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"Crazy Stuff Happens, But It's Not Illegal," -Interview with Michael "Padge" Paget of Bullet For My Valentine at Rocklahoma 2016

8/6/2016

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Photo by Jason Squires
Through heart-piercing screams, furious guitar riffs, angry vocals, pounding drum lines, and vicious solos, Bullet For My Valentine’s latest album Venom, released about a year ago, ranks as BFMV’s darkest album to date, explained guitarist Michael “Padge” Paget.
While distinctly heavy metal, their music easily fits into both the punk and metalcore genres. 
During an interview several years back, they described the earlier albums The Poison (2005) and Fever (2010) as “super-dark.” Said Paget, “I think Venom is even darker, myself. We wanted to make a gritty heavy metal record…, [to] make sure that every song is 100 percent banger.”
This plan worked out well for them, explained Paget. “Whenever you release an album, you don’t really know how it is going to go.  You hope it’s going to go great,” and because of the band’s tireless work, Venom was great. Paget continued, “At the end of the day we are a heavy-metal band, hard rock, and so we tried to stay as close to our roots as we possibly could.”
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Photo by Jason Squires
Part of what characterizes BFMV’s albums is Paget’s impressive guitar solos, which are not basic solos, nor are they boring, single-rhythm shredders. Seemingly without effort, he varies style, intervals, and rhythm within each solo and between solos. He has created a distinctly “Paget” sound that I associate with immense talent and hours in the woodshed.
Paget said that with difficult solos, he sits and works through it. “I need to slow this bit down, and then work the speed back up,” he gave as an example. “[It’s] just practice and rehearsal.”
PicturePhoto by Jason Squires
Paget’s life of guitar playing started in his teens, when he decided that looking and acting edgy was important. “It was all Nirvana.  I was a total grunger,” laughed Paget.  “I fell for the whole Nirvana thing, the explosion of Nirvana. It was the main reason I started playing guitar, why I started getting into bands…, dying my hair, ripping my jeans, wearing cardigans, [and] sleeping under fucking bridges.”  
He found a friend group to hang and jam with. “There was a whole bunch of us. [We] used to take our acoustic guitars, go somewhere where the jocks couldn’t find us, and just drink beer, play guitar, smoke cigarettes,” Paget explained. “That’s how I learned, basically.”
Paget added that the jocks always hated his group of friends. Why? “Because the girls would rather hang out with us ‘cause we were never trying to get in their pants,” said Paget, proving that being a respectful musician is the way to go. 

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Photo by Jason Squires
Hailing from Wales, BFMV tours internationally, and thus has experienced many regional foods. Paget said that although steaks from Texas and Brazil are fantastic, nothing quite beats a home-cooked meal.
Even while on tour, his family has a roast dinner every Sunday, which they call ‘Sunday Lunch.’ “We have gravy, potatoes, [and] chicken or beef or lamb,” said Paget wistfully. “There’s all these pictures on Instagram, just dribbling, and it’s like, ‘you fuckers.’”
 
Despite the lack of home-cooked Welsh food, Paget and his bandmates still manage to have a good time on tour, especially thanks to the bands they tour with, including 36 Crazy Fists, Avenged Sevenfold, and Asking Alexandria, among others.
“They’re all around fun dudes.  They like a drink as well,” remembered Paget. “Crazy stuff happens, but it’s not illegal or anything stupid like that. It’s just good happy fun times.”
PicturePhoto by Jason Squires
​When Paget actually does have down time, he produces music in his home-built studio.
“I just kind of built up my own studio piece by piece. I just learned it by myself, bought some books, watched a bunch of YouTube videos,” explained Paget.
Because of his self-taught experience, Paget was able to demo Venom, and thereby help out the band financially.
“I spent a fortune, but the band saved a fortune!” he laughed.  
Paget also works with local Welsh bands, and praised a nearby promoter who helps give those bands a leg-up in the industry.
 
Still on the road for Venom, Paget is performing night after night, getting doses of what he describes as “the best drug in the world.”
“Nothing beats it, you know,” said Paget about performing. “And to be able to do it, it’s just an honor really.  I feel so lucky; it’s like winning the musical lottery.”
 
So go check out Paget and the rest of his crew as they get high on their army of noise. 


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​Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. She is the editor and founder of TeenView Music and editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper, as well as a dedicated musician. As principal flutist of her school’s orchestra and band as well as a bass trombonist in jazz, she believes that she would not have a life if it weren’t for music. 
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"I'll need a rearview mirror!" Interview with Last in Line at Rocklahoma 2016

7/14/2016

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Photo by Jason Squires
Adding Andrew Freeman as vocalist, the original members of 1980’s rock band Dio reunited, forming Last in Line, a band created to play the Dio classics and to honor the memory of Ronnie James Dio. Taking their name from the deceased legend’s album released thirty-four years ago, Last in Line released Heavy Crown in February 2016.
PicturePhoto by Jason Squires
Only a month before the album release date, bassist Jimmy Bain passed away on tour from lung cancer, leaving Last in Line with the decision of whether or not to continue. Because of the accolades Heavy Crown was already garnering, the band made the decision to pick up bassist Phil Soussan and continue performing.
At Rocklahoma, Soussan was already an integral piece of Last in Line, although he did recognize that some strange feelings surrounded his presence.
Said Soussan of being in Last in Line, “I would describe it as a bittersweet experience.  I am very happy to be doing this, but there is also a bit of sadness involved.”

Before performing in Last in Line, Soussan—in addition to doing music—served as Vice President of the Grammy Foundation and chairman of their Advocacy Committee until about a year ago, when he termed out.
“Everyone is familiar with the awards show of course,” he said about the Grammys, “but what we do the other 364 days of the year [involves] advocacy issues and MusiCares* and [other] really important programs.”
 
Soussan also plays in a celebrity band called Big Noise, with whom he traveled to Kuwait and Iraq for two weeks to entertain the troops.
“It gave me a whole deal of respect for people who are in the military and for the sacrifices they make,” recalled Soussan.
The experience, he explained, has had a lasting impact on him. “I met this guy up at the bar last night who is in the military,” he remembered, “and the minute that came up there was an instant bond, which is really nice.”
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Photo by Jason Squires
At shows, despite twelve new songs off Heavy Crown, Last in Line plays almost exclusively old Dio songs, and only spices up the set with around four new tracks. However, the band doesn’t mind because of how much the fans love the old music.
 
“It’s amazing because we play these songs and they’re thirty-three years old and people are going crazy. They’re screaming and yelling, and they know the lyrics!” said legendary drummer Vinny Appice incredulously. “To see it survive that long and have that kind of life—it’s amazing.”
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Photo by Jason Squires
A group of successful musicians, the members of Last in Line have all traveled the world, and therefore have experienced some wonderful foods.
Soussan revealed his rather odd favorite place to eat: Finland. “The food there is really incredible gourmet food,” he explained.
On top of that, Soussan is quite partial to Japanese food, and let slip that he in fact owns a high-end Japanese restaurant in Sherman Oaks, California, called Kaiju, which means “monster” or “sea creature.”
“It’s been open about a year,” said Soussan. “It’s been something I’ve been wanting to do for 20 years.” 
Soussan has also been a contestant on Guy Fieri’s cooking show, and is—according to his website—an “avid gourmet chef.”
Obviously, this translates to the rest of Last in Line being very well-fed. Campbell remembered one particular meal Soussan cooked: “He made homemade pizza on a pizza stone, made the dough, rolled the dough, and it was served looking like a gourmet chef’s, as opposed to me who makes tuna fish sandwiches.”
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Photo of one of Kaiju Sushi's dishes, from their website
Any seasoned musician has spent countless hours working on technique, sound production, and style. Last in Line is no different, but they’ve harnessed technology to make their practicing easier.
Soussan uses an app called Anytune Pro, which he swore has changed his life. “It’s an application on your phone [and it] basically allows you to go over sections, or repitch, retune, or slow things down,” he explained.
A tool such as that is invaluable to a musician on crunch time, like Soussan was last summer.
“I had to learn ninety-two songs in a month, and it was insane,” Soussan laughed.
 
Appice spoke about a gig he was preparing for at the time called Rock Legends, which took place on June 18th in Temecula, California. He performed with Last in Line’s singer Andy Freeman, along with old Dio members Craig Goldy on guitar and Rudy Sarzo on bass.
“We’re playing with an orchestra,” said Appice. “I’ve never played with an orchestra… You got to play the songs exactly that many bars, because they’re reading music.  It’s not like us where it’s Oh, shit!  Let’s go one more time! This has got to be a very exact thing, so it’s a very challenging thing to do.”
Thinking about the upcoming event seemed to make Appice nervous as he joked, “The conductor is behind me.  He can’t even follow me.  I’ll need a rearview mirror!”
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It was an absolute pleasure and honor speaking with these rock legends at Rocklahoma 2016, and I hope to catch them at a live show in the future.

*MusiCares is a vital charity run by the Grammy Foundation that provides financial and medical support to musicians and aids them in times of personal emergency and need. To learn more, click here! 

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Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. She is the editor and founder of TeenView Music and editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper, as well as a dedicated musician. As principal flutist of her school’s orchestra and band as well as a bass trombonist in jazz, she believes that she would not have a life if it weren’t for music. 

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"I'll sit there and shoot fire," -Interview with John Exall of Texas Hippie Coalition at Rocklahoma 2016

7/8/2016

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Photo by Zoe Adler
Three words: Red. Dirt. Metal.
            Red-the color of blood
            Dirt- earth
            Metal- high-energy rock music
Texas Hippie Coalition hails from the land of blood-colored earth, the land notorious for its country music and twangy guitar sound, and combines the sounds of the South with high-energy rock music. The result of a marriage of two genres, Texas Hippie Coalition is a lovechild of incredible volume and force.
 
In their latest record Dark Side of Black, released April 22, THC chose to explore the metal side of their custom-made genre. Take track two, called “Angel Fall,” which has less of a Southern feel than prior albums. Beautiful arpeggios and a soft drumbeat will lull you into a comfortable, dreamlike state, before bass and drums scream, “HAHA JUST KIDDING!” Big Dad Ritch himself, blasting full force, follows this wonderful introduction, balls out and guns blazing, ready to slam your ears with a voice made of liquefied steel and Texas dirt.  
After listening to Dark Side of Black, I was struck by just how awesome bassist John Exall is. He provides the roots that keep THC grounded as they thrash in “Into the Wall” and “Gods Are Angry” and as they serenade and even take a turn for the funk (1:40) in “Knee Deep.” And this is all without mentioning his stereotype-shattering stage presence. Exall does not stand still, staring at the frets of his bass; instead, he head bangs, whipping his hair vigorously, and still manages to make eye contact with fans.
Despite his talent and awesome hair, Exall is a shockingly normal dude, willing to chat about Smoke Hollow, food, the new THC album, Sons of Texas, and his family.
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Photo by Zoe Adler
​We started with his side project Smoke Hollow, a heavy-hitting group that’s just kicking off, fronted by Kill Devil Hill’s vocalist Dewey Bragg.
“We got together with these cats named Jason Williams and Ralf Mueggler and we started churning out some music and it really turned into something,” started Exall. Set to release in early June, their debut album is still being eagerly awaited.
 
“We wanted to make sure it didn’t sound like Texas Hippie Coalition and it didn’t sound like Kill Devil Hill,” Exall said of the upcoming album. “It’s got its own legs, man. It’s going to be awesome. It’s hard to describe because I get all excited! I get all tongue-tied about it!”
Exall also mentioned the exciting news of a Smoke Hollow tour after THC’s summer on the road, so keep all eyes peeled for some fall dates from SH. 
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Photo by Zoe Adler
​Big Dad Ritch is a fairly big dude, yet is known for his affinity for pho and sushi, fairly light foods that call for consuming large amounts to satiate a full appetite.
“I’m more of a meat-eater myself,” laughed Exall. But Big Dad Ritch, Exall recalled, “goes and gets this big thing of soup. I don’t know how he does it, but my boy can put it down. The raw fish stuff—if it’s not cooked, I’m not eating it.”
He will, however, eat food that’s still alive, but if it’s dead, it’s got to be cooked.
 
Big Dad Ritch also has Red River Red’s hot sauce line, including his ‘Buckin Crazy Bar B Que Sauce,’ which is dubbed ‘sauce for outlaws’ and is ‘BDR approved.’
Exall said about Big Dad Ritch’s spicy sauce, “I don’t do very hot stuff, but I tried it one time. I dipped a little piece of chip in there and I thought I was going to die!” He laughed, saying, “I can’t eat that hot stuff. He’ll just sit there and eat it and sweat. I’ll sit there and shoot fire out and freak out.”
 
It turns out that THC stays very well fed because BDR is quite a cook.
“The dude can cook. Every time we go over, he’s got something new going on,” said Exall. “His steaks are awesome. We’re from Texas so we know how to cook pretty cool.”
 
Since THC is from Texas, and Texans do know how to cook pretty cool, I had to ask Exall the best place to get barbeque in his hometown of Sherman.
“There’s this little roadside stand, and there’s this old retired cop who makes us barbeque and that’s where I go.”
 
All this talk about food made me pretty hungry, and I assumed Exall would be, too, so I offered him some goldfish. However, he had to refuse on the grounds that he has a severe goldfish addiction and didn’t think it’d be right to eat all of them.
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Photo by Zoe Adler
As I mentioned, Dark Side of Black is a bit harder than before, and from what Exall said, that was in fact intentional.

“[We] went back to our roots… There’s still some Southern rock on it, but we stepped it up. You can go from ‘Knee Deep,’ who’s got that slow Southern feel, and then you bust out on something like ‘Angel Fall,’ which is just more metal,” he said. “We really wanted to spread our wings, man. And that had a lot to do with getting to work with Sterling Winfield. He’s worked with the great Pantera, he’s done Damageplan, he’s done Hellyeah… He’s really opened up the doors for us and made us focus on this album. I’ve got much love for him.”

I asked Exall what song he’s most proud of on the album, but he says he’s proud of the whole album, that he can’t pick just one song.

“Cord Pool, our guitar player, really stepped up his game, and just killed it,” said Exall. This led to one of at least two Cord Pool cheerleading sessions, where Exall and I both gushed fangirlingly about Pool’s incredible guitar skills.

“He’s 26 and doesn’t even know how good he is yet,” boasted Exall like a proud father. “I keep telling him, ‘I don’t know when you’re going to get with a real band, but when you do, you’re going to be BADASS!’”
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Photo by Zoe Adler
The familial adoration Exall has for Cord Pool reminded me of THC’s ‘younger brother,’ who hails from McAllen, Texas: Sons of Texas. Having toured with THC and playing a similar Southern rock style, Sons of Texas easily appears like THC’s baby brother (which does mean THC is Big Brother, but I wouldn’t worry too much about that).
From electrifying guitar riffs in “Bury the Hatchet” to soothing yet heart-wrenching vocals in “September,” Sons of Texas demonstrates promise on every musical front.
“We just got off tour with those guys last night, and I was sad to see them go,” said Exall. 
“They are the best up-and-coming band. Keep your eyes on these cats because they’re going to be the next big thing, I promise you.”
Exall recalled the final night on the tour when everyone from Sons of Texas jumped on stage for the final song, “Pissed Off And Mad About It,” and ran around with THC.
“I am going to miss watching them every night,” said Exall. “I learned something every day.”
In addition to touring rigorously with THC and working with his side project, Exall has a family. He has seven children, six daughters and one son (talk about being outnumbered!), with his 17-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son still living at home.
“They’re all musically inclined,” Exall said happily. “They all like to sing and play, and my son likes to act. He’s in all the drama classes at school.”
It is a known difficulty, having a family and being a touring musician. “I get to do something I love, but I’m always away from my family. It’s the way I keep a roof over their heads and shoes on their feet, so it’s an even trade,” he explained.
But when it comes time to head home after a long tour, Exall said he can’t wait to come home.
“I’m ready to hug my kids, kiss my wife, play with my dogs, and go to sleep. All at one time,” Exall said. 
All in all, Exall is an amazing dude, the coolest cat on the Southern rock block. He is incredibly humble and never runs out of positive comments for any and every person you mention. Enthusiastic about music like a young child entering an ice cream factory, Exall is the past, the present, and the future of music. As he told me, he doesn’t fit within any musical generation. 

​“I like to think of myself as timeless.”
--John Exall, 2016


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​Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. She is the editor and founder of TeenView Music and editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper, as well as a dedicated musician. As principal flutist of her school’s orchestra and band as well as a bass trombonist in jazz, she believes that she would not have a life if it weren’t for music. 
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Poutine! Interview with Trevor McNevan of Thousand Foot Krutch at Rocklahoma 2016

6/13/2016

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Photo by Jason Squires
I can be metal, but not too screamy. I can be pop, but not without meaning. I can be rap, but I’m not slanting. It’s the way that you hear me, the way that you hear me.
PicturePhoto by Jason Squires
​Trevor McNevan is a nice guy, and not just because he’s Canadian. As I settled down with Thousand Foot Krutch’s lead singer in the media tent before his show, he shared with me the perks and pitfalls of being a DIY band, his faith, and a miraculous thing called “poutine.”
But before we start, I’ll clear up some confusion over the above lines in italics. It’ll all make sense when you check out the music video for “Running With Giants,” a single off TFK’s album Oxygen: Exhale, scheduled for release on June 17th, and available for pre-order with some awesome kickbacks. Exhale is the sister album to 2014’s release Oxygen: Inhale, which McNevan said focused on TFK’s lighter side. On the other hand, according to McNevan, Exhale “is more of a ‘drop the gloves,’ just full-blown, aggressive [album].” Click here to read TeenView Music’s preview of Exhale. 

PicturePhoto by Jason Squires
Thousand Foot Krutch is a DIY, or Do It Yourself band, meaning that instead of relying on a record label to determine when, where, and how to do everything, the band makes and manages those decisions. McNevan pointed out that preordering albums online has no real advantage, which is why TFK’s preorder option is $7.99. And not only is it two bucks cheaper, you receive five songs instantly when you preorder Oxygen: Exhale, something a record label would not allow.
“[It] builds momentum,” explained McNevan. So although TFK is not anti-label at all, “It’s been fun to be able to get creative and not have so much red tape.”
And thanks to those benefits, Exhale has been selling a bunch of preorders.
 
On the other hand, there is a disadvantage to the DIY route: “There’s a ton of risk, man,” said McNevan. “It’s sometimes terrifying, to be totally honest.”
But in spite of that, explained McNevan, “It’s beautiful, and we love it, and it’s so much fun to do. We feel so blessed to do what we love and get to do it in a way where we can stay creative.”
 
At this point, I asked McNevan to pinpoint the biggest risk TFK had ever taken, which proved difficult because every decision comes with a risk.
We often come to a point, explained McNevan, “where we come to a crossroads… Where we feel we’re supposed to go that way, but there’s just no road there--it’s desert. We feel that most of our careers have been this bushwhacking or off-road vehicle situation.”
Here McNevan cited his Christian faith as a Krutch he and his band mates depend on. “We work hard, we do the possible, and we trust Him to be impossible… It’s been a great journey and we’re just getting started, man.”

PicturePhoto by Jason Squires
The members of TFK are Christian, but do not call themselves a Christian rock band, because, as McNevan explained, “It isn’t our genre of music, it’s not our name tag.  It’s who we are.” He continued, saying, “We are always going to be honest about who we are.  We’ve always made music for everyone.  That’s never separated us.  We love each and every one of these bands…and for the most part, it’s always been that way. We love and support each other. We’re a rock family. That’s who we are, that’s who you are.”
And when I heard McNevan speak about his faith, it struck me as something beautiful and simple. Something that should not separate TFK from other bands, but bring them together.
I was curious about how his faith might help him deal with the day-to-day bullshit as well as the emotional strain being in a band comes with.
“It’s easier in my life--I can’t speak for anyone else--to look past things,” McNevan explained, “[but] we go through the same struggles, the same pains [as] everybody does, regardless of faith.  What you choose to do with that, how you respond to those things, are a big part of who we all are.”

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Photo by Jason Squires
​A main theme in my Rocklahoma interviews this year was food, and since I am visiting Canada this summer, I had to ask McNevan what I should eat.
“The most stereotypical classic dish is not healthy at all,” he warned. “It is called ‘Poutine.’  It’s French fries with real mozzarella curds…[and] gravy.  Those three things together [are] unbelievable. It’s a Canadian love.” To me, that doesn’t just sound unbelievable; it sounds like a glorious cardiac arrest in a bowl.
Apparently, Canada is rife with “Poutineries,” restaurants dedicated to serving an incomprehensible variety of poutines. For first timers, McNevan recommends starting with the “original poutine” before going for any of the fancy-sounding versions. 
In that gravy-filled vein, I leave you hungry for poutine and pop-metal, and advise you pounce on that awesome pre-order deal before Oxygen: Exhale drops this Friday. While you’re here, enjoy two other singles already released: 

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Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. She is the editor and founder of TeenView Music and editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper, as well as a dedicated musician. As principal flutist of her school’s orchestra and band as well as a bass trombonist in jazz, she believes that she would not have a life if it weren’t for music. 
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"I long to be that bored that I would watch golf," -Interview with Bryan Richie of The Sword at Aftershock 2015

12/20/2015

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Bryan Richie of The Sword
Aftershock 2015

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​ “Mist & Shadow” off The Sword’s recent release High Country has a line that I believe perfectly articulates the stoner metal, hippie aspect of the band:
Nothing to do but commune with the trees
​I spoke with bassist Bryan Richie at Aftershock this year (so many months ago) after his performance, which he described to me in complex terms: “Let me break it down for you. It was awesome.”
The first thing Richie said to me as he seated himself in a hard plastic chair across from me was, “Do you feel inundated with dust?” Of course, the question “Shouldn’t I be interviewing you?” ran through my head before anything else.
Instead, I told Richie “yes—my lungs are thickly coated with dirt—but there are worse things to deal with.”
He said that although his air pipes so far had been safe from the air, “I’m just seeing [the dust] speckle in the light and thinking of just breathing it in.”
Indeed, from every crack in the canvas above our heads poured down shafts of sunlight filled with mini-tornados of the kicked-up dirt from the ground. The powdery air around us swirled and danced as it quickly dried out our insides.
 
As I mentioned earlier, The Sword came out with their latest album High Country in August of this year. This release had a dual effect on the stoner metal world (a small one, but a world nonetheless): (1) it angered prior fans of The Sword because it deviated from their standard sound in the last few albums, and (2) it excited old fans and brought in new ones with its originality and changing mood throughout. To read a full album review of High Country, click here.
 
Richie said about the new styles in the album that while they were writing it, “We were very much aware that what we were doing was different from what we had done in the past, but…to say that we set out to do something that would be perceived as a gigantic change in direction, I don’t know. We just set out to write songs, and this is what happened. It was very organic in that sense.”
 
 After asking Richie about the album, I mentioned to him that his band had been described in an article as “The Nolan Ryan of Stoner Metal,” to which he launched into a long discussion about sports.
Personally, he explained, he doesn’t like watching baseball, and other sports are equally pointless to him. “I long to be that bored,” said Richie, “that I would watch golf.”
Other sports have a weirdness factor, he told me, which makes them more entertaining to watch, like synchronized swimming. “You can kind of smoke a bowl and just be like, ‘Wow this is really weird,’ and really hone in on how bizarre it actually is.”
​Lucky for Richie, Aftershock provided him and his band mates with catering, something he deeply appreciated. The meal, which he ranked “a solid 7.7 out of ten,” had kickass lasagna, but some downfalls, like the couscous. “It was a little off the mark,” he explained. “It’s weird. I was expecting it to be a little firmer. It was a little mushy for my taste, but I’m very picky.”
Despite his pickiness, the band Red Fang—buddies of The Sword—plays music that he can approve of. “The videos are funny, the guys are cool, their music’s rad. They’re like the total package,” said Richie. And in fact there will be an interview with Red Fang coming up next on TeenView Music.
 
The Sword is currently in the midst of “The High Country Tour,” and if they’re coming out to any place near you, go seem them. Their live shows are worth losing those five hours of sleep.

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​Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future.
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"Keep eating and then poop it out"- Interview with Devour the Day at Aftershock 2015

11/23/2015

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[Photo courtesy of Devour the Day's official website]
Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, two-piece Devour the Day came to Aftershock with a plan: to enjoy the West Coast’s lenient enforcement of certain laws. The film enthusiasts with a Frisbee Golf obsession were ecstatic to be performing at such an amazing festival alongside infamous international acts like Marilyn Manson and Breaking Benjamin, but were equally drawn to the freeness with which they could participate in certain recreational activities.
Bassist Blake Allison explained to me that his biggest issue of the day was: “I have…different kinds of weed in my trailer and I haven’t gotten to smoke any of it.” Other than that, he told me, he had nothing to complain about.

​As a two-piece band, Devour the Day travels with two touring musicians whom they feel blessed to have. “Both guys are exceptional musicians,” said lead singer and guitarist Joey Chicago. “They’re incredibly talented guys…and I think Blake and I were able to pick two humble dudes who just want to learn. They want to be out here.”
 
Allison and Chicago used to be members of a rock band called Egypt Central, but chose to break off and form their own group after tensions rose and they ceased to enjoy their situation.
“It was tough for us to make the decision to just start over,” Allison told me. “I think it would have been a lot easier for us to just find another singer and move on.”
 
Many websites mentioned that Allison and Chicago had played music together since they were “kids,” and they told me that they’d played together since seventeen or eighteen years old, which I don’t really consider childhood anymore. That’s more like young adulthood.
However they told me that at that age they were still too immature to be anything but kids.
When they were eighteen, “it was like twelve [or] thirteen for most people,” Chicago explained. “Technically, on the inside, I’m still around like twenty-one.”
“On the outside,” Allison said, “he’s a cold eighty-five. Wrinkly. ‘Hanging balls,’ they say.”
​As mentioned before, Allison and Chicago are huge film nerds, and their latest album Time & Pressure (released two years ago) is named after Stephen King’s short story “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption,” later made into the iconic movie Shawshank Redemption starring Morgan Freeman.
They are currently looking forward to a wide variety of movies coming out this year, including The Martian, Suicide Squad, and Bridge of Spies.
They also were excited for the new 007 movie Spectre. “I grew up in an age where once a year there was a James Bond marathon,” Allison reminisced. “I love Daniel Craig… so the new Bond is going to be sweet.”
In addition to new movies, Allison and Chicago love the classics. “I literally was just on a plane talking to somebody about Jean Kelly and Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Stewart,” said Chicago.
 
Somehow, and I honestly have no explanation for it, we ended up talking about the Greeks, and not just anything about the Greeks, but specifically their formal practice of excessive eating.
“I think the weirdest thing the Greeks did was the gluttony thing, dude,” said Allison. “At rich banquets, they would have these giant clay vases for throwing up so you could gorge yourself. Just eat, throw up, and then eat more.”
Allison said he’d never do something that disgusting. He’d rather, he said, “keep eating and then poop it out,” no matter how good the food was.
“I don’t know,” interjected Chicago. “Maybe if you get a good set of ribs…”
 
A talented duo, Devour the Day’s music hits the spot for anyone into the modern metal scene.
 
Watch the lyric video for “Respect” off Time and Pressure: 

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​Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future.
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"It's not like I am an IRS agent," Interview with Oli Herbert from All That Remains at Aftershock 2015

11/11/2015

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Oli Herbert 
of All That Remains

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Oli Herbert [Photo courtesy of PremierGuitar.com]
​It doesn’t matter what music you listen to; with All That Remains, there’s a song for you. Their newest release The Order of Things (14 February 2015) caters to every flavor of rock fan. Into hardcore screamo? Listen to “No Knock.” Love melodic metal? Enjoy Phil Labonte’s clean vocals in “Divide.” Can’t get enough rock ballads? Sing along to “For You.” Fancy metalcore? “Pernicious” slams the bass drum hard enough to re-align the beating of your heart.
And if you like great guitar work, it doesn’t matter which song you choose, every single one boasts Oli Herbert and Mike Martin’s exceptional abilities to manipulate the guitar. The opening to “Bite My Tongue” gives a sample of their skill.
For those of you familiar with All That Remains, their classic sound is still accessible in The Order of Things. “The Greatest Generation” and “Victory Lap” have their infamous mesh of screaming and clean vocals, of hard-hitting speed metal and good, old-fashioned rock.
When I first got ahold of this album, I was disappointed. I wanted a carbon copy of For We Are Many, and when I didn’t, I felt let down. Now, I appreciate it in its full.
Speaking with lead guitarist Oli Herbert at Aftershock was an unforgettable experience. His long hair draped over his shoulders as he intently looked at me, a serious expression holding his face and freezing his eyes. He answered every question sincerely, a gentle kindness about him as he spoke of everything from classical music to taxes, from the shithole that is high school to the joy of doing what he loves most—playing music.
Herbert began playing guitar at 14, an age where he felt out of place with his peers. “I was just a lone metalhead,” Herbert remembered. “Instead of going off to parties, I’d stay on my own and practice.” His parents recognized early on his dedication to the guitar, and supported his musical ventures.
“I had my first band, we played in the Battle of the Bands [on the] last day of school [my] senior year,” he said. “[We] won third place and $25. My first gig I got paid.” Now that’s a statement most musicians never get to say.
After high school, Herbert attended college and earned a Bachelor’s in Music Composition. “Understanding classical music, jazz music, [and] how things are built—I think it’s…extremely important for a guy who does a lot of songwriting for a band, like myself,” he told me. His background in classical and jazz composition has proven an asset, especially for The Order of Things.
“I went back to my roots for this album,” explained Herbert. “I went back to before I really liked heavy metal… I went, ‘What made me want to start playing?’ I feel like that fun vibe…made it onto the record.”
To sustain himself through college and the early stages of All That Remains, Herbert taught guitar lessons, and still does when he finds the time.
“It’s fun to watch someone come in with a question and they’re struggling, they think they’ll never be able to overcome a certain hurdle, and I show them the most straightforward, easiest route to accomplishing that,” Herbert explained. He cherishes the look on his students’ faces when they begin to understand or surmount an obstacle. He continued, “I like to see people happy. I like to see people achieve something.”
This philosophy of relishing the excitement of others translates to his on-stage performance as well.
“I think one of the greatest joys of doing this is that I’m out there and playing and people are hopefully receptive and happy about it,” Herbert said. “I’m out there doing what I love; they’re there because they want to be. It’s not like I’m an IRS agent. They’re paying to see a show and I’m glad to entertain.”
Teaching guitar worked well for Herbert for several years, until ATR began touring a lot more. “I had to quit the teaching job at the store I was at because I wasn’t around enough and we were making such little money on tour,” he explained.  
In fact, after one of ATR’s first tours, Herbert came back with only $200 to his name. “It sucked,” he said. “I had to make a hard decision: Do I stay with the band and hope it gets better? Or do I go back to teaching [full time]—which is a sure thing—but always wonder what could have happened?”
After having successfully released seven albums and travelled all over the world, Herbert is glad with the choice he made, but at the time, he felt unsure where that decision would take him. Now, Herbert says, “I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
Herbert dedicates himself to constantly performing at a high level. “I always perform sober,” he stated. “Every time I perform, I know every single mistake that I made that night... I don’t let it destroy me if I miss a couple notes, but the next day in the practice room, I [think], ‘This is what needs to happen, this is what you messed up, let’s work on it…’ If I see improvement on that part, I’m like, ‘All right!’”
Herbert strives for what he calls “tangible results,” and will sometimes spend three hours locked in a room working on one lick.
This intense work pays off, as Herbert is one of the most overlooked guitarists in metal today. His energy onstage electrifies the crowds as they drool over his fast fingers and addicting riffs. He ranks in the top five most under-appreciated guitarists of today along with Cord Pool from Texas Hippie Coalition.
Oli Herbert’s dedication is apparent in everything he does, from his interviews to his performances and every movement in between, he is one hundred percent devoted to All That Remains and everything it stands for. 


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​Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future.
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"We could basically walk off stage, go get a cup of tea, go get a hair cut, and go have a bath," Interview with RavenEye at Aftershock 2015

10/27/2015

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RavenEye
at Aftershock 2015

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Guitarist and vocalist Oli Brown
​RavenEye, an incredible blues-rock trio from Milton Keynes, UK, opened up Monster Energy’s Aftershock Festival Saturday, October 24, with a mind-blowing performance on the Coor’s Light Stage.
​

A recent discovery of mine, RavenEye exceeded my expectations in every way. Oli Brown’s vocals were more soul-filled and gutsy than I could ever have imagined and his guitar solos were on point; Aaron Spiers’ grooving bass line and insurmountable energy put to rest all bass-player stereotypes; and Kev Hickman’s superb drumming, especially in “Breaking Out,” left me in awe.
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Oli Brown and Aaron Spiers
The most unforgettable part of RavenEye’s show was when Brown clambered on Spiers’ shoulders and they walked around like that while playing their instruments. A remarkable feat of balance, I couldn’t help but ask just how much they had to practice that particular move.

“We started first doing it before, like in the UK we started giving it a go, but we didn’t quite have the technique down,” said Brown. “Now we’ve gotten to the point where he [Spiers] can do anything, and I can stay on his shoulders.”

​Spiers explained, “It’s because I’m so strong.” To this statement, the entire band chortled. ​​
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Drummer Kev Hickman
In 2014, shortly after RavenEye formed, the band toured in support of legendary guitarist Joe Satriani.
“His band was amazing, and he was such a sweet guy as well,” said Spiers. “We had a wicked time, as well and we got so lucky to be on that tour.”
Hickman explained, “As a drummer, getting to watch Marco Minnemann play with Satriani every single night, doing a drum solo and making it different every night…was really special.”
Of course, my next thought was, why don’t you take some drum solos?
Apparently, in the past he has, but he tends to get carried away.
“Sometimes, back in England, we opened it up and let Kev [Hickmann] have a bit of a solo,” said Brown. “It progressively got longer and longer until we could basically walk off stage, go get a cup of tea, go get a hair cut, go have a bath, come back on stage, and he’d still be playing his drum solo.”
Defensively, Hickman exclaimed, “It was only five minutes!”
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Oli Brown
In December of 2014, RavenEye released their debut EP Breaking Out, featuring my personal favorites “Hey Hey Yeah,” “Get It Started,” and the title track. At Aftershock, they performed two or three other songs not included on the EP, which they plan to continue to introduce live until they have the chance to record another EP or album.
“We tend to sit down and write intensely together,” explained Spiers. The new music, he said, “Shows a different side of what we play.”
Brown added, “We want to get as much writing done as we can, and we [already] have a full set’s worth. The EP was only meant to put out a feeler record just to try to gain interest in our local scene,” he continued. “Now we’re kind of playing catch-up because we want to offer more material. So, we’re going to be recording soon.”
“We’re going to try some different studios and some different people to work with,” explained Spiers.
“We’ll be recording stuff in one studio and sending it to another mixer just seeing how different people’s minds react to the songs,” Brown added. “We’re going to experiment and see what we can come up with.”
Many of us can appreciate this scenario: hanging out with friends and in comes Mom, taking photos and acting way too interested. Well, Spiers had that experience at Aftershock last weekend. His mom—who’d flown over from Australia for the last few shows of the tour—was front row in the crowd, singing along and snapping dozens of photos of her son on her iPad.
“It’s a new present,” explained Spiers about the tablet. “She whips it out and it’s like ‘oh my god!’” Laughing, he added, “I love her to death, I absolutely love her, but oh my god!” 
For the past month or so, RavenEye toured with Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. An incredible experience for them both musically and networking-wise, RavenEye expressed satisfaction and gratitude for the opportunity.
“Great guy, great group, great crew,” said Spiers. “Everyone treated us like gods… It’s been a dream tour for us.”
After a show in New York tomorrow, October 28, RavenEye will be heading back to the UK for two shows with Deep Purple (how awesome is that?!).
 
RavenEye’s EP Breaking Out is available on iTunes, and I’m suggesting purchasing it. Their bluesy grooves are perfect for outdoor parties, driving in the car, or playing air-guitar in your room. Check it out.

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​Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future.
Photos by Dan Adler
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Interview with PERIPHERY at Rocklahoma 2015

10/13/2015

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Periphery

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Photo Courtesy of MetalInjection.net
A pioneer of the djent movement, Bethesda, Maryland-based Periphery will rattle your bones with their earthquake bass lines and diverse vocals. From screams to melodious choruses, lead vocalist Spencer Sotelo provides a magnificent icing to Periphery’s musical cake in their latest albums Juggernaut: Alpha and Juggernaut: Omega, both released on January 27th of this year. 

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"I've been listening to Slayer since I was younger than you,": Interview with A Course of Action at Rocklahoma 2015

8/25/2015

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A Course of Action
at Rocklahoma 2015

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Lead guitarist Jonathan Byrd [Photo courtesy of ACOA's EPK]
Drawing experience from years of touring and making music with bands like Copperhead and Hybrid, A Course of Action already has the know-how and musicianship to make a lasting imprint on the rock world.

Earlier this year ACOA released their sophomore album Treason through Star 1 Records featuring the single “Who We Are,” a bluesy, soul-searching rock ballad that showcases lead singer John Culberson’s vocal expertise. 
I spoke to A Course of Action at Rocklahoma on the night Slayer was shredding the main stage to pieces. Their trailer was slowly sinking into the sticky mud as they waited for their 0-dark-30 performance on the Axis Stage after Linkin Park’s closing show on the concert grounds. Unfortunately, their show was cancelled along with Volbeat’s, In Flames’, and Linkin Park’s due to extreme weather conditions, but they were able to participate in an epic acoustic jam that night in the rain.

I joined ACOA after wandering through the dark for ten minutes as the rain poured and my shoes gasped for air as they suffocated in the mud. Entering the god-like dryness of their RV, I noticed a man bouncing up and down on the roof to the distant sounds of Slayer. Inside, the rest of the band and their manager laughed as they listened to John Culberson bang and crash around on the roof, just waiting for a scream and thud. They were enjoying a few beers and “seasoned” maraschino cherries, relaxing while they killed the time before their set.

When the rest of the band finally forced Culberson inside for the interview, he spoke about how Slayer has shaped his guitar playing.

“I don’t want to age myself,” laughs Culberson, “but I’ve been listening to Slayer since I was younger than you [16-years-old].” In all his time, even playing festivals and touring with different bands, he had never seen Slayer until that day, from the roof of the trailer.

Although Slayer has influenced Culberson’s guitar-work a great deal, his vocals pull from a more contemporary set of inspirations.

Bassist Wes Johnson says in a possible Freudian slip, “When you separate his guitar-work and focus on his vocal [pause] issues—well, on his vocals, his influence is more from Phil Collins.”

Through the years as musicians in different bands, they have grown and developed. “As this group specifically, we’ve learned to write music together,” explains Johnson. “What sells is a song, and we have this common understanding that we have to concentrate on the song and not so much on the individual [parts] of it.”

This is important, Johnson elaborates, because a musician can focus solely on the sounds coming out of his/her own instrument, but being in a band requires opening the ears to the surrounding musicians and working your sounds into theirs.

“The thing about music is that progressing through it is no different than you or anybody else progressing through life,” says Culberson. “It happens without you even realizing it. You do it for so long that sometimes you don’t realize the changes that are taking place or the maturity that you’ve developed… The cool thing about it is that if you’re able to be in a band that’s been together for as long as we’ve been, you start developing a sort of chemistry and a bond without even realizing that it’s going on. It’s not something you have to work on. It’s that over so much time, you start to gel together.”

Lead guitarist Jonathan Byrd summarizes the thought, saying, “I’ve played in many different bands, but I’ve never played in a band that’s like us.” Laughing, he adds, “We can finish each others’ sentences."

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Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist John Culberson [Photo courtesy of ACOA's EPK]
ACOA has found that they rarely find themselves arguing and disliking each other the way younger bands often do. Their manager Sheree Byrd says, “You guys are old enough and have been in enough bands to be out of your ego and going after something [together]… At this stage of your life you’re just trying to reach a common goal. A lot of bands when they’re in their twenties are trying to be rock stars and get chicks, and they don’t think, ‘what are we going to be doing when we’re forty-five? Are we still going to be doing this?’”

This leads Johnson to another thread of thought. “Another unique thing about this band is John’s [Culberson’s] lyrics. They’re not completely about racecars, girls, and rock n roll. There’s some substance to them. Everyone can relate to them from different angles.”

Culberson adds, “Every song that I write, lyrically speaking, is based on the same things in life that everybody is going to be going through.”  He gives as an example the song “Beautiful” off their newest album Treason. “‘Beautiful’ is a song that’s written about depression, which is a subject that relates to so many different people.”

“There’s another song,” says Johnson, “called ‘The Question,’ and the question is, Why do we still do this?”


The band, without hesitation, answers in chorus, “Because we love it."
"Beautiful"
"The Question"
Most of the members of A Course of Action are fathers of children in their teen years, and although being away from kids is hard, they make the best of it.

When A Course of Action opened for Halestorm, drummer JT Silvestri's daughter was turning sixteen. Sheree Byrd got her backstage passes to meet Lzzy Hale, and at the end of the show, all the members of Halestorm sang “Happy Birthday” to her. Mrs. Byrd said, “She thought she’d died and gone to heaven.”

They must be fantastic parents, since I ended up spending an hour with them, and had a complete blast. We were laughing and teasing each other, and when my dad started texting wondering where I was, they got on the phone with him and reassured him of my safety.

What struck me the most during the hour I spent with them is their obvious friendship. At this point in the game, these guys aren’t just dudes who play music together, they’re brothers.

A Course of Action rocks from JT Silvestri’s solid drumming to Culberson’s melodic-but-hard vocals, from Byrd’s crafty guitar-work to Johnson’s supporting bass. One of the highlights of the Axis stage at Rocklahoma, I recommend heading over to their website where there are recordings of all their songs off the new album Treason, and their first album Dark Before the Dawn.  
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