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Retrospective Issue #1
We only cover the best.
PUSHMETHOD
PUSHING FOR CHANGE ON A GLOBAL SCALE
Sly & Robbie present Stepper Takes The Taxi
PLUS: Album of the Year 2011 • Sky Cries Mary • The Jigsaw Seen
Jason Eskridge • Rick Berlin • Wooden Hez • Mark Panick • Ben Everyman • Cabinet • Jon
Raven • Kris Gruen • This Gift Is A Curse • John LT • The Love Is Loud!! • Temperance League
• Bobby Long • James Raftery • Steven Bakur • Hannah Zale • Carly Gibson
+more at rust-magazine.com
crafted in the USA
Pushmethod in Atlanta on September 10, 2013
artist endorsee
Chris ”topher” Derry
RUST Magazine Inaugural Issue!
Hello, this is producer/publisher Eric Petersen and I could not be more pleased to introduce this first inaugural issue of RUST
Magazine in print-on-demand and downloadable format. This moment makes me realize what a long road RUST Magazine has
already traveled to get to this point and I am very excited for the future.
artist endorsee
Kalani Das
What started as a personal video blog has turned into a multi-platform global team effort to document musical artists with the
same enthusiasm, intensity and love with which they approach their own craft. We thank the hundreds people who have helped
to get us to this point, and that is why RUST Magazine is always a “we” and never an “I.”
In this retrospective edition we’ll revisit some of the very first articles and interviews we published from versions 1 and 2 of the
website plus we’ll write up new articles about the photo and video shoots we have had since. We have a backlog of material that
will constitute the first four issues, then we’ll publish them chronologically whenever we have enough content. Our goal from
day one was to document the great artists of our time, as best we can, and now with this full magazine edition, we’ll be able to
represent them in this premium format.
I often reflect that there is more, better music being made every minute of every day, but there are not publications out there to
document the many great artists who are - literally - laboring away in obscurity. RUST Magazine’s purpose is to document these
talented people for today, and for the future. In addition, it is our goal to support those artists by sharing everything we shoot with
them, enabling them to continue chasing their dreams with powerful tools in a timely manner.
For this first issue we have chosen NYC’s Pushmethod as our cover band, and the reason is that - for us - they embody the spirit
of modern independent music. They have talent, dedication, spirit and a philosophy of advancing social causes and enlightenment
through their music. They push for social change and they are worthy of appreciation and support. We support Pushmethod and
the many other bands dedicating so much of their lives to making music for the rest of us, and we hope that this edition will not
just be the beginning of a new magazine, but a new age in musical journalism benefitting all.
kopfpercussion.com
Eric Petersen
All material ©2014 RUST Magazine
www.rust-magazine.com
[email protected]
JAMMING WITH
JON RAVEN
Jon Raven
@ The Walking Dead
June 25, 2013: RUST Magazine took Jon Raven to our favorite Walking Dead filming
location for a photo shoot and interview. Then, we went to DooGallery for an acoustic
session and Jon played There Comes A Time, Stick Around and I Am The One for us.
It was a great interview and a super outdoor acoustic session. Here at RUST we love
Jon Raven and we encourage folks to check out his music and his self-designed
wearables and jewelry. Watch all the videos on our YouTube channel.
jonraven.com
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Rick Berlin - Always On Insane
June 21, 2012: Rick Berlin’s new album “Always On Insane” will always be on one of
your favorite lists. It is intense, intelligent and sometimes just plain funky with extremes
of emotional highs and lows. It has a focus that shifts from things personal and deep
to uplifting affirmations of the weirdness and joy of life. Pure rock at times, at others
developing instrumental passages exploring intense personal spaces, “Always On
Insane” transitions across styles and methods but never loses it’s identity.
Authentic Rock and Roll Legend, Rick Berlin has been active since the 1970’s and is
joined on this project by the Nickel and Dime Band and the combination is just plain
awesome. Hearty, gravelly vocals are combined with legendary guitar/keyboard work
and sizzling brass assaults into songs that each have their own story to tell. It’s like a
time trip to the golden age of FM singer/songwriters retrofitted with a post-psychedelic
do-it-yourself mentality.
Stars In Stereo
October 12, 3013: RUST Magazine caught up with Bec
Hollcraft from Stars In Stereo in the tour bus before they
rocked the house in Atlanta for an interview. Since then the
band has been recording and touring with their new album
Leave Your Mark now available. Check out the video on
our YouTube channel and check out the band’s website for
their new 11 song virtual tour.
starsinstereo.com
Berlin’s vocals are mesmerizingly strong and dominate the landscape of the album. It’s his album. His songs. He owns just plain owns it from start
to finish. But he does not compete with the band to be the star of the show. It’s a joining of elements in balance, organized with a group goal.
Through every song there is the intimate expression of the art of Rick Berlin as a musician. It’s his heart and soul that comes through, whether slowly
working a riff or showing the dark places he’s seen in himself, this is music that comes from pure individual inspiration. “Always On Insane” defines
it’s own space by being an incomparable view into an artist willing to give all that he has, Very Highly Recommended.
Luna - Bewitched LP on Vinyl
June 22, 2013: For contemporary music fans the resurgence in vinyl over the past few
years has been like a giant stellar mass re-aligning everything else in the universe by
it’s gravity. This is something like a giant black hole that creates and shapes an entire
galaxy around it and affects all the systems within it. Like those NASA pictures of dust
clouds birthing stars, RUST is very pleased to mention that a very significant vinyl star
has just been born.
facebook.com/rickberlinner
Michelle Malone - Day 2
November 20, 2012: Seasoned singer/songwriter Michelle Malone is back with Day 2, a
genuinely fun and heartfelt record that rocks at times large and bold and at others quiet
and painful. Produced by Grammy Nominee Shawn Mullins with the united front of the
Georgia gang - Shawn Mullins, Gerry Hansen, Phil Skipper, Tom Ryan, Trish Land, Chuck
Leavell, Marty Kearns, Glen Matullo, and Randall Bramblett - helping her out, she cooks
up a good old fashioned celebration feast with flavors of subtlety and intensity.
Day 2 is a wonderful collection of deeply personal messages that come from a place of
individuality and develop to fruition through teamwork. Shawn Mullins was on the project
as soon as being asked. “When Michelle first called me about producing her new record,
I didn’t even have to think about it. For more than twenty years she’s been one of my
favorite singer/songwriters and guitar players. And one of my favorite people.”
Looking at personal, political and contemporary issues, Day 2 maintains a significance, both intellectually and emotionally throughout. Balancing
those expressions in music that flows freely and lightly is a daunting challenge, and Michelle Malone is able to not only to keep that balance, but she
does it effortlessly. This shouldn’t be a surprise to her fans who know her as an award winning musician and songwriter who has been playing for
over 20 years with 11 albums to her credit. Known for her explosive live performances, she has toured, written and/or recorded with John Mayer,
Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews, Indigo Girls, to name a few.
Day 2 is one of those albums that reminds you that today is special. That feelings can turn from the deepest darkness to the brightest bright at any
moment. That there is pain and that there is hope, and that the two are both part of being you. Day 2 is a special album from a very special artist
and is not to be missed. Very Highly Recommended.
michellemalone.com
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Well, perhaps re-born would be the more accurate term as Luna’s indie-alt masterpiece
Bewitched, which was originally released in 1994, has actually never been pressed on
vinyl. Seeing this particular album now available on vinyl is special for several reasons.
One of the main reasons is that the original album had a very unique and gorgeous
ambient quality. The “feeling” was warm, dreamy and spacious. It was - in a word special. That specialness is much better communicated in an analog method that a
digital one. So, for the first time we get to hear a this album the way the musicians heard
it before it got compressed onto one’s and zero’s, and it makes a huge difference to the feeling of the music.
Bewitched is Luna at it’s best, and this edition provides listeners with a new level of intimacy with the music. The album doesn’t just sound ‘good’ it
sounds ‘right.’ It’s like hearing the music for the first time. In our current world of instant content and disposable celebrities, this album is not just a
technological treat but it’s the best method to appreciate the work of the musicians.
Another reason this is so significant is that Luna has fans worldwide. They are - literally - a beloved band. This has much less to do with numerical
*fan base* numbers at the label office, as the emotional connection with listeners. They captured a vibe and a feeling, and in retrospect, a moment
in time like no other band. They defined themselves in a particular space and because of that, the affection of fans has remained strong. Behind the
scenes it actually took several years to make this all happen and we have to thank the people at Gotta Groove Records for their hard work, patience
and attention to detail. This includes using the cover art that was originally intended, but which the label at the time changed.
What really warms the hearts of Luna fans is that Bewitched is now going to be presented a whole new generation of listeners in a method that
sounds even better than when it was originally released. Time slips by quickly and many good bands and many great projects can fade away,
especially if there’s not a legacy community keeping them present online. This re-issue is now going to have a whole new life with a whole new
generation. Bewitched never sounded better. The music is as fresh and unique as it was 20 years ago, and instead of fading away in digital obscurity,
it will now be shared via vinyl to new fans today and tomorrow. This was a very special recording, this is an amazing album and now it will go into
the future the way it was meant to. Essential.
gottagrooverecords.com
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The LTG in Nashville
October 17, 2013: RUST Magazine visited Morgan Letorgeon, Matt “Jix” Pritchett, James Letorgeon and Samantha Joelle of
The LTG at their Nashville warehouse rehearsal/studio space... and it was awesome! These artists are the real people behind
the new Nashville, mixing reggae, rock and country into smooth grooving music made with style and individuality. We have four
performance videos on our YouTube page and this photo was actually taken under full moonlight behind the warehouse.
facebook.com/theLTG
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Razorhouse - Codex Jun
July 30, 2013: Codex Jun is the first of two new EP’s dropping from Chicago’s reformed
Razorhouse, and the 6 songs on it provide listeners with the tantalizing tip of an enormous
iceberg of musical intensity. Kicking off with instant legend track “Sad Manifesto” and
following it up with gut puncher “Get Up Jesus” and smooth grooving “Dedicated Love”
Razorhouse comes on like a carnivorous animal with strength, speed and style. Though
*only* 6 songs, there’s real substance and significance here, and beyond just being a
great set of tracks, Codex Jun hints at great things to come.
But this is all no surprise to people familiar with The Bonemen of Barumba founding
member Mark Panick who has recruited a virtual who’s who of Chicago musicians for
Razorhouse. Joining him are guitarist Danny Shaffer (Julie Frost, Michael McDermott),
percussionist David Suycott (Robert Pollard, Machines of Loving Grace), and bassist
Matt Feddermann. While Panick is best known for his work with seminal underground
bands, Razorhouse is a departure in form. Producers Howie Beno (Tom Jones, Red Hot
Chili Peppers, Blondie) & Danny McGuinness (The Ex Senators) have deftly followed
the bands’ lead and pushed them towards a guitar-based musical palate mixing Mark
Ronson-eque production with Tom Waits-like vocals and lyrics.
Razorhouse takes its name from a chapter in the spiritual writings of the Mayan Popul Vuh. The Razorhouse is a deity, a house of living knives that
stood in judgment of the gods. Drawn from Panick’s fascination with Mesoamerican culture and ancient mysticism that is woven into the parables
of the Popol Vuh, the band found its inspiration for the Codex “Jun” concept.
The result is a brooding dark, industrial vibe that shows it’s punk roots at just the right moments. It’s intense, extreme and just plain loud. The best
part - there’s more to come - the next album from Razorhouse - Codex Du is scheduled for release on January 13, 2015. Both teasing and pleasing,
you’ll want more just as soon as you’ve had some! Very Highly Recommended.
Mark Panick of Razorhouse
October 19, 2013: RUST Magazine wants to thank Razorhouse’s Mark Panick for taking the time for a photo shoot with us in his
home town of Chicago, starting half a block from Wrigley Field and winding up at a scrap yard on the northwest side of town,
catching the late afternoon light - and traffic!
flickr.com/photos/rust-magazine
intherazorhouse.com
The Dead Daisies
July 22, 2013: The Dead Daisies are a band that has a simple formula. It’s all about
the songs, and the fun, and it’s a recipe for one of the most outstanding big rock
albums we have heard in a very long time. It’s simply some of the greatest highenergy rock and roll from anyone at any time. It’s big music. Bold and confident.
Solid and stylish. The energy is there. The performances, songwriting and overall
identity of the band is totally unified. The album sounds fresh and classic like when
the Black Crows broke.
It was undeniable as soon as guitarist David Lowy and singer-songwriter
Noiseworks front man, Jon Stevens, first got together. Within a few hours they’d
written a dozen songs and knew they had that most vital of ingredients in any
creative enterprise –chemistry – infused in their collective musical genes. These
guys are like a duo of rock and roll superheroes teaming up to fight evil, and
winning. Though this is a debut album, it presents decades of skill and resilience. You just can’t make music like this without earning it through years
on the road and having both won and lost many of life’s battles. Plain and simple The Dead Daisies are big time starting now.
Stevens had previously recorded with LA-based engineer, producer and multi-instrumentalist John Fields, and so the pair headed over to Wishbone
Studios in North Hollywood, and finished the album in just two intensely creative weeks. It’s 12 non-stop tracks of fresh, fast and funky rock and roll.
The fun began in earnest when The Dead Daisies opened for ZZ Top in March. Then the news leaked about their debut single, Lock N Load, which
was co-written by and featuring Slash and (as they say) it was on! The band opened for Aerosmith on their Australian tour and then were invited to
be a part of the massive 25-date Rockstar Uproar Festival through the US and Canada in August and September. With a tour line-up of Jon Stevens,
Richard Fortus, Akex Carapetis, Marco Mendoza, Dizzy Reed and David Lowy, The Dead Daisies are going to be THE band to see at the Rockstar
Energy Uproar fest.
The Dead Daisies new debut album is a dream come true for anybody who misses the big shamelessness that made classic rock and roll, well,
classic. It’s a must-have. The Dead Daisies show the whole world that they have what it takes to rock with the biggest of the big time rockers.
Essential. thedeaddaisies.com
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The Quick & Easy Boys - Make It Easy
June 16, 2013: What makes The Quick & Easy Boys new album “Make It Easy” so
incredible is the density of thought and talent they have condensed into it. There’s
just so much “there” to listen and return to. It’s jam-packed with, well... jams, and
there is a complexity of writing and performances that is not just rare today, but
rare on a permanent time scale. “Make It Easy” isn’t just *one of the best albums
recently* and it’s not one of the *best albums of the year so far* but it ranks right
up there with the very best pop-rock-punk albums ever. Seriously, you can listen to
this album ten times in a row and still feel the groove and find new things to hear
on the 11th listening.
Coming from Portland, Oregon The Quick & Easy Boys are vocalist/bassist Sean
Badders, guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Russell, and drummer/vocalist Michael Goetz. It’s
a power trio that defies numbers and delivers a wide spectrum of sound with an intense and fun energy. And fun is where it’s at with these boys.
They rock hard, and they obviously take their work seriously but they’re never self-conscious about it.
Wooden Hez
April 9, 2013: RUST Magazine captured Dave Pitone, Alan Lee and Timmay Stevens of Philadelphia’s Wooden Hez performing
Sinner and Reckoning at the iconic Jay Lou’s Restaurant in Gainesville, Georgia. The videos are on our YouTube channel and we
also took photos, however shortly after Tim (pictured lighting the money) passed away from natural causes. When that happened,
it made us realize the power of photography and the significance of doing artist shoots. It strengthened our resolve to improve our
technology and our skills and it was a major factor in forming the philosophy of what RUST Magazine should be.
woodenhez.com
Following up 2008’s “Bad Decisions with Good People” and 2010’s “Red Light Rabbit” the band went for a more cohesive sound on this album.
Produced by the band, and recorded with engineer Bill Barnett at his Gung Ho Studios in Eugene, Oregon, everybody gave this effort the time
needed to make it just right. It’s one of those albums that captures the authentic vibe of the band without feeling like it’s a manufactured
product. You get the feeling that you’re a “fly on the wall’ during an impromptu jam session, where everybody just goes with the flow and the
magic happens naturally.
“We really took our time recording and then assessing what should be put on the album as a coherent sounding mix of songs,” recalls Russell.
“We did not rush this process at all. We ended up cutting some songs and then adding some others. We feel very happy with the choices we
made in regards to the final track selection. Also, by working with Barnett, we feel the entire production quality increased exponentially. The
album pops harder than our first two efforts.”
In the past four years, the band has crisscrossed the nation several times, playing everything from dive bars to festivals and they have garnered
a steady and growing fan base along the way. This new album could be the fuel that blows their small fire up into a nuclear explosion. The road
time, and studio time, have honed their blade to a fine edge and these ninja rockers are using their skills to slice and dice like sushi maniacs
on “Make It Easy.” This is THE band to watch right now, and their new album is more than good enough to break them out and put them over
the top. Very Highly Recommended.
thequickandeasyboys.com
SteelDrivers
October 5th 2012: RUST Magazine talks to The
SteelDrivers at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur. See the
video on our YouTube channel.
thesteeldrivers.com
See and download hi-res images at
flickr.com/photos/rust-magazine
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The Doppler Shift - The Lost Art of Living
June 18, 2013: Across the pond, there’s been a unique big music scene since, well,
forever, but in our modern world, there are just a few of these “Big Brit Bands” that
headline festivals on the global level and have defined a new contemporary genre.
If you were to ask someone on the street about the biggest rock band they can
think of, they will probably name one of these bands. Well, all these bands should
be on notice right about now because there’s a powerful contender coming up, and
coming strong.
The Doppler Shift is enigmatic about who they are, which is somewhat odd in our
overexposed media world. This is perhaps because - for them - it is about the
musicianship first and foremost. It seems that every fiber of their strength, every
thought of their minds and all their waking hours have gone into their performances.
The simple unified energy that this big rock band is able to focus - in both the
quiet moments and the thunderous ones - is stunning. They show a capability to be
unique in many different tempos and colors, perfectly supporting each mood. Their
natural movement from one extreme to another is really what sets them apart.
The Smoking Popes perform Need You Around
October 10th 2012: Josh and Eli from the Smoking Popes perform Need You Around from the album Born To Quit before their
show at the Masquerade in Atlanta. Watch the video on our YouTube channel.
smokingpopes.net
It’s pretty rare when you get that first listen to an unknown band and you immediately get the feeling that they could go all the way. The Doppler
Shift gives you that feeling because they’re that good. Because their music speaks in the language of now. Because they both fulfill the idea of
greatness, and maintain their uniqueness. The music speaks to you one-on-one and it speaks true no matter how many people are listening. It
is special and rare when an album like The Lost Art of Living comes out. Like a single candle which alights another, resulting in the whole night
coming alive with light and music, each flame warms us a little as a whole, and a lot individually. The Lost Art of Living is the light inside us,
seen through they eyes of some of the most talented musicians of our time.
Built on a foundation of emotion, with flawless construction, you can just hear the biggest stadiums and festival grounds aching to be filled with
their sounds. This is big music. This is a big band. This is a must-have album.
thedopplershift.co.uk
The End Times 7” Vinyl
January 2013: The End Times is a project headed up by Fred Beldin, who plays guitar
for The Great Tribulation, and who is joined by TGT bandmate Corey Snavely, plus John
Nipper and Jennifer Green on this new 7” vinyl release: A Plea for the Reckless/The
Drowning Waltz. Now, we at RUST have a backstory with The Great Tribulation, who are
the vanguards of what we have called the New American Rustbelt Sound. Together with
bands like The Blueflowers and Empty Orchestra (also from SE Michigan) and people like
Jared Grabb from Chicago, these musicians have developed a distinctive regional sound,
and have achieved an extreme plateau of excellence.
The why is inseparable from the what in that these bands are mirror expressions of
middle America right now. Their music expresses both the environmental background
they come from and the current situation that individuals, and our nation as a whole, are
facing. It’s a winsome remembrance of a time when Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison played
on jukeboxes in diners along lonely dark roads. It takes some Bruce Springsteen and embraces the folk music that defined America before rock
and roll and strips away any pretense of celebrity or self-importance. The result is music that is poignantly American.
Having written about, and having been in touch with these bands for the past couple of years, RUST has seen them struggle as artists and as
regular people. It’s amazing to see wonderful music come from them under situations of such adversity and daily challenges. But that struggle
is an integral part of what makes their art so special. It’s music that comes from a place of total authenticity. It’s untainted by exterior forces
trying to fit it into their needs.
The two tracks here are beautiful. RUST Very Highly Recommends not just this release, but this group of artists. If you’re not listening to the
New American Rustbelt Sound you’re missing out, not just in a petty “keep up on the hot new band” kind of way. You’re missing out on some
timeless expressions that will enrich your appreciation of the musicians, yourself and what it means to be American.
thesearetheendtimes.bandcamp.com
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American Wolf - Myriad
Cinema Cinema
Manic Children & The Slow Agression
June 20, 2013: American Wolf is a band that needs to be on your radar - especially
if you appreciate indie-prog-dream rock - and their new album Myriad is well worth
the effort to investigate. Myriad is the band’s second full length release after 2012’s
Tales of Kamanakera and it showcases a band with a great sense of their ‘own
space’ with an intimacy of personality and a powerfulness of intention. Patience,
intelligent musicianship and a classic sense of progressive rock are all combined
with a youthful enthusiasm and a bright vision of the band’s potential.
In a lot of ways, American Wolf is in a similar territory as the many fine post-rock
albums we are getting from Europe, especially from http://oxide-tones.com/ and it’s
great to see a home-grown team of visionaries exploring the quietness and thunder
of modern musical tools. These are bands that have de-constructed the emotional
bits and pieces of the music they have in mind, and examine them singularly amidst
wide expanses. Partly derived from the operatic rock of the 60’s and 70’s, Myriad
presents us with a band that can change tempos and develop ideas from tiny seeds
to wild forests. There’s a diversity of speeds and intensities, but the band keeps their sense of self throughout and you are left with a real
appreciation of them as a unique collective.
Comprised of guitarist and lead vocalist Sal Plant, guitarist Hristo Mintchev, John Imburgia on bass, and Joe Sherman on drums, American Wolf
will be touring the east coast in August and plans on releasing an EP soon after, and another full-length next year.
The take-away here is that this is a band that makes the music they want, and it’s a style that is perfectly suited to their musical sensibilities.
The result is a really great album from a very cool band with authenticity and style. Like a Native American Dream-Catcher, American Wolf has
captured the visions of their dreams and have saved them, and shared them through their music. A lot of love and work went into making Myriad
and the result is an album with complexity, beauty and uniqueness. They have opened a door to a new and different musical world and have
defined themselves as a band with a future. Very Highly Recommended.
americanwolfband.com
July 10, 2012: Cinema Cinema is a full-throttle, experimentally-inclined rock duo
formed in Brooklyn by cousins Ev Gold (vocals & guitars) and Paul Claro (drums) in
2008. Their second full length release is MANIC CHILDREN & the SLOW AGGRESSION
recorded with legendary producer/engineer Don Zientara, renowned worldwide for
his work with Minor Threat, Fugazi, Bad Brains, & Bikini Kill among others.
Throughout MANIC CHILDREN & the SLOW AGGRESSION shattered & heavilytreated guitars pound into focus by a primal assault of beats and shifted tempos. A
vocal delivery, honest to its bloody, shredded core, forces the attention of listeners.
Not a moment of pause prevails; but a feverish journey from one song structure to
the next weaves incessantly throughout the performance.
The decision to do 100 shows in their 2nd year of the band’s existence would prove
pivotal. Touring that extensively in support of their 2008 self-released debut LP,
EXILE BABY, taught the band countless invaluable lessons. Functioning fully under the D.I.Y. umbrella helped to further instill a serious minded
work ethic. EXILE BABY would go on to crack the CMJ Top 200.
By middle 2010, the duo had crafted almost a double album’s worth of new material and began honing it night in and out on the road, crossing
two countries as well as 16 states. Their main concern was finding the right person/studio to work with. At the top of that list was the legendary
Don Zientara/Inner Ear Studios, and after numerous shows in D.C., they connected.
The band headed to Zientara’s Arlington, VA-based studio at the end of 2010 with big ideas. The initial concept was to record two separate
bodies of work, or “acts” of six interwoven songs apiece. In keeping with their tradition of recording at least one track per album totally
improvised in the studio, they created an “intermission” to divide the album into parts. The sessions yielded close to 80 minutes of music and
the duo released three songs worth as the SHOOT THE FREAK EP in 2011, as an introduction to the frantic, mind-bending music they’d created.
They coupled this release with their customary relentless touring, which included opening for Greg Ginn on three separate runs through the
Southwest late that same year, having first toured with him on the East Coast mid 2010.
Showcasing a true dedication to extremes in emotion and volume, Cinema Cinema’s Manic Children is an album that never compromises. It’s
vibrant, intense and unique and well worth the effort to seek out... Highly Recommended.
Beth Cahill - Songs For Sarah
cinemacinemaband.com
November 26, 2011: Indie-pop folkstress Beth Cahill returns with “Songs for Sarah”.
Collaborating with Graham Duncan, this is a recording with beautiful melodies and
deeply personal stories. This is one of those timeless albums that defies immediacy. It
could have been recorded any time in our modern era, yet it will remain relevant and
significant for generations.
Black Oxygen
November 29, 2012: RUST Magazine talks to David Lyle
from Black Oxygen at the Masquerade in Atlanta
Set in northern landscapes, “Songs for Sarah” is a sad and happy musical journey about
nurturing: our souls, our children, and our planet. It comes from a place of experience
and is enabled by excellent musicianship and production. Well worth a listen for all, but
if there’s a woman in your life (or if that woman is you) this album is an absolute musthave.
“Songs for Sarah” was recorded mostly at Soona Songs in Dallas with mastering by
John Scrip at Massive Mastering. Graham, Beth and Mike Galante (lending a hand with
percussion) do all the musical heavy lifting. And yet there is a sense of calm that comes
through the notes giving you a sense that the sessions were completely relaxed, allowing
just the right space and intimacy.
The CD comes in a tri-fold enviro pack and the album is available for download at SoonaSongs.com as well as iTunes.
Beth also has a website BethCahill.ca with more information on her music as well as some tasty recipes and hassle free vegetarian lifestyle tips.
“Songs For Sarah” is an album with permanence. Very Highly Recommended.
bethcahill.ca
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blackoxygenmusic.com
Minton Sparks
December 2, 2012: RUST Magazine talks
to Minton Sparks accompanied by John
Jackson at Eddie’s Attic.
mintonsparks.com
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Ben Everyman: Deprecado
October 11, 2012: Ben Everyman has done something really special with his latest
album and book release. The album “Deprecado” is accompanied by a 50 page
booklet which can only be described as a collection of short stories and illustrations
in an alternate dreamspace. Together they combine into an artistic statement of
extreme individuality and excellence. It’s official, Ben Everyman is now a legend.
First, the music. The do-it-yourself methods that Ben Everyman used on his previous
attic-recorded album “Iconoplastic” are carried over and further developed here. The
focus is on the musician’s poetic observations and expressions. Patience, beauty and
sadness radiate from the gentle instrumentation and Everyman’s unique and elusive
vocal presence is noticeably accentuated much here more than in “Iconoplastic.”
Producer Elisa Pangsaeng’s efforts have taken Everyman’s signature sound to a
higher, more penetrating level and there’s a great technical awareness at work that
delivers a super all-around tone and feel. Also expanded on this second album is
the addition of a full band which seems to have allowed the Everyman to focus more
on his own particular space.
The urban coffee house-meets-hicktown bar approach succeeds tremendously, but there’s more to this release. The cd packaging is a
six-panel fold out that turns into a pair of “Unicorn Country” illustrations. The book brings to memory the Book of the Subgenius and - in
this reviewers opinion - it’s just plain great to have someone actually put out something like this... especially in this time of physical media
disappearing. This is something you would expect from a beat poet of 40 years ago. It’s part poem, part hallucination and part just messing
around... but what matters is that it IS. Opinions aside (and they will be many and varied) it’s unbelievably refreshing to see someone doing
something MORE than what they need to do, and to do something WORTHY of discussing.
Photo courtesy of Ben Everyman
Ben Everyman
While the book and album stand apart, they work together to showcase Everyman’s deep understanding of the absurd. Overall it’s a bizarre
combination of different elements that somehow unite like they were meant to be together. With his second album, Ben Everyman has
clearly cemented his indie-undie superstar status. His new cd “Deprecado” and accompanying book “No Fate But What We Make” are
absolute must-haves for the modern slacker, Essential.
Here at RUST Magazines, we’re huge fans of Ben Everyman. Taking cues from the Slacker lineage this SubGenius is keeping the vibe alive
and doing it with individuality and style. They call him El Nada...
Ben Everyman: Iconoplastic
February 12, 2011: Vancouver based alt-folkster Ben Everyman’s 8 song debut
album Iconoplastic showcases some great original lyrical writing and a deep,
signature style. A paradoxically inviting vocal style is contrasted against dark and
absurd themes intertwined with subtle acoustic guitarwork and sparse arrangements.
Recorded in a single 48 hour attic session, the vibe of the moment and the space
permeate every song with ambient elements such as creaking floorboards, tapping
feet and even windowsill chirping birds all adding to the sonic spectrum. At the
controls Eric Lowerison captures the moment authentically and allows the natural
flow to be presented in clarity without unnecessary revisionism.
The distillate of Iconoplastic that lingers is the authenticity of the moment. Taking
elements from across the entire last century of folk music, it’s not the “what” it’s not
even the “how” it’s all about the “who” of Ben Everyman. It’s his personal statement.
Truly unique lyrics and patient compositions combine into something greater than
the sum of it’s separate elements. Endlessly listenable, this is a collection of songs
that will appeal far beyond the “folk” category with post-punk, pop and alt audiences.
Captivating and calming, intriguing and memorable, Iconoplastic reminds us all that a quiet voice is at the heart of us all. It’s a modern
expression of traditional themes direct from the artist to the listener without interference. Very highly recommended.
beneveryman.com
CASCADE MICROPHONES Call 360.867.1799
Or visit-www.cascademicr0phones.com
16 RUST Magazine
RUST Magazine
17
A Secret Policeman’s Ball
Teenage Crimewave
Canyons of Static - Farewell Shadows
January 27, 2012: Canyons of Static have really achieved a plateau of excellence
with their new album Farewell Shadows. Formed in 2006 and having released about
half a dozen albums, EP’s and singles since, Farewell Shadows presents a mature,
ripe and rich collection of flavors and concepts. It’s clearly the work of a dedicated
group of musicians with a definite idea of the dreamy, powerful space they want to
be in. Vague descriptors like Post Rock, Alternative and Instrumental might be the
buzzwords that describe them and comparisons to Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky
and In The Wake Of Giants might put them into a similar line-up but this distinctive
group defies categorization of classification.
June 13, 2013: A Secret Policeman’s Ball just released their first album, and it
brings a fresh, heavy and intricate take on good old fashioned garage rock. Boys
club threesome Greg, Mike and Jesse let a girl (Nikki) into their clubhouse and it
added that special extra ingredient that breaks them far, far out of the pack. It’s
small-town America where kids riding bikes by white picket fences stop by the local
teenagers garage to listen to the jams. Those jams took A Secret Policeman’s Ball
on the road after a legendary talent-show performance and Teenage Crimewave is
an album showcasing a band leaping out of the gate with energy to spare.
After being holed up in a Murfreesboro, TN home studio every weekend for two
months battling sickness, time constraints, and creative differences, the band and
producer/engineer Andy Gregg managed to capture *that sound* of today. This album is a snap shot of rock and roll in middle America
right now. The band captures the time when the bleakness of adulthood collides with the youthfulness of childhood, and people realize the
world is much more complex than they had ever imagined. This is s straight-up rocking record from a hot new band with serious skills.
Tough meets light and fast. It’s inspiration fueled by energy.
The band is credited as co-producer and it’s really apparent that this was a team effort where everybody involved knew what they wanted
to accomplish. The struggle to make this all happen comes through in the music. You hear the well earned reward of a challenge overcome.
It’s A Secret Policeman’s Ball against the world. In the middle of this maelstrom you hear a team uniting and fighting back. It’s like street
fight where - all of a sudden - a group teams up to kick everyone else’s asses.
A Secret Policeman’s Ball’s Teenage Crimewave is one of those fresh-and-timeless albums that relies on the sheer will power of the band
members to overpower their differences and challenges for one united purpose: kicking out the jams. It’s the soundtrack to your life, if your
life is secretly outrageous in a homogenous world. It’s aggressive but not mean. It’s heavy, but light. It’s rich and complex but never at the
cost of just plain enjoying the music. A Secret Policeman’s Ball has put themselves at the very top of the ‘hot bands to watch’ list with their
debut cd Teenage Crimewave. Very Highly Recommended.
facebook.com/aSecretPolicemansBall
Coming from West Bend, Wisconsin husband and wife Ross Severson (guitar) and
Aggie Severson (keyboard) are joined by bassist Chris Biertzer and drummer Nathan
Gaffney and in 2010 guitarist and long-time friend Nicholas Elert joined the band in time to help complete the writing of Farewell Shadows.
Canyons of Static shares a lot of elements with The Most Powerful Telescope in the World who uniquely meet once a year in a cabin
secluded in the American northwest for an unrehearsed session. Perhaps it’s the woodlands or the northern latitude that gives these bands
their patient beauty, maybe it’s the distance from the city and the rush of urban life that gives them individuality and music that comes
from introspection. Geography aside this instrumental quartet blends the distorted melodies of shoegaze with the intensely emotional
aspects of post-rock into visions both peaceful and powerful. CoS has no central songwriter, the music evolves from a collective process
of experimentation.
This 30+ minute 5-song album seems like a much longer collection. Each song is rich and layered with developing themes and visions
morphing, evolving and building on each other. Effortlessly transitioning from sparse, quiet spaces to thunderous emotional explosions, the
band flawlessly supports an incredibly wide spectrum of capacity. Their visionary approach is similar at times to the Flaming Lips but they
never sound derivative of anybody else.
Recorded and mixed by Benjamin Derickson at The Tannery in Bayview Wisconsin with mastering by Jeff Lipton, assisted by Maria Rice,
at Peerless Mastering in Boston, the audio presence and personality of Farewell Shadows is fantastic. It has an extreme intimacy and
brightness. Available as a physical cd as well as DD in various formats, Farewell Shadows is definitely worth investigating. Big kudos to
the band for having their own website with preview tracks. You can listen to entire songs, get more information and order/download at
Farewell-shadows.com and RUST Magazine Very Highly Recommends this innovative, timeless collection of musical visions.
facebook.com/canyonsofstatic
See all the RUST Magazine videos at
youtube.com/rustzine
The Bohannons
Smallpools
November 6, 2012: RUST Magazine catches
Matt and Marty from The Bohannons for a
tour update at Smith’s Olde bar in Atlanta
while on the road supporting their most
recent album Unaka Rising.
May 5, 2014: Smallpools rocks the
house at The Tabernacle in Atlanta.
smallpoolsmusic.com
thebohannons.org
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With BJ Wilbanks
gibsonwilbanks.com
With Hannah Zale
thepussywillowsmusic.com
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Remy LBO
Editor’s Note: RUST Magazine interviewed Remy LBO in early
2011 and talked to him just before he released Exceptionalism,
which won our very first Album of the Year award. We have stayed
in touch with him, though he has not released any new material
since. Exceptionalism has not been released through any label. At
least not yet. In the years that have followed our appreciation for
Remy LBO and his music has only grown, and we have found more
and more in his albums. In many ways RUST Magazine is here
to document great artists like this who are doing amazing work.
Exceptionalism has stood the test of time and remains one of our
very favorite albums ever. If there was only one artist RUST could
recommend to anybody, Remy LBO would be that artist.
Photo courtesy of Remy LBO
Remy LBO is perhaps the greatest trip-hop/electronic composer
that you’ve never heard of. Except that he’s not really limited to
trip-hop or electronic music. Working out of LA for the last several
years he combines organic performances with digital effects across
a spectrum that includes beatmaking, the traditional ideas of
instrumental hip-hop and jazz, and downtempo vibes that bring to
mind retro sounds as well as futuristic sci-fi forethoughts.
You really can’t describe the person or the music without using
the term “enigmatic” and perhaps that’s a reason word hasn’t
spread about him. One thing is for certain, that’s the real, tangible,
inescapable genius and his unique ownership of the space he has
created as a performer. Dedicated to his art he has released three
full length albums in the last 2 years - available on vinyl - as well as
two EP’s, and he continues to work on new tracks, in some sense
neglecting the promotions in favor of composing. “If I take time to
try to promote myself then I have to sacrifice time making music”
he says.
“Before ‘Component’ I was in Brooklyn, and was VERY deep in a
record digging/sampling mode of production. Every week, I would
buy a new stack of records, load them into my MPC, and make
sample based Hip Hop beats. I was not very successful at selling
those beats to rappers, I think because I always wanted to stretch
Hip Hop production well past what people normally like to rhyme
over. So, it was very hard for me to lay back, and make something
that was smooth and complimented a rapper well - it still is - and I
always wanted to push it further, add another melody or change-up
or something.”
completely and make an album using entirely live instruments and
synthesizers. I was very reliant on computer effects at that period,
but really worked on using the effects in the most musical way
possible. It is my belief that musicians should be very open to new
progresses in musical technology, but always be wary of temptation
to use technology in a cheap way.
Too many modern musicians use technology as the ultimate solution,
without thinking of the musical implications of what they’re doing. I
always try to write my songs in a way that if they were to be played
by acoustic musicians, they would retain most of their original value.”
“Umpqua Fire” is his latest release and shows a definite change in
process as he secluded himself in a cabin in Oregon and the liner
notes detail that the only effects used were a pedal and distortion
setting. The album title refers to a series of wildfires in the Umpqua
National Forest. Not only was this album almost not released at all,
but Remy self-released it independently, managing the pressing and
even printed the jackets in his own garage.
“During the mixing of “Peeling in the Drum”, I became VERY bored
with the all the electronic stuff I was doing. I began to believe that
the electronics I was using were my new crutch that had begun to
take the place sampling previously held. So, I swore off those, and
without much notice, left Los Angeles to live in a trailer in the middle
of the Oregon wilderness. I brought a bass guitar, a fender rhodes,
and a few small drums with which to record a new album. “Umpqua
Fire” is one of my favorite things I have done. It forced me to confront
a lot of aspects of songwriting that I had been running from, up until
that point. Living in the cabin was both liberating and terrifying. I got
fairly sick at certain points, dealt with very cold weather, and the
problems of living (mostly) off the grid.
Currently Remy has finished an album entitled “Exceptionalism”, and
is deciding how - or if - to release it, and is turning his attention to a
film, video and game composition. “I write new songs every day, but
since finishing ‘Exceptionalism’ they are increasingly in a style more
fit for a film score.” Amazon.com is listing “Peeling” available as a cd
or lp and “Umpqua Fire” as vinyl, and you can get more information
(and maybe a copy of “Component”) at remylbo.com. If you do get a
vinyl copy, and send him a picture of you holding the vinyl he’ll send
you a download link for digital files.
Album Of The Year 2011
Remy LBO - Exceptionalism
One thing that is constant is that he plays all the instruments himself
as well as doing the mixing on his releases. Categorizations aside
his works are generally stripped-down in arrangement and tempo,
exposing complexity of thought in a minimalist form. Just as he
chooses to compose rather than promote, he also chooses to realize
his own vision as he sees it instead of compromising on a band
mentality and involving other musicians.
In a classic case of a whisper being heard in a room full of shouting, RUST Magazine
names Remy LBO’s Exceptionalism (released June 28, 2011) as album of the year
for 2011. After several albums and EP’s which saw him shifting techniques and
recording environments, he has found a LaGrange point of balance somewhere in
the dreamspace between jazz, lounge, ambient and trip-hop and with this album he
has truly created a masterpiece.
“Component” was his first full-length project,
and was finished after a move to Los Angeles
using half samples and half original material.
“Writing the songs without samples was a
really new, and challenging thing for me to do
at that time, but it was something important I
really wanted to learn. Also, it should be worth
noting that when I quit my job and moved to
Los Angeles, I stopped being able to afford new
records. So it was almost a necessity that I
learn how to write original songs.”
Unique and elusive in character, both the artist himself and the compositions of
Exceptionalism defy categorization or description. They are spacious, patient,
subtle and complex. Every note and effect is perfectly placed. It could be called an
experiment in minimalism, but there is a richness and multi-layered intricacy that is
both deep and rewarding. Exceptionalism is insidiously addictive. It pulls you further
and further into it’s world. You cannot stop listening to it over and over again.
Peeling In The Drum/Comical Cheating was
his second full length release and is available
porterrecords.com
through Porter Records and shows much more
So, even though he has been compared to
of a sythetic, urban style and though this album
some of the trip-hop greats like DJ Shadow,
and though often categorized as an electronic musician, at times used more technology that the other two, it shows his stylistic
these descriptions fit, and others they do not. Remy describes this hallmarks of intentional arrangement and sparse notation. When
nomadic series of different production techniques as “a result of asked about the odd titling, Remy explains that the name comes
me pushing myself away from previously comfortable composing from a bad google translation of a Japanese review of ‘Component.’
techniques” which are also reflected in his personal life.
“Once Component was done, I decided to swear off samples
Exceptionalism stands on it’s own merits far and above the crowd but there is a second factor in our naming it AOTY, that being that it
was self-released and has not yet found a label. Though Remy LBO (pronounced LeBeau) previously released the excellent Peeling In The
Drum/Comical Cheating on Porter Records, this is an album without a home right now. Gone are the days when being on a label lent any
probability to profitability. Today the significance of labels is that they provide of some level of permanence and validity to a title. It would
truly be a shame if Exceptionalism faded into obscurity in the backwaters of Bandcamp and we hope that our recognition of this album’s
excellence motivates someone to give it the recognition and audience it deserves.
Remy LBO brings a sound like Lalo Schifrin
soundtracks from the late 60’s and early 70’s
and the legendary Euro-animated movie from
that same period “Fantastic Planet” so it’s easy
to describe him as being retro, but at the same
time there’s a futuristic science-ficton feel to
some of his tracks. Over three albums he has
used different techniques, and many of his
tracks are extruded from a more traditional
jazz lineage than an electronic production
approach, and these variations in recording
styles have resulted in a collection of material
that is both diverse and consistent.
22 RUST Magazine
Peeling In The Drum/Comical
Cheating is available through
It is very difficult to compare this to any other work, but it definitely has a Lalo Schifrin-esque soundtrack feel to it. Instrumental and
without repetitive hooks, each song is like a collection of thoughts in a developing series with one idea leading to another. Exceptionalism
is like watching the sky as clouds form, develop and evaporate effortlessly. It is perfection in concept, arrangement and execution. The
intelligence and genius of this artist cannot be underestimated and this album has earned it’s place among the rarest of peers.
remylbo.bandcamp.com
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The Pushmethod Philosophy
September 10, 2013: RUST Magazine met up with NYC’s Pushmethod at Cherrylion Studios in Atlanta for an
interview, then we went to the Reynoldstown arts district for a street-side jam session where the band played
Dynamite, Memphis and Witness for our cameras. The guys brought the real and we got amazing shots. But
what really made the day special was learning about the band and their greater view of arts, society and
progress. They’re pushing for a lot more than album sales, and they inspired us to ask ourselves what we were
pushing for, and to go for it with a sense of greater support for our whole world.
PushMethod is more than a band, but a way of life. We ask of ourselves and
fans “What’s Your PushMethod?” What is your passion and how do you pursue
it? We, the members of PushMethod, share a collective passion for the power of
music and come together to make sounds that inspire, move and motivate.
pushmethod.com
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Brandon Payton-Carrillo: The Break Up
April 24, 2012: Brandon Payton-Carrillo merges rock, pop, disco and classic soul vibes
into a smooth-grooving fresh collage with his album The Break Up and it seriously
impresses. Recently relocated to Atlanta from Milwaukee, where The Break Up was
recorded in a dingy warehouse in the Bayview neighborhood, the music is uniquely
Milwaukee with a global potential and goes by the stylistic description of Lakebeat. The
real take-away here is the emergence of a super solid songwriter who is able to mix the
familiar and the fresh and maintain his own individuality. Performing as ‘Brandon PaytonCarrillo and The Love Is Loud’ with engineering help from Jamison Thorwald, the vibe
they achieve on The Break Up is something of a Brian Ferry-meets-Maxwell Motownmeets-Manchester blend. This is actually his third album and in various configurations
Brandon has toured regionally and performed in places like Atlanta, Denver and San
Francisco and numerous other cities. The time on the road and in the studio definitely
show in a project that is just an all-around success. Currently he is working on new
compositions for himself as well as other artists on labels like Def Jam and getting
comfortable in his new home city. It’s pretty rare when a talent like Brandon emerges
and his double threat of writing for others and producing his own work will surely get him noticed.
theloveisloud.com
The Love Is Loud!!
January 19, 2014: RUST Magazine captures Brandon Payton-Carillo and Jeff Brown of The Love Is Loud!! performing three
of their songs for us. These are some very talented songwriters and performers who have two full albums worth of material
on the way. See the videos on our YouTube channel.
theloveisloud.com
Ben Taylor
October 19, 2012: Ben Taylor takes RUST
magazine back to his hotel room for an impromptu
serenade before his performance at Eddie’s Attic
while touring to support his album “Listening”
bentaylormusic.com
Dark Sea Dream
November 9, 2010: This self-titled debut from Washington, DC psychedelic shoegaze black metal band from is one of the most unique and ground-breaking albums
of the year. Three band members. Three endless songs on the whole album. Dark
and stunning landscapes painted in various shades of loud. DSD defies description.
Instrumental with haunting background lyrics and ghostly vocals, featuring extensive
thematic development, this is a perplexing, disturbing and stunning effort. Beautiful
phrases organized out of noise descend into crushing jams and are reborn again.
Delivering unparalleled complexity and vision DSD is - without a doubt - a legend
being born.
prophasemusic.com
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Images courtesy of The Blueflowers
The Blueflowers
The Blueflowers are a band that RUST Magazine has admired and covered for years. This is a great band. They make beautiful music.
theblueflowers.com
The Blueflowers: In Line With The Broken-Hearted
The Blueflowers second album is classic contemporary songwriting at it’s very
best. Bringing together elements of Americana, folk, indie pop and psychedelia,
the core duo of Tony Hamera and Kate Hinote are joined by drummer Jim Faulkner,
bassist Erica Stephens and David Johnson on acoustic guitar and together they
bring to mind the atmosphere of a dreamy summer day spent with beloved family.
There’s a comfort and beauty that runs throughout the album that is immediately
familiar and welcoming. It’s music that stops whatever you are doing or thinking
about and captivates you, drawing you into it’s calm and subtle moods. With
patient, rich and layered compositions, The Blueflowers are confident enough to
allow the listener to discover them and this album is like rafting down a lazy river,
taking each bend as it comes and never needing to look ahead or behind.
Independently recorded at Tempermill Studios in Ferndale, Michigan, The
Blueflowers bring to mind many of the same rust-belt emotions as Empty
Orchestra, and the production is really quite good, enabling a deep and expansive
sound. Kate Hinote’s vocals are perhaps the signature element here and much
like the recently-reviewed Lost Patrol album “Rocket Surgery” her beautiful natural tone and natural talent just radiates through each
song like warm sunshine.
There’s definitely a retrospective approach to 50’s and 60’s songwriting, though “Broken-Hearted” never sounds like an imitation of
someone else. Complex and multifaceted, dark elements are mixed with light in a hypnotic laid-back downtempo approach that is
purely American. The Blueflowers have accomplished nothing short of a masterpiece with Broken-Hearted. It’s an album with timeless
excellence. Essential.
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The Blueflowers: Stealing The Moon
June 23, 2012: Last year, we at RUST were totally surprised and impressed
by the second album “In Line With The Broken Hearted” from SE Michigan’s
The Blueflowers. It was an amazing re-imagination of the essence of mid
20th century Americana and it was on our very, very short list for album
of the year. Even more interesting, it was part of a new American Rustbelt
sound eminating from the region and joined a chorus of excellence from
bands like The Great Tribulation and Empty Orchestra (who will be on tour
this summer). Individually and together these amazing artists have returned
to a bygone era for their blueprints, and have produced new music that is
simply great and not to be missed.
You’ll find this band categorized as Outlaw Rock with lineage traced back
to Roy Orbison and Patsy Cline but seeing them as purely a retro act would
be a big mistake. What The Blueflowers do is make the music they want
to make out of love and inspiration and “Stealing The Moon” is a timeless
collection of music that takes the listener completely down the rabbit hole. Its like being snuck up on and engulfed by a David Lynchesque Blue Velvet world of dark shadows, cigarette smoke and strong liquor. The sound they defined on their previous albums is
refined and expanded upon in “Stealing The Moon” with core creative duo of Kate Hinote and Tony Hamera being joined by David
Johnson, Erica Stephens, Jim Faulkner and Erin Williams.
Kate gets most of the attention as she just demolishes the vocals in her own unique way, but this is a band of capacity and judgement
all around. The smallest note is just where it needs to be and The Blueflowers present a unified team effort. Since writing our article
last year we have kept in touch with the band and feel compelled to comment that these people all work full time jobs (and then some)
and to say that making this album has been a labor of love really fails to account for the effort they have taken and the sacrifices they
have made to bring this beautiful project to fruition.
“Stealing The Moon” is an album that gives us hope that - despite economic challenges and a music business that seems to be in the
business of bankrupting the artist at every turn - truly great original music can flourish and triumph. Hard work alone does not make
a good song, album or band. The Blueflowers have combined hard work with skill, judgement, emotion and individuality to produce an
album that cannot be underestimated and absolutely cannot be missed. Not only is this an essential album but together with “In Line
With The Broken Hearted” The Blueflowers have created blueprints that future listeners and artists will surely turn to for inspiration
and insight for generations to come.
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Digital effecting or editing was not done here, as it was not needed. This is a straight
recording of a live band in a controlled environment and this was really the only way
to stay truthful to the nature of the band. What you hear is JP Biondo’s soothing vocals
speaking of innocence and longing, with Pappy Biondo’s delicate and deliberate banjo
keeping time like a boxcar clicking along the tracks. You can feel Dylan Skursky’s bass
like it is right in the room with Todd Kopec’s fiddle creating haunting landscapes one
moment, then an avant-garde, almost electronic accompaniments the next. All the while
Mickey’s guitar is stepping in and out with perfect rhythm, and JP ‘s mandolin building
tension at every chance. And behind everything, in the middle, and all around is the
careful ear and hand of Jami Novak - a drummer who knows what’s around every
corner.
This is a band that wants to play music, that loves to play music, and created a recording
session around their unique personalities. The result is a timeless American album that
tells us as much about who we are now as how we became who we are. As a music
reviewer, it’s always a hard sell to get mainstream people to try folk, bluegrass or
anything that even sounds remotely “country” unless they like it already. Oddly enough in this time of tolerance and acceptance, there’s
still a mason-dixon line in the minds of a lot of people, and they seem to think that nothing has changed outside of the suburbs in decades.
Unfortunately, this bias puts great bands like Cabinet into small spaces.
Photo credit: Jason Riedmiller
Cabinet - Eleven CD/DVD and Leap CD
At RUST we’ve always had a specific motivation to spread the word about artists who might not normally get the recognition that they
deserve. It’s a big media world out there and it’s very hard for the truly talented to stand out against the endless noise and clutter. Cabinet is
a band, and Leap is an album that defy categorization other than to say that they are some of the most talented, passionate, and dedicated
musicians period. They’re not the best of this or that category, they’re not the best of this region or that time period. They’re just the best,
and Leap is a must-have album. It’s not a must-have album ‘if’ you like this kind of music or that kind of music. It’s not a must-have album
for any one type of person... it’s a must-have for everybody - Essential.
November 6, 2012: RUST Magazine was at Smith’s Olde Bar in Atlanta shooting our interview with the Bohannons when we bumped into
the newgrass folksters from Cabinet, and it was love at first sight. Actually it was something like double vision love at first sight because
they have two different releases available now that are each just fantastic.
Roi and The Secret People: Phoenix
July 6, 2013: Roi and the Secret People’s new album Phoenix is a musical and lyrical
journey that fills your imagination like a flock of birds filling the sky. There are so many
layers and details that emerge, grow and change that each song is deep and complex,
but you never lose the overall feeling of energy and fun. This is a get-up-and-rock band
with super tight performances and really, really great songwriting.
The first is their CD/DVD “Eleven” which was recorded November 11th, 2011 at the
Abbey Bar in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (it took me a few days to figure out the whole
11/11/11 thing btw) and it’s a beautiful, playful live concert with a real “friends and
family” feel to it. The location itself has a unique story, it’s a former WWII aircraft parts
factory turned brewery, and the vintage location - and plentiful liquid refreshment
- are just the perfect place for a group like Cabinet to be appreciated. The sound is
fantastic, the the band clearly is feeling right and everybody is in tune with the vibe
of the night.
This event was extra significant event for the band because it was the first time they
had sold out outside of their Scranton, PA home turf and they even rented a bus and
drove the 120 miles down to the venue with several dozen fans and friends. This
is their third release, and the band has been together for 6 years now with Pappy
Biondo on banjo and vocals, J.P. Biondo on mandolin and vocals, Mickey Coviello
acoustic guitar and vocals, Dylan Skursky electric bass, double bass, Todd Kopec on
fiddle and vocals, and Jami Novak doing percussion. Eleven was released 4/24/12 on Ropeadope Records and it’s just a great pairing of
music and video. You really get to know the band and appreciate their motivation, dedication and their honest personalities - Very Highly
Recommended.
So, hot on the heels of Eleven comes Leap, an album that was recorded live in the studio, over four days with a live audience. It’s something
of a definitive album for the band, both in the way they unite as a single unit and in the way the individual players shine so brightly. The
emphasis on musicianship comes first and everybody is playing “in the zone”
cabinetmusic.com
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Combining rebellious indie alt tones built on a solid fm rock foundation, Phoenix is both
fresh and familiar. The album plays like a season. You have a feeling of what to expect,
but you are surprised anew by the beauty of each new moment. Mike Roi grew up in
Jupiter, Florida, has been singing in bands since the age of 16 and now calls Easton,
Pennsylvania home. Along with Randy Melick on Guitar, Craig Martyn on Drums and
Vocals, Dave Baun on Bass and Dan DeChellis on Keys and Piano, he has put together a
band of like-minded people, each adding their own wavelength to the energy broadcast.
Having toured up and down the east coast as well as Europe, and with the added miles
under the hood from several other projects, Roi delivers the vibes of a mature musician
on this album but has not lost the energy of youth. There’s a synthesis of idea and
execution here that is truly admirable. It’s one of those magic moments in music when a band is just so “right” for the songwriting and it all comes
together like it was meant to be, and that is clearly the case here.
With BritPop influences mixed with Florida/Tom Petty styles, Phoenix really is a special album. This is a band that has something to say and they say
it well. From beginning to end each element is in place and balanced. Combined, it’s an easy, intricate, enlightening journey.
Complex, intelligent and heartfelt, Roi and the Secret People’s 2nd album Phoenix is a must-have fresh rock album that is sure to remain on your
favorites list for a very long time. Very Highly Recommended.
mikeroi.bandcamp.com
RUST Magazine
31
Cold Blood Club: Headlines & Firefights
October 9, 2012: Here at RUST we got word of a hot new band coming up from
the NY scene several months ago and Cold Blood Club has just now delivered their
debut album “Headlines & Firefights” and they have both lived up to the hype and
stayed true to their vision. What you’ve got here is a hard core house-party rock
machine that kills it in the pop and club space. They’re ready for the main stage,
and this is a band that will speak to a huge variety of listeners, so we’re expecting
them to be playing to full houses.
Cold Blood Club gets the party started and keeps it going all night long. Bringing
a tight, intense new take on New Order and Depeche Mode space, CBC speaks to
your mind and shakes your bass with danceable tracks that really rock. This is a
small studio project that turned into a monster, and it’s one of those albums that
truly makes and entrance and leaves an impression. 6 tracks means it’s technically
an EP, but every track is a no-holds-barred winner, and it feels more like a full album.
It really is impressive to hear such good songs back to back where each song has
it’s own feel and identity.
And there’s more crossover potential here than in just about any album we’ve ever reviewed. This music just has no borders or colors or
age. “Headlines & Firefights” has such a non-stop power and intensity that it will not be categorized or contained. This is the soundtrack
to your life today.
Cold Blood Club has an irrepressible big-time feel and sound. The mastering is just plain awesome, the songwriting and performances
are *duh* great and all put together it combines into something larger than life. It’s a bold, confident band that deserves to be on it’s way
straight to the top. With mad crazy crossover potential, a mix of tempos and emotions, Cold Blood Club’s new album brings heart, soul and
talent together in a powerful statement that comes straight from the heart. Very Highly Recommended.
coldbloodclub.bandcamp.com
Song by Song Featuring Tom from Cold Blood Club
Blur - Think Tank
June 28, 2013: NYC’s Cold Blood Club is a killing machine of intense club rock music. Their debut EP blew
us away a few months ago (read it here) and we are very grateful that CBC’s Tom has taken his time to
comment on Blur’s 2003 album Think Tank.
Rust: First, Tom, what can you say about the album as a whole from
your own point of view?
Tom: Like any album that I suppose really stays with me, things
begin with the music being superb. But where I was living and how
I was living when I found a record are equally large parts of the
mental crossword puzzle when it comes to my very favorite albums.
And that is to say when I ‘found’ Blur’s “Think Tank” that I was living
in Britain at the time in the early 00s in my very early 20s and –
holy shit am I dating myself right now – in school in a very intense
scenario where I was a stranger in a strange land and alone an
awful lot. I don’t know that I have ever listened to more music than
I did during that time. I would devour records, listening to each new
one hundreds of times. That year there was also “Yoshimi Battles
the Pink Robots” and I fell in love too with Nada Surf’s “Let Go”
record which is just gorgeous. I would walk around in the rain to
those blaring on my little blue discman with a spare set of batteries
in my pocket at all times.
32 RUST Magazine
There was a cheap record (see also: CD) shop that moved in that
year around the bend from where I was living and it was a big
deal as I recall because Radiohead’s “Hail to the Thief” and the
new Blur were coming out within weeks of each other. By that time
Radiohead’s reputation had far exceeded Blur’s on several levels
but that album was by far the weakest thing they ever committed to
tape. By comparison, I expected next to nothing from “Think Tank”
as it had been made almost entirely without the presence of my
teenage guitar hero, Graham Coxon.
Instead, what I found in “Think Tank” was a masterwork of percussion,
jazz chords, tunefulness and most noticeably, space. Knowing that
they could not replace Coxon or reproduce the range of sounds
that he brought to the band, the remaining members opted rather
to leave a gaping whole where his guitar rig was obviously meant
to reside. Genius move. Genius album. And unlike the first Gorillaz
record that had not just cartoon visuals, but also a deadened, fat,
cartoonish sonic palette, “Think Tank” is sort of the real point of
departure for all of the Damon Albarn project albums he’s completed
in the decade since. After “Think Tank,” you got the feeling that even
at Gorillaz most goofy, he could not help but reintroduce that kind of
trademark melancholy that marked the majority of Blur’s finest and
most beloved tunes.
1. Me, White Noise
It bums me out that this isn’t an “official” track. On certain versions of
the album, it is added as a “pre-roll” before “Ambulance,” on others,
it’s tacked on at the end. Whatever. Anyways, there couldn’t be two
more opposed ways to start the album than this or “Ambulance.”
This one is a bat-shit crazy jam that sounds like the bloke from
“Parklife” came back to lay down his vocal part after spending three
days out in the Sahara, smoking peyote and staring into the sun.
2. Ambulance
“If you let me live my life I’ll
stay with you ‘til the end.” Truer
words, you know what I mean?
Plus, I love the drumtastic left
turn the whole band takes for
the end coda section.
8. Caravan
Really rad, sexy tune. It’s got this slithery central electric guitar line
and I could swear the “snare” sound is just someone tapping along
on a very hot stage mic.
9. We’ve Got a File on You
A spikey, oddball punk interlude just to remind you that you’re
listening to an album, not a singles collection. There’s always this
kind of gobble-gook on a Blur album, and I like them all the more
for it. (Except for “Leisure” – that album blows except for “Sing”).
10. Moroccan Peoples Revolutionary Bowles Club
Took me the longest to get into this song. But it’s ultimately so
infectious you just have to yield to it. It doesn’t hurt that they sound
like they are generally having
fun and that classic synth shows
back up on the choruses to just
shower you with sun again. “The
desert needs a beer” indeed.
11. Sweet Song
I read an article somewhere once
where Chris Martin said that this
was his favorite tune at the time.
He talks a shit ton of rubbish in
general, but if you told me he’d
be willing to sell crack to nuns
and small children to write a tune
this gorgeous and stately, I’d buy
that.
3. Out of Time
One of two or three melodies on
this album that are among the
top ten best Albarn ever wrote.
And the tinker-toy attempt at a
West African guitar solo in the
middle 8 somehow comes off as
wonderfully affecting rather than
grating.
12. Jets
Repetitive? Sure. What’s your
point?
4. Crazy Beat
Remember when Fatboy Slim
was a cool dude? Ok, me either, but if you want to hear what the
fuss was about check out his production on this track.
5. Good Song
Sounds like how I imagine the sun sounds while setting.
6. On the Way to the Club
Amazing synth tones on this one. As on most of the back half of
this record, the song structure is really unorthodox as the song’s
A-B-A-B structure breaks down by midway point into a spliff cloud
of Casio organs and vintage drum machines. Almost too cool for
school but not quite.
7. Brothers & Sisters
The closest thing on this record to a “Demon Days” era Gorillaz
song. Rolling beat, bluesy-droney chorus vocals, bass guitar that
sounds like bald tires on a freeway…dope as hell.
13. Gene by Gene
It takes a while to develop, but once it does, wow. Maybe the best
pure pop chorus on the entire album. Makes me almost mad to
think they buried at the end of the track sequence, but then again, I
can’t think of a better slot for it so I’ll just shut up about that.
14. Battery in Your Leg
So, get this: Graham Coxon does show up on “Think Tank.” But only
for the better part of 3 minutes and 20 seconds. And holy shit, does
he spend that 3:20 like a boss. Kids, the lesson is as follows: if you
are going to get fired from your band for being a drunken dick, make
sure you record the single best guitar line of your career on the way
out the door. It honest-to-God sounds like a spaceship that takes
off, separates in the stratosphere, and then parachutes into string
fucking quartet. Unreal. Genius move. Genius album.
Thanks Tom!
RUST Magazine
33
LYTRO’s Amazing New Image Technology
October 15, 2014: Hey RUST fans, we have a unique story for you here. We normally don’t review gear but there is a new camera hitting
the shelves that is just so fantastic, so unique, and has so many rock and roll applications, it has our head spinning. Well, spinning more
than usual.
You might have heard of the company LYTRO and you might have heard about light field photography, and maybe you’ve seen some of
the cool images online but the news today is that they are coming out with a new model, the LYTRO ILLUM, a professional-grade light field
camera and software platform designed to redefine the way we portray the world.
Left Lane Cruiser - Rock Them Back To Hell
September 29, 2013: Recently, RUST Magazine had the chance to catch up with Joe
Evans (Freddy J IV) and Brenn Beck of Left Lane Cruiser for a really fast photo shoot
and chat. Their new album Rock Them Back To Hell delivers dangerous raucous
rock with a mix of steel belt machinery and southern hard liquor. This power duo
demolishes the rules and grabs you by the throat and shakes you until you submit.
Hailing from Fort Wayne, Indiana Left Lane Cruiser brings the heavy sound of middle
America and stripped-down jams that are as tough and sharp as a midwest pool
hustler’s gaze.
Being here in Atlanta, we always ask touring bands if they are Walking Dead fans
because there are so many great photo locations from the show, and the bridge and
warehouse featured in episodes 1 and 2 are regular spots for us to shoot. Though
we didn’t have time to go there for this shoot, that question really hit home with
the guys. “Oh we are HUGE Walking Dead fans!” said Brenn “We actually watched
a bunch of episodes on the way down here because we knew we were coming to
Atlanta and we wanted to get in the vibe.”
“Yeah, the Walking Dead is our number one favorite show, period. It’s just gotten so
good and keeps getting better” said Joe “and actually it was a big thing with us while we were making the album. We would watch shows
to get ready before recording and we really thought about making music that would work for the show.”
It’s a true 3-d capture device that allows you to change the focus point of your picture after you take it. That’s because the LYTRO ILLUM
captures a true three-dimensional space. When you look at it on a 2-d computer screen you can “move” your point of focus deeper and
shallower within the 3-d space. It’s all a little confusing, but the impact it will have is to create a truly new form of art. Just like Donny and
Marie were a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll, the LYTRO ILLUM is a little bit 2-d and a little bit 3-d, and their technology is
meant to capture an authentic, interactive window into the world. It’s something like the picture Harrison Ford examined in Blade Runner
– real science fiction stuff.
Combined with the proprietary software, photographers now have a new tool to create an immersive brand of storytelling in which images
can be brought to life in multiple dimensions. Because images are half the story of music, this new tool will certainly become an essential
technology in presenting musicians to the world and enhancing their musical staements with an amazing, never-before-seen style of
images. The ILLUM will hit the streets at about $1,500 and it’s going to be the one “must-have” item on many holiday lists.
Make no mistake, light field photography is the most important new image technology since cameras went from film to digital and the
ILLUM is the first truly professional-grade camera to be available. This is not just the future of photography, it’s going to be so much more
that future generations will ponder why we ever shot in 2-d. We’re going to have a lot more information on this crazy cool tool coming soon,
until then check out the company’s website here: www.lytro.com
Also check out the original
LYTRO camera, currently
available online starting
around $200
“A couple of the songs are actually songs we made in the hopes of getting them on the show” said Brenn “So maybe someone at AMC
will hear them and call us.”
Down and dirty rock fans don’t have to wait until the next season of the Walking Dead to check out this band. Their album Rock Them
Back To Hell is out now and the band is regularly touring. They’re on Alive Natural Sound records which has a great roster, so they’re in
good company with stage-wreckers like John The Conqueror, Hollis Brown and Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires. So if you’re looking for a
zombie apocalypse soundtrack, or just some straight-up tough rock, Left Lane Cruiser’s Rock Them Back To Hell is the album for you. Very
Highly Recommended.
alive-records.com
34 RUST Magazine
RUST Magazine
35
Jason
Eskridge
@ Good Wood Nashville
October 17th 2013: RUST Magazine met up with Jason Eskridge at the Good Wood
Nashville warehouse for an afternoon jam session where he performed demo
acoustic versions of Sweet Love, Next To You and Good Music - and it all was good
music! All three of those videos are viewable on our YouTube channel and Jason has
published the session as an iTunes album. The warehouse environment was perfect,
with acoustics bouncing off hundred year-old lumber stacked to the ceiling.
Having served as a studio vocalist for such acts as Lyle Lovett, Randy Travis and
Jonny Lang and having been featured as a guest on numerous projects, Jason has
a deep natural talent and sense of harmony. After meeting and talking to him and
listening to his songs, we have to say that he has an amazing talent matched with a
very special spirit. Check him out!
facebook.com/jasoneskridgemusic
goodwoodnashville.com
36 RUST Magazine
RUST Magazine
37
See Kris’s
Cabbagetown
videos at
youtube.com/
rustzine
RUST Magazine was interested in reconnecting with Kris to talk to him
about his new album. Here’s what he had to say:
RUST: Kris when you had come down to Atlanta you had just acquired a
1944 Gibson LG2. It’s been a while since you’ve had it now, what can
you tell us about playing it?
Photo courtesy Kris Gruen
Kris Gruen Talks About New Comics From The Wooded World
February 19, 2014: Last Spring RUST Magazine had the pleasure of
meeting up with Kris Gruen on tour and we spent the afternoon with
him searching for a unique place to shoot a couple performance videos.
We wound up in Cabbagetown just
southeast of downtown Atlanta,
which is akin to the Berkley
neighborhood, full of artists and
a new vibrant in-town energy. We
literally pulled off on the side of
the road and set up the cameras
and mics. It was a real lo-fi
session with motorcycles and cars
adding to the action and Kris was
a real trooper dodging traffic and
keeping his vibe the whole way.
A New York City native who’s
put down roots in Vermont, New
Comics From The Wooded World
is Kris’ third album following up
the critically acclaimed albums
Lullaby School and Part Of It All.
This is an artist at the height of his craft. He has developed his personal
space and has adorned it with delicate and intense emotions. He has
a signature vocal style that reaches for the heavens with a wise soul
38 RUST Magazine
rooted in introspection and observation. Kris Gruen is an extremely
talented songwriter, performer and philosopher. Beyond that he is a very
special person who has a one-ness with his music that is very unique.
New Comics From The Wooded World features
contributions from drummer Butch Norton (Lucinda
Williams, Eels), Anais Mitchell, Sean Hayes, Shiben
Bhattacharya, The Bowmans, Nashville’s Jason
Goforth (Over The Rhine) and more. On past tours,
Kris Gruen has shared the stage with Sean Lennon,
The Avett Brothers, Bishop Allen, Jesse Malin,
Nicole Atkins, Anais Mitchell, and The Bowmans.
If you’re lucky you might be able to see Kris on
tour this spring, he is actually appearing in several
different configurations including a solo acoustic,
a duo, and even with a six piece band that includes
violin and trumpet.
Kris Gruen is one of those people who say a lot
without pushing their ideas. His music flows like
gentle waves on a long beach. There is a balance
and a rhythm where all things are in the place they
should be. New Comics From The Wooded World is a fantastic album
from beginning to end, but it’s also an album without a beginning or an
end. Very Highly Recommended.
KG: It’s got a story all its own and you can hear it all over the fret board.
The B string in particular sings out like the lead in a ghost choir. The
second fret has a groove worn so deep that my grip has to be really
emotionally committed to keep my D chords from buzzing! All of the
quirky challenges is worth their weight in gold - the instrument has
character, the kind I hope to aspire to. I’ve also noticed that when my
shows have been shot by magazines, there are as many close ups of just
the guitar as there are of me playing it.
RUST: You mentioned your friend Anais Mitchell had recommended that
guitar, what did she have to say about it that piqued your interest in the
first place?
KG: Anais has a Kalamazoo from the same decade. She calls hers a
poor man’s LG2. That was enough of an endorsement on its own. Anais
recommended it, and I usually do anything she says!
RUST: Anais is credited with doing vocals on Morning Glory and Anchors,
did she contribute to the album in any other ways?
KG: Anais actually doesn’t sing on Morning Glory. She’s on two tracks
on the record: Company Man (along with Sean Hayes), and a duet on
Anchors.
RUST: Anchors is one of our two most favorite songs on the album, what
can you tell us about where that song comes from? Who are some of the
people who contributed to that track?
KG: Anchors was written by a good friend of mine, Duffy Gardner, who
is a stone mason living in Vermont. He’s a bit of a renaissance man - a
mule powered organic farmer, promoter, song writer and sculptor. The
list goes on. And he’s in love, so his love songs vibrate with actuality.
Anchors speaks to that. Anais loved the song when she heard me sing it
one night when we shared a bill in a local club in VT. She’s been singing
it with me whenever our paths have crossed since. When I asked her to
track it with me in NYC, she made it happen. I’m really happy that we
were able to include it on the record.
RUST: Our other favorite song is Company Man. It’s just a fantastic
composition and it has so many levels of relevance. Were you thinking
about any other time periods or people as inspiration for it?
KG: Company Man is set in modern times. Corporate (and corporate-like)
culture and hierarchical relationships have been a popular subject in all
societies for centuries. I tried to write the song from the perspective of
someone close to someone in middle management. The protagonist’s
voice is not heard. The singer is the friend/colleague/parent of the
protagonist, and suggests (through lyrics) that the protagonist is torn - like
someone who’s surprised to find themselves in a position of institutional
power, a little uncomfortable about standing in those shoes, but needs
the job very badly. I tried to cover as many conflicting elements of this
experience as possible, and I’m pleased with the outcome. The song is
both cautionary and lively.
RUST: We’ve been introduced to some very unique regional music
scenes, is there a Vermont scene, or a regional collective sound there?
KG: Vermont, as a state, is known for it’s crafts more than its fine art.
Every once in a while something emerges that’s meant for bigger circles,
but I think the point I’m trying to make is that people living in VT are
rarely trying to connect with the rest of the country, or world for that
matter. That said, there are those up here that have a nice mix, and
we have some great artists and bands that have mastered, or are just
beginning to create a sound meant for bigger ponds, just serendipitously.
For example, Neko Case lives in the furthest regions of the North East
Kingdom, and Anais Mitchell still keeps a 200 year old farm house right
here in Central VT with her husband Noah and their baby Ramona.
From my perspective, I think VT’s a great place to inspire story, for song
or otherwise. There’s a lot of natural insulation and isolation to support
the creative process, but also a culture committed to old fashioned social
engagements, which require being able to communicate.
RUST: Well Kris thanks first for dodging traffic with us last year and
thanks again for talking to us here. Last question, is there a particular
performer you know of that you think has a special talent people should
know about?
KG: I’m fortunate to call a few of my favorite rising stars friends, so I’ll
suggest your readers check out Sean Hayes, out of the Bay area. He’s a
one of a kind singer - he has a voice that’ll shock you in the gentlest of
ways. He should have a much bigger audience.
Thanks Kris!
krisgruen.com
RUST Magazine
39
Sly & Robbie
Stepper Takes The Taxi
July 21 2013: When was the last time you added a really awesome fresh Reggae album to your collection?
It’s been a while, hasn’t it?
Well it’s time to give the Reggae section of your collection some love with Sly and Robbie’s Stepper Takes The Taxi. This album is
the result of a legendary mix of artists let loose in a vault of - literally - hundreds of thousands of tracks dating back to the 80’s.
It’s a remix dream come true, and more... much more.
This is one of the best Reggae albums ever. The scenario is that the Riddim Twins have opened up their music vaults to Stepper
(French saxophone player Guillaume Briard) who has been allowed to record over them, as well as create new music with Sly &
Robbie’s band the Taxi Gang. Stepper has chosen his riddims with gentle care, just as he has chosen his associates including
French mixing engineer Fabwise, the rising star of dubmasters.
The result is a collection of classic instrumental Reggae that is just plain amazing. This is one of those projects destined to be
a part of music history. About the only similar album that warrants a comparison is the Gorillaz Demon Days as far as musical
excellence and visionary timelessness. It reminds us that tradition is a growing and changing thing and that albums like this are
significant points in history that will affect the present and the future in real tangible ways.
RUST Magazine was started because there were fantastic artists who were not getting the recognition they deserved in either
the diluted digital space or the corporate press world where critical opinions are always tempered by neutrality. But music is not
neutral. Passion and love of art and the feeling of joy and humanity sparked by artistic excellence is something personal and
individual. When it magically happens - as it has here - the people who have labored and sacrificed deserve to be applauded, and
they deserve an equally personal response from listeners, not a committee unwilling to commit to an opinion.
Sly and Robbie’s Stepper Takes The Taxi is one of the best albums of all time, not just one of the best Reggae albums ever. It’s a
unique combination of artists, techniques, archives and inspiration. It’s an album that is destined for legendary status. Essential.
facebook.com/slyandrobbieofficial
RUST Magazine
41
Jerry Stifelman walks Danny Mason from Shithorse into
position for the last shot of the video
Creato Destructo on the Making Wesley Wolfe’s “Only Ray of Sunshine”
by Jerry Stifelman
Jerry Stifelman is the director
of
CreatoDestructo
Imagery
creatodestructo.tv who recently made
a video for emerging musician Wesley
Wolfe. The video is distinguished both
by it’s unique visual storytelling and
the low cost production techniques
used. Even now where everybody has
phone cams, it takes professional equipment and people to make
a “real” music video. Jerry has directed videos for other artists,
including Lost In The Trees (Anti), Dex Romweber Duo (Bloodshot),
and Lizh (O Records) and has real-world experience for people
with real-world budgets.
Contact him at [email protected]
A music video is a dangerous thing. It’s like a crazy sharp knife. It
can slice perfectly. Or it can cut off your finger. A bad music video
can close a song down and keep it from resonating.
A good one opens it up, spaces it out. It helps listeners sense the
different sonic spaces and moments within the song. To me the
most important thing is that the video opens up the meaning of
the song. Also, I like doing videos that help build the persona of the
artist (in a way that’s TRUE to them, as opposed to turning them
into a cliché).
Wesley Wolfe’s “Only Ray of Sunshine” grabbed me at first listen
based on its sheer breathlessness. It takes sunny love song
cliches and stretches them to darker, truer places. Wes attaches
confectionary trifles like “You’re my only ray of sunshine” and “you
sparkle through a grey sky” with lines that cut deeply. “Take my
hand, we’ll make it through / we’ll tread through the bullshit of this
human zoo”. But what really captured my imagination was the line
42 RUST Magazine
“We have different stories, but we share the same scars.”
At the time, we’d just completed a 10 plus minute video for Shit
Horse that involved a lot of shooting and editing (shout-outs to
Creato executive producer, James “Silk” Hyatt for getting members
of the police and fire department to appear in a video for a band
called Shit Horse). So, I was really into doing a SIMPLE video with
limited elements. I pictured a girl in a parking lot tied to a chair
with a hood covering her head. Then, a car pulling up and two
guys getting out and unloading Wesley also tied to a chair, but with
duct tape over his mouth instead of a hood. I liked the idea of the
song playing while the singer couldn’t sing it.
So I wrote up the treatment and sent it to Wesley (and Paul
Finn from Odessa Records), who I had met a month before at a
Hopscotch afterparty. Wes liked it and he and our Creato team got
together to talk about it. Wes, who has a pretty developed sense
of cinema started complicating things within minutes, throwing
out all kinds of additional ideas. My Creato brethren, James and
Tracey, were trying to rein him back to preserve the simplicity of
our initial idea – but I instantly started obsessing on Wesley’s idea
of having all the people in the video dressed as police officers
in a world where EVERYONE would be dressed as police officers
— inspired by another great Wesley lyric - that I have to quote in
context to do it it justice. “Take my hand, we’ll make it through /
We’ll tread through the bullshit of this human zoo / Where most of
them are criminals disguised as cops.” To bring this point home,
we decided to have all our cops doing un-cop-like things. The first
image we came up with was a police skateboarder with a cigarette
dangling from his lips (ultimately played by Odessa label-mate,
Josh LaJoie from Shit Horse and Americans In France). Then we
came up with more ideas. A cop in dreads. Cops smoking joints.
Cops with bongs. Cops breakdancing. You get the idea.
My whole idea of a simple video shoot was in tatters, but I was
really excited. I loved how this idea matched the dynamic of the
song, in terms of twisting together darker and lighter elements.
are SO important, because it’s about more than practicing, it’s
about coming up with ideas and foreseeing problems.
But now we needed a bunch of people, a bunch of police uniforms,
and all kinds of props. All complicated by the fact that this was
a no-budget video. There was no money to pay people to hang
around for hours and listen obediently to my instructions. We’d
have to rely on the kindness of strangers and friends (and the
helpful assistance of Playmakers’s Repertory Company, where we
found our lead actress, Kelsey Didion). For the next month, James
was constantly bringing in various police shirts and badges and
hats for me to look at. He also secured the parking lot of Fitch
Lumber for the shoot and explained to the real police what we
would be doing.
Casting relied on friends of Welsey, friends of CreatoDestructo and
fellow musicians (including Rachel Hirsh, Joe Mazzitelli and John
Booker from I Was Totally Destroy It - Rachel and John were the
cops kissing).
The more ambitious a
production is, the more
things there are to go wrong.
Especially when you’re
directing people who don’t
have any experience (one
critical part of being an actor
is simply learning how to
take direction from someone). But what gave
me comfort – and I think this is the biggest
lesson for bands doing their own videos — is
that we’re putting something interesting in front
of the camera. As long as there’s something
compelling in front of the lens, then you’re just
solving problems to make it better.
One problem was that at first, Wesley really
wasn’t into appearing in his own video. But I feel that as a
relatively new artist, there are a lot of benefits to being in your
own video. I know for me, when I’m connecting with a song,
I have an elemental desire to see what the musicians look
like. That’s especially important when I’m deciding to see a
band live. Also, Wesley is a wonderful looking man with thick
jet black hair and soulful dark eyes. He incorporated into a
tv star look that fit in beautifully with the concept. He would be
one of the only cops who actually looked like a cop. So, finally
after some persuasion, Wes agreed to be in the video and we
made him more comfortable by turning our casting session into
a rehearsal. We had each of the potential female leads work with
Wesley, performing the main action of the video for several takes
of the songs. This helped us solve problems (like how exactly
does someone tied to a chair use her teeth to pull a piece of
tape off the mouth of another person tied to a chair). We also
got to practice things like shaking-off-hood technique. By the end
of the session, Wes had gone through the whole song about 8
times, so he was feeling pretty comfortable. We also did a second
rehearsal to camera about a week before the shoot. Rehearsals
The hardest part of the video was staging the action with an
ever-changing cast, since most people had to come and leave
at different times. The other challenge was the changing light (a
problem that can be mitigated if you have a crew and equipment
to silk off light in some places while you supplement it in others).
I prefer to overshoot rather than undershoot, so we ended up
with a few things that didn’t make the final cut, most notably the
full scene of two cops playing keep-away with another cop’s
emergency insulin bag and an alternate ending, where the cop
on a skateboard steals Wesley’s wallet. (The cop being kept away
from is Paul Finn, who runs Odessa Records.)
As often happens, we started with some carefully planned shots
with dolly moves, but we had to shoot so fast, we quickly became
improvisational. What made it all work was - as I mentioned
earlier - the fact that we were putting
interesting things in front of the camera. It
was amazing to see how quickly a badge,
a shirt and a hat made someone look like a
cop – and it was great see how this parking
lot filled with cops cutting lines of cocaine,
break-dancing, doing beer bongs, tongue
kissing, and passing around blunts.
In post-production, we started
with an extended version
because it let us see more of
our cop universe. But in the
end, it felt better to stay with
the conciseness of the song
(a breathless power-packed 1
minute 51 seconds ) and make
it work like that. We only added a few seconds of set-up so the
song could begin when our two thug cops pull Wes from the trunk
of their Oldsmobile. Wesley came up with some background music
to add in for this section.
I’ve watched this video more than I can count, but it still pulls
me in every time. It creates its own off-kilter, strange world that
captivates me. It could create dozens of short films, all taking
place in this world where everyone is disguised as cops, and some
of them still fall in love and rescue each other.
RUST Magazine
43
Garrison Starr,
Adrianne Gonzalez (AG)
and Maia Sharp
September 28th 2012: RUST Magazine talks to these
three friends and performers at Eddie’s Attic on the
Atlanta stop of their tour.
youtube.com/rustzine
Alive At The Deep Blues Fest
November 27, 2012: If you like your blues big, bad, live and loud, then Alive At The Deep
Blues Fest is for you. You can just smell the hot amplifier tubes and feel the mid-summer
sun beating down on you with this collection recorded in Bayport, Minnesota just a few
months ago. It’s a sizzling set of winners taken from a weekend of heavy-duty electric
blues that reminds us how good it feels when the blues get down and dirty.
RUST Magazine Shoot • March 1, 2014
isaacbramblett.com
Beyond the roster of talent, there’s a real feeling here of recapturing the loose and
spontaneous vibe of live albums produced in the Golden Age of rock’n’roll. Recorded
live - just this summer - at the sold out Deep Blues Festival, this event was really about
friends and family, quite unlike the corporate sterility of many larger modern music fests.
Credit goes to Chris Johnson who successfully revived the communal spirit of late ‘60s
and early ‘70s music gatherings here, and this authenticity of concept really shows
through in every detail.
BUFFALO KILLERS and RADIO MOSCOW turned in super heavy sets soaked in psychedelia
and reverb, while LEE BAINS III & The GLORY FIRES fiercely ripped through their show
with a blistering set of songs steeped in Southern rock, R&B, soul, gospel and punk.
BRIAN OLIVE and his backing band melded soulful R&B with technicolor garage-pop for their early daytime set, while HENRY’S FUNERAL SHO (the
Welsh duo), LEFT LANE CRUISER and newcomers JOHN THE CONQUEROR perhaps kept closest to the Deep Blues curriculum with their respectively
raunchy and heavily amplified modern interpretations of rural gutbucket Delta Blues.
Alive At The Deep Blues Fest will transport listeners to another place and time, whether they listen to it today, or years from now. The feeling of an
organic event fueled by authenticity is totally different from the mass-packaged tours that many bands are stuck on just to get a paycheck. This is an
event where artists really had a connection with the fans, and you can really hear the love. One listen to this album and you’ll be buying your tickets
for next year’s event, Very Highly Recommended. alive-records.com
Namesake
October 9, 2012: RUST magazine talks to Will and Brad
from Namesake while taking a break from their tour
schedule. The guys talk about being on tour with Eve 6,
Everclear and wanting to tour with 30 Seconds to Mars,
and their sponsorships from Minarik Guitars and JH Audio.
youtube.com/rustzine
44 RUST Magazine
RUST Magazine
45
product?
Photo courtesy of James Raftery
Interview with James Raftery
of Rat Wakes Red
June 29, 2010: James Raftery, along with producer Jeral Benjamin form the creative core behind Rat Wakes
Red, and RUST has been taking time to listen to - and enjoy - both their Weekend EP and Acres full-length
CD. Somewhere in the deep space between happy and sad, Rat Wakes Red is reminiscent of times past
when people had patience for real emotion. It’s also very contemporary, relevant, fresh and beautiful. Finding
their own sound in their own time, the uniqueness of the project flows from the personalities of James and
Jeral. With complex and inspired lyrics being forefront, we wanted to find out more from James about the
project, and his creative relationship with Jeral.
JR: The working relationship between Jeral and I is very close and
intense. We both care deeply about the music and making it with high
standards. We deal daily with business end of things, and work very
much in tandem on everything; sometimes we even finish each other’s
sentences. As for the song process, usually I will present the finished
song and depending on what it needs, Jeral will add her arrangements.
We both work very differently, but when we add our parts together, they
invariably work out quite well.
RUST: Did you start out with an idea of how you wanted the band to
sound, was there a goal to be reached, or did things just flow naturally?
RUST: How was working with Andris Balins? What about his personality
made him the the right person to engineer Acres?
JR: Everything just happened organically. There was no preconceived
idea of how the band was to sound, but once we got in the studio
everything did flow naturally. We both found out we work well together in
the studio and have a lot of the same ideas and love to experiment with
sound in the same way; we also both love lots of layers and harmonies. I
mean, the songs themselves are what we try to honor, so as long as we
let the song live and breath and grow, it becomes its own unique thing.
JR: We had worked with Andris on the earlier Energy Garage EP, and
from the moment we both met him we fell in love with him. He is the
most down-to-earth, affable, talented, precise, and thoughtful engineer.
He just has a warmth and easygoing nature that we both thrived in. He
is also incredibly knowledgeable about music and technology and Dryhill
Studios where he works is a comfy jewel in rural upstate New York.
RUST: You’re self-released. Do you think you could make music like this
with any other entity - be it a person or label - that had a say in the final
JR: The live shows have been really fun, but quite different than the
has produced all five releases, played the viola, written all the string and
wind arrangements, and spent countless hours dealing with promotion
and all the goings on behind the scenes.
JR: I also have a hard time when someone asks me to describe
the music. I never really know what to tell them. It’s beyond singer/
songwriter, it’s not quite folk, it has its rock moments, it’s definitely indie.
One reviewer called it “neo-gothic folk”, and one called it “neo-folk with
a gothic edge”; one reviewer lamented the poor record store employee
who had to decide which section to stock the CDs in. I must say, I agree.
Rat Wakes Red is hard to pin down, but I just call it “music so beautiful
it hurts”.
RUST: Can you describe the working relationship between yourself and
Jeral? How early in the process you do work together on songs?
JR: Back in 1998, after I left the world of acting and became possessed
by songs that were presenting themselves to me, I conceived of the
moniker Rat Wakes Red; partly to remove the pressure of having to sell
my own name, but also so it would be expansive in case other members
were added. It is everything from a solo project to a full band project and
so I consider Rat Wakes Red to be me and whoever is playing with me at
the moment. It is definitely a duo project, though, in the sense that Jeral
and I have partnered on this endeavor from the beginning as an outlet
for the songs I was writing, so whatever serves the material is what is
used. I write the songs, sing and play the bulk of the instruments; Jeral
46 RUST Magazine
RUST: You’ve got several other musicians
contributing, can you tell us about them?
JR: Sure. First off, we were very lucky to
get Hannah Fury to contribute vocals to
the song Always for the album “Acres”.
She is an incredible singer and songwriter
who really took a liking to Rat Wakes
Red. I actually wrote this part for her and
she accepted. It was a shining moment.
My brother, Matt, is the drummer on the
album and he is wildy talented. It was
great to get to work so closely with him on
music. Also, Jeral hooked us up with some incredible woodwind players
for that album, too. I wanted to expand the orchestral palette for several
of the songs and we were honored that Brandon Blankenship, Heather
MacLean and Erin Deininger all gave their time and talent to the project.
For Horizon Drops, I had the honor of having Christy Davis on drums and
John Werner as guitarist. The incredible bassist, Andy Kuusisto, also was
our live bass player for a while. As you can see, Rat Wakes Red is an ever
changing ensemble.
RUST: People have been using terms like post-rock and post-punk a lot
lately. Your project definitely does not fall into a pre-packaged category,
how would you describe it?
RUST: Wow, that really does hit it right on the head... for RWR you are
credited as songwriter, Jeral is credited as writer for the strings and
winds as well as the producer... is this a duo project?
JR: I guess you could say we are self-released although Jeral and I look
at Rat Disk a fully functioning label. We kind of feel like we are somewhat
beyond the description “self-released”. That term makes me picture
people sending out CDRs. Rat Disk has released 5 albums, 3 of which
are full-lengths, and done all the work that any indie label would do to
promote and follow through. Each release is a professional product with
great packaging. That aside, if some entity wanted to step in and provide
a way to get the music to a wider audience, then we would entertain that
notion. I would hope that whoever that would be would want to because
they love Rat Wakes Red and not some idea of what it should be. But,
in this day and age, with artists such as
Bon Iver achieving success, I really do
think that we could make music like this
with someone who had a say in the final
product. Of course, it would depend on
who that person was.
recording process. I’ve done shows solo, with Jeral, with cello, with
background singers and at one point Rat Wakes Red was a full band
with a drummer and bass player (for the Horizon Drops album). Jeral
and I used to love playing at the old CBGB’s Gallery back in the day, and
a couple highlights for me have been opening solo for Bob Mould and
for Hayden. We were even on a bill once with Digable Planets! Lately,
RWR has been more of a recording project, but that is subject to change.
RUST: This might seem like a small detail, but your CD packaging has
complete lyrics printed large enough to read, which is really unusual
these days, why was it important to you to include these?
JR: I have always loved a lyric sheet since I was a boy with my LPs. Not
that every record needs to have them, but
when it came time to put the packaging
together it seemed right. The words are
such an important aspect of the songs and
they can be cryptic or hard to understand,
so we thought we should include them. I
personally love reading the words while
I listen to music and I wanted people to
have that opportunity.
RUST: How happy are you with the final
release now that it’s done? Anything you’d
like to revisit... any regrets?
JR: I’m incredibly happy with the way it
came out. I guess, as with any work of art,
there might be certain tiny little things that
I would go back and fix if there were all the
time and money in the world, but at some
point you just have to move on and let the song live. In fact, some of
the best moments came out of the limitations we were up against. It all
becomes part of the fabric.
RUST: What’s next for Rat Wakes Red?
JR: I finally got around to making two music videos for Acres. We’re set
on releasing them in the next couple weeks, so I’m excited about that.
They are both homemade by me and it was my first foray into directing
and editing. It was great to be creative with visuals. I’ve always admired
Joni Mitchell who would paint between albums to rest her ears and
feed the visual side of her. I think I understand why now. Beyond that,
I’m letting new songs bubble up and will be trying to find them all good
homes.
ratdisk.com
RUST: You’ve done some live appearances, how have those shows gone?
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47
Hannah Zale
August 30, 2014: Get ready to hear a lot about Hannah Zale. Not only is she half of The
Pussywillows but this talented beauty also has her own solo album coming out soon, regular
gigs hosting DSTV’s Acoustic Lunch Hour and she’s house singer for Park Bench Buckhead.
RUST Magazine has done several shoots with her and we’ve gotten a sneak peek at her new
album so take it from us - big things will be happening for this purple-haired girl!
hannahzalemusic.com
48 RUST Magazine
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49
for two nights in the first place. Michael has really grown into
being the band’s producer in addition to our guitarist so between
him, Alex and Krist the project got done.
RUST: What kind of effort did the band make to capture live
performances over the years? Was there a consistent method?
Photo courtesy of Sky Cries Mary
Sky Cries Mary’s Roderick Romero
Editor’s note: This was one of the first interviews RUST Magazine ran in 2011. Talking to Roderick opened up
our minds to the vibrant lives and - in a word - the reality of the artists behind the music and inspired us to seek
out people with passion, individuality and spirit. All the Sky Cries Mary records are fantastic and we recommend
checking them out, as well as the many great albums coming from Trail Records.
Roderick Romero (seen here with Trail Records’ Alex Tsalikhin) is
the creative force behind Sky Cries Mary, the legendary trancerock band from Seattle. Over a 20 year period, along with his wife
Anisa, they have seen many ups and downs including a legal fight
over song ownership and the break-up
and recombination of the group. In 2009
Trail Records compiled the album “Space
Between The Drops” which featured remastered versions of songs from the
course of the band’s career, and now Trail
is again releasing another compilation
album “Taking The Stage: Live 19972005”
was pretty funny he was like “Oh, you need to come to Russia!!!”
- because he’s Russian - and we would get letters from him every
once in a while. Then in 2008 I was at a Lou Reed show and
he came up to me and we reconnected. When he told me which
songs he wanted to do for “Space Between
The Drops”” it was exactly the songs that I
would have picked so I felt that he had an
understanding of the band and it worked
out pretty well because the guy is just a
ball of energy and really made the project
happen by his own motivation... and the
help of Vlad Milyavsky, his label partner.
RUST: Trail Records is releasing a second
album from you, this time a collection of
live recordings... what does it mean to you
personally, or perhaps egotistically that
this label considers SCM worth two new
re-issues?
RR: Well, actually the history of both of
those releases goes back 20 years. Alex
Tsalikhin who runs the label came to a
show in ‘91 in New York City and after that
started writing to us and kept in touch. It
50 RUST Magazine
Roderick Romero with
Trail Records’ Alex Tsalikhin
RUST: Who are some of the people
involved in the new album from a technical
standpoint?
RR: George Dugan, the sound engineer
at Trail Records did the remastering
and Michael Cozzi, the band’s guitarist
probably produced about 3/4 of the album.
He has has his own studio moscozzi.com
and Stone Gossard from Pearl Jam let
us mix some tracks at his Litho Studio
studiolitho.com and Krist Novoselic the
bassist from Nirvana actually recorded us
RR: You know, we really didn’t make a consistent effort to record
live stuff when we performed. We had a guy doing our light show
and video and he did some recording and occasionally got a line
off the board, and we did quite a lot of radio performances but
those were usually not recorded very well - you know usually a
junior engineer who didn’t know what we were about to play. And
our sound is very hard to record, there’s a lot of richness and
depth and then a lot of spaciousness - it’s a challenge to capture
that under the best circumstances.
One thing that did help us was in
1994 we were the first band to play
live on the internet and that got us
some recognition which translated
into the “Here and Now” live album we
released in 2005.
RUST: How much material did you
have to go through?
RR: Well there was a ton of radio
recordings, and the first two tracks on
the album are from the Krist Novoselic
sessions, but other than that there
was not really a lot of material to go
through.
RR: Gosh, you know it’s funny you should ask that because Lou
Reed and I have been talking about this a lot lately - shameless
name-dropping aside we’re good friends - and the real issue that
bothers us is that the sound quality has dropped so much. It’s not
that we’re anti-single and pro-album, the single has been around
forever but what people are putting in their ears and how they
are experiencing the music now is eliminating like 80% of the
total sound. I mean, where is this going? What’s the value of good
music? And everybody is running around with ear buds which
sound terrible and hurt your ears. What happened to listening to
the sounds of the city, or the sounds of the country?
From a record business angle I’d say that the real change is that
the labels now have no commitment to the artists. They might be
willing to put out a song but they’re not
getting behind a band for a whole album
or a tour. It used to be that labels were
willing to give bands time to develop
and they were promoted and supported
along the way but not now. If your single
doesn’t sell it’s over.
RUST: Some people perceive a heavy
drug influence in your work, have there
been situations about this you’d like to
address?
RR: Well during the early years of
the band there was a lot of drug use.
That’s the way things were back then,
especially in 89-91. Now Anisa never
did any and neither did Gordon and I
Space Between The Drops
RUST: For better or worse, Seattle was
was into organics like mushrooms and
Available through Trail Records
- and still is - associated with Grunge.
I smoked a lot of pot but I never even
SCM predates that moment of hype
tried any chemicals. It’s funny, basically
and has outlived most of the bands thrown into the spotlight. What
the whole band was high but we were all on different things at
are your thoughts about being associated with the city and not
different times. We were never doing the same stuff at the same
necessarily the movement?
time and I think we would have sounded different if we were all
coked up or all tripping but this chemical diversity definitely was
RR: Well because I grew up in Seattle I was basically friends with
a factor in our sound. I haven’t done anything in years but it was
all the guys who found their fame that way. I had either gone to
definitely a part of what made us sound the way we did.
grade school, high school or college with them, or we had worked
together at one of the cafes so I have nothing but good feelings
RUST: Is there a particular band out right now that you like?
for them and that whole crazy time. And though our band didn’t
RR: You know I’ve actually been shut away from the scene for a few
really fit into the “Grunge” sound the attention that the scene
years but I really have to say that Arcade Fire has impressed me
got there enabled us to get our record deal. One thing that was
not only in their music but in the way they handle their business.
lucky was that by the time the whole scene broke in ‘91 we had
Johnny Dubowski jonnylives.com is really awesome but mostly
already released three albums and our sound and band identity
I’m into the instrumental improv scene. There’s a place called
was established so we weren’t pressured to sound different or to
Nublu http://nublu.net on Avenue C in New York and every night
change our style to get that deal.
is different. You never know who is going to show up and play or
RUST: Your studio albums present complete thematic journeys.
what it’s going to be like but I love to go there and just soak up the
There’s a lot of talk about the music world changing to a “single
music. I like to sit in the back and write lyrics to go with the music
download” mentality. What are your thoughts on the value of
and it’s unlike anywhere else I have ever been.
traditional media vs. individual downloads?
RUST Magazine
51
RUST: Is there a particular album from years ago that you have
gained appreciation for over the years that you would recommend
to people?
really rewarding. They were amazed they could actually pick their
own fruit and eat it - they were all like “Oooooh, it tastes soooo
good!”
RR: Actually there is a band that David Byrne was influential in
breaking called Os Mutantes. They’re described as a Brazilian
psychedelic rock band and to me they sound like a Brazilian SCM.
They’ve been around since the 70’s and actually toured last year.
RUST: Can you compare the reward of being a musician to the
reward of designing physical environments? Is there perhaps an
age-appropriateness to each?
RUST: You’re living near New York City now, was it work or family
that prompted the move away from Seattle
RR: Well Anisa was accepted to the Graduate Program for Art at
NYU and we actually moved here just seven days before 9/11
which was really a weird time to be new to the area. At first we
figured we’d maybe spend a year or two here while she got her
degree but we liked it and we stayed.
RUST: For 13 years you have been dedicated to Romero Studios
romerostudios.com which is doing some very interesting things
with sustainable architecture. What are some types of projects
you have done?
RR: Well, I’ve become known as the “Treehouse Guy” and I’ve built
treehouses around world. That’s how it started but I’ve branched
out into landscapes, sculptural work and a lot of teaching and
classes, but everything I do comes from the idea of sustainability.
It all started in 1997 when a friend was having an art festival on a
100 acre farm and she asked me if I had any ideas and I jokingly
said that I would build a treehouse in this gigantic maple and she
was like “Oh great, let’s do it.” When she said that I really didn’t
have a plan - but we built it - and then someone else asked me
to build one for them, then another, than another and I kind of
woke up one day and realized that this was something I could do
for a living. But I shouldn’t say it’s just me. Anisa really runs the
business and she does a lot to take my sketches and to take them
into autocad or to create fine architectural illustrations for clients
to look at so we truly work together.
RUST: How does your personal life philosophy affect your handson work now?
RR: You know everything I do comes from the Hindu concept of
Ahimsa which relates to doing the least harm and contributing to
the happiness of others. That’s why we only use reclaimed lumber
and why I do things like educate, travel and work on projects like
the one acre community garden near where I live.
RUST: You do other charity and volunteer work?
RR: Where I live we have community gardens and I have done
some landscaping there as well as teach classes to kids as
young as kindergarten all the way to college students. Actually I
just finished a 14 week college level class and we just had some
second graders here who picked fruit for first time. You have to
realize most of these kids have never even been on a farm, they
don’t have a concept of picking fruit or working with plants. It’s
52 RUST Magazine
RR: There’s never really been a separation for me. I have always
been a gardener, always been an artist and when I was a musician
I gardened and music is still a big part of my life. SCM has put out
twelve albums over 21 years so it’s not like there was a transition
from being a musician to treehouse builder... plus I have lots of
other projects so there’s not really a division.
RUST: You have had several celebrity clients. Is there any one in
particular that you felt a similar eco-orientation or kindredness to?
RR: Oh, yeah, the time I had with Val Kilmer was absolutely surreal
- it was a total blast. We just got along on so many levels and we’d
stay up until three in the morning just cracking each other up. I
mean, philosophically I have never met anybody that I felt was so
much like a brother to me. He’s just a great guy and the time I
spent with him was just awesome.
RUST: What was your favorite design to work on?
Sky Cries Mary
Taking The Stage Live 1997-2005
May 14, 2011: Sky Cries Mary is a legendary trance-rock band hailing from Seattle,
Washington and this new retrospective live album captures them at their very best.
Over a 20 year period, Roderick Romero along with his wife Anisa, have seen many
ups and downs including a legal fight over song ownership and the break-up and
recombination of the group, but the band has continued to tour and record. In 2009
Trail Records compiled the album “Space Between The Drops” which featured remastered studio versions of songs from the course of the band’s career, and now Trail
is releasing this live compilation album. The audio quality is great and the live versions
offer a unique insight into SCM’s complex and visionary work. Behind the scenes,
assistance from members of Pearl Jam and Nirvana helped make it happen.
skycriesmary.com • trailrecords.us
August 31, 2014: UPDATE - Anisa Romero and Teri
Brajewski have launched a new web store called Interior
Provisions. Located at 204 Elizabeth Street in New York,
NY and they offer home goods as well as art from Anisa
and people such as Clemens Weiss, Dominic Albo, Josana
Blue, Julie Evanoff, Robin Noble-Zolin and Steve Riley.
interiorprovisions.com
RR: That’s hard to choose but I’d say that the Lantern House
in Topanga, California was probably it. From a design and
architectural standpoint I would have to say that I hit my peak
there, but probably my most favorite project was when I went to
Morocco. A friend had asked me to come to Tangiers and to teach
a one month class to street kids about how they could get off the
streets and live in the trees and it was the experience of a lifetime.
I basically cried every day. I brought my two best carpenters with
me and Wooway films wooway.uing.net did a documentary film
for PBS called the Tangier Treehouse Project. You really need to
see that film, it’s amazing, and for me it was such an emotional
experience... I’ll never forget it.
RUST: So, how do you feel now? What’s going on next in your life?
RR: Oh, I feel great. I mean, I have to admit that I wake up nervous
and anxious most days. It can be stressful placing a large lumber
order, and running a business takes a lot of, well, not just work, but
thought and I’m constantly thinking “Did I take care of this - did
I forget that?” And I’m about to leave for a five week treehouse
project in Mexico and the day after I get back there’s another
big project in Connecticut. Plus the new live album is out and
people are ordering it and I’ve got my side project of Smoke Shack
Okiestra to think about. I have a to-do list with about 60 items on
it and every day I cross stuff off that gets done or I circle it if it gets
delayed so there’s a lot of just details to try to keep track of. But
enjoy what I do and I’m happy with my family. It gets busy some
times - well, most of the time but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
skycriesmary.com • trailrecords.us
RUST Magazine
53
Devianz - Á corps interrompus
May 4, 2012: Here at RUST we’ve been getting a lot of big hard rock from France
lately - such as Eepocampe’s “When Things Get Abstract” - and it seems that
there’s a really hot new-heavy movement going on there. It’s like “grunge” - which
got played out and has been poorly milked here by a lot of imitation bands forever
- somehow got relocated and continued growing and developing there. Now with
a fresh generation of inspired musicians, this could be something of a new French
invasion.
One of the latest releases sent to us from this scene is from a band called Devianz,
and it’s their second full-length album entitled Á corps interrompus. Now, because
of the translation issues we don’t have much in the way of stats on the but we do
know that this band has been around about 7 years, has released two EP’s, their
first album “Una Duna in Mezzo all’Oceano” was released in 2005 and they have
had some exposure via music videos and soundtracks for French tv. This is a very hard rocking contemporary band with a big, heavy sound.
They have a great band unison and work as a team to blast you with a high-bandwidth audio assault that leaves no wavelength un-used.
There’s definitely a ‘wall of sound’ aspect to them that’s reminiscent of the golden age of Phil Spector and you can’t help but feel their
vibe permeating every dark corner of your ears and mind. These guys kick a lot of ass and put to shame many of the other bands in the
same territory. They strike a balance between aggressive hardness and mainstream appeal. There are quiet, spacious moments and then
lashes of power with layered melodies and signature instrumentation. The excellent production is also worth noting giving the band a great
‘close and personal’ feel.
Á corps interrompus from Devianz is a full frontal assault of power, talent and inspiration that will have a lot of big US and English bands
feeling a day old and a dollar short, or in this case a Euro short. They’ve got what it takes to go head to head with the biggest and best.
They’re the dark horse nobody saw coming that just might win the race, Very Highly Recommended.
devianz.net
Claps - Wreck
November 22, 2011: Claps brings to mind that emerging time of MTV when the
keyboard player was the height of avant-garde coolness and music had a new,
modern feel. Wreck - the impressive first full length album from this Minneapolis
three-piece revisits that cool space, minus the big hair. It’s got that magical
combination of retro and future vibes with suggestive spectrums of dark brooding
emotions and get-up-and-dance hooks and verses.
In 2009 CLAPS debuted with their EP ‘New Science’ which was comprised exclusively
of analog synthesizers and was an example of a computer-free hands on electronic
music philosophy. Their follow up EP ‘No Party’ continued to develop a sound in
the vein of the late 70’s early 80’s minimal synth and synth pop movements. Now,
CLAPS members Jed Smentek and Patrick Donohoe have added Sara Abdelaal on
bass guitar, adding more of a raw, garage rock aspect to their sound. The multilayered synths are still at the core of their sound but now with Sara they have the
capacity to realize a larger, more complex audio landscape.
Recorded and produced by Ryan Olcott, Wreck delivers a rich tonality where your ears can savor each lingering note. Sparse in arrangement,
but complex in concept there is a commendable continuity across all nine tracks. This is not an album with a couple winners and a bunch
of filler, CLAPS maintains originality and vision throughout. The heart of the album, tracks Book Of Love, In My Dreams and Gone Gray are
back-to-back winners. Though people may be tempted to see CLAPS as just an homage to minimal synth - and it is definitely a modern
take on a classic genre - there is an originality and integrity to the group, album and individual tracks that is unique and valid.
CLAPS - Wreck: Classic retro MTV sound, check. Great songwriting and gorgeous synth tones, check. Depeche Mode, Joy Division and
Tangerine Dream influences, check. Big hair, no. Highly recommended.
guiltriddenpop.com
This Gift Is A Curse
I, Guilt Bearer
July 12, 2013: Recently on an American talent
show, a 6 year old girl and her brother were
introduced, and - of course - the audience
thought they were very cute and adorable.
When it came time for them to perform the
duo plunged headfirst into a super heavy metal
assault complete with the girl doing the voice
of Satan, much to the shock of the audience
- who then thought it was super cool. Seeing
this event brought into perspective how much
“death metal” has moved from the extremes of
the music scene to *almost* mainstream.
As with any core group of pioneers there are
always imitators and watered-down versions
of what was originally shocking that eventually
appear on the mainstream consciousness. You
can envision the guys walking into a music store
and saying “I want to sound like THAT band.”
And if 6 year old girls are doing it on prime time
American television, you can probably presume
that the original sound of the movement
has been diluted and subjected to corporate
limitations by the time she got on stage.
This puts into perspective the new album I, Guilt Bearer - just released on vinyl - from Swedish sludge metal group This Gift Is A Curse
as being a band that derives their sound, inspiration and concept from a totally pure source. Actually, due to a typo in the original press
release we here at RUST thought that we were reviewing a re-issue of a seminal SSM band. In light of that, we were blown away by the
intensity, musicianship and overall cohesive machinery of this band and found ourselves asking “Why aren’t there any new bands this
good?” which - in retrospect seems kind of funny.
But this is not a band to be taken lightly. And this is one of the best heavy albums ever, of any time. It’s simply amazing and is a must-have,
whether or not you’re a pre-existing fan of the genre or not. I, Guilt Bearer is a timeless, un-categorizable masterwork. It’s so focused, so
raw and so pure that it makes a statement all it’s own. This is a band that has found a way to deliver a philosphy and a range of emotion
in their own signature way, and that is the highest accomplishment of music in any style.
It’s unfortunate that it can be challenging for a band like this to get appreciation and respect outside of their core fan space. Being labeled
confines artists - whatever their style - but I, Guilt Bearer is an album that both enbraces and defies their sludge metal description. Similarly
we at RUST have been having numerous conversations with bands frustrated that their “pop” description has decreased appreciation for
them when compared to the tv contestants that share that category.
But whatever broad terms are used to describe This Gift Is A Curse, they have made an album here that refuses to be contained. Purely on
the merits of its excellence I, Guilt Bearer demands your attention. There’s tremendoius intensity and such a focus that it seems like the
band has been waiting a lifetime to make this music this way. The performances are flawless, the production is totally transparent, and
there is just a self-evident awareness of every detail.
During the late summer and early fall of 2011 the band recorded I, Guilt Bearer at a secret location north of Stockholm. To be free from
any time limit, they asked the producer Magnus Björk (who worked with bands like Meleeh and Children of Fall) to move his studio to this
specific location so the band could work with the recording without boundaries and whenever they felt like. The result is a passion project
that deserves a place in music history, not just metal music history.
I, Guilt Bearer is an album that American audiences may have to special order if they want it on multi-color limited edition vinyl. It is
available as a download, but RUST recommends you put in the extra work to get a vinyl copy. It’s a timeless, genre-breaking work of genius
and excellence. Essential.
monotonstudiorecords.bandcamp.com
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Black Swan Lane
Staring Down The Path Of Sound
August 1, 2011: Black Swan Lane’s newest album, and their fourth release, “Staring
Down the Path of Sound” brings an excellently crafted spectrum of ideas and emotions.
Well thought out and meticulously recorded, Lauren Fay joins regular members Jack
Sobel and John Kolbeck with producer Jeff Tomei again lending his talents. Strong
cross-atlantic influences give this album a pronounced Manchester feel, but never so
much that it their sound would be subject to typecasting.
Emotions are at the forefront of the songwriting with very personal and reflective themes,
and the musicianship enables the messages - whether slow and down or powerful and
positive. Few groups can cover so many feelings and tempos while staying relevant to
the core idea of what the overall band identity should be.
BSL delivers a tight, focused musical front and the unity of the members is self-evident
in every song. There’s a harmony in their group vision and the members share a similar level of skill and experience... that being a lot. This band
knows what it wants to achieve and they’re capable of doing it - and doing it very well.
Black Swan Lane has produced an original, contemporary album with a updated take on the Manchester sound. Familiar, but never imitating, BSL
builds on the strengths and maturity of it’s members and takes their music to its own unique personal space. Defying categorization, it sounds both
classic and new at the same time and exposes more and more with repeated listenings.
This album is layered, rich and complex both in concept and execution and is similar to The Dowry’s “Circus and the Sea” in that the personal
feelings exposed will mirror the listeners state of mind and change and grow over time. There is much to explore in “Staring Down the Path of Sound”
and it will surely be as fresh and poignant tomorrow as today. Highly recommended.
blackswanlane.com
Temperance League
September 4, 2012: Temperance League comes on strong with a big boss east coast rock
sound and songwriting that heralds the return of a neo-vintage Roger McGuinn revival.
Led by 40 y/o Charlotte native Bruce Hazel, Temperance League has been overturning the
old-guys-can’t-rock notion since solidifying as a quintet two years ago, and the seasoning
of age is evident in this totally put-together rock band.
Hearty, throaty vocals trade the spotlight with the two-guitar attack of Shawn Lynch and
Chad Wilson, with rock-solid foundation courtesy of muscular drummer David Kim and
bassist Jay Garrigan. This is a band where every member shares the similar vision of being
a great folk rock band, and they have had years to decide what’s just right for them. You
hear a lot of bands ‘trying’ to be something, this is a band that could not be anything else.
The songwriting alone on this album puts them at the very top of the conceptual pyramid
in modern rock space, and to have equally adept performances AND unison of members
means that you probably haven’t heard an album this good in a long, long time. It is as
clichéd as it sounds... this is an amazing hard rock band with authentic heart and soul.
Technically their first release on their own Like, Wow label - after the band’s initial singles from 2010 sessions done with Mitch Easter at his
Fidelitorium - you can get this through the Temperance League Bandcamp page either digitally or on limited edition vinyl. The 180 gram pressing is
limited to 300 copies and RUST strongly suggests that you pick up one of the albums... before they sell out... and the band blows up. And that’s a
big part of the story about this band. They have that classic rock sound that was defined on vinyl. Now that people are rediscovering the specialness
of those spinning black petroleum discs, bands like Temperance League are making music that has an extra dimension via analog delivery.
Temperance League is right up there with people like Wes Hollywood who put a lot of thought into their packaging, media and visual styling on top
of their great music. Sometimes you can judge a book (er, album) by it’s cover and Temperance League has 60’s style cover art that hits the graphic
nail right on the head. They definitely have a retro vibe like central Illinois’ scenesters Three Hour Tour (a band well worth investigating) and they’re
never intentionally vintage at the cost of originality.
Whether it’s the long years or the hard miles, Temperance League shows the results of long journeys through our modern space. It’s like a reverse
Johnny Appleseed where the members have walked the back roads, highways and alleys of America and have collected the sounds, sights and
feelings of a nation. Here, at the end of one journey and the beginning of another, they stand alone at the crossroads. Essential. Vinyl must-buy.
Longreef
temperanceleague.bandcamp.com
April 17, 2013: RUST Magazine talks to Longreef
at Fantasyland Records in Atlanta, Georgia while
the band was on their never-ending US tour. See
the video on our YouTube channel
Dangerous Muse - Red EP
longreefmusic.com
David Pirner
from Soul Asylum
August 21, 2013: David Pirner from Soul
Asylum talks to RUST Magazine about their
summer tour and their current EP releases plus
his involvement with Songs For Slim
soulasylum.com
May 7, 2013: Hitting the electronic-rock-dance-pop scene with a fresh - free to download
- ep, NY’s Dangerous Muse is taking us back to school with six tracks produced by David
Siskovic (Justin Timberlake/Gwen Stefani/Cut Copy) and Bloodshy & Avant (Brittany
Spears/Madonna/Miike Snow). Dangerous Muse is led by singer/songwriter Mike Furey
and the deep production quality of the project and the inspired range of writing and
performances have put them on the fast track to top spots on charts and playlists with a
LOT of media and celeb attention. And they deserve it. Super fresh, head-turning tracks
hit you one after the other, with incredible force and attention-grabbing talent.
In this world of auto-tune functions and digital enhancements, Dangerous Muse
succeeds in doing what everybody else is merely attempting - kicking out super complex
tracks that sound amazing and are individually stylistic. The music comes from a place
of inspiration, not post-production. Technically their third EP, these guys are more about
the download than the album, and their ability to keep putting out winner after winner is
really amazing. You’re only as hot as your last single these days, and Dangerous Muse is setting the pace for everyone else to follow. This is a band
you need to be watching right now.
dangerousmuse.com
56 RUST Magazine
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57
more glam americana, maybe
“Ziggy Stardust” meets “Muswell
Hillbillies”.
RUST: So was Bananas Foster
enough of a commercial success
to fund these studio sessions?
JL: The income from Bananas
Foster CDs, downloads and
t-shirts, combined with sales of
our version of Scott Walker’s “30
Century Man” (from Futurama)
and our back catalog is helping
to finance the recording of
“Winterland”.
Photos courtesy of The Jigsaw Seen
Jonathan Lea of The Jigsaw Seen talks about Winterland
Editor’s Note: This interview was actually one of the very first ones RUST ever ran. Since then, we’ve followed
Jonathan and the guys from The Jigsaw Seen as they’ve released several amazing albums. The original
reviews for Winterland and Gifted follow this article and their Old Man Reverb is reviewed in issue #4.
RUST: So you were just in the studio, what were the details of the
session?
JL: We’ve actually been recording this album since December,
involving 25-30 sessions so far. The album is called “Winterland”
and Dennis Davison and I had basically completed the vocals,
acoustic guitars, keyboards and percussion by the time Tom Currier
(bass) flew to LA from New York City and Teddy Freese (drums)
arrived from Italy in mid-April to record their parts. That was a
couple weeks ago and now we’re recording the electric guitars this
weekend, then just have a few overdub sessions before we start
mixing on May 24.
RUST: I heard that the mid-April session was a four-day straight
marathon – it sounds like you had your material ready to go, but
was there a lot of improvisation or changes to the material once
Tom and Teddy arrived?
JL: All the material was ready to go, it was a mix of ideas that Dennis
and I had for the songs and parts Tom and Teddy had worked out in
advance so we pretty much knew what we wanted to do.
RUST: Is this a “holiday” album?
JL: It’s actually a “concept” album with Winter as the subject,
so a few songs mention Christmas. The album consists of new
58 RUST Magazine
RUST: You’ve been compared
to Brian Jonestown Massacre
and described as having a retro
1960’s feel. Is this intentional –
like do you intend to have a retro
sound – or is this the natural
space you write in.
versions of 3 previously released tracks (“What About Christmas?”,
“December” and “Candy Cane”) combined with 7 new songs and a
cover of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Circle Of Steel”.
JL: We don’t try to sound “retro”
intentionally, we really like
melody and cool instrumentation
which most people now hear as
“retro”.
RUST: Can you tell me one by one who was on the project and what
they brought to the session?
RUST: Personally what are some of the things you do outside of
music in your life?
JL: Dennis sings most of the vocals and plays some guitar and
keyboards, I play most of the guitars and add some bass and
keyboards, Tom plays most of the bass parts and adds piano to
almost every track and Teddy plays drums. Guests include Morley
Bartnoff (Burning Sensations) playing organ on 2 tracks, Kristi Callan
(Wednesday Week) and Theresa O’Donoghue (Oh Sisters) adding
backing vocals to “Dreams Of Spring” and Lisa Jenio (Pussywillows,
Candypants) adding flute to “Winterland’s Gone”.
JL: I’m a big fan of mid-century advertising art and graphics and
apply this interest to The Jigsaw Seen’s packaging.
RUST: This came kind of quickly after your last album, while there
was a long wait for “Bananas Foster” so it might seem that this
album may not have had a similarly long development period – is
this a less complex group of work or is there some reason for the
difference in timing?
JL: “Bananas Foster” took so long only because we financed it
ourselves and we had to spread out the recording over several years,
when we could afford it. “Winterland” will be less orchestrated than
“Bananas Foster” but no less complex. It’s less orchestral pop and
RUST: The Bananas Foster cd package had some unique features,
any ideas on how you’ll make Winterland special?
JL: The “Winterland” packaging will feature a photo by a fantastic
Russian photographer named Yuri Schipakin. There will definitely
be a unique feature to it which I don’t believe has ever been done
before.
RUST: You put in a lot of packaging and design work. Beyond your
personal appreciation is there a motivation to provide something
collectable - or at least special - to motivate people to physically buy
the album vs. download it?
JL: I think all music packaging should be special, when I grew up
that was the norm. I can’t imagine going through all that work to
record an album just to put
it in a plastic box with a slip
of paper in it. All great bands
have a keen visual sense, I’ve
never really been interested
in bands that don’t.
RUST: The lamest question
musicians ever get asked by
interviewers like me is “Who
are your influences” but if you
had to pick one single album
from your personal collection
that you think deserves
recognition and has been
forgotten, what is it?
JL: I don’t know if it’s
forgotten but I think The
Pretty Things’ “S.F. Sorrow”
is a masterpiece, the followup “Parachute” isn’t too bad
either. As a guitarist, my
biggest influences are Dave
Davies (The Kinks) and the
late great Mick Ronson.
RUST: What’s the last new
album you listened to that
really impressed you?
JL: “Truelove’s Gutter” by Richard Hawley. The songs, instrumentation
and production are fantastic. He also has a great Scott Walker
quality to his voice, I like everything about it.
RUST: With band members so scattered is there any chance of
doing live performances soon?
JL: We’re definitely able and willing to play live shows, We were
actually going to tour this Spring but decided to record this album
instead. Dennis and I will be appearing at the Rhino Records PopUp Store in Los Angeles on June 9.
RUST: When does Winterland come out? Will it be available on vinyl?
JL: It will be released on compact disc and vinyl on October 18,
2011.
RUST: Thanks for the info, how can people keep up on The Jigsaw
Seen?
JL: facebook.com/thejigsawseen and www.thejigsawseen.com.
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The Jigsaw Seen - Winterland
Steven Bakur
talks about recording Sooner Than Later
November 15, 2011: Critical darlings The Jigsaw Seen impress again with
“Winterland.” This winter-themed album comes just one year after 2010’s “Bananas
Foster” which is an acceleration of TJS’s usual release schedule. Before Bananas
Foster there was an 8 year gap between full-length albums though several EPs
and singles did come out. RUST Magazine was in contact with the band during
the recording period and spoke at length with Jonathan Lea who told us that the
success of Bananas Foster had a direct result in the band being able to record a
new full length album so rapidly.
In this world of online singles, hearing a well-thought out concept album is as fresh
an experience as a snowflake on your cheeks. Not a lot of bands can maintain a
theme and generate a full set of tracks that work well together as well as individually.
TJS’s alt-rock vibe definitely has a retro feel to it and just the idea of a concept album
brings to mind a distinct vintage, but Winterland is full of fresh and contemporary
songwriting and great recording and production.
In fact Peter Mew, whose many, many credits include the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour mastered the album at Abbey Road Studios.
Audiophiles will note that there was a separate mastering for vinyl and the album is available in a gatefold with included frame-able album
art. TJS has gotten almost as much attention for their packaging and design as their music and the LP is just plain gorgeous. The CD also
includes the artwork, albeit folded (gasp!) and an old-school style paper disc sleeve.
Winterland is both a great new fresh collection and a nostalgic take on an idea from a time when people actually listened to whole albums
and artists were challenged to think beyond four minutes. Well-thought out and executed, it suggests that these compositions have been
waiting for their moment for quite some time and hint at what TJS was up to during the times between releases.
RUST Magazine highly recommends Winterland, especially the stunning vinyl version.
The Jigsaw Seen: Gifted
The Jigsaw Seen’s “Gifted” is both an album on it’s own and a companion to last
year’s truly excellent “Winterland.” Sharing graphic, thematic and tonal similarities,
“Gifted” seems to be something of a victory lap after an intense period of output
from a band that’s used to releasing albums much farther apart. Showcasing the
psychedelic-retro dna of the band, with immaculate mastering by Peter Mew at
Abbey Road studios, it’s The Jigsaw Seen is at full force here with strong guitar
centric jams as well as more introspective toned-down pieces. Mixing tempos,
flavors and feelings, “Gifted” is not so holiday-specific as “Winterland” but some
themes are definitely carried through and the two albums are really co-companions.
Having heard - and loved - “Winterland” it’s hard to look at “Gifted” without seeing
these two albums as linked, and even as a double album separately released. The
Jigsaw Seen has been critically adored but has never received the commercial
success that fits the level of respect that they have in the music community, but
with debut single “Open Up The Box Pandora” being a really fresh and memorable track, let’s hope that “Gifted” provides a gateway for
people to become aware of this great band. “Gifted” is The Jigsaw Seen at it’s authentic best. It’s an album that sounds both fresh as well
as classic, and is both a great album to get to know the band and a great album to shed new light on them if you’re already a fan. Very
Highly Recommended.
thejigsawseen.com
June 3, 2013: Steven Bakur’s “Sooner Than Later” presents listeners with complex,
mature rock that speaks of many years and many miles, though technically it is his
debut album. His decades of playing in NYC bands are self-evident in an album with
patient passages and exhilirating jams. It’s deep, with a sense of fun. It’s soulful, with
a permeating hopefulness. Definitely an album - and new artist - to check out, RUST
Magazine was lucky enough to ask the artist a few questions about his new work.
RUST: Steven, what did you hope to accomplish with “Sooner Than Later?” Was there
a desire to present your own music after being involved with so many other people
and projects?
SB: There was a desire to present my own music, on my own terms, and to finally focus on my solo recordings, which isn’t to say that I
haven’t enjoyed collaborating with friends and other artists over the years, but there is a real sense of freedom and fun to captain your
own ship so to speak.
RUST: Now that it’s all done, how do you feel about the album?
SB:What I hoped to accomplish is what I feel I achieved, in being able to record a bunch of tunes that I have been wanting to get off my
chest, and out of my system, it wasn’t so painful! I feel like I accomplished something tangible and am pleased with the results and naturally
I Hope that others will be able to appreciate the time and effort spent.
RUST: Was there anybody that really made a difference behind the scenes while you were recording?
SB: Yes, the only other person who really made a difference during the recording process
was my friend and producer Justin Tracy. Justin was largely responsible for the overall
sonic landscape, had some brilliant ideas and suggestions, and was invaluable to me
by bringing an extra set of ears to the table. He’s also a great singer/songwriter worth
giving a listen to. Oops, sorry if I shifted the spotlight for a moment.
RUST: If you could pick one song that you think would be the best to introduce people
to your style, which would it be?
SB: Sasha Says
RUST: Is there anything particular in your background that affected the recording of this
album?
SB: I cant think of anything in particular that affected the recording of this album, but
having said That I’m sure that invariably there’s a plethora of things that affected it.
RUST: Got any plans for the rest of the year? Touring?
SB: The rest of the year will be spent recording the follow-up release to “Sooner Than Later”, as I am already in the thick of it. Once that
is done, I’m considering doing live shows in the NYC area incorporating material from both albums.
RUST: Is there another band or musician out there that is really impressing you right now?
SB: There’s such of bounty of artists over the last couple of decades that have impressed me, I don’t worry about what’s current at any
given moment.
RUST: Now that the album is done (and it’s fantastic) what’s next for you?
SB: Thanks again for the kind words and encouragement, again right now, my focus Is completing the next album. Hopefully by next year
“Sooner than Later” will have a companion to play with.
RUST: Thanks to you Steven!
cdbaby.com/cd/stevenbakur
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Mark Bird Stafford - Live At The Delta
Adam Marsland - The Owl and the Full Moon
July 24, 2013: What makes Mark “Bird” Stafford such a great musician, and what makes
Live at the Delta such a great album can be summed up in one word: Fun.
June 18, 2013: Take off your work clothes. Pull out your most ratty pair of sneakers and
put them on with your softest jeans and your oldest tee shirt. Sit yourself down in a big,
comfortable puffy chair. Relax. Put on Adam Marsland’s The Owl and The Full Moon and
relive a time when listening to the music was an activity in itself.
Sure, he’s got personality and mad skills, and a great bunch of musicians playing with
him, but the sense of enjoyment in music and enthusiasm for performing is what shines
through on this fresh blues release. And he’s been around the block once or twice,
having gotten his start with Hock Walsh (Downchild Blues Band) in the mid 80’s at
the Pine Tree jams. Since then he’s been a key fixture on the Canadian Blues Scene
as a band leader, guest performer, blues educator, and harmonica teacher at festivals,
clubs and workshops everywhere. This is a person with a natural love of his art and an
authentically generous soul.
Known for his mastery and enthusiasm for classic blues styles - from Chicago blues to
swing, R & B, jump, funk and most things in-between, Stafford puts the capital ‘T’ in tone
when it comes to his harmonica prowess. A serious student of “fat tone” harmonica, he
subscribes to the teachings of the masters: Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter Jacobs,
Big Walter Horton, Junior Wells and James Cotton, imbuing what he’s learned with a healthy dose of his own creativity.
Mark “Bird” Stafford is one of the hardest working musicians on the scene today with his regular performances in his home town of Toronto as an
in-demand harmonica player and singer to his additional talents as a drummer with several duos and house gigs. Stafford is also busy with extensive
work with the Blues In Schools Program, conducting blues harmonica workshops at festivals across Canada, teaching harmonica classes with the
Toronto District School board, and regular month long excursions to the East Coast of Canada to perform with legendary blues guitarist Joe Murphy.
Recorded at Monarch’s Tavern in the Delta Chelsea Hotel in Toronto, Live At The Delta delivers that classic blues vibe at a venue that’s just the right
size and style. With his co-horts Aaron Griggs, Fabio Parovel, Tyler Burgess and Dennis Pinhorn he breathes fresh life into classics and imbues each
track with a signature style. The finished album carries over the energy of the performers and the vibe of the crowd very well. It’s a recording that’s
“just right” for the band, the space and the night. This is an album with heart and soul, sprinkled generously with zesty spice and served just right.
Very Highly Recommended.
markbirdstafford.com
Adam Marsland has a diverse background as both a performer and producer. This is
actually his 11th album, and it comes after an extended break from performing and
recording. Perhaps because of the many long roads that have brought him to the
recording of this album, there’s an overwhelming sense of retrospective that permeates
every song. It recombines the sounds and emotions of the great FM songwriters as well
as vintage BritPop and west coast harmonies into a collage of both familiar and new
emotions. It’s one of the best overall albums we have ever heard.
What makes The Owl and The Full Moon special seems to be that it’s a return to
performing, and the artist is refreshed and wisened after taking a multi-year break.
Adam Marsland has had a diverse, long and challenging journey to get where he is right
now and this album comes after working as a producer for the past few years after a decade+ touring and recording as a solo musician. Along the
way he has suffering personal setbacks and challenges which interrupted him.. well, being him.
The Owl and The Full Moon is an excellent, rich, invigorating album from an artist that has returned anew, armed with the mastery of the moment.
You could call it introspection or retrospection but the effect is that Adam Marsland is in a new and unique place of perspective, personally and
artistically and he captures the moment beautifully with these recordings. The Owl and The Full Moon is a work of personal art, and that person has
struggled through hurt and exhaustion and has emerged stronger, with a more defined sense of self. It’s an inspiration that music like this can still
surprise us. Very Highly Recommended.
www.adammarsland.com
Big Science - Difficulty
May 29, 2012: Big Science is a band that is uniformly frustrating the music press... in
a good way. Everybody likes them, the problem is describing them. Are they retro? Are
they post-rock? They’re definitely indie, whatever that means these days. About the only
thing people seem to agree on is that they should be opening for The Killers. Their debut
full-length is entitled “Difficulty” and the name oddly embodies the trouble people are
having communicating what they are about to anyone else. Categorization aside, what
isn’t difficult is just plain loving their music.
It’s a fresh, powerful, wall-of-sound collection of tracks that are memories in the making.
There’s a definite English cryo-emo vibe, but Chicago is their home town. Tracing their
development starts with Jason Hendrix and Jason Richards (ex-members of The North
Atlantic) moving from San Diego to Chicago in 2007 after a seven year, 500+ show
existence to start a new band with long-time friend Jason Clark. Add Jeremy Pena and
stir. The four then proceeded to practice and write feverishly for the next six months
self-recording and self-releasing an EP entitled The Coast of Nowhere soon thereafter.
Following it’s release, the group continued to play more and more successful shows in 2009, opening up for the likes of Frank Black’s Grand Duchy
project, Planes Mistaken For Stars and The Life and Times. The following year brought a one-off record contract with AEMMP Records for another
EP which was called Skyscraper Sound. The band played larger local shows like Wicker Park Fest and also toured to SXSW to support the release.
Shortly after returning from the trip, Hendrix, Pena and Richards parted ways with Clark, and later brought on long-time pal and ex-Company Of
Thieves, ex-Wax On Radio member Bob Buckstaff in late 2010 for guitar and keyboard duties.
Fast forward to today and “Difficulty” presents the unified front of Hendrix, Richards, Pena and Buckstaff making really great music as a cooperative
unit. Danceable, thought-stimulating and emotive at the same time, Big Science may have borrowed ingredients but they clearly cook with their own
recipe. This isn’t a band that needs a comparison to another band - they’re their own band and they’ve carved out their own territory. They don’t
need you to like another band to like them, you’re going to like them just fine on their own. Very Highly Recommended.
bigscienceband.bandcamp.com
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Brief Candles - Fractured Days
Itchy Hearts - Tried To Be Punk
September 27, 2011: Brief Candles’ new full length Fractured Days impresses with a
balance of power, emotion and personality. Coming a full five years after the They Live
We Sleep release, Fractured Days sees a more intense and focused energy from this
Milwaukee-based quartet’s power-alt assault force. There’s definitely been a momentum
built in the years between the releases and the tracks of Fractured Days have a feeling
of intense intention, but with a lighthearted enjoyment of the act of music-making. Never
taking themselves too seriously, imagination, creativity and appreciation of beauty come
through the fuzzed-out waterfalls of sound.
Fractured Days plays like a hazy dream that focuses effortlessly into defined and
memorable moments of piercing clarity. It takes you in, puts you at ease and before
you even realize it, you are completely captured. They have the patience to craft long
introductions to phrases worth developing. Variances in tempo and elements make each
song more like a journey - there’s no predictable repetition here.
What’s particularly interesting is the roster of guest producers involved, but that the
consistency of the band’s sound is not overly affected. There’s a unity of team vision at work with different elements being highlighted, but not
disrupting the rest of the project by overly varying the tone. Jeff Zeigler [Kurt Vile, Pattern is Movement] brightens and sparkles the dreamy “Ten
Weeks” and the vibraphone-adorned slow burner “Permafrost” while Adam Pierce [The Swirlies, Mice Parade] heightens Boniger-Dixon and Dixon’s
pretty vocal exchanges on “Small Streets” and “Recognition”. Neil Weir [Vampire Hands, Gospel Gossip] hones in on the band’s signature sound in
“The Completist”, building and making it resonate strongly without losing that sense of urgency the rhythm section naturally dips into to make those
builds even more significant.
Mostly recorded in Milwaukee at Kevin Dixon’s Humdrum studios and at Greg Norman’s studio in Chicago, Fractured Days showcases a band with a
strong sense of who they want to be. Their confidence shows in slower, more patient moments as much as it does in powerful crescendos. Unique
in arrangement and execution, this is an album without an expiration date. Originality and integrity never age and both are abundant and unified in
Fractured Days. Highly Recommended.
GuiltRiddenPop.com
May 14, 2011: Itchy Heart’s new album “Tried To Be Punk” - their third - delivers
infectiously memorable loud folk from their Brooklyn, NY home base. There have
been a lot of new-folk projects coming out recently, and this album is a great
example of an original band creating great music in their own comfortable space.
Perhaps in a Huey Lewis kind of way more people are now feeling that it’s hip to
be square, and doing what they want without pretense of making it big. Maybe
the changes in the music business have been a factor as most indie acts have
absolutely zero chance of actually making money so instead of trying to do what they
think will get them signed or booked, they’re doing what feels good. And “Tried To Be
Punk” feels good. Really good.
Core members Andy Cobb on guitar, banjo and vocals, Cameron Kapoor on electric
guitar, Caleb Brown on drums and bassist Ben Murphy have been joined at one time
or another by Reid Magette, John Ptacek, Rob Slater, Jonathan Parker and Alan
Parker and Itchy Hearts released their first album “Goodbye Goodnight” in 2008, followed by “Do Ya Best” in 2010. So the band has been around
and working for several years and there’s a solid vibe happening that you can definitely hear. Also Jonathan Parker and Coleman Lowndes both
did really good jobs with the recording and mastering respectively.
But just calling them a folk band misses the mark. There’s pop, indie, alt - and yes - punk all in the mix. It reminds us that there’s a timelessness
to a single guitar and as much relevance and impact today as ever. Andy Cobb’s vocals expose an endearing off-center personality, and the
songs have just the right mix of either simplicity or layers as needed. It’s one of those unique projects that is fresh and new at the same time that
it’s classic Americana. You could play it in the metallic canyons of New York city or the desert canyons of the southwest and it would reverberate
equally well. Itchy Heart’s “Tried To Be Punk” is really likeable. It’s relevant, unique, complex, stimulating and peaceful. Play it in the car. It will
sound great anywhere you go. Highly Recommended.
itchyhearts.wordpress.com
Jill Andrews
December 2, 2012: RUST Magazine talks to Jill
Andrews at Eddie’s Attic. Watch the video on
our YouTube channel.
jillandrews.com
Anna and Elizabeth
December 2, 2012: RUST Magazine talks to
Anna and Elizabeth at Eddie’s Attic. Watch the
video on our YouTube channel.
annaandelizabeth.com
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Alex Guthrie
June 20, 2014: RUST Magazine
films Alex Guthrie in the early
light of dawn in downtown
Atlanta. Watch the videos on our
YouTube channel.
AlexGuthrieMusic.com
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Moriah Scoble Interview
charities? Is it different when it’s artists supporting their passion?
University and our local community colleges.
Published March 2011: Moriah Scoble
is the Executive Director of The Fender
Music Foundation, which was created
to provide instruments for music
programs across the United States.
This large and diverse organization is
active nationally, helping organizations
with the long-term vision that music makes a better world. This foundation
is investing in a better future, and we at RUST applaud their efforts.
MS: I wouldn’t say The FMF acts too much like a corporate charity. In
fact, we are a public nonprofit, which means we are mostly funded by the
general public. The FMF is not the charitable arm of Fender; Fender uses
their resources to support The FMF. Fender offers us web and technical
support, they designed the foundation’s branding, and they reach out to
artists to sign guitars for the foundation. They are also working on other
ways to use their resources to financially support the foundation.
RUST: You just had a big event last month - the Rock-N-Zip Affair, how
did that go? Who was involved with that?
RUST: Can you tell me a little about how and why the FMF was
established?
MS: At this point, we’ve reached about 45,000 people through our
grants, and the good news is that number is about to skyrocket. Just
recently, we’ve received guitar donations from Fender and CostCo,
enough to reach approximately 300 more programs. This is going to be
quite a jumpstart to the number of people learning music in these next
couple years.
MS: Our founder Larry Thomas founded the foundation when he retired
as CEO of Guitar Center, Inc. So, for the first couple years, the foundation
was named The Guitar Center Music Foundation. Larry started the
foundation because he thought he could bring all of the musical
instrument and equipment manufacturers together to help save music
education. Just over two years ago, Larry was invited to join the board
of directors of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, which caused
the foundation to change its name to The
Fender Music Foundation.
RUST: Not a lot of people know about you, what surprises people most
when they find out about the FMF?
RUST: When did you become involved with the FMF?
MS: I joined the foundation right at the beginning. I was the foundation’s
first employee.
RUST: Before that, had you done anything like
this before?
RUST: What are the core things that the
foundation does?
MS: I’ve been working in nonprofits since
I was 16, but I had no idea my path would
take me to something like this. Granted, I’ve
been a cellist, a cello teacher and worked at
a local youth orchestra and at a museum,
but I had intended to get into publishing
textbooks. I come from Kansas City where, at
the time, everyone was offered ample musical
opportunities. It wasn’t until I met Larry
that I learned about the sad state of music
education across the rest of the country. And,
learning that children weren’t receiving the
same opportunity I had received was what
sparked my interest.
MS: The FMF gets instruments into music
education programs. That’s been our goal
since the beginning. We have a grant
process set up where we find the music
programs that are most sustainable, offer
thoughtful music instruction, and will put
the instruments to the greatest use.
The instruments we send to programs have
been collected from various manufacturers
and retailers. They have been returned,
been sitting in music stores or warehouses
or they had a blemish that kept them
from being sold in a traditional way. The
good news is: we change the fate of these instruments; instead of
being destroyed or sold in a pawn shop, they are going to people who
desperately need music in their lives.
RUST: What is your favorite thing about what you do there?
MS: I love showing businesses how they can take what they have and
use it to bring some good into the world. People and businesses often
contact us because they want to support music education, but they often
don’t think outside the box with their contributions. There are many ways
a company can contribute to the foundation. Sometimes, the company
likes the simplicity of making a donation. Other times, they donate a
percentage of their sales, they’ll post a free ad on their website, they’ll
produce a PSA for the foundation, etc. If the company can’t contribute
upfront but they have a reach, they can still help.
RUST: Just about every corporation has a charitable foundation. How you
compare the support that Fender gives your foundation to other corporate
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RUST: What are some of your responsibilities
at the foundation?
MS: I look for opportunities for growth, both through donations and
revenue and through increasing the number of grants we award. I put
the foundation in a place that the organization can help more people to
have the opportunity to make music.
RUST: Who are some of the other FMF people that you like to work with?
MS: We receive most of our support from volunteers. We have a staff
of interns as well as a large volunteer board of directors. Fender CEO
Larry Thomas, musicians Don Felder and Danny Seraphine, and Robbins
Brothers CFO Bruce Ross are all long-time board members. Other
well-known board members include musician Joe Bonamassa and
Janie Hendrix. Most of our other board members are savvy business
people from various industries. Regarding our interns, many of them
are students and graduates of Pepperdine University, California Lutheran
MS: The band 100 Monkeys has been working with us for the past
few months, leveraging their resources to help us raise money. They
introduced us to Flightlinez, the zipline in downtown Las Vegas, who,
with the support of the Fremont Street Experience, agreed to put on a
fundraiser for us where 100% of the gross revenue of the zipline would
be donated to the foundation. Then, the Fremont Street Experience
agreed to make an additional donation on
top of that. To magnify the results, 100
Monkeys also performed a free concert at
the zipline that evening. It was quite a night
that raised over $20,000 for the foundation
-- one of our largest donations of all time.
RUST: You have a very large multi-venue
event coming up on December 3, 2011, can
you tell me some more about that?
MS: We are inviting artists and venues in and
around Los Angeles to turn whatever they’re
doing on December 3 into a fundraiser for
the foundation. We will then share their
participation with our community and encourage our supporters to
attend the events. To show their support of music education, we are
asking that they donate 10% of the night’s proceeds with a $1,000
minimum. So far, the response has been positive, and we are still looking
for venues and musicians to participate.
RUST: How can people get involved with that?
MS: Anyone who owns a music venue, restaurant, bar, club or is planning
to perform on December 3 can fill out this form - CLICK HERE - That is
the first step.
RUST: It must be a lot of work to do this job, how do you maintain your
motivation?
MS: I probably have one of the coolest jobs there is. I work with a lot of
interesting people. I do something different every day, and I am part of
this organization that is really making a difference – in people’s lives and
the state of music education as a whole.
RUST: What has been your personal favorite grant recipient?
MS: I love the story of the Planfield Re-entry Educational Facility, which
offers a music program for men who are about to be released from
prison in Indiana. The program director would call me regularly to tell me
about the success stories he’d witness. Those men were really turning
their lives around because they felt like they belonged to a group. They
were learning how to communicate with others and how to listen. Most
of the men who go through that program do not return to prison. The
state of Indiana was so impressed with how successful this program was
that they made programs like it mandatory across the state.
RUST: You have some unique collectable instruments for sale on
your website, for instance right now you have a custom Fender®
Stratocaster® guitar that was signed backstage at the 2010 American
Country Awards by Carrie Underwood, Trace Adkins, Jewel, Rascal Flatts,
Lady Antebellum and over a dozen other performers, are the proceeds
from the web sales significant to your budget?
MS: Absolutely! The sales of our memorabilia allow us to operate.
They cover our operating budget so that donations can go directly to
awarding grants. It’s a great deal, too; someone gets a very cool piece of
memorabilia that is undoubtedly authentic, and their purchase allows us
to run a nonprofit that helps thousands of people.
RUST: What’s the coolest instrument you’ve ever offered there?
MS: The American Country Awards guitar
is probably the most historic piece we’ve
offered, but my personal favorite is the set
of guitars used in Ok Go’s music video.
RUST: There’s a saying, that “if you want to
take the fun out of something you love do it
for work” and it’s obviously a lot of work to
keep the FMF going, but it seems that doing
this is something that rewards you more as
you do more, is that right?
MS: First of all, I don’t believe in that saying
at all! I think if you love doing something,
you should make a career out of it. I think the reason that doesn’t work
out sometimes is because the person didn’t find a good match between
what they want to do and the career they chose. For example, someone
who likes making music may think they want to be a singer-songwriter,
but being a performer who isn’t signed to a label is a lot more about
running a business, negotiating and marketing than it is about music.
To answer your question, yes: the more people we help and the more
companies who buy into supporting music education, the more rewarded
I am.
RUST: What was the most heartbreaking situation where you could not
help?
MS: Almost every day, we receive a request that is outside our scope:
programs in other countries, individuals looking for a second chance,
parents who can’t afford for their children to go on performance trips.
Even if we did get instruments into every music program in the country,
there is still a lot of need out there.
RUST: The FMF takes donations of any amount, right? What’s the best
way for people to get involved?
MS: More than anything, we need funds. Now that we have the
instruments to send out, we need the funds to run the operations. Any
donation is much appreciated. Most of our donations are $25 to $100,
so it takes a lot of donors to keep things going. The good thing is, their
money goes a long way.
We have the opportunity to help so many people. We just need the
resources to do it.
fendermusicfoundation.org
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John LT - Suburban Superstar
November 6, 2012: Though you might not have heard of John LT yet, you’re about
to - in a big way. Though technically a solo release, for his third studio album
“Suburban Superstar” he has assembled an all-star team of musicians and friends
and the result is just fantastic. Mixing pop, rock, vaudeville, honky tonk and... well...
just about everything but the kitchen sink, with a definite east coast flavor, you get
some Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen influences jumbled up with some bright
broadway lights. Smoky bar soul at one minute, contemporary standard at another,
John LT manages to explore his own unique personality across many different
speeds and flavors.
“Suburban Superstar” is like a loud storm with a quiet center. When this musical
rabble gets up to full speed it’s something like listening to a mad pirate captain
banging away on his piano while leading his crew of musical ruffians through a
hurricane. In it’s peaceful moments you get vibes of the very best classic FM singer/
songwriters like Simon and Garfunkel and Elton John. There is power and passion here that is rare and pure. It’s a celestial alignment of
energies that only happens once in a great while. Very Highly Recommended.
johnlt.com
“Suburban Superstar” is a legendary album with layer upon layer of comedy, emotion, pain and rejoicing. RUST was curious about some
of the people and events that made it so special, and we thank John LT for taking more than a minute to give us the inside info on the
recording session. Oh, and John, RUST would sure appreciate an intro to your LA friend ;)
In the Studio:
To get the humor of this story, you have to understand the nature
of the work environment on this record. We went at it hard, and in
medium-sized bursts. For example, we recorded all the bass, drums
and piano (and some guitars) live at Downtown Music in NYC to capture
the vibe producer Charles Newman was going for. Using this process,
we recorded 13 songs in two days. There was no booze (except after
hours), no drugs, and very little fooling around. Everyone had fun, but we
went at it hard. The same environment applied when we were adding
horns, strings and percussion in Baltimore.
One day while we were recording at Ring of
Fire in Baltimore (in a terrific studio in a rough
part of town), the studio phone rang, signaling
that there was a visitor standing at the heavily
fortified front door. We answered the phone
and a singsongy female voice asked, “is this
the honeycomb hideout?” We said no, and
the confused visitor was on her way. I then
looked up the phrase “honeycomb hideout” in
the Urban Dictionary, and found the following
definition: “A place 2 kick it with friends, gettn
high as a mf’er. Away from police & drama...”
That couldn’t have been further from what
was actually going on! We thought it was so
funny that we considered working the name
“Honeycomb Hideout” into the album title or
artist name.
About the Production Process:
Then a generous and wealthy friend treated me and my wife to
a spectacular few days in LA and hired a chauffeur to take all of us
everywhere for the duration of our stay. The driver was a friendly guy,
and we got to know him and even had him join us for dinner one night.
But despite our best efforts to overcome it, there remained a barrier
between him and us because of the service he was providing and the
uniform he wore. While there is of course dignity in doing one’s job well
(which he did), that distance that existed between us nagged at me. I
began wondering what would go on in his head during the course of a
day, a week, a year.
Just a couple short weeks after the visit,
the words started coming. I started writing
everything I had been thinking about our
driver from Los Angeles. The lyrics describe
the thoughts inside his head throughout his
day, up to and including the moment where
he briefly forgets his position while flirting
with a female passenger, only to be jarringly
reminded of it as she asks him to wait outside
with the car as she heads into a social
engagement. He then reverts back to the
chorus that he hums over and over in his head
throughout the day--the musical mantra that
helps keep him going.
To me, the music and the lyrics come together
perfectly in this song because the music
starts off quietly and gently as the driver
awakens from sleep and readies himself for
the day, and then grows busier and bolder as
his day progresses. Even so, it still retains a
contemplative feel throughout.
When I started meeting with Producer Charles
Photo courtesy of John LT
Newman to discuss the direction of the project,
I wasn’t certain which songs I had written would
make it onto the record, but I did know I wanted “Katie” to be there even if Where does the Album Title Come From:
it didn’t fit in with the rest of the material. I just loved it. Luckily, Charles Well, the album is fun, and the title is funny. I am, after all, from the
liked the song too, and with its “O-Bla-Di-O-Bla-Da” feel, it became the suburbs, so it may seem as if the title refers to me. But there’s a twist
center of the record. The other songs just fell into place, and I wound up to it, because the song “Suburban Superstar” is actually about a hot
writing a couple more that fit the record better than some of the songs suburban mom parading around town in her tennis outfit!
that had been ready to go. Some of those became my favorites, like
“The Driver’s Song” and “Nowhere to Go.”
In General:
Songwriting:
Lyrically, one of my favorite songs on the record is “The Driver’s Song.”
It took me over two years to get that one right. I had the music and
the melody for the verses, but couldn’t find lyrics and a chorus that fit
properly. I wrote and rewrote it again and again but every attempt ended
in failure. It was as if putting words and a chorus to the song ruined it
every time.
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The album is fun. It was fun to write, the melodies are fun, and the
“anything goes” production environment fed on itself in an exciting
(and often humorous) way--I mean, cowbells, timpanis, banjoes and
plastic potato chip containers full of rubber washers layered into a
rock record?? All of this, coupled with musical experts for whom the
performance possibilities were truly endless, encouraged us to be as
adventurous with production as the melodies are themselves. The whole
thing is a blast.
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Come Down Denver
Editor’s Note: After we ran this interview we kept in touch with the CDD guys and even pitched in a hand to shoot their music
videos for I’m Sorry and Down Like The Others, still images of which are on the next page.
Recently RUST Magazine had the chance to catch up with Come Down Denver
at Real 2 Reel Studios outside of Atlanta as they were finishing up their new full
length album “Don’t Sweat It” and what we saw, and what we heard really blew us
away. This is a hungry, hot, fresh band that’s got a tiger by the tail. When we shot
our interview the band had clocked in over 250 hours in the studio and they were
looking at possibly topping 300 to finish everything. The reason was simple, both the
band and producer Shawn Grove were totally focused on finishing the entire album
just the way they wanted, and they weren’t going to settle for anything less than
production perfection.
“We want every note to be just perfect” said guitarist Travis Blake “and we’re
getting more psyched every day as we see our songs develop, especially with
the suggestions and directions Shawn is giving us. It’s been amazing to hear our
songs take on a life of their own, and we’re like ‘We did that?!’ it’s been crazy, but
yeah, we’re all sitting there listening to the mix and we couldn’t imagine our songs
sounding any better. We can not wait to get out there!”
RUST got to listen in on the *almost* final mix of one track “I’ll Be Waiting” and it was literally stunning. The production was electrifying,
the musicianship was front and center (they’re a BAND duh!), the songwriting is totally 2.0 and Christian Camp’s Geek Star style vocals are
really a unique signature element. Everything was at 100% and the vibe was just plain ruthless. This is a band that could give the top 40
a heart attack. Nobody is going to see these guys coming. They’ve got that “lightning in a bottle” of being authentic people mixed with an
immediate sense of where music is at right now. These are actually humble, cool, regular guys with a lot of talent and eve more dedication.
So keep on the lookout for their new album and a US tour later this summer, take a look at these videos and cross your fingers that fate is
kind to this group of musicians that have earned their chance at the big time. In our opinion they’re already big time.
comedowndenver.com
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Andre Williams - Life
October 12, 2012: Andre Williams brings a whole lot of old school soul to the
house of electric blues with “Life” available now on Alive Records. And when we
say old school soul, we mean it. At age 75 Williams has been there and done
that, possibly with your grandma. And maybe your mama. Talent never ages
and “Life” covers a range of tempos and energy levels seamlessly and with
complexity and depth. This is the work of a master who has rare perspective
on his craft.
This new album gives this legend the hi-def treatment and it sounds fantastic.
Recorded in Detroit at Ghetto Recorders with production by Matthew Smith
and engineering from Jim Diamond and Jason Fisher, “Life” manages to bring
timeless elements together in a definitive statement. With Matthew Smith,
David Shettler and Jim Diamond on guitar, drums and bass respectively, there
is a band unison that really works as a single big, bad machine. This is the real
deal. Andre Williams is the Man. This album is a must-have.
One of the unique highlights is the new recording of “Shake a Tail Feather” which Williams wrote and originally performed with the Five
Duo-Tones... in 1963... fifty years ago. Most people will recognize it from the Blues Brothers from 1980... thirty three years ago. This is
a guy who was dong his thing a decade before Super Fly and when most tv shows were black and white. Imitation may be the sincerest
form of flattery, and artists who have mined the roots of soul are a dime a dozen, but to get a new album from one of the original artists
in such a great overall package is truly special. So show some respect, do yourself a favor and pick “Life” up... you won’t put it down for
a long time, maybe not ever.
alive-records.com
Indie post pop from Belgium
VOLVER
- Beautiful Sad StoriesNew album out now
The Supersuckers
May 14, 2014: RUST Magazine talks to The Supersuckers in Atlanta at The Masquerade.
Watch the video on our YouTube channel.
supersuckers.com
«Ce mini-album
marque une profonde évolution.
La mélancolie ultra-présente
sur ce Beautiful Sad Stories
ainsi que les arrangements
mélodiques ont gagné en maturité.
Cette musique intimiste produit une
bulle dans laquelle s'isole l'auditeur.»
«Shoot Me Again»
volvertheband
&
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Dengue Fever: Escape From Dragon House
November 27, 2012: Though Dengue Fever’s Escape From Dragon House album has
been out for several years, they’ve just released a Deluxe Digital Edition, and it’s a great
introduction to a really unique band and is just as fresh today as when it was released.
Imagine if the Pacific Ocean got squeezed away by smashing the American and Asian
continents together and southern California surf culture got mixed up with southeast
Asian “Khmer Rock” and you’ve got Dengue Fever. But unlike a lot of other concept
bands, this one has real talent, great songwriting and over ten years of international
success.
Dengue Fever came to be when Ethan Holtzman traveled to Cambodia in 1997 and fell in
love with the country’s take on rock music. He and his brother Zac assembled the other
musicians (Senon Williams, Paul Smith and David Ralicke) and recruited Cambodian star
Chhom Nimol to complete the line-up. Their first self-titled album came out in 2003,
followed by Escape From The Dragon House in 2007, Venus on Earth in 2008, and
Cannibal Courtship in 2011.
What’s so great about this band, and this album, is that the unique sound is not just a surface aspect. Mining everything from ska, psychedelia, Asian
pop, surf/skate and alternative rock Dengue Fever creates cross-culturally-pollinated fresh, original songs that have permanent value.
With Escape From Dragon House, the band builds on their first studio session with a more confident, relaxed approach. There’s a consistent smooth
groove and a mix of upbeat and introspective, intense songs like Made Of Steam and One Thousand Tears Of A Tarantula. Chhom Nimol switches
back and forth both between English and Cambodian native Khmer, and her signature voice is matched by band’s great overall tonal unity. It’s a case
of a unique band with great original material beautifully executed in every way. Whether rocking out in a psychedelic assault or wandering through
colorful dreamy spaces, Dengue Fever develops their ideas with care and thought.
Bobby Long
August 2, 2013: RUST Magazine met up with Bobby Long at an abandoned lot in the Avondale Estates
neighborhood of Atlanta for a session in the summer heat. Bobby performed Help Him Down, Ode To
Thinking and The Song The Kids Sing, all of which are on our YouTube channel.
bobbylong.info
Perhaps the most significant thing about Escape From Dragon House is that many similar concept bands fail hard on their second album due to a
lack of talent and dedication. They might have a likeable idea, but there’s no longevity of output because
once the novelty has worn off there is not any residual substance. Dengue Fever defies the stereotype not
just with this album but by continuing on with consistent quality and originality. RUST Magazine not only
highly recommends Escape From Dragon House but we endorse the band as a whole and encourage people
to visit their online store where you can get all four of their original albums on vinyl as well as the Dengue
Fever Presents: Electric Cambodia collection. And, if you really love the band, or you are a collector, there’s
even a limited number of signed debut albums available in green vinyl.
Also check out Dengue Fever Presents: Electric Cambodia
denguefevermusic.com
Kristin Diable and The City
October 5, 2012: RUST Magazine talks Kristin Diable and
The City about the new Southern Renaissance and where
Bruce Springsteen can find the key to Kristin’s apartment.
With Charles Lumar and Casey McAllister.
youtube.com/rustzine
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AOK’s 5 Career Killers
By: Albert “AOK” Mayden III
RUST: AOK is one of the hardest working people in the music business and has staked his claim as a hip-hop producer and manager
with a corporate angle. Based out of Chicago, he is a music producer, recording and mixing engineer, writer and artist manager with over
13 years of experience. Beyond his involvement with The Go 2 Guyz and Last Dragon Entertainment, he has worked with Nike, Brand
Jordan, Def Jam/DTP, Blast Radius, Spank Music and a has been involved in breaking, mentoring and producing up and coming talent
such as Gallardo Tone. As CEO of the national production team The Go 2 Guyz, he manages members in NY, LA, CHI, and ATL. If that was
not enough he is also the Chicago Brand Rep for Istandardproducers.com and holds down a position at Pressure Point pprecs.com, one
of Chicago’s premiere recording studios as Director of Viral Marketing. Hit him up at [email protected]
June 2011: Everyone wants to be in the entertainment industry, cut
a record, tour and make plenty of money to buy whatever, whenever
you want. That all sounds good but from years of experience I’ve
found that the lifestyle you’re after may not be the best situation for
you as an artist. I see a lot of young people who come to me looking
for help and most of the time what they think is going to make them
the next big thing isn’t what the job calls for. Not only that but their
idea of what the day-to-day life of a professional performing artist
is like is usually way off.
There are plenty of articles that will give you the blueprint on how
to get into the industry, like how to cut demos, who to talk to at the
label. Some even get off into how to sell your music independently
without major backing. What a lot of people aren’t talking about are
the things that can stop your career before you even have one.
So what behavior or situations should you stay away from? There
are many different situations that could put your brand in Jeopardy,
so this could be a really long list, but I have comprised this list of the
5 top music industry career killers that I see causing lots of artist to
ultimately fail at what they are trying to do.
1: Being overzealous to the point you can’t listen or learn anything
new from the people who are trying to work with you. There comes
a time when you have to become a student again and take advice
from those around you who have more experience than you. I’ve
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seen people feel themselves to the point that no one wants to work
with them and they eventually get black booked or because the
entertainment industry is so small the word spreads that you are
difficult to deal with and you will be avoided by people you need..
Most executives will not deal with an artist that is just too excited
about everything going on. Don’t get me wrong, enthusiasm is key
but when you get in the studio, all those people are NOT there to
do what YOU want. And if you are not cooperative when managers,
producers, writers and promotions people make suggestions you’ll
see those people drop you and put their time into someone else
who will listen.
3: Emulating what’s popular is another career killer. This really
disturbs me because - for some reason - in this generation the
artists are all emulating what they see is popular on the Top 100
or MTV instead of developing their own identity. This has lead us
into the 808 digital age where the majority of hip-hop sounds the
same with unrealistic snare and hi hat rolls, everybody raps like
they are on dope, and the word swagger is being used like it’s the
newest word in the English dictionary. There comes a time where
you have to remain true to who you are and go against the grain if
you want to stand out. I’ll put it this way, the greatest artists create
their own name and develop that brand. If you’re afraid to do “you”
or are being told to do what everybody else is doing, my advice is to
remain an individual and follow your path so your music can evolve.
5: Last but not least is limiting yourself geographically. Not traveling
and staying confined to where you grew up is one of the major
mistakes artist make. Being around family and friends is cool but
is not conducive to success. Getting a pat on the back from loved
ones or being in your comfort zone does not produce any type of
career growth. It is very easy as humans to only do familiar things
but for your career you have to become worldlier and experience the
many different states of mind that exist nationally and worldwide.
Inspiration, new opportunities, and new fans of your work all await
those who dare to leave there own back yard. Sure, the road is
tough. Most musicians lose money on the road, but it’s a global
market and you have to cover as much of it as possible to be a
significant player.
4: Not having a strong online presence will kill your career before
it even gets started. It’s not just that we have seen digital sales
recently trump physical sales by 20%, and this is a trend that will
continue, but that online is simply the environment of success now.
With an effective online marketing campaign, basically anyone
can break out and grab a major piece of the market share. Make
sure you have a good looking, functional, working website up.
That might not sound like much but an incoherent site with old or
misinformation and broken links can even be worse that not having
a presence. Take the time to develop your online branding strategy
and use the net to your advantage. Also, there’s been a lot of shoespam on Facebook. Facebook can be even more important than
a website because it’s “Push Technology” that means when you
put something on Facebook it gets sent - pushed - to your friends
immediately and they don’t have to go to your website. But if you let
spammers use your page to push high-heeled sneakers, you’ll look
like a fool and lose credibility - fast.
There are many more scenarios that can be added to this list,
including lifestyle choices that can harm your health and ability to
perform or even lock you away where you don’t have the freedom to
be an artist. The hardest thing for an artist can be a self evaluation,
but it can be the most important. If you’ve been doing something
the same way for a few years and it’s not taking you where you
want to go, find what works for you - what doesn’t - and make the
changes that are necessary to become the brand you want to be.
Take educated risks, and remain a student at all times. Don’t listen
to the people around you, listen to the people above you and give
their advice serious consideration. Again, you might have talent, but
there’s a lot of talent out there. Why should a promoter, manager
or producer take his time to work with you when a hundred other
talented people walk through his office every week? Start with
avoiding these career killers and remember this statement “Hard
work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.”
2: Being lazy is the worst of all the career killers. You can be one of
the most talented artists of the day and get absolutely no opportunity
because you aren’t working hard towards any type of goal - and if
you are working, your not working hard enough. I have to deal with
this issue daily, and even worse than being lazy is making excuses.
Not only are you lazy but now you’re insulting the people you want
to help you by being irresponsible. People who work hard share one
trait and that is taking responsibility. You won’t hear any excuses
from a go getter, 80 hours a week is the norm for someone trying to
make it in the entertainment business. Until you get that first check
you have to juggle an extra job to survive and still do what you love
to the capacity of making it... I’ve seen 90% of the people around
me bow out at a certain point because it’s too much to handle.
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Mouths of Babes
July 27th 2013: In the Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown neighborhoods in Atlanta there is a burgeoning arts district that is home
to a whole new generation of artists and arts communities including DooGallery, and this is where we met up with Tylan (from
Girlyman) who was touring featuring Ingrid Elizabeth (of Coyote Grace) for an afternoon acoustic session.
The duo, which now goes by Mouths of Babes, performed The Person You Want, Already Fine and Wild Awake for our cameras,
and all three of those videos are on our YouTube page. Lately, Tylan has been writing a song a week for the Real Women Real
Songs project and the two have been touring and preparing material for their upcoming duo album.
If you want to know more, check out Tylan’s album One True Thing or visit their Mouths of Babes website.
tylanmusic.com
facebook.com/mouthsbabes
Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation 2014 © | us.ricoh-imaging.com | ricoh-imaging.ca | photography: Kate Turning
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In the next issue: Angela Perley & The Howlin’ Moons
The other guys just cover Rock and Roll history.
RUST Magazine MAKES Rock and Roll History!