Pacific Air
It never works this quick for most bands, but somehow brother Ryan and Taylor Lawhon made the record deal thing happen pronto. In March 2012, the Lawhons uploaded three original songs to a Bandcamp page under their initial moniker KO KO, the name of a boat they considered buying in the Newport Harbor. They had tracked the music on a laptop in the bedroom of their home, utilizing everything from guitars and bass to keyboards, synths, and organ. Growing up on their mother’s eclectic taste in new age music, it’s no surprise that the brothers captured their sound as more organic than outrageous.
PK
The world may not be as large as it seems. When a small town band from San Luis Obispo County has the opportunity to open up for Aerosmith, almost anything is possible. PK, a group of five young guys, has appeared in Rolling Stone, become MTV Buzzworthy and was featured on Fuse TV, all within the span of two years. Their steady rise to musical success is evident, but the close friends who met back in high school are still your regular boys next door.
Ari Hest
Ari Hest doesn’t like to think of himself as a veteran pop rocker but after seven full length albums he admits, “Weird to call myself that, but I suppose it fits.” From his six albums, three EPs, and "52" in 2008, an innovative project whereby he wrote, recorded and released a new song every Monday for a full year, “prolific” might be an understatement when describing Hest.
POND – Tame Impala’s Other Half
POND share three of their six members with notable Aussie psych band, Tame Impala. Fans of either band will no doubt love the other, yet the bands remain separate in sound, energy, and approach. Similarities and differences accounted for, both bands are talented and are making names for themselves world-wide. Glide caught up with guitarist, Jay Watson, before POND opened for Oberhofer…
Tom Hamilton – Aerosmith Now & Then (INTERVIEW)
The holidays are upon us and everyone is out there searching for perfect stocking stuffers for friends and family. And what would be more perfect than a new album by a kick ass band from Boston. Music From Another Dimension is Aerosmith’s 15th studio album and features rockers like “Luv XXX,” “Legendary Child,” “Beautiful,” “Street Jesus” and the Joe Perry foot stomper “Freedom Fighter.” Hell, there is even a duet with country’s Carrie Underwood on “Can’t Stop Loving You.” Leave it to Aerosmith to always throw in a little head jerk surprise on an album that has to be their best since the hit-laden late-80’s and early-90’s.
Shakey Graves
Having acquired a large following in his area, playing CMJ and set to play SXSW, Austin, Texas singer/songwriter Shakey Graves (aka Alejandro Rose-Garcia) is not easy to ignore. Playing as a one-man show, he takes the stage with his makeshift kick drum attached to a vintage suitcase, low-fi twanging electric guitar and gritty voice, playing heartbreakingly raw and sincere music that can easily win any crowd over. Recently, we caught up with Alejandro and discussed his recent tour, acting career, improvisational performance style and much more…
Patterson Hood – Modern Day O. Henry (INTERVIEW)
Patterson Hood had something he wanted to say. He just wasn’t planning on contouring those words into melodies. Instead, the leader of the Drive-By Truckers was making alliterations the old-fashioned way by putting pen to paper and allowing his imagery to tell a story that was painstakingly close to when his life wasn’t so easy
Franz Nicolay
As confident on accordion, saw and banjo as he is on keyboard or guitar; Nicolay’s music fuses elements of all his influences through literature, music, film and travel, but on his Kickstarter-funded third release Do the Struggle he goes to even darker places courtesy of industrial beats and an overall incensed theme.
Terraplane Sun
Enter Venice Beach’s Terraplane Sun who define raw vintage with a compelling mix of psych blues which spawn a modern take on the Doors while honing an edgy organic rock flair that creates a bond between Teva and Chuck Taylor. With instruments that include mandolin, lap steel, trombone, harmonica along with gritty guitars, soulful keys and ominous vocals, it’s no wonder that band has created such an intriguing relationship between the fans and band, as evidenced by its successful residency in July at LA’s Satellite.
Mark Tremonti
It must feel good being Mark Tremonti right about now. Among the 20th century’s most respected guitar players, he is sitting on top of the world with not one but three bands: Creed, Alter Bridge and his new power trio Tremonti. Not bad for a heavy metal loving math nerd who once worked at Chili’s.
These United States
They weren’t looking for gold or a spiritual revelation, but for These United States, renowned for their frenetic touring pace, the road almost serves as a bodily function- it just happens. What also happens in their loose limbed brand of rock is a whole lot of wailing, banging, screaming, rocking, stomping, aching that combines the raunchy blues of Exile in Main Street with the modern rock folk of Deer Tick.
Joe Walsh: Back To Life (INTERVIEW)
You may have thought that Joe Walsh has led a very exciting life. Rock stars have all the fun, right? But living the rock star life finally takes it’s toll and one day you wake up and realize that life hasn’t been so good after all.
Right the Stars
Right The Stars is fronted by Los Angeles singer/songwriter and producer Rich Jacques. He recently produced Kina Grannis' album Stairwells, the first single "Valentine" has 13 million youtube hits and the second "In Your Arms" has almost 7million. He’s also been working with ABC Family writing and recording songs for Tyler Blackburn including the first single “Find A Way.” Jacques had quite a lot to share when we recently spoke with him.
Telluride Blues and Brews Festival 2012
The 19th Annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival is set to kick-off on Friday, so we got a quick preview from the guys behind the scenes of what B&B attendees can expect this weekend.
Field Report
Talk to any aspiring artist and you can bet that they would sell every scrap of hair off their head (and nostrils for that matter) for any kind of big break. For Field Report, perhaps it was a series of well-received gigs in March at South by Southwest or maybe it was opening for Counting Crowes this past summer or was it was once being in band with some guy Justin Vernon? The funny thing is, Field Report never even played a show before this year’s SXSW; there must be something in the lyrics.
Mother Feather
Mother Feather, best known for their wild performances, salacious costumes and liberating dance-rock, are becoming quite the concert attraction with the esteemed Nova Festival under their glittery-spiked belt and an upcoming show at the Brooklyn Bowl on September 8th. The label of NYC’s best live band is competitive territory, but Mother Feature deserves serious props with its spectacularly visual and musically inspiring stage offering.
Elizaveta
Russian-American singer-songwriter and pianist Elizaveta released iTunes Sessions EP on July 17, 2012, joining the ranks of the notable artists who have put out these EPs over the years. Available exclusively on the iTunes Store, these six songs have been bundled with six videos from the session
Imaginary Cities
While Winnipeg might not exactly feel like a fertile music scene to those that live outside the Canadian prairie, Imaginary Cities formed from the small community of musicians and creative folks that encourage themselves to play in up to five bands at a time. Primary songwriters Marti Sarbit and Rusty Matyas met and formed in Winnipeg as Sarbit’s soul-powered voice immediately captured multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Rusty Matyas’s attention at the Cavern, a Winnipeg bar where Sarbit was fronting a Motown cover band and Matyas had come to mix the sound.
Common Root: Newport Folk Festival Producer Jay Sweet
Unlike other shows with bands ranging in styles, Newport stays true to its roots and artfully plans a festival unlike any other. Sweet spoke about the organization of the festival, the evolution of folk music, and his favorite acts over the years.
Missy Higgins
Last Friday, Glide Magazine had the pleasure of seeing Missy perform four songs from The Ol’ Razzle Dazzle at a private showcase in downtown San Francisco.