For those of you who don’t know it I’m an arborist (tree surgeon) as well as a landscaper with a fair knowledge of plants and shrubs either nursery bred or native. So when I saw this band’s name I immediately thought to myself that they’re named after a poisonous plant or more commonly described as a weed. By the way Dogbane is similar to Cannabis since it’s also a fiberous plant and sometimes goes by the name Hemp Dogbane. For the curious out there I wouldn’t try smoking it. Well now that I’ve told you all what I really do for a living (unlike most music media people who are unemployed post grads) let me tell you about this North Carolina band. First off the members of DOGBANE are not a bunch of young guns new to the music scene. The band is made up of former members of such NC acts as AVALON, UNSETTLED, SOCIETY’S BURDEN (which is the only one I’ve heard off) RICTUS GRIN and RHENIUM. The band’s sound is heavily influenced by late 70′s/early 80′s classic metal as well as bands whose style of music would go on to become known as Doom. Also they’re not a bunch of hipster retards hopping onto a now popular metal genre style by rehashing music they recently found in a used record store (well actually downloaded from a website). North Carolina has a wide variety of bands who play just about every type of metal genre you can name. But one thing I’ve learned is that classic sounding metal, whether it’s the heavy 70′s era (PRIEST, SABBATH,etc) or 80′s NWOBHM, will always reign supreme.

DOGBANE is one of those types of bands and they’re damm good. They even have a classic metal five piece lineup of twin guitarists, bass player, drummer and a vocalist who sings clean and has a good range. When this release starts out with the song “Ride the Serpent” and you hear that riff. Your arm will just rise up flying the horned fist out of habit and start screaming “yeahhhhh”! “Born to Die” picks up the pace with chunky riffs, MAIDEN-esque soloing and artillery sounding drumming. From that point on it’s that same formula of explosive classic metal which hearkens back to my teenage years. Listening to this is akin to when I first saw PRIEST in the 70s, it’s that exciting. As I said before their vocalist, Jeff Neal, has a good range and on “Banished” he lets loose with a Halford-esque scream. “Annihilator” shows off some heavy SABBATH influenced riffage along with more of that Halford style singing with even some PRIEST like song structure ala twin guitar soloing. “Devil in the Dark” pushes the dual guitar theatrics and the classic metal elements to their fullest. I’d say it’s between that one and the opener as favorites but in all honesty every song on here is a favorite. “Burning the Light” is classic Doom, no not sludge not stoner rock, this is DOOM! I’m talking about a mega riff forged by the gods of metal and handed down to DOGBANE, after CANDLEMASS used it of course but still great. “Fire and Brimstone” borrows from LINK WRAY by starting and ending it with his signature song “Rumble”. Final cut “How the Mighty have Fallen” has another killer, KILLER! savage sounding riff plus a rhythm that sounds so fuckin familiar (early 80′s?). I’ve said enough this release rules!

Label: http://www.heavenandhellrecords.com/blog/
Official: http://www.reverbnation.com/dogbane

BLACK SKIES – On the Wings of Time CD
Self Released
Genre: Sludge Rock

I’ve caught this North Carolina trio live once and even picked up their previous release, their Hexagon CDEP, which they self released back in 2008. Albeit their sound was typical stoner sludge it was still good and I still figured some label would give em a chance at a signing. When I saw their set it was at a small dive a year or two ago and their sound shook the building’s foundation. In fact their sound was so heavy that the rats hiding in the basement of a nearby hamburger joint vacated for a safer dwelling. No shit I was outside taking a smoke break when I saw an army of the vermin running across the street as if trying to escape some hideous predator. About of third of the rat pack got run over by a passing bus. So here I am checking out their debut full length and things have changed as far as their sound goes. The opening cut “Rebirth” sums it up perfectly. BLACK SKIES sounds like a completely different band. Their former covering of stoner asthetic has been scraped clean off of them. I’m guessing that’s because the band got Kyle Spence of HARVEY MILK (a band I’ve never really found exciting but some people find em impressive) to twist the production knobs.

From the opening cut onward BLACK SKIES produce a bigger sound that’s more power trio rock than sludgey syrup. Bassist Michelle Temple takes on a more prominant role vocally than I remember from before. Basically her and guitarist Kevin Clark complement one another with duel vocal shouting on a few cuts. Also Clark adds plenty of background synthisizer/keyboards to the mix with really broadens their sound immencely. Drummer Tim Herzog is not hidden behind a wall of fuzzy stoner grooves anymore. The band hails from Chapel Hill, NC and recorded this in Athens, Georgia so what stoner rock grooveness was washed out has been replaced with a big rock sound. This sort of reminds me of what the WHITE STRIPES (are they even around anymore?) would sound like if they decided to do a sludge rock album. “Darkness & Disguise” retains some psych damage but the acoustic intro of “The Other Side of the Mountain” had me thinking they tossed the lava lamps in the garbage and donned straw hats like your average alt. country act. Thankfully the cut does jump into the heavy zone yet overall sounds more like those Post Metal meaderings of bombast from the 90′s including gutteral screamed vocals from Clark. The following cut, “Technologicon”, follows suit.

On the Wings of Time is eight cuts with plenty of variety as far as song times go but musically it’s a formula that can be repetative. They have two longer cuts on here, “Valley of the Kings” and “The Sleeping Prophet” both of which contain simplistic yet over the top riffs. Clark adds a middle eastern tinged solo break to “Valley of the Kings” but the pace and rhythm of the cut gave me this sick repulsive vibe. I was waiting for Clark to channel in some John Paul Jones Hammond organ in order to complete the LED ZEP worship. “The Sleeping Prophet” is somewhat better as Clark solos his way over what is simply a stoner sludge jam suitable for head banging, shoegazing or going out for a smoke. If you choose the latter don’t worry you won’t miss anything since it’s a simple riff played out for over nine minutes with some psych damaged guitar nuddling thrown in. The song “Weightless”, an acoustic ditty with synthersizer produced wind sounds, seems to serve one purpose by being pure filler. Although “Earth Choker”, another simplistic riff centric cut, does show a breaking away from the formulated overkill ZEP worship with it’s fuzzier tempo, psych soloing and laid back (or is it slack?) vocals.

In the end I felt like throwing on their previously released EP in order to get dirty and maybe feel less numb than what this thing did to me. I don’t think the sound on here can be recreated in a live situation which can’t be said about their last release which could. So seeing them live again would probably be an interesting experience. If you just take On the Wings of Time as a whole it’s not a bad release as far as hearing a band progress from one sub genre to another. Kinda like the before and after results of a bum after taking his or her monthly laundry-mat visit. The best part being you don’t have to see the bum standing in their dirty underwear while you fold your clothes. Trust me I’ve been there and regrete it. I’ll guess that BLACK SKIES might finally get some recognition out of this although not alot from me because I could go the rest of my life without hearing LED ZEP or even an act conjuring up “Kashmir” and retro-fitting it for modern tastes.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/losblackskies
Official: http://www.blackskies.us/

It is my pleasure to bring you an exclusive interview with one of Raleigh’s most well known recording engineers & producers in the scene.  Dick Hodgin from Osceola Studios has been in the music business for 30 years as a producer and manager. He relocated to the triangle in 1982 from South Carolina and has been a part of the NC music scene in someway since then. Dick has a reputation for sharp, HONEST, no punches pulled advice and counsel which has earned him “Dream Assassin” nickname.  Over the years, he’s worked as a manager, producer, engineer, booking agent, publicist, promoter, tour manager, sound man, travel agent, baby sitter, transmission repairman, radio promoter, etc.

Dick’s portfolio of artists that he has worked with include:  Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hootie and The Blowfish, Corrosion Of Conformity, Confessor, Clay Aiken and many, many more.

Here we go:

1. For the readers out there that don’t know you, let us know a bit about what you and Osceola Studios do?

I’ve  been in the music business for 30 years as a engineer, producer and manager. I relocated to the triangle in 1982 from South Carolina, and opened M80 Management Company in 1985. I’ve have a reputation for sharp, HONEST, no punches pulled advice and counsel which has earned me the nickname of “The Dream Assassin”.

Over the years, I’ve had to wear about as many hats as there are to wear in the music biz. Manager, producer. Engineer, booking agent, publicist, promoter, tour manager, sound man, travel agent, baby sitter, transmission repairman, radio promoter, etc.  My Studio, OSCEOLA STUDIOS, is a full service recording studio with analog and digital service.

I was a co-founder of the famed NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC SHOWCASE, I’ve  written numerous articles on the web, moderated music panels for various conferences and I’m still a voting member of the Grammys organization, NARAS. I’ve got a few awards including a regional EMMY, a Parents Choice Award and a Kids Music Award. I’m a father of two,  served for 8 years on the North Carolina Childcare Commision and have taught digital audio as an Adjunct Lecturer at North Carolina State University.

2.  You have been around the Raleigh rock & metal scene for years now, who are some of the local artists that you have worked with over the years.

I’ve produced, engineered, or managed such artists as: The Accelerators, Hootie and The Blowfish, Cravin’ Melon, Jason Michael Carroll, Clay Aiken, Corrosion Of Conformity, Johnny Quest, Big Daddy Kane, Troop 41, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Flat Duo Jets, Far Too Jones, Confessor, and J. Cole to name just a few.

3.  Osceola has worked with many major label artists, who are some of the biggest that you have worked with over the years?

I’d say Lynyrd Skynyrd was the biggest to come through……

4. What is your approach in the studio in regards to working with new artists with a limited budget vs working with major label artists with a lot more money to spend?

When you’re working with major label stuff, there is no clock (so to speak) it’s all going on the tab and no one is really freaking out about it……when i’m working on indie artists who are shelling out the $$ from their own pockets, there’s a lot of educational PRE-RECORDING work that i like to do that prepares the artist to make better use of the time and budget…..lot’s of artists walk in and go ” Ooooooooo” at all the gear and think that all that gear is gonna make them sound perfect….. making the best use of their time and PREPARING for all the things they’re gonna be doing in here is SO important…

I ask the band to give me a number for the budget they have to work with, and then i work backwards from there to break it down in terms of how much time is allowable for each different section of work that  needs to be accomplished… Tracking, over-dubbing, additional instrumentation, vocals, background vocals, editing all the parts, pitch correction and mixing all take time. It’s important to get an idea up front of how MUCH time is going to be used for each. I never want a client to have sticker shock at the end of the project..

5. Osceola recently moved to a new location, give us the details of that, what was the reason for the change and what can future customers expect from the new place?

The old studio’s lease on Boylan Ave had run out, and quite frankly, the building owner wanted more money than it was worth… We made the decision to make the move in May of 2011, and it took us about 3 months to get it done. We had massive wiring and equipment issues with the old and the new building. The new location has bigger, nicer rooms and the up fit for the tracking and control rooms is suWEET…

6. What is your opinion on the state of the music industry in general these days? 

The “industry” of making music is in trouble. They missed seeing the digital genie getting out of the bottle, then tried to throw scads of money at trying to force him back in. Historically, the music “business” has overlooked thousands of artists who could be viable commodities by just hanging around waiting on the “next big thing”.. I’ts like a big shrimp boat…..labels had a bad habit of just getting the nets in the water and scooping up whatever they found, and then picking out the best ones. Instead of maybe looking a bit deeper, or going to different areas to look, they just took whatever. Sure, they found some hits, but then they also put out a bunch of CRAP hoping they would be hits.

Let’s face it. It’s ALL just speculation…..if a record company KNEW  what a hit was, i mean beyond a shadow of a doubt, that’s ALL they would put out..but they DON”T know…..they’re just speculating like everyone else..

Now, we have the internet……the good and the bad…….it’s an amazing tool for bands to finally have their own “store front”, accessible globally, but the problem now is that there are SO FRICKING MANY that it’s confusing and overwhelming to the average music lover…

7.  You have been around the Raleigh music scene for years now,  how have you seen it change & what is your opinion on the current scene in Raleigh?

The Brewery is gone now.    soon, Sadlacks too.   When i first came to NC, the Cameron Village Subway had 3 different venues across the hall from each other running completely different genre’s of music. There used to be big clubs with their own styles of music that did well. Now, not so much. The the drinking age changed and that put a hurting on bars everywhere……when the bottom line got tighter, the choice of what kinds of music the club would have changed drastically.

Bands like Johnny Quest, COC, Sex Police, Dillion Fence all had huge fan bases…..they could draw 800 people on a freaking tuesday night with hardly any promotion. Not any more….the “regional band” is all but gone……can you name one un-signed band doing original music that can draw like that?

8. We have seen a lot of what people used to go to a recording studio been replaced by advances in technology,  how does a recording studio such as Osceola compete in the DIY era?

We compete by having the quality level that all the DYI’ers are all striving for. I don’t know a lot of home studios that have $5000.00 mics or a $200,000 console…..or a $40,000 24 track analog machine. Plus, i’ve been making records for 30 years.  that’s what we offer. It’s not just the gear. (ok, the gear helps – lol)

Lot’s of folks ask me “hey man, aren’t you bummed that people can do it all in their bedroom with a mac and garage band now?”   and i say “no”, cause they’re not doing what i’m doing……what they ARE doing is learning that being a recording engineer is a full time freaking job and you’ll spend thousands of hours finding that out. Artists spend a few grand on some of the latest digi box and after about 6 months, they say, “damn….this is hard!!”…

What i DO like about the home recording artists is that when the come to me, they are much more knowledgeable about what it TAKES to get that killer sound…..and they understand that it takes WORK to get the good stuff……it’s not just some button on a plugin….

9. I remember a few years ago you were a judge on a local TV show which aired before American Idol which pretty much mimicked the show,  how did that get put together and why did that end?

HAHA…..”gimme the mike”,,,,,,,that was so awesomely bad i laugh at it……that was the brain child of some other Fox affiliates and the one here decided to do it as well. I was sposed to be the “mean judge”…..i don’t remember how they found me, but it was really weird seeing myself on tv….lol……..and as cheesy as it was, the production aspect of it was really good……it looked awesome even tho they dressed me funny……oh, and it pretty much LAUNCHED the career of Jason Michael Carroll ……so…

10.  Years later how do you feel being remembered by some of the local viewers as the local “Simon Cowell”?

The tv guys wanted me to be just like simon, although, i’d never watched one episode of AI…(still  haven’t). But i had seen some clips and i told them that i wouldn’t purposely humiliate anyone, but i would do the next best thing. I’d tell the truth……and that’s just as bad sometimes….

Funny story (well, not at the time)…..i was getting into my car at a grocery store when a BIG, BRUISER of a brother walked up and said “hey, you’re that judge on the tv show”…..i mean this guys was offensive line big and strong)…..i said, yeah, and reached to shake his hand. He got right in my face, and poked me in the chest with his finger and said “look mother fucker, that was my cousin you were dissin on in the show last week, i  don’t think it was very nice what you said !”…….and i mean he was PISSED…….i had to think of something fast cause this guy was going to clean my clock and no one was gonna come help me…….i stuttered and blurted out “man, i’m sorry, but it was TELEVISION!!!  THEY MADE US FOLLOW A SCRIPT….THEY HAD ALL THAT STUFF WRITTEN OUT FOR US!!!!!”

He eased up a bit and said, “well it was BULLSHIT MAN, and I don’t think you oughta be saying stuff like that to those people !”"    i agreed that some of the things were harsh, and he kinda let me go……….sheesh…

11. You also run M-80 management company, talk a bit about that and what you offer to artists in todays time vs what you have done in years past?

I still have M80 Management, but i don’t have any management clients….i got out of that in 2001.

12.  Why do they call you the “DREAM ASSASSIN”?

I first got that name at SXSW on some panel they introduced me on, basically cause i was the only one that would sit there in front of all the aspiring artists and have the balls to tell them that some of them weren’t gonna be big stars…..  I’ve been known as a str8 shooter who is very up front with the truth……it hurts people sometimes…..but for the majority of folks that really are gonna do this as a career, they appreciate it…there’ are plenty of peeps in the business that will slap you on the back and tell you that everything is just great…..that’s not me….unless it’s “great”…

13.  You have been part of Raleigh’s music scene since the early 80′s as far as I know, what pulled you to this area originally?

I was managing a little band in SC called moonpie. We had been trying for a long time to get up to the raleigh area to play when we finally got a chance to play the PIER in cameron village subway. We were opening for a band called ARROGANCE, and when we pulled up to the club at 6pm to sound check, there were maybe 300-400 people ALREADY IN LINE to see them that night……it was crazy, and definitely nothing like we were used to from little towns in SC……..we played that night to a sold out show, everyone loved the band, and we got offered a small Indy record deal from Dolphin Records which was a part of the big RECORD BAR chain…….we moved to raleigh that december…..

14.  You have worked with a wide range of artists ranging from metal such as Confessor & COC to Clay Aiken & Hootie & The Blowfish,  do you have a different approach when doing a metal artist vs doing a project with a very commercial pop artist?

Not so much a different approach, cause my main focus is “serving the song”, rather different tools and textures…..the artist provides the “art”…..i help them pick a “canvas”, a “frame”, and where on the wall to hang it….then i pick out what kind of lighting will show it best…

15. What are some of your favorite locations & venues around the Raleigh area to see live music at?

I like just about all the venues around….i go to them all….i really miss the brewery…..

16.  As a person who without question is a veteran of the scene,  what advice would you give to a young kid out there who has stars in his/her eyes and wants to “be a rock star”.

It’s not as easy as it looks…..unfortunately, there is a whole generation of kids that think “BAND CAMP” is real……just like any other craft, it takes WORK…….try looking into the work part of it…You may have talent, but developing that talent is what elevates you.

17.  What new bands have you guys been spinning lately,  anyone out there on a local level or national acts that just blow you away…  after working with music all day long do you get a chance to check out newer artists that much?

I try to stay in touch with just about every new artist that comes out and listen to at least SOME of what they are doing…..i’d be wasting money if i bought their cds cause i just do not have the time to listen to them…..i try to find about 10 hrs/ week to listen to new stuff……

18.  We are seeing a lot of older bands reuniting lately and it seems that things are picking up a bit musically in respect to harder rock/metal type music,  do you get that vibe and if so what do you think is the reason?

All those old bands are getting it back together cause they miss it, and they can make some money…their fan base will react when they come back and go buy a cd and go see them live…some of them SHOULDN’T come back out….lol…….or hit some freaking salad for a few months before they do……also, old bands, I got some advice……..HIGH DEFINITION CAMERAS aren’t your friends……MAKE UP!!!!

19.  If you could pick a dream lineup of artists (either alive or dead) to work with in the studio who would it be?

I used to have a long list of all the big stars i’d love to record, but actually, i’d rather see new talent……sure, it’d be great to have john lennon call, or springsteen, or ozzie, or freddy mercury, or deep purple……the list could go on and on…..If paul mccartney is reading this, “PAUL, call me!! I’ll moves some stuff around”

20.  This pretty much sums it up,  anything else you would like to let our readers know about Osceola Studios or Dick Hodgin in general, here is your chance?

Just a big invitation to everyone out there that’s thinking about doing some recording to hit me up and come take a free tour……i think you’ll like what you see…

Thanks Dick for such an awesome interview, to contact Dick go to:
Osceola Recording Studios
1101 Capital Blvd
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 828-1113
http://www.osceolastudios.com
http://www.facebook.com/osceolastudios

Editor/Writer: Glen Stewart
Photos : Contributed By Dick Hodgin & Osceola Studios

This event honestly felt like a big family reunion of friends with heavy music being the central theme of the event.  It is for this reason that I didn’t get to check out all the bands on each stage.  Once you factor in making sure the event runs well, loading in and out gear for your own set, and catching up with numerous friends that I had not seen in a while, I missed quite a few bands that I planned to check out.  With 30 bands performing on 3 stages (with the 3rd stage overlapping set times on both Stage A & B), it would be nearly impossible to write a review that covers all bands in this 11 hour marathon of local metal.

Photo Credit – Larry Smith

After being at the fairgrounds for the majority of the day on Friday helping set up the staging and preparing for the event, we then had to get home and get our gear packed up for our own set.  I hardly slept at all on Friday night after getting everything ready to go first thing Saturday morning.  That 7:00 alarm came way too early!!!  After getting on the road and headed towards Wilson, I get a phone call from Dio telling me that JP (mainstage soundman) had broken down on the way.  Minutes later we passed by a truck & trailer with the truck bed filled with PA cabinets…  We were about a mile past when we realized that maybe we should turn around and see if we could do anything to help get our main soundman to the show on time.  Only problem with that was the only exit to turn around was 3-4 miles ahead.  Picture a loaded Honda Element driving the wrong way on the shoulder of US 264 for about a mile and you will get a pretty good idea of the first memorable antic of the day and it was 2 hours before the gates even opened!!!  Luckily the breakdown was just a blown out tire, which JP pretty much had fixed by the time we got to him…   On to the show we go!!!

Photo Credit – Larry Smith

Before I get to the bands, I would just like to mention that my bass player Bob & myself somehow married what has to be the most directionally challenged wives on the planet.  The ladies were coming up a bit later and evidentially taking one exit off 264 and driving a couple miles and making a right turn into the fairgrounds proved to be too difficult of a task.  When I got the phone call and realized that these ladies had driven right past the fairgrounds, missed the huge freaking stage setup in the middle of the fairgrounds and ended up on the other side of Wilson headed towards Rocky Mount, I literally was ready to give up hope.  One of them even said, “Well we saw the American Legion Fairgrounds but didn’t know if that was the right one”…  My response, “How many fairgrounds do you think Wilson has!!!”…  In their defense Bob told his wife that he didn’t think it was called the American Legion Fairgrounds, so we may have to take some of the blame for this ourselves…  Either way funny story number two already in the books, and the first band still hadn’t taken the stage.

Photo Credit – Lin Respess

NO MERCY from Sanford kicked off the days festivities with a set of classic thrash metal tunes on the main stage.  Its tough as hell to play first at a show like this, but these guys took it in stride and kicked the fest off in style.

Photo Credit – Lin Respess

One of the main things I like to see when checking out a new band is originality and I saw a lot of that in Rocky Mount’s SAFEWORD on stage C.  These guys are kinda like a skate punk band which mixes elements of classic doo-wap, death metal, classic bluesy rock & more.  Looking forward to seeing more from these guys in the future.

Photo Credit – Lin Respess

BURN THE BLOOD from Raleigh was next up and brought their unique mix of melodic thrashy blackened metal to the main stage.  This is the first time I have seen them live and it was nice to see longtime Metalfest veteran Ray King holding down the low end on bass for the band.

Photo Credit – Lin Respess

Totally loved KIFF (Knowledge Is For Fools) from Raleigh on stage B with their brand of punk influenced hard rock sounds complete with stage antics such as blowing fire and cutting up a blood filled pumpkin with a chainsaw spraying the crowd and the entire stage with blood.  They even have their own superhero known as The Pabstman who came up as a special guest for a tune.  I’ve known vocalist Andy Miller & bassist Ed Warner ever since way back in the days when they ran The Caboose in Garner NC, so its great to see them on the performing side of the stage nowadays.

Photo Credit – Charlie Fankhauser

BROADSLAB from Raleigh is a band that I can’t remember ever seeing live, but have heard the name for years.  These guys blew me and many others away watching stage B with their brand of southern grown metal that could be described as what a bastard child of The Allman Brothers & Black Sabbath would sound like.  Also cool to see longtime scene supporter Robby Rodwell laying down the bass for the band as well.

Photo Credit – Drill 187

I must have gotten pulled away at this time talking & eating pizza & hot dogs prepared by the wonderful concession ladies Jo Gay & Heather Evans, both longtime friends.  These ladies were working their ass off all day long and deserve a shoutout as later in the night I asked what they thought of certain bands and both said they were too busy to even pay attention to ANY bands!!!

Photo Credit – Lin Respess

TINFOIL FUSE from New Bern brought their mix of modern metal sounds to the mainstage and sounded as great as ever.  Bassist JP served double duty as a performer as well as running the sound on the mainstage, which deserves a special mention due to the sound being the best on that stage than any fest I can remember.  He was also the only soundman who didn’t blow up his mains throughout the day which happened on both stage B & C.  Also vocalist David Stowe has got the PIPES as I have mentioned to him before that he is one of the few vocalists around the metal scene that can actually SING.  This is not to take anything away from other vocalists in other bands who do their growling or screaming thing and do it well,  I respect pure singing talent when I see it, nuff said…

It was at this point in the show that the 3 stage setup created an issue for me wanting to checkout all 3 bands who were performing around the 5 – 6 time slot.  It was also a time that stage manager Larry Smith was on my ass to get gear unloaded for our own set at 7.  You can also add in that my longtime friend J Sherrod wanted me to get some up close video of HARLOTT’s set.  So here is how that went…

Photo Credit – Lin Respess

HARLOTT from the country music capital of the world in Nashville, TN on the mainstage brought their blues based classic hard rock sounds and kicked the fest to another level.  They let everyone know that there is a whole other side to Nashville than what country media presents.  These guys have created quite a buzz for themselves lately since releasing their debut CD and touring anywhere that would have the band.  Its great to see my former drummer & current HARLOTT drummer J Sherrod finally find guys that have the same desire & drive to make it in this business like he has always had.

Photo Credit – My Life My Curse

I then ran over to stage C to catch a little bit of MY LIFE MY CURSE from Rocky Mount, who are a new band who have quite a unique sound due to having two vocalists (1 screamer & 1 singer), 2 guitarists, bassist, drummer and even a keyboardist.  Yeah that is 7 members total…  Hats off to them as I know how hard it is to keep 4 members of a band on the same page..  As I mentioned before, I like originality when I check out a new band and these guys have that without question with their techno-metal mixup.  The band has seen some lineup changes recently, but I think they have finally found the right lineup with the addition of very talented 2nd guitarist Chris Toler & new drummer Zach Daniel.  Zach’s former band SHILOH literally toured nationwide in recent years,  which brings a wealth of experience to a very hungry band ready to take their music to the next level.

Photo Credit – Charlie Fankhauser

Back over on stage B was AUTOMAG cranking out their well known southern fried hard rock/metal sounds.  Automag has played every Metalfest in Wilson that I can remember since the late 90s and their fans know almost every word to every song they do by heart.  It was also great to see my longtime friend Paul McDermott back up onstage with the band as 2nd guitarist.  I hear through the grapevine that he may become a permanent member again, which totally makes them a more well balanced band.

Photo Credit – Lin Respess

Next up on the mainstage was ONYX who did a special reunion at this show.  The NWOBHM style band played the very first Metalfest that was held in Wilson and they also played the first Metalfest that I ever attended as well, so it was extra special to see the band reform for this show.  Original guitarist Venge Helton passed away a few years go, so it was awesome to see my longtime friend Kirk Matthews rise up to fill the spot for this show.  Matthews has said he was very influenced watching these guys as a kid, and it was the ultimate honor to be asked to fill in for this show.  The band even broke out the first cover of the day (that I know of anyway) with Judas Priest’s “Breaking The Law”.

Photo Credit – Lin Respess

Finally, as the night started to fall we took the stage for our STRANGELUST set…  I am not going to be the guy who reviews my own band’s set so here is what I will say… I want to thank all the crowd who checked out our set.  I also want to thank Dusty McLamb for jumping up onstage with us after I dedicated a song to his brother Andy McLamb, Garry “Crump” Crumpler & Rob Wilkinson.  Thanks also go to Josh & J from HARLOTT for jumping up onstage at the last song of our set for us all to give the Metalfest a little “MORE COWBELL”.  I hope everyone dug it and we had a hell of a time doing it!!!

Photo Credit – Lin Respess

DARK DESIGN was next on the mainstage and featured a trio of musicians who have performed together in various bands for nearly 20 years.  Ray Lewis, Robbie Mercer & Matt Mercer have all played together in bands GRIMLOCK, ASCENDANCY & NOCTURNAL FEAR throughout the years at previous Metalfests.  The crowd loved their highly technical progressive power metal style of music and word around the fest was that they put their name on the map during their set as there were a lot in attendance who had never seen the band before and was left thoroughly impressed.

Photo Credit – Drill 187

DRILL 187 was next on the mainstage and as many of you know their history and my history has intertwined for many years.  I was a friend & fan of local metal band STORMCHYLDE which turned into DRILL 187 sometime around 1996.  I played bass for a short while in the band as well and we did the October Metalfest in 1998, it was an honor to “crash the party” and jump up onstage and scream along the backup vocals to their signature tune 187.  This was a reunion show of the Faceless Majority lineup which was the most successful of the various lineups of Drill 187 throughout the years.  Most Metalfest veterans know what to expect from a DRILL show, which is high energy modern metal sounds, excellent stage presence & a killer light show and they delivered.  Guitarist Jason Ussery & myself both attended our first Metalfest together in the early 90′s when we were both young kids, so it was awesome to see him come back for this special reunion show at the 20th anniversary of Metalfest.

Photo Credit – Widow

After a guitar giveaway, the stage was set for the headliners WIDOW to perform.  The band has recently performed various festivals & shows throughout the US as well in other countries.  I have known John E Wooten & Chris Bennett for years now so its weird to actually sit back and realize just how big of a name they have made for themselves in the national metal scene.  These guys still act like the same guys who played their first Metalfests in the late 90s with SORROW BEQUEST.  I found it interesting that the band is currently performing as a 3 piece with Wooten playing bass.  Although this does limit the dual guitar harmonies from some of the band’s early material, the band still sounds very full and the 2nd guitar was not very noticeable.  This also allows Bennett’s guitarwork to stand front & center and I think the crowd agreed that he is more than capable of handling all the guitar parts himself (that is an understatement in itself honestly, Chris is THE MAN!!!).  WIDOW‘s blend of traditional melodic metal ringing through the Wilson Fairgrounds was the perfect way to close off NC Metalfest 2011

Andyfest – A Celebration Of FAM
Saturday, October 15th 2011
The Berkeley Cafe
217 West Martin Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601

This show is a celebration of Andy’s life with family, friends & good music!!!
Bands Performing:
JAKT Reunion Show In Honor Of Andy
Night Prowler
The Omega Project
Hold Back The Day
Sex Panther
Chris Harlan
& More…
Doors Around 7 (or so, call the club to check)
10 Bucks At The Door

FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK OUT THE FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=210060032388211

Come out and celebrate the life of Andy McLamb along with many of his longtime friends.  Andy was taken from this world on Friday, August 26 2011 in a tragic hit and run accident.  The police is still looking for leads in this case and anyone with any information is asked to call N.C. Highway Patrol at 910-592-3141.

Andy was a gifted guitarist who has performed all around the North Carolina music scene for many years with such original metal bands as JAKT, SORROW VALLEY & others.  He also took the role of “Angus” in the AC/DC & Bon Scott tribute band NIGHT PROWLER.

Andy McLamb on what F.A.M. is about:
“F.A.M. stands for my name Franklin Andrew McLamb and im an artist that writes about life and everything in between.  I have a passion for the art of making original new style and new sounding music.  You won’t here nothing like I do anywhere else unless there’s a copy cat and i know that for a fact. My goal is to keep taking my darkside to a new level so people that share my issues in life can relate to me and we can collaborate on it, I want to talk to my fans and give advice and council them in the right path.”

No need to go into any kind of story past that, as that is for another article on another site…
What I can say is that 10 years later ROCK N’ ROLL is still alive and kicking as hard or harder than it has ever been…
That has to be the ultimate FUCK YOU to any other country (or rogue troublemakers inside those countries, or our own country for that matter) that want to tear down our American way of life…

S.L.A.M – SHORT TERM MEMORY – BROOKS PAUL

Brooks Paul kicked off the festivities at Tiebreaker’s on Friday night in G-Vegas.  Brooks is a 10 year old who covers songs from such classic bands as Journey, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and others.  His videos that have been posted on YouTube have created quite a buzz about this little rocker throughout North Carolina and a few surrounding states.  My own band played a show that he was on a few months ago in which it was Brooks singing to backing tracks to open the show.   The growth that I have seen with my own eyes from the first show I saw him play to this past weekend playing with his new full band has been amazing.  He recently went into the studio to cut a few original songs, so I am looking forward to hearing those as well as watching Brooks grow with each show that he plays.  I told his father at the first show that I saw, that it takes BALLS OF STEEL to get up there and sing your heart out on a stage in front of no one that you know, and this kid has already done that on many stages and won over every crowd he has performed in front of so far.  Props going out to you, little brother as I know I could not have gotten up there at the age you are, and many of the musicians that I have played with throughout my life would have been terrified to as well.

Short Term Memory was next and served up a varied mix of covers such as Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Red Hot Chili Peppers & others.  Vocalist of STM is Mickey Wetherington who nearly everyone around these parts know from his many years spent playing the east coast circuit with LEXX LUTHOR.  Although Mick originally established himself as a “traditional metal vocalist”, its nice to see him still kicking out the tunes years later and hearing his take on songs outside the realm of what I have heard many times with LEXX.  Always good to see Mick do what he loves to do, and he still has the pipes to floor ya when he wants to.

SLAM Photo Credit: Eidetic Photography by Jorn

S.L.A.M. (Sex Love & Money) was the closer on this night and without question they brought it.  This was a reunion show as these guys had not played a show in around 10 years, but it was like they had not missed a beat.  I heard that they only had less than a month to practice together for this show.  One of their guitarists (Kirk Matthews) told me before the show that “It was like riding a bike, once we got back together and jammed everything came back”.  The band played original songs primarily from their “Come With The Jock Gnaw” CD which was released sometime around 2000, along with a couple covers to end off a great night.  These guys claim that this was a “one off” show and it could be 10 years more before they do it again, but I hope that we can get them to reconsider this, as I for one would love to see them play again.  There was at least a couple of younger people in the crowd who had never seen any version of SLAM who asked me “Why aren’t these guys touring the world right now?”.

The answer to that question may or not be found at an interview I did with the band before the show at the following link
SLAM Sex Love & Money Returns

SEBASTIAN BACH – NANTUCKET – REVELUS – HOUSE OF FOOLS – CRAZY BORIS

After a late start to the day due to the SLAM show, needless to say we missed the couple bands that opened this show.  We have heard that REVELUS put on a good show, and have heard that HOUSE OF FOOLS are a good band as well, but can’t say anything other than that as we got to the show just in time to see NANTUCKET.

I will say this though, I commend Raleigh and whoever else was involved in the building of the Raleigh Amphitheater…  The facility is great and can easily house 4000 or more fans for a show with ample bathrooms and eating/drinking tents to accommodate it.  Many other cities around this area could learn a lesson (or two) from Raleigh in this respect.  If you can picture Walnut Creek without that shelter and huge lawn on the hill, that is what you have with the new Amphitheater in Downtown Raleigh.

NANTUCKET are truly legends around the state of North Carolina since the mid 70′s.  The band played shows with KISS, Journey, Boston and numerous others and released quite a few records in that era. I am not sure that I have ever seen the band live so I was pumped to be able to witness these guys on a big stage for my first time seeing them.  I totally dug their set and thought it was also cool that not only was Tommy Redd (the original guitarist and songwriter) playing with the band, but another legend around the NC area known as Tommy “Too Tall” Evans was also filling in on guitar!   After all these years, Nantucket have released a new album of original material ready to purchase on their website entitled “You Need A Ride To Raleigh”…  Go check it out if you like old school, kick back rock n’ roll type stuff!!!

As NANTUCKET broke down, a guy walked up to the mic with an accordion and started a small set of tunes that would make Jack Black proud…  I put 2 and 2 together and realized that this had to be CRAZY BORIS that I have heard is a regular performer at the new KINGS (located where the old Martin Street Music Hall was).  Anyone who likes the Tenacious D stuff would also love this guy (I think), so look him up and check it out if you are in the Raleighwood area.

Finally the stage was set for the former SKID ROW singer named Sebastian Bach to come out…
The last time I saw Sebastian live was a couple shows up at Jaxx in VA (1999-2000) when he was touring with his first solo band named SEBASTIAN BACH & FRIENDS…
Since that time, he has gone on to do multiple reality TV shows, sitcoms, movies, musicals, and toured many times with the latest version of Axl Rose with Guns N Roses…
What Sebastian brought to Raleigh in what I think was his first time EVER playing a show here (other than touring stage productions) was a great display of what Rock N’ Roll should be about…

Set included the following tunes:
Slave To The Grind
Big Guns
Piece Of Me
Here I Am
18 & Life
Monkey Business
Stuck Inside (From Angel Down)
Stabbing Daggers (From Angel Down)
American Metalhead (From Angel Down)
Kicking & Screaming (New Tune)
Caught In A Dream (New Tune)
I’m Alive (New Tune)
I Remember You
Youth Gone Wild

There was even an incident during I Remember You where Bach almost jumped in the audience to kick out someone in the crowd…
Not sure what the guy did that Bas got so pissed off at, but I almost thought I was seeing a repeat of “The Bottle Incident” from “OH SAY CAN YOU SCREAM” before my very eyes…  Sebastian was blessed with a golden voice and can still belt it out with the best of them, which the same can not be said for many vocalists as they get older.  He has a new album coming out at the end of September called “Kicking & Screaming” which he promises will fit right in line with his previous material.

Below is a video we shot from an Android phone (quality is not that great) of Sebastian performing one of his solo tracks “American Metalhead”

All in all it was a KILLER weekend of Rock N’ Roll on the 10 year anniversary of the biggest tragedy that our nation has ever experienced.

I met the guys from the band GRIMLOCK (Rob Wilkinson – bass & vocals, Ray Lewis – guitars & Robbie Mercer – drums) at a local gig in the spring of 1991 & they invited me to come out & watch them rehearse.  My buddy Rand Evans & I  went to check them out several times.  We met Torrence, Rob’s Dad & he suggested that we stage a large outdoor concert & that the Wilson Fairgrounds would be a good place to do it.  (Dorton Arena in Raleigh came up as well but that idea was quickly shot down.) We all had some ideas & knew various people that could help to make this thing happen.

I’d been working as a roadie/ light guy/ agent for the Rocky Mount based Metal band ONYX since 1988 & we had a nice little cult following in the area so I suggested getting them to play.  The GRIMLOCK guys had already made contact with the other 2 bands & they were both extremely excited about it as well.
A few months later on June 29 the “SUMMER JAM” as it was called featured the Hard Rockin’ sounds of ONYX , GRIMLOCK, DIAMOND CUTT & THE REACH.

These four bands rocked out on a flatbed trailer stage (NO roof), all afternoon, in the hot summer sun & well into the late evening.  A small crowd of about 200 came out, “moshed it up” & had a wild & wonderful time that day. That event set the stage for what would eventually become known as The WILSON METALFEST aka NC METALFEST.

Later that fall Rand & I took over the Promotion duties & staged a Halloween Metal show inside one of the buildings at the Fairgrounds again featuring ONYX & GRIMLOCK along with CRONIC DEATH.  These type shows became a regular event over the next few years. We produced  1 or 2 shows each year, going from 3 bands to five, to eventually TEN !   By then I had taken on the duty of main organizer/ promoter for these events & ROCK BOTTOM PRODUCTIONS was born.  As years went on we eventually brought back the flatbed stage in an outdoor setting.  The crowds grew & more bands wanted to play.  We had bands from all over NC & even started to bring in some from Virginia.  Eventually I decided that we should add a 2nd stage.  In 1998 we tried that for the first time & continued to have around 20 bands on two stages up until our last show in 2005.

So, why did the Wilson Metalfest stop ?  I for one was taking on most of the weight of trying to produce a show within an extremely tight budget & honestly, I really got burned out on it.  I began having Metalfest type shows at The Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh featuring an average of 8 to 10 bands per show.  These shows have gone well & everything for production is at the club  & we  really don’t have to worry about bad weather like with an outdoor show.
I still plan to continue doing these shows in the future.

Last year Ray Lewis formerly of GRIMLOCK now in the band DARK DESIGN came to me & brought up the fact that 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of the first shows that we ever put on out at Wilson Fairgrounds & that we needed to resurrect it one more time to celebrate.  Ray along with Glen from NC Scene & several other friends said that they would help me out if I wanted to make it happen…and so here we go again.  NC METALFEST is BACK !  October 8 at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Wilson, NC.  Back where it all began 20 years ago.
WOW, 20 Years !!  It seems like just yesterday we were setting things up for the first show.  I remember things vividly that day.  Hell, I have most of it captured on an old VHS tape.

We were all a bunch of crazy kids back then. Lots of things have changed.  Bands have come & gone.  Old friends have passed on.  Many of the folks who played or attended these Fests have grown up & now have kids of their own now.

Funny thing is since I announced the return of the Wilson Metalfest, the buzz has been UNREAL !  I’ve had so many people tell me how much they are looking forward to it & how much they missed it.  Many have told me that they have kids now & those kids are into Metal & they are coming & bringing them to the Fest.  “This is how Dad used to rule mosh pit, son !”…I’m sure there will be some sore old bones the day after. LOL

For this show I wanted to do something special & have more bands perform so I lost mind & added a 3rd stage.  That’s right. There will be 3 stages going all day with 30 bands performing.  The new school of Metal meets the old school.  We’ve got young up & coming acts like BLACKTIP, BEYOND THE PILLARS & STOKE THE FLAMES rocking along side Metalfest veterans like WIDOW, TWISTED TOWER DIRE, AUTOMAG & STRANGELUST.  Along with many other awesome bands we even have a couple of bands reuniting especially for this show. Crowd favorite DRILL 187 will perform for one night only & a band that actually played our first shows 20 years ago, ONYX will reunite for this special event.

I hope everyone who’s ever come to one of the Wilson Metalfests will try & make it out & I hope for many new faces to show up.  This is going to be a big ol’ Metal family reunion.  We’ll pray for good weather & hope to see you all there.

Tony “Dio” Leonard

NC METALFEST returns to the Wilson Fairgrounds celebrating 20 Years of Metal at the Wilson Fairgrounds.
There will be 30 bands performing on 3 stages along with several Metal merchants & vendors present.

Bands Performing

WIDOW
TWISTED TOWER DIRE
AUTOMAG
DRILL 187 (Reunion)
DARK DESIGN
STRANGELUST
ATROCIOUS ABNORMALITY
HARLOTT
ONYX (Reunion)
HELL RAZOR
BLATANT DISARRAY
TINFOIL FUSE
AGAINST THEIR WILL
ENEMY IN DISGUISE
FEAR & LOATHING
MY LIFE MY CURSE
BLACKTIP
KILLING THE CATALYST
BEYOND THE PILLARS
GOREHOGG
KNOWLEDGE IS FOR FOOLS
CYNONYTE
MOROSE VITALITY
EUGENIC DEATH
BURN THE BLOOD
BROADSLAB
KNIGHTMARE
NO MERCY
SAFEWORD
STOKE THE FLAMES

Gates open at 11 am. Show starts at Noon.
$15 admission at the gate. Advance discount tickets available at REDPHISH MUSIC in Rocky Mount, Wilson, Smithfield & Goldsboro OR from any band performing on the show.

Chairs & Coolers welcome – No glass containers please.

Sponsored by ROCK BOTTOM PRODUCTIONS, EASTWAVE MEDIA, NC SCENE.COM, NC METAL, REDPHISH MUSIC, ROCK OUT GRAPHICS, HEAVEN & HELL RECORDS, COMATOSE MUSIC, GARRY’S SKIN GRAFFIX, AWAY TEAM

It is my great pleasure to bring you the return of 20 Questions to NCScene with one of my favorite local bands in the history of the North Carolina music scene.  S.L.A.M. (also known as SEX, LOVE & MONEY), had arguably the biggest buzz around in the late 80′s to early 90′s in what used to be a hell of a scene down in Greenville, North Carolina.  The band signed a major label deal to Sony in the early 90′s and their major label debut was available nationwide in mostly all record stores.  The original lineup of the band disbanded sometime in the early 90′s only to reform with a different lineup which hit the local scene from 1998-2001.  This “post-Sony” lineup as it has come to be known as is doing a one time only reunion show at Tiebreakers in Greenville, NC on Friday September 9th.  Also performing with be Short Term Memory (featuring Mickey Wetherington of Lexx Luthor) and 10 year old YouTube sensation Brooks Paul (you guys have to check this little guy out, he’s a bonafide star in the making before our very eyes).

SEX LOVE & MONEY
Chuck Manning – Vocals/Bass
Jon Chambliss – Drums & Percussion
Rich Dorsey – Guitar/Vocals
Kirk Matthews – Guitar/Vocals

So, here we go…

1.  For those out there that don’t know the band, give us a brief rundown of your history?

CHUCK: The “brief history” bit is hard, this band has been together for 23 years!!!
JON: I am not even going to attempt this one as I don’t know a brief history of SLAM, ha.
RICH: My history with the band began in 1997 when Jon & Chuck or Jon or somebody asked me if I wanted to jam.  Actually though, I was in the dorms with Matt Blake who was one of the founders of SLAM I guess. I met the guys and became friends with them all.  So, I have known Jon & Chuck for about 23 years or so.

2.  There seems to be a bit of confusion on exactly how long its been since SLAM last performed live,  when was the last show that you guys played before regrouping this summer for the upcoming reunion show.

KIRK: I believe it was at Ziggy’s In Atlantic Beach NC.
RICH: As far as when this lineup last played a show together…my best guess is 2001 maybe.
JON:  I think it was back in 2002 at a car show at the Martin County Agriculture Center.
(editor’s note – even the band is still confused on when the last time they played live!!!)

3. We have heard that this upcoming reunion show is a one show only type deal, any chance for more shows in the future if the first one is a total success?

RICH: I have no idea about any shows beyond this reunion…it would be pretty hard to do without us all being in the same country.
CHUCK: Im gonna be in France a lot (mixing, dubbing the old stuff) then we’re recording 4 new songs and 2 “official” covers then I’m back to France, so it’s a fucking weird schedule, we’ll see.   If things pick up after we start marketing again who knows, if the dog barks we’ll feed it.
JON: Not planning on it. Of course we weren’t planning on this one either. Maybe another 10 years from now.

4.  Whatever happened to that elusive SLAM cd that was recorded but never released?

KIRK: Good Question, It’s probably hangin out with the Strychnine Soul CD that isn’t finished yet.
RICH: If I tell you I will have to kill you.
JON: Which one?
(editor’s note – there are 2 elusive SLAM cds that never really saw the light of day)

5.  SLAM was signed to a major label record contract with Sony back in the heyday of metal (early 90s),  what happened with that?

JON:  I don’t know if we ever got the whole truth. To my understanding, the owner of our label, David Krebs, had a political deal in the works with Sony the distributor, in regard to some Aerosmith music he still owned the rights to. Once the deal between Sony and Krebs was done, so was ours as he did not have the need for a label anymore. I would refer to Chuck’s response as he was more involved in the business side at that time.
RICH: Label stupidity…those people were idiots…

6.  What have you guys been doing musically in the years since you last played together?

KIRK: Aggression Therapy from 2002 to 2003. Strychnine Soul from late 2003 to 2007. Lately I’ve been writing and recording original material as well as recording some local bands.
RICH: I haven’t done shit musically since Aggression Therapy disbanded really. Since about 2003 or ’04…
JON: Rich, Kirk, and I continued on for a few years with a band called Aggression Therapy. After that I took a really long break. I have not played in a band since and just write and record in my home studio.

7. How did this reunion show come about?

CHUCK: We put this thing together kinda outta no where, i was out of it till the last minute,  shit just played out in a weird way so we could do it!!!  In fact im off to France 3 days after, so I JUST made it!!!
RICH: I don’t know…I really think people are expecting to see Bateman & Jim roll out there & that’s not the case. Sorry. This lineup wrote & recorded a lot of good stuff that not a lot of people are aware of. I am a HUGE fan of all of the stuff this band has done, whether I was a part of it or not.

8.  What is your opinion of the current state of the hard rock/metal scene in North Carolina and how is it different than when you were a touring act 20 years ago?

JON: Honestly, I have been away from the scene for so long I can’t say.
RICH:  I’ll get back to these questions nobody cares to hear my answers to after I give my chirrens a bath!!!

9.  (For Kirk)  Do you have Tree-Fitty I can borrow?

KIRK: I would gladly give you Tree Fitty if you promise to put it toward the purchase of my buddy Jeremy Wagner’s (Broken Hope/Lupara) book “The Armaggedon Chord” It comes out August 22nd.

10.  (Another for Kirk)  Kirk is also performing in a reunion show for local metal legends ONYX at the upcoming NC Metalfest,  what is it like playing in 2 bands that you grew up idolizing as a kid?

KIRK: It’s KILLER!!! both of those bands played a huge role in who I am as a musician.

11.  Any chance of any new music or old stuff from SLAM getting released in the future (even if its just digitally)?

RICH: Yes there is a very good chance. We’re looking at putting some stuff online that hasn’t been released & writing a few new tunes to record & put out…
JON:  We have discussed mastering some songs that were released previously on our own and some that were not to release online. We also hope to record and release a few new ones as well.

12.  What was the biggest show that either version of the band ever played?

JON:  My first thoughts are Milwaukee Metalfest and the Afterdeck, Myrtle Beach opening for Jackyl.
RICH: We played a car show that had maybe several thousand people or maybe much less…it was hard to tell cause all they cared about were the cars.

13.  As a band who without question are vets of the scene,  what advice would you give to a young kid out there who has stars in his/her eyes and wants to “be a rock star”.

KIRK: Make the music that you wanna hear. Lots of people are going to tell you no but don’t ever let anyone say you can’t!!!
RICH: I don’t know if I’m qualified to give advice. I’ll kick it to you Dr. Phil style…”If you want to be a rock star…BE a rock star” live it learn it love it. Practice…
JON:  Invest in some nice home studio equipment and write and record as much as possible. I would keep the shows to a regional level and place more emphasis on marketing yourself or your band through all the online channels today.

14.  One thing I have always noticed with SLAM is that you guys seem to have a sound different than your generic hard rock/metal bands of mostly any era,  who do you consider your main influences on your music?

KIRK: We all have very diverse taste in music but as far as guitar players, for me it’s always Randy Rhoads and Dimebag.
RICH: For me…I love vocal melodies and heavy grooving guitars. And you better have a great drummer. They make all of our stupid riffs into music.
JON:  As far as the drums, I would say my earliest and biggest influence is Alex Van Halen. In regard to music in general, I have always listened to all types of music and I am easily influenced by any that I like. I have always enjoyed trying to work those influences into the music. I think we all contribute in that way and try to mold what is thrown out there into something that we all like.

15.  Here is one that will take you back,  I remember a restaurant/bar down in Greenville 20 years ago named Flamingo’s that bands used to play at…  SLAM was on the jukebox!!!  What songs would have been on that jukebox?

RICH: No f**king idea!!!
JON: I have no idea!!!

16.  What new bands have you guys been spinning lately,  anyone out there on a local level or national acts that just blow you away?

KIRK: Check out Habit of Force and Lupara. Both from the Chicago area
RICH: I’m liking the majority of the TesseracT that I’ve heard & Animals as Leaders are playing some cool heavy stuff. I can’t forget Sevendust Cold Day Memory is a great disc!!!
JON:  Always like jamming out to Sevendust, the older stuff.

17.  What are some of your favorite clubs to play over the years around the NC Scene?

KIRK: The Lincoln Theatre is alway great!!!
JON:  The Attic, Snookers, The Mad Monk.
RICH: None and all of them…

18.  We are seeing a lot of older bands reuniting lately and it seems that things are picking up a bit musically in respect to harder rock/metal type music,  do you guys get that vibe and if so what do you think is the reason?

RICH: People are tired of auto tuned bullshit. Except for Lady Gaga…they still like her…

19.  We hear that 10 year old sensation Brooks Paul will be playing with you at the reunion show at Tiebreakers,  have you seen him live yet, what are your thoughts on Brooks?

KIRK: I haven’t seen him live yet but from what I’ve seen on youtube, He’s AWESOME!!!
JON:  I haven’t seen him live but have seen the YouTube video. I’d say he has a bright future ahead as a singer if he sticks with it.

20.  This pretty much sums it up,  anything else you would like to let our readers know about the show or SLAM in general, here is your chance?

KIRK: It’s gonna be Killer!!!
CHUCK: Yeah one thing’s for sure we’re gonna have fun!!!
JON:  Can’t wait to jam and see everyone!!!

I want to send out a thank you to all the guys in SLAM for taking part in the first new 20 Questions interview in many years.  Go check out these guys September 9th at Tiebreakers in G-Vegas!!!

CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING YOUTUBE VIDEOS FEATURING
TUNES FROM S.L.A.M.’s CD “COME WITH THE JOCK GNAW”

Editor/Writer: Glen Stewart
Photos & Videos: Contributed From The Band

Everything started falling apart though with the downfall of the economy a couple years back as well as the death of my Father…   I realized during that time that no amount of money in the world was worth losing that time that you could have spent with close family & friends. I then started stripping everything I owned internet related down to the core and planned to only focus on stuff that either 1. made money or 2. I had a passion for.

Music & NCScene.com falls into #2!!!
Believe me, playing music may well be the way to personal happiness, but unless you are VERY lucky it is not the way to personal wealth!!!

That is how we arrive at “The Woodshed”…   After moving into a different house which had a 16×16 unfinished barn in the backyard & a few calls to friends & former bandmates from years long past, we had a band again jamming whenever anyone could get together.  Over the last year or so, we have started building this barn into a pretty damn cool room that can be used for rehearsal or recording sessions.  There are a lot of things we still need to finish on “Woodshed Studios”, but we truly think when complete it will be one of the better sounding rooms around to record a heavier band in.

Some of you out there know that the band I am speaking of is “Strangelust” as we are doing a couple of reunion shows this year as its our 10 year anniversary.
We also have another project featuring members of this same lineup doing some other music that I think will shock a few people if it ever gets off the ground.

No matter where a musician is in life, there is always a time that they need to “Go Back To The Woodshed”…
Whether it is to get a new tune learned correctly,  work out a hard part of a song, or to just get that passion again…
For me, it was to get that passion again for the whole entire thing, as I have been away for FAR TOO LONG!!!

OK…  Lets get something straight right now…
The next articles I write will not be like this…
Enough pontificating on myself and my own band stuff & life…  its time to write about others!!!

Coming very soon is a BRAND NEW INTERVIEW with local North Carolina legends SEX LOVE & MONEY!!!!
These guys will be playing for the first time in 10 years at TIEBREAKERS in Greenville on September 9th…
NCScene.com has the story on this reunion and we will be bringing it to you soon!!!

The Woodshed is written from the perspective of a local musician who took a multi-year hiatus from the scene and returns.  It will cover a variety of topics, I will do some interviews with bands that I think rock, and I will do some reviews of stuff that I get sent in the mail.  My section is not going to be based primarily on that however.  I will cover topics such as how the scene has changed over the years, my own process of building a rehearsal/recording room on a budget out of an old barn behind my house, and other related stuff that I think will be an interesting read for our visitors.

I have been around the music scene in North Carolina for over 20 years now either performing in bands or doing whatever I could to help put on some of the bigger events that my other friends in the scene were involved in.  I have helped Tony “Dio” Leonard promote & put on the Wilson Metalfests ever since the late 90′s.  My first band that actually played anywhere worth noting, was “Nothings Permanent” which played shows around Greenville & other areas of NC in 1991-1992 with such local legends as Tipper Gor, The Treehuggers, Sex Love & Money & others.  At that time I was just a kid with “stars in my eyes” and I truly felt there was nothing that was going to hold me back from becoming a “rock star”.  The bassist that is jamming with me in the reunion of one of my former bands as well as in another new project we are working on is my former bandmate from that band and also a longtime friend from high school.  Talk about life becoming “full circle”…

From the years of 1993 to 1998 or so, I jammed with various people from the Wilson area but we never really got anything going worth writing about.  During this time I also went to ECU and was a DJ on the college radio station WZMB.  I did the metal show “Music To Annoy The Narrow Minded” and gave Local 420 Greenville bands “Kuttphatt” & “7 Ton Diesel” some of their first radio airplay as well as live interviews at the station, as well as trying to spin as much homegrown local favorite metal bands as I could on the show.

In 1998 after playing my first Wilson Metalfest with one of my former bands, I was offered the opportunity to join local North Carolina favorites “Drill 187″ as a bassist.  I only played a few shows with this band, but I learned so much during this time of what it was like playing with and all of the behind the scenes work involved with a “professional band” that were trying to get signed to a record deal.  I still to this day appreciate the time spent with those guys and learned a ton in the time I was part of the band.

From the years of late 1998 through late 2001, I was the vocalist for “Strangelust” and we had a pretty good buzz around the Eastern NC area in those years due mostly to the NC Metalfests at the Wilson Fairgrounds being in their prime as far as the largest attendance & biggest shows we tried to put on, along with all of our core crowd being from the Wilson area.  We had a CD that was sold in many local music stores in NC,  did some TV spots, and got some airplay from some of the indie radio stations of that time.

From 2002 till late 2003, I played bass in a project named “Devyce” which featured one of my favorite guitarists and longtime good friend Dustin Askew on guitar.  After releasing an EP that sold pretty well locally, the band took a different lineup on the road and played pretty much anywhere that would have us for nearly a year.  I think we did close to 60 shows in less than a year’s time throughout the states of South Carolina, North Carolina & Virginia.  Once this band split up, I planned to take some time away from the local scene but I never dreamed that I would not do anything musically again for the next 7 years.

To be continued in the next post coming very soon….