John 5 has
just released his newest solo album and as always, he is keeping his fans on
their toes. This is a musician who continues to peel away creative layer after
creative layer, almost re-inventing himself each time. God Told Me To is his
newest solo effort and it’s a feast for the senses. If you think you knew
everything about this guy, this album will prove you wrong.
The album was
produced by John 5 long with Chris Baseford (Rob Zombie/Tommy Lee) and Bob
Marlette (Sebastian Bach/Black Sabbath). It’s is an all instrumental effort
with John 5 playing all instruments with the exception of drums. The first
track, “Welcome to Violence”, opens with a lady saying “Play the guitar, play
it again my Johnny” and then the crash of the strings as the assault begins.
How does a mere mortal riff like this without peeling the skin away from his
fingertips? What a way to open the album!
His cover of
Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” is up next and was released digitally about a year
ago, so I am sure a lot of people are already familiar with it. John 5 pays
tribute to the great Eddie Van Halen but laying down a spot-on recreation of
his solo on that song. I thought it was a very nice touch by John 5 to do so,
instead of re-working the classic solo and taking away from its legacy.
The first surprise comes on track three
entitled “Ashland Bump”, as it’s an acoustic, bluesy number. A great change of
pace and styles and is one mother plucker of a song. “The Castle” is another
acoustic number and shows that John 5 can shred acoustically just as he does
electrically. I don’t think I have ever heard a musician play an acoustic
guitar so fast.
“The Hill of
the Seven Jackals” head back to familiar ground for fans and the shredding is
back at full force. One of more interesting tracks on the album is the Spanish
flavored “Noche Acosador”. I almost felt as if I was watching a Quentin
Tarantino and a bunch of outlaws were sitting around a table, exchanging
stories with this music being the accompanying track. I love this track and two
major thumbs up for John 5 stepping outside of what is probably expected on a
solo album of his and do this song.
The last two
tracks, “The Lie You Live” and “Creepy Crawler”, are acoustic numbers that are
the complete antithesis of songs such as the album’s opener. Each of these
tracks show a side of John 5 that is such a drastic departure from the kabuki
faced axe warrior that we see alongside Rob Zombie on-stage. These tracks are
beautiful, somber compositions that show the diversity of a truly gifted artist
whose guitar is an extension of himself. These two tracks totally blew me away
and just added another layer this insanely talented and gifted artist.
So, this new
solo effort one half acoustic and half electric and switches back and forth on
here. John 5 is becoming one of the guitar greats of this time. He is
influencing a whole new generation of guitar players and this album will be a
great eye and mind opener for many of them. Don’t be afraid to try new things
and expand yourself as an artist. It’s a key in maintaining longevity in the
industry today. This album tapped into several new keys in his guitar arsenal.
What will he do next?
John 5 is
one of those artists that you don’t know what to expect before your first
meeting. He’s obviously an insanely talented guitarist with a resume a mile
long. He’s worked with Marilyn Manson, David Lee Roth, Meatloaf, Paul Stanley
of KISS, Saliva, k.d. lang, Salt-N-Pepa and many more. His job for the past few
years has been with Rob Zombie and the two of them have something magical going
on.
In between
touring with Rob Zombie and writing songs for other artists, John 5 even finds
time for a solo career. His new solo effort God Told Me To just came out and we
had the chance to sit down and talk to him about it.
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: Hey John, thanks for working us into your busy schedule. I
guess this is media day for you. I know you have a lot on your plate today, so
let’s jump right into the questions here. Let’s talk a little bit about this
new solo album and the new direction that you chose for some of the songs.
John 5:
Well, thanks for wanting to talk to me. You know, the whole key to putting out instrumental
solo albums is to keep the fans on their toes. I’ve done heavy rock to country
and it has gone really well for me. So, I asked myself what I could do to
change it up and make it new. That’s where the acoustic stuff came into play.
MIMDOC: Have
you been a fan of acoustic music already or was this something that you just
wanted to explore?
John 5: I
absolutely love electric guitar, but some of my favorite (Led) Zeppelin stuff
is their acoustic stuff. It’s absolutely amazing! I love all types of guitar
playing. When I put my iPod on shuffle, it has so much diversity, but that’s
just who I am.
MIMDOC: Did
you work with anyone on this album?
John 5: No,
I pretty much did everything on it. I played all the instruments with the
exception of drums. My producer Chris Baseford helped me out. Other than that,
it’s all me!
MIMDOC: What’s
the appeal of going out and doing a solo album after getting off the road with
Rob Zombie?
John 5: It’s
a great outlet for me and almost therapeutic. Crazy, instrumental guitar music
is close to my heart and so very important to me. It allows me a canvas to
paint on and to do things I can necessarily do with Rob. He doesn’t want every
other bar on his song being a solo.
MIMDOC: Will
your fans ever have a chance to hear any of this live?
John 5: I
don’t think I will be doing and live dates, but you never know. It’s tough
because a lot of my fans are really young and they can’t get into some of these
clubs. It’s really late when we go on, sometimes close to midnight and there’s
beer everywhere. My younger fans can’t always be a part of that. I will
probably go more guitar clinics. They seem to be the best way to go. My younger
fans can come to them and I have more time to meet people there and sign
autographs.
MIMDOC: I
have to ask you about the title of the album. Is there any hidden meaning
there?
John 5: I
love the title and it can be taken many ways. When I was really young, I would
only go to church once or twice a year, like on Christmas Eve, and I would pray
for God to make me a successful guitar player. So, in one way, when I’m asked
on why I picked up a guitar, it’s because God told me to. On the other hand, I
just love it in one of those creepy movies where a guy murders a bunch of
people and they ask him why and he says “God told me to”.
MIMDOC: The
cover is really cool! So, did you ask Rob to paint it for you or was it
something that he offered to do?
John 5: I
actually approached him asked him what he thought about painting the cover to
the new solo album. He said that he’d love to do it. It’s as simple as that!
MIMDOC: Speaking
of Rob, how was it scoring his film The Lords of Salem? Was that your first
score?
John 5: That’s
the first full length movie that I have scored. I’ve actually done pieces of
other movies. It was actually very challenging for me. It’s so different to
create music using so many different instruments, but I loved it. It pushed me
as an artist.
MIMDOC: That’s
a great transition for my next question. Your first solo album called Vertigo
came out in 2004. How does the artist who created that album differ from the
artist that created God Told Me To?
John 5: Wow,
that’s a really good question. I remember when I starting recording Vertigo, I
wanted it to be all instrumental, but I was very careful. I held back from
doing things at times, but now if I want to put in a crazy solo or two, I will.
I think there are some really good songs on Vertigo; very well structured.
MIMDOC: Where
did the fascination with horror and the face makeup come from? I know you’re a
big KISS fan and especially Ace Frehley.
John 5: Well,
I have loved classic monsters since I was really young. You know, Dracula,
Frankenstein and stuff. I remember buying KISS’ Love Gun album just because of
the cover. That was the first album that I ever bought. It was awesome! That
picture reminded me of those monsters that I loved.
MIMDOC: I’m
a huge KISS fan too and I wanted to ask how you ended up working on the last
Paul Stanley solo album Live to Win?
John 5: I’ve
known Paul and Gene for quite a while now, as well as Peter and Ace. Paul was
working on his solo album with Desmond Child and I had worked with Desmond when
he was recording with Meatloaf. He suggested to Paul that we write something
together and we did. KISS has definitely been a major influence on me. When an
artist goes on stage to entertain, then they need to go all out and make sure
that they entertain the crowd completely. Those guys are just about the best
example of how to do that correctly!
MIMDOC: One
last question for you John and we’ll wrap this up so that you can get back to
work. Do you have any guilty pleasures that may surprise your fans?
John 5: Well,
I’m not sure how much it will surprise them, but I do love those old horror
movies with Frankenstein and Dracula and all those guys. I always watch about
20 minutes or so of one of those old movies before I go to bed, each and every
night.
MIMDOC: That
wraps up our time with you John. Thanks again so much for taking time out of
your very busy schedule to talk with us. We plan on being at Rock on the Range
in Columbus this year covering the show, so we will see you there. We also want
to remind fans that your new solo album God Told Me To is out and to go buy it!
A Sound of
Thunder has really tapped into something on their new album Out of the
Darkness. The reviews, including ours, have been screaming the praises of the
band and garnering lots of attention for them. Their first video from the
album, ”Murderous Horde”, exploded on YouTube and their newest video for the
“tongue in cheek” song “Kill That Bitch” is doing the same. We decided to sit
down with lead singer Nina Osegueda and guitarist Josh Schwartz to dig a little
into what makes this band tick.
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: Hey guys! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer some
questions for us so that we can let people know a little bit more about the
group. What are the origins of the band?
A Sound of
Thunder: (Josh) In 2008, I had been working pretty heavily on original music at
home, but had not played guitar with a band in a long time. My first “testing
of the waters” as far as getting back into a band situation was joining a local
bar band called Crimson Burnout. Chris
(Haren) was the drummer in that band. They did mostly covers, but Chris and I
both had a drive to do original material and Chris really liked my home demos.
Crimson Burnout fell apart after only a few months and Chris and I immediately
decided to start our own band and do only original material.
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: Nina, you weren’t in the original lineup of the band. I read
that you joined in 2009. Did you find them or did they come looking for you?
A Sound of
Thunder: I joined late in the summer of 2009. Creatively, I was in a slump and
unhappy. I saw Josh’s as on Craigslist for a vocalist and decided to check them
out. They had a video of themselves playing with a male vocalist, and I thought
I love this music. I could definitely see myself singing with this band. We
started exchanging emails and eventually, I went in for an audition. It was all
good from there!
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: Let’s talk a bit about the reaction that you have been
receiving to the new album. The reaction seems to be very positive, except for
the occasional troll.
A Sound of
Thunder: (Nina) It has been very overwhelming, but definitely not in a bad way!
I’m just so amazed that people actually want to buy and listen to music that we’ve
created. That’s the most incredible feeling in the world and I can’t thank our
fans and supporters enough. You know what? Those occasional trolls aren’t so
bad! I think the worse we’ve had is a guy who wanted to do inappropriate sexual
things to me! So hey, why not consider it a compliment?
(Josh) It’s
been overwhelming and has given us more confidence. On some level, we knew we
were making good music that people would probably like, but you can’t really be
sure until it’s out there and you get the feedback. Now, I think you can see
and hear that boost in our live performances and also hopefully on our next
album.
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: You released an album in 2011 entitled Metal Renaissance. How
would you compare and/or contrast the new album with it?
A Sound of
Thunder: (Nina) Unlike our first album, this was recorded and produced
digitally. The result is a smoother, cleaner sound which allowed us to add more
layers without much difficulty. Our songwriting wasn’t too much different for
this album, except that we felt freer, creatively, to add different sounds.
(Josh) Metal
Renaissance was recorded mostly on analog tape, which we chose because we
wanted a vintage, classic sound. In reality, it put a lot of extra time and
performance pressure on us because it just takes longer to do everything on
tape. You can’t whip out as many takes waiting to get the perfect one. Working
in ProTools for Out of the Darkness allowed us the freedom to experiment and
add more layers to the recordings.
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: What can you tell me about the song “Calat Alhambra”? A song
about Queen Isabella and Ferdinad may not be seen as “typical” metal material.
A Sound of
Thunder: (Nina) Well, my mom is Catalan. This is an area of Spain with its own
cultural identity, but I still identify myself as Spanish. Spain and its royal
family have a great history and I love studying it. Isabella of Castille in
particular is one of my favorite historical figures. She did a lot for both
Europe and the Americas. Usually in metal, you hear a lot about warriors, but
Isabella was a warrior queen who actually lived! She was vicious, yet today
she’s well loved by many and even considered a saint. That, to me, is so
interesting that it can’t help but inspire me to write.
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: Speaking of history, is it true that the band’s name came from
the Ray Bradbury short story of the same name?
A Sound of
Thunder: (Josh) Yes, the band is named the short story and not the supposedly
awful movie adaptation; which I have never seen. There’s not a lot of deep
meaning there, it just happens to be one of my favorite stories by one of my
favorite authors. The title implied something loud, which of course we are!
That added some additional meaning. I guess I’d say that Chris is the real
“sound of thunder” in the band because his drum kit is too big and he hits too
damn hard!
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: I know you probably get this question a lot, but can you share
your influences with our readers?
A Sound of
Thunder: (Josh) I’ve always been into music that was a bit before my time. In
1992 when I was 12, I got my first Ozzy tape and from there I worked my way
backwards. I acquired literally every album by Black Sabbath, then Deep Purple,
then Rainbow, Blue Oyster Cult, Iron Maiden, etc. I never really cared about
what was popular at the time, which was Metallica and Megadeth, then Alice in
Chains, Marilyn Manson, Fear Factory. None of that 90s metal influenced me
because I refused to listen to it. I am kind of like an unfrozen caveman. I’m
only 32, but I have the influences of a 50+ year old man!
(Nina)
Personally, my metal influences aren’t always my influences when it comes to
singing. I’ve heard people compare me to Halford and Dickinson, but the truth
is I grew up singing gospel music and rhythm and blues. If I sound anything
like them, it’s because we have some soul to our voice. Nowadays, I’ve
developed a style that’s different from what I grew up with. I love classic
metal, so more recently, Dickinson, Dio and Halford, plus a few oddballs like
Udo and Doro have had their say in the style I’ve developed.
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: So, how did shooting your video for “Murderous Horde” go? Why
did you pick that for the first video?
A Sound of
Thunder: (Nina) We decided to “Murderous Horde” because it was one of those
songs we felt a lot of people could get into. It’s dark, it’s doomy, but
vocally I do several distinct changes. I like playing with what my voice can do,
so “Murderous Horde” was a good chance to show that off. It’s also has those
fast riffs and a fun solo that people love. The idea was born in Duy Tran’s
brain, but I must admit that when Josh came to me with the idea of using a
snake, my heart soared. Ever since Wayne’s World, I’ve wanted to be like Tia
Carrere. Finally, my big chance!
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: Nina, it’s become more common for women to front metal bands
than it was years ago. In your experience, is there still a stereotype in the
industry as it being seen as a novelty thing? Is there a double standard?
A Sound of
Thunder: Oh yes, there’s a huge stereotype that we’re a novelty. I hear people
say, “I don’t usually go for female fronted metal, but….” And I know exactly
why they say that. We’re used as novelties. You can see it whenever there’s a
band where the girl lead singer is ten feet away from the band and the guys are
out of focus. Personally, what I’d like to do is be part of the band. I love my
band. I love the fact that we’re equals and we can bounce ideas off of each
other. Even we get on each other’s nerves or someone doesn’t want to take
someone else’s advice because of pride (which I’m guilty of, sorry Chris!), but
at the end of the day we know that listening to each other is the smart thing
to do. So what I’m doing is changing the standard by not just being the lead
singer chick; I am a member of the ban.
(Josh) I’m
going to chime in on this one and probably sound like a bit of a jerk! It
appears that there are a lot of bands out there that make the decision,, “ok,
we’re going to be a female fronted band”, so they picked a good looking
front-woman who can hold a tune, but isn’t a great vocalist. I don’t know that
for a fact, but it sure looks and sounds like it to me and I think that’s why
people are so surprised when they hear Nina’s voice. We chose her because she
was the best singer, not because she is a female. It wasn’t a marketing ploy.
Yes, I think there is a double standard and most of it is due to engrained
sexism, but some of it is also due to the wave of bands that are making an
effort to market themselves as “female-fronted metal”. They have put forward
singers who don’t really acquit themselves well in the tradition of great metal
vocalists. I mean, we’re talking the genre of music that gave us Ronnie James
Dio, Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson…..the vocal bar is pretty high in metal!
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: Now, let’s shift gears and lighten the questions up a bit for
your fans. Do you both remember the first album you ever bought?
A Sound of
Thunder: (Nina) Disney’s Aladdin soundtrack. I was in Germany.
(Josh) Ozzy
Osbourne and Randy Rhodes “Tribute”
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: Most underrated metal band from any era?
A Sound of
Thunder: (Nina) I’d say Dream Evil, right now. People call them cheesy, which
they are, but why can’t they be? They’re exceptional songwriters and their
music is always catchy and fun, while still being very metal.
(Josh) Blue
Oyster Cult. They’ve already got a lot of credit, but not as much as they
deserve in my opinion. For me, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Blue Oyster Cult
are great metal triumvirate of the 70s….and Led Zepplin’s for girls!!
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: Last question: You’re stranded on a desert island with only one
store bought CD. What would you have to have with you?
A Sound of
Thunder: (Nina) Accept “Blood of the Nations”. I will NEVER get tired of that!
(Josh) Man, that’s
a really tough, maybe Iron maiden “The Final Frontier”. There’s so much amazing
guitar work on that album and so many cool changes and textures on that disc
that I don’t think I have fully absorbed it, even after two years and dozens of
plays.
Music Is My
Drug Of Choice: That wraps up our talk with A Sound of Thunder.I strongly encourage everyone to pick up
their latest album Out of the Darkness. It’s an awesome display of metal that
will rock your face off. Check out our write-up in our reviews section.
The 2nd
annual Carolina Rebellion moved its stomping grounds to the Rockingham Speedway
in North Carolina this year and the masses showed up to rock. It may have only
been May the 5th, but it felt like it was in the middle of July on
the day of the show. Over 30,000 people showed up in the blistering heat and
humidity and they were treated to a day of rock that they will long remember.
The gates
opened at 9:00am and the people started rolling in by the carload to claim
their spot in front of the three stages used. The smaller stage which was
sponsored by Jagermeister showcased a lot of the newer bands on the bill
including Ghosts of August who kicked off the day at 11:00am , New Medicine,
Red, Redlight King and P.O.D., who are poised for a big comeback with a new
album due out this summer.
The two
bigger stages included the Carolina Stage and the Rebellion Stage, bet you
would have never guessed that. These stages were sponsored by Monster Energy
Drink. The crowds in front of stage went back further than the human eye could
see. As the masses rocked out all day, they managed to stir up a small dust
storm that slowly covered everyone who was there. Let’s not fail to mention the
huge amount of crowd surfing that went on too. Those security guards definitely
got a workout that day.
Weaving the
Fate kicked off the bigger stages as they performed second on the bill, but it
wasn’t until later when Halestorm took the stage that the crowd truly got fired
up. Lzzy Hale and her boys kicked off their set with their #1 song “Love Bites
(So Do I)”. Their set was heavy on new songs off of their new album The Strange
Case Of. The only complaint being heard was that their set was too short.
I would have
to say that Five Finger Death Punch got the award for lighting a fire
underneath the crowd. The crowd erupted in a fury of energy when they hit the
stage and lead singer Ivan Moody fed off of that energy. Their set saw the
crowd surfing increase at least 100%. What an energetic and over the top set
these guys put on.
Recently
inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Slash brought his right hand man Myles
Kennedy with him to perform. He performed some of his solo material, but the
biggest crowd reactions and sing-along’s came when he broke out the Guns and
Roses classics such as “Sweet Child O’ Mine”. Myles has such a powerful voice
and sounded amazing. He had many asking “Axl who?” As the sun went down,
Evanescence took to the stage. Amy Lee has been somewhat of a stranger to North
Carolina since the band’s debut album came out in 2003. Amy sounded great and
treated the fans to a hit filled set.
Korn took
the stage as the air began to cool, but they turned up the heat on-stage and
delivered one of the best sets of the day. The mixed new songs with older
classics such as “Falling Away From Me” as well as their cover of Pink Floyd’s
“Another Brick in the Wall”. A surprise treat was when Brian “Head” Welch took
the stage with the band for the first time in seven years and performed the
classic track “Blind”.
The night
ended with a stellar set from the band Shinedown. Brent Smith and the band took
the stage and delivered in a big way to the crowd. “Sound of Madness”, “If You
Only Knew” and “45” were just some songs from their hit heavy set. Newer songs
from their latest album included the title track “Amaryllis”, “Unity” and the
hit “Bully”. A powerful acoustic version was performed when Smith took center stage
with guitarist Zach Myers. They closed with their smash “Second Chance”.
Several
bands did meet and greets where the purchase of their CD was required to meet
them. FYE had a tent set up to help out with this aspect of the day. Monster
Energy Drink also had a tent set up and a few of the bands did a meet and greet
where the band signed a promo 8x10 photo for the fans. It was a rare treat for
many to get up close to some of the people that they adore and idolize.
Overall, it
was a great show! The people who put the show together listened to the
complaints from last year’s show and tried to remedy all of them. There was a
lot more room for the fans to move around, there were plenty of water and
plenty of food vendors. There was even a hint that it may move to a two day
show next year, plus the Friday night campground show. This year’s show seems
to be regarded as a success and the expansion to another day next year just
seems inevitable.
My ticket to my very first Van Halen show years ago cost me $7.00. I pointed this out to my show as I paid $10.00 just to park at their recent show in Charlotte, NC on April 25 at the Time Warner Cable Arena. We made our way into the beautiful arena and passed a large group of religious protestors outside who proceeded to tell us that we were going to burn for listening to the devil’s music. Van Halen? Seriously? I never really thought of Van Halen back then or even today as the devil’s music. I wonder if the devil plays a mean air guitar.
I have read so much negativity online for having Kool and the Gang open up on this tour. They looked and sounded great and really got the crowd in a party kind of mood. A good part of the crowd was up and dancing and really enjoying it. I think it was an excellent choice to get the crowd loosened up and ready for a night of great music and partying.
Van Halen opened the show with “Unchained” and they looked and sounded great! There was a huge video screen behind the band that seemed as big as an old drive-in theater that they utilized all night long. They mixed live footage along with pre-recorded footage and images. “Running with the Devil” was next and the crowd was up and singing the entire time.
There were some deeper cuts being played that night which included “The Full Bug” from Diver Down and “Hear About it Later” from Fair Warning. They also played a few newer tracks from their new album A Different Kind of Truth including “Tattoo” and “She’s the Woman”. The majority of the night was like a greatest hits show; “You Really Got Me”, “Beautiful Girls”, “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” and more. There was one massive signature Van Halen song after another with no Van Hagar songs in sight.
Alex Van Halen was and still is a beast on the drums and yes, there was a short drum solo too. Wolfie Van Halen is really good on the bass, but his back-up vocals fall flat in my opinion. Michael Anthony’s signature backing vocals, which were a huge part in the early sound of Van Halen, are sorely missed in the live show. “You Really Got Me” and “Dance the Night Away” were two prime examples of that.
As far as Eddie goes, the guy is playing like a beast. I read an interview with him in which he stated the only way that he was going to tour would be if his son Wolfie was in the band. It seems to have ignited a creative fire in him and he’s playing with more intensity than he has in years. His solo was pretty incredible too! A double edged sword: I miss Michael Anthony a lot, but it’s great to see Eddie so alive again.
As far as Diamond David Lee Roth goes, there’s good and bad there. He is still Captain Charisma and knows how to work a room. His vocals weren’t what they used to be on some songs, but on others he was dead on. We were treated to a couple of splits and a couple of round house kicks too. Is it just me or is Dave looking a lot like Steve Martin these days?
Overall, it was a really good show. They ended it with”Jump” and a shower of confetti fell over the arena. I had two personal complaints about the show. One was the overuse of the same pre-recorded footage and images on the big screen. It seems like they could have prepared more than what they had because mid-way through the show, it was becoming boring. The other complaint was that I really wanted to hear “Jamie’s Crying”, “And the Cradle Will Rock” and “Drop Dead Legs”; none of which were performed. They guys may not move like they used to and the vocals have faltered a bit, but it still beats so much of the new stuff out there today.
There’s
nothing like coming home, whether it’s after a long day at work or after
visiting the in-laws. It’s even that much more special when you are a rock star
travelling by bus from city to city and forgetting what your own bed feels
like. Former American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry brought his Break the
Spell tour to the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC on April 7. Although
Greensboro is not his hometown, it’s very close to the town of Roanoke Rapids,
NC where he grew up.
Daughtry
hasn’t been packing them in on this tour like he has done in the past. I’m not
sure if it’s because of the economy or if it’s because his popularity is waning.
The crowd of just over 5000 welcomed him with open arms and he was all business
once he hit the stage. There coliseum did block off almost half of the coliseum
with the stage being almost in the center of the floor to give the illusion of
a bigger crowd than what was actually there.
The night’s set
list focused heavily from his latest album Break the Spell as nine of the
album’s twelve tracks were performed. It’s no secret that this newest album
from Daughtry hasn’t sold as well as any of his previous releases. Was the set
list a marketing ploy? Deliver the goods and hope that would encourage someone
to buy the new album after the show? It was a bold move, especially considering
that most bands only play a couple of song s from their new album that they are
promoting.
The band
opened with “Renegade”, not the classic Styx song, and “Break the Spell”, both
from the new album. The crowd was really into the new stuff, but the night was
early and they were all pumped up to see Chris and the boys. Next up was “Feels
Like Tonight” and that really got the crowd fired up. They immediately went
back to the new material with five songs in a row, including a very striking
version of “Start of Something New”.
The next two
performances were stripped down to just Chris at the end of the catwalk and an
acoustic guitar. He poured his heart into very passionate and heartfelt
performances of “What About Now” and “Home”.The set ended with a rocking cover of Tom Petty’s “Running Down a Dream”
followed by “September”. The encore consisted of a killer version of Billy
Idol’s 80s classic “Rebel Yell” and Daughtry’s first single “It’s Not Over”.
Chris
definitely puts his all into a show and he has a solid band to back him up.
They sounded as good live if not better than the album. It’s a shame that more
people didn’t turn out for this “homecoming” show. Maybe by ending the show
with “It’s Not Over” was a message to everyone that even though record sales
and ticket sales are down, Daughtry plan to be here for a very long time.
What do you think of when someone mentions Las Vegas to you? Gambling? Neon lights? Partying? Living in excess? Well, to the band Otherwise, Las Vegas is their home and it’s where they planted their feet firmly and started to chase their dream. They’ve been through a lot of trials and tribulations to get to where they are today and it seems to be finally paying off.
The album opens with “Die for You”, a song about that one person in your life that you’re willing to lay it all on the line for. It definitely sets a tone of urgency on the album that holds through until the end. “Lighthouse” is another melodic rocker with a great hook. A great breakdown and guitar solo in the middle add a great layer to this number.
“Scream Now” has rock anthem written all over it from beginning guitar riff to the big scream along hook in the chorus. It’s a song to scream out to all of those important in your life, whether here or gone. “Vegas Girl” is a song that may just get the guys smacked when they go home to Vegas. Although it’s about a type of girl instead of one particular one, I am sure there are probably more than a few who think the song is about them.
“I Don’t Apologize (1000 Pictures)” is a song of pure poetic brilliance. It’s a hypnotic song that draws you in with its mellow arrangement and Adrian’s smooth vocal delivery. The guys have stated that it’s an anthem for the heart broken. It’s definitely one of the strongest songs on the album and could blow up big at radio given the right push. I guess time will tell, but I think it’s certainly one to keep your eye on.
What can I say about “Soldiers” that hasn’t been said before? Wow, this is a song that took on a life all its own. It’s been around for a hot minute and there are quite a few people who were already aware of this awesome song. It may have started out as a battle cry for what unsigned bands go through to make their dreams come true, but it grew into something else. It grew into an anthem for just about everyone because we are all soldiers in our own individual ways.
The album closes with the song “Heaven”, a powerful and emotional ballad with a guest vocal performance by Ashley Costello of New Year’s Day. A beautiful and powerful ballad that’s full of emotion and conviction. Ash’s vocals compliment Adrian’s really well and their voices mesh really well. I can see in my mind an arena full of lighters raised high to the sky during the performance of this song.
Overall, this is a very solid album from beginning to end. It’s really hard to believe that it’s a debut album because of the level of maturity throughout the entire thing. The songwriting is top notch and shows range and depth by going from songs of heartbreak to songs of positivity. Ryan Patrick and Vassilios Metropoulos are a deadly guitar duo and they know exactly when to pull back to keep the licks from becoming overkill. The rhythm unit of Flavio Ivan on bass and Corky Gainsford on drums is as solid as any unit that is out there. Lead singer Adrian Patrick just has one of those voices that stands out for many reasons. He has power and conviction and believability that transcends way beyond the parameters of a 3 ½ minute song.
The last six months of this band’s career has been a crazy ride. They lost their cousin, signed with a label, recorded their debut album and hit the road opening for Lacuna Coil. They’ve also been added to some of the biggest summer festivals including Carolina Rebellion, Rock on the Range and Rocklahoma. Check out their debut album True Love Never Dies and see just why these boys from Vegas are stirring up such a noise for themselves.
Who am I?
A misfit who never fit in except for when the music was playing. Music is like oxygen to me. I need it in my everyday life or I feel as if I am suffocating. I love listening to all types of music, but what's even better is being able to experience that music being performed live. To be that close to the poets who wrote these pieces of art and seeing them translate it in person. That, my friend, is like a drug.....and it is my drug of choice.
