"The Dead Can Dance" ~ A Haunting Tale of Gothic Belly Dance

Lotus Dance Studio and EarthNoize Groove Collective and Cinema Paradiso presents: "The Dead Can Dance" ~ A Haunting Tale of Gothic Belly Dance (Proud Participant of the 2008 Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival)

Join us in celebrating Halloween - Come see south Florida's favorite tribal style bellydancers entrance you with their slithering snake like moves, provoke your darkest imaginations and of course, pushing boundaries as usual!!

Artistic performances by:
Alicia and BellyCraft
Isis San Miguel
Anna Nummelin
Lotus Shambhala
Sandy
Bliss & Prot'ge
SyncroSonic
Stacy O'Neil
Masala Fusion
Hip-Notic Dance Company
Alina
The Haunting Sounds of Crystal Sawyer's Beautiful Harp!
Micsto

And more to be announced!

www.fliff.com/calendar.asp

"Tribal Style: Becoming a Belly Dancer" South Florida Movie Premier

Cortney Armitage, Earthnoize Productions and the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival Presents: The south Florida Premier:Tribal Style: Becoming a Belly Dancer!

Saturday October 13, 2007 @ 8PM
Admission: $10

Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale , FL 33301
954-760-9898

Tribal Style: Becoming a Belly Dancer, a 90 minute documentary, will profile four novice dancers as they go from their first classes to performance. Through interviews with professional belly dancers in the tribal community, we will draw parallels to the novice's own stories: finding their strength, facing doubt, and ultimately discovering her own inner peace and beauty. We will aim to document not only the novice, but belly dance as a whole: What it means to be a belly dancer to the person dancing, and the positive impact it has on the people dancing it.

This Documentary features performances & Interviews By:
Rachel Brice (BDSS, Indigo), Frederique David (Belly Groove), Carolena Nerriccio (Fat Chance bellydance), Nanna Candelarida (Belly Dance by Nanna), Beth Masse & Sue Erokan (Clandestine), Andrea, aka Andy (The Miz-Healers), Karen & Bethany (The Boom Bellas). Film score by the band Solace.

But wait! There's more!
Director & Producer Cortney Armitage will be on hand to introduce the film and then afterwards, a Q & A about making this documentary. Frederick David will also be making an appearance!! Stay tuned for workshop information!!

Cortney Armitage (Producer & Director) has been learning to belly dance for 5 years. This has been one of the biggest challenges of her life considering she has worked as Layout Artist at Pixar Animation Studios since 2000. But that's not all, while she was still in school at the prestigious Laguardia High School of the Music and Arts and Performing Arts she started her career at the age of 17 on the hit MTV show Beavis & Butt-Head. While getting her degree at New York University TISCH School of the Arts, she worked as a graphic designer on the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather.

More to be announced so keep checking back!!
Thanks!

Ozomatli - Don't Mess With The Dragon...

Why Buy:

Artist: OZOMATLI
Album: Don’t Mess With The Dragon
(COJ2305)


It doesn’t surprise me that Ozomatli is under the radar since they rarely get radio play; they’re constantly touring all over the world and are known mostly by word of mouth due to their incendiary live shows. Now while most musicians (and labels) would stress out about this kind of grassroots approach, I think it’s been beneficial to Ozomatli. What this tactic does for them is attract the kind of fans that most bands only dream about having – die hard music lovers who appreciate good music, frequent their live gigs and stay loyal to a band that doesn’t “sell out.” The only thing that’s missing for them is the tipping point, the breakthrough opus, the trigger that takes them from teetering on the edge of obscurity to well deserved mainstream stardom. Well that trigger, my friend, is their latest endeavor DON’T MESS WITH THE DRAGON, which is an absolute breath of fresh air. Compared to their other albums, which were more scattered musically, here the band is tight and much more unified. One thing is for sure, the band is obviously having more creative fun, perhaps due to the fact that the inspiration for the music came from band members being involved in a two week art installation project, where they got to hang out at a local gallery. It’s inspiring to hear what the band came up with when it came to the themes of the songs; from the ballad “Violeta” (which reflects on the thoughts of a soldier in Iraq) to the funk infused “Magnolia Soul” (which boldly attacks our government’s lack of help for the people of New Orleans, while celebrating the fact that life continues on for them despite this travesty) to the title track “Don’t Mess With The Dragon” (which deals with people confronting their personal demons) to one of my favorites, “When I Close My Eyes,” which evokes an ‘80s ska/rock party vibe (think Oingo Boingo meets Fishbone - sweet!). Despite the fact that there are some very heavy issues on display here, the balance between being socially conscious, musically in check and having fun while doing it is skillfully achieved. There’s a fusion of Motown, ska, punk, hip-hop, funky Latin, N’awlins funk, world beat and more, including a unique Chinatown-meets-the-dirty south spirit that deftly embraces the diversity of the band members (a lineup that includes Raúl "El Bully" Pacheco, Ulises Bella, Jiro Yamaguchi, Cut Chemist, Wil-Dog Abers, Mairo Calire, Rene "Spinobi" Dominguez, Justin "Niño" Porée, Asdrubal Sierra, and Jabu). Who needs the Globe Trekker series when you have Ozomatli telling it like it is musically and lyrically? So put on some comfy shoes; for music lovers looking for something beyond the norm, who can handle thoughtful, varied, booty-shaking music while showing off their perfectly orchestrated dance moves, this album is for you! DON’T MESS WITH THE DRAGON is the perfect opus from a band that needs wider exposure to be embraced by all...it’s that good!

5 reasons to be like Bruce Lee and take on the dragon:

1.Ozomatli is an LA based, multi-ethnic, multi-racial group who are living proof that music can transcend any national, cultural or social boundaries.
2.They may be the most successful band you’ve never heard of. Accolades include two Grammy awards, a Latin Grammy award, two Latin Billboard awards, an Alma award, countless film, TV, commercial and game placements and tours with Santana, Dave Matthews Band, Los Lonely Boys and Lenny Kravitz among others.
3.The first track, “Can’t Stop,” is a catchy tune that will stick in your head for days (radio, are you listening?)
4.In February of 2007, Ozomatli was selected to perform in India and Nepal as U.S. Cultural Ambassadors.
5.Ozomatli will be on tour in support of DON’T MESS WITH THE DRAGON, so check out www.ozomatli.com and get your “Ozo” fix!


Michelle Stolzenburg
micsto@aent.com

EarthNoize List for Events in South Florida - February

Here's the latest so far for February! BIG thanks to everyone that made it out to the Earthnoize / Harmonic Motion event in Hollywood. It was a wonderful evening! We hope to do it again soon. In the meantime, here are some events you should consider checking out! If I missed any - Have no fear...I'll add them onto a later e-mail. Thanks again for your continued support!

Michelle / EarthNoize

January 27, 2007

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27th @ PS14: Switch and Church Productions present SALVATION!! Paint it black for this goth extravaganza featuring DJs Danny Bled, Tommy Gun, Matt, Saul and Par, plus the Salvation dancers, fetish show by Taboo Exchange, and fashion show by Trixie Tangs. 28 NE 14th St. www.thegimmicks.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27th @ REVOLUTION: Check out live performances by RAKIM and Kid Capri, plus it's the Brimstone 127 album release party!! 200 W. Broward Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale. www.jointherevolution.net

Blue House Blues Band @ The Downtowner Restaurant 408 South Andrews Avenue in Ft. Lauderdale. 954-463-9800 They’ll be playing from 9:45 pm to1:00 am. www.bluehouseband.com

Miami Greek Festival Saturday, January 27, 2007, 11:00 AM – 11PM @ St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, 7901 N. Kendall Dr., Miami , FL 33156, 305/595-1343. Enjoy Greek food and pastries, games, rides, folk dancing and more. Cost: $4, kids under 12 are free. Go to their website and read about getting in free if you ride their shuttle bus. They also have a $1.00 off coupon.www.standrewfl.org

Our Lady of Lebanon 30th Annual Lebanese Festival, Saturday, January 27, 2007, 5:00 PM – 1:00AM @ Our Lady Of Lebanon, 2055 Coral Way
Miami , FL 33145, 305-856-7449 - www.ololmiami.org

Gold Coast Tattoo Expo
The two-day festival will feature tattoo exhibitions, contests, seminars with well-known artists and more. The event also includes live music from legendary hardcore bands Agnostic Front, Madball and more. At the Broward County Convention Center, January 26-27.

Saturday, January 27 at 6 pm Symphony with a Splash - Lincoln Theatre, 541 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, 305-673-3331
Mix one part Happy Hour with a cool crowd and shake with the sounds of the New World Symphony for a "Symphony with a Splash." These special Saturday night presentations begin with a Happy Hour followed by a one-hour concert. Two outstanding young guest artists, conductor Benjamin Shwartz, and Beijing-born pianist, Yuya Wang, are featured in a high-spirited program that includes Franz Liszt's dazzling Piano Concerto No. 1, the musical high jinks of Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks by Richard Strauss, and the fiery Sensemaya by Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas, which has been described as "like the evil Mexican cousin of Ravel's Boléro." The program begins at 8 pm, and tickets are $35.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27th @ CHURCHILL'S: Slammie and Cancer Mykhell present THE QUEERS live!! With special guests The Heart Attacks, The Riptides and Stay Hitt. 5501 NE 2nd Ave. www.churchillspub.com

January 28, 2007
ST. MARK’S GREEK FESTIVAL - JOE ZEYTOONIAN of Harmonic Motion will play dumbeleki with GEORGE STATHOS’ My Greek Wedding Band; St. Mark’s Greek Orthodox Church on Yamato Rd., 2100 NW 51st St., Boca Raton, FL; 11 AM - 4 PM; $4; call for music times 561-994-4822.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28th @ STUDIO A: Studio A presents a live performance by CAGE (Def Jux) + C-Chan!! Doors at 8pm, $12 tickets. 60 NE 11th St. www.studioamiami.com

Ayme Sanchez @ Bank of America’s Fiesta! Now in its 5th year, Bank of America FIESTA, a jazz and monthly cultural event is planning it's first celebration in 2007 Stranahan Park in downtown Fort Lauderdale, in front of the Main Library from 11 am to 5pm This popular free family festival features live entertainment, arts and crafts, dancing and a small business and charity expo. The January celebration includes a tribute to the upcoming SuperBowl and an early celebration of Valentine's Day....with song, dancing, games and a small business and charity expo. Featuring Salsa Express Band, The Zumba Show, Jr. Ramos, AYME SANCHEZ, Rodrigo Navarette. Stay tuned to www.fiestafortlauderdale.com for updates on locations, time and dates. For more information, call (954) 527-0627. www.myspace.com/aymesanchezmusic

IDAN RAICHEL - January 28 @ 8 p.m. Knight Concert Hall
Israel’s hottest singer, songwriter, and world music artist, platinum recording star Idan Raichel mixes his country’s multi-cultural pop and ethnic Ethiopian music into an irresistible fusion of raw energy, ambient hymns and touching love songs. $25- $55

From Brazil and The Rainbow Crystals presents: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure! You can not afford to miss this one day big sale in secondhand precious clothing and home decoration. January, 28th Sunday - From 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. In Addition of this event, the store will be opening and selling its quality products from the Middle East, Brazil, India, China, and Turkey. Because our products are unique, our prices are the best and you will find something for anyone here, especially for yourself! If you do not find it now soon enough you will. From Brazil Inc., 8410 W. Flagler St. # 204 B (305)226-1717

KISS Country Chili Cook-off
Country music stars Montgomery Gentry, Trace Adkins and more will compete for attention with rich, meaty chili at this long-running annual event. At C.B. Smith Park, January 28.

Sunday, January 28 at 3 pm, Annual Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition, Miami Art Museum, 101 W. Flagler Street, Miami, 305-375-3000

Discover tomorrow's talented art-world stars today! Miami Art Museum and Miami-Dade County Public Schools present the 2007 Scholastic Art Awards to promising middle and high school students. Local winners go on to compete at the national level in New York where last year they were awarded a record-setting 38 honors, including a Gold Portfolio Award and an American Visions Award, the competition's top honors. See the young artists' exhibition on view at MAM through February 18.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28th @ STUDIO A: Studio A presents a live performance by CAGE (Def Jux) + C-Chan!! Doors at 8pm, $12 tickets. 60 NE 11th St. www.studioamiami.com

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28th @ BYRON CARLYLE THEATER: Tigertail Productions presents BILL FRISELL and the 858 Quartet!! Experience a magical evening of music and film as renowned guitarist Bill Frisell and his team take on Keaton, Woodring and Morrison, playing original compositions to an eclectic collection of silent slapstick, surrealist, and animated short films. 7.30pm, 500 71st St. Miami Beach. $25 general admission, $20 students/seniors. www.tigertail.org

January 29, 2007
Monday, January 29 at 8 pm - The Concert Association of Florida presents the debut American tour of the Hungarian Symphony Orchestra. Celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Hungarian Symphony has become one of the most prominent ensembles in Hungary and Europe. András Ligeti (pictured), conductor; Paavali Jumppanen, piano. Program: Rossini: Semiramide Overture; Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major; Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88. Tickets: $30, $40, $60, $70, $95.

January 30, 2007
Obsession: Radical Muslim's War Against the West - encore screening 7pm following the film, they will have a panel discussion - The panel will consist of Peter Feaman: Author of the upcoming book "Barbarians at the Gate": What the Average Person Needs to Know about the War on Terror". Dr. Aisha Musa: Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at FIU, Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Harvard University. Azam Nemati A Volunteer her for many cultural projects to introduce her Iranian heritage to others and provide outlets for people to get to know the Iranian community better. She is also a Muslim who has studied other religions and firmly believes in dialogues among all believers for a better world. Peter Incledon: Retired NYC Fire Captain, who was at the World Trade Center on 9/11, Hamid Serri - Professor of Islamic Studies at FIU. Plus an Iraq Veteran, TBD, The discussion will be moderated by Stan Eichelbaum, President of Marketing Developments, Inc., a firm currently services clients, governments and projects in 46 countries and territories - The audience is encourage to take part in the discussions. Cinema Paradiso / Fort Lauderdale Film Festival's year-round art house 503 SE 6 St Downtown, Ft. Lauderdale www.fliff.com Tickets $8 general admission, $7 seniors and students, $5 FLIFF

January 31, 2007
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31st @ STUDIO A: Studio A presents a rare South Florida performance by YO LA TENGO (Matador) perform live!! With special guest comedian Todd Barry. Tickets $15, doors at 8pm. 60 NE 11th St. www.studioamiami.com

Fantasma Presents: WILLIE NELSON January 31 @ 7:30PM - Knight Concert Hall Carnival Center for the Performing Arts

February 1, 2007
Thursday, February 1 from 7 to 9:30 pm - Touch Down at the Lowe Down! Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Drive on UM’s Coral Gables Campus 305-284-3535 Kick off SuperBowl weekend at the Lowe! Enjoy tasty tailgate food, live music, and cocktails courtesy of Bacardi® at the Lowe Art Museum's First Thursday's Lowe Down. Admission is $5 at the door; free for Lowe members.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1st @ CULTURE ROOM: Check out a special live performance by THE LEMONHEADS!! With special guests VIETNAM (Kemado). Doors at 7.30pm, $14.99 advance tickets through Ticketmaster, $18 at the door. 3045 N Federal Hwy. www.cultureroom.net

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1st @ REVOLUTION: Revolution in association with Tate's Comics presents a special live performance by Japanese goth metal band DIR EN GREY!! As you might imagine it's super rare that we get a group from Japan down here so this is a special treat!! Dire En Grey's sound is a "mixture of the apocalyptic themes of Scandinavian death metal, noisy industrial dance-rock à la Nine Inch Nails or Marilyn Manson, and the gleeful over-the-top theatrical qualities of '70s glam, particularly singer Kyo's falsetto shrieks, which put the guy from The Darkness to shame." 7pm, 200 W Broward Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale. www.jointherevolution.net

February 2, 2007
Friday, February 2 at Noon, 20th Year Celebration Block Party @ New World School of the Arts, 25 N.W. Second Street, Miami, 305-237-3135
NBC-6 news anchor Jackie Nespral emcees, and flutist Nestor Torres performs as students, faculty, friends and supporters of the New World School of the Arts celebrate the school's 20th anniversary. Free and open to the public.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2nd @ JAKMEL ART GALLERY: EveInterrupted.com and Admix present CRASH - an All Girl Art Party!! Hosted by Tara T, this event features a live performance by AKA, live art by Onblonde, DJs Heather Holiday and D-Lokx, and art on display by Jennifer Koivu, Natalya Laskis, Nancy Campos, Risque Business Erotic Custom Cakes and more. PLUS pinatas, cheap drinks, b-girls and more!! 7pm to 12am, 147 NW 36th St. Wynwood. www.eveinterrupted.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2nd @ CHURCHILLS: Switch presents a live performance by THE BASICKS plus Boy Prostitute, The Crumbs, Righteous Devices, Mad Cow Disease, Stay Hitt, The Ruins, The Brass Knuckles, Mr. Pink, Agro and To Be Hated. 5501 NE 2nd Ave. www.thegimmicks.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2nd @ STUDIO A: CASSETTE (Atomisk) play Revolver!! 11pm, 60 NE 11th St. www.studioamiami.com

Friday, February 2 from 6 to 10 pm - Full Moon Jazz Night on Hollywood Beach, Hollywood Beach Theater, Johnson Street & The Broadwalk, Hollywood, 954-924-2980 - Jesse Jones, Jr. Jazz Quartet and Mantra World Music Ensemble perform live in the outdoor Hollywood Beach Theater. Enjoy the free concerts, dancing and stargazing by the light of the full moon. The evening's entertainment is presented by the Beach District of the Hollywood CRA. Parking available at the Johnson Street municipal garage and surface lots.

February 3, 2007
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd @ CIRCA: Come on out to the inaugural night of Miami's newest Saturday night party - CIRCA SATURDAYS!! Circa is the old Slak Lounge/Two Last Shoes space and it's been completely renovated and it looks awesome. Upstairs: Open format indie rock dance party with DJs Lolo, Parker, Ray Milian, Johnnylove and more and a live performance by THE DOWN HOME SOUTHERNAIRES. Downstairs: Chill neighborhood loungin'. Plus, movies, drink specials and a whole lot more. 10pm to 5am, NO COVER. 2826 N Miami Ave. myspace.com/circasaturdays

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd @ TATE'S: Tate's Comics and their brand new Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery present FOR THE LOVE OF MUNNY!! Yes, you remember Munny, the blank little monkey you can customize to your heart's desire... Well today over 100 custom-painted Munnies will be on display and for sale, with part of the proceeds going toward the Humane Society of Broward County. The show will be up through March 10th in case you can't make the opening. 7pm at Tate's, 4566 N University Drive, Lauderhill, 33351. www.tatescomics.com

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd: Switch presents a live performance by THE BASICKS, with guest Dyslexic Postcards, The Down Home Southernaires, Gato Xango, The Mutiny, Animale, and AKA with DJs Par and guests on the patio. 28 NE 14th St. www.thegimmicks.com

February 4, 2007
Tate's Comics and The Bear and Bird Gallery present "FOR THE LOVE OF MUNNY" vinyl toy art show!! Come see all the cute little monkeys people painted, decorated and customized. 7pm – Thanks to Sweat Records for the heads up!

CIRCA SATURDAYS begins February 3rd at the newly renovated Circa28 (aka the old Slak Lounge/Two Last Shoes on N Miami Ave and 28th St). There's going to be chilling and lounging downstairs, and a seriously awesome dance party upstairs. Plus, drink specials, cool movies projected on the walls, live music, and no cover!! For the inaugural night we've got a special performance by one of our favorites - THE DOWN HOME SOUTHERNAIRES!! www.myspace.com/circasaturdays. Thanks to Sweat Records for the heads up!

February 4, 2007
Super Bowl Sunday at Cinema Paradiso Sunday, February 04, 2007 - doors open at 4:30pm Why Watch Super Bowl XLI on a tiny Plasma Screen or on 25 small TV's sitting on an uncomfortable bar stool when you can watch the game on the big, big, big screen in the comfort of our plush stadium theater seating, FREE at Cinema Paradiso! FREE ADMISSION - Doors open 4:30pm. $2.50 Stella Atrois and $4.50 draft all night. Plus food specials and games! Cinema Paradiso, 503 SE 6th Street, Downtown Fort Lauderdale, 954-525-FILM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4th @ CHURCHILL'S: Get ready for REAL ROCK SHOW 8!! Featuring live performances by Dino Felipe, Peasants With Feathers, Curious Hair, Sam T. Friend, Mad Happy, Zombies Organize!, Ghostmilk Tales, and more TBA. FREE SHOW!! Don't be a sucker and miss it... 5501 NE 2nd Ave.

February 5, 2007
Advanced Screening The Astronaut Farmer Monday, February 5th - 7pm / Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen, Bruce Dern, Tim Blake Nelson - An astronaut (Thornton) of NASA is forced to retire so he could save his family farm. But he can't give up his dream of space travel and looks to build his own rocket, despite the government's threats to stop him. Free for FLIFF members / $5 General Admission Cinema Paradiso, 503 SE 6th Street, Downtown Fort Lauderdale, 954-525-FILM. www.fliff.com.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5th @ STUDIO A: Studio A presents a live performance by MR. LIF (Def Jux) with The Abs. Doors at 8pm, tickets $12. 60 NE 11th St. www.studioamiami.com – Mr. Lif is an awesome MC that has no problem speaking his mind! Very positive artist!

Paco de Lucia Spanish flamenco guitar legend in concert with his quintet @ Knight Concert Hall at the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts-Tues. February 6, 8 pm. Knight Concert Hall at the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts,1300 Biscayne Blvd, Downtown Miami, For tickets, call (305) 949-6722 or visit www.carnivalcenter.org or www.rhythmfoundation.com

February 9, 2007
Aventura Arts Academy is hosting a DRUM WORKSHOP featuring Micheal Gregian from Boston, MA. This workshop will be for dancers and all those who would like to learn to play basic Middle Eastern rhythms. Please bring your drum or ric. (drums will also be available for sale in the boutique.) Friday Feb 9 6:30-8:00pm. $20.00 in advance $30.00 at the door space is limited please register early! Aventura Arts Academy, 850 Ives dairy Rd-T-17, NMB Fl 33179, 305 654-ARTS (2787) www.salomae.com.

Myoshen Live with Egidio Balzola of Oriente on guitar, Pepe Aparicio on bass, & Tomas Cruz on percussion. The night will feature an eclectic mix of world rhythms, soulful lyrics setting the vibe for your dancing & listening enjoyment & pleasure. Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant, 4029 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33137, Tel: 305-573-1819, www.shebamiami.com, www.myspace.com/myoshen

Venus Rising @ Indra Lounge On South Beach -Venus Rising all woman's drumming & dance ensemble. Fashion Show by Jimmy Dugazon (fashion designer), and world music by DJ Carl.

February 10, 2007
Bellydance Party @ Giorgio’s Grill - Saturday, February 10, 2007, 10:00 PM. 21 and over, $3.00 for Parking Please look for Angie, Priscilla, or Amrit they’ll be wearing glowing antennas and passing out beads/glow sticks. Wear your hip scarves and valentine colors (optional: to identify each other and be festive). Giorgio's plays a variety of Arabic and Greek belly dance music. Giorgio’s Grill 606 N. Ocean Drive Hollywood, FL Hollywood, FL 33019 (954) 929-7030

Saturday & Sunday, February 10 & 11 Miami Beach Festival of the Arts, 73rd Street east of Collins Avenue, North Beach, 305-865-4147
Every year more than 100 selected artists come for one weekend in February to participate in the Coldwell Banker Miami Beach Festival of the Arts. Now in its 33rd year, the Festival brings more than 50,000 visitors to the up-and-coming beach community known as Ocean Terrace. Fine art, crafts, jewelry, photography, music and more await you in this North Beach slice of bohemia. For the art seekers, tropically chic or just the mildly adventurous, Saturday, the festival will prove to be good for your soul. Admission is free with ample parking, shuttle and bus service. 10:00AM to 6PM

Carl Ferrari & his Jazz Band @ Art Fusion Gallery- WWW.ARTFUSIONGALLERY.COM 7pm-11pm.

The Jamaica Vintage Music Festival - MACK-ACE PROMOTIONS IN ASSOCIATION WITH ISLAND MUSIC AWARDS PRESENTS
“FOR THE LOVE OF IT” TOUR PERFORMING LIVE BERES HAMMOND & MARCIA GRIFFITHS REGGAE SUPERSTAR BERES HAMMOND, ALONG WITH THE QUEEN OF REGGAE MARCIA GRIFFITHS, WILL MAKE THE BERGERON RODEO GROUNDS IN DAVIE, THE GRAND FINALE FOR THEIR TOUR. SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMERS WILL INCLUDE KASHIEF LINDO, PROFESSOR NUTS, THE HARMONY HOUSE SINGERS, AND THE HARMONY HOUSE BAND. DJ MARTEL THE MIXER. MC’S JAMUSA AND C-ROY. Admission: $50 - Gates 5pm, Show 7pm sharp! BERGERON RODEO GROUNDS, 4271 DAVIE RD. DAVIE, FL 33314, Info: 954 321-0882 OR 305 778-7228 WWW.JAMAICAVINTAGEMUSICFESTIVAL.COM

Mantra Band @ Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant with guests La Veda Davis, Leo Casino Ra Sophya Romans and Mocachino. SHEBA ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT, 4029 N. Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida 33137, Tel: 305-573-1819, www.ShebaMiami.com

February 11, 2007
Saturday & Sunday, February 10 & 11 Miami Beach Festival of the Arts, 73rd Street east of Collins Avenue, North Beach, 305-865-4147
Every year more than 100 selected artists come for one weekend in February to participate in the Coldwell Banker Miami Beach Festival of the Arts. Now in its 33rd year, the Festival brings more than 50,000 visitors to the up-and-coming beach community known as Ocean Terrace. Fine art, crafts, jewelry, photography, music and more await you in this North Beach slice of bohemia. For the art seekers, tropically chic or just the mildly adventurous, Saturday, the festival will prove to be good for your soul. Admission is free with ample parking, shuttle and bus service. 10:00AM to 6PM

Guest Speaker Leonardo Cerda @ Wallflower Gallery, Leonardo Cerda, from the Amazon's Kichwa Native American Tribe will be presenting a lecture on the Amazon Andes Mountains and Amazon. He will be discussing the Native Peoples in the Amazon, the cultures, artifacts, crafts and artwork, and the beauty of the Amazon Region. Leonardo will also discuss the need to preserve our environment as it relates to his direct knowledge of the Amazon Forests where his family lives. Leonardo is an 18 year old student on full scholarship at the University of San Francisco in Quito Ecuador; he is studying International Relations. 4:30PM – 6PM. The Wallflower Gallery, 10 NE 3rd St, Miami, FL 33132 Telephone: 305 • 579 • 0069 www.wallflowergallery.com

February 15, 2007
THURSDAY, FRIDAY + SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15th, 16th, + 17th @ CHURCHILL'S: Churchill's hosts the INTERNATIONAL NOISE CONFERENCE 2007!! Tons of noise artists from all over the world plus all the local usual suspects will be on hand with some great and truly unique sound and performance art!! No droning, no laptops, no mixer boards and no cover all 3 nights!! 5501 NE 2nd Ave.

February 16, 2007
8th Annual Delray Beach Garlic Fest - Feb. 16 - 18, 2007 - Celebrating its 8th year, the Delray Beach Garlic Fest is known as one of the city's key signature events as well as a successful fundraiser for local non-profit organizations. Offering activities to suit any age or interest, featuring National Act Entertainment, Garlic Chef Stadium (Featured on Food Network's "Unwrapped" in 2006), garlic-inspired gourmet food, over 100 unique vendors, children's area, the contributed over $46,000 to non-profit organizations last year! www.dbgarlicfest.com

THURSDAY, FRIDAY + SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15th, 16th, + 17th @ CHURCHILL'S: Churchill's hosts the INTERNATIONAL NOISE CONFERENCE 2007!! Tons of noise artists from all over the world plus all the local usual suspects will be on hand with some great and truly unique sound and performance art!! No droning, no laptops, no mixer boards and no cover all 3 nights!! 5501 NE 2nd Ave.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16th @ STUDIO A: Studio A presents a live performance by RHETT MILLER (The Old 97's). Doors at 8pm, tickets $15. 60 NE 11th St. www.studioamiami.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16th @ CULTURE ROOM: Mustard Plug with Against All Authority, Suburban Legends, Patent Pending and MC Lars. 7.30pm, tickets via Ticketmaster. 3045 N Federal Hwy. www.cultureroom.net

February 17, 2007
Saturday-Monday, February 17-19, 44th Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival, The Heart of Coconut Grove, McFarlane Road and South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, 305-447-0401 - The Coconut Grove Arts Festival presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida will showcase more than 330 international artists exhibiting their best pieces and an entertainment line-up for guests of all ages. The Festival features music by world class local performers and a Culinary Pavilion where award-winning chefs will demonstrate and share tips about food, its preparation and nutrition. Kids will have an opportunity to make their own art works in the Coconut Grove Bank Kids' Creative Corner. Admission is $5 per day; children 12 and under and Metrorail Golden Passport and Patriot Passport holders are free. A 3-day pass is $12; residents of 33133 zip code can enjoy 3 days for only $5 (proof of residence required).

8th Annual Delray Beach Garlic Fest - Feb. 16 - 18, 2007 - Celebrating its 8th year, the Delray Beach Garlic Fest is known as one of the city's key signature events as well as a successful fundraiser for local non-profit organizations. Offering activities to suit any age or interest, featuring National Act Entertainment, Garlic Chef Stadium (Featured on Food Network's "Unwrapped" in 2006), garlic-inspired gourmet food, over 100 unique vendors, children's area, the contributed over $46,000 to non-profit organizations last year! www.dbgarlicfest.com

THURSDAY, FRIDAY + SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15th, 16th, + 17th @ CHURCHILL'S: Churchill's hosts the INTERNATIONAL NOISE CONFERENCE 2007!! Tons of noise artists from all over the world plus all the local usual suspects will be on hand with some great and truly unique sound and performance art!! No droning, no laptops, no mixer boards and no cover all 3 nights!! 5501 NE 2nd Ave.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17th @ POST: PopLife presents a live performance by DEERHOOF. 1777 SW 3rd Ave. www.epoplife.com

February 18, 2007
Saturday-Monday, February 17-19, 44th Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival, The Heart of Coconut Grove, McFarlane Road and South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, 305-447-0401 - The Coconut Grove Arts Festival presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida will showcase more than 330 international artists exhibiting their best pieces and an entertainment line-up for guests of all ages. The Festival features music by world class local performers and a Culinary Pavilion where award-winning chefs will demonstrate and share tips about food, its preparation and nutrition. Kids will have an opportunity to make their own art works in the Coconut Grove Bank Kids' Creative Corner. Admission is $5 per day; children 12 and under and Metrorail Golden Passport and Patriot Passport holders are free. A 3-day pass is $12; residents of 33133 zip code can enjoy 3 days for only $5 (proof of residence required).

8th Annual Delray Beach Garlic Fest - Feb. 16 - 18, 2007 - Celebrating its 8th year, the Delray Beach Garlic Fest is known as one of the city's key signature events as well as a successful fundraiser for local non-profit organizations. Offering activities to suit any age or interest, featuring National Act Entertainment, Garlic Chef Stadium (Featured on Food Network's "Unwrapped" in 2006), garlic-inspired gourmet food, over 100 unique vendors, children's area, the contributed over $46,000 to non-profit organizations last year! www.dbgarlicfest.com

February 19, 2007
Saturday-Monday, February 17-19, 44th Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival, The Heart of Coconut Grove, McFarlane Road and South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, 305-447-0401 - The Coconut Grove Arts Festival presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida will showcase more than 330 international artists exhibiting their best pieces and an entertainment line-up for guests of all ages. The Festival features music by world class local performers and a Culinary Pavilion where award-winning chefs will demonstrate and share tips about food, its preparation and nutrition. Kids will have an opportunity to make their own art works in the Coconut Grove Bank Kids' Creative Corner. Admission is $5 per day; children 12 and under and Metrorail Golden Passport and Patriot Passport holders are free. A 3-day pass is $12; residents of 33133 zip code can enjoy 3 days for only $5 (proof of residence required).

February 21, 2007
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20th @ CULTURE ROOM: Southern Culture On The Skids live! Doors at 8pm, tickets via Ticketmaster. 3045 N Federal Hwy. www.cultureroom.net

February 21, 2007
The FeSeLa Committee of Temple Moses is proud to announce “A Sephardic Journey of Music and Dance” Sephardic Music through the various Diaspora countries. Concert and dance with the famous Joe Zeytoonian Ud, percussion, voice, composition as specified Myriam Eli percussion, dance, choreography A night filled with Moroccan, Egyptian, Armenian, Turkish, and Spanish songs and dances. This event was successfully presented last October at the Norton Museum of West Palm Beach and now it is our turn to enjoy it. The performance is Wednesday, February 21, 2007 @ 8 PM.

Temple Moses, 1200 Normandy Drive, Miami Beach, FL. Admission: At the door $18 for reservations please call 305-861-6308

February 24, 2007
CARNAVAL DE BARRANQUILLA MIAMI 2007 EN LA COVACHA Las raíces del pueblo colombiano serán bendecidas el SÁBADO, 24 DE FEBRERO en LA COVACHA durante la celebración oficial del gran CARNAVAL DE BARRANQUILLA EN MIAMI! FESTIVAL DE ORQUESTAS directamente de Colombia con:IVÁN VILLAZÓN, EDDY HERRERA, PETER MANJARRÉS, CICLÓN, JUAN PIÑA, ANDY MAYA, DJ ESTEBAN "El Rumbero", DJ Oficial de los carnavales en Miami, y los DJs Lazardi, Jhonny y Willy. Goza el sabor y la alegría de la fiesta colombiana más grande en Miami...QUIÉN LO VIVE ES QUIÉN LO GOZA! LA COVACHA. 10730 NW 25th ST, MIAMI, FL Info: 305-468-9460 www.lacovacha.com

February 25, 2007
Anatolia Cultural Center and Broward County are bringing a world wide event to the South Florida! A Turkish Festival! Sunday, February 25, 11:00 AM – 5PM @ C.B. SMITH PARK. South Florida will be treated to an incredible event featuring beautiful costumes, heart simulating live music and amazing sight of the most diverse dance on the stage. Free Concert by RAFET EL ROMAN, Best Food (Shish Kebab, Gyro, Baklava and others.), Door Prizes to Turkey and More! This event is Free and open to public - While the event itself is free, CB Smith park, run by Broward County, charges $1 admission per person. Proceeds will be used for homeless and needy people. For further info: www.anatoliaculturalcenter.org Phone: 954-956-8828 Anatolia Cultural center is a non-profit, cultural organization. The objectives and purposes of ACC are meeting the social and cultural needs of Turkish-American people, helping newcomers adapt to the American way of life, introducing the rich historical culture of Turkey to different cultural groups of well-diversified South Florida community, initiating intercultural exchange and dialog, and strengthening American-Turkish relations.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25th, 2007 @ THE CARNIVAL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS: SIGUR ROS perform "Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do" live with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company!! www.miamipac.org

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25th @ REVOLUTION: THE ROOTS perform live!! Need we say more? 200 W. Broward Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale. www.jointherevolution.net

A Night Of Middle Eastern Music

Harmonic Motion, EarthNoize and A La Turca Restaurant are proud to present a special night of Middle Eastern Music!

This Sunday January 21, 2006 from 5PM – 8PM, Master violinist Frederick Elias (who will be making a RARE south Florida appearance) will be joined by Joe Zeytoonian and Myriam Eli of Harmonic Motion and local south Florida drummer Mike Gregian. This is a rare occasion to see such accomplished Middle Eastern musicians coming together to perform as a group. Even better is the fact that the cost to see such a cool event is only $10!! A bargain in my book!

A La Turca Restaurant
2027 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, Florida 33020
954-925-5900 (reservations are strongly recommended)

About Frederick Elias:
Frederick Elias is a virtuoso violinist of Lebanese heritage. Trained at the Boston Conservatory of Music, he has the unique gift of being able to combine his knowledge of Western classical and popular music with his love for Arabic, Greek and Armenian music and has managed to produce a style that has been mesmerizing audiences for decades! He has had the opportunity to work with well-known Arabic music personalities like Anton Abdelehad, Phil Solomon, Emile Kassis, Joe Budway, and Eddie Kochak, as-well-as famous Greek names like Manolis Hiotis, Mary Linda, Bebis, Dalia, Nikos Gounaris, Harry Lemonopoulos, and John Tatassopoulos. "Freddie", as he is known to his many friends around the world, has had many stellar appearances including at the Lincoln Center in New York and the Chicago Opera House. He has enjoyed a two-year stint in Las Vegas, and has performed for royalty, like King Saud and Prince Khalid of Saudi Arabia. He has pleased audiences with his performances at most, if not all, Greek and Middle Eastern nightspots in the Boston and surrounding areas, for almost six decades.

Army of Anyone Interview - follow up to the CD review

AMPED’S INTERVIEW WITH ARMY OF ANYONE’S
DEAN DELEO:
Armed with a new venture that breaks down the walls between artist, label and distributor, this “supergroup” is fighting for creative integrity, not gold
by MS

You know, it takes a lot of strength for a band that is really going places and making a name for themselves to suddenly disappear off the face of the earth and then reappear as a new band, thus leaving their previous notoriety behind them. Who would do something crazy like that and for what reasons? Well, Richard Patrick (the voice and front man of Filter), Dean and Robert Deleo (guitarist and bassist of Stone Temple Pilots) and Ray Luzier (a premier session drummer) did just that (okay, not completely) and they couldn’t be any happier! Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Army Of Anyone comes fortified with a collective past that is highlighted by a lot of mainstream success, and now a future that’s full of hope and promise bolstered by a newly inspired consciousness of taking on the world with a sober point of view. Lucky for me, I was able to catch up with Army Of Anyone’s guitarist Dean Deleo while the band was taking a break from their recent tour to do a one on one interview (via telephone). Speaking from his house in Malibu, he had a lot of interesting, humorous and – yes - surprising things to say.

How did the collaboration of Army of Anyone come about?

“Rich gave Rob and I a call. He was finishing up what was going to be a Filter record and wanted some outside songwriting to come into that record. We wrote a song and it was very evident that we should do more songs, and then it really just happened very fast. You know, I really have to commend Richard because Filter was his band so he was in a band where he called all the shots and I’m kind of envious because trying to get four cats to agree on something is not exactly the easiest thing to do on the planet. And Rich had the luxury of being the dictator of Filter, and for him to kind of step down and realize that I don’t want that anymore, that I want this tale to have four legs and, you know, and I really had to commend him on that.”

I was lucky enough to see one of Filter’s last shows down here in south Florida when they opened up for another band and I have to say they put on one hell of a show.

“So you’re a big Filter fan? I was too!”

Yes, but I’m also a Stone Temple Pilot fan as well, so to me this collaboration was too beautiful to be true!

“Yeah I hear ya on this!”

Compared to the previous bands that you were all in, what are the positive aspects to being in Army Of Anyone?

“Wow, I would say a whole new consciousness.”

When you stopped by our offices, I could tell that you guys had a good camaraderie with each other.

“Yeah, we don’t take it lightly because this kind of chemistry doesn’t come around very often and I feel blessed to have done what we have done as STP - getting to work with guys like Scott [Weiland], Robert and Eric [Kretz]. You know, when you’re being a huge fan of Filter and Richard having a very distinct voice and the opportunity comes along again with that same kind of chemistry, all I can say is that I feel very grateful and can speak on behalf of the other band members that we all are very lucky to be in each other’s lives and being able to make music once again with a band that’s very tight and close.”

When it came time to start putting the album together and writing the music for it…

“So have you heard the album yet?”

Yes, surprisingly I was lucky enough to get a review copy on the condition that my life would end if I leaked it out to the public.

“Well, we gave a couple copies to friends of mine and left out that small detail and now they’re dead. It’s sad to have to see them go!”

Okay, getting back on track <laughing>, so when it comes to writing material for this album, was it a group effort or a single person doing it? What was the method to the madness basically?

“Actually there are no rules. Usually Robert and I will come in with a song and finish it front to back and then there are tracks like the first one [‘It Doesn’t Seem To Matter’] where Robert came in and had the verses and the pre chords and I had the choruses so we ended up just marrying everything together. Same goes for the track ‘Generation’; it becomes a melting pot and just seems to work. It really varies from time to time with each track. Plus then you have Richard, who just waltzes in and attacks the track vocally and basically runs away with it, and after all of that there’s Ray (who is an incredible drummer) who lays down some pretty incredible drum tracks and completely lights the song up. We basically told him to take a few sections and do what he wants with it.”

I especially noticed the drums on the track “Father Figure,” which were almost a tribal beat.

“Yeah, his drumming is incredible on that track.”

It stood out to me because I have a lot of friends that play drums so maybe I’m somewhat biased about it.

“It’s okay; we’ll forgive you this time.”

Why thank you! What has been the public’s and the media’s reaction to the formation of this “supergroup”?

“I really don’t know quite honestly. We’ve come across a lot of people on the last little jaunt we did in late September and early October and it was great connecting again with our friends and people you know that are just listening to music and going out and digging live music again. We really have enjoyed it so far and have had no complaints.”

So what was it like to work with director Scott Speer on the video for “Goodbye?” Considering that he’s fairly new to the scene and somewhat a young whippersnapper?

“It was hilarious because you know our label the Firm has a lot of interns; mainly college students that are eager to learn about the music industry and gosh, what could be better than interning at the Firm, right? They’re quite a corporation and so one day we walked into a meeting there and Richard thought that Scott was one of the interns and was wondering why he was in the meeting until someone introduced Scott to all of us and Richard exclaimed, ‘Oh s**t, I thought you were one of the interns or something!’”

So in other words, “Go grab me a coffee,” right?

“It ended up being great working with Scott because he had a lot of great ideas and he’s also very focused, which in the long run created some really nice stuff. He’s a very talented guy.”

For me, true artistry is the freedom to be creative and basically do what you want with your art. That being said, I was quite intrigued about your label, the Firm, and how they’re so unique in their practices compared to how most labels do business nowadays. For instance, skipping the label side of things and going direct with a distributor. What are your thoughts about being on this label compared to your previous experience with other labels?

“They’re going to blow a hole in the music industry right now! I’m serious. There’s a lot of pissed off people because of what we decided to do by this joint venture…And when we go back out on tour, we decided that we’re doing smaller clubs so that we can sell our concert tickets for about ten or fifteen dollars.”

I can agree with this as well.

“I’m gonna go out on a limb, but I bet that I’m a bit older than you and I can’t remember when tickets were that cheap. Okay maybe back in 1975, but you know at this point where we’re at in our lives, the old adage comes in to play that ‘quality over quantity’ is much more appealing to us. With this venture we have with the Firm, our biggest component - our management - is our label and you know the path we’re taking with a joint venture where...ok, you know a Gold record today doesn’t mean as much as it did, say, a decade ago, so back then a Gold record was a huge thing but now a Gold record really doesn’t mean much anymore so it’s not as important to us as it would have been back then.”

Well, it’s something that you can dust off if you’re into doing that.

“Exactly! Yeah, so major labels that are throwing so much money around and not really working on developing an artist, I don’t feel sorry for them when they say that they’re hurting. They basically want to spend the money on the hype and sell tons of albums. So we’re completely blowing a hole in the industry because we’re making music and records in an environment where quantity...don’t get me wrong. Would I love to sell millions and millions of records? You’re damn right I would, but I can also have a very long career without all that pressure and emotional stress just as well.”

I like the Firm’s way of thinking out of the box. I think it’s quite impressive that they’re embracing the newest technology and trends by moving forward with their way of thinking. With the exception of a few, not many labels are doing this or even considering such changes. Well, you pretty much answered my next question. What are your thoughts of the current state of the music industry and what changes would you like to see happen?

“Well, I would like to say that we’re pioneering a new way for artists to make records.”

I totally agree with you. I tend to hear similar responses each time I ask this question.

“I can’t say enough positive things about the Firm because everything they have said has come to fruition. If you think about this considering where we’re coming from, we enabled Warner Brothers and Atlantic records to count a lot of beans from us and then we got hooked up with Columbia Records where we got the quintessential wine and dine from this record company and when we were in New York mixing that record, we were waltzed through that company like we were the next slice of bread. Promises, promises and so many promises were made…"They had their heads so far up my ass that I could taste the brill" The next thing I know is that everyone that we were affiliated with was gone, all our champions at the label were gone and they’re basically looking at us and saying that we don’t really want to sink any more money into this venture. We just replied that we’re out of here and I have to say that they were cool enough to let us go with just some financial exceptions and let us have our record back. So we weren’t even sure if that record was going to see the light of day. So that instance right there was enough reason why I don’t ever want to fall into that kind of dilemma ever again. We were very fortunate to a certain extent compared to other artists that have gone through the same thing.”

Whew! Okay then, on the current single “Goodbye” it’s obviously about loss. Was this based on one of the band member’s personal experience or loss in general?

“You know, Rich and I now live in a world where our rights to drink and do drugs have now expired. We have completely expired that right and Rich is over four years clean and I’m coming up now on three years and, you know, this world we’re living in and we now tend to see a lot of people just go away. Rich had two very close people that he was trying to help get clean - and they were young guys, in their twenties - and the next thing you get is the call saying that they’re dead. So you know it’s really sad and then you hear about these cats that are trying so hard and then after awhile they just go back to their old ways and give up. It’s a tough thing to deal with, yet a lot of people have to face this kind of thing on a daily basis. So to answer your question, it’s really a little of both.”

I know you just did a small tour, but are you planning on doing more for this album?

“Yep, pretty much all the way up to the end of the year and maybe more.”

Any places you especially excited about?

“Not really, I’m excited about all of it. I love touring.”

Who are your musical influences?

“I was very fortunate because of my age and growing up in the ‘70s. What a decade for music! Then having older brothers and sisters, Robert and I were forced to listen to a lot of different genres. For example, out of my one sister’s room I would hear Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and then my other sister’s room I heard Cat Stevens and my brother would be playing Hendrix and The Doors and my mom would be playing Andy Williams and the Carpenters in the living room.”

I know that feeling. I have a big family as well, which explains a lot.

“So music was always around and it now controls my mood and there are times where I like to go into a melancholy place where I like to sit and stir and other times when I want to drive very fast - I can usually find some mood music for it as well. Basically, I’m really affected by music and find it at times healing.”

I have to say, overall the album is wonderful and my favorite tracks are “Stop, Look And Listen,” “It Doesn’t Seem To Matter,” “Ain’t Enough” and “Father Figure” because of the drums.

“So you’re a rocker that’s screaming to be let out, eh?”

Yeah, you could say that (laughing). That's why I interview rock gods like you! Seriously, It’s good music to hear, especially through the headphones. What are your favorite tracks on this album?

“There’s a couple that I have grown to love, especially some of the ones that Robert wrote. On this album, I would have to say “Disappear,” “Stop Look And Listen” and I guess one that I wrote called “This Wasn’t Supposed To Happen” because it’s so personal.”

It’s interesting too that even though this is a great album, I think that just being privy to seeing the camaraderie within the group and how tight the music is, that down the road, I think you guys are going to make some serious good music! I actually got a few chills from listening to some of the tracks. So I have to say that I found this album somewhat inspiring.

“You got goose bumps darling? Well, gosh we did our job! <laughing>”

So when you have time off what do you guys do for fun?

“I just came back from riding my horses and I have a 3½ year old to also keep me busy. My brother Robert has a fourteen month old boy, which keeps him busy, and Ray, well, he likes to play his drums. He is the perennial drummer! On any given day, I can call him up and he’ll say that he’s playing his drums - that’s how much he loves drumming. Rich just got married, so he’s currently busy with that but otherwise he enjoys getting out to the mountains by his house, hiking and being among the trees.”

I think it helps both you and him to be out in the world a little more, experiencing it again from a sober standpoint.

“You’re absolutely right. We’re actually seeing things again for the first time. When we were on the drugs and alcohol, we never left the house. We were debilitated when we were high.”

So what’s stuck in your player currently?

“Well let me check and see what I got. I have a mix CD that has Helen Reddy, The Association, Apollo 100, The 5th Dimension, Floyd Cramer - just an eclectic mix of stuff - and the other I have is Steely Dan’s CAN’T BUY A THRILL, Carole King’s TAPESTRY and one that everyone must have, John Denver’s GREATEST HITS.”

D’oh! Your tastes are pretty eclectic! Anything else you would like people to know about this album besides buy it?

Well, let’s see; Michelle got chills from listening to it, it was a very easy record for us to make, and we have a lot more where that came from, so stay tuned!”

Army Of Anyone / Army Of Anyone (FIMU60010)

Army Of Anyone / Army Of Anyone (FIMU60010)

You know it takes a lot of strength for a band that is really going places and making a name for themselves to suddenly disappear off the face of the earth for awhile and then reappear as a new band, thus leaving the previous notoriety behind them (ok, not completely). Who would do something crazy like this and for what reasons? Well, Richard Patrick (formerly the front man of Filter), Dean and Robert Deleo (bassist and guitarist from Stone Temple Pilots) and Ray Luzier (a premier session drummer) did just that and they couldn't be any happier! Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this band has a past that is dotted with a lot of musical success and now a future that's full of hope with a newly inspired consciousness of taking on the world from a sober point of view. Like most people I'm a big fan of Filter and the Stone Temple Pilots so I was excited about the prospect of this exquisite collaboration yet also somewhat apprehensive at the same time. Would there be the same musical intensity that the previous bands had? How would this album compare to the past band's sounds? Should there even be a comparison considering the change of line-ups? All these thoughts were floating around my head when I first started to listen to the album but then after listening to it a few times, I realized that "it", the Army of Anyone album encompassed all the positive aspects that I loved about the previous bands music and even more! It sounds very much like a Filter album due to Patrick's vocals yet rhythmically and musically it takes on a whole new entity that's hard to resist because it's obviously a new path that the musicians are exploring which to me, seems to make everything fall into place and just click. Lyrically, the album is quite brilliant focusing on themes that surround loss, personal relationships and transformations and overall becoming conscious of what's going on in the world. Although the single "Goodbye" is the most commercial and radio friendly, my favorite tracks are "It Doesn't Seem to Matter"(which really highlights Patrick's amazing vocal range), "Stop Look and Listen" (very philosophical), "Father Figure" (which has some pretty intense drumming and great guitar solos) and "A Better Place" (which has a cool underlying trance-like beat to it). For what it's worth, if you liked the band Filter and the band Stone Temple Pilots then you'll love this album! It's like a coming of age collaboration between the two sounds that only piques the listener's interest and leaves them wanting more. I was quite impressed and I'm sure you'll be as well.

5 reasons to say "Goodbye" to the old and embrace the new Army of Anyone:

1. For the video, Army of Anyone enlisted director Scott Speer, a 24-year-old newcomer whose credits include Switchfoot's "Stars" and Teddy Geiger's "For You I Will (Confidence)."

2. The album is the first release from Firm Music. The label is a new division of Army of Anyone's management company, the Firm, the powerhouse behind Kelly Clarkson, Snoop Dogg and Korn.

3. All Music Guide gives this debut album 4&1/2 stars! Not too shabby!

4. The group's self-titled debut album was produced by Bob Ezrin (who produced Pink Floyd's The Wall and some of Alice Cooper's early hits).

5. Its an army that anyone can join! Check it out already!

MS - Amped

My Top 2006 Music Releases...

Some 2006 releases I was into...not in any particular order! I couldn't just do a top 10 or 20...I'm sure I left a few key titles off as well.

SNOW PATROL / EYES OPEN
AFTERDARK: MILAN / VARIOUS ARTISTS
SIA / COLOUR THE SMALL ONE
TINA DICO / IN THE RED
WE ARE SCIENTISTS / WITH LOVE & SQUALOR
DIRTY MARTINI / VARIOUS ARTISTS
ROYKSKOPP / WHAT ELSE IS THERE
MENDES, SERGIO / TIMELESS
PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: BRAZILIAN LOUNGE / VARIOUS
COWBOY MOUTH / VOODOO SHOPPE
HARPER, BEN / BOTH SIDES OF THE GUN
TRAORE, LOBI / LOBI TRAORE GROUP
LAGOS CHOP UP / VARIOUS ARTISTS
LAGOS ALL ROUTES / VARIOUS ARTISTS
POP TURKISH / VARIOUS ARTISTS
ORIENTAL CAFE 2 / VARIOUS ARTISTS
ORIENTAL LOUNGE / VARIOUS ARTISTS
MARGOT & NUCLEAR SO & SO'S / DUST OF RETREAT
FLAMING LIPS / AT WAR WITH THE MYSTICS
NEW ORLEANS SOCIAL CLUB / SING ME BACK HOME
DOWNS, LILA / CANTINA
RIN / INLAND SEA
L'HAM DE FOC / COR DE PORC
FRIESEN,DAVID / KROPINSKI,UWE / MADE IN INSTANBUL
RE-BOP: THE SAVOY REMIXES / VARIOUS ARTISTS
TARKAN / COME CLOSER
T-BONE BURNETT / TRUE FALSE IDENTITY
LEMONGRASS / SPA SESSIONS: LOUNGING
RACONTEURS / BROKEN BOY SOLDIERS
SCHIFRIN,LALO / LETTERS FROM ARGENTINA
ALVIN,DAVE / WEST OF THE WEST
ZERO 7 / GARDEN
BONAMASSA,JOE / YOU & ME
ELAN / TOGETHER AS ONE
ALLEN,TONY / LAGOS NO SHAKING
MR LIF / MO MEGA
TROUT,WALTER / FULL CIRCLE
BLACK,FRANK / FAST MAN RAIDER MAN
OLD 97'S / HIT BY A TRAIN: BEST OF OLD 97'S
WORLD SAXOPHONE QUARTET / POLITICAL BLUES
PETROL PRESENTS ROADTRIP: ROAD TO NOWHERE / VARIOUS
PUTUMAYO / MUSIC FROM THE WINE LANDS
STEVENS,CAT / CHRONICLES (BOX)
AFTERDARK: LOS ANGELES / VARIOUS ARTISTS
FOUR TET / DJ-KICKS
MUSE / BLACK HOLES & REVELATIONS
CRUZ, MIKE / MANY MOODS OF MIKE CRUZ
LOMAX, ALAN / SPANISH RECORDINGS: IBIZA & FORMENTERA - PITYUSIC
NOUVELLE VAGUE / BANDE A PART
TOURE, ALI FARKA / SAVANE
KNIFE / SILENT SHOUT
TOUMANI DIABATE & SYMMETRIC ORCH. / BOULEVARD DE I'INDEPENDANCE
PUTUMAYO PRESENTS / BLUES AROUND THE WORLD
JURASSIC 5 / FEEDBACK
WELLER, PAUL / CATCH-FLAME
VENUS HUM / COLORS IN THE WHEEL
OLLABELLE / RIVERSIDE BATTLE SONGS
PHELPS, KELLY JOE / TUNESMITH RETROFIT
PETROL PRESENTS REGGAETONE: CUBAN REVOLUCION / VARIOUS
GRANDMASTER FLASH / DEFINITIVE GROOVE
KELLEY, JOSH / JUST SAY THE WORD
SUBLIME / SUBLIME (BONUS CD)
J-DILLA (JAY DEE) / SHINING
WORLD OF FADO / VARIOUS ARTISTS
ROOTS / GAME THEORY
PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: ACOUSTIC AFRICA / VARIOUS
SMITH, ALICE / FOR LOVERS DREAMERS & ME
KINKY / REINA
PIGEON JOHN / SUMMERTIME POOL PARTY
IMA ROBOT / MONUMENT TO THE MASSES
LISTER, AYNSLEY / EVERYTHING I NEED
SEX THE CITY THE MUSIC: ISTANBUL / VARIOUS ARTISTS
PURE FIRE: A GILLES PETERSON IMPULSE COLL / VARIOUS
MOSQUITOS / MOSQUITOS 3
MY MORNING JACKET / OKONOKOS
DECEMBERISTS / CRANE WIFE
WHAT IT IS: FUNKY SOUL & RARE GROOVES / VARIOUS ARTISTS
AFRO-CARRIBEAN RHYTHMS FROM HAITI / VARIOUS ARTISTS
PERNICE BROTHERS / LIVE A LITTLE
KOOKS / INSIDE IN / INSIDE OUT (BONUS TRACK)
ISAACS, GREGORY / LOVE SONGS (BOX)
BORAT / O.S.T.
LADY SOVEREIGN / PUBLIC WARNING
HOOKER, JOHN LEE / HOOKER
FOO FIGHTERS / SKIN & BONES
RAUHOFER, PETER / I LOVE MIAMI
BUZZCOCKS / ANOTHER MUSIC IN A...
RAMZY, HOSSAM / EGYPTIAN RAI
STEVENS, CAT / BOX SET
BALI / VARIOUS ARTISTS
YUSUF (STEVENS, CAT) / AN OTHER CUP
ARMY OF ANYONE / ARMY OF ANYONE
SUBLIME / EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN
CLASH / SINGLES
OOJAMI / BOOM SHINGA LING
BEATLES / LOVE
BABEL / O.S.T.
KAISER, HENRY / NOYES, CHARLES K. / PARK,SANG WON / INVITE THE SPIRIT 2006
OUR LADY PEACE / DECADE
TAHA, RACHID / DIWAN 2
MATISYAHU / NO PLACE TO BE
GNARLS BARKLEY / ST ELSEWHERE
LIVE. / SONGS FROM BLACK MOUNTAIN
VALDES, BEBO / CUBAN DANCE PARTY
MAMBO JAMBO / VARIOUS ARTISTS
TANGO CHILL SESSIONS 1 / VARIOUS ARTISTS
FLAMENCO NEW GROOVES / VARIOUS ARTISTS
TANGO CHILL SESSIONS 2 / VARIOUS ARTISTS
FLAMENCO CHILL SESSION / VARIOUS ARTISTS
LA LEY / EXITOS 1994-2004
PURE BRAZIL 2: FEIJOADA / VARIOUS ARTISTS
PURE BRAZIL 2: DANCE OF THE ORIXAS / VARIOUS ARTISTS
WORLD'S A STAGE: MUSIC OF BRAZIL / VARIOUS ARTISTS
PLASTILINA MOSH / TASTY + B SIDES
SKA CUBANO / AY CARAMBA
CAFECITO CUBANO: THE ROBUST SOUND OF CUBA / VARIOUS
GRINGO GUIDE TO ROCK EN ESPANOL / VARIOUS ARTISTS
FLAMENCO SPANISH PASSION / VARIOUS ARTISTS
FLAMENCOPOLIS / VARIOUS ARTISTS
CONTROL MACHETE / EAT BREATH & SLEEP
VARIOUS / RED HOT & LATIN REDUX
DENGUE FEVER / ESCAPE FROM DRAGON HOUSE
FOUR TET / REMIXES
QUETZAL / DIE COWBOY DIE
VARIOUS / ELECTRIC GYPSYLAND 2
TOM WAITS / ORPHANS
FRANTI, MICHAEL & SPEARHEAD / YELL FIRE
NATACHA ATLAS / MISH MAOUL
LOS LOBOS / TOWN & THE CITY
EASY STAR ALL-STARS / RADIODREAD
LASWELL, BILL / KARSH KALE - ASANA OHM SHANTI

DAVE ALVIN ROOTS ROCKIN THE WILD WEST

Dave Alvin helped to kick-start the American roots rock scene in the early '80's with the band the Blasters and has since gone on to a career as a solo performer, songwriter, producer, and sideman that's been as well respected as it is eclectic. Born in Downey, CA, in 1955, Alvin was raised by a family of music fans, and as teenagers Dave and his older brother Phil immersed themselves in blues, rockabilly, and vintage country sounds, collecting rare records and attending nightclub performances by the likes of T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, and Lee Allen. Like many fans, the Alvin brothers wanted to play music influenced by the sounds they loved, and in 1979 the formed the Blasters with fellow Downey residents Bill Bateman and John Bazz. Combining the revved-up energy of punk rock with an enthusiastic embrace of classic American sounds, the Blasters became a sensation in Los Angeles and won an enthusiastic cult following across the United States and Europe. In 1989, Dwight Yoakam scored a hit on the country charts with Alvin's song "Long White Cadillac," and Alvin used the royalties to start work on his second solo set, BLUE BLVD (HIG8029). Released by the California-based roots-music label Hightone Records, BLUE BLVD received enthusiastic reviews and sold well enough to re-establish Alvin as a significant artist in the roots rock scene. After releasing MUSEUM OF HEART (HIG8049) in 1993, Alvin began to turn his attention to acoustic music with 1994's KING OF CALIFORNIA (HIG8054), and over the next several years Alvin moved back and forth between hard-edged roots rock and more introspective acoustic material that still honored his influences (and allowed him to display a greater range as a vocalist). In 2000, Alvin recorded a collection of traditional folk and blues classics, PUBLIC DOMAIN: SONGS FROM THE WILD LAND (HIG8122), which earned him a Grammy award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. In 2004, Alvin signed with the upstart roots rock label Yep Roc Records, which released his album ASHGROVE (YEP2075), a low-key but hard-edged set of blues and rock. It was followed in 2006 by WEST OF THE WEST (YEP2118). When not busy recording his own music, Alvin has also worked as a producer for several other roots-oriented acts, including Tom Russell, the Derailers, and Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, as well as collaborating with rockabilly legend Sonny Burgess. As a sideman, Alvin has recorded sessions with the likes of Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Little Milton, Katy Moffatt, and Syd Straw. Mark Deming; ALL MUSIC GUIDE.

As you can see, Dave Alvin has been an integral part of the music industry and earlier this month I was able to catch up with him for a phone interview while he was at his house in California preparing for an upcoming tour.

You're in California right now right?

Oh yeah, I'm getting ready to start touring soon and were rehearsing right now and we're getting swamped.

I'm not sure how many times you heard this before but I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that I actually got hooked on your music from the STREETS OF FIRE soundtrack, along with Ry Cooder.

Wow! Really?

Yep, the soundtrack was great but the movie was just okay. I had some issues with it [laughing].

Actually the script was great and it was based on a comic book but once the film made it to the big screen, I have to agree with you on the outcome of the movie...there's one scene early in the film where he steps out in front of a bus and just puts up his hand and stops the bus. The bus is going full tilt boogie barreling down the road and with the power of his mighty arm he stops the bus, but then there's no other superhero tricks during the rest of the movie! So what's up with that? Well, damn, make it obvious that he's a superhero.

But the music was very prominent throughout the movie, which is why I bought the soundtrack.

And Ry Cooder and those guys The Blasters werent bad either, eh? Dan Hartman did okay as well. [laughing]

I was told that EXTRA was hanging out at your house. So what's the scoop with this?

Yes, yesterday as a matter of fact. It was to promote the album and I got to play a few songs and later I found out that the producer was a fan and apparently pulled some strings. It was a really cool interview and I didn't realize that the news was out of the bag that I was dating Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan so I guess things have gotten out of hand with them fighting over me.

So your'e the one causing all the trouble!

Well, you knowI figured it's one way to get on EXTRA [laughing]. Seriously though, when you play the kind of music I play, the old saying that any publicity is good publicity. But no, its not below me to be open to all kinds of news shows to promote my album. Ironically enough, as The Blasters we got grief because we appeared on American Bandstand twice because it wasn't something that an L.A. band with high integrity would do. Because the alternative scene back then was a lot different than nowadays. We were just like Yeah, well Chuck Berry and Fats Domino did American Bandstand so why shouldn't we? Back then we pretty much did anything to get the word out on our music well, almost anything. [laughing]

Nothing that would get you arrested right?

Exactly!

Recently you were a guest DJ on KCRW's evening show THE OPEN ROAD in which the focus was on California music. What kind of stuff did you present during this guest DJ stint?

I played some alternative stuff from the bands I played with when living in California and then some more obscure stuff that most people would have never heard of.

KCRW is one of my favorite radio stations that I check out on the net because they offer a lot of different genres of music on their play lists I thought this would have been a cool thing to do if I was a musician, which is why I'm asking you this question. I'm pretty much living my wanna be a rock star but don't have the musical skills, so I dream vicariously through bands that get to do this.

Yeah, I forgot about that and afterwards I got a little nervous about my music choices. I was completely exhausted from doing interviews and such that day so it really made me think back through the process and hope that I didnt say any bad words or no constructing sentences incorrectly, etc. And Gary the host is a great guy so you don't want to upset him, but overall I think it went really well and it released my secretly harbored aspirations of being a DJ. So it was quite a thrill for me to do it.

One thing I like about your music is that it has a lot of country rockabilly and blues flavors to it so its pretty obvious where you have your musical roots planted. Who were some of your musical heroes growing up?

I have WAY too many to name! There are some people that I was privy to see when I was really young. My brother and I used to sneak into the bars at a very tender age. That's why if I had kids I would NEVER let them go anywhere near a bar and they never would leave the house period! Especially nowadays! [laughing] My parents were very understanding, so the people I did see were like T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, Johnny Guitar Watson and Lightning Hopkins and that kind of stuff is still not that far from my music. In all reality I'm pretty open to everything and really listen to everything. I think with most musicians, they are very open to the music around them so they pretty much absorb all different influences. Even if it's music in a dentist office or something, eventually they will notice an interesting bass line or guitar riff, etc. So we're always listening

You tend to switch back and forth from rockin albums and albums comprised of ballads. Which do you prefer?

I think for my voice - since it's a baritone and it's hard to hear that voice octave over a loud band I tend to prefer ballads at times because it favors my voice more. I think I'm getting better and more comfortable with singing with a band though, and just like on The Blasters albums, we never really made two of the same albums twice. There were always stylistic connections happening to them. So when it comes to making albums, I rely mainly on organic changes happening naturally so that each album is different, which has always been a rule of thumb for me. Let the flow take me where it needs to go.

What's the premise behind the making of WEST OF THE WEST?

Well, I have wanted to make an album about California that featured California songs for about the past fifteen years so. Greg Leisz (who produced the record) and I decided it was time to something like this. Kind of like a love letter to my home state as well as a thank you letter to my mom (my dad was from Indiana) and so it was my mom who instilled that laid-back Californian attitude in me. Okay, back to the actual question: Greg Leisz has worked on a lot of albums and he had recently worked with a performer on an album with all Canadian songwriters and then he called me and said You know that California album you want to do? Maybe we should consider doing it! When the process came to choosing songwriters, he and I decided to go the roots way and focus on songwriters that had their roots in California but also similar to mine. Also, I knew there were certain songs that I would do - like Merle Haggard's Kern River - because it's always been one of my favorites and I've done it live for years. Also, Tom Waits sent me some songs and Blind Love stood out because it had a country flavor to it and so I decided that I wanted to give it a blues tone to better fit my voice.

Was there any actual input from any of the artists on how their songs should be done?

Umm, Tom definitely had input and were friends and we discussed the track. As for Jackson Browne, He and Greg [Leisz] grew up together so Greg spoke to Jackson and Jackson recommended a song and it was gorgeous but unfortunately it didn't sit well with my voice so we ended up doing Redneck Friend. The song itself is a rock song and I did it as a blues. Also the stereotype Jackson Browne has as a singer, philosopher, poet, and slash actor is so the typical California stereotypes that people give people from California - despite the fact that there are so many other elements and regions to the State. That being said, the albums theme kind of plays off on these types of normal stereotypes that Californians are given. I'm sure you get this with Florida being the stereotype of South Beach, Key West, fishing and Jimmy Buffett, etc. and that's the only things that most people would look at pertaining to Florida. So it's in that kind of mindset I presented this particular album with the California stereotypes being movie stars and Malibu and ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT. Even though again its a state that has many different regions, I wanted to present it in the real, normal type of reality. So getting back to Jackson Browne, I wanted one of his most carnal, lustful songs that was not his normal type of song to do, and let's do something, you know, more on the nastier side of things.

Doing other people's songs is a task in itself. Meaning that there has to be some kind of thought process on how to do the cover justice from the original, yet create something different from it as well. Were you nervous about doing any of these particular covers?

Oh yeah! All of them - some more than others - and the main reason is because you never want to let the songwriter down when you do covers of their songs. So yes, meticulous care went into the arrangements, but we did some subtle changes in the music and lyrics to be able to present them in my own interpretation of it. But yes, there was some trepidation about this, then also worry that, at best, they'll like it but not hate it. Surfer Girl, for example, was such a tremendous hit that you really have to take a lot of care and create something that is slightly different but not too far from the original. So yes, some songs were fragile and handled with care.

A lot of people are comparing this to the album PUBLIC DOMAIN. What are your thoughts about this?

It's similar in the sense that it's a songwriter doing covers. But the one thing I pointed out when PUBLIC DOMAIN came out was the fact that when my brother and I started The Blasters, I had no aspirations of becoming a songwriter and that we just basically did the music we did to make money, meet girls, get gigs and drink beer. It's a noble calling doing old blues and R&B songs. It's like taking old songs and presenting them over and over again to the masses so people are aware that they are relevant. It's kind of like the hidden DJ in me wanting this music heard and presenting it the only way I know how. Okay, seriously, back to the point I'm trying to make; I'm just here spreading the word. When you're younger and just learning the stuff, you really want to pass on what you've learned from the music of the past, but as you get older you more or less just want to keep the flame lit to the people who come after you.

Are you planning on touring for this album?

Yes, we're going to be doing a four-month tour. So it should be fun.

A lot of us in the music industry are music junkies and collectors. To me it sounds like you have these same tendencies of a music collector as well. What are some of your prized possessions in your music collection?

Oh wow, that's not an easy question to answer because my brother and I started collecting old albums - 45's and 78's - at a very early age. When I moved out of my parents house, my brother and I divided up the collection and agreed that I would take the 45s and he would keep the 78s. So there are things in his collection that are technically mine! So...umm, I have some pretty rare R&B records and rockabilly stuff that I cherish. I also have some cool telephone posters that I actually ripped off the actual telephone pole, and I have an Elvis on Sun record and a rare Elmore James album that I bought at a swap meet for thirty five cents and it was one of the few rare albums that were released during his life. So that was pretty cool.

So you probably felt like you were getting away with something, huh?

Well you know, when I was growing up there was no such thing as a re-issue, so as a kid you would buy a magazine, read it and then go to your local record store and dig around looking for the music on a 45 or an old beat up album. So nowadays, I collect other things because the hard-to-find music is more readily available than when I was a kid.

How do you come up with the material you put on your albums? Is there a method to the madness or a strict code that you follow?

Nope, not at all! I know some musicians have everything down to an exact science on how they do things but I just let it flow naturally and take it anyway it comes to me [laughing]. Sometimes when I'm driving I get a song in my head and I had to keep singing it over and over again until I had a chance to write it down.

Any advice for someone trying to accomplish what you have done?

Don't do it! Just kidding actually I got shanghaied into doing a couple of those seminars where people pay a lot of money to hear your advice and usually my response was that it was pure damn luck and that I don't really know how I got where I am. In that if The Blasters got together again and the reason was luck because we just wanted to drink beer and meet girls, so we managed to get a few gigs in Hollywood. After that I don't know...a few of my friends and people I know actually knew what songs were going to be on their third album and to me that's too organized. In all reality, whatever style of music you are doing just try to remember your roots and stick to those roots. Expand on them but always have that foundation in check and grounded. I've never sold out but there were times when I considered selling out. Do the best you can, practice what you're good at and hope for the best.

What are your thoughts on the current state of the music industry and what changes would you like to see happen?

In many ways there is so much great music, but the biggest problem is that there are not enough outlets for people to check it out. Satellite radio is great but the thing that concerns me is that we have fragmented the culture so much that you kind of lose touch on hearing new things and nowadays kids are more eclectic when it comes to their style of music. Also clumping so many things into very specific genres, you kind of lose that sense of trying out new things and tend to stick to what you know. As for downloading, for me I still like having the actual piece of music in my hands. So yeah, I think we all collectively need to think of more outlets for getting music out to the masses and keeping [it] not so fragmented. As for the internet, the great thing about the internet is that if youre an unknown band in Milwaukee and for some off-the-wall reason, someone comes across your music, there's a chance that they'll like it and possibly download it. But in all reality, if youre an unknown band in Milwaukee how are you going to get people to come to your web-site? Who's doing the publicity? Who's going to listen? You're basically just writing music to entertain yourself.

Any projects down the road?

Basically, I'm just promoting this album and will start working on my next one. There are a couple other projects as well but I have to keep them under wraps for now.

Anyone that you would like to work with that you haven't?

Too many to name! Actually, I just finished working with Bill Morrissey and he's a great songwriter whose album is coming out on Rounder, so that was fun. Also on the album there were also members of Morphine contributing to it and Mark Sandman was a close friend of mine, so that had some special meaning as well. But yeah, working with people going forward...there are just too many to name at this time.

Anything else you want people to know about your album?

Well, I liked it! I think it was pretty damn good [laughing]. I can just see the headline: Dave Alvin says his album is okay!

So go buy it already, right?

Exactly!

Well, there you have it folks! Straight from the horses mouth: Dave Alvin approves of this album. Nuff said!

MS

RJD2 / Magnificent City Instrumentals - Decon Music

RJD2 / Magnificent City Decon Music
Although RJD2’s work on Aceyalone’s Magnificent City was lauded by fans and critics alike, it’s not until just recently was RJD2’s ingenious instrumental tracks for the album were released as a separate disc. Although Aceyalone’s lyrical rhymes intermixed very well with RJD2’s arrangements, it’s rather surprising to hear what actual bold moves and nuances were put into the production side of that particular album. I have to say I had my doubts about this album being able to stand on it’s own considering that’s it’s an all instrumental album, but surprisingly enough, it does. With subtle grooves and funky rhythms intertwined with guitars, cellos and many other instruments alike, it really makes one realize what a musical genius RJD2 really is. Some of the more appealing tracks to consider would be Fire which sports a rather funky soulful beat followed by the track Mooore which sounds like a war between a space invaders game and a organ meshed with heavy feedback (move over Bill Laswell!) and lastly my favorite A Beautiful Mine which fashions itself after some creepy haunted movie that’s heavy on cello’s layered with a melancholy danceable beat. Overall, the album sets a mood and tone that’s very atmospheric, dark yet at times quite upbeat but still wicked cool at the same time. Confused? You should be…I’m not here to listen to music for you but to entice your senses to expand beyond the norm and venture to the unknown where hysteria meets weird. Let’s just say that if you can appreciate Stereolab or Medeski Martin & Wood then you will appreciate this album as well. It was also interesting comparing Acetalone’s album with this one because you can see the poetic synergy that was involved and it makes one appreciate both albums for very different reasons and on different levels. A definite musical learning experience!
MS - M+