Dead Meadow Plays First Innaguaral Psychedelic Fiesta “Psycho De Mayo”

April 30, 2013

Experience the psychedelic droning power chords of Dead Meadow who will be one of the bands performing at Psycho de Mayo at the Yost Theater on May 5. An all day into the night affair featuring numerous psych (short for psychedelic rock) bands such as Black Mountain, A Place To Bury Strangers and Dead Skeletons to name a few.

Dead Meadow is a three-piece group featuring vocalist and guitarist Jason Simon, bassist Steve Kille and drummer Mark Laughlin. They will release their much anticipated sixth studio album, “Womb Warble” on their own Xemu label this Fall after releasing three albums over five years with Matador Records.

Between doing their label, putting out other bands, and finishing their album, somehow, Kille and Simon found time to answer a few questions.

OCCG: What do you like about playing in Orange County?
Kille- I like that it is close to LA but a different crowd. It is inspiring to not have to go far to play to new people.

OCCG: What can fans expect when going to a Dead Meadow show in 2013?
Simon – A good time!!!!! The fans can expect a slew of classic Dead Meadow tunes and a bunch of new tunes from our upcoming record. I always want and hope the people at the show can have as much fun as I do playing. I figure if we can lose ourselves in the music the audience can as well.

OCCG: Can you offer some background on the writing/recording of the upcoming album “Warble Womb”?
Simon- We’ve been carefully constructing this record at our own studio for the last two years. It’s evolved and changed as all good creative projects do. I still don’t know what it is we’ve made. It’s always a surprise to hear the finished project.

OCCG: How did you come up with the title?
Simon- The records I love create an all encompassing space for the listener to enjoy, intellectually and emotionally. “Warble Womb” seemed like a particularly apt title for our humble attempt to create an inviting place for the listener to spend some time. Come inside, my friends….here is a shelter from the storm…stay as long as you like.

Kille- I actually had a dream about making a record called Wiggle Room and that it would be our most important album yet. When our graphic designer heard the story he mistook the words and Warble Womb was born. Now as Simon said it really encompasses our vision for the album and vision for our music in general. Maybe a higher power guided us on it?

OCCG: I understand you have your own label, Xemu Records. How did that come about?
Kille- It was a label started by writer/ director Cevin Soling in the 90′s. We became friends when I lived in New York. Over a couple beers we talked about starting it up full time again as a way to reissue Dead Meadow non-Matador albums. I guess one thing led to another and here we are now working with a hand full of psych and pop/rock artists. It has been really rewarding to be on the other side of the table and control the business side of things a little more. It is like the Wild West these days and even though there is not much funding in music in 2013, with the Internet you can reach a ton of fans and spread your music with little effort. It’s out there with a few clicks of a keyboard.

OCCG: Going back to the beginning of Dead Meadow, what were some of your early musical inspirations that lead you to creating your type of music?
Simon- As a kid it was bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Jimi Hendrix that inspired me to pick up a guitar in the first place. We all came up from high school in the DC punk scene. It was a revelation to discover bands like Fugazi and their artistic integrity and passion. We played in punk bands for a number of years but Dead Meadow was a return to our earliest influences. Throw in some Neil Young, some Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan, and that’s what kicked us off. We also really just wanted to freak people out and at that time, a long tripped out guitar jam was pretty much the most punk thing you could do. A massive intake of marijuana probably pushed us in that direction as well if ya know what I mean.

OCCG: What inspires your music today?
Simon- We still want to freak people out. To give the people something trippy with the hope that it will inspire them to create something trippy of their own. The urge to create, to attempt to capture a feeling, or some aspect of the world within or the world without, and to share that through song keeps leading to new ideas and those ideas in turn lead to other new ideas. It’s never-ending or at least it hasn’t ended yet.

OCCG: Was there a specific moment when you realized you wanted to do music?
Simon- For me, as long as I can remember I’ve been sure that this was the only thing that really seemed worthwhile to spend my life doing. It was more of a need than a constant decision. I’m not sure I had any choice in the matter.

Kille- Yeah, it sort of found me. I knew I always wanted to do creative things as a career. I have always been interested in art and writing. Really came about buying my first guitar when I was bored that I realized a whole other way to express myself and what was even better that it was collaborative something that art and writing had never been for me. So with multiple heads collectively working on ideas the art is exponentially stronger. I guess like making a movie, albums and music, the sum of the whole is better than the individual. I like that team aspect.

OCCG: What other bands do you listen to besides your own and what is the last “record” that you bought?
Simon- Recently I’ve been digging a lot of old banjo players like Dock Boggs and Clarence Ashley. The music they make is so spine tingling and eerie. A combination of old English Ballads and the sound of the blues, all filtered through old Appalachia. I always go back to some Dub. I never get tired of Lee Perry, Scientist, and King Tubby. Xemu just released The Strangers Family Band Record. It’s great!

OCCG: On Wikipedia there’s a reference to Tolkien and Lovecraft, what have you read in the last few years that made an impression and why?
Simon- I’ve been on a big Nabokov kick lately. His prose is like fire. It’s so powerful. I went back to school for a few semesters at a Buddhist university so have been reading a good deal of the Pali Canon. The level of cutting insight into our human condition and the true workings of the mind is simply astounding. Thanissaro Bhikkhu, an American born Therevada monk, has also been blowing my mind. Check him out! All of his writings are free and available online.

OCCG: I just have to ask, how did Mark Laughlin go from playing drums in Dead Meadow, to pursuing a career in Law, and back again? That was quite a long hiatus. Was he studying Music Law?
Kille- I know it is a funny turn of events. When he left originally I didn’t think we would ever play in a band together again. He was really focused on his career and pursuing a non-music life. It happened when we were first approached by Matador and it became an option that we could take the gamble and make this thing full-time. It was a scary decision and at the time Mark didn’t want to take the risk. In the years that followed we all always remained close friends with him even traveling out to LA onetime with us just to hang out while we were playing a string of shows. After the years as Stephen lost interest in playing Mark I guess was secretly yearning for it again. When Stephen finally announced that he wanted to move on Mark immediately hit me up and we asked if he wanted to do shows again. Luckily for us he wanted to relocate to sunny California. He is still interested in law but I think he wants to be involved with entertainment. In NYC he was involved with government-based law and child rights.

OCCG: Does Simon have plans for another solo album? Are any other band members considering a solo album?
Simon- The solo thing has morphed into a band called Old Testament. Check us out…we’ll be playing Psycho de mayo. It’s an attempt to put a bit of the old and weird America into the music.

Kille- I have been recording bands a lot. I have really been excited by production and working with other musicians helping them get their ideas into recorded form. I have been evolving our studio that I have been calling the “Wiggle Room” (play on Warble Womb) into a comfortable place for musicians to come in and start hammering out the details. I have had the opportunity to work with some great people from Kim Deal to most recently been working on ex-GBV James Greer new band Detective. Aside from all of that I have been playing bass on the new Pink Mountaintops album which has been fun since the current studio musicians are all old friends.

OCCG: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Kille- Thanks for taking the time to interview us. Hopefully we can continue to keep playing the OC and maybe there will be more indie shops and venues to keep arts happening here. Definitely stop by our Xemu Party at Don The Beachcombers on June 8th. I see its potential as a great new venue for the scene to play at. They definitely have a love and respect for new bands and that lack of jadedness is a pretty healthy change from these days. Join us!

Built To Spill’s Old School Indie Sound Rocks The OC

April 2, 2013

Built to Spill are bringing their infectious indie rock to the Observatory on May 2. There will be “a lot of guitar rockin’,” guitarist/vocalist, Doug Martsch said. “We’re going to play a bunch of songs that we made up and some songs that some other people made up that we learned.”

Last year it was announced that there would be a new album released sometime in 2013. “Well, in the fall, in September, the rhythm section guys quit,” Martsch explained. “I wasn’t really too happy with how the record was going. Both guys did a great job but I was having a hard time finishing it up and I don’t know if the songs were quite there yet. So, when those guys quit, I took that opportunity to can the record.”

Remaining with Martsch in Built to Spill are regulars Brett Netson and Jim Roth, both also on guitar. “We have a new rhythm section,” Martsch stated. “Our bass player, Jason Albertini, he’s been our crew guy for ten years or so. Steve Gere (drums) has been out with us. He’s recorded us and come out, hanging out with us. They’ve been part of our crew for a few years. They know our songs, they know us.”

The current touring lineup has been learning the old songs and will start working on the new material for the upcoming record. “This summer we’re gonna try to work hard and hopefully get a record written, start recording in the fall,” Martsch offered.

Built to Spill formed in 1992 and produced its first major label release, “Perfect from Now On” in 1997. They have released seven full-length albums including their most recent album, “There Is No Enemy” which was released in 2009.

“As I get older it seems like I’m a little bit pickier about what I want to do with my little ideas. It takes more to excite me than it used to do. It’s more and more work to flush out those ideas,” he further explained. “You have your basic idea and it’s something that can be good but you have to figure out a way to deliver it. That’s when it gets a little bit complex.”

When writing a song, Martsch prefers to come up with a melody and then add the words. “I usually have the melody and the meter and the way I want it to sound and then I figure out some words that plug in neatly to that melody.”

Writing while on the road is difficult. “Yea, I don’t do much writing on the road,” Martsch said. “Who knows? Maybe with these new guys we will find some time to do a little bit of writing.”

And perhaps there may even be one or two songs ready to be played live.

Wylde Guitarist For Ozzy, Black Label Society Plays To A New Book

April 25, 2013

Yes, Zakk Wylde has written a book. It’s not so much an autobiography as it is sharing ridiculous stories about the music business. “Sadly I’m not making any of this up” he laughs.

He ended up writing the book with his buddy, Eric Hendrikx. “Put it this way, when we were writing the book, then reading it back, we were literally on the floor crying-laughing. I said ‘the whole book has got to be like this from the beginning to the end.’ Just like George Carlin on steroids. You’re like sitting around chilling, reading this book and laughing your balls off,” he said.

When asked if there were plans for a sequel Wylde replied, “Without a doubt. I mean this stuff writes itself.”

The evening will include an acoustic performance with Nick Catanese, Black Label guitarist and copies of the paperback should be available for sale at the venue. “It’s just gonna be me and Nick this time. I’m going to read a bit from the book then we’re going to get together and knock out some other tunes and call it a day,” Wylde said. “So basically it will just be another Black Label dysfunctional family gathering and good times will be had by all.”

After the book tour, Wylde is currently discussing summer dates with other bands, the fall release of the DVD “Unblackened”, which was a stripped-down Black Label Society show recently filmed at Club Nokia, to be followed by more live dates with Black Label Society.

“I’m a huge music fan,” Wylde declared. “I listen to everything, from Zeppelin to Sabbath to Neil Young and everything in between. Obviously because I play guitar, once in awhile I listen to jazz artists and classical guys that are amazing guitar players. I probably would never listen to them if I didn’t play guitar.”

“What was the last album I bought?” he asked. “Just a couple days ago I bought Echo and the Bunnymen, and Robert Plant’s album.”

But listening to his own music is a different story. “I hardly ever listen to myself, Wylde said. “I think most bands are so engrossed in making the album that you listen to it five trillion times until it’s right, so you never want to hear it again. Then you’re out on the road playin’ it.”

“I mean put it this way,” Wylde continued. “Back in the day we would sit in the submarine (the tour bus), and listen back to it blasted out of our minds and it was always cool.”

When not playing music and writing books Wylde likes to hang out with his family and his dogs and lift weights. “And obviously, you know, what never goes out of style, watch porn,” Wylde said. “It carries on from the road or when you’re bored in the house.”

Other than that, Wylde suggests to let the comedy continue. “You could be laughin’ or cryin.’ I’d rather be laughin’,” Wylde confirmed.

Put the ‘L’ Back It’s Not Over For The Motels

Live at The Coach House
Photo by James Christopher

April 1, 2013

Following the re-release of “Policy” in March, and a new album later this year, Martha Davis and the Motels will be playing live at The Coach House on April 6.

“I don’t just like the Coach House, I love it!” declares Ms. Davis. “It’s a great room, sounds wonderful, and the audience is always amazing. We have history, and it’s a good one. I hope I’m playing there in another 20 yrs. although I will definitely not be walking on the table tops at that time!”

The Motels recorded six records for Capitol beginning with their self-titled debut in 1979. There have been several incarnations of The Motels to support Ms. Davis, although the current line-up has now been together longer than the band that signed with Capitol!

There is a lot in the works for 2013 with new recordings, exciting new music videos of both her hits and new tracks, a revitalized touring schedule in the US, a return to Australia and, for the first time in several decades, a return to Europe.

OCCG: It sounds like 2013 is going to be an exciting year for The Motels. What are you looking forward to the most and why?
MD: I think, (and this is a hard question… seems like a lot of fun projects coming this year) that the making of a new album is what I’m looking forward to the most. The creative process is always the most exhilarating. That said, playing shows is just FUN! I think what I’m looking forward to the most is this year.

OCCG: What favorite Motels songs can fans expect to hear at the shows? Will there be any new songs, in the set, as well?
MD: There will be new songs as well as old, there will be “Only the Lonely” and “Suddenly Last Summer”. There will also be some songs from “Policy” that was just re-released for the first time this month, perhaps a couple no one’s ever heard before to be on the new album…

OCCG: Who are the current band members and can you tell me a little about their history with you?
MD: The guys in my band, first of all are amazingly talented. Eric Gardner, drums, was the first to join around 2002 or 2003, I saw him playing at the Baked Potato with Wayne Kramer.

Clint Walsh came next, and started a bizarre pattern in Motel hiring. Clint joined as a bass player, but then one day in rehearsal he picks up a guitar and OMG! I’m like “you’re a guitar player! And an amazing one at that!” So Clint moved to guitar.

Nick Johns, awesome bass player, son of a soul singer, and all around great musician, joined the band at the ripe old age of 23? Maybe 24. Then I hear him play keyboards. “Ah, we really need a keyboard player, and you’re really good.” Nick moves to keys.

So then we hire Jon Siebels, great bass player, and multi talented. Jon was very much a part of the band on the THIS album. Jon was also a member of Eve 6, and left The Motels when they reformed.

Then it happened… we hired Brady Wills. Aside from being one of my favorite bass players, he’s Brady. You really have to come to the show to experience the Brady, multi talented in many aspects of art, from modeling to comedy or both.

Now because, these guys have been busy, over the years, I’ve had to find subs, and the subs are now as much a part of the band as anyone… starting with Tig Moore.

Tig, came to me a few years ago, and is a godsend. A great drummer, as well as being a sound man and tour manager, Tig always is so rock solid and sweet, and damn if he can’t fix any problems with the sound systems, even if the clubs can’t… did I mention I was a lucky girl?

The other ‘go to’ is Adam Zimmon. Adam is an astonishing guitar player, and always a joy to work with.

OCCG: I understand you are writing some new material this year. What has been the inspiration and subject matter of your writing?
MD: At this point there isn’t a concise direction, I’m a firm believer in organic, whether it be food or art. Art will naturally find it’s cadence, art will tell you what it wants if you listen. I’m a believer in letting the song tell you, rather than you telling the song. So we shall see…

Pickwick Tours West With A Stop At The Constellation Room

January 3, 2014

Seattle indie rock band, Pickwick, embarks upon a west coast tour in January with a stop at The Constellation Room on Jan. 11.

The six-member group is known for their DIY approach of making and distributing their own 7-inch singles known as the “Myth” series. In 2013 they continued this tradition with their self-released debut album, “Can’t Talk Medicine”.

Setting up shop in their living room, the bands own multi-instrumentalist Kory Kruckenberg (who won a Grammy in 2010 for Best Engineered Classical Album) served as engineer.

The 13 tracks include three re-recorded and fully realized cuts from their popular “Myths” series and a collaboration with Sharon Van Etten on the lead single “Lady Luck”, a Richard Swift cover (who also collaborated on the album).

“A cool thing about this record,” says Kruckenberg, “this house has made its way onto the record. We’ve tried to include the quirks of living here.”

Guitarist Michael Parker wryly spins the situation differently saying, “Our record doesn’t sound like a lot of other records because it was recorded in this living room.”

Front man and lyricist, Galen Disston’s gospel growl is supported with harmonies by Parker, and keyboardist Cassady Lillstrom. Rounding out the group are bassist, Garrett Parker and drummer, Alex Westcoat.

Disston prefers listeners delve into their own imagination with his words instead of providing a literal history of every lyric.

Yet he does state that “Can’t Talk Medicine” mines themes of mental illness. “It’s about art making you go crazy,” he reveals.

“We idolize and value that insanity when it’s in the name of art.”

The refrain in “Window Sill” speaks of planning a defiant suicide while crowd favorite; “Hacienda Motel” recounts a risqué homicide.

Musical influences and a preference for mystery can be traced to the band’s own voracious interest in music that’s mired in obscurity. Music such as reissues from Designer Records, the seminal output of the Black Ark, Robert Pete Williams, Alan Lomax, The Walkmen, The Sonics, and Abner Jay are among the diverse list of names referred to with reverence in the living room.

2013 saw Pickwick headline a US tour, appear at SXSW, and receive festival invites. Kick off 2014 with them in an intimate setting at the Constellation Room.

The Aggrolites Play Two Local Shows Spreading Reggae Wonderland Vibes

December 14, 2013

The Aggrolites stop at The Coach House on Dec. 30 as part of their “Reggae Wonderland Holiday Tour,” finishing up at Alex’s Bar for their third annual New Year’s Eve show on Dec. 31.

“I really like The Coach House a lot,” Jesse Wagner, (vocals, lead guitar) said. “You get a little bit of a different scene there – a little mix of San Diego friends and Orange County.

“Alex’s Bar is a place we’ve been going for years. I think he was one of the first guys booking us back in the 2000s; I get a little nostalgic about that place.

“Always a good time over at Alex’s Bar whether we’re playing, or not. It’s just a good place to go.”

Their style of reggae has often been referred to as “Dirty Reggae” as it has a slightly grittier edge than traditional reggae music. In fact, it was while listening to the song, “Bananas” by E.K. Bunch, which The Aggrolites cover, that they started to hear the “sound” of the recording.

“I think that was the song that made us say, ‘we’ve got to play this style of reggae. It’s like old school, dirty sounding, filthy, just gritty sounding’,” Wagner recalled.

“A lot of those old recordings, early reggae stuff, were like how we recorded our album – live in a room – and it just had that grit to it, that dirtiness, that dirty sound, like a dusty old recording. That’s what we wanted.

“We were like, ‘We ought to just call it that dirty reggae, man, that dirty reggae sound.’ From there on out we just started calling it dirty reggae.

“I remember when we were starting the band and bringing guys into the band we’d be like, ‘Yea, man, we want to play this like dirty sound.’ And everybody that listened to it just automatically knew exactly what we meant by it but nobody was calling it that. It was all being called skinhead reggae or early reggae. Nobody really had the name dirty reggae.

“When we recorded the song, ‘Dirty Reggae’, I really had no idea of anything, I honestly to this day don’t even know what I’m saying during the verses. If you listen to it, I don’t even know what I’m saying.

“When we came down to the chant, the only idea I had was I wanted to do a chant like James Brown’s band would have done with like “Pass the Peas’, or something like that. I wanted to do a call and response with a crowd of people.”

The Aggrolites’ fifth studio album, “Rugged Road”, came out a couple of years ago, with the group recently recording an original song for the Disney movie, “The Lone Ranger” called, “The Truth Lives On”.

“That was kind of a big shock for us to know that Johnny Depp and the director (Gore Verbinski) were listening to The Aggrolites while they were filming the movie,” Wagner said.

“Their whole thing behind it was, while they were filming and working on the movie, the bands that they had play on the soundtrack were bands that they were listening to while filming. That was pretty cool.

“The regular motion picture soundtrack is like an orchestra of movie score music. But then they had this idea where they wanted to put out a soundtrack which was music inspired by the film or something like that. Iggy Pop’s on there, Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, and a lot of other big name artists.”

The band has been going at it non-stop, full steam for about 11 years, and especially the last 5 years. They’ve been playing as many as 250 days a year with an album coming out every year.

“We decided to take this year for ourselves, and do things we always wanted to do outside the band. So everybody is taking a little time off right now,” Wagner noted.

“We’ll probably get back in the groove of things next year sometime.”

Irie Vibes Of Rock Reggae Band Rebelution Comes To House Of Blues

December 13, 2013

Rebelution will be playing two shows on their Winter Greens Tour with Cris Cab at The Observatory Jan. 3 and Jan. 4.

The Santa Barbara band plays a mix of rock, world, and reggae music and has released three studio albums. “Peace Of Mind”, their latest release, debuted at #13 on the Billboard top 200 chart.

Orange County Concert Guide caught up with drummer, Wesley Finley to find out a little more about their growing phenomena.

OCCG: Rebelution is playing two nights at The Observatory in Orange County, have you played there before? What do you like about playing in Orange County?
WF: We haven’t played there, yet, so I kind of feel like we’re overdue. It looks like a very vibey venue. Some of our first real club shows were in Orange County so we have some history there. It’s nice because it’s not in the thick of L.A. so it’s less stressful and you can also get people up from North San Diego.

OCCG: Rebelution has enjoyed some massive airplay and downloads while seemingly putting out your music on your own terms. What do you think it is about your music that resonates with audiences and contributes to its success?
WF: Like most successful bands, our music fits into a niche that helps us sound different and stand out while touching on specific sentiments that resonate with people. Because we are largely grassroots in our approach, our fans help disseminate our music and feel proud they are contributing to our success.

OCCG: What can fans look forward to when going to see a Rebelution concert?
WF: Fans can expect a mostly up-tempo show with good lighting and positive lyrics that will make you shake your derriere.

OCCG: How would you describe your music to someone that isn’t familiar with it?
WF: Music with a reggae foundation, with songs influenced by hip-hop, heavy rock, world music, and straight ahead roots reggae. Our singer is Persian too so that adds an interesting vocal quality.

OCCG: I believe the band met while attending college. How did that unfold, was everyone studying music?
WF: Yes, three of us were studying music at the time and met in classes, then picked up a couple guys who we knew from the music scene. It always starts out with harmless jamming to see where it goes, but it’s all about how far you take it and how much time you’re willing to dedicate to pushing it places. Now none of us really use our degrees!

OCCG: What sort of impact or influence does living in Santa Barbara play in creating your style of music?
WF: Living by the beach in a mostly sunny place inherently affected the mood of our songs, and being in a college town usually meant playing party music so our songs always came out accordingly. Now we’ve learned to tap into different moods but we always come back to that same sensation that was in our original songs.

OCCG: Is there a new album in the works, and if so, what inspires the lyrics and music?
WF: I’m actually writing this interview from a recording studio in Hollywood where we’re getting the majority of the work done for the next album. I’d say our next album will be our most diverse yet. We have one of our rootsiest reggae songs, a slow rock ballad, a hip-hop song done with a DJ producer, a throwback party jam from our early days, etc. I’m excited to see how our fans accept it and grow with us.

OCCG: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
WF: We’re happy to be back in the OC ringing in the New Year for our fans!

Observatory Stage Is Hard Rock Band’s Final Stop Of Current Tour

December 6, 2013

Devildriver, the California groove metal machine, wind up their 6-week co-headline tour with Trivium at The Observatory on Dec. 15.

Legendary frontman Dez Fafara, bassist Chris Towning, drummer John Boecklin and guitarists Jeff Kendrick and Mike Spreitzer will be performing many fan favorites along with several songs from their sixth full-length, “Winter Kills. The album debuted at #32 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, their highest chart debut ever.

“Us and Trivium are co–headlining so we’re both playing a little over an hour,” Fafara said. “We’ve been having really great shows. We’re on a 6-week tour so at the end it gets so tight.”

Fafara has a unique vocal style, which he explains was influenced by listening to a diverse range of music and getting into his parents record collection.

“It’s a little more clear than the average death metal voice. You can kind of understand what I’m saying, as well. I just took pieces of all those artists that I loved throughout time and kind of put it together and made it my own style.

“There’s a lot of punk rock influence from Black Flag to the Germs; a lot of heavy metal influence, Motorhead, Black Sabbath and things like that. I also love the blues so guys like Howlin’ Wolf and guys like that also play a part in my sound. I mean everything from blues to black metal.”

For years Devildriver were sort of the square peg in the round hole. But, their fans started calling them the California groove machine.

“And even though I don’t really like labels and titles, I kind of bent to that one,” Fafara admitted. “So we are a groove-heavy, hook-driven metal band, with all sorts of other influences. They call us the California groove machine. I’ll go with that.”

Music can often be a comfort or distraction to the negativity in the world and in everyday life. It can often counter-balance, or even suspend some of it at times.

“Music is just that thing,” Fafara mused. “You’re coming home from work and you put on a good tune and all of a sudden you forget what’s going on for a minute. Or maybe you reflect hard enough to get through it in your head and you come up with an answer, a solution. Music’s always been that way for me.

“I find music in general, and metal in general and punk rock in general, to be very uplifting. Even if the lyrics are negative or the music sounds heavy or hard, it’s often a place that you can go to get through the negative in life. That’s what music was to me when I was a kid so hopefully Devildriver can do that for other people.”

The Santa Ana show is the last on the current tour and promises to be a good one.

“Come on out, get in the pit, have a great time!” said Fafara. “The last of the tour show is always something to see, everyone is really putting forth their best, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone come out.”

Cheap Trick Frontman Rocks The Coach House With New Band

December 4, 2013

Cheap Trick lead singer, Robin Zander, brings his side project, The Robin Zander Band to The Coach House on Dec. 13.

Zander joined Cheap Trick in 1972 but in January of 2013 he formed The Robin Zander Band with drummer and long time friend Steve Luongo, Mark Hitt on guitar and Larry Hobbs on bass while continuing to be an active member of Cheap Trick.

Their live set includes some Cheap Trick hits and also nods to Luongo’s past touring days with The Who’s bassist, John Entwistle, along with covers of several rock classics.

Orange County Concert Guide asked Robin Zander about his side project, playing at The Coach House, and a few other things.

OCCG: Orange County has been fortunate to have yourself play here with Cheap Trick in the past, and hopefully in the future! What do you remember/like about playing here, and have you previously played at The Coach House?
RZ: I remember seeing so many of my old friends in the audience the last time we were there. The venue has always been a favorite of mine because of the intimate setting and the sound is always great.

OCCG: What motivated you to put together the Robin Zander Band?
RZ: Bored with the time off although Cheap Trick doesn’t take much time off but more than that, where I live there are some great musicians who have been getting together once in a while for some good causes. I always thought it was fun and sounded great. Mark Hitt, and Steve Luongo need no introduction and Larry Hobbs is the best-kept secret this side of ACDC.

OCCG: Apart from some Cheap Trick songs, what are some of the other songs RZB are likely to cover and why were they chosen?
RZ: We picked the songs we could do without rehearsing much. More than that, it’s stuff we all grew up listening to and being inspired by and I know that’s how the audience feels.

OCCG: Do you have a particular song you look forward to playing live and why?
RZ: “Mind Games” because it’s fucking hard to do and make it real.

OCCG: In reference to Cheap Trick, what’s the secret to keeping a band together for such a long time?
RZ: Clean Living and perseverance. That’s my answer and I’m sticking to it.

OCCG: I believe you began singing and playing guitar from a young age. Was there a specific moment when you realized you wanted to form your own band and write your own songs?
RZ: When the British invasion hit and Kennedy was assassinated we were entering into a war in Vietnam. It was a scary time and I needed a place to go hide. Music was my savior and I had a garage.

OCCG: What sort of suggestions or recommendations could you offer to a band starting out today?
RZ: Practice and play out… a lot. Don’t break up so you can grow together and create your own unique sound. It’s either that or give it up.

OCCG: What’s on the horizon for RZB; more live dates, writing/recording of original music, etc.?
RZ: All of the above.

Cypress Hill Brings Their Hip-Hopping Grooves To The OC

December 1, 2013

Cypress Hill follows up their performance at Verizon Wireless on 311′s Unity Tour this past summer with an intimate night at the Observatory on Dec. 27.

“The intimate shows are fan favorites because it’s just about you and they’re up close, right there in your face,” lead rapper, B-Real (born Louis Freese) said. “I think the fans like that more. It always gives good energy off to the band, as well. We look forward to it.”

Cypress Hill is the first Latino-American hip-hop group to have multi-platinum albums with sales over 18 million worldwide.

Their self-titled debut became a sensation in early 1992, while the group’s second album, “Black Sunday”, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. It went platinum in the U.S. and featured such fan favorites as “Insane in the Brain” and “Hits from the Bong.”

The bong sounds used in the latter track didn’t exist at the time so the group tried to put together things to create “a re-enactment but the sounds weren’t actually accurate to lighting a bong or a joint or whatever,” B-Real recalled.

“Then (producer) Muggs (born Lawrence Muggerud) thought, ‘Well, why recreate it through shit that’s on a disk that’s probably not even the same thing? Why don’t you just bring the bong over here to the mic and record you hitting it?”

Cypress Hill has openly sung about marijuana and has campaigned for its legalization, for many years and can finally see some positive changes.

“It’s something that we all imagined could happen if we put enough work behind it, put out enough awareness and educated people,” said B-Real.

“Fortunately, it did grow and it did get out there and now we have 17 medical marijuana legislative states out there, two of which are legal states aside from the medicals.

“It was a great risk a lot of us took to champion the movement. Guys like Redman and Method Man, Snoop Dog and ourselves. The fact that we’ve all championed this particular cause and seen growth inspires us to keep pushing until it’s legal across the board.”

Originating from South Gate, the group grew up listening to Public Enemy, EPMD, The Beastie Boys, Run DMC, LL Cool J, Rakim, and then eventually NWA. Most of these artists could be heard on the local AM radio station, KDAY.

“KDAY was a big part of our growth into music because they were the first station playing hip hop in Los Angeles,” B-Real explained.
“They basically introduced us to all the East Coast artists that were doing hip hop in the early days, which influenced a lot of us to do that particular art form.

“The fact is KDAY influenced the FM stations to play hip hop. For a time KDAY was very successful in regards to what kids were listening to, which was this new form of music, which was hip-hop. “

Cypress Hill is currently prepping a new album but in the meantime fans are invited to visit livemixtapes.com.

“Myself, Xzibit, and Demrick put out a record called, ‘Serial Killers’, on livemixtapes.com. It’s self-titled and it’s for free. It’s just something we put out there for the fans,” offered B-Real.