CVSW April 2014 - CV WorldWide Magazine

APRIL 2014
THE Custom Lifestyle Magazine for Custom Vehicle and Music Enthusiasts
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Contents...
Cover Photo by Sherry Keith
Rock Calendar
3
Gear the Pros Use
Guitarists: Timm Tantrum & Ace Adonis
13
NAMM Coverage:
Conference Information
14
Equipment Review: Mojo Hand FX
16
News You Can Use; Cars...Different Drivetrains
20
Order in the Chaos; Brien DeChristopher’s Music Blog
28
Las Vegas Nightlife; Kevin Lastovica
32
News You Can Use; Motorcycles...more Riding in the Rain
34
LANI LINTON: Versus the World & Authority ZERO
36
Tattoo Gallery...readers send in pics of favorite tattoos
44
CV Southwest Magazine
Locally Owned / Nationally Known
Jamie Paulus
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.
Page 30
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 12
Contact Us: [email protected]
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Doc's Angels
Arena Tribute
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the JES Project
Daze Gone By
Jordan Allena
Smashing Alice
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Mr Scary
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the JES Project
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LA Story
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the JES Project
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Fremont St Main St Stage
Las Vegas, NV
Fremont St Main St Stage
Las Vegas, NV
Fremont St Main St Stage
Las Vegas, NV
Fremont St Main St Stage
Las Vegas, NV
Shifty's
Las Vegas, NV
Babe's Rockin Sports Bar
Las Vegas, NV
Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
the Dive Bar
Las Vegas, NV
Fiesta Henderson (CoCo Lounge) Henderson, NV
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Vamp'd
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Nashville, TN
Shifty's
Las Vegas, NV
the Beauty Bar
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Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
the Dive Bar
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Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
the Firehouse
St George, UT
Babe's Rockin Sports Bar
Las Vegas, NV
LVCS
Las Vegas, NV
the Association Tavern
Las Vegas, NV
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BB's Clubhouse
Las Vegas, NV
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Babes
Henderson, NV
Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
Vamp'd
Las Vegas, NV
E-String Bar & Grill
Henderson, NV
Bellesque Nashville (Anthem) Nashville, TN
BB's Clubhouse
Las Vegas, NV
Cheyenne Saloon
Las Vegas, NV
the Association Tavern
Las Vegas, NV
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
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.
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
<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-
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.
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> 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
<CV SW> What can fans expect to see at a 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.
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”
<CV SW> If you had one band to open for dur- takes off, both on YouTube & radio play, especially on Ron Keel‟s radio show…in the end,
ing a show who would it be?
while all bands want to be successful, were you
<TT> I think the band we all agree on is KISS.
prepared for so much success that early?
<CV SW> It‟s still very early, where do you see <TT> Well every band needs an anthem. I knew if
we had a song people could sing to and would be
the band in 3-5 years? Idealistic and realistic?
<TT> The goal is to grow this bigger and bigger. I immediately recognizable that we would get the
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
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.
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> 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> How, in your opinion, has the EP
done for SCP?
<TT> It's doing well. We're actually going to have <CV SW> Today, the music world seems to be
to order another printing of it soon.
dominated by the Cyrus‟ (and her tongue) and
the Biebers…never one to shy away from contro<CV SW> Let‟s talk about the music industry versial questions, do you think Rock has to climb
today…and social media…music distribution is to the forefront again?
much different now, do you see that as progress? <TT> It will either way because it always does.
<TT> Ah, the double edged sword of Social Me- Rock is one of the only genres that always comes
dia. I was a big fan of MySpace myself. It was 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 and Ace Adonis
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
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.‖
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!"
Emerging brands, growth in pro audio and
the music technology category, and an increase in
international exhibitors, converged for the second highest 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 AnaRetailers large and small return to their busiheim focused on rebuilding inventory after a strong
school music season, and on building up categories nesses with new product lines and categories that
currently experiencing strong consumer demand. 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.‖
up more than one-third of the total exhibiting companies. These companies come from 49 different
In addition to products, retailers search for countries to unveil their brands‘ new products at
valuable ideas gleaned from five full days of educa- the show.
tional offerings. ―I come for inspiration and I always find it,‖ said Rob Kittle of Kittle‘s Music in About NAMM
North Platte, NE. ―I find products I never knew
The National Association of Music Merwere out there. The buying I do and the things I chants (NAMM) is the not-for-profit association
see at the NAMM Show definitely influence my with a mission to strengthen the $17 billion music
business for the year.‖
products industry and promote the pleasures and
benefits of making music. NAMM's activities and
New entrepreneurs and categories entering programs are designed to promote music making
the music market brought 303 new exhibiting com- to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of appanies to the show. NAMM Membership and in proximately 9,000 Member companies located in
turn the NAMM Show is increasingly global, as more than 87 countries. For more information
reflected in the 6% increase in international at- about NAMM or the proven benefits of making
tendees. The global scope of the NAMM Show is music, interested parties can visit www.namm.org,
most clear walking the show floor. This year 636 call 800.767.NAMM (6266) or follow the organiexhibitors from outside of the United States made zation on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Gear Review: MOJO HAND FX DMBL OVERDRIVE
T
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
his month we bring you a review of like.
the mighty DMBL Overdrive from Mojo Hand
The Gain control can dial everything from
FX. Mojo Hand FX has been in the biz for quite a
few years now, making amazing pedals like the zero boost to full on rock distortion. I find this is a
Rook Overdrive and the Iron Bell Overdrive. The great wide array of distortion possibilities allowing
have so many flavors of overdrives in their catalog you to dial in more gain on cleaner amps and back
off on am amps overdrive channel. The versatility
its like Baskin Robbins!
is quite surprising. On the clean channel of a FendNew to the family is the DMBL Overdrive er Deluxe I was able to coax everything from Fat
which is like its namesake (if you can‘t figure it out round Jazzy clean tones to thick bottomed rock
it‘s an amp Stevie Ray Vaughn made very popu- tones. Great job by the guys at Mojo Hand FX for
lar). This 4 knob little monster offers up a variety really putting thought into how much gain to allow
of tones and tone shaping options. Everything you to dial in.
from slight voicing changes to full on rock distorThe Treble and Bass control are pretty self
tion is available in this little box.
explanatory. They are very musical, and never
On the front you have 5 controls. Gain, Vol- shrill or overly flubby. Again a great choice of
ume, Treble, and Bass knobs along with a mini where the voicings for each control sit, which gives
toggle to change the pedals voicing. The Volume you maximum tonal flexibility.
control the overall volume of the effect, and in a
cool little change from most overdrive pedals
Probably the best feature of this pedal is the
doesn‘t really push the front of the amp at full vol- mini switch on the front end. In the UP position,
ume. This is nice as it lets the pedal really color the 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
Rear Wheel Versus Front Wheel
all in the front of the vehicle.
Compared to rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive
It is called front-wheel drive (FWD) and has be- reduces weight and production cost, improves fuel
come ubiquitous in cars since the late 1970s.
economy and typically delivers better traction.
That's because the weight of the engine and transTrucks, though, as well as many SUVs and some
mission is directly over the driven wheels.
cars, still use rear-wheel-drive (RWD) systems, in
which a long driveshaft transmits power from the Rear-wheel drive offers better initial acceleration
engine in the front of the vehicle to the driven than does FWD when a quick start is of the eswheels at the back. A differential is used to let the sence. That's because weight is transferred to the
power from the driveshaft make a 90-degree turn rear of the car upon accelerating, thus boosting
so it can get to the wheels. These are still two- traction. RWD also permits expert drivers to use
wheel-drive vehicles.
various techniques to slide the rear end around corners, which is a skill most useful in racing. AddiWith all those choices, what's right for you?
tionally, by keeping part of the drivetrain in the
It all comes down to what you need most from rear, RWD cars usually have weight distribution
your vehicle in terms of passenger and cargo capa- closer to the optimal 50 percent front/50 percent
bilities, as well as what kinds of terrain and weath- rear than can be achieved with a FWD system:
Equal weight distribution improves a vehicle's
er conditions you deal with on a regular basis.
overall balance and handling.
A low-slung sports car with rear-wheel drive is not
a good choice if you live at the top of a steep hill In two-wheel-drive trucks, RWD is essential beaccessible via a rutted dirt road that usually is bur- cause the back of the truck is so light that putting
ied under ice and snow all winter and slick with the entire drive system up front would make an
mud all spring. Nor is a raised four-wheel-drive empty pickup nearly impossible to drive. The rear
utility vehicle with huge knobby tires ideal for the wheels would almost be floating and could easily
driver whose daily commute via a nicely paved lose contact with the surface on even moderately
highway is from a suburban house to a high-rise bumpy roads. Conversely, adding load in the rear
of a RWD truck or SUV that's hauling cargo or a
office in a metropolitan downtown area.
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.
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.
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 Four-wheel-drive systems are usually found on vehicles with raised ground clearance, shielded unboats up wet, slippery launch ramps.
derbodies, tow hooks and big, knobby tires. AWD
Good Tires Are Critical
systems can be found on everything from lowIn most cases, a vehicle's tires can be more im- slung sports cars to SUVs of all stripes. That inportant than the number of wheels being driven. cludes SUVs that are mild models designed for socFor example, many sporty AWD cars boast good cer moms and pops and wild line-toppers aimed at
dry traction but are sold with summer tires that rock stars and celebutantes. They also can be highmake them horrible to handle in the snow and ice clearance, knobby-tired models for the flannel-shirt
— even with all four wheels working.
-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
Michelin tested this snow-tires-versus-AWD sce- delivers power to all the wheels all the time, much
nario a few years ago. The front-wheel-drive car like a 4WD system except there's no extreme low
with winter tires outperformed the AWD car with range for heavy-duty off-roading.
all-season tires in nearly every test. The all-wheeldrive vehicle had the edge in acceleration, but Some AWD systems also offer what is commonly
when it came time to hit the brakes, its braking dis- called torque vectoring, in which sensors direct entance was significantly longer than the FWD car. gine power to the wheels with the most traction,
Of course, if the AWD vehicle had a full set of regardless of which end or side they are on. AWD
winter tires, it would be the hands-down winner, systems typically are used for cars and crossovers
but this test goes to show you the importance of and are most efficient on pavement and wellmaintained dirt and gravel roads.
good tires.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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 growThe 4WD's high setting is the default setting and is ing use. But fuel efficiency is the main reason most
useful for slippery on-road situations, such as cars today are FWD models.
packed snow or ice or loose sand or gravel.
When the federal government instituted the CorpoHow To Pick Your Drive
rate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) program in
Despite their higher costs, these four-driven-wheel the mid-1970s, automakers realized the FWD syssystems do make sense for a lot of people. They tem was a quick way to gain a few miles per galoffer greatly improved traction on all kinds of sur- lon.
faces, and, depending on the system type, can improve towing ability.
Most vehicles already had their engines up front,
Both AWD and 4WD introduce greater complexi- so it was a relatively simple ask to turn the motor
ty to the drive system, adding both weight and sideways and connect it to the front wheels with a
cost. The extra weight robs the AWDs and 4WDs 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.
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
Keeping the motor's weight directly over the driven
robbing horsepower and making RWD cars generwheels also improves acceleration and traction on
ally less fuel-efficient than front-wheel-drive vehiroads made slippery with things such as water, ice,
cles.
sand, gravel or snow. Finally, using the front
wheels to pull the car around corners also helps reRear-wheel drive also is more challenging in induce a common problem in rear-wheel-drive vehiclement weather. Without the aid of traction concles: loss of traction, or "fishtailing," when entering
trol, a RWD car can more easily end up on somea curve at too much speed.
body's front lawn or stuck in a ditch. Fortunately,
traction control is standard on most cars and trucks
The Downside of Front-Wheel Drive
Despite its practical advantages, front-wheel drive today.
has several performance disadvantages. Some exhibit a characteristic called "torque steer," in which Putting It All Together
unequal power application to one of the front Both 4WD and AWD systems add substantial
wheels causes the vehicle to pull to one side or an- weight, complexity and cost to a vehicle. They also
other under heavy acceleration. Additionally, a reduce gas mileage because of increased drag on
FWD vehicle's turning radius can often be greater the drivetrain. As traction control becomes more
than the same vehicle with RWD. That's because common on both front- and rear-wheel-drive cars,
cramming all that powertrain and drivetrain equip- the advantages to the average motorist of 4WD
ment under the hood doesn't leave enough room and AWD have pretty much disappeared, as have
for the front wheels to be turned as sharply as in a those of RWD.
rear-wheel-drive application.
Nothing beats going into the dealership already unFWD systems also tend to wear out faster than the derstanding the differences. That's what will help
less-complex RWD systems. Further, the lifespan you decide which type of drive system is right for
of front tires can be compromised because so much your circumstances and help you avoid mistakes
weight is placed on them and they have to handle such as buying a four-wheel-drive vehicle for your
all of the acceleration and steering forces as well as daily commute in downtown Los Angeles, or a
much of the braking.
rear-wheel-drive sport car for exploring the ski areas of Vermont.
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
They need no introduction...Metal Church is back, and back with a vengeance. Kurdt,
Ronnie, 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-
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.
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
<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”
very well received.
(KURDT) Best yet.
(RONNY) The best yet, exactly.
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
―everything‖. I am influenced
very heavily by Rush, Emerson
Lake and Palmer and a lot of that
stuff, but then I am very influ<CV NW> Tell us about the enced by The Sex Pistols and the
“70000 Tons of Metal” – how Ramones too.
did that go?
(KURDT) The Cruise? That was <CV NW> What do you think
great, that was our initial reun- of the state of metal today; why
aren‟t there as many new metal
ion.
(RONNY) That was our catalyst bands that are really good these
days?
basically.
(RONNY) I think there are a lot
(KURDT) Yea exactly.
of great metal bands, a lot of new
<CV NW> For the current tour, ones like Steel Wing, White Wizwe heard that you actually asked zard, bands like that that are
for input from your fans about bringing back that old 80‘s style
which songs to play for your set back again but myself I listen to a
lot of different things like we
list - is that true?
were just talking about. The Win(KURDT) Mmmm hmmm.
ery Dogs are great, KXM is out
(RONNY) Yep.
(KURDT) We kinda knew, but there on Rat Pack records which
we just wanted to check. So we is George Lynch, Doug Pinnick
got the greatest hits set that we of King‘s X, and Ray Luzier of
will be playing until we are dead. Korn which is the same kind of
thing as The Winery Dogs. There
<CV NW> Who would you are a lot of great bands but there
guys consider your primary mu- is also a lot of crap.
sical influences?
(KURDT) I don‘t know if there is <CV NW> Over the years
just one individual, I think we are we‟ve had the impression that
all definitely influenced by differ- Metal has been more accepted
ent things which means 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 guess I have to have one.
don‘t survive.
(KURDT) Exactly.
(SherryK) I’ve been on there 6
<CV NW> Media distribution months and I still don’t know how
to use it. (laughter)
has changed drastically, how do
(KURDT) I get that, but the
you see social media - savvy
thing is though, and I can say it
marketing tool or necessary
with all honesty that it works like
evil?
crazy, so as much as I would like
(KURDT) It‘s both, you have to
to be that old guy and resist
do it to survive now and we are
change, ya know it totally works.
in the process of learning how to
embrace that right now. I myself
<CV NW> Does the band have
am still trying to learn how to get
a specific plan to leverage the
myself a twitter account cuz I
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
that 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 Ronnie Munroe. Not only was I going to meet them but sit down one on one for an interview.
Ronnie was sitting down waiting for their sound check and Kurdt
and the rest of the guys were running around the venue looking quite
busy. Ronnie 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, Ronnie, 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! Ronnie 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 Ronnie…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
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).
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 reThe tricks I use in conquering these little dit- peating the phrase over and over, you begin to
ties are PURSUIT, REPETITION, and BREAK build up muscle memory, which is in a slight way
DOWN.
connected to your brain memory. Muscle memory
makes it easier for you to play that riff easier the
Step 1 - Pursuit: You recognize the riff, and some- 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
http://www.blogster.com/briendechristopher/
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
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
Las Vegan Jizzy Pearl‘s band ‗Love
the road at ShakeHate‘ performed their very last show in speare‘s Bar &
the U.S., at Vamp‘d. Prior to taking the
Grill, Davyo and
crew on tour overseas, they blew the
‗Forget To Re-
member‘,
played
a
few sets to
the regulars
down
in
Anthem &
S e v e n
H i l l s .
Could turn
Drew Calvert from Outta the Black
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
theis„SICOCIS‟
took
to the
Bike and
Night
back at theboys
Gold
Mine
down
LVCS
stage
with
a
house
full
of
bands
and
in old Henderson. The weather is nice, the bikes
down.was
SICOSIS
released
their
are rocked
out andit there
no wayalso
I was
missing
the
Metal;
infoThe
can be
Johnlatest
Zito single,
Band Symphonic
getting things
started.
infafound
on their
mous Danny
Robert,
fromFacebook
so many page.
bands there is
not enough room in the mag, sitting in with the
https://www.facebook.com/sicocislv
boys,
turned things up a notch to a full house. Zito
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
Todd Kerns from Sin City Sinners 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.
April opens
with a blowout on
the 5th with VeThe new lineup from Dirty Pair-A-Dice gas‘ only Tribute
took to the newest stage on the east side, to Dokken, ‗Mr.
BB‘s Clubhouse for a night of hard rockScary‘. They will
in‘. It seems Dallas and the boys have a
be blowing the
totally new direction and the sound
shows. Looking for some good things roof
off
of
coming from them in the near future. V a m p ‘ 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
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!
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
3) Brakes! Here's where it gets tricky... let us break
applies to wet or dry roads, really.
(nyuk!) it down for ya (also applies to dry riding...which is kinda like dry humping…just differ- 4) BODY POSITIONING! Key element right
ent)…you've got 100% of available traction in a here, people! It's IMPERATIVE that you get this
straight line, right? When you start to lean, you're shit right! Hang off the bike! Why? Because it alticking away % marks the farther you go...off the lows you to keep the bike more upright whilst
top of our head, pilot powers are "rated" at 41 de- maintaining the same speed at the same radius
grees of lean angle in the wet. That means at 41 around the same corner than if you were sitting
degrees of lean angle, you're using 100% of availa- square in the seat. Did that make sense? It did to
ble traction, and you've got none left...hence, you me.
speed up, you low-side. You get on the
brakes...you low-side. So, say you were only at 35 Ok, Ok, the easiest way to give you a visual withdegrees of lean...using roughly 80% of your availa- out...well...a visual... would be to say:
ble traction...that means you've got 20% left to play a) inside elbow pointed straight down at the
with on the brakes. You can only get on the brakes
ground.
so hard, else... boom+skitter-skitter.
b) outside arm straight...inside of outside arm
should be resting on the tank or close to it.
But you've also got a rear brake...don't forget about
c) turn your shoulders INTO the turn (i.e., face
that one, as when riding in the rain, you should put
the direction you want to go with your chest...
your rear brakes to good use. You first gotta learn
you ladies out there should be shining your
‗em though. If you start riding around and start
headlights gloriously in the intended direction
stabbing at the rear brake incessantly and with disof travel).
regard to pressure sensitivity and the
likes...well...you're gonna fall down. PRACTICE! 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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