Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Rock On: Metal Masters 3


SAMSON, HARTKE, ZOOM AND BEST BUY JOIN FORCES FOR METAL MASTERS 3
The Successful Clinic Series Lands At The Key Club
In Los Angeles On April 12

 Three of the leading gear/technology companies for both musicians and consumers alike partners with one the top retailers in the United States for another memorable music event. Samson, Hartke and Zoom have teamed up with Best Buy again for the third installment of Samson’s successful “Metal Masters” series. Metal Masters 3 will take place on April 12 at the famed Key Club on the legendary Sunset Strip in Hollywood, CA. Doors for Metal Masters 3 will open at 7:00PM with the clinic starting at 8:00PM. Metal Masters 3 is comprised of David Ellefson (Megadeth), Kerry King (Slayer), Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Mike Portnoy (Adrenaline Mob/Flying Colors) and newly added master Dave Lombardo (Slayer).

If the buzz that is still circulating from Metal Masters 2 is any indicator, Metal Masters 3 will not disappoint anyone who is lucky enough to see it. Metal Masters 2, which took place at the Best Buy Theater in New York City, featured the Metal Masters demonstrating their personal techniques and styles they use to create the music that millions bang their heads to every day. Metal Masters 2 featured surprise performances of Phil Anselmo (Pantera/Down) and Scott Ian (Anthrax) joining the Masters for some memorable performances including the still talked about Pantera classics “A New Level” and “Hostile.” If that wasn’t enough, Metal Masters 2 was capped off by a full performance by New York metal icons Anthrax days before their performance at the historical Big 4 show at Yankee Stadium. Metal Masters 3 will outdo the legendary Metal Masters 2 and this time return to the west coast where some of the most famous metal bands started.

“We’re extremely excited to be bringing the Metal Masters series back to the West Coast where it originated.” says Mark Menghi, Samson’s Director of Marketing. “And with the artists we have participating and the surprises we have planned, Metal Masters 3 is going to be the best one yet.”

Tickets are available for $20 (first come, first served) at the Key Club’s box office, located at 9039 Sunset Boulevard, or via www.keyclub.com. With door giveaways and surprise guests, all should purchase their tickets early for this All Ages event to witness the return of the Metal Masters.



Sunday, April 1, 2012

10 Seconds With: The Strange Familiar

Photo: Chris Owyoung
Kira Leyden and guitarist Jeff Andrea, the husband and wife songwriting team behind Strange Familiar, make the kind of timeless music that long careers are built on. They have been writing and performing together since they met in grammar school in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. “I was in seventh grade when I saw Jeff’s band playing (Pearl Jam’s) ‘Yellow Ledbetter’ at our school dance,” Leyden recalls. “The singer forgot the words and walked off the stage, and I remember thinking, ‘I could do better than that!’”. A life long partnership sprang from that serendipitous beginning, forged by their mutual love of music and each other. By the time they were in high school, their band had morphed into Jaded Era, one of the top indie groups in the Akron, Ohio area.

When Jaded Era splintered, Kira and Jeff headed to the Leyden family basement, where they set up a studio and started writing songs that would become the foundation of The Strange Familiar. After months of performing around town and experimenting with new sounds, The Strange Familiar decided to make the move to Los Angeles.

Here to make you more “familiar” with the “strange” is Kira Leyden…!

MS: You have an album coming out “Chasing Shadows”.

KL: I’m so excited, “Chasing Shadows” is coming out on April 10th.

MS: Cool, tell me what you hope to accomplish with it?

KL: “Chasing Shadows” is the first time I feel we have been able to get into a studio as a band and do something really cohesive. The band played on all the tracks and it feels like the first time something wasn’t done in pieces. It feels like the most honest we have ever been musically. I think that it is really honest and uplifting, and it will inspire people and help them through tough times.

MS: Very cool.

KL: You know, I really can’t write anything that’s frivolous, “Being Me” is about as frivolous as it gets. (laughs) But we are still trying to send a message - “be happy with who you are”.

MS: It’s more whimsical, than frivolous.

KL: There you go! I’m going to use that from now on. Last year we did a mini school tour. We played a lot of High Schools & Grade Schools. We want to put out a positive message and ended up doing a full show….I looked at those kids and thought: “Wow! That was me a few years ago, trying to fit in”. Our overall message is be yourself, and I’m proud of that.

www.thestrangefamiliar.com

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Checking In With: Traci Lords



Traci Lords is back! After taking some “Mommy Time“, the notorious TL hit the dance floors last year with her smash single “Last Drag”.

Well Traci has more things coming your way … we checked in with each other this week via phone.

Time to get your chat on with Traci Lords.

MS: How’s everything going with you?

TL: Everything is wild! I got off a plane last night around midnight, and now I am driving to Santa Monica, CA. I was in North Carolina at this insane Monster Mash convention. It was with all kinds of wild people, like Linda Blair…all of these horror people. Who would have thought that the fans in North Carolina would be some of the dirtiest MotherF#%kers on the planet!
(both laugh)

MS: That’s Hilarious!

TL: It’s the middle of the Bible Belt! I’m like wow! I told this last night to my husband and he’s like: “Well of course it‘s the Bible Belt”! (laughs) I saw some really interesting and shocking things…it was like “Oh my God, my eyes”!

MS: So, how your trip to Sundance with the horror movie you star in “Excision”?

TL: Absolutely amazing! All kinds of things happened, I swear I’m going to write a book one day, like “Tales From The Trenches” or something…about the stuff that happens behind the scenes when you are doing it all. Things like getting stuck in a blizzard and Me, my Manager & my Publicist having to dig our car out. I was wearing faux fur and I looked like a Russian Mobsters wife or something. (laughs) There was a blizzard and we couldn’t get our car up the hill, so we had to hike down the side of the mountain, it was seriously action packed! (laughs)

MS: La Femme‘s Nakita ! (laughs)…how was the screening of “Excision”?

TL: One of my favorite moments, and it has nothing to do with me. When John Waters comes on the screen and he doesn’t do anything, he just raises one eyebrow and the whole place went wild! He wasn’t there because he had a speaking engagement someplace else. I called him and I told him “People really miss you in independent films”. I told him about the reaction and the whole thing, he was really pleased. This was the little movie that shouldn’t have and I was really proud of what we all did.

MS: I heard that people walked out because they found it disgusting.

TL: That didn’t happen at the screening I was at, but it did happen at the press screening. A friend of mine in the press, a French Man, told me about 1/3 of the audience disappeared in the beginning because they could not handle the horror. What’s really horrifying to me about “Excision” is it could happen, the truth of the film is what’s really terrifying.

MS: The truth is a terrifying thing on many levels.

TL: Every time I see it, I’ve seen it now 4 or 5 times. Every time my eyes well up, it’s just that powerful.

MS: Spill about your gig this Friday, March 30th - The Miss Hooker Pageant at The Dragonfly in Hollywood, CA.

TL: It’s me Dave Navarro & Alexis Arquette judging. I love Lexi and I love Dave, who I haven’t seen in years, so it’s going to be a good time!

MS: The other option I had for tomorrow night was an art opening, I’m weird about those, it’s too much of a crap shoot.

TL: Yeah, it can be really painful.

MS: When this came up I said to a friend: “What does it say about me that I would rather go see “The Miss Hooker Pageant” than go to an art opening?

TL: I want to warn you I am driving through Santa Monica, CA right now and I might lose you.

MS: As I was saying… it says, I want to have a fun time!

TL: Yes, exactly! You know there is going to have to be latex and whips involved! With Lexi, Dave Navarro & Me, C’mon ! I know I am wearing my latex corset.

MS: I remember when they used to hold Club F#$k at The Dragonfly on occasion - I used to think they staged the sex stuff until one night I saw, to put I politely, a full figured woman in a tight bondage outfit being whipped, who was grunting like a pig, that guy was really hitting her hard! I was surprised they were doing that.

TL: I’m surprised she liked it.

MS: She must have or she would not have kept participating.

TL: Ya know Michael, I’m telling you human nature, the freakiness of people, it’s just so fascinating.

MS: I agree with you.

TL: Most of the time I’m like “Wow, did that just that happen”?

MS: We are so complex, aren’t we?

TL: Yes, here I am the token ex-porn star in the room and I am like the most normal, sane person in it. 20 years ago John Waters said to me: “One of the great things about your past, is you will never ever have to do another bad thing in your life, people will just assume you are a bad ass and you can just relax”. I didn’t understand it then, but now I totally get it.

MS: You took some "Mommy Time" for a bit which is so cool.

TL: I've come out of the "Mommy Cage" (laughs) my son is 4 1/2 now, oh honey he knows everything. the quote of the week, they were talking about this in preschool, they asked, what do your parents do for a living? He said" My Daddy walks in high places, My Mommy walks in high heels". My husband is an iron worker, that's the information he has been able to process, it's pretty extraordinary.

If you live in Los Angeles, CA check Traci out tomorrow night, she will be judging....The Miss Hooker Pageant at The Dragonfly.

www.tracilords.com

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

For Immediate Release: James Durbin On Tour


Hey Durbin, catch you at The Viper Room On April 12th !



James Durbin Announces National Tour in Support of “Memories of a Beautiful Disaster
Rocker Set To Return to American Idol for Special Live Performance on Thursday, April 12
“Love Me Bad” Single Cracks The Hot Adult Top 40 chart
James Receives a Best Lead Vocalist Nomination from the Golden Gods Awards

March 2012- Los Angeles, CA – American Idol finalist James Durbin has announced he will hit the road for his first-ever national tour this Spring in support of his Wind-Up Records debut album Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster.

Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster broke into the Top 10 on Billboard’s Rock Album chart at #8 and debuted at #36 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album chart. The disc is nearing the 100,000 sales mark, while his current single, “Love Me Bad,” recently cracked the Hot Adult Top 40 chart.
Click here to watch the “Love Me Bad” video: http://www.vevo.com/watch/james-durbin/love-me-bad/USWV41100047

James Durbin waved the flag for rock music on American Idol. It was his devotion to rock that helped him overcome his private struggles with tourette’s and aspergers syndrome. James touched the hearts of people everywhere while on the show, and is ready to rock for America again when he launches his tour on April 12 in Los Angeles at the famed Viper Room. James and his band will also open for Evanescence as well as various dates with Buckcherry through May and also perform at Rock On The Range music festival May 20.

Prior to rocking stages across America this Spring & Summer, James will return to the Idol stage Thursday, April 12th, for a special live performance with his band. In addition, James has been nominated for a Golden Gods Award in the Best Lead Vocalist category and will also be a presenter on the show. The Golden Gods Awards will take place on April 11th at Club Nokia, Los Angeles, and - for the first time ever- the event will be broadcast live in its entirety on Xbox LIVE, as well as on the Xbox and Revolver Facebook pages. To vote for James please visit: http://www.revolvermag.com/goldengods/vote/
Revolver magazine recently named James one of the “100 Greatest Living Rock Stars” alongside other rock icons, including Ozzy Osbourne, Gene Simmons and Dave Grohl. People magazine gave Memories Of a Beautiful Disaster 3 out of 4 stars saying “Durbin is one of the best voices to come out of Idol. His debut packs metallic muscle.”

Tour dates
April 12 Los Angeles, CA The Viper Room
April 17 Austin, TX Stubbs w/Evanescence
Apr 18 Corpus Christi, TX Brewster St. Ice House
April 21 Lubbock, TX Xfest – radio show – pavilion stage at Lonestar Amp
Apr 24 Odessa, TX Dos Amigos
Apr 25 Houston, TX Warehouse Live
Apr 27 St Louis, MO Pops Nite Club
Apr 28 Concho, OK Lucky Star Casino
May 11 Clear Lake, IA Surf Ballroom
May 16 Winston Salem, NC Ziggys
May 17 Baltimore, MD The Power Plant Live
May 18 Huntington, NY Paramount

May 19 Santa Cruz, CA Beach Boardwalk
May 20 Columbus, OH Rock On The Range 

May 21 Clifton Park, NY Northern Lights
May 23 Knoxville, TN Valarium
May 24 Biloxi, MS Hard Rock Live
May 27 Carlsbad, NM Walter Gerels PAC
*Dates in “red” are performances with Buckcherry

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

For Immediate Release: Get Your "Dead Head" On !


The Grateful Dead "Dawn of the Dead" Documentary
to be Released on DVD May 22
An in-depth analysis of the rise of the San Francisco underground
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1109590545150&s=40652&e=001FlgE-Eg4gRkSDRy6U6YT3rXpVkaX82I07LrX8KbRL_8AE--8PrP5PQYL22gXss8GoNEfqbPrBHXpRmmh76UtJASmChWwRtn_IYiclJHDnmyZWALnRWuAwJxR_ImR5PJA0sZieTnef9MoJWNTkusIAQ==

To all you "Dead Heads" out there, say hey!


Ihttp://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1109590545150&s=40652&e=001FlgE-Eg4gRmyX62L2DxZSEAhvIAlqVi5J7TZgutSCjohKQKtYfFfSFwh9UkGJTqhvcGCugyEFheKhh2P7_eTL8v1358o34GBmadqC17kHjZp8lpLDgnp5YPNHVxQwBVOwrP4r7SkHkxzBwOF56b6qGpDZr3qKHiS8YFYhlZYmzeguFp2gmyO2LTxithsB0Sg_O_R0FRWi4gxh-PWl_zHHLAVJf-K6PKsbkCEXIvS8Drm8BJSr4S_BemUMptYXnvj7tJH5dnOqtLrreockmd-rcjc1BKx7aKuS7pR0wUH1s17HKX6udPMqnRRt-G4yHk4Kfmeg-ICBdyQnKMAMtJ6M1sV4t44rGegr-vxrleeW53MIv1kUwyj5t6SNzeH_v4PXQyH9cBZaCLueMWcX405g9BKrsmZLwnMezE8oTc2YOPM6MWhVW20qwF938zGosJ5_fjtciLMPTo=n the mid-1960s a new twist on contemporary rock music emerged out of San Francisco. Known as 'psychedelia', it was pioneered by a close-knit community of local bands who merged traditional American forms such as folk, country, blues and rock & roll with new sounds often developed under the influence of psychedelic drugs. Bound up with the social and cultural changes for which San Francisco was also the focal point, it was a combination that made for a radical re-imaging of youth culture.


This film traces the movements, events and sounds of those heady days, and traces the story of the definitive band of the psychedelic age, The Grateful Dead. Giving time too for the involvement of Frisco's other lead players such as Big Brother & The Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane, The Charlatans and Quicksilver Messenger Service, the program explores what it was that, for a while, turned San Francisco into a 1960s Shangri-La.

Featuring brand new interviews with Grateful Dread manager Rock Scully; the Dead's experimental professor, Tom 'T.C.' Constanten; Big Brother's Peter Albin; Mike Willlhelm from The Charlatans; publicist and official Dead biographer, Dennis McNally; Counter-Culture and Dead author and journalist (and host of 'The Grateful Dead Hour'), David Gans; Merry Prankster and best friend of the late Ken Kesey, Ken Babbs, plus comment, criticism and review from Rolling Stone's Anthony De Curtis, Village Voice's Robert Christgau and Mojo's Ritchie Unterberger.

Also including the rarest archive in existence, live and studio footage of Grateful Dead and the other Frisco bands, vintage interviews, location shoots, news reports plus the music that soundtracked the entire movement, which all together make for the most detailed overview yet of the social upheaval on America's West Coast which ultimately changed the world forever.


Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Muppets: Get Their Star...!


Why are there so many songs about rainbows,and what's on the other side? Rainbows are visions, but only illusions, and rainbows have nothing to hide....

M-U-P-P-E-T-S What's that spell? Muppets! Yay Muppets!

My favorite mafia of the felt got their much deserved star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame this week in front of Disney's El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. (Since Disney now owns the right to The Muppets, smells like Disney spirit)...

Last year's reboot of "The Muppets" was one of my favorite movies ever check out the link if you don't believe me: http://mshinafelt.blogspot.com/2011/11/reel-life-muppets.html

There is a sequel in the pipeline proving how timeless and enduring this rag tag team is, if that does not say star, I don't know what does....Hey, Miss Piggy should be a contestant on the next season of "Dancing With The Stars" come to think of it..!

Sorry guys I could not make it in time for your awesome honor, I guess I should have traveled by map!


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Dancing With The Stars: Get Yourself Some Matt Nathanson


MATT NATHANSON TO PERFORM ON
DANCING WITH THE STARS THE RESULTS SHOW
TUESDAY, MARCH 27th


Occasionally I have found a random reason to tune in to a portion of the show they call "Dancing With The..."Stars".


That would be the times they had an actual star on it...the lovely and super sweet, Pamela Anderson, who I have had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing. The amazing Margaret Cho, who I have interviewed several times and know - and of course the awesome Kirstie Alley, who I, sadly do not know, nor have I ever interviewed her, Hey Kirstie if you are reading this, contact me! Well here is another reason to watch on March 27th get yourself some Matt Nathanson...Woot!


March 20, 2012 - MATT NATHANSON is scheduled to perform on the premiere of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show, ” Tuesday, March 27th (9:00- 10:00 p.m. ET/PT).

NATHANSON’S
performance on DANCING WITH THE STARS comes in the midst of his North American tour with Kelly Clarkson and his headlining 2012 ‘All Night Noise’ tour.

Since the release of his latest album, Modern Love, Nathanson has performed on numerous television shows including Jimmy Kimmel, Leno, Conan, Rachael Ray, VH1’s Big Morning Buzz Live and The Bachelor to name a few. He has appeared on Howard Stern and nationally syndicated radio programs such as Billy Bush, Kidd Kraddick and Fox All Access. He also participated in the recent TEDx conference joining some of the world’s top speakers on a panel discussing the creative process.