Monthly Archives: May 2009
CD Review: Covered Call – Money Never Sleeps (Blistering Records)
While listening to this I closed my eyes and….BAM……there it was, 1991 again and that whole grunge mess never happened. This stuff is pure vintage hair metal! Though, without any bios for this stuff, I am not sure if they have long hair or not. They sure have that melodic hair metal rock sound down though and I can see them being a huge, huge deal in the time when that kind of music was big and maybe today if only that kind of music were still hot. Still, this stuff is very catchy and hard rocking as hell and I can hear it on the radio in my mind’s ear as it is very well produced and sounds as if no corner was cut.
Hailing from Sweden, this band deserves stadiums and tons of hits, though I am not sure if they are of the right time to see it actually happen. Still, this is a fun flashback and I had a great time listening to it so I can’t knock it at all, though I am sure this band will not get much airplay or get on any charts. Won’t stop me from listening, though!
http://www.myspace.com/coveredcall
Scott
The Rock and Roll Report Band of the Week is Hemmit
This week’s Band of the Week is Portland, Oregon’s Hemmit. We talked to the band about Portland’s music scene, their plans for the future and the essential elements of great rock and roll.
RRR: How did the band start and who are the members?
Keith Fleming: Drums, bass, vox
Adam Rohosy: Guitar, vox
Oskar Rohosy: Bass, vox
Keith: Adam founded the band as a solo project in 2004 when he recorded ‘What You See (Is What You Get).
Oszkar: What about me? I was on it too.
Keith: They found me though a Craigslist ad (where else) and our practice space for the first couple of years was in the basement of Portland’s “School of Rock”, so the energy was perfect.
Adam: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that we, Hemmit, were to carry Excalibur. THAT is why Hemmit is your your King.
RRR: Your bio refers to hemmit as “punkish Powerpop.” I like that term. What musical influences have shaped the band?
Adam: Really? I thought we were more altpowercore metalpop. Hemmit is my musical influence, and William Shatner.
Keith: I like the balls-out energy of punk combined with hooky powerpop melodies. The Ramones, The Hives, The Vines, Matthew Sweet, Bob Mould/Sugar, Superdrag – if it has a loud guitar and a melody, I like it. I wrote the tunes for this album, and brought them into practice for a thumbs up/thumbs down. Adam is a great producer, and most of his feedback was “it needs to be faster”. And he was right!
Oszkar: For influences, anybody that gave me goosebumps listening to them as a kid.
Rock and Roll Report TV: Lynam – Tanis
PIGSHIT by Gary Pig Gold – EIGHT QUESTIONS for ROB MORGAN
As both publisher of the one-and-only POPLust Magazine (cross your favorite issue of CREEM with MAD Magazine circa 1962) and erstwhile member of the legendary Squirrels combo (currently in the midst of their ultra-gala 25th Anniversary “Death with Dignity” tour), Capt. Morgan gamely takes time out from mock-rockin’ the Pacific Northwest to reveal…
1. “Munsters” or “Addams Family”: Which one’s for you, and Why?
Addams Family, ALL the way!
I was fascinated by Charles Addams cartoons when I was a kid… there were a bunch in this old cartoon book from 1945 called “Cartoon Cavalde,” including a number of Addams Family ones. I still have that book! I now also have a big, hardback collection of his stuff that I love!
And the TV show wasn’t too insulting to the original strip, which is more than I can say about the BATMAN show from the ’60s… even as a KID, I knew THAT blew!
2. Who in the world, living or dead, would you most like to play a game of “Twister” with?
Hmmmm….. Felix The Cat? Ona Zee? Salvador Dali? Elasticman?
Honestly, I’m not really sure… (I have to think about THAT one for awhile!)…
TOYOTA “ROCK THE SPACE” CONTEST OFFERS MYSPACE RECORD CONTRACT
The Toyota “Rock the Space” contest is open to all artists and bands in all musical genres. To enter, go to www.myspace.com/toyotamusic . Then upload your best original song and create a virtual demo tape. Deadline to enter is July 1, 2009. Entries will be evaluated by a judging panel. MySpace users then vote for their favorite from 5 finalists and one winner will be awarded a MySpace Records contract plus $10,000 in Fender gear! The runners-up will get attractive promotion packages.
Rock and Roll Report TV: Nurses – Lita Vandango
Ambassadors of Rock – Battle of the Bands Voting Begins May 26, 2009
Just a heads up that online voting for the Ambassadors of Rock – Battle of the Bands begins May 26, 2009. Head over to http://www.hardrock.com/promo/aor09/battle-of-the-bands/ for all the details and a chance to check out the bands.
BE AEROSMITH’S OPENING ACT ON AERO FORCE ONE TOUR
Aerosmith and Guitar Hero are giving fans the chance to be the Opening Act for the massive Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Presents Aerosmith tour with special guests ZZ Top. The tour kicks off June 10 in St. Louis, MO. In each city the tour hits, two victorious fret-burners will perform before ZZ Top, playing Guitar Hero: Aerosmith on stage in front of massive audiences. One grand-prize winner will be chosen from Aerosmith’s YouTube channel online and others will be chosen from participating radio stations. Winners also receive two tickets to the show, a Guitar Hero: Aerosmith prize package and a personal pre-show congratulatory meet-and-greet with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. Visit www.aeroforceone.com for details.
RockAngel’s Weekly Radar – The Working Title
The Weekly Radar is here to bring you the artists, albums and songs that might not be on your musical radar, but should be. This week, I’d like to introduce you to Joel Hamilton—the mastermind behind The Working Title.
The new album Bone Island just came out on the 12th and is nothing short of a musical masterpiece. However, The Working Title has been releasing consistently well-crafted albums since 2003 and has since matured like a fine wine. Since their initial EP in 2003, the band has dwindled down to the bare bones of only Joel Hamilton and the producing genius known as Jake Sinclair with mixing done by Claudius Mittendorfer (Mars Volta, Muse, Maroon 5, Brand New). As the layers of the band peeled away, Joel really found his voice and the new album finds its way into contention for my vote of one of the best albums of the year so far.
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