B-Sides

Lindsay White's vocal style gets compared to Jewel’s quite often, which is taken as a compliment; however, she believes that her lyrics are just a tad more sarcastic.  For example, her song, “All Damn Day” explains her frustrations with happy people.  As dark and as negative as it sounds, Lindsay uses her songwriting as an outlet.  In other words, she keeps it real.

Steve Drizos may not be a household name but once he gets behind the drumkit for Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons, he's easily identifiable You may also remember him as the drummer for 1700 gigs in ten years with Charlie Orlando as Dexter Grove, where their stripped down sound and Drizo’s conga carried them across the United States back forth more times than they probably care to remember.  Times have certainly changed for Drizos.

Vandaveer is the alt-folk song-singing/record making/globetrotting project penned and put forth by DC-by-way-of-Kentucky tunesmith Mark Charles Heidinger. Vandaveer’s debut album, Grace & Speed, a mostly live, stripped down affair, swiftly entered this great big dusty world in the spring of 2007. Touring continually on both sides of the Atlantic ever since, Vandaveer has played 250+ shows, sharing stages with a host of artists including Bon Iver, Vetiver, Alela Diane, Alejandro Escovedo, Vashti Bunyan, Bill Callahan and Fleet Foxes.  Vandaveer’s sophomore effort, Divide & Conquer, touches upon similar themes found in its elder sibling, winding timeworn themes of love & death, malice & goodwill, sin & perseverance into (mostly) four-minute vignettes.

The Nikhil Korula Band has opened for artists such as Dave Matthews, O.A.R., Rusted Root, and Jason Mraz.  Their musical resume, if you will, is already a few pages long. But how did all of this happen?

Formed in 2004, Rochester, New York-based Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad has garnered a large grass roots following courtesy of itseclectic blend of roots reggae, dub, and afrobeat Giant Panda recently release a new album LIVE UP this past fall. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad has shared the stage with reggae greats Toots And The Maytals, The Wailers, Lee Scratch Perry, Steel Pulse, Israel Vibration, Yellowman, Culture, The Meditations, Don Carlos, Morgan Heritage, Mad Professor, and Edi Fitzroy. They’ve been joined on stage by members of Thievery Corporation, G. Love & Special Sauce, and Brazilian Girl.   Melissa Brodeur recently tossed a few quickies the band's way.

As we all know, it’s damn near impossible to blow up on the jamband scene, so don’t let Steez fool you. After releasing their first feature length debut this past August, Creepfunk Crusade, the funky Madison kids did crack their first issue of Relix; get named New Groove of the Month on Jambands, receive a nod as one of the ten most influential Madison bands of the decade; and are currently in the running studio album of the year on the Homegrown Music Network, but that all comes after six years of pounding the pavement

Tours, art and boys aside, this Southern California band wants to chill in your living room. When I met Nick Schutz last year, I never knew he was in a band.  The night before our date, he was en route to the Knitting Factory in Hollywood for business matters. I asked him what his band sounded like.

LA based trio, Crash Kings, are putting their own unique spin on the three-man-band concept.  Fusing keyboard-born compositions with agressive layers of rock, their crafty tunes are accomplished without the hint of a guitar.  Incorporating a clavinet (a keyboard with guitar strings) outfitted through a distortion pedal, the result is an arsenal of innovative and rich sound.

Nashville.  Music City USA.  The Country Music Capitol of the World.  The home of Sound & Shape, perhaps the next big thing in prog rock.  What?  If that last one doesn't seem to fit, it's not just you.  It's just as well, because there is plenty about this band that doesn't really fit, so to speak.  In some ways that's been a blessing and in other ways a curse, but always a challenge to make the best music they can.

From their article jumbling punctuation to their formation in Wasilla, Alaska, Portugal. The Man is a band that easily stands out.  Through strong internet promotion (including a regularly updated blog) and charmingly innovative music, they delivered their fourth studio album, The Satanic Satanist last July 21, along with an acoustic version titled The Majestic Majesty.  Glide spoke with lead singer John Gourley about his band's new albums and recent festival appearances.

Spiritual Rez is a Reggae Horn Funk Dance Party that has been tirelessly touring the country while commanding an extremely positive and high energy sound. Since 2003, the band has shared the stage with internationally touring acts such as Culture, Gregory Isaacs, Jimmy Buffett, Israel Vibration, Buju Banton and Jamaican Legends The Skatalites.

With their sophomore album Salvation is a Deep Dark Well, a headlining tour and frequent festival appearances, The Builders and the Butchers are getting their sound around.  Originally formed in Alaska, the band started with the idea of playing "death themed songs" on the streets of Portland, Oregon to gain a following. Though they still keep their dark nature, they have certainly moved on to bigger venues and larger shows. Glide recently talked to front man Ryan Sollee about his peculiar creative endeavor.

Dethklok's mere presence in any one location for an extended period of time brings fans to their knees, because of their godliness. And I got to interview them.  Dethklok is:  Nathan “Tonto” Explosion – Frontman and Visionary, Skwisgarr Skwigelf – Lead Guitar, Toki Wartooth – Rhythm Guitar and Keys, Pickles – Drums and William Murderface – Bass.

Returning to solo work as the Raconteurs take a break, Benson is back with a new album entitled My Old Familiar Friend that showcases his unshakeable instinct for crafting powerpop gems.

These days Rob Marscher is a proud member of Hasidic reggae star Matisyahu’s touring band. Although laying down dub reggae grooves is a bit of a departure from Marscher’s improvisational/jazz routines, he’s keeping active and relevant to a new beat.

Formed in Los Angeles five years ago by founders Ben Grubin, lead singer, and Jeremy "Jerm" Reynolds on bass, Hockey is now based in Portland, Oregon as a quartet with Brian White on guitar, and Anthony Stassi on drums. Mind Chaos was released independently, and the group signed to Capitol late in 2008. The album will be remixed and remastered, with new songs added, for the August 25th, 2009 international release.

Elephantbear, fronted by the promising young songwriter and guitarist Mike Pedersen, has already won comparisons to artists like Snow Patrol, Ben Lee, and the Foo Fighters because of their smartly written, deftly executed, and highly original brand of rock.

Gallows are a Hertfordshire, England punk band was founded in 2004 by Laurent Barnard of My Dad Joe, Stuart Gili-Ross of Winter In June and Lee Barratt of Never the More.   Their debut album, “Orchestra of Wolves,” was released independently in the UK only, but re-released nationwide in 2007 through Epitaph Records after landing in the lap of Brett Gurewitz.  The band also won a Kerrang! Award for “Best British Newcomer” later that same year.

You might remember George Stanford as the former member and lead vocalist for Townhall. With influences that range from Paul Simon, Bob Marley, Tom Petty, The Band, Hank Williams and everything in between, Stanford might sound more like your itunes playlist.  Although he describes his sound as American, pop and soul, Stanford has paved his way forward as the first artist on the revived classic Smash/Mercury Records label.  His first full-length record, Big Drop showcases his pure and soulful voice and a collection that listeners risk truly missing out, if they don’t take the chance to listen. Glide’s Melissa Brodeur recently had a chance to toss some questions Stanford’s way.

Just two brief days before the upcoming Northwest String Summitt, Glide Magazine got a unique opportunity to check in and chat with one of the two producers of the festival, Greg Friedman about what the festival is all about, what exactly goes into making it all happen, and what are his favorite memories from the last eight years of working the magic behind the scenes.