Draven: Eden…
***Young New Classic British Rock Band’s Hard Boogying Kevin Shirley-Produced Debut Album ‘Eden’ Unleashed May 25th*** “British by blood but southern by riff, Draven mix megawatt hard rock with dusty southern boogie and couple it all to pointed lyrics about our weird world and its inevitable downfall. Their debut album, the Kevin Shirley-produced ‘Eden’, is a sprawling cinematic epic, half cowboy bar brawl & half monsters of rock arena smasher” – Classic Rock Magazine, Issue 121, Summer 2008.
‘Eden’, the upcoming album from new identical-twin-fronted young British Hard Rockers Draven, is, not to put too fine a point on it, an astonishingly accomplished contemporary debut offering. All killer and absolutely no filler, each and every one of the eleven original compositions on ‘Eden’ has ‘classic’ stamped all over it.
Fronted by identical twins Frank and Jim Paoli on guitar and vocals, backed up by the earth pounding Danny Wood on drums and hard plunking Alex de la Fuente on bass, Draven are all set to blast into the rock stratosphere with the release of ‘Eden’ on CNR Records, distributed by Cargo, on May 25th.
Frank and Jim started writing songs together at the age of 12, inspired by the likes of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones, Cream, Deep Purple, Aerosmith, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Tool and Muse.
The twins were born into a musical family in their native Surrey. Frank met Alex at work in 2002 and bonded over their passion for music. Danny passed an audition in 30 seconds flat and the boys were ready to riff! The band took their name from a character named Eric Draven, played by Brandon Lee in ‘The Crow’ movie, and began building up a live following playing all over Surrey, London and the South of England.
Having enjoyed playing prestigious open air festivals such as Guilfest (with Alice Cooper in 2004) and Eagle FM’s Party In The Park (3 years in a row) Draven have even created their own local annual open air Halloween festival known as Freakfest. With more than an album’s worth of songs under Draven’s belts, their management began looking for a suitable producer and sent off a demo to Kevin ‘Caveman’ Shirley, in Los Angeles, on the off chance. Astonishingly, Kevin, who has produced, mixed or engineered albums by Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, Metallica, Black Crowes, Bon Jovi etc, loved the songs and invited the band to Los Angeles to record ‘Eden’.
Draven jumped at the chance and flew over last summer to record ‘Eden’, a concept album inspired by the tale of ‘Paradise Lost’, which tells the story of how everything was perfect in the beginning, but has descended into the cruel and ugly world we humans have now turned it into. Ultimately though, Draven’s message is a positive, uplifting one of hope and encouragement, which is captured perfectly on ‘Eden, a stunning debut which will make you punch the air in delight as it cascades out of the speakers.
http://www.dravenofficial.com/ / www.myspace.com/dravensville
Dan Reed: Coming Up 4 Air
This whole ‘Machine’ that we get wrapped up when we get involved with music is often beauty and beast in the same movement, two sides of a one sided coin…
It’s been a lot of years since I last saw Dan Reed, around 18 I think (Rolling Stones Tour ‘91). I had seen the ‘Network’ play stand alone shows and as support to Jovi, Bowie and The Stones; they almost became the resident house band with some acts at one point, and it seemed like everyone wanted the ‘Network’ to open their show… Then it all seemed to stop, this was pre-net days, so when a band disappeared, they really did… But when I read he was playing an acoustic show 10 miles down the road I had to get my arse down there…
We get into the Roman city around 7pm and when we get to the venue we hook up with Dan for a chat for radio about where, what, why and when. I’m amazed at the fact that he remembers we had met before, I am also amazed that after all he has been through he is still here to tell his story!
Dan talks about growing up, listening to Van Halen, making records with Bruce Fairburn, touring the world, playing with The Stones, leaving music, opening a nightclub, getting high, getting wasted, his fathers death, getting straight, making movies, moving to Jerusalem, rediscovering his talent, getting back into the studio to record new music and getting back on stage to play it… this is after all ‘What he does’… It’s a fascinating insight into a life of a rising star that somehow got dimmed too soon, but his music shines on like a beacon and now stands out like a diamond in a bucket of shit!
Dan Reed just ambles onto stage, one man, one guitar, a storyteller personified, it becomes obvious from the moment he begins that this is no ‘ordinary’ singer songwriter, what we have here is a smooth vocal wrapped around meaningful, heartfelt, sincere backdrops of emotion and melody…
Dan plays songs both old and new, of the new ‘Coming Up For Air’, ‘Promised Land’ and ‘Brave New World’ are a joy to behold; the kind of songs that you used to hear on the radio all them years ago, like a combination of James Taylor, Bon Jovi and Prince, the fact that they are modern subjects and strong lyrics make the songs brand new, yet you feel like you already know them. This is a trick of true talent and one that can’t be learned, it’s a gift…
The ‘old songs’ get an airing too, passionate and heartfelt versions of both ‘Lover’ and ‘Ritual.’ Then an impressive one man take on ‘Rainbow Child’ and a traffic-stopping ‘Long Way To Go’, songs that prove just how good the (Dan Reed) Network really were; lost friends, songs that made you sing, dance, fall in love and cry. They remind all why they loved music in the first place. Dan isn’t making to many new waves tonight, he’s preaching to the converted, but like lost children they are so happy to be back in his church…
Hammerfest: April 2009!
Hammerfest: Shakenstir & Burn was there ALL weekend bringing you the lo-down on the head-bang!
Following the hugely successful sold out Hard Rock Hell in 2007 and 2008, Hard Rock Hell teamed up with Metal Hammer to announce the inaugural Hammerfest. What a weekend! What a festival! Chalets, beer and rock ‘n’ roll!
Read more 
The Jokers: Rock n’ Roll…
The Jokers ‘The Big Rock & Roll Show’ Debut Album, Mixed By AC/DC man Mike Fraser, Released June 29th and from the moment the first bars of ‘V.I.B.E.’ the opening track on ‘The Big Rock & Roll Show’, The Jokers’ debut album, crash out of your speakers, you know that this is a band that have got a rare combination of talent, songs, musical ability and V.I.B.E. in spades.
‘The Big Rock & Roll Show’, released on June 29th, (distributed by Cargo), does exactly what it says on the tin; “When we were kids we were inspired by seeing a great rock and roll show that would take you out of your every day normal life and leave you on a high. There would be the buzz of the crowd, stacks of amps, fireworks, explosions etc…That is what our band is all about – fun and great song craft.”
Inspired by the likes of Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, Cream, The Who, T-Rex, The Beatles, Kiss and AC/DC, The Jokers, who comprise Wane Parry on lead vocals, Paul Hurst on lead guitar, Simon Hurst on bass and Chris Bate on drums, formed in 2006 with the aim of forming the world’s greatest rock and roll band. The Jokers hail from Liverpool, a city well known for its ability to produce outstanding songwriters from all walks of musical life, and they are no exception to this rule.
‘The Big Rock & Roll Show’, which sounds like it was put down in a huge analogue studio complex, was actually recorded in guitarist Paul Hurst’s living room, with duvets hanging on the walls to help the sound and provide a makeshift vocal booth.
The band then had the album mixed by a studio in Liverpool, but were severely disappointed with the result and in a moment of madness they searched the internet for the biggest mix engineer in rock and stumbled across Mike Fraser, who had just mixed AC/DC’s latest 9 million selling (and counting) album, ‘Black Ice’.
They rang the office number on his website and were asked by his PA to send over some of the raw data for him to listen to. Only a couple of hours later Mike himself rang Paul to tell him that he would love to work with the band! After sprinkling his magic on the mix in Vancouver’s Warehouse Studios, Mike also managed to bypass the waiting list at Gateway Mastering Studios in Portland Maine, within a week of approaching them.
The result is ‘The Big Rock & Roll Show’, a debut album with a contemporary modern sound married to some totally inspired classic rock influences. All killer and no filler, each track is a highlight and the pace never lets up throughout this nine track musical masterpiece, such is the quality of song writing and musicianship.
‘The Big Rock & Roll Show’, not to put too fine a point on it, is all set to earn The Jokers a place at Rock’s top table.
Steel Panther: Back From Black!
Steel Panther Are Back From Black! But the question remains, is the world ready to herald the return of heavy metal’s kings of the rock scene, with tracks like “Stripper Girl… It would appear to be so. After all, what this band does, give or take 20 years, is timeless.
Now, these once and future kings of heavy metal have emerged out of the mists of history and a cloud of hairspray to reclaim their rightful throne. Look out, because Steel Panther is again marking its territory.
MICHAEL STARR: I started singing in kindergarten doing school plays. I also sang to my baby sitter so she would hug me and I could be next to her boobs. As a freshman I moved to L.A. with my mom cause she met this guy who sold drugs and produced a TV show in Hollywood. I started my first band called “Free Beer” I had to change the name cause people always wanted to drink our beer that we had and that sucked. So I changed the name to “Black Panther,” cause chicks dig cats and black cars. We played keg parties and school talent shows. We came in 10th place in the talent show and that’s when the chicks started coming. Anyway, the keg parties were way cooler cause we got free beer all the time and we could get high on stage, plus we could steal food from the house we played and sleep there too. (With chicks of course)
SATCHEL: I was raised in the entertainment business. My mom was a waitress at one of the first Chuck E. Cheese’s to be built in Fresno, Ca., and my Dad auditioned for the Gong Show twice. Also, my Grandma is from Switzerland, and apparently there is quite a long line of yodellers on her side of the family. I think yodelling is for dicks, but with all the talent in my family, it’s really not surprising that I’m a shredding guitarist.
LEXXI FOXXX: I’m Lexxi Foxxx. The extra “X” is for extra SEX! I like my name because Lexxi rhymes with sexy. And Foxxx rhymes with box, which is another name for a Vagina. Vaginas are cool because me and the guys stick our penises in them all the time. Michael says that if you put your penis in a dirty vagina, you can catch an SUV like herpes or The Clap. That one makes it burn when you pee. That can also happen if you masturbate with soap and it gets in your penis hole.
STIX ZADINIA: Some drummers hit. Some drummers tap. When it comes to drums and hash pipes, nobody hits that shit harder than me. The only tapping I’m doing is when I’m tapping some dirty bitch’s ass in the dressing room. I was raised in Jersey by my grandmother. She lived through the great depression. It must’ve really left an impression on her, cause growing up she never let me leave the dinner table without finishing every scrap of food on my plate. It was always high carb stuff, too. This led to me being morbidly obese by the third grade. I once missed the opportunity to audition for Bon Jovi by being over the weight limit by 230 plus lbs.
www.myspace.com/steelpantherkicksass
Millimetre: HELIOGRAPHY (Orectic Recordings)
Here’s a question for you. Are you musically adventurous? Like electronic music? Did you say yes? Well, here’s the record for you. Millimetre is the solo project of Irishman Terence J. McGaughey, and this record, HELIOGRAPHY, is the artist’s third and most accessible work to-date. Throughout the 90’s McGaughey was involved in Belfast’s fanzine/queerzine culture, producing several magazines himself. He also spent time DJing, playing shows with the likes of Gastre del Sol’s David Grubbs and Siouxsie Sioux, and founding Ireland’s only gay and lesbian resource centre, Queerspace. McGaughey relocated to London in 1999.
Heliography is a telescopic apparatus for photographing the sun and true to its title the record revolves around spatial electronic sounds. Amongst the most accessible tracks is the opener ‘A Great Sun’ which delivers a strong melody, repeated vocal refrain and an extended outro that is as dark and threatening as you can imagine. It sounds like a huge, slow-moving steam train, inching its way into a siding. Truly extraodinary and quite compelling. Next track ‘Horns (For Leontia)’ is far simpler with its Latin rhythm and swaying vocals. McGaughey’s influences are stated as Robert Wyatt and Jane Siberry, mixed with a life-long obsession with electronic music. He explores the alienation in rural and city life, the cultural collisions of politics and religion, and the wider philosophical questions concerning displacement, alienation, masculinity, selfhood and sexuality. ‘Fault’ seems to explore much the above. Again it’s a simpler song with a tangible melody, lighter coloured elctronics and uses vocal harmonies extensively. Another interesting and long outro completes an interesting piece of work.
‘Soul At Work’ is for me the highlight of this fascinating album. The electronic sounds are ghostly and mysterious in sharp contrast to the excellent and clear male/female soul-styled vocals that hover above the eeries soundscape. The melody is also the strongest here.
‘Plutonium’ is dominated by vocals above a haze of electronic signal waves. Like most of the songs here, the more it’s played, the better it sounds. ‘The Goose And The Cobra’ is a glacially paced vocal chant with powerful rhythmic underbelly. Around the mddle-eight Gastre Del Sol style guitars enter to create another fascinating piece of musical adventure. Finally, ‘Atheist’ continues to take an adventurous sonic route as it relentlessly tracks a path through a dense electronic vibe and monotone ambience.
This is a unique, highly original recording that demands attention and time to fully appreciate its quality. The big question is whether it worth expending the effort. My answer is a definite YES.
3.8/5
Ben Taylor, David Saw & Siskin Live
Lowry Manchester 23 April 2009
A couple of months ago I caught a live performance by James Taylor at some ungodly hour on TV. The show was held at an intimate, lovingly renovated old theatre in Pennsylvania - a vintage venue for a vintage musician. It was a great show and immensely funny. Some weeks later I heard his son’s music for the first time and while I wasn’t blown away by it was intrigued to compare father and son in a live performance environment. More recently I received a new album by David Saw, a close British friend of the Taylor family, which was good enough for me to want to see him play. As luck would have it, I was invited to review a concert featuring both artists at Salford’s glorious Lowry Theatre complex, just north of Manchester’s city centre. Nestled in the historic Salford Quays area and surrounded by water it’s a wonderful place to be on a warm spring night, while for artists the acoustic quality of the Quays Theatre leaves little to be desired.
During a quick peep into the venue to sort out from where I would be able to take photographs I caught a three-piece female acoustic band sound-checking and looking/sounding pretty good. I asked my minder the band’s name and she was none-the-wiser but enquiries later revealed that the three ladies went under the name of Siskin. So three acts for the price of one and all totally new to me. I was excited…
As is usually the case (especially at The Lowry), Siskin walked onto the stage in front of many empty seats. I find it difficult to understand why punters pay good money for a night out and then spend their time drinking in the bar, waiting for the main act to appear. As it turned out, those boozing punters missed out on a very interesting and entertaining forty minutes of music. Over to the left of the stage sat lead vocalist and guitarist Galen Ayers, over the other side of the stage sat behind her long Roland keyboard was Kirsty Newton. At centre-stage the latest addition to the band, straddled quite provocatively astride her percussion box, was Genevieve Wilkins. Ayers and Newton started out as Siskin back in 2005 (following experience with other bands and solo work) and have gradually garnered fans and the attention of music industry figures. The addition of Wilkins is a clever move and I can only guess that the percussive element has given the band a new rhythmic edge.
I’ve got to admit that this is the first time (in over ten years of music media experience) I have witnessed an acoustic female trio and what struck me most was that at least two of them were good enough to play solo. I mention that because the vocal and instrumental performances from each were excellent (after the statutory initial nervous moments). New girl on the block Wilkins also chimed in with some quality backing vocals and in her role as percussionist created a solid bond between the other two. In fact I think that her presence opens up new opportunities in the area of song writing, and incidentally she looks as sexy as sin…
Then there were the songs penned by the band. This was a more difficult area for me to judge as I usually have more time beforehand to make my own critical assessments. That said, of the set-list (that seemed to fly by) I noted at least three or four songs that struck a chord, and not just with me. The audience responded enthusiastically to the girls who were strangers to them - a very good sign. Joe Jackson’s ‘Different For Girls’ was indeed very different in a good way. Other highlights included ‘Eddie Loves Mary’, ‘Blow Me Away’, ‘Traffic’ and show’s concluding song ‘Living On The Edge Of The World.’ On occasions I sensed a jazzy vibe, on others a pop-folk vibe, and on one occasion a blues vibe. But most importantly the songs featured strong melodies and decent lyrics. Were they great songs? Not yet but I felt that this band oozed friendship, unity, enthusiasm, great skill and something so vital in live concert, the ability to connect with an audience. Great songs therefore will come (perhaps digging deeper emotionally) and I certainly look forward to hearing the band’s debut album due out very soon. Hopefully the girls will tour extensively over the next year and if they do I can strongly recommend that you go see this attractive, distinctive and highly entertaining trio.
Dinosaur Jr: Farm
New album ‘Farm’ to be released on June 22nd 2009 through PIAS
The worry about the reunion of the original Dinosaur Jr. line-up, more than 20 years after their formation and legendary dissolution, was that these guys were just flogging the back catalogue as a marketing gimmick. With the release of “Beyond”, in 2007, the band gave a hearty Marshall-driven “F**K YOU!” answer to those inquiring ears.
Restoring the sound established by the opening hat-trick gambit of “Dinosaur”, “You’re Living All Over Me”, and “Bug”, the “Beyond” record continued the band’s march into rock greatness by making old ears smile and new ears bleed afresh.If “Beyond” was Dinosaur Jr’s return to form, “Farm” is proof that this band continues to deliver rock worth cranking to 11. At times wholly 70’s guitar-epic, at other times perfect for sitting by a babbling brook with Joni and Neil, “Farm” encompasses Dinosaur Jr.’s signature palette - soaring and distorted guitar, unshakable hooks, honey-rich melodies, with songs that get into your head and, bouncing around happily, stay there.
Now Dinosaur Jr are set to release “Farm”, the fifth full length record by the original line-up of J. Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph—which is set to be released on PIAS on June 22nd 2009.
The ear-catching “Plans” is nearly 7 minutes of classic whipped-topping rock dessert, whilst “I Don’t Wanna Go There” is a meat-and-potatoes main dish, mixing unapologetic lead guitar with straight-ahead delivery a la James Gang or Humble Pie. These two tunes round out twelve tracks propelled by the unique energy of one of America’s best bands hitting their stride second time around…
Tracklisting:
Pieces
I Want You To Know
Ocean In The Way
Plans
Your Weather
Over It
Friends
Said The People
There’s No Here
See You
I Don’t Wanna Go There
Imagination Blind
Check out the band on www.myspace.com/dinosaurjr or www.dinosaurjr.com
The Von Bondies
THE VON BONDIES
NEW SINGLE: PALE BRIDE – 27/04/09
NEW ALBUM: LOVE, HATE & THEN THERE’S YOU – 04/05/09Monday 4th May 2009. It will be preceded by the single ‘Pale Bride’/ ‘Earthquake’ on the 27th April. The album will be available on CD & download. The single as a 7” and download. Both will be released through Fierce Panda. BBC recordings, followed in 2003, then ‘Pawn Shoppe Heart’.
The Von Bondies release their third studio album ‘Love, Hate And Then There’s You’ on
This deluxe Fierce Panda European release also comes with a bonus CD featuring five new tracks not available elsewhere.
The Album Tracklisting is as follows:
1 ‘This Is Our Perfect Crime’; 2 ‘Shut Your Mouth’; 3 ‘Pale Bride’; 4 ‘Only To Haunt You’; 5 ‘21st Birthday’; 6 ‘She’s Dead To Me’; 7 ‘Chancer’; 8 ‘I Don’t Wanna’; 9 ‘Blame Game’; 10 ‘Accidents Will Happen’; 11 ‘Earthquake’; 12 ‘Modern Saints’
The band, have come a long way since 2004’s smash album ‘Pawn Shoppe Heart’. Now in their ninth year together, singer-guitarist Jason Stollsteimer and drummer Don Blum, The Von Bondies’ other founding member, have taken their music to new places while holding on to the core values they’ve always embodied.
‘Love, Hate and Then There’s You’ picks up from the tighter, more nuanced sound of The Von Bondies’ huge 2004 hit single ‘C’mon C’mon,’. This is The Von Bondies with a renewed sense of purpose. In a sense, says Stollsteimer, “it’s a new band. You don’t want to avoid your history but it is a new direction. It wasn’t on purpose. It’s just where we were going.”
The roots of The Von Bondies can be traced back to the late ’90s—at one point Jason had a band called the Baby Killers—but things really began in earnest when Blum teamed up with Stollsteimer in 1999. The Von Bondies were born in 2000, and the first album, ‘Lack of Communication’, came the following year. ‘Raw and Rare’, a collection of live
Shortly before the album’s release, The Von Bondies will return to the UK for a series of dates. They are as follows:
April
Thu 23rd - Kings College - London
Fri 24th - CAmden Crawl - London
Sat 25th - O2 Academy - Birmingham
Sun 26th - King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut - Glasgow
Mon 27th - The Ruby Lounge - Manchester
Tonk: Sister Switchblade
Band: Tonk: Sister Switchblade
Genre: Rock / Classic Rock / Metal
Release Date: May 2009 (UK)
Tonk formed in late 2005, with the sole purpose of delivering their own brand of hard gritty tunes and stage dynamics to anyone that would listen and observe. Launched in March 2007, at the ANU Bar to a sold out crowd, Tonk’s debut album Sister Switchblade defines the harder edges of life and the harder edges of rock. The first single Redback, gives a true indication of the bands attitude - firmly putting forward their Classic Rock intentions.
Sister Switchblade was recorded in late 2006, at Megaphon and Standing Wave Recording Studios (Sydney) and mixed at The Vault (Sydney); all with renowned ARIA nominated Australian producer Phil McKellar (Grinspoon, Silverchair, Frenzal Rhomb, The Butterfly Effect and more). The CD was mastered at Studios 301 by the talented Steve Smart (28 Days, Grinspoon, Kasey Chambers, Muse, Regurgitator, Spiderbait, The Living End, Tim Rogers and more). Tonk have secured distribution through Modern Music/SONY/BMG.
Tonk have shared the stage with: Airbourne, Helmet, The Butterfly Effect, Gyroscope, Shihad, Grinspoon, Mammal, Dead Letter Circus, Karnivool, MM9, Behind Crimson Eyes, Screaming Jets and Jimmy Barnes to name drop a few. Tonk have appeared on FlyTV when performing at the Newton’s Playground festival (Bathurst). Tonk have a very strong MySpace following.
They have received over 55,500 plays of their songs listed, and over 80,900 visitors to the site. Through MySpace, Tonk are selling CDs on a weekly basis to overseas fans including Germany, Sweden and Norway. Tonk continue to build their fan base through dynamic live performances.
Their music crosses demographic categories with their audience ages ranging from the young to the young at heart. Tonk are currently negotiating international distribution of Sister Switchblade.
Tracklisting :
1 Redback
2 Menage A Trois
3 Golden Girl
4 Libertine
5 Sister Switchblade
6 Needle In The Red
7 Predator
8 Loose Yer Load
9 Stay
10 Stick With My Blood
11 Sick ‘n’ Depraved
Website: www.myspace.com/tonkrocks
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