Monthly Archives: September 2009

CD Review: Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats “Meet The Meatbats”

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meetthemeatbats“A journey through funk, punk, and beyond”…welcome to Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats. Most of you know Chad Smith as the drummer for Red Hot Chili Peppers and Chickenfoot. As if that weren’t enough diversity for one resume, he is back with a completely new project that I can’t even classify.

Introducing the Meatbats: guitarist Jeff Kollman, keyboardist Ed Roth, bassist Kevin Chown, and of course Chad Smith (on drums, duh!). Do they sound like Red Hot Chili Peppers? Do they sound like Chickenfoot? Do they sound like Red Hot Chickenfeet?

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CD Review: 800 Octane “Requiem”

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Requiem_booklet_final.inddThere are a lot of bands out there in the music industry today. And while many of these bands aren’t worth a second glance, there are still some that should be a lot more popular than they are. One such band is 800 Octane.

800 Octane is a band of musicians who make their home in the Portland, Oregon area. The punk rock band consists of Dave on Bass/Vocals, Eric on Guitar, Justin on Guitar/Vocals, and Dustin on Drums.
The band has recently celebrated 15 years together as a band. In that amount of time, they have amassed a catalog of nine releases, many of which are 4 or 5 song demos. In 2008, 800 Octane released their current album entitled “Requiem”. Although 800 Octane put their latest release of “Requiem” out on the small Indie label of New School Records, that doesn’t matter as “Requiem” is a strong album that needs to be exposed to as many music lovers as possible.

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Lisa McDonald Interviews Craig Martin of “Classic Albums Live”

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CRAIG_BEARDEDClassic Albums Live is a Toronto-based touring outfit consisting of 40 professional musicians with a commitment to recreating a note for note, cut for cut recital of some of the greatest classic rock and pop albums of all time.

Under the leadership of producer Craig Martin, the series began in 2003 and has grown from once-a-month shows at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto to sold out venues across the USA. With standing ovations in Florida, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New Jersey CAL has not slowed down playing venues all over Ontario and Eastern Canada. But Torontonians haven’t seen a performance held in the heart of downtown since the series parted ways with the Phoenix at the end of August last year.

To the delight of followers of the series, a press release issued in May announced that CAL will perform at Massey Hall for the very first time on Sept 26, 2009. The performance will honour the 40th anniversary release of the Beatles Abbey Road when Classic Albums Live performs the entire record with a 17-piece band.

Mr Martin joins me now to discuss this milestone in the series

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Rock and Roll Report Podcast #59 – Saying Goodbye to Summer…

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Rock and Roll Report Podcast #59 [ 55:31 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

by the poolOn this week’s Rock and Roll Report Podcast we survey a rock and roll buffet overloaded with goodies. From heavier stuff to electronica twinged rock to jam bands and the blues we have what ails ya!

It is sad that in this part of the world we are saying goodbye to summer and hello fall but really, isn’t summer just s state of mind? OK I am getting delusional as I could never convince myself of that while shoveling snow off my car in February so let’s just allow these great tracks from bands and artists who are either unsigned or signed to smaller indie record labels entertain us with their amazing music.

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As usual you can get ahold of us here at The Rock and Roll Report by sending us an email at [email protected] or calling our listener line at 206-350-4333. You can also add us as a friend on MySpace at www.myspace.com/rockandrollreport our check out our Facebook Group.

This is what I played this week. If you like what you hear please click on the appropriate link and support that band or artist!

  1. Rock and Roll Report Podcast Intro by Featured on Fridays
  2. Electric by Lost Without Cause- Buy at Lost Without Cause - Write Your Own Ending / Electric - Single - Electric
  3. Junkie Girlfriend by Limozine- Buy at Limozine - Car Crash Casino - Junkie Girlfriend
  4. Solar by The Black Cherry Group
  5. Stars by Renegade Ride- Buy at Renegade Ride - Dream Machine - Stars
  6. Interstellar by Zagnutt
  7. Behind Every Set by The Freddie Long Band- Buy at The Freddie Long Band - Strangers and Friends - Behind Every Set
  8. No Longer Mulling by The Foyer- Buy it at The Foyer - The Foyer: A Sampler - No Longer Mulling
  9. Doorman by Halo Stereo- Buy it at Halo Stereo - The Invisible War - Doorman
  10. Too Hard Too Cold by The Tender Box- Buy it at The Tender Box - EP1 - Too Hard Too Cold
  11. Coming Back Around by Bernadette Sebastiani
  12. Rock and Roll Report Podcast Outro by Featured on Fridays

The Rock and Roll Report Podcast is a proud member of:

Association of Music Podcasting
Thanks so much for listening. See you next week!

Live Show Review: Hundred Days with support from Psalms

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Hundred Days LiveHundred Days with support from Psalms
19-08-2009 The Rifleman’s Glastonbury

It was with great anticipation and excitement that I made the short journey across to the Rifleman’s in Glastonbury on a warm Wednesday night.

Headlining the gig tonight was Yeovil based rock band Hundred Days. After hearing plenty about them, I had not had the opportunity to see them live.

The support for the evening was Bath based band Psalms, who were unknown to me. After grabbing a quick pint I made it in just in time to watch them kick off a set that blew me away.

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Tommy Lee to Choose Best Corporate Band in America

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rocker Joins Panel of Judges for Ninth Annual FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands

Cleveland, OH – Legendary drummer Tommy Lee of rock band Mötley Crüe is one of three judges chosen to pick the best corporate rock band in the upcoming FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands presented by NAMM, the trade association of the international music products industry, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Lee will be joined by noted musician and author Jeff Carlisi and Making Music magazine editor-in-chief Antoinette Follett as judges at the ninth annual event, taking place on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

The first music competition of its kind, the battle provides amateur, company-sponsored bands with the opportunity to step out of the conference room and celebrate their passion for making music. Eight qualifying bands from across the U.S. will take the stage at the Rock Hall, with the chance to earn the title of best corporate band. The event is also generously supported by Gibson Guitar.

“I’m happy to be part of this year’s FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands,” said Lee. “An amazing amount of talent exists across the country, and for people to come together in the workplace and express themselves in a different way proves what kind of power music has in elevating morale and bringing people together.”

In addition to Lee’s role as a judge at this year’s Battle of the Bands, the Tommy Lee-fronted ensemble “Methods of Mayhem” is inviting fans to make music of their own and help record their upcoming album. Starting on October 5, isolated instrument tracks, or stems, will be posted on the Web site, http://thepublicrecord.com. Fans can download the stems and add their own musical ideas, including original recordings, song mixes, arrangements and more.

About the Judges

At the age of 17, drummer Tommy Lee teamed up to form Grammy-nominated hard rock band Mötley Crüe, releasing their debut album Too Fast for Love in November 1981. By the ‘80s, Mötley Crüe had released a string of albums, including Shout at the Devil (1983) and Theatre Of Pain (1985). However, it was Girls, Girls, Girls (1987) and 1989’s Dr. Feelgood that catapulted the band into the mainstream. After nearly two decades of success, Lee took time away from the Crüe to record a solo record and tour with his own band, Methods of Mayhem and with DJ Aero under the moniker of “Electric Mayhem.” In 2004, Lee reunited with Mötley Crüe and their 2005-2006 “Carnival of Sins” tour, which included more than 100 arena dates in the U.S. alone, was ranked by Pollstar among the top five grossing tours of 2005. Mötley Crüe has since been on the road, recently concluding their “Crüe Fest 2” tour this month. Lee is currently working on a new album with “Methods of Mayhem.” He is also a published author of The New York Times best-seller “Tommyland” and a co-star on Battleground Earth, Discovery Planet’s green environment-themed reality series.

Jeff Carlisi was one of the founding members of the rock band .38 Special and wrote or co-wrote many of their biggest hits, including “Second Chance,” “Caught Up In You” and “Hold On Loosely.” The band sold more than 14 million records and enjoyed worldwide popular and critical acclaim. Carlisi left the band in 1997, and is now one of the co-founders of Camp Jam, where he trains young musicians, and Camp Jam, Inc., conducting team-building workshops for corporations. Earlier this year, Carlisi released his book “Jam! Amp Your Team, Rock Your Business!,” which shares a musician’s insight into navigating the music industry.

Antoinette Follett is the managing editor of the AFM’s International Musician magazine and editor-in-chief of Making Music, a lifestyle magazine for amateur musicians. To serve the growing community of musicians, Follett focuses on features and articles geared toward players from the intrepid beginner to the dedicated, experienced hobbyist—stories about amateur musicians, groups, and ensembles; learning tips and techniques; buying guides and gear reviews; book and DVD resources, and more. An expert in the field of the benefits of making music, at Bentley-Hall, Inc., where she is president, she has overseen marketing and communications projects for a number of companies in the music industry including Yamaha, Roland, and the American Federation of Musicians. Her expertise in marketing and music has led Bentley-Hall to work with the Percussion Marketing Council, the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, and RADD, the entertainment industry’s voice for road safety. Follett also presents marketing seminars for the AFM and NAMM.

About the Finalists

From 34 entries, 18 amateur bands from across the country were chosen to participate in one of two semi-final regional competitions, and in the end, eight finalists were selected to vie for the top spot. The finalists of the Ninth Annual FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands include: “Aeroroot” from Frontier Natural Products (Norway, Iowa), “Manage This” from Symantec (Lindon, Utah), “Roland’s Stones” from Chevron (Pascagoula, Miss.), “The S.A.P.’s” from Johnson & Johnson (Morristown, N.J.), “Slump” from Oceanside Glasstile (Carlsbad, Calif.), “The Mighty Electric St. Jude Band” from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, Tenn.), “Strat 5” from Healthways (Franklin, Tenn.) and “The Weasels” from The Sunflower Group (Overland, Kan.).

FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands is a partnership between NAMM (the trade association of the international music products industry), FORTUNE magazine, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The national competition celebrates the positive effects of making music, which has been shown to increase employee morale and productivity in the workplace.

For more information on the FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands, please visit http://rockhall.com/fortunebattle. For more information about the proven benefits of making music, please visit http://wannaplaymusic.com.

About NAMM

The National Association of Music Merchants, commonly called NAMM in reference to the organization’s popular NAMM trade shows, is the not-for-profit association that unifies, leads and strengthens the $17 billion global musical instruments and products industry. NAMM’s activities and programs are designed to promote music making to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of more than 9,000 Member companies. For more information about NAMM, interested parties can visit http://namm.org or call 800.767.NAMM (6266).

About Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. is the nonprofit organization that exists to educate visitors, fans and scholars from around the world about the history and continuing significance of rock and roll music. It carries out this mission both through its operation of a world-class museum that collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets this art form and through its library and archives as well as its educational programs.

The Museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Wednesdays, the Museum is open until 9 p.m. Museum admission is $22 for adults, $17 for seniors (65+), $13 for youth (9-12). When you become a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the world of rock and roll becomes yours to explore. Call 216.515.8425 for information on becoming a member. For general inquiries, please call 216.781.ROCK or visit www.rockhall.com.

About FORTUNE

FORTUNE is a global leader in business journalism with a worldwide circulation of more than 1 million and a readership of nearly five million, with major franchises including the FORTUNE 500 and the FORTUNE 100 “Best Companies to Work For.” FORTUNE Live Media extends the brand’s mission into live settings, hosting a wide range of annual conferences, including the FORTUNE Global Forum. FORTUNE magazine’s online home is http://CNNMoney.com, the most visited and utilized business destination Web site.

CD Review: The Brigadier – Time is a Wound

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The third album from The Brigadier (Matt Williams) continues to showcase his extensive gift of music and melodies. It opens with the impressive and catchy “I’m gonna make you mine Missy” which combines a cutting lead guitar and Beach Boys backing harmonies. This is a bona fide classic track that shouldn’t be missed. Next, “Oh Paddington” is another magical melody with a slight psychedelic overtones and a bit like a lost Klaatu track. Slowly, the album gets funkier beats in “Why don’t you love me?” – with very 70′s style syths and a whispering lead that beckons the listener.

Much of the gentle almost narrative Roger Waters meets McCartney comes across on the tracks in the albums middle. Both “Traditional love songs” and “Ode to Escape” will hold your interest till the very Queen meets Moody Blues flavored “Time is a Wound.” The guitar work is excellent, but often a supporting player here as the mood and intricate harmonies lead the song. It’s my favorite on the disc, too. The songs gradually get both delicate and precious with the melodies and themes, like “Something Good” has a baroque current running through it. This tendency eventually leads us to the Kinks-like burlesque of “Jobseeker” and “(I Like) The Look Of You” with light harpsichord and do-wop chorus. The utterly gorgeous finale of “The Insomnia” is a Brian Wilson/Wondermints aria that tells us the author is begging all his active thoughts to stop and let him sleep.

This is the kind of release that will keep smart pop fans up late nights, playing The Brigadier over and over again.

My Space | CD Baby | Listen on The Brigadier Site

The Rock and Roll Report Band Of the Week is Renegade Ride

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renegade ride 300Sometimes grinding hard, but not metal. Partly soft, but not pop. A bit unpredictable, but not too progressive. Renegade Ride – an independent modern rock band with a twist.

Good songs are what music is all about and that’s what we strive for!

I guess there is a story behind Renegade Ride - the bigger, better and meaner version of the group formerly known as The Ride. The band was founded in Helsinki, Finland in 2005. After drifting through space and time for some years, line-up changes, writing quality material and working hard, Renegade Ride is now emerging stronger and harder than ever – ready to blow your mind.

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CD Review: Dreaming In Stereo “Dreaming In Stereo”

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dreaming in stereoDreaming In Stereo is centered around the multi-talented singer/songwriter Fernando Perdomo. Vocally, Perdomo has quite the dreamy voice with hints of J.R. Richards and Jason Falkner – atmospheric and pleasing to the ears, and exceptionally well suited to his ballads and mid-tempo numbers. After hearing this self-titled debut, I am convinced Dreaming In Stereo has all it takes to make their dreams of pop rock stardom come true.

Perdomo is a master at crafting catchy songs in an artful manner, complete with some atypical instruments now and then to keep things interesting. His pristine vocals just sail over these gorgeous melodies, creating a great mood record that is as intelligent as much as it is fun to listen to. From the jamming “Steal This Song” (his meditation on musical piracy) and the upbeat power pop gems “I’m Not Gonna Move To L.A.” and “Decisions, Decisions”, to the beautiful balladry in “Lazy” and “Let Me Love You”, this CD has it all.

Deep lyrics, credible vocals, and sophisticated music – you get all this and more with Dreaming In Stereo. Some of the most accessible art rock I’ve ever hard – Dreaming In Stereo may have founded a new musical genre: progressive power pop! Fans of Genesis, Yes, Dishwalla…take note.

iPOD-worthy: 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10

Dreaming In Stereo on MySpace. Official site.

The Man Who Shoots For The Stars..”Stage Dive Photography”

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tony6 300Good morning to all you Rock and Roll People out there…..Today I want to do something a Little different. We promote everything that Rocks here @ The Rock and Roll  Report and today you will be Introduced to someone who does exactly this…His name is Tony and he is “Stage Dive Photography”.

We see all the shots that just ooze Rock and Roll and now you can find out just what it is like to be on the other side….behind the camera….Catching all the Moments that make us scream out  YES I so want to be there……..

Before I start Tony I would  just like to thank you and Welcome you To The Rock and Roll Report……

I enjoy all your Shots, and when I see how you capture the Moment it makes me want to sell up and move your way….where all the good Bands and Times are …….

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