Pure Sin Photography steps it up this month with TOOL, from their show in Spokane, WA. Come look through his lens at some of the biggest stars in music.
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Sherry Keith
Mystic Photography in Concert puts you front and center for some of the hottest acts in the business: this month, Adelita’s Way.
Page 10
Cover Photo by Sherry Keith
April 4
Jordan Allena
Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
April 4 Mechanism That Metal Show (@ Studio Seven) Seattle, WA
April 4 Splintered Throne Ash St Saloon Portland, OR
April 5 Jordan Allena Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
April 5 One Gun Shy the Hard Rock Café Seattle, WA
April 5 Whiskey River Muckleshoot Casino Auburn, WA
April 8
April 11
Jordan Allena Belcourt Taps Nashville, TN
Jordan Allena
Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
April 11 Prophets of Addiction the Hub Bar & Grill Centralia, WA
April 11 Splintered Throne Lucky Larry's Albany, OR
April 12 Jordan Allena Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
April 12 Prophets of Addiction Rock n Roll Lounge Tacoma, WA
April 12 Splintered Throne Big T's Redmond, OR
April 16 Prophets of Addiction Wally's House of Booze Wenatchee, WA
April 17 Prophets of Addiction the Hop Spokane, WA
April 18 Jordan Allena Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
April 18 Prophets of Addiction Sundance Saloon Payette, ID
April 19 Jordan Allena Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
April 19 Leona X One Eyed Jacks Lynnwood, WA
April 19 Prophets of Addiction the Murray Bar Livingston, MT
April 19 She's Not Dead M15 Concert Bar Corona, CA
April 19 Unchained Van Halen Tribute the Tonic Lounge Portland, OR
April 19 Whiskey River the Point Casino Kingston, WA
April 19 Witchburn One Eyed Jacks Lynnwood, WA
April 21 Prophets of Addiction Phoenix Lounge Harrisburg, SD
April 22 Prophets of Addiction Garage Bar Moorehead, MN
April 22 Splintered Throne Dante's Portland, OR
April 23 Prophets of Addiction POV's 65 Spring Lake Park, MN
April 24 Prophets of Addiction Back Bar Jannesville, WI
April 25 Jordan Allena Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
April 25 Prophets of Addiction the Ritz Detroit, MI
April 26 Jordan Allena
Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
April 26 Prophets of Addiction Rock n Roll Heaven Buffalo, NY
April 26 Whiskey River 7 Cedars Casino Sequim, WA
April 28 Prophets of Addiction the Anchor Kingston, NY
April 29 Prophets of Addiction 31st Street Pub Pittsburgh, PA
April 30 Prophets of Addiction Fitzie's Irish Pub Binghampton, NY
They need no introduction...Metal Church is back, and back with a vengeance. Kurdt, Ronny, and the boys recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of the band, and released their 11th studio album in 2013, “Generation Nothing”. It’s both classic and new Metal Church, showing the maturity of the band even after all these years, yet also harkens back to the first days of their sound. It is nothing short of excellent.
In an unbelievable stroke of luck, CV SouthWest got some personal time with founder and guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof and frontman Ronny Munroe...even in this short of time their sense of artistry and commitment to their mission is evident…
Interview by Nicki Hiers of HAVEN
<CV NW> Okay, back to the beginning (current lineup) of sorts Kurdt, after you released “A Blur in Time”, what got you started writing material for MC; or, were you always writing (new) MC material in your limited downtime?
(KURDT) That wasn‘t until after I met Ronny. We decided on that because initially he was going to be the singer for Vanderhoof. So I was done working on a follow up to Blur In Time, and then I met him, and he actually kept going ―yeah I will do that but we need to do Metal Church‖ and at first I kept going ―no, no, no‖ and then finally I relented and we started working on that and I actually heard him sing it and it was like ―ok we need to do this‖. So the new material started being written at that point.
<CV NW> Kurdt, is it true you said (while in San Antonio) that “finding Ronny was almost the inspiration for putting the band back together because of his versatility in doing the older vocals well in addition to his own sound”?
(KURDT) Absolutely!
<CV NW> What do you think it is about THIS lineup that works so well, what‟s the magic?
(KURDT) It‘s kinda one of those factors that‘s an intangible thing, I mean it‘s the chemistry that we have now. Especially with the addition of Rick, we are actually feeling like a machine…where we all are on the same page, we are all in sync, and it‘s just one of those things that you can‘t predict, you can‘t plan it. You can‘t pick this person, this person or this person and have the chemis-
try work, it‘s just…it works for whatever cosmic reason.
<CV NW> “Generation Nothing” - what is the significance, if any, of the name of the album?
(KURDT) Oh, it‘s very significant with the fact that there is, in fact, a slight theme to the record, and it kinda evolved into that. Generation Nothing is not necessarily about age group, it‘s more about a mindset; even though a lot of it has to do with an age group, it‘s about the fact that for kids now or people that live on line or live on their phone, everything is virtual. Their friends are virtual, their friends are fake, their music is fake, it‘s all computer generated. Their social life is, you know, their activities are fake. The totality of that is the result of that kind of lifestyle and what has happened to society be-
cause of that. Something that was intended to bring people together, the internet, has torn people apart and made a generation of shutins and people that have no social skills and basically don‘t know how to interact especially, when it comes to music.
<CV NW> You “did everything yourselves” - writing, recording, producing, etc…why did you decide to go that route, because clearly it worked well in getting back to your “root sound”?
(KURDT) Well basically because we have the means to do it, and when you have other people doing that then there is the financial aspect of it. But then you are also relinquishing control and we don‘t need to do that anymore. We have the means to do it all ourselves.
<CV NW> Does this album show anything from Metal Church that you really haven‟t shown before, how might it be
different than prior albums?
(RONNY) I think we just kind of returned to the roots of Metal Church…Kurdt did a very good job of accomplishing that in my opinion, as well as the rest of us. The fans are accepting it a lot better than the last three that we did. Not that the last three were bad at all, we did what we did but the song writing process went very well this time and the fans are digging it.
(KURDT) This album is definitely better than the previous three, we all agree with that.
<CV NW> You‟ve indicated that this is probably your favorite Metal Church album - why?
(KURDT) Because it has all the elements that I like, especially, now at my current age. I mean it has the elements of what Metal Church started off at but has the maturity of where we are now without us trying to pretend we are 25 years old. It still has the energy but it also has the production value and a lot of the things
that I value now in music that it didn‘t have in the earlier stuff. So it‘s my favorite album now probably because of my age, so whether the fans perceive that or not is something else again. But I like the album, I think everybody‘s performance on it is top of the line.
(RONNY) Everybody came in very prepared and vocally I think I was more consistent this time around than I had been on the previous three, it‘s really working.
<CV NW> With the changing members, how have you been able to stay consistent to the MC sound?
(KURDT) I guess through the writing process mainly. But at the same time everybody, especially now, brings something different to the table. So like Ronny mentioned the fact that this line up now has been together longer than the original line up. Ronny‘s done more records than any of the previous singers now, and with this record I think people are starting to accept this line up as Metal Church now and I think that has a lot to do with how we feel and how we present ourselves. Because we know people are accepting this group as THE band now.
<CV NW> It had been nearly what, 5 years, since your last album? After such a long time, did you feel any pressure to “produce” with the album?
(KURDT) Oh yes, absolutely! We knew if we came back we had to make a great record.
<CV NW> It seems to us that it‟s a bit “older Metal Church”
in terms of sound, was that on purpose or just part of the songwriting flow?
(KURDT) Well that again was getting back to the original roots of Metal Church. A lot of that was because we decided how to do this; we do everything on our own and without major labels and so we had to complete that appeal, and kinda generated something a little more organic and got it back to what it was all about. And being that we were enthusiastic about that I think that‘s why it kinda shows in the music; so yea there was definitely an intent…
<CV NW> Talk to us about the tour…how has the reception of the fans been so far?
(RONNY) It‘s been wonderful actually. The record has been very well received, probably the best out of the three that we have done before. The band is very consistent, we are out here touring, basically a few gigs from being done, been out almost a month now and we have been
very well received.
(KURDT) Best yet.
(RONNY) The best yet, exactly.
<CV NW> Tell us about the “70000 Tons of Metal” – how did that go?
(KURDT) The Cruise? That was great, that was our initial reunion.
(RONNY) That was our catalyst basically.
(KURDT) Yea exactly.
<CV NW> For the current tour, we heard that you actually asked for input from your fans about which songs to play for your set list - is that true?
(KURDT) Mmmm hmmm.
(RONNY) Yep.
(KURDT) We kinda knew, but we just wanted to check. So we got the greatest hits set that we will be playing until we are dead.
<CV NW> Who would you guys consider your primary musical influences?
(KURDT) I don‘t know if there is just one individual, I think we are all definitely influenced by different things which means
―everything‖. I am influenced very heavily by Rush, Emerson Lake and Palmer and a lot of that stuff, but then I am very influenced by The Sex Pistols and the Ramones too.
<CV NW> What do you think of the state of metal today; why aren‟t there as many new metal bands that are really good these days?
(RONNY) I think there are a lot of great metal bands, a lot of new ones like Steel Wing, White Wizzard, bands like that that are bringing back that old 80‘s style back again but myself I listen to a lot of different things like we were just talking about. The Winery Dogs are great, KXM is out there on Rat Pack records which is George Lynch, Doug Pinnick of King‘s X, and Ray Luzier of Korn which is the same kind of thing as The Winery Dogs. There are a lot of great bands but there is also a lot of crap.
<CV NW> Over the years we‟ve had the impression that Metal has been more accepted by the mainstream overseas,
does that jive with your experience? Is Metal more popular outside the US then inside?
(KURDT) Oh yes absolutely, Metal has never gone away over in Europe. In Europe they are not so ready to throw away everything, when new things come along they embrace it too. But they don‘t suddenly go ―wow ok we have this really new good stuff and now this old stuff is trash‖ and then throw it away like they do in America.
(RONNY) They accept it and jump on the bandwagon.
(KURDT) Exactly, new stuff will come out and they accept it, but this stuff is still cool, the stuff we used to like is still cool, but here in America it‘s like...well it‘s...I guess more so before the advent of the internet where everybody could do their own thing. But yeah in Europe it‘s always been very consistent and in America we are very ―drive through and short attention‖ span theater.
<CV NW> You mentioned people who are just “a computer with an opinion” that love to hate…after being in the business
for so long (and the theme of the song “Bulletproof”), how easy is it to ignore those “keyboard critics”?
(KURDT) You have to. I mean every band out there now has to deal with that, anybody in the arts has to deal with that whether it‘s movies or anything; you get somebody with an internet connection who becomes a music or movie critic and a lot of guys just get on there anonymously on sites like Blabbermouth and say bad things about people because they think it‘s funny but they will do it anonymously.
(RONNY) You grow thick skin very quickly. If you don‘t you don‘t survive.
(KURDT) Exactly.
<CV NW> Media distribution has changed drastically, how do you see social media - savvy marketing tool or necessary evil?
(KURDT) It‘s both, you have to do it to survive now and we are in the process of learning how to embrace that right now. I myself am still trying to learn how to get myself a twitter account cuz I
guess I have to have one.
(SherryK) I’ve been on there 6 months and I still don’t know how to use it. (laughter)
(KURDT) I get that, but the thing is though, and I can say it with all honesty that it works like crazy, so as much as I would like to be that old guy and resist change, ya know it totally works.
<CV NW> Does the band have a specific plan to leverage the media distribution model in today‟s music industry, or keep it simple and use the avenues that are open as they are?
(RONNY) I think we are already doing that actually, but we are going with the trend and trying to embrace the internet as much as we can because we have to. You either sink or swim.
<CV NW> MC passed the 30th anniversary of your first album, how do you keep motivated after all these years, what keeps you going?
(KURDT) Oh, it just has to be all
the money we make. (laughter)
(RONNY) It‘s the love of music, that‘s it.
<CV NW> Ugh, as much as we‟d like to continue, I think we need to let you guys actually go do your thang. :)
(RONNY) Thank you very much for your time. (laughter)
<CV NW> Any final words?
(RONNY) Thank you for your time and we are very much looking forward to getting back on the road again, but not for a month. (laughter)
To the fans out there thank - you for coming out and supporting the band, the reaction has been great and we will continue doing what we are doing for as long as we can.
From a personal standpoint, my 30 year wait was finally over. Metal Church finally brought their tour to Las Vegas!
I have been a fan from the early days; since I heard their second studio album ―The Dark‖ in 1986 I was hooked. As I was walking into The Las Vegas Country Saloon my excitement was beyond control. In a few minutes I was to meet Kurdt Vanderhoof and Ronny Munroe. Not only was I going to meet them but sit down one on one for an interview. Ronny was sitting down waiting for their sound check and Kurdt and the rest of the guys were running around the venue looking quite busy. Ronny greeted me with a warm smile and said things were running late and for me to sit down and enjoy the upcoming sound check. The sound check…my own private show!
One by one I watched Kurdt, Ronny, Steve, Jeff, and Rick take the stage. This was a dream come true! As Kurdt picked up his guitar I found myself giggle with excitement! Ronny grabbed the mic and magic began. It was surreal, me sitting in LVCS watching my own ―personal‖ Metal Church show…truly an incredible experience…
The show at Las Vegas Country Saloon opened with some of the very best local bands in Las Vegas warming up the crowd waiting for Metal Church to hit the stage. But we all knew why people were in attendance, and the entire crowd rush the stage as the lights dimmed… horns raised high as the fans screamed ―Metal Church‖ in unison.
The show started off with ―Ton of Bricks‖…hard hitting, heavy drums, and the crowd sang along with Ronny…pure magic before my eyes.
―Start The Fire‖, ―Generation Nothing‖, ―The Dark‖, Light in the Dark‖, ―Fake Healer‖, ―Badlands‖, ―Gods of Wrath‖, ―Dead City‖ and ―Mirror of Lies‖…one by one Metal Church blasted out both new and old songs.
―Watch The Children Play‖, ―Beyond the Black‖, ―Metal Church‖, ―Hiway Star‖ and ―Human Factor‖ closed out the show. This band is tight, plays in unison as one, their years of experience together evident in their commanding stage presence; every note pure and they give their all to their fans. I can say in all honesty, this was one of the very best shows I have had the pleasure to see…
Nicki Hiers
Global Music Product
Industry‟s Passion Reflected at 2014 NAMM Show
The four-day annual event proves once again that the music community knows how to have a great time while still taking care of business.
Carlsbad, CA, January 27, 2014 The music product industry returns to businesses in every corner of the globe with a renewed confidence following the 2014 NAMM Show held in Anaheim, Calif., January 23-26. Promising signs of revitalization brought together more than 5,000 brands from around the world looking to reach the global buying audience found at the NAMM Show. Expanding product categories such as technology-driven music products and emerging brands pushed the show to its one of its largest and most diverse editions ever.
―As the global platform for the music products industry, the NAMM Show is an annual checkup for what is happening in the music marketplace worldwide,‖ said Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. ―A focus on doing business reflected confidence among buyers and manufacturers alike. Fortified with NAMM U education, networking and fun opportunities that only occur at the NAMM Show, NAMM Members expressed to me a renewed spirit for the year ahead. I believe that the stage is set for growth in 2014.‖
Emerging brands, growth in pro audio and the music technology category, and an increase in international exhibitors, converged for the secondhighest exhibiting company number ever. In total there were 1,533 exhibiting companies representing 5,010 Brands. Meeting those brands was a 2% increase in buyers over 2013. Buyers arrived in Anaheim focused on rebuilding inventory after a strong school music season, and on building up categories currently experiencing strong consumer demand.
In total, 96,129 members of the music product industry registered for the 2014 NAMM Show.
Exhibitors noted that crowds arrived eager for new products and ready to get down to business. "I don't know what's going on, but this year is phenomenal; we have been slammed! The buyers are buying!‖ said Ari Baron, vice president of marketing for Eastman Music Company. Dave Smith of his eponymous instrument brand also saw a lot of traffic, "NAMM is the only trade show we attend. This is it the hub of our outreach, our PR, our marketing. We meet with our current dealers, sign up new dealers, and show artists our new instruments so they can play them and hear how they perform. We've been incredibly busy the whole show!"
Retailers large and small return to their businesses with new product lines and categories that will hit shelves in a matter of months. ―I‘m most
focused on meeting up with major suppliers that I‘ve done business with or do business with and seeing what they‘ve got new products in particular,‖ said Richard Ash, CEO of Sam Ash Music. ―We are also looking for new companies that come out of the woodwork and have a product that will break through to the marketplace. If you‘re a musician, it‘s the ultimate kid in a candy store thing.‖
In addition to products, retailers search for valuable ideas gleaned from five full days of educational offerings. ―I come for inspiration and I always find it,‖ said Rob Kittle of Kittle‘s Music in North Platte, NE. ―I find products I never knew were out there. The buying I do and the things I see at the NAMM Show definitely influence my business for the year.‖
New entrepreneurs and categories entering the music market brought 303 new exhibiting companies to the show. NAMM Membership and in turn the NAMM Show is increasingly global, as reflected in the 6% increase in international attendees. The global scope of the NAMM Show is most clear walking the show floor. This year 636 exhibitors from outside of the United States made
up more than one-third of the total exhibiting companies. These companies come from 49 different countries to unveil their brands‘ new products at the show.
About NAMM
The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is the not-for-profit association with a mission to strengthen the $17 billion music products industry and promote the pleasures and benefits of making music. NAMM's activities and programs are designed to promote music making to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of approximately 9,000 Member companies located in more than 87 countries. For more information about NAMM or the proven benefits of making music, interested parties can visit www.namm.org, call 800.767.NAMM (6266) or follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Gear Review: MOJO HAND FX DMBL OVERDRIVE
This month we bring you a review of the mighty DMBL Overdrive from Mojo Hand FX. Mojo Hand FX has been in the biz for quite a few years now, making amazing pedals like the Rook Overdrive and the Iron Bell Overdrive. The have so many flavors of overdrives in their catalog its like Baskin Robbins!
New to the family is the DMBL Overdrive which is like its namesake (if you can‘t figure it out it‘s an amp Stevie Ray Vaughn made very popular). This 4 knob little monster offers up a variety of tones and tone shaping options. Everything from slight voicing changes to full on rock distortion is available in this little box.
On the front you have 5 controls. Gain, Volume, Treble, and Bass knobs along with a mini toggle to change the pedals voicing. The Volume control the overall volume of the effect, and in a cool little change from most overdrive pedals doesn‘t really push the front of the amp at full volume. This is nice as it lets the pedal really color the
By CV WorldWide Equipment Consultant Jason Constantine
tone. Allowing you the option to use the gain control on the pedal to dial up the amount of drive you like.
The Gain control can dial everything from zero boost to full on rock distortion. I find this is a great wide array of distortion possibilities allowing you to dial in more gain on cleaner amps and back off on am amps overdrive channel. The versatility is quite surprising. On the clean channel of a Fender Deluxe I was able to coax everything from Fat round Jazzy clean tones to thick bottomed rock tones. Great job by the guys at Mojo Hand FX for really putting thought into how much gain to allow you to dial in.
The Treble and Bass control are pretty self explanatory. They are very musical, and never shrill or overly flubby. Again a great choice of where the voicings for each control sit, which gives you maximum tonal flexibility.
Probably the best feature of this pedal is the mini switch on the front end. In the UP position, which gives you a rounder sound with a flatter EQ,
the effect is really noticeable the more gain you have dialed in. In the DOWN position the pedal comes to life for me and the tones that I like. There is a very pronounced midrange bite that any rock player will LOVE. It thickens up the tone as well giving you a massive sound without getting overly bassy.
For me this is an amazing overdrive and one thing really worth mentioning which I think gets overlooked with alot of other overdrives is the noise floor. This pedal is amazingly quiet. Even with the gain on full blast it is much quieter than every other overdrive in my collection.
For more information on the DMBL Overdrive check out http://www.mojohandfx.com.
All About Front-, Rear-, Four-Wheel and All-Wheel Drive
by John O'Dell, Senior Editor - Edmunds.com - Reprinted with Permission
The number of trucks, SUVs and cars in which all four wheels get power from the engine has grown remarkably since the 1980s, to the point that almost one-third of all passenger cars and trucks sold in the U.S. in 2013 had either all-wheel-drive (AWD) or four-wheel-drive (4WD) systems.
The numbers suggest that two-wheel drive just isn't enough for many consumers.
Still, most passenger cars sold in the U.S. today use a two-wheel-drive system in which the entire drive package engine, transmission, differential and the wheels that are driven by the engine are all in the front of the vehicle.
It is called front-wheel drive (FWD) and has become ubiquitous in cars since the late 1970s.
Trucks, though, as well as many SUVs and some cars, still use rear-wheel-drive (RWD) systems, in which a long driveshaft transmits power from the engine in the front of the vehicle to the driven wheels at the back. A differential is used to let the power from the driveshaft make a 90-degree turn so it can get to the wheels. These are still twowheel-drive vehicles.
With all those choices, what's right for you?
It all comes down to what you need most from your vehicle in terms of passenger and cargo capabilities, as well as what kinds of terrain and weather conditions you deal with on a regular basis.
A low-slung sports car with rear-wheel drive is not a good choice if you live at the top of a steep hill accessible via a rutted dirt road that usually is buried under ice and snow all winter and slick with mud all spring. Nor is a raised four-wheel-drive utility vehicle with huge knobby tires ideal for the driver whose daily commute via a nicely paved highway is from a suburban house to a high-rise office in a metropolitan downtown area.
Rear Wheel Versus Front Wheel
Compared to rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive reduces weight and production cost, improves fuel economy and typically delivers better traction. That's because the weight of the engine and transmission is directly over the driven wheels.
Rear-wheel drive offers better initial acceleration than does FWD when a quick start is of the essence. That's because weight is transferred to the rear of the car upon accelerating, thus boosting traction. RWD also permits expert drivers to use various techniques to slide the rear end around corners, which is a skill most useful in racing. Additionally, by keeping part of the drivetrain in the rear, RWD cars usually have weight distribution closer to the optimal 50 percent front/50 percent rear than can be achieved with a FWD system: Equal weight distribution improves a vehicle's overall balance and handling.
In two-wheel-drive trucks, RWD is essential because the back of the truck is so light that putting the entire drive system up front would make an empty pickup nearly impossible to drive. The rear wheels would almost be floating and could easily lose contact with the surface on even moderately bumpy roads. Conversely, adding load in the rear of a RWD truck or SUV that's hauling cargo or a
towing a trailer or boat improves traction. Having the driven wheels close to the point where the trailer is connected to the vehicle (via an articulated hitch) also helps with steering while towing.
The development of anti-lock braking and traction control systems has greatly improved two-wheeldrive systems' handling characteristics, however. And for many drivers, a two-wheel-drive system with traction control is all they'll ever need.
But for those who do need more, four-wheel and all-wheel drive offer increased handling capabilities. They're especially helpful on slick, loose or slippery surfaces, because they can direct power to the wheels that have the most traction. They can also help with some towing chores, such as pulling boats up wet, slippery launch ramps.
Good Tires Are Critical
In most cases, a vehicle's tires can be more important than the number of wheels being driven. For example, many sporty AWD cars boast good dry traction but are sold with summer tires that make them horrible to handle in the snow and ice even with all four wheels working.
Here's another way to think about it: What would perform better in the snow, a front-wheel-drive car with winter tires or an AWD car with all-season tires?
Michelin tested this snow-tires-versus-AWD scenario a few years ago. The front-wheel-drive car with winter tires outperformed the AWD car with all-season tires in nearly every test. The all-wheeldrive vehicle had the edge in acceleration, but when it came time to hit the brakes, its braking distance was significantly longer than the FWD car. Of course, if the AWD vehicle had a full set of winter tires, it would be the hands-down winner, but this test goes to show you the importance of good tires.
More About All Four
Choosing between AWD and 4WD used to be fairly simple one was for sporty cars on pavement and one for trucks and SUVs on rugged mountain trails.
"But, really, today there's no clear line between allwheel and four-wheel drive" from a technical viewpoint, says Dave Herzog, lead engineer on Chrysler's Jeep Grand Cherokee. Most car shoppers and automakers still adhere to the distinction of 4WD for off-road and AWD for on-road, he says, but Chrysler, for instance, sells an all-wheel-drive Durango SUV and a 4WD Jeep Cherokee with nearly the same systems.
Four-wheel-drive systems are usually found on vehicles with raised ground clearance, shielded underbodies, tow hooks and big, knobby tires. AWD systems can be found on everything from lowslung sports cars to SUVs of all stripes. That includes SUVs that are mild models designed for soccer moms and pops and wild line-toppers aimed at rock stars and celebutantes. They also can be highclearance, knobby-tired models for the flannel-shirt -and-hiking-boots crowd.
All-wheel-drive systems come in two styles. There are those with part-time or automatic AWD, in which the vehicle typically operates in front-wheeldrive mode with power delivered to all four wheels only when needed. And there's full-time AWD that delivers power to all the wheels all the time, much like a 4WD system except there's no extreme low range for heavy-duty off-roading.
Some AWD systems also offer what is commonly called torque vectoring, in which sensors direct engine power to the wheels with the most traction, regardless of which end or side they are on. AWD systems typically are used for cars and crossovers and are most efficient on pavement and wellmaintained dirt and gravel roads.
Four-wheel-drive systems also come in part-time and full-time versions and typically are used in trucks and SUVs. They are designed primarily for off-road use. Part-time systems operate in twowheel-drive mode until the driver or an onboard computer that monitors traction decides it is time for all four wheels to share the work. Fulltime 4WD is just what its name suggests.
The High and Low of It
Most 4WD systems have low and high ranges that can be selected by the driver, usually with an electronic switch. Jeep's venerable Wrangler, however, still uses a floor-mounted, mechanical lever. Whether electronic or mechanical, the 4WD's low setting provides even greater torque for pulling or climbing in an off-road environment. The setting's low gearing also makes it easier to descend steep slopes on unstable surfaces without using and burning up the brakes.
The 4WD's high setting is the default setting and is useful for slippery on-road situations, such as packed snow or ice or loose sand or gravel.
How To Pick Your Drive
Despite their higher costs, these four-driven-wheel systems do make sense for a lot of people. They offer greatly improved traction on all kinds of surfaces, and, depending on the system type, can improve towing ability.
Both AWD and 4WD introduce greater complexity to the drive system, adding both weight and cost. The extra weight robs the AWDs and 4WDs
of some fuel efficiency: typically 4-9 percent in cars and 5-10 percent in trucks. Cost premiums for these vehicles typically run from about $1,000 up to nearly $4,000.
Because of their additional maintenance needs and lower fuel economy, they also increase total ownership costs compared to two-wheel-drive versions of the same vehicles.
But those costs can pale in comparison to the cost of repairing damage to an ill-equipped two-wheeldrive vehicle that's been operated in rugged terrain or on nasty snow- and ice-slicked roads.
Also helping to offset those extra costs is the fact that vehicles with AWD or 4WD system usually have higher resale or trade-in values than their two -wheel-drive counterparts, especially in areas where inclement winter weather and rough terrain make such systems popular.
More About Two-Wheel Drive
Front-wheel-drive systems are less complex and thus cheaper to make than other drivetrain systems, so economics has played a role in their growing use. But fuel efficiency is the main reason most cars today are FWD models.
When the federal government instituted the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) program in the mid-1970s, automakers realized the FWD system was a quick way to gain a few miles per gallon.
Most vehicles already had their engines up front, so it was a relatively simple ask to turn the motor sideways and connect it to the front wheels with a couple of short drive axels. That more-compact
drivetrain improves fuel economy by reducing the vehicle's overall weight and eliminating the energy losses inherent in delivering power from the front to the rear via a long, heavy driveshaft and differential.
Keeping the motor's weight directly over the driven wheels also improves acceleration and traction on roads made slippery with things such as water, ice, sand, gravel or snow. Finally, using the front wheels to pull the car around corners also helps reduce a common problem in rear-wheel-drive vehicles: loss of traction, or "fishtailing," when entering a curve at too much speed.
The Downside of Front-Wheel Drive
Despite its practical advantages, front-wheel drive has several performance disadvantages. Some exhibit a characteristic called "torque steer," in which unequal power application to one of the front wheels causes the vehicle to pull to one side or another under heavy acceleration. Additionally, a FWD vehicle's turning radius can often be greater than the same vehicle with RWD. That's because cramming all that powertrain and drivetrain equipment under the hood doesn't leave enough room for the front wheels to be turned as sharply as in a rear-wheel-drive application.
FWD systems also tend to wear out faster than the less-complex RWD systems. Further, the lifespan of front tires can be compromised because so much weight is placed on them and they have to handle all of the acceleration and steering forces as well as much of the braking.
Ups and Downs of RWD
Everything about front-wheel drive is reversed for vehicles with rear-wheel drive. Performance goes up: When you punch the accelerator pedal in a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, the weight transfers to the rear end, just where you want it during acceleration. This leaves the front wheels to focus on directing the vehicle. You can also "steer" a rearwheel-drive car with the gas pedal by applying power and sliding the rear end while in a corner, although this is a tactic best reserved for expert drivers on racetracks.
This doesn't necessarily make rear-wheel drive the better configuration. RWD has its own disadvantages. RWD cars require a driveshaft and to
accommodate it, they have that space-robbing interior hump down the middle of the passenger cabin. They also need a rear differential to make the 90degree turn necessary to transfer engine power from drive shaft to the rear wheels. These components add extra cost and weight to a vehicle while robbing horsepower and making RWD cars generally less fuel-efficient than front-wheel-drive vehicles.
Rear-wheel drive also is more challenging in inclement weather. Without the aid of traction control, a RWD car can more easily end up on somebody's front lawn or stuck in a ditch. Fortunately, traction control is standard on most cars and trucks today.
Putting It All Together
Both 4WD and AWD systems add substantial weight, complexity and cost to a vehicle. They also reduce gas mileage because of increased drag on the drivetrain. As traction control becomes more common on both front- and rear-wheel-drive cars, the advantages to the average motorist of 4WD and AWD have pretty much disappeared, as have those of RWD.
Nothing beats going into the dealership already understanding the differences. That's what will help you decide which type of drive system is right for your circumstances and help you avoid mistakes such as buying a four-wheel-drive vehicle for your daily commute in downtown Los Angeles, or a rear-wheel-drive sport car for exploring the ski areas of Vermont.
Order in the Chaos
Helpful Guitar Tip #15 - Conquered by Persistence
You ever been sitting tere practicing your guitar diligently when you get this killer riff in your head? Sure, duh... it happens all the time. Well, what if every time you tried to play it, you come out bollocks? Or, made a fool out of.
I get them all the time. And you know what? I've successfully conquered some of them. And some of those I‘ve conquered?... I've written songs around.
I'm referring to that riff that you just never seem to get right. And, yet, it seems that every time you privately jam it comes out of your fingers to some extent... That riff that eludes you due to it's complexity, or it's unique picking pattern, or maybe it‘s speed. Maybe it‘s the riff that now you just don't even try to take on. It pops it's head up while your running through some scale or other, but instead of carrying on with it, you fumble the ball. Or, you just glaze over it and pass it by to work on easier stuff that you are already fluid and confident with.
Well, I feel that passing those riffs by every time they come around is doing two major disservices to you as a player. One is that you are ignoring a KILLER opportunity to expand your playing and mastery over the instrument. The other being the dis-service you are doing in the battle between mind vs instrument (the struggle that taught you in your earlier battles that scales CAN be memorized, and that chords in relation to scales is NOT out of your realm of comprehending).
The tricks I use in conquering these little ditties are PURSUIT, REPETITION, and BREAK DOWN.
Step 1 - Pursuit: You recognize the riff, and some-
thing about it tells you that you might want to check it out a little more closely. But you can't nail it. Then you realize the riff that you are chasing may have been eluding you for YEARS!
If you already have a riff like this, you're already aware of the next step, Repetition But maybe you don't go any further due to hang ups like I mentioned above. In which case, hopefully repetition can help you get past the riff. Try it.
Step 2 - Repetition: Playing it over and over will get you closer to the final goal of playing that riff flawlessly. It might kill you to do it 15 or 20 times in an afternoon (even if you flounder and fail executing it smoothly during each repetition). By repeating the phrase over and over, you begin to build up muscle memory, which is in a slight way connected to your brain memory. Muscle memory makes it easier for you to play that riff easier the next time.
Step 3 - Break down: Take each little phrase of 8 notes or less (even better would be 6 or less) and make sure you are playing the proper notes while also utilizing the proper hand and fingering positions. Hand position being First Position, Second Position, Third Position, Fourth Positions on the neck. And, finger position being which fingers to use on which string and on which fret.
Hopefully you know what I am referring to on hand and finger positioning. If not, look them up on your search engine of choice. I'm not giving a free guitar lesson here…
After you are 100% certain that each fretted note is sounding pure, and fit with what your mind is hearing, then move on to the next few notes, and so on. Try to figure out each and every note and play them solidly and in the most efficient manner possible for you (color and technique can come later).
After a few visits to that riff, each day, over a week or two will find you getting smoother and smoother with that passage. Eventually, you will be playing that riff without even looking at your neck. Try it. See if I am right…
So, you see? You ARE able to conquer these things when they arise by just breaking them down, or repeat phrasing them, and then OWNING them. It really is that simple.
Brien DeChristopher Blogger/Musician
Spokane WA was the first date on the long waited return of Tool. They played a 2 hour set of their classic songs that have been etched into our brains with the mesmerizing guitar riffs and the heart pounding drums. Maynard as expected stood in the back not allowing the lights to shine bright on him. It’s almost as if he is sending a message, Tool is not about Maynard it’s about the music it’s about how it makes you feel while you listen. You don’t need to see them. you need to feel them. Isn’t that what real rock is all about, how it makes you feel?
As for the stage that took 2 days just to set up, it was amazing. For all the fans that are more visual they got what they wanted a stage show with dark lights, lasers, LED screens displaying mind evoking images, glitter and the classic confetti.
I find it amazing that one band can only have released 4 studio albums in over 20 years last one being released 8 years ago in 2006 and still draw the crowd they do. However, when you have the pure talents of Adam Jones, Justin Chancellor, Danny Carey, and the elusive Maynard Keenan you don’t need to put out an album every year to remain one of the top rock bands of all time.
The set list included what the fans have been waiting for: “Hooker with a Penis”, “Vicarious”, “Schism”, “Pushit”, “Intension”, “Lateralus”. Then they left the stage for a brief intermission. Returning to give us Danny Carey, playing over a five minute drum solo, then concluding the show with 4 more songs “Jambi”, “Forty-Six & 2” and the all-time hit “Ænima ”, and finally leaving us with “Stinkfest”.
Tool will go down as one of the best rock shows Spokane, WA has had the privilege of hosting. A show that you won’t forget anytime soon. Tool will always be a band that plays to entice your soul and Maynard will always be the man standing in the dark out of the light. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
March 4th, 2014
Spokane, WA Kathleen Clarkson
Hailing from the hot music city of Phoenix, singer Timm Tantrum and the boys in Snake City Playboys only want to bring us back to an earlier age when life was one big party and people rocked out to down home ass kicking music.
CV SouthWest spent time with Timm talking about the band, their rise in Phoenix, and how music is the cure for all ills. The Doctor is in, and his prescription is screaming guitars and pounding drums…his diagnosis? “Rock and Roll is Good Medicine!”
<CV SW> Yes, we admit, same old intro question…tell our readers who's in the band and their role:
Timm Tantrum: Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar
Jay Sin: Vocals, Bass Guitar
Ace Adonis: Guitar
Bill Jackson: Drums
<CV SW> Who founded the band originally, how did snake city playboys come about?
<TT> I founded the band around 2010. I had been writing songs with Psycho Gypsy and was in "Music Mode" when the Psycho Gypsy had to take an unexpected hiatus due to a family emergency. I was still in creative mode and needed to get that out so that's where the idea of SCP came from.
<CV SW> Tell us about the journey…the bands you‟ve played with in the past, and the desire to finally pull together this group…
<TT> I've been playing since I was 15 years old. I joined my first band when I was 16. It was a band called Widdow with Eddie Electra (Psycho Gypsy, Peppermint Creeps, Pretty Boy Floyd). That band never got out of the garage really so it sort of sputtered out quickly. I played in various other bands after that. I was in a band called "Crimson Steel" for a while and another called "Mischief" which was really fun. Mischief was my first band that played out in real music venues. That lasted about a year so after that I really wanted to pull some-
thing together that had a bit more staying power. I teamed back up with Eddie Electra and that's when Psycho Gypsy came about. With Snake City Playboys I wanted to take it more Sleaze than Glam. A bit more rough around the edges if you will.
<CV SW> Talk to us about the journey to find the right combination of musicians for SCP… <TT> It really was quite a journey. It started out as a 3 piece, just me, a bass player and a drummer. The first drummer we had wound up having to move to California. It was sad because he was a really good drummer and a great, straight up guy. We found another guy pretty quickly who was an incredible drummer by the name of Sean. Sean is the drummer you hear on the debut album. The former bass player left due to a lot of drama and was replaced by our current bass player Jay Sin (who was actually our bass tech). I'd gone to see him play in a cover band he was in and knew he was the guy for the job. After Jay was in I decided
to make the band my original vision, which was a 4 piece band. We hired a local guitar player that, like our first drummer and bass player, only lasted a few months. After he was out my son Ace asked me if he could audition. He waited in line with everyone else, but when he played with us everyone in the band agreed he made it sound like it was supposed to sound. The most recent to join was Bill Jackson. Sean's life outside of music became more and more busy and he couldn't put in the time that he thought it deserved. At the time Jay and I had a side project doing cover songs. Bill was the drummer of that band and I loved his style. I gave him a CD and scheduled an audition at my house. He nailed it. The lineup today is the tightest and most fun it's ever been.
<CV SW> Tell us about the name, where did it come from?
<TT> I've always loved bands that had 3 word band names that had an homage to their hometown in their name. New York Dolls, Bay City Rollers that type of thing. I didn't want the name to just come out and say the name of our hometown directly. I wanted a name that kind of described the town without naming it specifically. The term "Snake City" came to mind. It's meant to refer to snakes of both the animal AND people variety, which folks from any big city in America can relate to. "Playboys" we figured was a great descriptive term for the Rock-n-Roll lifestyle. Not just referring to girls but motorcycles, fast cars, good food, hitting the road and living life while we're alive. With the different personalities within the band we really are Playboys from Snake City.
<CV SW> What is it about this quartet that you
think works so well?
<TT> We have different music backgrounds but the exact same goal. I never wanted this band to be 4 guys that listened to the exact same music. I wanted different ideas to compliment my own. Jay Sin comes from a musical family. His grandfather is the late Jimmy Wakely, who was a country superstar back in the 50‘s and 60‘s and who played with the likes of people like James Burton. Jay is from that bloodline yet loves Black Label Society. Ace listens to everything from Cinderella to Cradle Of Filth and everything in between. This gives him a keen musical ear and can take songs in directions the rest of us wouldn't have thought of. He's also an excellent piano player. Bill is a straight up no BS hard hitting rock n roll drummer which is exactly what a band like this needs to drive us.
<CV SW> Of course we have to ask…father & son…how does that work, personally and creatively?
<TT> It works incredibly. We have an amazing amount of respect for each other which is key. There's never tension in the band and he's not treated any differently than anyone else in the band. At home he's my son but within the music
world he's Ace Adonis of Snake City Playboys
<CV SW> Let‟s talk about Ace…having a father in rock n roll, was it always his destiny to be a musician, or did he freely choose it?
<TT> I think both. Everyone in my family is musically inclined and Ace was no different. He picked up a guitar because he wanted to not because it was expected of him. But looking back that's how all of us in my family did it. It's not really a planned thing that all of us play guitar we just do
<CV SW> Who are your musical influences?
<TT> Oh, wow, such a broad spectrum there. I like the stuff you might expect like Kiss, Cinderella and Motley Crue but I also like some of the heavier stuff like Rob Zombie, Iron Maiden, Avenged Sevenfold and even some stuff people might not expect at all. I like really old country Hank Williams Sr, Johnny Cash and am a huge fan of the originators of Rock N Roll which I mention in the lyrics of "Rock N Roll is Good Medicine" Elvis, Little Richard etc. However after a rehearsal or show and having hours of loud rock music blasted around me I like to chill with Mozart, Bach or Beethoven.
<CV SW> Are you still involved with Psycho Gypsy at all?
<TT> Psycho Gypsy took its hiatus in 2010 but we never really went anywhere. Right now my energy is focused into Snake City Playboys but Psycho Gypsy could arise anywhere at any moment. Eddie Electra and I are never not in the mood to throw on so much make up that it shocks and offends people. I'm willing to bet you haven't seen the last of Psycho Gypsy. I did a 3 song Psycho Gypsy jam
recently at an SCP show with the original drummer Kevin Thurman and original guitar player Joey Carter.
<CV SW> With all your experience, Timm, what is it that you take from the past to ensure the future success of SCP?
<TT> It's OK to make mistakes but learn from them and move on. We did a lot of things right in Psycho Gypsy and a lot of things wrong. I bring the experience of both what to do and what NOT to do which only makes SCP that much stronger.
<CV SW> Do you guys have a favorite place to play?
<TT> Music venues are all so different it's hard to say. I guess it depends on the town. I love both the Whiskey and The Roxy in LA. Best place we've played in Arizona was The Marquee Theater when we did a show with Mr Big. We now have a very special place in our heart for LVCS in Las Vegas. After our last show there we all agreed it was one of our favorites.
<CV SW> Have you had any particularly memorable shows to date?
<TT> LVCS with Lizzy Borden.
<CV SW> Why was that particular show memorable?
<TT> It was the only show we've had where there was really nothing bad to say. Sometimes you don't get along with a club owner, promoter or another band on the bill. At the LVCS show everyone was professional and even cool just to sit and hang out with. From the security to the other bands we just had an absolute blast and look for-
ward to doing it again.
<CV SW> What is it about your music that you feel appeals to fans?
<TT> It's honest. There's nothing contrived about what we're doing. When we write a song we just let that song grow naturally. We don't try to make things sound a certain way; everything is very organic, which is something music has really lost in the last couple of decades. Every year it seems to get worse. Everything is very plastic, packaged auto tuned and released. Bands on the billboard charts don't stay on there for very long because the artists that are being pushed today cannot hold anyone's attention for very long. We take a more honest approach. The fans that like our songs now will still like them 20 years from now. I've had fans tell me they bought the CD, put it in their car and the CD has not left the CD player since. We're talking months here. ―Dark Side of The Moon‖ by Pink Floyd was on the charts from 1973 to 1988. You will not see Nicki Minaj or One Direction albums that are out today 15 years from now unless it's in a bin at Goodwill.
<CV SW> What can fans expect to see at a
show?
<TT> Energy. Anyone in this band would use their last heartbeat to entertain the fans
<CV SW> Do any of your songs speak to you on a deep personal level?
<TT> There's a song on the album called "Live It Up". Back in 2006 I got a phone call from Psycho Gypsy drummer Mykel Geyman. He said he had a guitar riff stuck in his head and didn't know why but felt he HAD to tell me about it right away. Being a drummer he just sang the riff to me over the phone. I sat down and recorded the guitar line on my 4 track. Hours later Mykel died in a motorcycle accident. Everytime I hear the main guitar line I think of that last moment speaking to him.
<CV SW> Even being only what, nearly 4 years old, how have you guys grown as a band and as musicians from the early days?
<TT> Just from the fact that we have grown together. We learn something from each other every day because we're all open to it and nobody in the band thinks they are smarter than the other. The day you think you know everything is the day you stop growing.
<CV SW> Where do you think you are in the journey of SCP?
<TT> Well asking where would imply there's a destination. We only care about the journey and all the experiences that come with it. Being there will never be half as fun as getting there.
<CV SW> What other bands to you guys listen to during downtime and relaxation?
<TT> Depends on the day and who you ask. LOL! Pick anything between Olivia Newton-John and Cannibal Corpse.
<CV SW> If you could tour with one act, who would it be?
<TT> Toss up between Motley Crue, Kiss or Iron Maiden. We've always played our best when we knew someone on the bill that night was gonna give us a run for our money. Put us with the best of live acts and you'll get the best out of us.
<CV SW> Tell us your thoughts on the Phoenix music scene? Do you believe it‟s a major music
scene, or is it just where you hang your hat in between tours?
<TT> We have an unbelievable talent pool here. An untapped one I might add. If the right A&R guy looked at this place it would explode like LA in the 80‘s or Seattle in the 90‘s.
<CV SW> What do you think would put Phoenix in the upper echelon of music cities?
<TT> It's kind of sad to say this but the answer is money. If the talent here was promoted and exposed to a more worldwide audience people would buy into it really quick. Look up a band called Chemicals of Democracy.
<CV SW> If you had one band to open for during a show who would it be?
<TT> I think the band we all agree on is KISS.
<CV SW> It‟s still very early, where do you see the band in 3-5 years? Idealistic and realistic?
<TT> The goal is to grow this bigger and bigger. I think, though, that as long as we're still having fun we'll still be doing this as long as people keep showing up whether it's in a local music bar or The Download Festival in Europe.
<CV SW> You formed in 2010, but by 2011 you were opening for Quiet Riot…not a bad feather in your cap…but it also lead to other shows with bands such as Faster Pussycat, Y&T, and Mr Big…to what do you contribute so much early success?
<TT> Well in Psycho Gypsy we had to pay our dues, playing crappy venues on Tuesday nights. By the time this band rolled around I knew more of what I was doing. I knew how to promote more effectively and how to build a brand...(of course, being Timm Tantrum from Psycho Gypsy didn't hurt either)
<CV SW> Being a new band at the time, but having been in the music scene for a while, were you still able to learn from playing with bands like those?
<TT> I'm always learning, always asking questions. Kristy Majors from Pretty Boy Floyd taught me quite a bit. Think of it like traveling before we had Google maps. You either needed a road map or you asked directions. If you know someone that
has been somewhere you haven't been just ask how they got there.
<CV SW> 2011 is capped off by playing with the Gin Blossoms at the Fiesta Bowl NYE party… tell us how that came about…
<TT> I was contacted by someone telling me that they were looking for bands for the block party. The whole thing was if you wanted your band on the bill at the NYE Block Party you had to have your fans leave a comment on their board. SCP fans did NOT disappoint. They blew up that page like nothing I've ever seen.
<CV SW> “Rock and Roll is Good Medicine” takes off, both on YouTube & radio play, especially on Ron Keel‟s radio show…in the end, while all bands want to be successful, were you prepared for so much success that early?
<TT> Well every band needs an anthem. I knew if we had a song people could sing to and would be immediately recognizable that we would get the
attention we needed. This girl I went to high school with who is also a gifted poet posted as her status one day "Rock N Roll Is Good Medicine" The writer‘s block I had for months disappeared in seconds. I messaged her and asked if she and I could turn that into a song. She helped me write the words and I sat down and quickly wrote music to it. After I heard it recorded I knew it would bring us at least some level of success. I've been a fan of Ron since I was a kid and was honored the he gave airplay on a syndicated show.
<CV SW> How, in your opinion, has the EP done for SCP?
<TT> It's doing well. We're actually going to have to order another printing of it soon.
<CV SW> Let‟s talk about the music industry today…and social media…music distribution is much different now, do you see that as progress?
<TT> Ah, the double edged sword of Social Media. I was a big fan of MySpace myself. It was
more colorful and you didn't have all these rules to play by. You could friend somebody if you thought they would like your music. If they didn't like it they could just ignore your request. Today we have Facebook which is where everyone seems to be now. You're sent these suggestions of who to friend and then if you try and friend them your account gets blocked for your effort. Social Media is good for free promotion but it's very limiting. The best promotion is always gonna be the music itself. As far as distribution I just see it like it was in the beginning when rock started. In the 50‘s and 60‘s you could buy someone‘s LP or you could buy the 45 single if you only wanted the hit song. Not much different from iTunes. I think if more artists realized this they would sell more because they would strive to make ALL of their songs listenable and not just 1 or 2 singles.
<CV SW> The ability to market/sell individual songs, does that benefit the industry as a whole?
<TT> Depends on the artist and how good the songs are. Some artists are flourishing in the digital age and some are drowning.
<CV SW> So then…Social Media platforms… savvy PR tools or necessary evil?
<TT> Both. I think if people got off of Facebook and went to more shows and events the music scenes everywhere would do better. As artists we have to go where our fans are. If the fans are packing music venues then that's where we will be. If venues are empty and everyone is on Instagram or Facebook then that's where you force us to be. We are nothing without fans so if you dig a band and you see they are playing somewhere then get off the damn computer and go see them play. You never know who is going to explode and become huge. Somewhere in Germany there's a bunch of people that have stories about meeting the Beatles before they were famous.
<CV SW> Today, the music world seems to be dominated by the Cyrus‟ (and her tongue) and the Biebers…never one to shy away from controversial questions, do you think Rock has to climb to the forefront again?
<TT> It will either way because it always does. Rock is one of the only genres that always comes back to the forefront. Every 10 years the "experts"
always come out and say rock's time has passed. Every 10 years I roll my eyes. Every fad band that was supposed to have "killed" rock are usually now found playing in little bars while AC/DC plays for 70,000 people on a regular basis.
<CV SW> Does it ever get…a bit difficult…to see that sort of level of talent (although we DO think that Miley has a great voice, she just behaves like a harlot) being promoted?
<TT> It's disheartening sure. Too many execs are in it for the quick buck and more and more of these disposable pop stars are cranked out. There are not many guys like Clive Davis left. For the few that are we hope to get their attention.
<CV SW> Is it hard to look at that and stay true to your sound? Or do you think they will all fade away and it‟ll be back to old fashioned ass kicking rock again?
<TT> It will never be hard to stay true to our sound because we love what we do. I'd rather be poor and happy than rich and miserable. There isn't enough money in the world that would convince us to be "One Direction". If we were offered that kind of money to play pop music I think we'd use that opportunity to be known as the band that shoved a million dollars up someone's ass.
<CV SW> Your label is “all DIY bitches!”why do you think that DIY is the way to go for SCP? Is there something you feel you can get from DIY that you wouldn‟t get from a label?
<TT> Freedom. If a label came along that offered us a deal that would include us continuing to be who we are then sure we'd take it. However if some douchebag in a 3 piece suit wants to tell us we need to sound more like <insert popular band here> then we'll take DIY and keep making the music our fans to this day refuse to take out of their CD players.
<CV SW> Ok, it‟s early 2014 what can we expect from the band this year?
<TT> MORE!!! New songs, more videos, more live shows. This will be a great year for SCP to be sure.
SNAKE CITY PLAYBOYS
Gear the Pros Use! Snake City Playboys’
Timm & Ace
Timm Tantrum andAceAdonis
Timm and Ace are a father and son guitar duo that know how to play off of each other well. Timm’s rock credentials date as far back as the early 90s with the Glam Rock outfit Psycho Gypsy. The influences between these two is a broad range which makes for a unique chemistry. They’re guitar influences range from Cinderella to Cradle Of Filth and everything in between. To accomplish the big rock sound they each have their own tones but through similar equipment. Ace’s tone has more metal distortion and Timm’s distortion is scaled back and more bluesy as to bulk up the overall sound.
Guitars:
They have quite a collection ranging from a classic 89’ 24 fret Peavey Tracer Custom to a collection of Ibanez and Schecter guitars. Timm’s current favorites are the Peavey Tracer and a Schecter Hellraiser with active EMG pickups. Ace on the other hand plays primarily Ibanez.
Amps:
Typically Marshall and Randall but we’re always experimenting with different tones. The album was recorded with everything from Peavey Solid state amps to Blackstar all tube half stacks.
Kaminari Guitar Cables
Digitech RP 500 Guitar Effects
Intune Custom Guitar Picks
The Local Music Scene in Vegas is definitely heating up. March brought some new beginnings as well as the final US show for one Las Vegas favorite. St. Patrick‘s Day and March Madness brought tourists by the tens of thousands to Sin City and you could definitely tell by the turnouts of some of the shows.
Smashing Alice brought their aggressive sound back to the Vamp‘d stage with special guests ROXX. Johnny Roxx and the latest lineup warmed up a standing-room-only crowd for the hard hitting S.A. boys.
―The Hardest Working Band in Vegas‖, the Sin City Sinners. have begun their Residency at the South Point Casino. They are definitely a nice welcome down to the southern part of Vegas that is devoid of Live Music venues since Green Valley Ranch‘s brilliant decision to turn one of the top sounding live music rooms into a Bingo Hall. Bravo GVR! The Sinners rock it out every Friday night. Getting the sound right for Friday night, check out the boys at Vamp‘d on Thursday nights, always bringing in a special guest or two.
Right down the road at Shakespeare‘s Bar & Grill, Davyo and ‗Forget To Re-
member‘, played a few sets to the regulars down in Anthem & Seven Hills. Could turn into a great live music bar if they bring the prices down from the tourist range.
Speaking of the Anthem & Seven Hills area, one of the old venues that hosted ‗Hair Nation‘ a few years back once the Redhawk closed, the old Half-Shell, has reopened as The Industry. With their open top deck, with enough room for a band, this place is definitely worth checking out. The area needs a good ―Redhawk Replacement‖!
Tom T and the ‗Gypsy Road‘ crew rolled down to Legend‟s to rock out on the east side. With a lead singer that has the range to shatter glass, you have to check out this band. This Classic Rock band should be playing a lot more venues, as their talent level is up there with some of the best around.
Jay Cee and the ‗Bluff Control‘ crew have been making the rounds showing off the new lineup. Hitting up Club Fortune Casino, Tuscany Casino, the Backstop in Boulder City and the southwest side at Jalisco Cantina. From one end of the valley to the other, this new lineup is definitely a crowd pleaser.
Ernie and the „SICOCIS‟ boys took to the LVCS stage with a house full of bands and rocked it down. SICOSIS also released their latest single, Symphonic Metal; info can be found on their Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/sicocislv
Bike Night is back at the Gold Mine down in old Henderson. The weather is nice, the bikes are out and there was no way I was missing the John Zito Band getting things started. The infamous Danny Robert, from so many bands there is not enough room in the mag, sitting in with the boys, turned things up a notch to a full house. Zito
Las Vegan Jizzy Pearl‘s band ‗Love Hate‘ performed their very last show in the U.S., at Vamp‘d. Prior to taking the crew on tour overseas, they blew the roof off of Vegas one last time.
Drew Calvert from Outta the Black
never disappoints.
Sin City Kiss took to the latest venue to bring in local bands, the Sin City Theater at Planet Hollywood. Not the easiest place to get in and out of, but definitely worth the trouble to see these guys.
Smashing Alice followed up with their own show at PH.
We‘ll keep our ears open for the progression of this venue.
Two of the hottest bands currently tearing up Sin City are taking the Vamp‘d stage just after press time for this article; ‗Outta The Black‘ & ‗Systemec‘ should light this place on fire with the level of performance this combination should bring. Systemec, just off one of the best shows Vamp‘d has seen in a long time, with local Vegas giants, nationally touring ‗Adelita‘s Way‘, and the heavy hitters in ‗Outta The Black‘, who are rumored to be bringing another original tune to the party. Without a doubt, this is going to be a capacity show.
The new lineup from Dirty Pair-A-Dice took to the newest stage on the east side, BB‘s Clubhouse for a night of hard rockin‘. It seems Dallas and the boys have a totally new direction and the sound shows. Looking for some good things coming from them in the near future.
April opens with a blowout on the 5th with Vegas‘ only Tribute to Dokken, ‗Mr. Scary‘. They will be blowing the roof off of Vamp‘d and Yours Truly will be there celebrating yet another Birthday. A multitude of surprises are in store for this show, rumors have it. Not one to be missed.
Until Next Month…Kevin
Todd Kerns from Sin City Sinners
Tips for riding in the rain
Riding in the rain takes a lot of practice…not just practice, but it also takes learning proper body positioning and the likes. There's really a lot involved, and the best way is to start SLOW.
1) Tire pressure! Our panel recommends you go with 30psi on both front and rear tires (if it‘s in accepted range); we suggest you bump yours down to about the same for rain riding.
2) Throttle! *IMPORTANT* Not only do you have to keep yourself in check and be really smooth when you're getting on the gas as you apex/exit a turn...but you also have to compensate for your somewhat limited traction when you're coming into turns. Get off the throttle sooner!
3) Brakes! Here's where it gets tricky... let us break (nyuk!) it down for ya (also applies to dry riding...which is kinda like dry humping…just different)…you've got 100% of available traction in a straight line, right? When you start to lean, you're ticking away % marks the farther you go...off the top of our head, pilot powers are "rated" at 41 degrees of lean angle in the wet. That means at 41 degrees of lean angle, you're using 100% of available traction, and you've got none left...hence, you speed up, you low-side. You get on the brakes...you low-side. So, say you were only at 35 degrees of lean...using roughly 80% of your available traction...that means you've got 20% left to play with on the brakes. You can only get on the brakes so hard, else... boom+skitter-skitter.
But you've also got a rear brake...don't forget about that one, as when riding in the rain, you should put your rear brakes to good use. You first gotta learn ‗em though. If you start riding around and start stabbing at the rear brake incessantly and with disregard to pressure sensitivity and the likes...well...you're gonna fall down. PRACTICE!
Practice in a straight line though. It's best to get ALL your braking done before you start to turn-in when riding in the wet anyhow. Pretty much in the dry too, unless you've got somewhat advanced skillz. Brakes are important. It's best to go into a turn too slow than it is to go in too fast…and this applies to wet or dry roads, really.
4) BODY POSITIONING! Key element right here, people! It's IMPERATIVE that you get this shit right! Hang off the bike! Why? Because it allows you to keep the bike more upright whilst maintaining the same speed at the same radius around the same corner than if you were sitting square in the seat. Did that make sense? It did to me.
Ok, Ok, the easiest way to give you a visual without...well...a visual... would be to say:
a) inside elbow pointed straight down at the ground.
b) outside arm straight...inside of outside arm should be resting on the tank or close to it.
c) turn your shoulders INTO the turn (i.e., face the direction you want to go with your chest... you ladies out there should be shining your headlights gloriously in the intended direction of travel).
d) look through the turn! lead with your face.
e) get your inside cheek off the seat. don't cry about how it makes your legs hurt. just do it! it's gonna help keep you from sliding the bike around and going into on-coming traffic. f) toes on the pegs…nothing worse than dragging your toes into the asphalt, upsetting the chassis/suspension/you…riders seem to feel much more planted on the bike and much more stable if they rotate my inside foot so that their toes are on the tip of the peg, and the heel of their boot is up and pushing on the heel guard of the rear-sets…that will allow you to put the arch of your foot on the outside peg and apply pressure to the outside peg...which...you should be weighting the outside peg just before you apex, and all the way through the exit.
4-2) BODY POSITIONING! Relax, it's gonna be okay! As long as you stay relaxed and light on the bars, keep your speed down, and make smooth throttle and brake inputs...you're gonna have a good time riding in the rain.
In closing...riding in the rain is really going to help you out when riding in the dry. You're going to eventually (if you haven't already) come across leaves in the road, gravel, dirt, animal carcasses, tic -tacs, shoes, and maybe even a pair of pliers, and run it over. Sometimes there's just no getting around it safely...it's going to happen. And because you're an experienced rain rider who's become accustomed to the feeling of little to no traction, you're not going to panic and you're gonna roll right through it with little thought.
If you practice the things we mentioned, and you stay relaxed, focused, but ready for anything, you're going enjoy riding a whole lot more. In particular, in the rain.
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