A Sunday Conversation with Vinnie Moore of UFO

Some artists just don't need an introduction.

Just like the Pope babbled incoherently the day Tommy Victor stopped by our office, I peed myself like a little school girl when Vinnie Moore, the dynamic solo artist and lead guitarist for my all-time heroes, UFO, walked in through our Ripple doors and plopped himself down on our red leather interview couch. Once I picked my jaw up off the Ripple floor, and the Pope found my tongue and gave it back to me, I started a conversation with one of rock and roll's most firey and technical guitarists, talking about his songwriting craft, and his time with the reborn UFO, hot on the heels of their stunning new album, The Visitor.


When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkle, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music.UFO's Lights Out was another, as it sounded unlike any hard rock I'd heard before. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.


What have been your musical epiphany moments?

There have been many. Hearing Jeff Beck the first time. Ritchie Blackmore, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Al Dimeola, Larry Carlton….on and on and on……………….



UFO are deservedly legendary, were you a fan of the band before joining? Can you tell us a little of your impressions/feelings for UFO before you20joined?

I was a fan and had Obsession, Lights Out, and Force It. I really liked these records and they had an influence on me for sure



How did your union with UFO happen? Who called whom? And, in truth, was it an exciting idea or an intimidating one, with so many old fans married to the Schenker years?

The band was looking for a guitarist and from what I am told…they were having a little difficulty finding someone who they felt was the right guy. We had a mutual friend who thought I would be a good fit and he recommended me. I was asked to send a cd of my stuff to Phil. A couple weeks later I got a call and was told that Phil wanted me to join. It was a good feeling to be joining the band. I don’t get intimidated very easily on a musical level.



Vinnie Moore has such a unique original sound, Michael Schenker has a unique original sound and UFO has a unique original sound; how do you fuse all this together as you're creating new music with the band?

I honestly don’t think about it. I just write and go with the creativity and whatever comes out…comes out.



How has your relationship with Phil Mogg as songwriting partners developed over the three albums?

It hasn’t changed really as far as the process of doing it. But I think we are more familiar with one another stylistically and so this helps us hit the nail on the head more immediately.


Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place??

The music comes first. I will write a song and then Phil will write lyrics and sing over it. Sometimes sections may get shortened, lengthened, or rearranged during the process.



In songwriting, how do you bring the song together? What do you look for in terms of complexity? Simplicity? Time changes?

Honestly, I don’t look at any of those elements. The less thought the better. I think creating is much more of a feel thing. Like when you make love to a beautiful woman, you don’t think about doing this or that, you just feel it and go with the flow.

I don’t think you’ll find much time changing in UFO. That’s for nerds who watch too much star trek.


Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

I am always listening to different kinds of music. I play guitar a lot, and by nature always seem to be searching for something new that will excite me musically. It’s just a labor of love for me.



Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

One time onstage in Korea I broke a string when my tech was in the middle of working on my spare guitar. I handed him my main guitar and he just froze because he had nothing to give me. I was supposed to be playing a solo and was just standing onstage with no guitar. So I went to the mic and screamed jokingly…”somebody get me a fuckin guitar.” I think our drum tech got one from the opening band and I was able to finish the song. But the whole audience certainly understood English very well because they laughed their asses off.


What makes a great song?

Something that makes you “feel” something when you hear it.




Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?

I used to write a lot of little things with maybe 2 parts and then jam on them. This was how songwriting started to develop for me. I don’t really remember the first full song I wrote. But I do remember feeling a sense of accomplishment. This is probably why I still write and play music today…it is what rewards me most.



What piece of your music are particularly proud of?

Most of the stuff on my new solo CD called To The Core. Lots of different influences on that and I am proud that I wrote it.



Who today, writes great songs? Why?

Too many people that are doing many different things so it is hard to really mention just one or two.



Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

I listen to music mostly with my ipod now. So that’s my favorite gadget even though the quality of the compressed files is not the greatest. As far as sound quality, vinyl with a high quality stylus. CD has the potential to be so much better but is unfortunately stuck in the digital ice age. 44.1k/16 bit is real shit and I have no idea why we are anchored there. I can record in my studio at 96k/24 bit but it’s kinda pointless when your music is gonna end up on a cd with a much lower quality anyway. I dunno why no one is making cd players that will play discs with different formats.



We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. When we come to your town, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?

You can go to Bert’s on Concord Pike.

Vinnie, thanks for stopping by, good luck with the new album, and plan to see my smiling face in San Juan Capistrano and San Francisco on the UFO tour. Pope, can you please pick up my jaw for me again!

Ripple News - Susperia 2 CD Digi-pack Release

Now, it wasn't so long ago that our Ripple Sultan of Sound, our Master of Metal, The Pope, gave a glowing review to Susperia's last effort, Unlimited. So you can imagine the excitement and uncontrollable drooling reflex elicited when we learned that Metal Mind Productions is re-releasing Susperia's first two highly acclaimed albums as a 2-for-1 digipack!

Initially a powerful mixture of black and thrash metal, Susperia's music became a true melting pot of various genres, connected together with the insurmountable heaviness. These exclusive re-releases of the group’s first two albums – Predominance and Vindication – showcase the birth of this talented metal act.

In October 2001, the band entered the legendary Abyss Studios in Sweden, where under the careful eye of Peter Tägtgren, they began recording their debut album – Predominance. The LP saw the light of day in March 2001, instantly winning acclaim among critics and fans. The band introduced an amazing blend of thrash, death and black metal, bringing ten powerful tunes of sheer destruction. Some reviewers saw the group as a combination of Cradle of Filth and At The Gates, while others spotted influences from such acts as Moonspell, Opeth, Children of Bodom and even Dream Theater. With such tracks as the opening “I Am Pain”, the Dimmu Borgir-styled “Illusions of Evil” and the vile “The Coming of a Darker Time” the band proved that their musical formula was a well-crafted killing machine!

On May 6th Susperia released their second album, called Vindication. Again recorded at the Abyss Studios, this time the LP was co-produced by Peter Tägtgren who, believing in the band’s great success, charged them nothing for the production duties! Vindication was a straight-forward continuation of the ideas gathered on the debut album, with more variety and more power. The group’s songwriting skills had improved - crushing riffs and catchy melodies. The highlights of this album included such tracks as “The Bitter Man”, “Anguished Scream (For Vengeance)” and “Bleed Yourself” – all of which became long-time Susperia classics.

Metal Mind Productions will re-release both albums on 6th July in Europe and 11th August in USA (via MVD). And if that's not enough, the new 2CD digipak edition includes 5 bonus tracks and is limited to numbered 1000 copies. Digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on a golden disc. Don't miss this baby. With only 1000 being produced, once they're gone, they're gone.

Susperia
Predominance / Vindication (remastered + bonus tracks)

Tracklist:

CD 1 – Predominance:

1. I Am Pain
2. Vainglory
3. Illusions Of Evil
4. Specimen
5. Journey Into Black
6. Of Hate We Breed
7. Objects Of Desire
8. The Hellchild
9. Blood On My Hands
10. The Coming Of A Darker Time

Bonus Tracks:
11. Behind Consecrated Walls
12. Of Hate We Breed (Live)
13. Vainglory (Live)

CD 2 - Vindication

1. Cage Of Remembrance
2. The Bitter Man
3. Anguished Scream (For Vengeance)
4. Petrified
5. The Bounty Hunter
6. Completion
7. Warmaster
8. Dead Man’s World
9. Cast Life Into Fire
10. Bleed Yourself

Bonus Tracks:
11. Anguished Scream (Live)
12. Petrified (Live)

Hacride – Lazarus

I must have had a more troubled childhood than I can remember. I mean, what else would explain this absolute fascination with anything and all things metal? Well, metal and coffee, but we’ll get to the coffee at a later date. At one point in my life, I thought that the more complex the music the better, but then I realized that just because something is complex doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s good. Complexity for the sake of complexity tends to lose the soul, and without the soul you’ve got no groove and, therefore, nothing to really shake your ass to. Even the greatest jazz masters knew this. Miles and Monk could swing with the best of them and still blow your socks off with their technical virtuosity. So, make the metal complex to the point where you raise my eyebrows a half inch or so and get my body movin’ to the music, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for making one happy Pope. Enter my latest group of heroes, Hacride, with their latest release entitled Lazarus.

Upon receiving Lazarus, and having some prior knowledge for what I was in for, I grabbed a cup of coffee, sat back in my desk chair, closed out the rest of the world, and proceeded to let the music flow over my body. Hacride combine brutally heavy metal that is as imposing a blend of metal as there is with some fabulous progressive movements that give the music space to breath, then add enough melody to make the music memorable and, with a touch of flamenco guitar, they keep things constantly intriguing. I mentioned earlier that this was complex, and it truly is. So complex, in fact, that more than one listen is required to grasp the full impact of what’s going on in the music. Fortunately, Hacride made the music accessible enough that on first listen you’ll realize that there’s so much more that you need to hear and you’ll look forward to revisiting the album on numerous occasions.

“To Walk Among Them” kicks the disc off with an almost psychedelic sounding guitar run through effects boxes before building up into a senses shattering barrage of heavy metal blasts of distortion, cymbal crashes, and vocal outbursts. Fifteen minutes later and mopping sweat from the brow, we’ve listened to the band power out frenzied blasts of techno metal, shift to melodically rich atmospheric passages, and give us a glimpse at the inner workings of their minds. Mixed in the flurry of style changes, Hacride incorporate some acoustic and flamenco guitars, which helps separate these guys from anything else that’s being done out there. What I really dig on this track, as well as many of the others, is the guitarist’s approach. He mixes palm muted riffs with sustained chords as adeptly as someone like Adam Jones of Tool fame. I never really noticed how much texture that this style of playing added to a piece of music before, and for that I’m even more thankful that I happened upon Lazarus.

“Awakening” is a flat out amazing! Opening with a clean toned guitar running through a goth-y sounding piece immediately makes me think in sepia. There’s just something creepy about that sound and it makes my imagination create old Victorian homes with a lot of woodwork, smartly dressed men and women drifting in ghostly fashion from one darkened room to another, and an air of classic horror is suddenly upon me. Once the melodic vocals kick into this tune, “Awakening” becomes otherworldly. Note the acoustic guitars strumming softly in the background. Again . . . little things that add a wonderful element of texture. As to be expected, the song doesn’t stay in this mode for all too long. This is Hacride, after all, they’re bound to change things up and get a little aggressive on our collective ass. Sure enough, the palm muted guitars return and the steady drums drive spikes through the forehead. But again, listen to the guitar approach as those extra and very subtle notes are dropped into the middle of the riff, making the pattern sound different every time through. The musicianship on this track is seated at the right hand of God. To cap the song off, the lads go free form jazz on us unsuspecting listeners. The guitars are run through some nasty effects that make everything go in orbit around Saturn, the bassist plays a pattern channeling the late great Jaco Pastorius, and the drums come at you like a sudden storm of golf ball sized hail.

Lazarus is made up of seven songs running at just a hair under an hour, so that should tell you that these are no popcorn or bubblegum tunes. All seven tracks come across as epic pieces of art, filled with vibrancy and emotion. The nine minute epic “My Enemy” is a metal classic mixing all of those qualities that we’ve come to expect from these guys. “My Enemy” drives with all of its reckless abandon, yet soothes with its more atmospheric passages. The guitar solo near the 5:30 mark has a fabulously rich tone, partly because of the gear being used, but also because of the way the song is arranged with the layers of guitar dropping out of the mix and creating this open space for the notes to soar. There’s so much going on in this song that I tend to forget that its nine minutes long! “Phenomenon,” which happens to be an instrumental is a tune I just have to squeeze in and make mention to. The build up at the intro with its steady rhythmic strumming and the textural clean phrasing all the way to the point where the whole band collapses into the groove is a jaw dropping execution of composition. The groove on this tune shows that aforementioned guitar approach of the palm muting mixed with sustained chords. The tension that this technique creates is overwhelming and, combined with the steady drum pattern and overbearing bass tone, makes this song a ravenous bear preparing to be released on an unarmed band of Christians in the Roman Coliseum.

I’ve been spouting on about the brilliance of the French Renaissance of Metal, or the French Collective, or whatever you want to call it, for quite some time now, and Hacride are yet another band helping to push the movement forward. Waverider Alex from All About the Music and I have been in many a virtual mosh pit celebrating the grandness of the music, not just because its heavy as all hell, but because its musically experimental and progressive. None of the bands coming out of France seem content with just playing straight up thrash metal or death metal or black metal . . . they’re all putting their own spin on things, pushing the envelope on their own creativity, and they’re all doing a fucking awesome job! Lazarus should pull the spotlight off of bands like Gojira for awhile simply because it’s just as progressively complex and metallically heavy, but also because the melodies are intoxicating and more atmospherically uplifting. Viva la France! - Pope JTE

Buy here: Lazarus

http://www.hacride.com/

www.myspace.com/hacride

http://www.listenable.net/

Slough Feg - Ape Uprising!

When the boss at Ripple sent me this new Slough Feg record I really didn’t know what to expect. I had never heard any of their previous records but I did see about half their set at South By Southwest in March 2007. The first thing I noticed was that singer/guitarist Mike Scalzi took his shoes and socks off when he got on stage. Then he held up a George Benson album to show the crowd before setting it on top of his amp. That made quite an impression. Once they started playing I really liked what I heard. They reminded me a lot of early Iron Maiden and Dio Sabbath with some extra Thin Lizzy and Raven thrown in. I was only able to stick around for about 15 minutes before I had to split for a previous engagement but I was impressed.

Then I completely forgot about them. Their new album Ape Uprising! has guaranteed that I will remember them from now on, and investigate their previous 7 records. Turns out these guys have been around for about 20 years and put out their first album in 1996 under the name The Lord Weird Slough Feg.


This is great old-school metal. If you love the first 2 Iron Maiden records as much as I do you’re gonna be into it. It sounds like this band rejected most metal created after 1982. There are some contemporary doom metal influences but very little thrash. The best way to describe this is to imagine if Wino from Saint Vitus replaced Paul Dianno in Iron Maiden rather than Bruce Dickinson.


Ape Uprising! is a concept album about our friends in the hominoid kingdom rebelling against their human oppressors. As a fan of all the Planet of the Apes movies (and Jerry Goldsmith’s incredible soundtracks) I knew this was going to be interesting. Not a lot of metal bands would tackle a topic this weird but I get the impression Mike Scalzi is kind of a weird guy. He’s a philosophy teacher after all. You can never be too sure about guys like that.


Album opener “The Hunchback of Notre Doom” sounds exactly how you would expect it to – slow, heavy, doomy. You’ll be dragging a giant cross up the nearest hill as soon as you hear it. “Overborne” is a short, speedy tune that sets up the epic 10 minute title track. The lyrics are very funny with references to “opposing thumbs/but our battle's begun.” “Simian Manifesto” has the apes screaming that they’re never coming down from the trees over a riff straight out of Motorhead’s “(We Are) The Road Crew.”


“Shakedown At the Six” is a fast metal tune with scorching axe solos. I hope they get to play venues large enough so they can put one foot up on the monitor when they jam out. “White Cousin” gets my vote for funniest song on the record and has some Zep III acoustic guitar to give things a little variety. “Ape Outro” and “Nasty Hero” wrap up the album and story with some solid rocking. How does the story conclude? You’re just gonna have to buy it and find out.


Buy here: Ape Uprising


www.myspace.com/sloughfe

www.sloughfeg.com/

Sounds of Summer - The Ripple Summer Listening Guide to Summer Fun

Ah, summer.

Sunshine, pool parties, BBQ's and cookouts. Softball games, beer, 3rd degree sunburn, and pulled hamstrings. Nothing quite like it.

Personally, my idea of summer fun it to jump right into that hammock you see right outside the Ripple office and drift off to the sounds of the ocean crashing against the sand. After the nap, stroll on down to the water, grab a cold one with my buddy the Pope, call up up Woody, Iguana, and Winston, and join in on the Ripple office beach party. But that's just me. Whatever it is that you like to do, what we've got here is the sounds to fill summer days. Gather your friends for some dogs and horseshoes, some crawdads and corn, or some brisket and beer. It's all good, and this is the music that'll make it all go down just a little smoother.

Don't know exactly what it is, but there's just something about a country beat, a singing slide guitar, a wailing fiddle, a rootsy voice or chiming mandolin that just cries out relaxing summer fun. So, with that in mind, let's dig into what sounds await your next backyard party.



Audio Moonshine - Let's Be

For whatever reason, I've got a long history with this disc and a lot of apologizing to do. You see, the good folks at Audio Moonshine sent this rootsy treat to our Ripple office nigh on a year ago. After falling head over heels in love with the track, "Slow Motion," I just didn't quite know what to do with the rest. See, at the time, we were being flooded with metal and such, and the down home, countryish feeling to Audio Moonshine's brew just didn't connect with me. But still, I knew there was something there, and over the next year, wouldn't you know, the Audio Moonshine disc kept creeping into my CD player. Time after time. Finally, like lightning coming from the sky, it all clicked, and from that moment Let's Be has become one of my favorite all-time Ripple discs. And that's saying something.

What I got wrong on first listen was thinking this was country music, and convincing myself that I don't like country music. What the fine moonshiners brew up in their Idaho backyard bathtub isn't country at all, it's just exceptionally written, impeccably performed, immaculately crafted roots rock Americana with a heapin' helping of pop smarts. The closest comparison I can give you is along the lines of Sister Hazel, and if you're a fan of that band, I can nearly guarantee that Audio Moonshine should find a place in your liquor cabinet. . . er, CD collection. Starting from the first scratched acoustic chords of the title track, we're on an Americana treasure hunt here, ambling down the dusty roads of Boise, Idaho, leisurely uncovering one gem after another. Twanging guitar jumps in next, followed by Jake Ransom's deeply soulful, beautifully expressive, slightly affected vocals. The melody here is a natural, flowing out slow and easy like an Idaho river, and Jake tosses out snippets of his quirky wisdom like some modern philosopher; my favorite line being "I don't know why my ADD gets control of me/it's like natural speed." Perfect harmonizing female vocals aid in the chorus, which is as tightly crafted as the best of Tom Petty.

"I Can't Breathe," is another stunner, riding a rolling guitar intro over a mid-tempo beat. The boys let the band breathe naturally, organically, building up steam in it's tale of lost love. "Crazy," is a killer cut, kicking off with some fine finger-picking acoustic, while Ransom spins his northwestern/country wisdom, all the way to another mule kick-in-the head gem of a chorus. Hearing this I think of the best of the Gin Blossoms, if you can remember how in their day they could move effortlessly through a tune. But without a doubt, the stunner on the album is the track that tattooed this disc in my head, even before I knew I liked it, "Slow Motion." Unlike it's name, this gem moves at it's own damn happy clip, dancing across the guitar, harmonica, mouth harp opening, right into one of the best damn vocal hooks I've heard in ages. The band jumps in at the chorus, propelling this one into footstomping territory, drops it back down, then kicks it up again to it's raving, hand's clapping over your head, midsection. The rest of the disc flows out just as easily, absolutely perfect craft. Play this one at your backyard BBQ party and just wait for the folks to come up asking "who that damn band is." Don't hesitate to answer, just pour them a big mug full of this moonshine and let the high times follow.

Buy here:

www.myspace.com/myaudiomoonshine




Old Californio - Westering Again

Kicking up out of the dust of the San Gabriel mountains, mixing tones of country, shades of bluegrass, a dry wind of The Eagles laid back melodies, a hint towards the sunshine pop of California's past, the dusty psychedelia of the Moby Grape, and the easy flowing jams of The Grateful Dead, Old Californio comes on like some long lost chronicler of California's musical past. This is feel-the-sunshine-beating-down-on-your-head while you're hiking a sun-baked trail through the California desert mountains, buccolic rock and roll. And it's damn good. Unless you have an allergic reaction to quality songwriting, beautifully complex arrangements, and a down-to-earth, homegrown warmth that permeates every second of this disc, you're guaranteed to find something to medicate your musical addiction here.

Recorded in their old chicken coop garage turned recording studio, this is the real, dust-covered boots deal. Let your mind drift back to the old days of the 1849 California Gold Rush, miners working their asses off panning for gold, settling down in the saloon at night for a whiskey and a good time. Now imagine what the house rock band would sound like at that saloon if they'd invented electric guitars and you'll get the feeling of what we've got going on here. "Mother Road," stomps out in it's Grateful Dead glory, infinitely organic in it's feeling, warmly textured in its execution. The music wraps around you like the smell of a new leather saddle, picking you up and carrying you away, leaving you feeling warm all over. Perfect harmonies, bright guitars, and Rich Dembowski's twangy vocals lay out like a welcome mat, just asking you to come on in and make yourself at home. Make this song the soundtrack of your summer and I promise you, it'll be one to remember.

"Riparian High," is my standout track on an album full of winners. Beginning with a fantastic old-feeling acoustic guitar passage, Mexican horns sound out, taking to the skies like the flight of a red-tailed hawk, soaring over the California desert. Echoing shades of Ripple favorite, Calexico, Eagles-perfect melodies layer on with touches of mandolin and a bunch of instruments I'll never be able to name. This is a rousing song, an absolute beauty, that actually has the power to unfetter my soul and allow it to soar free. "City Lines," brings on more of the bluegrass-flavored Grateful Dead in an immaculately crafted moment of California sunshine. "Warmth of the Sun," finds the boys heading back deep into their garage, kicking the chicken coops aside, and cranking up their amps for an unabashed fuzzed garage rock blow out. Highlighted by some damn intense guitar riffing and an inspired vocal performance by Dembowski. This will add some punch to your cookout. "Lazy Old San Gabriels," brings on a opening guitar intro that shimmers as brightly as those mountains do in the waking morning sun, something that could be said for every track here. A disc not to be missed.

Buy here:

www.myspace.com/oldcalifornio


Ted Russell Kamp - Poor Man's Paradise

Back when I lived in Houston, come summer-time we'd wait til the sun and the heat died down a touch (only a touch) before we'd head out to some big BBQ joint and plop on down on the deck, lemonade in hand, and let the music while us away til the wee hours. I saw some great bands on those decks, always sounder somehow better in the East Texas humidity, but if I'd had my choice, it would have been the weaving tales and easy-feeling southern soul of Ted Russell Kamp that entertained me every night.

Longtime bass player for Shooter Jennings, Ted Russell Kamp proves with Poor Man's Paradise that he's a songwriter of no compromise, great depth and in possession of a knack for a great line. Recorded on the road, in buses, hotel rooms, and probably the occasional bus stop, weigh station, and greasy pit cafe, Ted's wry sense of humor, keen observations and strong songwriting blend effortlessly into a highway journey of nomadic Americana storytelling. Blessed with an ear for a melody, and a voice that proves he's nobody's sideman, Ted's music is a spirited, at times somber, blending of The Band melodies, Leon Russell storytelling, the road dust of Kris Kristoffersn, and J.J. Cale southern-fried rock and soul.

"Just a Yesterday Away," should be a single tearing up the charts of alt-country stations across the nation's mid-section. Immediately, Ted's voice bleeds out full of emotion and warmth, through a weary tale of love lost with the remaining flicker of hope. "Just Go South," bounces down the empty highway with a southern funk flavor over a jaunty bass and some slick pedal steel guitar. The Band comes to mind here, as Ted's soulful voice leads us through this roadtrip anthem and it's twangy guitar interplay. "Let the Rain Fall Down," tosses in some mournful trumpet painting this lonely track in somber, plaintive tones. (Again with the horns. Damn, used right they can just melt my soul!) "Long Distance Man," is a double-entendre groovin' trucker of a tune, while "Dixie," is a Melencamp-esque look back through life's rearview mirror, and feature's one of the album's most infectious choruses. Another gem to add to your backyard BBQ or any occasion to while away the summer days.

Pope, grab me a lemonade, we got us a beach party to get to.

--Racer

Buy here:

www.tedrussellkamp.com


Audio Moonshine



Old Californio



Ted Russell Kamp

Ripple News - Dave Allen's New Project - Faux Hoax

Ok, here's the thing. At the Ripple, we're proud to confess our membership in the Dave Allen Groupie Club. Whether his pioneering work with Gang of Four, his funk blow-outs with Shriekback, his big sound swamp rock with King Swamp, or any of his other projects, Dave Allen never fails to amaze, entertain, and some times boggle our minds.

With that lead in, we're thrilled to learn that Polyvinyl Records released Dave's new project, Faux Hoax, "Your Friends Will Carry You Home," on May 19, 2009.

Not much is known about Faux Hoax. Are they a band? Is it a studio project? And adding to the mystery, will these be the only songs the group ever records?

Faux Hoax (pronounced "Folks") consists of Danny Seim (Menomena), Dave Allen (Gang of Four), John Askew (Tracker), and features Joe Haege of 31Knots and Adam Gnade of Asthmatic Kitty. The debut 7" titled "Your Friends Will Carry You Home" relies heavily on exactly that - friends. The goal, according to Seim, is to focus on a new project that involves all sorts of collaborators contributing to songs written by core Faux Hoax members. Intended to be experimental and unique, Faux Hoax will surely leave listeners surprised.


"Your Friends Will Carry You Home" Tracklist

1. Your Friends Will Carry You Home
2. Hippies Will Rule
3. Foxworthy*
4. Underwood*

*Digital Bonus Tracks

Listen:
Foxworthy (Digital Bonus Track) - MP3

Rumors Heard in MySpace, Vol. II, Episode 5

Alright Waveriders, please take you assigned seats. As per usual, our captain on this wondrous flight through cyberspace will be none other than Racer X and by his side will be his faithful sidekick and co-pilot, the Redneck Wookie from Lakeside. Of course, I’ll be in the navigator chair, ensuring that these two yahoos will be pointed in the right direction. The Sheriff will be patrolling the cabin to make sure the more unruly Waveriders mind their own business and ensure the safety of the rest of our passengers. Woody will be taking your drink orders coz’, well . . . Woody can mix a mean Long Island Ice Tea. In flight entertainment will be brought to by The Fearless Rock Iguana and his presentation of Shadow Puppet Theater. The more you drink Woody’s magic elixir, the better the puppet show. The captain just got clearance (Clarence?) and we’re headed to the wild blue yonder, so you know the drill.

We’re going to make a quick stop in New York for a refill of fuel and drink (Woody ran out of olives and vermouth for the martinis,) so we’ll take this opportunity to stop in and visit one of our rocker friends. She goes by the name of Queen V and she’s released a scalding set of tunes entitled Death or Glory. Everything here is pretty much straight up rock ‘n roll with a dragged through the gutter type of grime to it. What first caught our attention with this disc was the who’s who of guest stars including the likes of the legendary Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead,) Vernon Reid (Living Colour,) and Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave.) To paraphrase one of those crappy sappy chick flicks, “You had me at Lemmy.” Anyway, getting past the star studded exterior of Death or Glory, there’s some meat to this recording. “Continental” is ballsy and the melody sticks with you like my sweaty gym socks slapped against the locker room wall, “Runaway” grits along with a raspy vocal performance, and “Cry For A Minute” shows an added dimension by slowing the tempo way down and demanding that we pass the whiskey bottle as a sympathetic gesture. “Cry For A Minute” is actually my favorite tune from the album because it’s a ballad-y bluesy tune, it’s heavy and it’s gritty, burning with passion and emotion, and selling the whole song is the vocal performance. Some will inevitably compare her to Joan Jett, and that’s fair, but our Queen isn’t putting another dime in the juke box, she’s grabbing the mic and rockin’ it. Most of her stuff is available to preview on her page, so check it out. www.myspace.com/queenv

The problem with stopping in New York is that there is so much going on here that we realistically could spend an entire columns worth of time hanging around town, digging through the bargain bins, looking behind the dumpsters, poking our heads in the basement bars, and finding every imaginable form of music. Case in point, the full on drunken punk vibes of World War IX. These guys take irreverent to a whole new level with tunes like “Intervention,” “I Was Drunk When I Met Ya’,” and the title track to their latest album “Portrait of Sobriety.” There’s something about this album that keeps me coming back, and it’s probably because it reminds me of that time when I was a kid in the mid 80’s hearing the Sex Pistols for the first time. Unlike the Pistols there’s no huge social or political message being spouted on about here, for the most part, it’s all about getting wasted and being pretty damned proud of it. And you know what? I’m okay with that. Check out their MySpace page and then swing by Zodiac Killer Records to pick up the album. Woody . . . how’re them drinks coming? www.myspace.com/worldwarix

Well, that transatlantic flight was something, wasn’t it? The Rock Iguana’s shadow puppet interpretation of My Fair Lady was otherworldly! So, here we are in beautiful Dublin, Ireland . . . not California, and I want to get you up to speed on this incredibly experimental, barroom bluesy, garage-y band called Killing Lazarus who dip their big toes in the constantly bubbling pool of prog rock. Check out tunes like “We Rot” and how they move that acoustic guitar sound through the wringer and create this sorrowful, yet vibrantly exotic epic tune. In the next breath, they bust out the distortion and fuzz boxes to, up the tempo and with the use of some beautifully executed textural sounds hand deliver the track “Hide and Go Eek.” Follow that up with the proggy, spaced out ambient tune “Germinate” and then drift into the low-fi acoustic, distorted vocal piece, “Split the Sky,” and you’ll hear a band that’s taking the tired musical formula and injecting a healthy dose of caffeine through its veins. Love the melody of “Split the Sky” . . . man, feel the emotion on that one! www.myspace.com/killinglazarus

En route to our destination in Sweden we had to make an emergency landing in Norway. While the Sheriff diligently hands a roll of duct tape to the Red Neck Wookie for some oh so necessary repairs, we’ll stop in and visit a band that I stumbled on in recent days. The band is called Sarke and they’ve released an album called Vorunah that will remind some of you of bands like Khold. Well, that would be for good reason. You see, guitarist / bassist / drummer Sarke, along with vocalist / bassist Garde formed the groovin’ black metal band Khold, so one could see the musical similarities. The music is heavy as all get out, but the tunes have the power of the groove in that they’ll inevitably get the body swaying in time with the rhythm. The tune that caught my attention and wouldn’t let go is “The Drunken Priest” and then, of course, I stumbled on “Primitive Killing.” Awesome stuff! Before we get back on board the Ripple Effect crop duster and head towards our original destination, I’m gonna’ stop in at Indie Recordings and pick up a copy of Vorunah . . . on white vinyl. You should too . . . it’d be like this bitchin’ souvenir. www.myspace.com/sarkeofficial

The mechanical adjustments that the Redneck Wookie made seem to have done the trick and standing on the tarmac of Karlstad, Sweden’s airport has never felt like more of a blessing. There to greet us are our good friends Space Probe Taurus with the exciting news that they were getting set to start demo work on a bunch of songs that they had written. That can only mean that the near future should include a brand new album from the lads, which elicited so much excitement in Racer that he fell into a fit of uncontrollable hiccups. It’s not the first time, nor will it be the last. If you don’t remember the Space Probe Taurus review, then we invite you to go back to July of last year to read up on their self titled release, which Racer described as “ a full on assault of methed up, fuzzed out, biker garage rock, brimming with enough muscle and punk energy.” Oh yeah . . . and the music is even better than that. Swing by their MySpace page and see for yourselves. www.myspace.com/spaceprobetaurus

Keeping our passports handing, we next find ourselves landing at the Portela Airport situated in the heart of Lisbon, Portugal. I’ve never been to Portugal before, but I hear it’s lovely. The main reason we’re stopping off here is because word came across the wire that there was a band that we had to check out. The band is called Factory of Dreams and are masters of atmospheric progressive rock. Chief songwriter and mastermind behind the project Hugo Flores guides the music through the multiple twists and turns, moods and emotions, dynamics and dimensional interludes, while vocalist Jessica Lehto provides the ethereal vocals that gives the songs a bit of a gothic feel. Check out the track “Weight of the World” and hear how they take the classic proggy sounds and meld them with an industrial groove. Well worth the layover before our return trip home. www.myspace.com/projectcreation

With the NHL playoffs in full force, Racer thought it would be cool to make a stop in Toronto, Canada. I hated to remind him that the Maple Leafs didn’t make the playoffs this year. In fact, at this point, there are no Canadian teams remaining in the hunt for the Stanley Cup. Sigh. So, while we’re here we’ll stop in and see a band that I’ve known about for a number of years now. The band is called Hellhitch and they play this down south, blues-y, Skynard meets C.O.C. type of rock. The reason I bring mention to these guys is that one of the tracks that they have posted has, and probably will always be, one of those songs that gets me every time I hear it. The song is called “Broken Bones” and you simply need to hear it. Its infectious, it rocks, its soulful . . . it’s damn near perfect. www.myspace.com/hellhitch

Speaking of the South, I’ve pointed Racer towards the Mason Dixon line and we’re bee lining it towards Georgia. There are a couple of bands that we need to stop in and see while we’re here. First off, back in July of last year I made mention that the band Echovalve had to put the kibosh on their tour due to the almighty dollar kinda’ fuckin’ things up. Well, word just came down that they’re back in action. In fact, so much so that they’ve posted a new single on their page that demands your ears. The song is called “Because of You” and has a nice, slick production that enhances they’re groove oriented rock style. Their blog goes into greater detail as to who the major players are in this renaissance and everybody involved should take this brief moment to take a bow for your efforts. Good job, chaps! www.myspace.com/echovalve

A few miles east of Echovalve’s home of Atlanta, we come upon Augusta where we find the rockin’ metal sounds of L.I.E. They have a bit of a progressive vibe going on and have some intrigue. The musical passages have something there, though I think these guys teamed up with a quality producer would enhance the sound tenfold. But this page will give y’all a good idea of the thought behind this music. Cool compositions, strong musicianship, well thought out ideas . . . yeah, this could definitely go somewhere with a tighter mix. We’ll keep an ear out and keep everyone posted as to any updates that come out of their camp. www.myspace.com/lostrockonline

Finally, back home on the West Coast and if you’re not exhausted then you didn’t flap your arms hard enough. Last bit of news comes from Los Angeles, the new home Tommy Victor and Prong. Word has come to our ears that they have a new web site up and running that features a free download of an unreleased song from the Power of the Damn MiXXXer sessions. What you’ll need to do is follow the links and sign up for the mailing list. That simple. They then give you the keys to the castle, er . . . the code to unlock the ancient treasure chest, er . . . the password to allow for a safe and secure download of this mysterious track. www.myspace.com/prong. Now that we’re back home and I’ve stopped laughing over the Rock Iguana’s presentation of Spartacus, I’ll begin downloading in 5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . .

See you next month!

A Sunday Conversation with Tommy Victor of Prong

Not much need be said when it comes to this weeks guest, but I'll introduce him nonetheless. Tommy Victor was a soundman for CBGB's in the 80's, stepped out and formed the industrial tinged metal soundings of Prong, and subsequently changed the way that I personally listen to music. Before heading out for a European tour, Tommy took a few minutes to crash on the interview couch and answer a few questions.

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, Johnny Mathis, Perry Como, and Simon & Garfunkel, the first time I ever hear Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphanies since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.What have been your musical epiphany moments?

That's funny because I had the similar background. I mean my Dad thought the Beatles was "jungle music". The only "rock" group he could stomach were the Carpenters. Seriously, he would say they had really "nice songs ".

Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water". I heard that on AM Radio back in '72 when was a kid and I lost my mind.
Later on I heard Killing Joke's "Change" at the Mud Club in NY and that impressed me a lot.
The Chrome album "Third From The Sun" really change a lot for me as well.

Do you get a sense of accomplishment when you hear that newer, up and coming bands refer to Prong as one of their greater influences?

What bands do that? Tell them to send me a check then I'll think about it.

What is you musical intention? What are you trying to express or get your audience to feel?

That changes. At one time I was a bit of a communist. I lived on the Lower East Side in squalor and that was what I stood for. The lyrics on the first three Prong records show the disgust for mainstream ideas. But one grows out of rebel rock. "Cleansing" had a lot of songs about what I thought was truth. "Another Worldly Device" sets the tone for that record. If there is a message it involves abstinence from the trappings of society. When I got to California and lived here for awhile, I changed a lot. The message wasn't a message. Much of it was selfish, personal and reflective. "Dark Signs" on our record "Rude Awakening" is different than the title track, which falls into that last description. That song is a warning. That one repeats the same mistakes through desire. Now my lyrics have a mixture of both mentalities. "The Banishment" is almost an anthem for the homeless. It could be political like "Beg To Differ" as well, where you leave society as a choice, not through force. "Worst Of It" is classically misanthropic. It's another "Don’t be bothered, relationships are a waste of time" song.

Looking back over your twenty plus year career with Prong, any regrets? Conversely, what’s your proudest accomplishment?

I'm asked this question a lot, in one form or another. I laugh to myself. Any regrets? Try like a good 400 page book worth. On the other hand I don't feel very accomplished. I'm sorry that's just honest. It's just the way I am. I think I could have chosen a more useful career than this.

In songwriting, how do you bring the song together? What do you look for in terms of complexity? Simplicity? Time changes?

This isn't American Idol music. There are no formulas. Its all gut feeling If another part is needed, one has to figure it out. If the vocal isn't cutting it, you dump the song. A great drummer like a Ted Parsons or an Aaron Rossi helps. A mediocre drummer can really make a song mediocre. Of course, good riffs are important. But it's not totally necessary. A lot of bands have these worn out heard it before riffs but good songs. Other bands have amazing riffs and guitar calisthenics but their songs are weak. Time changes work, but not too often for Prong. Some songs maintain a groove and just keep pounding and it works.

The business of music is a brutal place. Changes in technology have made it easier than ever for bands to get their music out, but harder than ever to make a living? What are your plans to move the band forward? How do you stay motivated in this brutal business?

Asking the tough questions, huh? It's scary. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about "what am I gonna do?" I don't know. You bust your ass to maintain a career in your art and it's tough to keep it alive. You want to keep going mostly because of all you invested in it. But time will tell when to hang it up. I still have a job. It's like the US automotive industry. I's dying. Eventually it will be over. Unless you are Justin Timberlake, Brittany Spears or Metallica, whatever.

Do you pattern any of your writing style after that of your "heroes”?

No. I know a lot of people who do. Actually most do. They study their heroes. Copy the whole thing. Most people don't realize nor know, so who cares right? That's writing for a purely commercial reason, or marketing potency. I don't know if that's artistry. But in the end all be all, who really cares?


When you write a piece of music, do you consciously write from the mind set of being different than what's out there now?

I'm ahead of the game. I don't know what's out there now. It doesn't interest me that much. Sure if I see a band live that blows me away like Meshuggah, it's influential. But I listen to liquid Metal and I yawn. It seems like I've heard it all.

What’s your best “Spinal Tap” moment?

The Swap Meet soundstage in Bakersfield on the last Prong US tour was pretty lousy. It was a Mexican swap meet in a dilapidated out of business Walmart. The stage was next to a taco stand. The worst. You KNOW you've made some mistakes when you hit places like this at my age.

Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

radio

Ripple News - Artillery's New Album Announced

Veteran thrash metallers, Artillery, got a new album in the works, and from the intiall buzz, it should be one to look out for.

"When Death Comes,” received rave comments in the soundcheck done by the journalists of the German Heavy Magazine. The album is ranked at no.5 leaving behind new albums of bands like Amorphis, Voivod, Primal Fear or TYR to name a few!!!

Artillery’s soundcheck will be featured in June’s issue of the magazine which hits the street on 27th May!

“When Death Comes” will be released by Metal Mind Productions on 15th June in Europe and 11th August in USA. The album will be released as a jewel case CD and as a digipak CD including 2 bonus tracks. Japanese edition of the album will include an exclusive bonus track which won’t be available elsewhere.

Also, the world-premiere of ”10.000 Devils” video, the album's lead track and Artillery's first professional video, will take place Monday, 18th June on MMP’s profile on YouTube! Check it!

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MetalMindPoland

Porcupine Tree - In Absentia

You'll find no indecision around the Ripple office when it comes to Porcupine Tree. I first discovered these cats after reading a one-page blurb in Classic Rock Magazine. Intrigued, I picked up the CD and passed the word on to the Pope, who picked up the PT baton and ran with it.

For good reason.

Arguably, no single individual has left his stamp on the developing world of neo-prog more indelibly than the one man prog phenom and musical prodigy Steven Wilson. Through his work with his own bands and collaborations, Porcupine Tree, No-Man, Bass Communion, and Blackfield as well as his multi-textured production work, found on such prog-death metal classics as Opeth’s “Blackwater Park,” “Deliverance,” and “Damnation,” as well as albums by prog mainstays Fish, Marillion, OSI and Paatos, Wilson has created a massive ephemeral resume of atmospheric experimental progressive rock, molding the world of music to fit his particular muse.

And nowhere will you see this vision so exquisitely realized as his work with phenomenally popular band, Porcupine Tree. What started out as a Spinal Tap joke, with a made up discography and body of music, Porcupine Tree quickly became Wilson’s main vehicle for prog inspired experimentation. While any number of PT albums could be reviewed today, most notably, Up the Downstair, Signify, or Stupid Dream, it was In Absentia, that found Wilson perfecting his craft, finding just the right combination of ambient exploration, dramatic compositions, and exceptional musicianship all crafted into instantly accessible, dramatically expanded pop songs. Joining Wilson in this grand statement of layered vocals, flaring guitars and ambient tones is bassist Colin Edwin, former Japan keyboard player Richard Barberi, and drummer Gavin Harrison. Together, they created an album of uncommon beauty and power.

And despite all the critical love and attention Porcupine Tree gets, in some ways, it's still not enough.

Wilson’s gentle, delicate vocals float above and over the electronic and live drumming, while keyboard textures hold the spaces between mind-numbing guitar solos and acoustic passages. Songs like “Gravity Eyelids,” “Trains,” and “Lips of Ashes,” simmer with a hidden beauty. “Blackest Eyes,” is an instantly accessible, hauntingly memorable track, Wilson layering spaced out electric guitars between the interweaving keyboards. “Eyes” also hints at the fury that PT can launch into at a moment’s notice, breaking off into full-out assaults of what can only be described as metal, before dropping down in an instant into pure ambiance.

“Wedding Nails,” brings this contradiction to the forefront, a terror of raging metal, searing guitar riffs before breaking down into a free form avalanche of space guitar, cosmic interludes and ambient fills. Menace fills the air with each murderous chord. And it’s this unpredictability that best describes Wilson’s music. As a composer, he knows no fear, never afraid to tack the most beautiful melody onto the most crushing chords, or lose himself entirely in the atmospheric ambiance of the moment, then tearing it to pieces, dissecting it like a creature under his microscope, before rebuilding again into some thing even more beautiful.

Perhaps no song greater than "Trains," sums up the subtle beauty of Wilson's vision. With his delicate voice, fragile in its vulnerability lilting above the acoustic guitar, the looping bass swoops in from underneath. Acoustic and powerful, it became the show closer for years after it's release.

Accessible without being predictable. Powerful without ever losing subtlety. Haunting in its tone and atmosphere, yet clear as a catchy pop song. This is modern prog at its most complex without being overly burdened with technical wizardry. Heavy and light in one breath.

That’s Porcupine Tree.

--Racer

Buy here: In Absentia

Musical Martyrs- The Vilified Ablums: Aerosmith - Night in the Ruts

With today's post, we're going to be starting a new, occasional column that we're really excited about; Musical Martyrs- The Vilified Albums. Too often it seems, loyal fans of a band shun a particular work, vilify it as the work of the anti-band, or simply dismiss it altogether, for no good, justifiable reason other than it is different. We're not talking about a band's clunker. Any band recording long enough will turn out at least one nigh-listenable album.

No, what we're referring to are albums that, on close listen, are actually damn good, or at least have enough good points to make them valuable additions to a respectable record collection, despite the fact that the "real" fans rarely give them the time of day. Usually, the reason for the fan apathy is embarrassingly petty, like the band line-up changed, the band tried a new musical direction, or --heavens no -- the band cut their hair.

In fact, the response we've had to yesterday's post by the Pope on COC's Deliverance is a perfect example of what we're talking about. Rather than allow a band to move onto a new direction, to try a new sound, to incorporate a new member, "fans" of the band criticize them for not sounding like the punk band they were originally. The point of Pope's review was that the past doesn't matter. Each album needs to be listened to with open ears, evaluated on it's own merits. As such, Deliverance holds a revered place in the Ripple office, regardless of how different it sounds from Animosity. It is simply, a frickin' fantastic, fully accomplished album.

We're going to present these vilified albums and explain why we like em. Some of you may agree, many will disagree, but that's all part of the fun. Let's create a conversation about these Vilified albums, shed a little light on them, and discover why we think they should be Rippled. Send us your thoughts for future vilified albums, or better yet, your own reviews of albums that fans shun, but really deserve a little love.

So without further ado, we at the Ripple, proudly turn our computer keyboards over to Woody to present . . .




Aerosmith - Night in the Ruts

“When was the last time you listened to Night In the Ruts?”

That’s the question I’ve been driving everyone crazy with lately. It had been at least 20 years for me and I’m not sure why I decided to pick it up, but I grabbed it along with Draw The Line and Rock In A Hard Place at the same time. Draw The Line turned out to be not as good as I remembered. It has a few great songs (title track, “Kings & Queens”) but for a short album it has a lot of filler. Rock In A Hard Place I knew was not very good but it was cheap and I always liked the songs “Lightning Strikes” and “Jailbait.” But Night In the Ruts really surprised me. It’s not a great or classic album like Toys In The Attic or Rocks (my personal favorite) but it is a kick ass hard rock album and one that hasn’t been played to death.

This album was made as Aerosmith was falling apart in 1978/79. Joe Perry and the rest of the band were at odds so Joe left during the making of it. He plays most of the leads on the finished product but Jimmy Crespo and Richie Supa fill in a few holes here and there. You can get the full story in Aerosmith’s very entertaining autobiography called Walk This Way (co-written with Steven Davis, author of the infamous Led Zep bio Hammer of the Gods). Even if you’re not an Aerosmith fan at all, it’s a good read.

The album kicks off with the autobiographical “No Suprize.” It tells the true story of the early days of the band playing at Max’s Kansas City in NYC and Clive Davis saying he’s gonna make them a star. There’s also the line “the backstage is rockin and we were coppin from the local police” about when cops would give the band confiscated weed at their shows. That’s one of the reasons why rock was better in the 70’s than it is now. The song itself is a total Aero-classic that combines their Zep and Stones influences into one big joint. Classic rock radio should play this song.

Classic rock radio should also play “Chiquita.” It starts off like Led Zep’s “Custard Pie” before settling into a powerful groove with Joey Kramer really bashing his drums and Tom Hamilton’s bass booming. This song is a great example why Steven Tyler is revered as a rock singer. His voice really soars over the band and commands that you turn up the volume.


In Aerosmith’s early days they got compared to the New York Dolls a lot. They shared the same management and often played together before the Dolls imploded. Ultimately, the New York Dolls were too raw for the mainstream and Aerosmith succeeded where they failed. Another thing they shared in common was a love of 60’s girl groups. Aerosmith’s cover of The Shangri-La’s “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” was issued as the single off Night In The Ruts. I’m sure David Johansen was happy when it stiffed since his wife left him for Steven Tyler in 1978. Overall, it’s an OK version of the song but is a little too melodratic. It’s also a little creepy hearing Steven Tyler in his drugged out late 30’s singing a song that was written to be sung by a teenage girl.

“Cheese Cake” is another highlight on this record. Joe Perry starts up the riff on slide guitar (which owes a debt to Zeppelin’s version of “In My Time of Dying”) before Brad Whitford and the band joins in. About a minute and a half into the song, it takes a left turn into double time. The lyrics are raunchy (“cheese cake, my finger’s in her pie”) and then slows down again for Joe’s lap steel guitar solo. In the autobiography he says the entire basic track was recorded live and he did all the parts in 1 shot. Pretty cool.


The band tries to get a little bit topical on “Three Mile Smile” about the 1979 nuclear accident in Pennsylvania. Does anyone want a political song from Aerosmith? Not really but it’s a good mid tempo rocker. And the next song is a cover of the old blues “Reefer Headed Woman” in case anyone was worried they were turning into The Clash. They were both on the same record label back then, maybe they did some blow together?


Brooklyn’s in the house on the uptempo “Bone To Bone (Coney Island White Fish Boy),” another song about sex. This is the fastest song on the album and is a real ass kicker. There’s some great guitar solos on this one, who knows who played what.


Speaking of guitar solos, there’s a cover of the old Yardbirds song “Think About It” that has a some more good ones. Aerosmith always cited the Yardbirds as a huge influence. Songs like “Rats In The Cellar” from Rocks and the end jam on “Sweet Emotion” have some killer Yardbirds style rave ups. Garage rock hipsters love the Yardbirds but hate Aerosmith. Too bad for them. Aerosmith is one of the few bands that could really pull off an exciting double time work out. The album wraps up with a Steven Tyler piano ballad called “Mia” that was written for his new daughter that he had with Cyrinda Foxe (David Jo’s ex).


Night In The Ruts was to be the last album from Aerosmith before it all fell apart and Joe Perry was replaced by Jimmy Crespo. The fans and the band never really accepted him in the band. Even Brad Whitford’s replacement Rick Dufay said they should get Brad and Joe back. Things have never been the same since. Sure, they had huge hits in the late 1980’s and 90’s but I don’t consider that the real Aerosmith, even though it’s the same original 5 guys.

The current list price for this CD is only 7.99 so you really have no excuse not to buy it and crank it up.


Buy here: Night in the Ruts

Corrosion of Conformity – Deliverance

Within the hallowed halls of the Ripple office, I can’t think of any other album so unquestionably revered as this one. Often discussed over a piping hot cup of coffee thick enough to hold a spoon straight up, Deliverance has been crowned on more than one occasion as the perfect metal album. That’s not to say that it’s the heaviest (though it is pretty frickin’ heavy,) or the fastest (though it has some pretty fast shit,) or the most technically proficient (though there are some jaw dropping moments,) or the fiercest (do I really have to go through this?) album in the world. It does, however, capture all of these elements and more. And, maybe that’s what has endeared this slab of distorted and toxic sludgery within our hearts. It’s as balanced a heavy metal album that you’ll find. Downtempo instrumental ditties break up the head bangin’ and heart racing moments, while the up tempo passages pull us from the doldrums of everyday life. Deliverance is an exposed nerve ending that came out when the rest of the music world was busy tapping the vein or capping themselves, and though it may not have been a conscious effort, the music reflected its surroundings.

Let’s just pretend for the better part of this review that Corrosion of Conformity was never a punk band. Let’s just pretend that there was nothing before Blind. I know I’m asking a lot, but let’s forget that C.O.C. existed before guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan joined the band. I’m asking you Waveriders to do so because this band needs to be perceived for what it is, or rather, what it’s not. C.O.C. made the transition from a hardcore punk band to heavy metal sludge lords. Yes, they started off playing music fueled by adolescent rage, and guess what? Like all of us, they grew up. Growth. Personal . . . musical . . . emotional . . . maybe they should have changed the band’s name to match this stylistic change, but they didn’t. They’ve moved on, and so should the rest of us. Okay . . . I’m stepping down from my Pope-box and getting into the album now.

“Albatross” and “Clean My Wounds” were the chart topping hits from the album, so odds are that I don’t need to go too much into either of these. For those who don’t know about these two mainstays you should probably know that they’re heavy in detuned Sabbath inspired riffagry, brimming with groove and swagger, and laced with venomous lyrics about Lord only knows. Like most of the lyrics from the band, they can be interpreted in a number of different ways. These two songs in particular could be about drug addiction, suffering through life surrounded by inhumane humans, dealing with the injustices of the world, or ironing a silk shirt. It’s up to you to decide, or better yet, call Pep to get his take on the lyrics. The short story of these two tracks is that the riffs are compelling, especially that of “Clean My Wounds,” and will inevitably have you riff hungry Waveriders coming back for repeated listens.

Lead track “Heaven’s Not Overflowing” is a distortion drenched and feedback laden bear of a tune with a ton of low end and just enough technical guitar knowhow to make the gearheads ears twitch. It’s an up tempo number that sets the stage for the rest of the album by giving the listener a slap with a muddy outstretched palm across a freshly shaven face. Many a speaker has been blown out to the tune as it vibrates the housing of any sound system to the point of failure. Yeah, it’s a dirty sounding tune, but the band did an excellent job of keeping it cohesive and incorporating enough melody to make it memorable and not just an atonal sensory beat down. I’m willing to bet that producer John Custer had a lot to do with keeping the sound coherent through the massive wall of low end that the band was creating.

Interwoven between the dense musical tones, C.O.C. was kind enough to give us short interludes to gather ourselves before the next wave of hard hitting tunes roll in. “Without Wings,” “Mano de Mano,” and “#2121313” are all subtle instrumental pieces, strategically placed within the arrangement of Deliverance to help build the tension of the whole album. Without these tracks, the album would simply lack depth. On first listen, these songs may seem like nothing more than filler, but stop and listen to the tunes, specifically “Without Wings” with its pinched notes and airy acoustic guitars, and you’ll hear that there’s some serious musicality shining between the darkness of the heavier stoned out vibes. Think Zeppelin III to some extent.

“Senor Limpio” is C.O.C.’s musical equivalent of someone getting brained or, at the very least, sucker punched. The opening riff drops in like a pallet of ceramic tile pushed from a thirty story rooftop. Perfect guitar tones help propel the riff and Pepper’s vocals shift between that crazed out, psychedelic distortion to his straight up whiskey rich bellow, adding a million elements of emotion conveyed through a bevy of vocal utterances. I love drummer Reed Mullins approach on this one as well, as he assaults the bell of his ride, creating that ever so unique chiming sound. You gotta’ remember, back in ’94 we were listening to Pearl Jam mumble on about some guy and his butter, Scott Weiland sounded like he was swallowing his tongue while singing about flies and Vaseline, and that chick from The Cranberries was yodeling about Zombies. And while there was the whole black metal underground scene that was building itself on the ashes of burnt out churches, there was nothing quite this heavy hitting the mainstream. On this track, also pay attention to the guitar interplay between Woody Weatherman and Pepper Keenan. Loose approach and filled with passion and soul.

The title track, “My Grain” with its funked out Mike Dean bass vibe, the acoustic and mournful “Shelter,” and the Sabbath-y doom groove of “Shake like You” are all stand out tracks that deserve high praise. In fact, there’s not a bad track on this album. I never felt that Deliverance so much as fell into the stoner metal category as much as people didn’t know where else to put it, so that’s where they put it. The album’s too thrashy to be stoner, and too sludgey to be Southern rock, and too metal to be punk, and too good to simply be dismissed for not being what people want the band to sound like. Its heavy metal aside from any sub genre and it’s preformed by four cats who wanted to separate themselves from the rest of the music world at that time. Hell, that was fifteen years ago . . . the songs sound just as vital today as they did back then. I stand by that earlier sentiment . . . perfect metal album. - Pope JTE

Buy here: Deliverance

www.myspace.com/corrosionconformity

http://www.coc.com

Ripple News - The Exits To Record Double A-Side

Now that we just raved about The Exits debut single ‘Neon City’ these fine electro-rockers are jumping back into the studio to record their highly anticipated second single. Set to be a double A-side, it will feature a previously un-released version of ‘You Gotta Help Me Out’ and summer anthem ‘Trip’.

This news comes as the band has just been added to Groundwaves FM playlist (Virginia USA) with debut single ‘Neon City’ which has also received extensive airplay and rave reviews.

TheExits are definitely a band to watch, and here at the Ripple, we'll be doing just that!

The Single Life - A Ripple Record Round Up

Good morning, waveriders, time for another of my favorite columns, our regular Ripple Round Up of some of the mounds of singles that wander on in through the Ripple doors. Today, however, we're going to do something a little different; we're going to keep the turntable turned off. Instead, we're going to dip into the growing stack of CD singles piled up so high on the Ripple desk, they seem to defy gravity. Let's see what a little digging uncovers.



Red Summer Sun (Formerly quarterlifeCRISiS) - Just a Picture b/w High Fashion/Another Memory

One of the things that makes reviewing singles so much fun is that we expect different things from a single than we do a full album. That's not to say that a great singles band can't also be a great album band, but singles are just inherently more fun. What we want from a single is a melody so infectious they'll never come up with a vaccine to stop it from growing and dividing inside your brain. We want something punchy and poppy and raucous, something to keep you bopping along the freeway as you're heading off on your day. With all that in mind, have I got a band for you.

From Boston, Red Summer Sun (formerly quarterlifeCRISiS) specialize in melody drenched, blisteringly pristine powerpop of the kind that we rarely get the chance to hear anymore. This isn't weighty music, it's bouncy alt pop, and if this can't get your car a bopping then there must be something seriously wrong with your suspension. "Just a Picture," is such a sweet pop confection it could toss a diabetic into a coma. Riding a jaunty, slightly punky powerpop vibe, the craft here is flawless. Complete with "do do do do," vocal hooks, and guitars with enough might to let you know we got some testosterone here. Add a can't miss melody and chorus, and this just may be the "feel good" indy pop song of the summer. "Another Memory," shows another side of the band, a touch more complex in arrangement but borne from that same melody creating womb. This is just a fine, driving song of exceptional craft. "High Fashion," follows along, but doesn't ignite with quite the same intensity. But no matter, there's clearly enough here on display to show that these cats got some serious songwriting skills. Play this one loud and play it often.

www.myspace.com/quarterlifeboston


The Exits - Neon City b/w You Gotta Help Me Out/ Neon City remixes and Live

You wanna talk about bopping? Oh my God, within seconds of popping this 6 song "single" into my car player I nearly had to pull over or risk injuring helpless bystanders on the sidewalks. See, I just can't drive while I'm dancing around in the driver's seat, my hands flailing in the air, and my foot tapping on the accelerator pedal in time to the groove. What we've got here is the first great indy rock rave anthem of the new year. This song positively vibrates with synth rock intensity, so much so that I can't listen to it without seeing swirling lights and lunging bodies in my mind. Strobes flashing. Fancy drinks being spilled. It just begs for the dancefloor.

Starting off with a scintillating wail of distorted synth, 30 seconds in the band drops the bomb; squealing brit-rock guitars tearing through the ecstasy induced beat. The snarl and snot laden vocals add just the perfect amount of attitude to this burner, as does the mean as shit breakdown midway through. A positive dancefloor devastator. And then to show that the boys aren't one shot ponies, the back-up "You Gotta Help Me Out," picks up right where "Neon City," left off, siren wails of synths leading into the driving beat like some bizarre dancefloor distorted Oasis remix by Tall Paul. Damn, this song is just begging to be used in some cool-as-shit disco scene in some cool-as-shit indy film. Yes, it's that good.

The various remixes offer different takes on "Neon City, " and as you'd suspect are a mixed bag depending upon your individual tastes. I prefer the "Daztronik Remix" which manages to pump up the rock elements of the song even while it's boosting the synths and programmed beats. Seems like a contradiction in terms, but trust me it works. The live version recorded at The Wedgewood Room shows that the band aren't a studio manifestation but can rock this shit live. Bodes well for the boys future, which I predict to be as bright as a thousand suns.

www.myspace.com/theexits



Drive A - Are You Blind

Just a one-shot here, a teaser if you will for the soon to be released debut album from these Los Angeles hard-edged pop punk rockers. And let me tell you, if this is what we can expect from the full-length album Loss of Desire (due out 5/19/09) then holy shit, you better carry a sweat rag with you when you play this baby! "Are You Blind," is a scorching assault of pummeling speed chords, and crushing drums with enough vocal sneer to drive the whole kibosh home. This is piledriving pop punk in the vein of the best of the Living Things, a true dashboard beater, that never once loses it's basic structure in damn good melody and a bait shop full of hooks. The mid song break is a terror assault on the guitar strings, the percussion break inspiring, and the chops strong enough to chisel through concrete. One damn fine nitro blast of pure raw energy and a perfect pop punk single!

Buy here: Are You Blind?


www.myspace.com/drivea

A Sunday Conversation with Mighty High

Long before we knew him, and long before he joined us here at the Ripple, lending his practiced ear and pen to writing some dynamite reviews for the Ripple, Woody blew us away with the fuzzed out, punked up, adrenaline-filled wail of rock that emanates from his band Mighty High. First conjoled into writing with us, we next convinced the Mighty High Woody to join us on the red leather Ripple Interview couch and shed some light on his musical roots.

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkle, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.

I've had many musical epiphanies in my life but 3 really stand out. The first was Christmas, 1974 getting a copy of Frank Zappa’s Apostrophe LP as a gift from one of my older brothers. He thought I’d like the poo poo jokes, which I did, but I also loved the music. The next was Motorhead’s Ace of Spades. I read an article about them in Creem magazine when they were opening for Ozzy on the Blizzard of Oz tour in 1980. I just knew this band was for me, and they still are. Lastly, hearing Grand Funk’s Live Album in November, 2000 completely blew me away and gave me the inspiration and direction to create Mighty High.

Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?

Usually music comes first. I’m not very original so most Mighty High songs begin with me trying to learn a cover song and not being able to figure it out. I’ll jam on a few parts and variations while watching TV so I don’t think too hard about what I’m playing. I read once that Joe Perry used to like to watch Godzilla movies when he was writing music for the first few Aerosmith records. Maybe he should go back to that technique.

Once I have a rough idea of how the music is going to go I start to think about the mood of the song and if I have any slogans or song titles that match it. I have a long list of potential song titles and keep a catalog of lyrical fragments in my head.

I’ll usually have about 75% of the song done before I bring it to the rest of the band. We’ll jam out on it and see where it goes. I’ll also have some spare parts in case we hit a brick wall. A song will often change direction once I hear it with the full band.. I like to try and play them live at our shows as soon as possible. If too many people start playing with their phones, then I’ll adjust the song right away. Lyrics are important and they’ll often go through a lot of revisions until I come up with the stupidest shit possible. They’re loaded with inside jokes that confuse most people but are hilarious to me and a few friends.

Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

I get tons of inspiration from discovering semi-obscure classic rock albums. About a year or so ago, a friend gave me Come Taste the Band by Deep Purple. I had no idea how great that record was. It helped me solve a few musical problems I was having with some songs I was working on. I have no problem admitting I steal a lot from other bands, Deep Purple especially. Lately, I’ve been listening to the 1st West, Bruce & Laing album Why Doncha. I’m sure some of that will wind up in our next batch of jams.

Genre's are so misleading and such a way to pigeonhole bands. Without resorting to labels, how would you describe your music?

I’ve always describe Mighty High as a loud hard rock band. Categorization has been a big problem for us. The stoner rock crowd says we’re too punk, the punk crowd says we’re too stoner. The garage rock crowd thinks we’re a metal band but the metal crowd doesn’t think we’re metal enough. The fact that the lyrics are humorous makes a lot of people mad, but the joke’s on them since they don’t know how to have a good time. I like to pretend that I’m Duke Ellington and say that we are “beyond category.”

What is you musical intention? What are you trying to express or get your audience to feel?

Our intention is to play louder than hell and to kick ass. We’d love it if our audience would go wild but it’s usually about 20 stoned dudes holding their beer cans and nodding politely.

In songwriting, how do you bring the song together? What do you look for in terms of complexity? Simplicity? Time changes?

I never try to make the songs more complicated than they need to be.

We keep the jams lean n mean with a few left turns here and there, but we’re not talented enough to get too progressive. In fact, we refer to ourselves as Brooklyn’s #1 regressive rock act.


The business of music is a brutal place. Changes in technology have made it easier than ever for bands to get their music out, but harder than ever to make a living? What are your plans to move the band forward? How do you stay motivated in this brutal business?

Luckily I have a good job so I’m able to finance this ridiculously expensive hobby. I’m thrilled that people all over the globe have discovered and enjoyed our music but it would be nice if a few more of them would pay for it. If there was some money coming in than we could make even cooler t-shirts and record more often. The economy is hitting everyone hard and attendance at shows is way down but we really appreciate anyone who shows up and gets loaded. I knew when I started the band that Mighty High would have an extremely selective appeal.

Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

A few years ago I lent someone from another band my guitar tuner to use. When they were done with it, they re-calibrated it to a different tuning so when I used it my guitar was completely out of tune. We start playing and I’m convinced that our other guitarist TJ Whippets is out of tune. I start yelling at him to tune his guitar during the first 2 songs. He keeps tuning and nothing changes. Finally I realize I’m the one out of tune. I felt about 3 inches tall. Luckily I had a spare guitar and the rest of the gig went great.

Another great one was the time we played a party using another bands gear. During the first song both guitar amps blew up and I broke a string. There was a big crowd staring at us while we spent about 10 minutes repairing everything. Our bass player used to unplug himself a lot on stage, but luckily that has happened in a long time.


Where do you see you and your music going in ten years?

Good question. In ten years I will be 51 years old with an 11 year old daughter. I will have a lot of explaining to do. The original concept of Mighty High was to sound like Black Flag playing Grand Funk’s Live Album. In a few years I’d like to make it sound like Black Flag playing BB King’s Live at the Regal.


What makes a great song?

A great riff and a good slogan. It should make you want to step on the gas or punch someone in the face.



Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?

The first song I ever wrote was called “Slow Gin” but I never finished it. It’s basically a medley of “Slow Ride” by Foghat and “Cold Gin” by Kiss but came out more like “Sister Ray” by the Velvet Underground. The first song I ever wrote and finished was “Dusted” – track #1 on Mighty High…In Drug City.


What piece of your music are particularly proud of?

All the songs are near and dear to me, but it’s usually whatever song I’m working on at the moment. I didn’t start playing guitar until I was 31 years old. I’m completely self taught as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter so finishing a song is always a huge achievement since I really don’t know what I’m doing.


Who today, writes great songs? Why?

Jeez, this is a tough one. There are a lot of bands I like out there but most of it is so derivative of older stuff (I’m including Mighty High in this statement). Off the top of my head, I’ll say Mastodon. I think they write great songs that you can rock out to but are also interesting musically and lyrically. Locally, I’ll give it up to Federale and the Brought Low. When they play new songs I’ll still remember them when I sober up the next day.

Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

All 3. I know it’s heresy these days, but I do think CD’s can sound the best. When ZZ Top remastered Tres Hombres I compared it to my old LP. The CD sounds much better, but the gatefold of enchiladas looked so much more appealing on the LP.

We’re already starting to see artists issuing their stuff on vinyl that includes a CD or mp3 download. This will probably be the choice of serious music fans, but the general public will take whatever they can get for free.


What's the best record store in your town?

My favorite store closed just about a year ago – Slipped Disc Records in Valley Stream. It was a metal/punk/hardrock specialty store out on Long Island with incredible selection. It’s where I was able to track down tons of imports and out of print stuff plus cool shirts, books and DVD’s. The owner was a great guy and had excellent taste. He sells at some record shows now, but it’s just not the same.

I wish NYC had a store the caliber of Amoeba in California or Waterloo in Austin, TX. Generation Records in the West Village is pretty good. Passout Records in Brooklyn is a small but good punk/garage spot that also has live music. J&R has the best prices but their selection is a little conservative. Other Music in the East Village has some great stuff but they insist on filing everything in frustrating little micro-genres.

Awesome, Woody. Great stuff. Keep the Mighty High madness coming our way and thanks for all your great writing for the Ripple.

Ripple News - Eryn Non Dae (END) New Album and Free Song!

Post apocalyptic, metal monsters, Toulouse, France's ERYN NON DAE. (formerly END.) has made a new song, "When Time Elapses", available for free download at this location. The track comes off the band's debut album, "Hydra Lernaia", which is scheduled for release on June 23 (one day earlier internationally) via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded, mixed and mastered by Mobo at ConKrete Studio in Bordeaux, France and features the following track listing:

01. When Time Elapses
02. Blistering Hate
03. Existence Asleep
04. The Decline And The Fall
05. Lam Tsol Oua
06. Through Dark Skies
07. Opposites From Within
08. Echoes Of Distress
09. Pure


As most loyal waveriders will know, we're all over the amazing experimental metal scene in France and ERYN NON DAE. gives that scene exactly what is needed — something unique, groundbreaking, and a new style of extreme to follow upon. Much like fellow homeland heroes GOJIRA, ERYN NON DAE. pulls off a signature sound delivering complex and brutal structures while adding doses of dark and apocalyptic moods. Their creativity, power, and aesthetics without a doubt will stun the metal genre.

ERYN NON DAE. is:

Mathieu B. Nogues: Vocals
Franck Quintin: Guitar/Vocals
Yann Servanin: Guitar
Mickael André: Bass
Julien Rufié: Drums

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/end1freefr.

Eryn Non Dae. Hydra Lernaïa studio teaser

DBC – Dead Brain Cells

So, I’m sifting through my shelves of vinyl the other day, pulling out Mylar sleeved 12” discs of bands like Forbidden, Hirax, Nuclear Assault, and Armored Saint, and I’m teleported back to a time when my biggest concerns were passing algebra. Ah . . . good times. I remember waking up on test day in absolute terror like it was this morning. Tangent check . . . mixed in with all of this great late 80’s thrash metal or crossover punk stuff was a band that I had damn near forgotten about. DBC’s first album, Dead Brain Cells, was released in 1987 and was rife with music that mixed hard edged thrash groove tempos and socio-political lyrics. Then to shake things up and show that they weren’t some poor man’s D.R.I. knock off, the band threw in some off time, almost jazzy portions to their compositions. You know, just enough nuance to keep you guessing. Unrelenting in sonic brutality, uncompromising in musical vision, and a scathing vocal diatribe that brings Reagan-era headlines of every newspaper screaming back to the moment. This album transcended every other album that had come out at that time (bold statement, yes) by incorporating the aforementioned musical qualities, but more importantly, following the shrill screams of their inner muse. The most concise way that I can think of describing Dead Brain Cells, and DBC as a band, is progressive hardcore. That may not sound like such an off the wall description these days, but in 1987 . . . prog and hardcore were oil and water.

This beast kicks off with an epic, patient, and well thought out instrumental intro that builds a wall of tension so thick that the explosion of speed metal fury that follows practically hurls the listener through said wall to one last waltz with oblivion. Masterfully executed, “Deadlock” plows forward with an intense combination of knuckle dragging aggression and cerebral composition. In fact, the music and lyrics contain an intelligence that was unique to that day and age of metal. One eye focused on the outside world, the other eye focused on, “What if?” “Deadlock” contains fabulous lyrics that hold true as much today as they did during the Cold War of U.S. and U.S.S.R. relations. Both sides digging in for their ideology and refusing to simply listen to their counterpart regardless of how many people had to suffer due to this stubbornness. Bassist / vocalist Phil Dakin not only wrote some poignant lyrics here, he also verbalized them with the perfect amount of venom and cynicism to capture the mood as well as one could. Musically, the tune is also a gem, what with its dips and dives, stops and starts, musical virtuosity and acrobatics . . . this is why I refer to the band as progressive hardcore. Abrasive with its aggression yet thought provoking and complex.

Before you can catch your breath, DBC kick into the brutally beautiful sound orgy of “Monument.” Scattered off time breaks and senses shattering guitar work create a musical backdrop for lyrics facing mortality and remembrance once we’re dead and gone. Pay attention to the performance from drummer Jeff St. Louis as he propels this tune through the stratosphere, keeping the whole thing together by sheer force of will. The time changes are enough to confuse Chronos himself! Double bass drums grind out most of the rhythm, but note his approach to the snare attack and how he accents the notes of the riffs, making the tune so damn powerful and elegant.

When I was first introduced to this album, I was sold on the idea that DBC were in league with such classic crossover punk bands as Suicidal Tendencies or D.R.I., and though not nearly as straight forward as those aforementioned bands, DBC do capture some of those hardcore qualities with tunes like “Lies” and “Power and Corruption.” Up tempo and speedy, yet laced with a low end groove to get the body swaying, DBC bring a healthy load of high energy thrash to the music. Keeping it hard enough to please the punks, but technically proficient enough to make the more traditional metal heads nod with approval. Amazingly, it’s been nearly twenty years since I last heard this album and as soon as these songs came on, I remembered all of the subtleties within the music. The vocals, lyrics and intonations as they’re spewed from Dakin’s mouth, the breaks, the stops, the fills, the spills . . . all of it! Old friend, I missed you!

Besides “Deadlock,” the tune “Public Suicide” probably best epitomizes what DBC does best. Opening with a highly technical metalized intro filled with a combination of frenzied bursts of notes and enough open space to let the notes shine, we can hear how the band isn’t afraid to let their musicality stand before their walls of dissonant sound. Listen out for the bass work around the 40 second mark and how Dakin lets the distortion ring out, groovin’ to its own melody and adding a great texture to the layers of guitars underneath it. Coming out of that intro, all hell breaks loose as the band drops into another high speed passage of destruction, revisiting the intro to make sure that we haven’t forgotten how this whole thing started.

From top to bottom, Dead Brain Cells will kick your head in. “Negative Reinforcement,” “M.I.A.,” “Terrorist Mind,” and “Tempest” all stand out and feel as important today as they did in 1987. With the exception of “Tempest,” each song deals with a variety of themes such as the Vietnam War, terrorism (remember, it existed before 9/11,) suicide, drug abuse, war, and so on. The social consciousness drew me to the lyrics in the first place and made me realize way back in the day that it was okay to be intelligent. It was okay to care about the world I lived in. It was okay to be pissed at the world leaders for fucking things up. Truth be told, the themes still hold true to today, it’s just that we have different players on the field than we did in the 80’s. Instead of Vietnam, now we have Iraq and Afghanistan. We still have a massive suicide rate. We still have a huge rate of homicide raging uncontrolled through this country. People are still addicted to drugs, but instead of it being solely something fun like cocaine, its steroids, and heroin, meth, and prescription pills. Things haven’t really gotten all that much better, have they? Dead Brain Cells easily goes down as one of my all time favorite recordings not just because of the subject matter, but also because it was performed with an energy that is real and just as venomous as the lyrics. Brains and brawn? You betcha’! And if you think this is heady stuff, wait 'til we get to Universe!- Pope JTE

Buy here: DEAD BRAIN CELLS [LP VINYL]

www.myspace.com/dbcdeadbraincells

http://www.dbcuniverse.com

Sun God's in Exile - Bright Light, White Lines

Fans of Tank and The Rods rejoice!

Not only are both bands back in action but now you have a new favorite band – Sun Gods In Exile. They’re based out of Portland, Maine and were formed a little over a year ago but sound like the younger brothers of Molly Hatchet in 1979. Bright Light, White Lines is their debut album and it’s out now on Small Stone Records.

Sun Gods In Exile play no nonsense hard rockin metal with no discernible influences past 1982. That’s good. The songs are all fast, hard hitting and you can smell the blood, guts & beer. In their short time together, they’ve shared the stage with Roadsaw, Hackman, Mess With The Bull, The Brought Low and many others. That should give you a pretty good idea of where these guys are coming from.

“Eye For An Eye” kicks off the record like it’s something from Wild Dogs by The Rods and gets you nodding your head right away. When the vocals kicked in the first time I listened to this thing I had to double check to make sure I hadn’t put on Tank’s Power of the Hunter by mistake. Adam Hitchcock’s voice sounds like a cross between the mighty Algy Ward and Molly Hatchet’s Danny Joe Brown. When he screams out “downstairs I smell the cocaine” I had to turn it up and play the song again. Always a good way to start an album.

“Heaven Help Us” is a distant cousin of “Stranglehold” and is followed by the Judas Priest southern boogie of “The Gripper” (a title that I’m surprised that Priest hasn’t used yet). In a just world “Rise Up” would be played on FM rock radio during afternoon drive time to help you get the Led out.

After that it’s a trip to “Mexico” with some Nazareth style cowbell and an Ace Frehley-ish guitar solo. I’m sure these guys are no stranger to Acapulco Gold. And if the title track doesn’t make you want to light up and give cops the bird, then it’s time to surrender your copy of One More From The Road. “Hellwell” has a real Brought Low feel to it, meaning it sounds like a cross between Skynyrd and AC/DC with some great melodic guitar fills. “Black Magic” is not a cover of the Slayer jam but continues in the AC/DC “Sin City” vein and features some moody organ playing. The album finishes up with the twin peaks of “Turbo Fire” and “495”. The songs aren’t necessarily about cars or driving fast but they’re plenty oily. “495” has a nice “Freebird” jam at the end that kicks ass.

The production on Bright Light, White Lines is great. The guitars of Hitchcock and Anthony D'Agostino sound huge and heavy and the ace rhythm section of bassist JL and drummer Johnny Kennedy boom and thud in a most pleasant way. All of the instruments have room to breathe in the mix and leave plenty of room for the vocals.

I haven’t had a chance to play this in my car but it would be the perfect thing to listen to on a road trip to see a Montrose (1st album) reunion.

--Woody


buy here: Black Light, White Lines


http://www.myspace.com/sungodsrock

UFO - The Visitor

Anyone who has ever loved the sound of a crushing electric riff, a perfect melody, a rousing chorus, rough-hewn, soulful vocals, or a guitar solo so freaking fast and dynamic that it makes your eyeballs water, needs no introduction to UFO. After 40 years in the business, these crazy brits have earned their place in the honored halls of rock and roll, both for their music and their mad antics. So let's cut to the chase shall we.

The Visitor is, without a doubt, the best UFO album since the band reformed with Vinnie Moore for You Are Here, which was the best UFO album since the short-lived Schenker reunion Walk On Water, which in turn was the best UFO album since the vastly under-rated Paul "Tonka" Chapman days. You want it shorter than that? The Visitor is one great rock and roll record, and it deserves to climb right up there near the top of UFO's vast cannon of great albums. No matter how you cut it, this is the comeback, classic rock album of year.

Yep, that's saying something.

I've read in a few sites about the staggering return of "Black Sabbath," with the new Heaven and Hell album, sounding old and tired, berefit of ideas or enough muscle to power the chops they did muster. There's none of that here. Reinvigorated since the joining of Moore, UFO sound positively re-energized here, like they've somehow unlocked the code and opened the fricking rock-and-roll fountain of youth. Bustling with energy, punch, and verve. Ready to rock the shit outta you or kick your face in. You choose which.

The jump in adrenaline is evident from the very first track. "Saving Me," kicks off with some beautifully played, loose-strung swampy blues acoustic guitar, mining the same bluesy rock vibe that UFO have explored so successfully in the past on songs like "Train Train," or more recently on both of the Mogg/Way albums. Think of this song following in the same vein, and from there I promise you, I will make no more references to UFO songs of the past. It's the easiest thing to do, refer back to some song on Lights Out or Obsession for reference, but the truth is, this album is so strong it should be the point of reference for future albums. Mogg's voice layers on top of the guitar at around the 30 second mark, sounding more textured, more soulful, more plaintive than in recent memory, and when the band kicks in about one minute in. . . there's hell to pay. This is full-on charging UFO, crushing riffs held together tightly by an instantly catchy melody, all leading up to that chorus that will just lift you right outta your chair and in this case, thank God for salvation.

Moore's guitar work is dead on, instantly making you forget old "what's-his-name" who used to supply the guitar chops. Moore is a shredder in the best sense of the word, and most importantly, fully adept at melody. When he wants to bust out, he can wail into a jaw dropping solo, notes flying faster than spit flying from an auction barker's mouth. Then he can drop into a perfect acoustic passage, shoot off some harmonics or crush your cerebellum with the strength of his riffs. Moore's tone isn't so much reminiscent of Schenker as it is more indicative of the classic UFO sound, and yes, the band has been around long enough to declare that they have a sound all their own. God bless em.

UFO without Schenker was always a dicey affair (except for the previously mentioned Chapman years) because Mogg needs that guitar energy to set his songs ablaze. At the same time, Schenker showed us with his solo career that he needed Mogg's sense of craft and melody to create a memorable tune. It was that combative chemistry that always fueled the band's best work, and with Moore in place, Mogg seems once and for all to have found that perfect foil. Power and melody. Sizzling chops and structure. Perfect. Absolutely fucking perfect.

"On the Waterfront," cruises out with a mid-tempo modified blues riff with a mid-section and chorus of shear perfection. Easily on par with the best of their melodic material. Then, lest you think the boys are getting soft in their later years, "Hell Driver," tears out as fierce and mean as they've been in years. Play this one live and it woulda fit comfortably on their classic Strangers in the Night. Mogg sounds great, reminding us once and for all that he's always been one of rock's most unheralded vocalists. Moore's tone is dead-on, and I'll tell you, the return of "no neck" Andy Parker on the drums seems to be the final ingredient necessary to drive these chaps over the top. The only ingredient missing was the presence of legendary bass player, Pete Way, who had to miss the recording as he's battling liver disease. Pete, our prayers are with you, brother!

"Stop Breaking Down," follows next, absolutely classic UFO. Big chords start it off amongst the pounding of Parker's drums, slight technical flourishes embellishing the end, then the whole thing explodes into a melodic guitar solo intro that could make a grown man cry. Paul Raymond's work, always the glue that held the band together, fills in here, leading the track into perfect hard rock territory. Melodic rock for the ages, by one of the bands to first create the genre. Power and beauty all wrapped up into one track. A future classic UFO song, one that our children will one day ask us if we remember it when it first came out. "Rock Ready," jumps right back into the Mississippi swamp, while "Living Proof," nails a down-and-dirty mutated, menacing blues number. Another standout track, Mogg sounds positively charged here.

And the album continues from there all the way to "Stranger in Town," a terrorizer of a closer, sounding mean and pissed and ready to knock your teeth in. Moore comes up with a closed-fist attack of a riff, the band is tight as the glue holding Donald Trumps toupee in place, and Mogg proves once and for all that he's lost none of his fight or passion. Another brand new, fresh burst of classic UFO. Building upon their past, not revisiting it.

For all those naysayers out there who claim that UFO haven't unleashed a great album since Walk On Water, open your ears. There's some serious rock and roll happening on the UFO mothership, and fortunately for us, the boys are bringing it right on down to this planet.

Misty green and blue forever.

--Racer

Buy here: The Visitor


More good new. UFO are going to tour supporting the new album, and I'll be there. Just check out the dates below. If you want to find me, I'll be the one pressed up against the stage at the Independent in San Francisco, begging for a chance to go back and interview the band for a Ripple feature. If you are a fan of the classic UFO, or just a fan of dynamite hard rock, you won't want to miss this one either. I'll see you there.

UFO Tour Dates:

10/02/2009 Jaxx - Springfield, VA
10/03/2009 Tangiers - Akron, OH
10/07/2009 The Rex - Pittsburgh, PA
10/08/2009 The Chance - Poughkeepsie, NY
10/09/2009 Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
10/10/2009 BB Kings - New York, NY
10/15/2009 Ameristar Casino - St. Charles, MO
10/16/2009 House Of Blues - Chicago, IL
10/17/2009 Medina Ballroom - Hamel, MN
10/21/2009 The Catalyst - Santa Cruz, CA
10/22/2009 The Brixton - Redondo Beach, CA
10/23/2009 The Coach House - San Juan Capistrano, CA
10/24/2009 Boulder Station Casino - Las Vegas, NV

10/25/2009 Majestic Ventura Theater - Ventura, CA
10/27/2009 Key Club - West Hollywood, CA
10/28/2009 The Fat Cat - Modesto, CA
10/29/2009 Aladdin Theatre - Portland, OR
10/30/2009 Neumos - Seattle, WA

11/01/2009 The Independent - San Francisco, CA

Ripple News - New Project - Morton Black

At the Ripple, we're always excited to shed some light on new talent. So with that in mind, we're eager to hear what comes from the fertile mind of the new project, Morton Black. Confusion Of Existence, the debut EP by Morton Black, a project by 19 year-old multi-talent Joey Ferwerda from Hoorn, Netherlands, will be released by Deity Down Records around June of 2009.

Morton Black is a project dedicated to creating and recording melodic metal based on the paths that were set by acts such as Ayreon and Avantasia. Next to Joey (vocals, drums, guitars) contributions by guest and session musicians like Madicken De Vries (vocals, ex-Anatar), Jim Van De Kerkhof (drums, Morning, ex-Uplifted), Bas Rensen (guitars, Morning), Michiel Van Veen (guitars, Trisomy) and English shredder Paul Clark (David Cross Band, Curse Of The 9th, Paul Clark Band).

Seems like an ambitious project for a 19 year old, but then, when you consider the vast amount of teenage talent we've already seen here at the Ripple, like Patrick Droney and Amy MacDonald, we already age is only a number. We can't wait to hear what this new talent comes up with.

Monday Morning Metal Report

Monday Morning Metal Report

Every Monday seems to get to you, doesn’t it? I mean, you’re probably exhausted right now as you slurp your way through a soggy bowl of cereal and a lukewarm cup of joe. And why shouldn’t you be? You worked hard this weekend. You mowed the lawn, or you chased after your kids, or you cleaned the house, or watched endless hours of television. Whatever. I know. I did the same thing. I’m exhausted too, but we can work through this, my friends. Let’s get through these next couple of discs. I’ll tell ya’ what you need to know, you’ll go out and buy them. That’s the deal . . . and once you’re kickin’ back in morning rush hour traffic, listening to your recently acquired music, you’ll think back to this and thank me. You always do.

Cycle of Pain – S/T

Sometimes you just want to rock out. You want to get behind the wheel of whatever vehicle you happen to operate, and you just want to go fast, hard, and heavy. You want to lower your reflective sunglasses over your eyes, lower the front windows, and hurl yourself through traffic that for most would be an alarming rate of speed. But, for you . . . things haven’t become alarming yet. This is just getting the blood pumping. You haven’t even broken a sweat yet. “Alarming” will only occur if the rig you’re driving becomes airborne and there’s no bottom in sight. For this adventure in high octane induced frivolity, you’re going to need music that matches your steel reserve. You’re going to need some music that allows you to give the man nod of respect to the cars you’re passing. The perfect soundtrack is Cycle of Pain’s self titled debut.

Led into action by our new found hero and Lord of the Low End, John (J.D.) DeServio, this band struts with a confidence like they’ve been here and done this, that, and the other more than once before. And, a lot of that attitude could come from DeServio’s years as the bassist for Black Label Society. Hey . . . you don’t spend a career working side by side with Zakk Wylde and not earn a little swagger to your step! Cycle of Pain is an up tempo, head bobbin’, muscle flexin’ dose of straight forward hard edged rock and heavy metal. Imagine if you will the more standardized metal sounds of Ozzy mixed with dissonant wail and vocal tones of Soundgarden, heavy and bruising, but with an infectious injection of melody. DeServio also enlisted the aid of some of his friends within the world of the hard and heavy, including his long time partner in crime, Zakk Wylde, Ray Luzier from Korn, Sen Dog from Cypress Hill, members of Tantric, Symphony X, and a horde of other names that will make you nod your head and say, “Whoa.”

Damn near every song on here gets you at some point, but “Reign Down,” “ Do My Work,” and “I See Heaven” are the key moments. “Reign Down” being a hard edged guitar clinic highlighted by the Chris Cornell-esque vocal work Greg Locascio, and it shows the bands ability to bring the hurt in the form of the almighty riff. “Do My Work” with its hip hop groove and sternum shuttering low end features the vocals of Sen Dog, will make you want to reach for bong for breakfast. “I See Heaven” shows a more, dare I say, sensitive and ambitious side to the band, with its piano driven verse, string section, and crooning vocals. All of these elements give the tune an epic feel. Pay special attention to DeServio’s bass work on this one. He shows his diversity extremely well throughout as he hangs in the pocket one minute, massaging the groove, and then bending the strings and squeezing every emotion out of the notes. Cycle of Pain is a solid disc and a strong release. www.myspace.com/cycleofpain

buy here: Cycle of Pain

Downfall 2012 – S/T

I may be stretching the limits on the definition of metal with this one, but it definitely has its metal moments, all filled with youthful angst, dissonant aggression, and edgy tension. Maybe it would more aptly fit in a punk piece or an alt-rock review, but the band has labeled themselves metal to some degree, so who the hell am I to argue? Let’s get into this. Downfall 2012 hail from Houston, Texas and play some of the most funky ass, groove oriented, metallic tinged rock this side of my office. Take the jazzy drum work of Casey Bowen with the less is more dub-metallic approach of guitarist/vocalist Danny Gil, and place them on the shoulders of the mad funk bass meanderings Danny “Boo” Rogers, and what you end up with is an eclectic mix of songs that will inevitably have you bobbing your head with the rhythm and smiling at all passerby’s like you hold a very dark secret next to your heart.

One part RHCP, one part Tool, one part 311, one part Lord only knows, and a healthy dose of who gives a fuck, makes Downfall 2012 the album that has spent more time flying in and out of my CD player than any other disc to date. It’s not just that this album is packed with great tunes, but that everyone of them has something new to offer . . . something interesting to keep me guessing as to what direction they’re gonna’ go in next. Kinda’ like watching that amped up kid running through Walmart . . . in one hand, a half consumed can of Coke, in the other, a Pixie stick . . . plastic gnawed through on one end, powdered sugar product leaving a trail across the floor like gunpowder from a keg in those old Looney Toon cartoons.

“8:28” is a metal tinged faux reggae ditty that gets me every time that I hear it. The contrast between the verses and chorus is great! Going from a bass driven reggae groove to a metalized guitar run shows just one side of the bands diversity. It should be noted that there’s a great guitar solo on the song, as well. “Day One” is highlighted by the funked out bass work, very reminiscent of Flea, before the tune tightens up to a heavily distorted and a bit more a straight forward rocker. “Push to Paralyze” is a flat out groove-fest that consistently works out my abs as I sway back and forth, but like all of Downfall 2012’s work, don’t be content with just groovin’ coz’ right around the corner is another breakdown that’ll rock your pants off. Which, of course, is most disconcerting when driving to the office. I’m gonna’ have to rethink playing this one first thing in the morning. - Pope JTE

buy here:

www.myspace.com/downfall2012

A Sunday Conversation with Roadsaw

It isn't supposed to happen the way it did. With the year of 2008 winding down, and the Pope and I starting to prepare our year end's Best of Heavy Rock list, I thought I'd had it all figured out. With all the great music coming into the Ripple, we were flush in quality metal and hard rock releases, then Roadsaw's See You in Hell disc dropped onto my desk and all my best laid plans were tossed into the trash. See for yourself. Not only did See You in Hell knock another worthy band off the list, but it shot right up near the top! Needless to say, we couldn't wait to get the the boys to stop on by our infamous red leather interview couch and shoot some questions their way about crafting such a fricking stunning disc.

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkle, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.

What were your music epiphany moments?

My parents were folky hippy types so i had a lot of early exposure to a lot of Beatles and Dylan growing up. Later, two records were pivotal in my early teens both as a listener and as a player. Sweet's "Desolation Blvd." and Alice Cooper's "Killer" had a huge impact on me. I spent endless hours on my first bass trying to play the opening to "Dead Babies". And Sweet had the best pop metal hooks ever, not to mention great musicianship. Later as my musical tastes broadened Queen became very important to me. David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" blew my mind upon first listen. Thin Lizzy too helped me advance as a bass player.



Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?

Its always different. But for me songwriting IS a process and its something i put alot of work into. Im not someone who sits around getting high waiting for something to just fall out of the air, although sometimes that happens. Usually i will sit down a simply play. I also carry a notebook with me to write down ideas for lyrics or titles for songs. I dunno. For a while I would dream entire songs, wake up in the middle of the night and run to my tape recorded with my guitar.


Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

Hard to say. it seems organic for me. Certain drugs can help.



Genre's are so misleading and such a way to pigeonhole bands. Without resorting to labels, how would you describe your music?

Roadsaw definitely has an FM classic analog heart to it. Dirty, thirsty and over 30.


What is you musical intention? What are you trying to express or get your audience to feel?

Its about the motion not the message.




In songwriting, how do you bring the song together? What do you look for in terms of complexity? Simplicity? Time changes?

We have a smart/dumb chart we shove every song through to measure for the perfect balance of both.



The business of music is a brutal place. Changes in technology have made it easier than ever for bands to get their music out, but harder than ever to make a living? What are your plans to move the band forward? How do you stay motivated in this brutal business?

We do what we do how we do when we want to. Its the only way to survive when you decide to swim with the sharks.


Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

Phoenix Arizona: Riggs is standing on the drum riser as we kick of the first song. When the drums kick in , Riggs attempts a David Lee Roth style leap and splits his head wide open on the roof rafters and nearly knocks himself out. Dazed and bleeding , the show continues.


Where do you see you and your music going in ten years?

We'll show up on some K Tell stoner rock oldies compilation and the band will come out of retirement to play some half-assed package shows at county fairs across the mid west.



What makes a great song?


If i knew, all our songs would be great, wouldn't they???



Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?

A silly Kiss rip-off about some hot blonde in high school i wanted to finger bang.



What piece of your music are particularly proud of?

Our third album "Rawk n Roll" has some of our best songwriting on it. "Buried Alive" and "Your own Private Slice of Hell" in particular.


Who today, writes great songs? Why?

Country artists still have the best songwriters, hands down. A very long tradition that knows exactly what its audience wants.



Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

I have an extremely deep record collection that still sounds better than other format.


What's the best record store in your town?

If i still lived in LA, Amoeba would be my first choice. In Boston, In Your Ear still rules.

A new album should be coming out soon, right? I'm already to reserve my place on the 2009 best of list.

www.myspace.com/wwwmyspacecomroadsaw

Ripple News - Behemoth Release Live DVD + CD

The Polish band Behemoth are one of the major purveyors of the horrifying, death-obsessed subgenre of heavy metal named "black metal." Led by Nergal, Behemoth have managed to conquer the world of dark, loud music since their formation in 1991. The DVD entitled “Live Eschaton – The Art Of Rebellion” contains material taken from “Live Eschaton”, Behemoth’s debut video. DVD captures the band at their best form and includes live footage from their concert in a TV studio in Krakow on the 27th of April, 2000. Behemoth performed 10 of their landmark songs, including "Carnage", "Satan's Sword", and of course "Pure Evil & Hate". Special features include 2 bonus video tracks plus 6 extra audio tracks ("Cursed Angel of Doom", "Dark Triumph", "Forgotten Empire of Dark Witchcraft", "Forgotten Cult of Aldaron", "Dragon's Lair (Cosmic Flames and Four Barbaric Seasons)", "With Spell of Inferno"), as well as an interview with Behemoth's mastermind Nergal, Discography, Photo gallery, Desktop images and more. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound.

Metal Mind Productions will release “Live Eschaton – The Art Of Rebellion” on 20th April in Europe and 5th May in USA (via MVD). The new edition of the DVD includes a bonus CD with an audio version of the show.

Behemoth
“Live Eschaton – The Art Of Rebellion” (ltd. edition)

Label: Metal Mind Records
Cat. No.: MMP DVD 0169
Barcode: 5907785034112
Format: DVD+CD digipak (limited edition of 2000 numbered copies)
Genre: black metal
Release date: 20.04.2009 Europe / 05.05.2009 USA

Tracklist:

DVD:
1. Decade of ΘΕΡΙΟΝ
2. LAM
3. Satan's Sword
4. From the Pagan Vastlands
5. Driven by the Five Winged Star
6. The Entrance to the Spheres of Mars
7. Starspawn
8. Carnage (Mayhem cover)
9. Chant for Eschaton 2000
10. Pure Evil & Hate
11. Decade of ΘΕΡΙΟΝ (video clip)
12. Chant for ΕΣΧΗΑΤΟΝ 2000 (video clip)

CD:
1. Decade of ΘΕΡΙΟΝ
2. LAM
3. Satan’s Sword
4. From the Pagan Vastlands
5. Driven by the Five Winged Star
6. The Entrance to the Spheres of Mars
7. Starspawn
8. Carnage
9. Chant of ΕΣΧΑΤΟΝ 2000
10. Pure Evil & Hate

Proto-metal Report - Iron Claw - S/T

Sometimes, there just ain't no justice.

We've been writing in this column now for almost a year about the blisteringly heavy sounds that were developing during the dawning days of the 1970's as the cheerfulness of psychedelia mutated into an altogether uglier beast we now know as heavy metal. This proto-metal period is a source of endless fascination for us here at the Ripple, as ground zero of all that we know and love as hard and heavy. Lot's of bands toiled away in obscurity, their love for heavy music placing them way out of the mainstream for commercial tastes. Still, somehow, many of these bands found at least part of the audience they deserved.

Then there was Iron Claw.

Scratching and clawing their way out of Scotland like some caged animal chewing at it's tether, Iron Claw were one of the earliest purveyors of thunderously heavy proto-metal. And let me tell you, these guys could play with the best of them. Laying down a brontosaurus-sized riff with enough intensity to make Mr. Iommi blush and a bleak beat that predates sludge metal by a number of decades, Iron Claw crushed everything in their path across the UK from 1969 until 1974. Yet during this time, after recording at many stages throughout their career, they never officially released a single disc. If not for many of their tapes kicking around the underground, they'd be completely lost to the winds of history.

Now, all that has changed, and Rockadrome has lovingly put together a knock-out package, laying down once and for all a proper homage to a band that never got the justice they deserved during their lifetime. Complete with liner notes from founding member Alex Wilson, a complete band line-up roster, artist quotes on each song, tons of photos, and, most importantly, 16 pulverizingly heavy early masterpieces of dirty doom metal, this is a can't miss package for all fans of heavy psych, proto-metal and the early days of doom rock. And let me tell you, this shit is heavy!

To get an idea where these cats came from, you need to look no further than their origin. Having formed after Alex witnessed Zeppelin playing on their first tour of Britain, the band finally found their direction after hearing Sabbath perform at the Dumfries Youth Club in 1969. Initially, the band was so enamored with Sabbath that their live set was the entire first Black Sabbath LP! Then slowly, they began to write their own material and the real talent of Iron Claw began to emerge. Featuring a guitar player. Jimmy Ronnie, who at 15 already possessed fingers made of electric acid, the boys whipped up a career's worth of seriously mutated, devastatingly heavy psychedelic blues in only a few recording sessions.

The disc presents, roughly chronologically, the bulk of Iron Claw's recorded output, and it's a fascinating study of one band's development and perseverance. The first 5 tracks come from what is known as Mark I of the band, featuring the original line-up. This is by far the most Sabbath derived period of the band, the influence as clear as the ghastly pale on a corpse's face, but that doesn't mean it's entirely derivative. The boy's could whip up their own riffs with macabre intensity, and the low-fi, 4-track recording adds an endearing, garage quality to their fits of doom. "Clawstrophobia," is just what the title suggests, a claustraphobically heavy riff-fest, sound closing in on all sides of that 4-track like a casket closing over your still breathing body. This is the most Sabbath-esque track on the disc, eerie as anything done by the masters, and worthy of appearing next to "The Wizard," or "Black Sabbath." Nearly impossible to believe that the band were nearly all teenagers at the time. "Mist Eye," rides another charging, Sabbath-y proto-metal riff, with a strong vocal wail and a clear hint of the string-bending psychosis that Ronnie was capable of unleashing. "Sabotage," follows a near jazz intro into a monster of a distorted blues riff, enough sting and venom coming from Ronnie's strings to paralyze half the audience. "Crossrocker," is a full-on fuzzed doom assault, while "Skullcrusher," does exactly what the title suggests, imploding unsuspecting temporal bones with sledgehammer heaviness. Each of these are prime examples of the burgeoning heavy metal sound and each stands as a testament to the worthiness of this band as one of the heaviest outfits in their day. Worth buying for these five tracks alone, but the best is yet to come.

Having laid down these mighty platters of weightitude, Iron Claw finally met Sabbath, but rather that being embraced as brothers-in-arms, they were instead hit with a veiled threat of litigation if their early tapes were ever released. That alone should speak volumes about how much Sabbath was threatened by these upstart Scots! But it also marked the demise of Mark I of the band, the singer leaving in 1971. Undeterred, the band reformed with a new singer and extra guitarist and launched head-long into Mark II of their existence, which quickly morphed to Mark III when that guitarist was asked to leave. This period, Mark III, heralds the real halcyon days for the band. Keeping the inherent heaviness in their groove, but lightening up the affair a touch with more blues base, the boys had grown, learned their instruments, and concentrated on songwriting. "Rock Band Blues," charges like some amphetamine-fueled Deep Purple outtake, sans John Lord's organ. New singer Willie Davidson adds a more soulful tone than before, more confident in his vocals, and positively tears it up in understated fashion through this blues distortion. Ronnie once again proves to be one of the most unheralded, unheard guitarists of his time. His tone and phrasing on his jams here are knock-out mindboggling! "Pavement Artist," follows some grotesque version of a drum solo intro into another drop-dead catchy blues riffing. Echoes of Free reside here, or some proto-version of early Whitesnake, a tone found also in "Strait Jacket," "Gonna Be Free," and the band's one and only attempt at a ballad "All I Really Need." These tracks show a band just brimming with promise and it's a damn shame none of these cuts were released back in the day or else we may be singing a different song with this review about a "lost classic" band.

But, as with most bands that can't find success, the Mark III version vanished when original drummer Ian McDougall quit. The new version of the band adopted a more experimental, free form jam sound producing interesting cuts with "Winter," and "Devils," but nothing to match the pure rudimentary doom of Mark I or the great blues-inflected hard rock of Mark III.

Iron Claw would have remained lost in the deep caves of obscurity if not for the loving attention of Rockadrome, perhaps the industries finest purveyor of resurrecting lost heavy psych. And thank God they did. There's way too much quality early metal on this disc to remain unheard and some doom metal that will cause your socks to drop and your nights to be filled with terror.

Maybe, finally, Iron Claw can get the justice they deserve.

--Racer

Buy here: Iron Claw


www.rockadrome.com

Radagun - Life Lessons

So what does Radagun mean? It means a band who works tirelessly at their dream, and makes it look easy in the process. When asked what keeps them going, front woman Aimee Ortiz Low said, “We spend every minute of every day thinking of what we can do better, and then we do it...we were all strangers when we met, but we're really close now, having the same goals has brought us together.” “We make a plan and then we stick to it. It's really easy to give up on something when you don't see results right away, but you have to believe in what you're doing, and know that it will pay off.” Added drummer Todd Low. Their hard work is indeed paying off; as they release their debut album Life Lessons they are starting on a full speed path to success and show no signs of slowing down.

Blasting out of Central Valley California’s Fresno, Radagun goes after coveted Garbage territory and quickly carves out its own space on the lawn next door. With their first release, they show up with a ‘80’s and 90’s pop/rock vibe that owes a lot to their predecessors without ever sacrificing an ounce of energy or fun.

“Party Girl”, the opening track starts with a coked up Casio drum machine before the rest of the band riffs in. Shawn Stephens and Jordan Pyles are hyped up, and in full gear by the first chorus. Aimee Ortiz Low gives us the 3 second sketch of the girl that we’ve all known: tell yourself we’re jealous and we just don’t understand/ tell us that its your decision you don’t have a man/ no wonder when you’re with a boy it never seems to last/ ‘cause even for an easy girl you’re moving kind of fast.

“It Never Ends” goes straight to the heart of the matter: its boy and girl and girl and boy and we’re all in our teens again and the world can turn on a heartbeat or choice phrase at a party. From the fast riffing under Aimee’s vocals to the great rocking breakdown and solo, this is a band that hasn’t forgotten the lessons of the past: they’re a rock/pop band, not a pop/rock band. The guitars and drums add the tooth to Aimee’s declarations of love, lust and boredom. You walk out singing the choruses as if you had heard the song a hundred times.

“Not the One” should become an underground college anthem: You’re just too nice you drive me crazy not in a good way/ you make me laugh but just at you not in a bad way/ stop buying me things that I don’t want/ stop trying to be something you’re not/ we’re just good friends/ get it through your head/ get it through your head.

Ouch. I’ve been married for over 10 years and I think that I just got bitch slapped by half my college girlfriends again.

With a bit of The Knack, the set the chorus into high gear, like smashing up against all the 21 year old unrequited love that anyone can channel. Even with "Lie to Me," they show their pop smarts: Can we try one more time/ cause I think about you/ this picture perfect world just fell apart/ but even though I left you I never thought you’d leave me. The shoe slides as easily on the other foot as it did the first.


Shirley Manson and Butch Vig should be proud to have such smart and tuneful successors in bands like Radagun. With the electronic pulse to open “Scary Night” Aimee confronts all the rock and roll bullshit and media head on, all while admitting that its not easy or as simple as it seems. Copy me/ copy me/ I’m everything you want to be/ I’m everything you want to be/ but I change my mind /you still agree.

“From Now” is the delightful break eight tracks into the album when you start to think that power pop is all that they can do. With a faux-symphonic track behind Aimee’s delicate vocals she details a life in increments of 10 days, 10 months, 10 years. A sharply written and delightfully sung little song whose great, great grandfather was on the second side of Sgt. Peppers.

“Panic” closes out the album with an adrenaline rush of rock and kicks out the jams on the drums, without losing its chorus to frenzy. For a self described “joke band” that Aimee talks about in the liner notes, they’re tight and focused on this first album, with a perchance for a great chorus and melodic hook. Next time you’re in, well, Fresno, look ‘em up. Or better yet, maybe they’ll come to you.

--Fearless Rock Iguana

Buy here:

Neil Nathan - The Distance Calls

Right album at exactly the right time.

I’ve spent the better part of the last two months buried under a pile of the hardest and heaviest of rock and metal that this world has to offer. At one point on this past metallic journey, I do believe I commandeered Charon’s skiff and piloted myself to a previously unknown ring of the hot lands of tortured souls. Charon wasn’t too pleased and told me to get out, but I think y’all see where I’m going with this. I was in a very dark place for a very long time, and I was getting a bit too comfy with the whole situation. I needed something fresh. I needed something a little less, oh let’s call it . . . filled with angst and hatred. I needed something that would take me to my happy place and make me feel all warm and glow-y inside. And, along came Neil Nathan with his latest release entitled The Distance Calls. It called alright, and I didn’t hesitate to answer.

The Distance Calls is pretty much a straight up rock album in the vein of The Eagles, maybe Bob Dylan’s louder moments, and I get a feeling of Jackson Browne as well. There are none of those flashy, hey-mom-look-at-me-moments, it’s just a no frills rock album. Brimming with quality songwriting, stellar performances, and emotion for days, this disc will sit well with anyone who likes that classic rock sound of the 70’s. And, to help me make my point, Neil Nathan kicks off the disc with the ELO classic, “Do Ya,” only broken down to the root melody and emotion. This tune is considerably slowed down from the original version, and honestly, I think this is the way the song should always be performed. Someone get a hold of the guys spinning discs at the classic rock stations and tell ‘em to stop, replace it with this, and explain that Neil Nathan’s version is much more soulful and worthy of the world’s attention. Initially, I didn’t recognize the song because the arrangement is so back to basics and lacking of the hopping energy of the original. After a few seconds of soaking in the layers of texture, the combination of acoustic guitars, piano, and that incredibly rich voice, the song had me smiling and suddenly singing along. Brilliant rendition of the tune!

From there the album picks up the tempo and groove with “California Sun” and “When the Rain Falls.” Both tunes, though different in texture, tempo, and tone have a similar vibe. Upbeat and grooving, catchy melodies that hook you between the cheek and gum, soulful performances, these songs just move the album along at a nice pace to give the listener the feeling that this listening experience will be just that . . . an experience. In particular, “California Sun” has that countrified feeling that The Eagles mastered throughout their career. The tones of the guitars as they subtly strum the rhythm, the note bends of the electric guitars, and the slight vocal warble captures driving through the deserts and farmlands of California like I haven’t heard in a long, long time. Pay special attention to the tasteful guitar solo on “California Sun” as well.

“Don’t Walk Away” is the song that every songwriter wants to write. But, not just write . . . these songwriters have gotta’ perform it with the same soul and passion that the good Mr. Nathan whips out on this recording. Stripped down to just a piano, acoustic guitar, Nathan’s warm vocals, this is the song that makes me stop, and damn near makes me cry as the thought of every woman I’ve ever known comes flooding back into my brain. It’s not so much the lyrics that move on this one as it is the vocal performance, the tone . . . the melody. You try telling me that it doesn’t hit you right there in the ole blood pumper when he utters the very first line of the tune! Amazing sensation! Would somebody mind passing me a beer . . . and a box of Kleenex?

And for yet another change of pace, give “So Much More” a spin. What you’ll end up hearing is a song that has a 50’s doo-wop vibe. I love the guitar work here as in one ear, you hear the staccato strum of the electric guitar and in the other ear, another guitar playing a sweet arpeggio passage, all while an acoustic softly strums away in the center of the mix. Great production work on this track! Again, the vocals are solid with Nathan crooning away one minute and seductively singing through verse the next. Toss in a few female vocal harmonies and you have a tune that has so much of the tone from a bygone age mixed with a modern sense of songwriting. A simple nod to the past, but feet firmly planted in the earth of today’s music world.

The Distance Calls is one of those albums where you can drop the needle anyplace on the record and find yourself soaking in a well crafted song. Of course, if you don’t have a record player, go ahead and hit any of the tracks on your CD player and experience the same sensation. And, it’s not just the songwriting that stands out on this. Without strong musicianship and musicians with true musical soul, even the best written songs will fall flat. It’s a special combination that a small percentage of musicians have the ability to tap into. Neil Nathan and company did a fabulous job of creating a record that rocks enough to get the energy flowing, but is soft enough that it won’t scare the Mrs. from the car. Perfectly balanced rock and soul. Neil, thanks for pulling me out of the darkness . . . and Charon thanks you as well. - Pope JTE

www.myspace.com/neilnathan

neilnathan.com

Ripple News - Dali's Lama songs to be used in new movie "Shoot the Hero"

We have some news to tell you about. We're really excited to let you know that three songs from Ripple favorite Dali's Lama's last album, Full On Dunes are going to be in a movie called "Shoot the Hero." Directed by Christian Sesma, "Shoot the Hero," stars Jason Mewes (Clerks/Zack and Miri Make a Porno), Danny Trejo (Con Air/Heat) and Nick Turturro (Mo Better Blues/The Longest Yard), and of course the music of Dali’s Llama.

The movie is about a 30-something couple (Jason Mewes and Samatha Lockwood) Nate and Kate who unintentionally​ become involved in a botched jewel heist while shopping for wedding rings. The plot thickens when the crooked casino owner (Danny Trejo) who engineered the heist hires two unassuming hit men to clean up the mess, and the soon-to-be husband and wife find themselves discovering new things about themselves and their relationship.

The movie features the Dali’s Llama songs "Floating”, "On Dunes” and "Cheap and Portable.” Now we already raved about Full on Dunes way back last year, but we're thrilled to hear that someone (some smart someone!) in Hollywood actually opened their ears long enough to see what the crew had to offer. Should be a blast.

Check out the movie website for more info: www.​​​shootthehero.​​​com

Full On Dunes cd is available for purchase on AllThatIsHeavy.​​​com, CDBaby.com and on Amazon



Also, check out the band's Myspace at www.myspace.com/dalisllama

Sweet Fruit From the Poison Tree - A Ripple Poison Tree Round Up

One of the things that the Pope and I have really dug as we've been digging into this world of music (hmmm, seems like I need some sort of shovel analogy here . . . ) has been our introductions not just to some great bands but also to some great labels. People who're still thrilled with the thoughts of new and amazing sounds and passionate enough to bare the brutal music industry and get those sounds out there. We've had the thrill of being turned onto the pummeling metal of Pulverized, the technical mayhem of Prosthetic, and the eclectic pop madness of Polyvinyl. Now, here to keep our letter "P" alliteration alive and well, is a small sampling from the wild and wacky world of all things rock and roll that grows in the fertile soil underneath the Poison Tree. Poison Tree Records, that is. Bringing on the rock and roll torment in many different guises, Poison Tree ain't afraid to search under any international rock they can find, just to see what musical treasure may be lying in wait. Their roster includes artists form Sweden, Finland, UK, Norway, Portugal, Greece, and just about any other country that has electricity and electric guitars. And then, the folks got the kind sense to share it all with us in the form of a free (yes, that's right, free) periodic compilation disc they lovingly call the Fine Specimen series. Check them out over at www.myspace.com/poisontreerecords or www.poisontreerecords.com but in the meantime, let's pull up a Ripple chair, a frosty frothy one, a slice of left over pizza, and sit on down in the shade of the Poison Tree and see what sweet fruits drops off the branches and lands in our laps.



Feuerzeug - Drive Fast and Crash

I don't know exactly what Feurerzeug means in the band's native Switzerland, but over here it roughly translates to the pulverizing pounding made by a herd of a thousand brontosaurs rampaging around in your living room. Such is the brutal brand of stoner metal these impeccably talented Swiss men lay down. Borne from the loins of father Kyuss and suckled at the bosom of mother Monster Magnet, Feueerzeug's debut album, Drive Fast and Crash is a mini-revelation proving to all the doubters once and for all, stoner rock is not dead.

When I played this for Pope for the first time his words were (spoken through a jaw-opened, slack-eyed expression) "Wow!" Yeah, wow. Adding a touch of Sci-fi'd out tones to their guitars, most notably on the absolute scrotum melting rocker "Go Liar," Feurerzeug build on the vast platform of the genre's masters, suck down a lung full of pure nitro exhaust, then explode into their own flaming orbit. All it takes is one listen to the lead off track, "Should I Be Your Enemy," to know you're dealing with some serious interplanetary assaults. Beginning with a riff that pounds so hard it could drive nails into dry wall, the bottom drops out to a maximally fuzzed out/effect laden charging riff, crushing everything to dust underneath the vocals. This is the herd of brontosaurs I wrote of earlier, they're in your house and they're pissed. The vocal assault is perfect for the sound, gruff enough to have layers of texture, yet smooth and clean enough to be easy on the ear. And most impressive of all, the boys haven't forgotten the importance of melody in their mad rampage, in fact, it's the strength of the melody that holds the song together and drives it deep into your cerebellum. As strong a lead-off track as I've heard in a while.

And there's no letting up from there. "Drop By Drop," is a damn fine celestial event of android-fuzzed guitar tones, buzzing at you with the velocity of a Star Federation Fighter buzzing the enemy. Another fucking great melody keeps this attack together through some riffing intense enough to cause several small stars to go supernova. "She Loses Her Wings," by all rights should be stoner metal's first hit single. It doesn't take much imagination to foresee how killer the video would be. The previously mentioned "Go Liar," twists guitar sounds to new extremes with it's whining "weeee," and "wooo," tones, before launching hellbent into one mother fucking great riff. Again, the vocals work exquisitely to bring out the tone of the song as the boys drop the tempo down for the verses. This is a raise your hands in the air, scream the lyrics out at the top of your lungs tour de force. With "Nebula V" the boys finally manage to actually achieve lift off velocity, all rocket engines roaring like some bizarre speed metal/stoner/thrash mutant.

Not an album for the timid, and not one for worshipers of the genre to miss. I haven't been kicked this hard in the nuts since the first time I heard Motorhead's "Tear Ya Down." I love it!



Madleaf - Sinners

Shifting across the continent, we land in Greece, the home of these earnest post-grunge neo-prog rockers, Madleaf. Imagine if you dare the perfect bastard offspring of Pearl Jam and early Opiate-era Tool, add a touch of Days of the New and you'll begin to get the picture. Grungy rock, flavored with prog spices and musicians talented enough to pull the whole thing off. This is a sound we've been hearing more of lately around the Ripple office, most notably in similarly clad rockers, Hurt's last album, and Madleaf do it remarkably well. Sparkling guitars interlaced with passages of savage heaviness, moments of obscure beauty all marred and covered in layers of infinite darkness. That's what awaits you inside Madleaf's twisted world.

"Sinners," lays down this blueprint beautifully. Gorgeously toned acoustics begin, sparkling in their hushed tones. The vocals are remarkably effective, think Eddie Vedder's throat ripped out and thrust into Travis Meek's vocals chords. A perfect blend, capable of rousing the heights of passion and carrying the emotion through the heaviest passages. And let me tell you, those heavy passages come on, quick and hard, like a full on roundhouse kick against your temple. Then, just as your starting to bleed profusely from your newly acquired sonic wounds, the violence disappears, the clouds part, and heavenly bursts of sunlight streak through the breaking skies. Acoustics rain down like manna from above. But don't worry, the darkened storm clouds still lurk nearby.

"Wave Girl," takes this format and adds another layer of depth and emotion, both in the execution and songwriting. Following a similar slower-paced beginning, the craft here is exquisite, moving through a very Tool-esque passage to the chorus which literally elevates right off the CD, liberating itself from the speakers to swirl around the room like some newborn cry for freedom. Terrific stuff. "The Age of Reason," rides a tortured guitar tone into the deep, bubbling Pearl Jam-esque groove, and then just takes off from there. The chord progression at the end of each vocal verse may be simple on paper, but to my ears it's like a rousing gift. "Feed Me," is another standout among many excellent tracks, a pure, unadulterated Tool-esque grunge rocker. Bringing in tones of Soundgarden, this one simply rocks.

Take a piece of coal, apply enough pressure and time and it becomes a diamond, and this is one diamond of an album. As multifaceted and intricate as that gem suggests and still hard enough to cut through fucking glass.


Peter Parker - When I'm With You

Now, while we dig the steadfast singular vision of a label that dedicates itself to plowing one genre, another thing that turns us on is a label that can throw us a curve ball with each release, yet still get the ball right over the plate and smack you right in the face. Dead Beat Records, a fine purveyor of garage punk tossed us one of those pitches with their phenomenal new singer/songwriter release, Cory Case, and, as if on cue, Poison Tree shocked the starch out of my socks with the delectable bubblegum pop confections of Peter Parker. In no way did I expect this from the label that just destroyed my living room and reinvented Pearl Jam.

But there it is, perfectly created, sixties-infused, sunshine pop of the sort that would even make the Raspberries blush. The lead cut off this 3-song set "When I'm With You," is so fucking beautifully conceived it's nearly impossible to believe that this song hadn't already been written. It just sounds so effortlessly like a classic song that's always been there for us. Brandishing a melody as sticky sweet as cotton candy and a male and female duet vocal, think the Grass Roots, think Eric Carmen, think your favorite bubblegum pop from the sixties and this song just replaced it. Sparkling guitar chords drive the song through it's Beatle-esque "la, la, la, la's," sunny-faced innocent mid song spoken passage, and most importantly into that choral vocal hook that will forever stick to your ears like taffy. "There Goes Love," maintains pace, hearkening back to the glory days of long-lost power pop virgins, the Rubinoos. "She's So Shy," rounds out this perfect pop platter without missing a bubblegum beat. If classic pop songwriting is your thing, you really must check this baby out.

--Racer

www.poisontreerecords.com

A Sunday Conversation with Mod Amish

Coming hot on the heels of their stunning First Place finish in the Converse "Out of the Garage," band contest, local heroes Mod Amish stopped by to grace the Ripple office with their presence and show off their gleaming, glittering trophy. You can find their dynamite song "September," as the song featured by Converse, and we're happy to see that the judges got it right. A combination of Husker Du, X, the Pixies and just great rock and roll. Check back to our original Mod Amish Ripple Review and you'll see that we gushed plenty over that track. Actually, the whole self-released album is that good, and we were thrilled to have Mod Amish taking their place on our red interview couch.

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphanies since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.

Funny that you mention Kiss. I remember being one of only three kids in grade school whose parents allowed them to wear a Kiss Army T-shirt to class. I also remember wearing out an 8 track of Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits. As far as my last great musical epiphany is concerned, I would have to say the Pixies. After hearing one song I had to get my hands on everything they recorded. There have been a few more since then, but none that dramatic.


Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?

The music almost always comes first. I like to have the music first and structure it. Afterward, I’ll come up with a melody for the verses and chorus and the words last. I hate writing lyrics mainly because so much has been said in rock and roll that its pretty hard to be original in that department. I write and rewrite the words until I like them. I love the story about how Paul McCartney wrote “Yesterday” calling it “Scrambled Eggs” until he had suitable lyrics for the song. That’s how I work.


Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

Anywhere and everywhere. You never really know when something is going to hit you the right way so I always try to listen to new stuff coming out and dig through older stuff trying to find good music I might have missed along the way.


Genre's are so misleading and such a way to pigeonhole bands. Without resorting to labels, how would you describe your music?

Difficult question. I suppose melodic and hard edged for starters. We want it to kick you in the ass in only the best of ways. Hopefully, we’re eccentric while still accessible. But in the end it’s all loud rock and roll.


What is you musical intention? What are you trying to express or get your audience to feel?

First and foremost that we are absolutely serious and honest about our song writing. These are not just thrown together hoping to get something by on our listeners. They are what we believe to be truly great. Hopefully, the song gets their attention the first time around and when they return for subsequent listens they pick up on the subtleties that are going on as well.


In songwriting, how do you bring the song together? What do you look for in terms of complexity? Simplicity? Time changes?

The music and progression of the song generally comes first, then the melody lines. Lyrics are usually last. It’s one of the easiest things in the world to write bad lyrics. Writing good lyrics is a torturous, time consuming process for me. They are written and rewritten numerous times. Time changes are only were they need to be. You have to only when they’re a perfect fit.

The business of music is a brutal place. Changes in technology have made it easier than ever for bands to get their music out, but harder than ever to make a living? What are your plans to move the band forward? How do you stay motivated in this brutal business?

I love the fact that we are able to get the music out to so many in no time at all. I am, however, dismayed that people do not feel they need to compensate the performers that satisfy their artistic indulgences. We’ve been at this for a few years now, and we’ve done some good work. It seems these days that you must get the “asses in seats” when performing live in order to eke out living with this. Let’s face it, if you are pursuing a career with original music it has to be your true passion. I can’t think of any better motivation than that.

Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

Before we learned any better, we used to drink a lot on stage. So we may not even remember some of the funnier (or more likely, pathetic) moments we’ve experienced. I do remember Mike dressing up like Flavor-Flav at a Halloween gig. He was so drunk he could barely hold his guitar much less play it. Ah…memories.

Where do you see you and your music going in ten years?

As long as we stay honest with ourselves and true to the music, I see us doing the same thing, only bigger and more refined. I’ll be doing this until I die or someone gets sick of us and offs us. I believe my band mates feel the same.


What makes a great song?

Another tough one. Where to start? I’ll just sum it up with that it takes brutal self honesty. You have to ask yourself if what you are creating is splendid or should you bite the bullet, throw it out and start over. In the words of Miles Davis, “if it sounds good, it is good.”

Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?

Ewe. I think it was about going to a party. I remember singing it into a cassette recorder when I was about eight years old. Oh god.


What piece of your music are you particularly proud of?

Oh boy. Let’s leave that to listener preference.


Who today, writes great songs? Why?

There are a few of my old favorites that are still cranking out quality work after a number of years like Robert Pollard, Bob Dylan and Frank Black. Songwriting is just in their blood and they still do it well. Its hard to listen to modern rock music and not think of it in context of something that came before it. Still there are a lot of people doing great stuff these days. I love the Arcade Fire and the Fleet Foxes. They seem to be taking pop/rock in some great directions.


Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

I have always had an affinity for vinyl. You just get such warm depth. Digital is the easiest, though.


What's the best record store in your town?

San Diego has some good ones. I like Record City in Hillcrest for an all purpose record store. Taang Records has a lot of good punk stuff and M-Theory is nice as well.

Thanks guys, and we took your recommendations on record stores. Now you owe us $250 for all the vinyl we bought at Record City and M-Theory. Damn, what great stores. Taang was a blast too. Keep sending us your performing dates because we've got to hook up with you live.

Pick up the Mod Amish disc below

This Week's Ripple Radio Show - Eric Hamilton

This week we're proud to feature the remarkable soulful talents of one of the Ripple Effect's longest standing friends, Eric Hamilton. You've read the reviews on Keep the Change and Dear Pia, now hear it straight from the man himself. Prepare yourself for a show you'll never forget, as no one on this planet is quite like the talented Mr. Hamilton. As always, there will be tons of great music rattling around your ear drums, so stay riveted to your seat!

Blue skies!

Leprous - Tall Poppy Syndrome

There are times when I hear music that I fear can’t be adequately described in written text or spoken word. To truly grasp the artist’s intent, depth of emotion, and the vibrancy of the music, one must simply listen to it. This sentiment couldn’t be more fitting for Leprous’ Tall Poppy Syndrome. I’ve had this disc for awhile now, repeatedly inserting it into the CD player, removing it to write about it . . . not finding the right set of words, and going through the whole process once again. Finally, it came down to taking the pencil out from between my spindly little fingers and simply letting the music play, uninterrupted over my headphones. No distractions, no preconceived notions, just a clear mind and an open ear.

For an album such as Tall Poppy Syndrome, I couldn’t just write that it’s a heavy metal album with driving beats, distorted guitars, and a flair for the eccentric. Well, I could, but that would barely scratch the surface as to the true soul of the music. Leprous do a phenomenal job of creating a style of progressive rock that is all their own. The songs are crafted, not just thrown together to produce enough sound for an album. The songs are patiently formed like a wood worker widdling away at a chunk of wood to create a work of art. The moods slowly morph and begin to take a form all unto their own. Elegant and beautiful one minute, brutal and horrifying the next, each song building upon itself through instrumentation. And this is only possible by having musicians of the highest caliber, and not just technically savvy at his particular instrument, but someone who is able to put a piece of their being into the song. These guys put their soul into this album unlike any band I’ve listened to in the past two years. Let me show you . . .

“Phantom Pain” opens with a beautiful acoustic passage coupled with a vocal melody that takes me back to a 70’s movie score. The bassist slides up and down the neck, adding a flurry of notes here and there and never losing the groove of the rhythm. He then takes more of a backseat approach as the guitars add their flourishes, and then steps to the front again. Suddenly, the jazzy acoustic tones vanish and the band kicks into an up tempo, keyboard driven frenzy that brings to mind comparisons to fellow countrymen and avant garde metalists, Arcturus. This tune is a huge proggy piece with the swirling keyboard passages, guitars adding texture before getting all virtuosic, vocals going from soulful crooner to death metal anguish and back again. As we get to the end of the tune, the piano kicks in with a bit of a jazz mode that gives the song a fleeting moment of a ragtime vibe, which ultimately transforms into a more straight up sounding jazz piece. The composition of “Phantom Pain” is fascinating as is tells a story within the music. Every instrument playing its part, each musician pulling the strings to tell the tale. And as structured and plotted out as the song is there’s that ever elusive soul running its course through the tune that has to come from the performer. Without a soulful performer, it’s just a composition and this song is so much more than that. It’s fucking epic!

“Dare You” goes from full on metal assault to street wise funk with psychedelic ambient sound swirling over the groove. Again, we’re listening to an incredible composition. The various instruments come in at just the right time to lift the emotions, get the heart beating, to take your breath away. The instrumentation speaks louder than words and I can only sit back and marvel at the musical genius of this tune. The layers of keys building on top of each other create a sense of paranoia. And the rhythm section! Holy shit! These guys are symbiotic in that they’re on top of every tempo change, every little start and stop, every little nuance. Special note: listen to the bass work as the band gets into the instrumental mid section of the song. I think I saw the ghost of Jaco Pastorius crack a soft smile. The tune is rich in melodic textures with all the varieties of keyboards, the guitars, and most importantly the vocals. It’s an absolutely classy song that could serve as a lecture piece for any music theory course on composition. Outstanding work!

Following the psychotic paranoia theme, “He Will Kill Again” is a savage piece of beauty. Sweeping in its grandness through the chorus, the song comes across with an almost rock opera feel. Over the top vocal performances give the impression that this song would fit well in a Broadway play of musical, the performance is just that grand! The tune’s another psychotic journey through music. Every note comes across as another synapse frying, causing the lead character to turn his back on all social morals. One can get the sense from listening to this piece that the listener is running through a hall of mirrors, a dimly lit Madame Tussauds wax museum, and a graveyard chased by unseen creatures of the night . . . and all in the course of seven and a half minutes. It’s a frenzied adventure in music listening, but it’s held together beautifully by the bands ability to weave memorable melodies into the chaos.

Tall Poppy Syndrome is so much more than a heavy rock album. It’s a full on spiritual experience through the art of music. Give yourself an uninterrupted hour to soak in the splendor of sounds from this album because you’ll want to take it in as one continuous listen. It’s part of the experience. Though each song is good unto itself, it’s a far more fulfilling experience to live the tale of the whole album rather than just going random chapter by chapter. The musicians make it all possible. Though the compositions are head and shoulders above the norm for this day and age, it’s the musicians that translate the music and put their personal touches in to the performances. These guys seem to have full command of their instruments, making the complex riff and time changes sound like second nature and, therefore, effortless. Marvelous work, gentlemen . . .Tall Poppy Syndrome will now permanently reside in the sacred haven known as my car. - Pope JTE

buy here: Tall Poppy Syndrome

www.myspace.com/leprousband