Canada with the release of two albums 300 YARDS OF FACE and FEED which featured singles STORM, DRY and NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. The first of these two singles ended up earning nominations for the MUCH MUSIC VIDEO AWARD ( Canada's version of the MTV MUSIC AWARDS) for BEST HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE in 1994 and 1995 respectively. When ROCKWIRED took notice of these guys, the band had reformed with bassist SCOTT CLARK, guitarist STUART GREEN and drummer TOM GRONDIN taking over the creative reins while new vocalist MICHAEL DAVID WOLF was front and center on the 2014 EP release ANTICIPATE THE FALL. Now the band is back with THE CROCKFORD FILES - a five song collection of the sort of blistering rock n roll that we've come to expect from CRAWL as evidenced by the tracks MINE and DEAD.

OCTOBER 4, 2016

Over four years ago, DALI VAN GOGH was one of the first bands to be featured in the pages of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE. The Halifax, Nova Scotia-based hard rock band had endeared themselves to us with their D.I.Y. ethic, their ability to create a beautiful noise while being far away from anything that one would consider "music industry" and guitarist and founder ISAAC KENT's drive to stick with the dream of rock n roll glory despite DALI VAN GOGH's numerous line up changes up to that point. Eventually the band had come apart due to the usual things that keep a band apart and ISAAC KENT unopened up a recording studio and launched a record label also nicked DALI VAN GOGH and turned his attention toward being a producer and music entrepreneur.  His DALI VAN GOGH label went on to sign numerous artists and KENT's  road to being a musical giant seemed like it had survived those initial shaky steps until a fire had destroyed both his home, studio and livelihood. Losing everything in the fire forced KENT to take a long hard look at his life and where it needed to go next and making DALI VAN GOGH a band once again. Now, ISAAC KENT and DALI VAN GOGH are back. Even if the all of the members - with the exception of KENT - are new there is something incredibly familiar while being new at the same time. Like the old FORD slogan went "The Pride is Back!" and you can hear it loud and clear on the bands glorious new single GOD HELP ME (I LIKE IT) released on their own HOUSE FIRE RECORDS (get it?). This is more than mere brand recognition or a comeback of sorts. This is a band that has found it's way home and we can't wait to hear more.