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"All they wanted to do was use the restroom,": Interview with Lola Black at Rocklahoma 2015

6/25/2015

Lola Black

Jet black hair, black-rimmed eyes, sleek black dress, Lola Black is every bit as gothic as her name suggests. With a dark and compelling aura, she belts out metal melodies ferociously, a wild and sexy front-woman with a killer voice. And her name really is Lola Black.

(To avoid confusion, I will—from here on out—refer to the lead singer by Lola, and the band itself by Lola Black.)

Lola, a self-taught singer, has epic vocal prowess, and her stage presence is both charming and menacing. Lola Black has three guitarists, and together they interweave the bass line, melody, and harmony.

Crispy Chris

I had the pleasure of speaking with Lola and her husband, guitarist Crispy Chris, a seasoned musician who has played in several bands in his time, before they performed at Rocklahoma. They were stoked to play, and couldn’t wait to get in the crowd for Slayer and Ministry.

Music is a big piece of their family; their fourteen-year-old daughter has already established herself as a drummer, and Lola sees her eight-year-old son possibly becoming a front-man for his own band.

Lola and Chris collaborate on lyrics for Lola Black, and Chris handles a majority of writing for the instruments.

Being married partners and band mates can sometimes prove a challenge for them, explains Lola. “The band will bleed through into our married life, and our married life will bleed into our band life.”

Chris adds, “We drive the rest of the band crazy!”

However, this is not a bad thing for this band, which has a notorious reputation as a party band. In fact, the very night before we spoke, Lola and Chris pulled a nasty prank on their band mates.

“So we got to the hotel first before [the rest of] the band,” begins Lola. “We went into their hotel room and took out all the toilet paper, all the pillows, all the towels. They had just gotten done with a ten-hour drive, so all they wanted to do was use the restroom, which they couldn’t do.”

Lola Black

In 2012, Lola Black released an album called Día de Los Borrachos, which translates to Day of the Drunks. Lola has a Hispanic heritage, and the band is considering recording a few songs in Spanish. “I am the most white-washed Hispanic I know,” laughs Lola, but she thinks it would be fun to explore that alleyway.

Having some Latin-influenced songs on their new album is something they’re considering when they work in the studio this fall and winter. They will be recording with the influential Bob Marlette (Rob Zombie, Seether, and Alice Cooper, to name a few), and can’t wait to set to work on a fresh record.

“It’s not titled yet,” says Lola, “[but] we’ve got three singles that we’re hoping to release soon. As soon as we get through the festival season, we’ll get with [Marlette] to finish up the songs.”

I look forward to hearing their new album and watching the world discover Lola’s epic vocals.

Crispy Chris, Lola Black, and me at the Media Tent

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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"My grandmother taught me how to play bass,": Interview with Lovebettie at Rocklahoma 2015

6/23/2015

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Lovebettie

Lead singer Alexandra Naples

I insist you watch the following music video. Listen. Just listen to lead singer Alexandra Naples’ outstanding vocals, a resonating, rich contralto. Also, soak in her stage presence, which pulls you in to her personal musical universe of fun. Here is “Stranger”:

Stunning, right? Naples’ remarkable voice is as lovely as her smile and personality. A radiant woman, she was an immense pleasure to talk to, as were her incredibly warm and kind band mates: guitarist C.T. Fields (also Naples’ husband), bassist Nick Quinn, and drummer Larry Shotter.

Larry Shotter

In 2013, Lovebettie released their album Rise to critical acclaim, and were recently named “Band to Watch” by Rolling Stone. The success from this album is largely due to the insane dedication of the band. Endlessly touring, they have logged only three studio days in the last three months.

“We’re trying really hard to make time to create a new [album],” says Naples. “That’s our goal this winter, to really set aside the time.”

They already have written new songs, some of which they performed at Rocklahoma, and they are itching to perfect and record them.

Naples says the plan is to take a two or three week break from their rigorous touring schedule to sit down as a group and put together their ideas. Lovebettie is evolving, and they want their fans to have access to their music as it evolves.

“You want people to hear and understand and know where you’re at now,” Naples explains.

C.T. Fields

For Lovebettie, the teen years were an important part in their growth as musicians. Bassist Nick Quinn was fifteen years old when his addiction to music began.

“My grandparents used to be in a country band for about thirty years, and my grandmother taught me how to play bass,” tells Quinn. “And like Larry [drums] says, you can tell.”

Naples, during her teen years, lost her grandmother, someone she felt extremely close to.

“In my life, that was the most difficult thing I’ve ever gone through,” says Naples. “That’s actually when I started writing my own music.”

Lovebettie’s song “Are You Out There?” is written about Naples’ grandmother, and it took Naples twelve years to write the song. When she performed it at Rocklahoma, her eyes were brimming with tears, and loving memory swam in her melancholy voice.

On the way to Rocklahoma, Lovebettie’s leaf spring on their trailer broke, creating a classic tour story.

They searched desperately for a trailer place actually open on Memorial Day weekend, since they needed to arrive at the festival in time to check in and set up.

“We pass this trailer place and I see this guy…so we literally pull over on the side of the highway, and I run up this crazy cliff on the side of the highway to this trailer yard and accost this very nice man,” laughs Naples. The man kindly agreed to fix the trailer.

“The one guy that was working there was looking at me all crazy, and he said, ‘Are you in a band called Lovebettie?’ and I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘I am literally freaking out right now ‘cause I just want to get out of work so I can go to Rocklahoma, and you’re on my list to see tonight! I can’t believe that I’m meeting you.’”

The entire band was overjoyed to meet their fan, and the experience reminded them of why they play music.

“When you meet people who come up to you, I almost think it’s a mistake,” laughs Naples. “[But] I like connecting with people. That’s my thing. I do this because I like connecting with people and I like getting on that basis with them, that personal level.”

In fact, for Naples, the hard part of being a musician is the getting up in front of people and performing; meeting people is the reward, the part she cherishes most.

The weather at Rocklahoma was not kind to Lovebettie. It stormed and raged so heavily on the night they were scheduled to play, that their show was canceled! However, they did get to play at noon the following day, and they brought in a crowd to the tiny Axis Entertainment Stage! I kid you not, every single person who saw them perform dashed to the merch booth after their set to buy CDs and t-shirts, and get autographs. The energy, smile, and on-stage sexy charisma of Alexandra Naples woke up the crowd from its alcoholic stupor.

Next time they come to your area, check them out. You will thank me.

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"We love Dr Pepper, and we're not even lying!": Interview with We the Ghost at Rocklahoma 2015

6/22/2015

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We the Ghost

Photo courtesy of WTG's Facebook Page [Click photo to go to FB Page]

Power pop, hip-hop, rock, and even metal are listed as influences by the members of the We the Ghost. A band that follows the song formulas of pop with the instrumentation of a folky rock band, WTG is an addicting mix of sound perfect for the radio.

“We have a violinist who’s classically trained, so she loves classical and jazz,” explains lead vocalist Beau Tyler, “a guitarist who’s really rooted in blues and jazz, and he plays anything from ragtime to rock, but his favorite guitarist is Eddie Van Halen. We have a drummer who’s favorite drummer is Dave Grohl from Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, he hits hard and heavy. [Our] bass player is from the Berklee School of Music, so he loves jazz and rock and pop.”

Tyler continues, saying that he and keyboard and vocalist Kristen Goss are huge fans of hip-hop and pop.

“We have a lot of really diverse influences, but being that I write [a] very modern, pop formula,” says Tyler. “It really just works to something very current but different.”

Tyler laughs that fans will often think, “‘this is kind of like something Rihanna would write, but it’s a band.’”

This crossover in their music will be a huge benefit for We the Ghost, who I suspect will be scoring a number one single in the future. They definitely have that potential.

The reason Tyler approaches his music this way is because of his frustration with the rock scene. “Rock formats stopped being progressive,” explains Tyler. “At least with pop I can still be creative.”

Tyler loves that We the Ghost has all these incredible musicians, and doesn’t want the confines of any one genre to hold them in place. “Let them go,” he says.

Even with all of this pop-rock fusion and song formulas, there was never a set plan for We the Ghost. It all happened on its own.

“If the band tells you there was a vision, a mastermind for all this, it’s a lie,” Tyler and Goss laugh.

Listen to their song “Let Me Know,” a very indie rock sounding song. It may not strike you as something that would fit in with Rocklahoma, but let me tell you, We the Ghost is so much more heavy in concert than they are in album.

Many of We the Ghost’s members have been touched in some way by cancer. In the song “Letters to God,” Tyler expresses the anguish he felt while his father was passing away from cancer.

“It’s about the real, honest approach that whenever you lose someone like that, anybody is going to say, ‘What kind of God would take my father? My father was the greatest man on the planet. Why would that happen?’” explains Tyler. “That song is about questioning God. It’s saying, ‘I’ve been writing letters to God, but all I got was return to sender.’”

In addition to Tyler’s father, Goss’ mother has been fighting cancer, guitarist Matt McHan’s father died a few months after Tyler’s did, and two of the members of We the Ghost are themselves cancer survivors.

To fight cancer, We the Ghost has made amazing efforts through their music, raising the funds for three years of cancer research at Ohio State University.

“If there are families that don’t have to do what I did and hold your father as he takes his last breaths and just gets weaker and weaker,” says Tyler, that’s more important than any song he’ll ever right.

Tyler explains, “A death in cancer isn’t five minutes, it’s three hours, it’s eight hours… That last process, you go through three hours of wondering, ‘Are they breathing or not?’ You’re breaking down inside.”

To end everything on a lighter note, We the Ghost is sponsored by Dr Pepper (my favorite soda!), and the members claim that they will NEVER be sick of it.

“I work out three or four times a week,” Tyler boasts. “Every time I run, my reward is Dr Pepper.”

Goss agrees enthusiastically, saying, “We love Dr Pepper, and we’re not even lying!”

So in honor of this peppy rock band, have a Dr Pepper and go listen to some of their awesome music.

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"We could learn a lot from the squatch,": Interview with Shaman's Harvest at Rocklahoma 2015

6/21/2015

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Shaman's Harvest

Lead singer Nathan Hunt

Hailing from Jefferson City, Missouri, Shaman’s Harvest returned from a three-year hiatus with Smokin’ Hearts and Broken Guns, released in September of 2014.

Their music fantastically combines rock with country and blues nuances, creating a distinct sound carried by the killer vocals of Nathan Hunt, whose voice varies from intense growls to clear, full-throated melodies within a matter of seconds.

Shaman’s Harvest’s hiatus began when Hunt was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that caused malignant tumors to grow in his lymph tissue. He has since recovered after going through intensive therapy as well as vocal training. Through the vocal exercises, he has developed greater endurance, able to deliver top-notch performances night after night.

Despite his health issues, Hunt, along with the rest of the band, worked hard on Smokin’ Hearts throughout his time in treatment.

“As a vocalist,” says Hunt, “I think I wound up with better vocal performances on this record than I have on any other record.”

Guitarists Derrick Shipp and Josh Hamler

In general, Smokin’ Hearts and Broken Guns blows the mind with its incredible songs, including their single “Dangerous,” which peaked at 27 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.

Despite its great success, the people who wrote it are not its number one fans.

“I think all of us can agree that it’s our least favorite song on the record,” says guitarist Josh Hamler, “[but] it’s definitely served its purpose and been a great avenue to reintroduce the band.”

They chose the song because of its more hard rock sound, which is a misrepresentation of Shaman’s’ overall bluesy rock.

Take a look at “Dirty Diana,” the second single from Smokin’ Hearts, and you’ll be struck by the difference. The slower paced, soulful tune really showcases Hunt’s vocals in their best form, gentle with a gutsy edge. The guitarists dig deep into their blues roots to pull from their instruments a tasteful array of chords and staccato strikes on the strings.

Shaman’s Harvest formed while in high school, and Hamler attended college, earning a degree in sociology, and at the same time played gigs and recorded music with the band.

Hamler says he focused a lot on history, having always wanted to be an expert on something, perhaps sasquatches. And here is where the interview took a turn for the weird.

“The thing is,” Hunt explains to Hamler, “you can just say, ‘I’m an expert on the sasquatch,’ and they dub you an expert on the sasquatch.” The theory is that you don’t have to know anything about sasquatches to be an expert; all you have to do is say you’re an expert, and then you are one. It’s actually that simple.

So right there, in the middle of the interview, Hamler became the most knowledgeable among us on sasquatch lore, and enlightened us on the rich sasquatch culture.

As it turns out, using the term “squatch” versus “sasquatch” is a personal preference, and it is considered rude to stereotype all sasquatches under one name. Instead, Hamler suggests, we ask the sasquatch first before calling him/her anything.

“They’re a lot like people,” Hamler explains. “You have to ask the individual. They have their own opinions. Just because there’s a sasquatch here and a sasquatch there, they could have two separate beliefs.”

In fact, Hamler suggests that humans take a leaf out of the sasquatch book. The species has an awe-inspiring music genre.

“The way they bang their two sticks together, calling each other,” gushes Hamler, is absolutely amazing.

Hunt himself has perfected the sasquatch call, and considers it to be an important part of his musical influence.

“I think we could learn a lot from the squatch,” Hunt says. “They have to put up with a lot of our shit. Literally. We pump our shit into their living habitat. And then we confuse them with monkeys all the time. They get mad about that.”

Guitarist Derrick Shipp concurs, warning, “If you want to get a sasquatch upset, confuse him with an ape.”

Shaman’s Harvest has learned to deal with sasquatches very well, since they are suspicious that their drummer Joe “Baggins” Harrington is a hobbit-sasquatch hybrid.

Hunt himself is extremely closely related to the sasquatch species. The relationship is easily identifiable from his thick curly hair. “It’s from my mother twice removed,” Hunt explains.

Bassist Matt Fisher

Nathan Hunt

The band was completely prepared for a performance in the rain because they know how much sasquatches enjoy the rain.

Also, Hunt explains, “If our fans are going to stand out there in a mud pit up to their knees in the pouring rain to hear us, we’re going to stand in the rain, strapped to electrical equipment, and perform for them.”

And believe me, they did just that. In slanting rain, a muddy moshpit grew wild, feeding off the musical energy of the band. Check out this video to see what it was like:

Shaman’s Harvest is a new discovery for me, and I have been completely blown away by their musical skill and awesome live performance. I highly suggest checking out their music on iTunes. Smokin’ Hearts and Broken Guns is worth listening to.

Derrick Shipp, Nathan Hunt, and Josh Hamler in the Media Tent

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"You don't speak Finnish?! What the f*ck?"- Apocalyptica Interview at Rocklahoma 2015

6/15/2015

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Apocalyptica

Paavo Lötjönen

Some people say that there are no new sounds in music, but I firmly disagree with this concept because of one band in particular: Apocalyptica. From Helsinki, Finland, they are the most unique and eye-catching metal band ever created. Originally a group of four cellists at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki that played Metallica covers, Apocalyptica has broken barriers people didn’t even know existed with their symphonic metal style and captivating instrumentation.

Eicca Toppinen

Apocalyptica is composed of three classically trained cellists: Paavo Lötjönen, Perttu Kivilaakso, and Eicca Toppinen, along with drummer Mikko Sirén who has a background in jazz.

These musicians are no joke. Kivilaakso won an international cello competition at the young age of eighteen, and soon after earned a lifetime chair in the Helsinki Philharmonic, which he gave up in 2007 so he could become dedicated to Apocalyptica full time.

Despite his current rock-world surroundings, Kivilaakso just recently composed an opera for the Finnish National Opera that will be premiered in January (2016) in Helsinki.

Kivilaakso presents his opera Indigo as an example of his classical side, but he says, “Of course, it has a little flavor from the rock world.”

A documentary on Apocalyptica is currently in the editing process, and it details the journeys each of these unique artists took to achieve their current standing, playing the main stage at Rocklahoma 2015.

“[We’re] a weird project, it started as an accident, nobody ever believed that we would be here,” said Kivilaakso. “At the start it was just a bunch of friends who wanted to drink beer and play the music that they love with the instruments they were able to play, which were just cellos. We didn’t plan on getting gigs. Step by step it started to get bigger with school parties and play[ing] our first gigs for a rock audience, and it started to spread. In the very beginning there were a lot of people who were suspicious.”

Lötjönen added, “Actually, I think the band itself was suspicious.

Franky Perez

At first, Apocalyptica was composed solely of cellists, with no drummer. But in 2002, Apocalyptica was recording Reflections, and Dave Lombardo of Slayer was their drummer on the album. However, Apocalyptica needed a touring drummer, and that is when Sirén came into the picture.

When Toppinen called Sirén, asking him to come try out for the band, Sirén’s reply was, “I don’t do that kind of music.”

Sirén further explained to me his response, “It wasn’t my cup of tea, and I knew that there were better drummers in Finland for that type of music.”

Sirén was merely being modest, having been rumored the best drummer in Finland not actively in a band.

Mikko Sirén

At one point in the interview, Sirén apologized for his imperfect English, which of course didn’t bother me. It's not like I could speak Finnish! I don’t even know how to say “hello.”

When Sirén discovered I didn’t speak Finnish, his immediate response was, “You don’t speak Finnish?! What the f*ck!”

Perttu Kivilaakso

Apocalyptica recently released their eighth studio album, Shadowmaker, which they are currently touring off of with their newly recruited vocalist Franky Perez (he’s not Finnish).

Their brilliant title track features bluesy vocals and an epic instrumental section showcasing a magnificent cello solo that rivals some of the best work of Iommi and Eddie Van Halen. Their classical influence is evident in this piece with its mood shifts and motifs, very reminiscent of Metallica’s symphonic albums.

Paavo Lötjönen

Their lives shows are a whole different story. One might think that rocking and headbanging with cellos would be an awkward endeavor, but Apocalyptica effortlessly (and bad-ass-ly) disproves that assumption.

Kivilaakso and Toppinen, swing their long, blonde hair in circles as they viciously pound their bows against the strings in violent chord attacks.

Toppinen can be seen holding his cello upside down and over his head as he plays, and Lötjönen holds a face of serenity and contentment as he pounds out gothic lines from his instrument.

Sirén puts on a fantastic show as drummer; his skill is tenfold what you see in many metal drummers. His jazz training is clear by watching and listening to the music.

Perez adds an extra punch of energy with his soulful vocals and metalcore energy. Performing with the style of Mitch Lucker or Austin Carlile, but singing with a clean and melodic voice, Perez is the perfect singer for Apocalyptica.

Perttu Kivilaakso and Eicca Toppinen

However, there are large stretches of time when Perez is not present on the stage at all. Apocalyptica’s instrumental segments are not to be missed, and are one of the highlights of their live shows.
And if all of this isn’t enough, oftentimes on stage, Toppinen, Lötjönen, and Kivilaakso will stand facing each other, and have a musical duel of sorts. In the words of The Incredibles, it’s “totally wicked.”

Be sure to check out some of their music on YouTube. I suggest their song “I Don’t Care” featuring vocals by Adam Gontier (Three Days Grace), which I think is downright awesome.

Their song "Cold Blood" is equally awesome!

The instrumental "Reign of Fear" is fricking amazing!

Lötjönen, me, Sirén, and Kivilaakso

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"YOU LISTEN TO METALLICA?!"- Interview with Dryvr at ROK15

6/12/2015

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Dryvr

Wanasinghe, Laird, Raymond, Schmid, DePetrillo

The name Dryvr fits perfectly. Perfectly. It would be like Rise Against being called Political Activism Through Music or Crobot being called We Smoke Weed.

With an intense, driving sound filled with raging guitar riffs, vicious drumming, intense bass lines, and unforgiving vocal melodies, Dryvr lives up to their name in every aspect of their music.
Listen to hard-hitting tracks like “Cloak and Dagger” and “Shadows Fade,” and you will know what I mean.

Based out of Oklahoma, this quintet of experienced musicians drives the crowds crazy with their awesome music.

After releasing a short EP soon after they got back together in 2013 (after a long hiatus where they branched off into their own separate projects), they are working to gain a following and are scheming for a new release by the “holiday buying season,” says drummer Mike A. DePetrillo (his initials are M.A.D.!).

Many of the members of Dryvr have known each other since the beginning of their musical careers, and in some cases, high school.

“The whole thing started with him [bassist Robin Schmid] dropping a Metallica tape in gym class,” laughs guitarist Jude Wanasinghe. “It was at a Catholic high school, so metal was a no-no. So new kid shows up, he’s from Nebraska, and I’d been going there for a while, and all of a sudden he swings his backpack around and there’s a Metallica Kill ‘Em All Tape. I say, ‘DUDE! YOU LISTEN TO METALLICA?! Right on! And we became best friends from that.”

DePetrillo remembers his first musical experience with the future members of Dryvr who’d previously been in a band called Rhythmic Disturbance.

“I went over and listened with my wife out in the hallway; [we were] looking at each other, saying, ‘Do you hear that? Do you hear that?’” DePatrillo heard from the beginning that these guys knew how to rock.

Wanasinghe suffers from a genetic disease known as muscular dystrophy, which “causes progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass,” according to the Mayo Clinic. However, this does not keep him from rocking.

Instead of carrying heavy equipment from one place to another, he takes care of logistics and is branded a “transportation enthusiast.”

Guitarist Nathan Laird jokes, “He’s the driver.”

Wanasinghe loves driving, and if they ever have trouble getting him on stage, the band is dedicated to help him. “We’ll pick him up and throw him on stage if we have to,” laughs Laird.

DePatrillo suggest just wheeling Wanasinghe up on the stage like a piece of gear.

“That’s going to happen one of these days, hauling him in a straight jacket and dolly,” decides Schmid.

The group’s chemistry is apparent from the moment you meet them. They are constantly bouncing jokes off each other, and occasionally even finishing each other’s sentences. They were super stoked to play the hard rock stage at Rocklahoma, having won the local band contest the year prior, and although I was unable to make it to their show, heard only great things about it. Keep your eyes and ears open for one of Oklahoma’s great metal bands (and yes, there are a LOT of metal bands from OK. I’m not kidding).

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Raising the Dead- An Interview with CROBOT at Rocklahoma 2015

6/10/2015

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Crobot

CROBOT

“It’s better to reign in hell than to serve God’s will,” sings Crobot’s eccentric vocalist Brandon Yeagley in their grooving track “La Mano de Lucifer.”

A group of hippies born a few decades too late, Crobot jams like the musicians of old, playing psychedelic stoner metal with their special flourish: unashamed nerdiness.

Since their early days they’ve had a fascination with science fiction and incorporate that passion into their music.

“A lot of my lyrics especially come from growing up watching a lot of horror movies,” explains Yeagley. “‘The Necromancer’ actually talks about Deadites, which are from The Evil Dead trilogy.”

Dedicated to the world of sci-fi, they were pleased with the Ender’s Game movie.

“It was a great representation of the novel,” Yeagley argues. “But it just can’t capture everything.”

We also came to the conclusion that explosions in movies must be used tastefully, because otherwise they’re just overkill. “Sometimes it ruins it, and I watch movies a lot less now because of it,” says bassist Jake Figueroa.

A Deadite from The Evil Dead trilogy

In October of last year, Crobot released their first album Something Supernatural, a brilliant debut. The album features the uptempo single “Nowhere to Hide,” which features Yeagley’s unique vocals and the infectious groove they so skillfully craft with the rhythmic contributions of drummer Paul Figueroa and bassist Jake Figueroa.

In “La Mano de Lucifer,” Crobot delves into their dark side, using the ideas of devil worship to create a heavy stew of sound topped with the perfect melodies spun by Yeagley’s clear vocals.

Not only does Crobot wake up the neighbors, but also the dead, with their fast-paced, danceable song “The Necromancer,” which features Yeagley’s harmonica playing. It somehow works perfectly with their stoner metal sound.

I have to admit, psychedelic stoner metal is not my favorite subgenre of rock, but their funk-take on the classic sound hits a sweet spot, and I seriously enjoy listening to their music. And if you enjoy their music on album, wait till you see them live! It’s so much better, if you can imagine that.

Although Something Supernatural came out only eight months ago, they are already planning to hit the studio and start recording a new record.

“That’s our plan,” explains Jake Figueroa, laughing, “but there are other people involved in the process who have a much different plan for how it’s all supposed to go down.”

Crobot has encountered a concept called ‘marketing strategies,’ that tends to get in the way of relieving their itch to publish new music. Despite the annoyance of it, they do have to admit that their record label is usually right, and takes good care of them.

In fact, their label has helped them to get on tour with Anthrax and Volbeat, which is apparently the best thing in the world because Volbeat has an awesome caterer.

“Culinary Underground is the company. They are—can I say the f-word?—fucking awesome,” says Jake Figueroa.

Being on tour with Volbeat and Anthrax has been a memorable experience for Crobot, and the best part of it, according to Yeagley, is “finding weed.”

Crobot is from Pottsville, PA, and I can’t help but be amazed at such a coincidence. I wonder if they live off of highway 420.

Marijuana is an important part of Crobot’s life; it helps them explore more creative alleyways.

“We’ve actually been told before when we’re in the studio, ‘You guys need to go outside and smoke a little bit, then come back and re-write that riff,’” laughs drummer Paul Figueroa.

In fact, as a gesture of kindness, they passed out rolling papers to the muddy crowds at Rocklahoma while they slipped and slid (and in the case of Bishop, fell) on stage in the driving, horizontal rainstorm.

At the end of interviews, I traditionally ask, What is one question you’ve always wanted to be asked during an interview, but never have?

Yeagley’s immediate response was, “What’s my favorite color? Nobody ever asks me that.” Of course, when I then asked him what his favorite color is, his response was, “I don’t know.”

Jake Figueroa said, “I’ve always wanted somebody to ask me to hang out, but I’m just a bass player, so nobody wants to hang out.”

Then the band decided that what they’ve always wanted to be asked is the question, Will you come smoke a joint with me after the interview? Of course, I wasn’t going to ask them to smoke a joint with me, so instead I offered them to go smoke a joint without me, which they appreciated, and I assume they fulfilled.

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"You Cry for a Little Bit": Interview with Young Guns at Rocklahoma 2015

6/9/2015

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This interview is dedicated to Ben Babar and Cody Patrick, two Rocklahomans who went missing and whose bodies were found this Monday, June 7th. Rest in peace.

Young Guns

Lead singer Gustav Wood

Rocklahoma has twice been blessed with the fervorous excitement and infectious enthusiasm of a Young Guns live performance. At Rocklahoma 2015, YG played with more vigor, vitality, and vivacity than ever before, stunning and enthralling the grumpy masses covered in mud, making them completely forget the horrific weather.

For those of you who have never experienced a Young Guns concert, you are truly missing out. Their pop-punk music works perfectly for the most upbeat and energetic performances, and each and every fabulous musician puts his all into their set.

Vocalist Gustav Wood sings angelically in such ballads as “You Are Not,” and takes on a punk edge when singing “Towers (On My Way).”

These songs I’ve mentioned, however, are from YG’s second album Bones, released in February of 2012. An excellent LP, this album is no match for Ones and Zeros, released TODAY, which can be purchased via their website and iTunes.

Ones and Zeros provides an evolved Young Guns sound, with aspects that represents their current musical interests and skills.

“We took a lot of time on them,” says guitarist John Taylor about the songs on Ones and Zeros. “We focused a lot more on the rhythms… [and] there’s a lot more electronic elements involved. Fundamentally, they’re just bigger, better songs.”

Their hit single, “Bones,” off their old album got serious radio playtime and was nominated for Best Single in the 2012 Kerrang! Awards.

Guitarist Fraser Taylor adds, “We’d already done “Bones.” We’d already done that style of writing. We started writing songs that were quite similar to “Bones” in the initial stages of the record. It wasn’t really exciting us at the time… We wanted to write songs we were loving.”

Instead of focusing on a specific subgenre of rock, they worked to try and consolidate all their influencing genres into one block, creating their trademark Young Guns sound.

Bassist Simon Mitchell says, “The songs are a lot more uptempo and a lot more upbeat than in Bones.”

The hype waiting for Ones and Zeros to come at has grown immensely from YG’s substantial quantity of singles released from the album, including the insanely catchy tunes “I Want Out” and “Speaking in Tongues.”

Fraser Taylor laughs, explaining, “We’re impatient. We want people to hear it.”

They hope that their fans have been downloading the singles as they’ve come out, and will simply purchase the rest today (or I suppose tomorrow, or maybe even Thursday).

Bassist Simon Mitchell

The work put into Ones and Zeros extends across three years of collecting little ideas and working them into songs, tirelessly building an archive to choose from. When it came time to select the songs for the album, they had a number from which they could decide, and were able to pick the ones that they connect with the most, or which they believe will excite their fans.

This time around, they’ve shifted their songwriting process a bit. Although there is no formula to composing, they’ve allowed themselves to branch out and be more creative.
“We’ll write songs on piano,” explains John Taylor. “We’ll write songs purely on drums to start, and then we’re using all those soft synths, and that’s something we’ve never done before.”

Of course, at some point every artist experiences writer’s block, a horrific incident in which his/her ability to hone in on their creativity and produce music (or in other cases poetry and other sorts of writing) is gone, and his/her heads are blank.

Young Guns has dealing with writer’s block down to a science.

Fraser Taylor says all you do is, “cry for a little bit, and then say ‘WHY AM I DOING THIS?’”

However, Young Guns works extremely well under pressure, and when there’s a deadline to meet, they next to never have trouble accomplishing whatever magnitude of songwriting needs to be done.

I highly suggested checking out Young Guns the next time they come by your hometown, which I guarantee will happen at some point because these men are touring machines. Ones and Zeros is now available for purchase, and I encourage you all to buy it if you can. Otherwise, check out their amazing music videos for the singles off the album.

John Fraser, Tyler Fraser, Simon Mitchell, and Me at the Media Tent

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"I'm a Chicken Fried Steak Connoisseur,": Interview with Zero 2 Panic at Rocklahoma 2015

6/2/2015

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Zero 2 Panic

The one and only ska band to perform at Rocklahoma 2015, and perhaps in Rocklahoma history, I present to you ZERO 2 PANIC!

Comprised of Cody Johnson on guitar, Forest “Fo” Swepston on trumpet and vocals, Chris Goddard on trombone, Lewis Hundley on sax, and Andy Bishir on drums/percussion, they have the DNA of a perfect ska band, and their musicianship proves it.

“That’s our calling card,” boasted Swepston. “We’re the only band you’ll see that plays what we play.”

All the horn players have a background in jazz and marching band dating back to high school. “I was a super band geek,” Swepston announced.
In fact, he and Goddard and Hundley all teach marching band now.

On the other hand, Bishir claimed he is, “anti-jazz,” which actually lends itself to a unique blend of sounds.

In their just-released, self-titled album, they made sure to stray away from ‘generic ska.’ Swepston explained, “We just played off our influences, so every song sounds a little different.”

It can be argued that ska is making some form of a ‘come back’ right now, but according to Z2P, ska never died. “It was just reborn… It’s a phoenix,” said Swepston.
Goddard added, “People got scared about being too dorky for a minute, and then we’re like, ‘I don’t care! I love being dorky!’ Dorky is back.”
And the crazy Rocklahoman’s loved the dorky.
“People are like, ‘WHAT IS THAT INSTRUMENT?’ So automatically they’re stoked because they’ve never seen a friggin’ trombone before,” laughed Swepston.

For some reason, Z2P challenged their fans to put stickers on their cats. “Someone actually did it,” exclaimed Goddard.
Swepston clarified, “We gave him all kinds of free stuff, so it was cool. The cat was cool about it. It was chillin’, it was layin’ down.”

I like food. You like food. Zero 2 Panic likes food. A lot.
“I was just thinking about chicken fried steak,” said Hundley when he was asked a question and didn’t even realize it. “I’m a chicken fried steak connoisseur.”
Swepston adds, “Turkey stuffed with cornbread and covered with gravy. Oooh yeaah!”
And with a moment of great wisdom, Goddard said, “Food makes the world go round.”

Be sure to check out their new record Zero 2 Panic, which guaranteed will be good, but Swepston says the first three songs are especially rocking. I can’t wait for them to make it out to California so I can dance to some seriously groovy music.

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A Marvelous Musical Smoothie- Interview with Nicnōs at Rocklahoma 2015

6/1/2015

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Nicnōs

Fiddler Blake Parks

Southern rockish, folkish, and heavyish, Nicnōs blends together a variety of sounds to create a unique and marvelous musical smoothie. With a standard rock instrumentation plus fiddle, they take the norm and warp it, and what comes out are groovy rock tunes with epic guitar and fiddle solos.

Lead singer Josh Cox sings with the “umph” of a soul singer and the growl of a metal singer, making his voice deeply enjoyable. Added to the mix is Blake Parks’ awesome fiddling, Nick Sigman’s intricate guitar work, and Jerred Bauer’s supportive drumming that holds the backbone of the band. To top it all off, you have Nicnōs’ bassist, Jared Geiser, who performs with more energy than any bassist I have ever seen before, losing himself in the music in an awe-inspiring way.

Before I get too far into the interview, I want you all to watch their newly released music video for their single “Changes.” This way, you’ll get an idea of their musical style.

Guitarist Nick Sigman

Because of their unique instrumentation, I was curious about the Rocklahoman’s reception of Nicnōs.
“When you see us live,” said Geiser, “it translates to a really rowdy, rowdy show. Even though the subject matter maybe isn’t as dark and personal, we’re really just not dark people.
“We love the energy that rock brings to the stage and the way you see bands interacting with the fans,” he continued. “We want to bring that to our live show. And honestly, it’s been well received… Our goal is just to continue to play the music we love, get it out to people, and play live shows.”

There is a large gap between Nicnōs’ live performance and their music on album, which is why they stress coming to the concerts so much.
“It’s more spontaneous,” explained Geiser. “We really like to just play around, free-form, and jam.”
Nicnōs loves to chase the high of performing on stage, and craves that experience every moment they aren’t in front of a crowd, playing their music. This intense energy and enthusiasm really came through after midnight at the Axis stage at Rocklahoma. After a day of amazing live music, including Godsmack and Young Guns, Nicnos close the night with an amazing set exceeding all expectations by a mile.

Here’s a fantastic live recording of Nicnōs performing “Something You Should Know” at the 2014 Chevy Music Showcase. You’ll get a taste of the live experience, but I still encourage you to go out to their next show in your area. In the future, Nicnōs is considering releasing a live album, but that will come with time because of the monetary demands of such an endeavor.

Lead Singer Josh Cox

Nicnōs operates independently of any record label, and finds that to be a huge asset.
Cox says the best part is, “the freedom to make mistakes—positive and negative—without the repercussions of somebody coming down on you. If we mess up, it’s on us, and we can deal with that. But having other people project their stuff onto you, it makes for really a volatile relationship.”

Geiser added on, talking about the most important thing in being an independent band (*pay attention young artists, this advice is good*): investing in yourself. “We scrape by because we put every penny we make back into the band. Then you have the ability to actually pay for gas and hotels and food when you’re on the road.”

Cox agreed whole-heartedly, saying, “You start to look forward to going on the road because you’re like, ‘I’m good! I don’t have to pay for anything!’
“It’s taken care of, but it’s taken care of by us,” Cox concluded.

I asked Parks about his history as a fiddler/violinist, expecting him to have a past of classical training. Despite his fantastic skills, that is not the case.

“I actually took two weeks of classical lessons, and I got tired of the all proper songs,” laughed Parks. “My dad knew Byron Berline, and he makes videos of him teaching…the old folk tunes right in front of the camera, so I kept watching those.”

Be sure to go check out their music the next chance you get, and keep your eyes and ears open for their new album coming out this fall.

Parks, Geiser, Cox, and Bauer in the media tent

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