tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83658546151736352742024-03-20T02:13:19.360-07:00Words N Music by JRMusical Introductions to Gutsy, Talented and less media-soaked auditory Artists of various genresJacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-59481499696939889412021-03-23T03:15:00.003-07:002021-04-15T02:23:22.687-07:00Bad Baby Bomb<div class="separator" style="text-align: center;"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="" class="style-scope yt-img-shadow" id="img" src="https://yt3.ggpht.com/ytc/AAUvwnj0VOHUUUCva22LWY7btaSxHQxCAu7A9mswsjZC=s88-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj" width="80" /></p></div><p>I was reviewing hard rock and metal acts earlier. This is unlike any of them - although there is a connection. More on that later...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhQSrzj2fG9VxSgUvHXHm8hrS5w0LU1YMaPfvxO2NCWK92ABBzIqI69AUp3lZP19mh3GzH4DEgEJCpxZqrxSnrsMa50JUDjDjT0BJhRA6ZFrWgG7pLyX0eop9-Ow2tzPTG82Vp5r0VTo/s1700/BBB-couch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1700" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhQSrzj2fG9VxSgUvHXHm8hrS5w0LU1YMaPfvxO2NCWK92ABBzIqI69AUp3lZP19mh3GzH4DEgEJCpxZqrxSnrsMa50JUDjDjT0BJhRA6ZFrWgG7pLyX0eop9-Ow2tzPTG82Vp5r0VTo/w484-h322/BBB-couch.jpg" width="484" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">[Clockwise from near left: Vocalist Nicky, drummer Kuro, bassist NaluchaRos, guitarist Lisa13]<br /></div><div><p><br /> <b>"Bad Baby Bomb"</b> is a 4 girl band in Japan that does music, well, so far mostly about being a girl. In fact the first of their YouTube songs is named "Being a Girl." (Although I believe they're actually "twentysomething" young women.)<br /> IMHO it has a punkpop quality, a garage band vibe, and a uniqueness beyond those categories.<br /> There are three instruments I've seen so far, and with only one regular guitar in the mix, much of their sound is bass and drum heavy, which is fine with me. And the play between bass and guitar is nicely done and often interesting, though not always obvious. Sometimes it sounds like they're each going off on their own... yet still somehow complementing each other. The longer I listen, the more subtleties I hear.<br /> I don't know if the lead singer plays an instrument, because the official video doesn't show them playing through it, and the video of a mini-concert done last April doesn't show the singer at all; she is there by means of technology. However, in some songs on that video I hear a synthesizer, so she might play keyboards.<br /> I learned of them via an interview of "Lisa13" the guitarist, done by travel vlogger Oriental Pearl on YouTube.<br /> In the interview, Lisa describes how she and her Dad went to a make-it-yourself studio and created a simple device to fit her undeveloped hand (her right) to which she can attach some tools. That is her pick hand on the guitar. From what I hear so far, she seems to have ability, timing and creativity. I look forward to what they do next.<br /> The interview with Oriental Pearl:<br /> <a href="https://youtu.be/mAfBg7LFCZE">https://youtu.be/mAfBg7LFCZE</a> <br /><br /> Their first MV drop was “Being a Girl” about a year ago.<br /> Although, "Being a Girl" official video really isn't a video. The screen shows the name of the band over the dim grey image of a bat on a faintly less dark background to look at whilst listening to the audio. Synthesizer is prominent. <br /> The notes identify Lisa13, the guitarist, as composer, and vocalist Nicky as lyricist.<br /> <a href="https://youtu.be/etE0e5I8Dzw">https://youtu.be/etE0e5I8Dzw</a><br /><br /> This was the first video I saw, and as an official MV the quality is pretty good. Great road-trip song. Lots of playing about in a very pink apartment (or set?) while the song plays.<br /> <a href="https://youtu.be/uNxAqAsmLj8">https://youtu.be/uNxAqAsmLj8</a><br /><br /> The mini concert they did in April 2020 in what looks like a basement or garage studio with the lead singer on an unseen remote feed. Click the little chevron in YouTube that opens the Notes for this to get the set list, member names, etc.<br /> <a href="https://youtu.be/XB0kiyqKEpA">https://youtu.be/XB0kiyqKEpA</a></p><p> <br /> Those three MV links are from their official YouTube channel, so you can subscribe.<br />YouTube <br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUaypdpNsRPG0gkgt6M75sQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUaypdpNsRPG0gkgt6M75sQ</a></p><p> The newest tune they uploaded at this point is "Ms. Pancake" - well, sort of. There is a video on their channel ABOUT making it, mostly messing about getting ready, then finishing with a hysterically speeded up section of them actually playing it. Meanwhile - on Lisa's channel, she dropped a video of her putting a pink cassette of it into a single-speaker boom box and mouths the words a bit and smiles while it plays through. Very much continuing the 1990-ish theme: </p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/GThiiI-AynM">https://youtu.be/GThiiI-AynM</a> <br /><br /> </p><p>The group site:<br /><a href="https://badbabybomb.com/about/">https://badbabybomb.com/about/</a><br /><br />Twitter @BadBabyBomb<br />Instagram @BadBabyBomb<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUaypdpNsRPG0gkgt6M75sQ"></a><br /> I said I would have more later on their metal connection. To start with, Bad Baby Bomb is not Lisa13’s first rodeo. According to this article, she was a prime mover in at least one other band of note before this one, “Moth in Lilac” which she led (and which I plan to review next).<br /> <a href="https://www.jame-world.com/en/article/153715-bad-baby-bomb-summer1990.html">https://www.jame-world.com/en/article/153715-bad-baby-bomb-summer1990.html</a><br /><br /> The article describes Moth in Lilac as “alternative metal” which certainly applies, though it notes Lisa resisted labels for the group. Just my impression of the dominant sound so far would be thrash metal.</p><p><br /> <b>NaluchaRos</b> was also bassist for that group. She has a couple of bass covers on her own channel.<br /> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/peko88rock">https://www.youtube.com/user/peko88rock</a><br />Her others:<br />Twitter @Nalu_chaRos223<br />Instagram @nalucharos22</p><p> NaluchaRos, one of her Twitter posts. Def she's going for the little girl kawaii look. Very solid bass player though.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrQS7AZ5uBEmDFYDLTHcWfWANQLCG2_eVvv-nY6Gsze9zlJPC8EBiHX1ZJUqW3e_ccwuHA7D5U1zgersn7HV-UyHahsUBv0MI6MnAuea-56Yuhm4zzkB_Afk2zPzXsQdyzYqlC-myK8M/s2048/NaluchaRos-pigtails-thinEarrings.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1486" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrQS7AZ5uBEmDFYDLTHcWfWANQLCG2_eVvv-nY6Gsze9zlJPC8EBiHX1ZJUqW3e_ccwuHA7D5U1zgersn7HV-UyHahsUBv0MI6MnAuea-56Yuhm4zzkB_Afk2zPzXsQdyzYqlC-myK8M/s320/NaluchaRos-pigtails-thinEarrings.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">________<br /></p><p><br /><b>Nicky Rosa</b> the vocalist comes to BBB most recently from RiViNi, whose name was compiled of the first two letters of the names of the first three members to join. She was the “Ni” ending of the name.<br /> She is originally from eastern Pakistan and the "s" in her name might be pronounced "sh."<br /> <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/6478128-Nicky-37">https://www.discogs.com/artist/6478128-Nicky-37</a><br />Twitter @l0u0lr<br />Instagram @nicky_badbabybomb</p><p> I brought in a part of a RiViNi pic to show Nicky. Part of the N is in the upper right, and a bit of her bandmate's hair is just behind her right shoulder. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ODitOr26UxJeGvQ4lG4QmysXvkldL5kUzpENWcn0rfmFkif6lYzKnUHpGx8yWCP06uF2Pybeji6MOvu4H09TCAwT_uqdzcwczxBn4iHZwvv4VSPBuge92dRZ3NBOm1pWlahC4iiRegc/s405/Nicky-Rivini.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="259" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ODitOr26UxJeGvQ4lG4QmysXvkldL5kUzpENWcn0rfmFkif6lYzKnUHpGx8yWCP06uF2Pybeji6MOvu4H09TCAwT_uqdzcwczxBn4iHZwvv4VSPBuge92dRZ3NBOm1pWlahC4iiRegc/w195-h304/Nicky-Rivini.png" width="195" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">________<br /></p><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Kuro</b> the drummer, formerly of “Grudge Against Personality” - basically a death metal group.<br /></p>[Update 2021-04-14: When I first posted, I said “Good luck finding an individual picture of her. Her Twitter pics are mostly either playbills or photos of her pet rabbit.” Since then I found the Grudge Against Personality page on Facebook, so here is one of the better pics I found on there. Note the makeup and the leather mask worn in the approved under-chin position.] </div><div> </div><div>Twitter @last_9871</div><div><br /><a href="https://m.facebook.com/grudgeagain">https://m.facebook.com/grudgeagain</a></div><div> <br /></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsGvl8RzHXEJtFaK0eRwpzuDcB1F0MZLJIWbihtVL7rOCMNX4RPgaj0SJPY_IXDW-nAL4t8M-XXgXbnseO1Dv26XDmuoNHsSAKWj94U8b2mrFE1ltvdIcdkSUd33lw1yfCK85TPx4m9k/s960/GAP-KuroAAA.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="636" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsGvl8RzHXEJtFaK0eRwpzuDcB1F0MZLJIWbihtVL7rOCMNX4RPgaj0SJPY_IXDW-nAL4t8M-XXgXbnseO1Dv26XDmuoNHsSAKWj94U8b2mrFE1ltvdIcdkSUd33lw1yfCK85TPx4m9k/s320/GAP-KuroAAA.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;">_______<br /></div><div><p><br /><b>Lisa J Poole</b> herself/<b>Lisa13</b><br />Twitter @lhjw121315666<br />Instagram @lisajpoole13<br /></p><p><b>Lisa</b> did an acoustic cover of a song by Suede called “Animal Nitrate” a few years ago that shows her guitar work close up, audibly and visually. You can get a good look at her playing using her wrist-mounted device with a pick. </p><p> At the time, she was in the middle of her run with her thrash metal group Moth in Lilac. This is quite different.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnFTTrJCujQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnFTTrJCujQ</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUvrDPPRkX-CKbk3JvekLAebHfFJpwrdcjra4mInME-s84If3O70lTI6gYbE-uUUZYb9rhI4nll1FC6z52DrdclbpVMMia7B3bY9tVaQB2qMWsN14jyc9-rAr5oPHsotBXn5Z-MBrytE/s2048/LisaJPoole-inPaisley.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUvrDPPRkX-CKbk3JvekLAebHfFJpwrdcjra4mInME-s84If3O70lTI6gYbE-uUUZYb9rhI4nll1FC6z52DrdclbpVMMia7B3bY9tVaQB2qMWsN14jyc9-rAr5oPHsotBXn5Z-MBrytE/s320/LisaJPoole-inPaisley.jpg" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"> _______</div><p></p><p><br /> Bottom line as I see it: Interesting, quirky alternative music group, not like anyone else, with engaging tunes and intriguing people. Give them a listen on YouTube and see what you think. Or better, how you feel.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Updated 2021-04-14<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #cc0000;">J</span></i></span><br /></p></div>Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-19793333472718419472019-04-09T17:52:00.001-07:002021-04-15T02:26:03.789-07:00exist†trace<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>exist†trace</b></div>
<br />
The name as a logo has a vertical sword pointed downward between the words “exist” and “trace.” I’m going to use a hyphen in the rest of this article.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeSgFhJTB1v9dturhELaJ-VoTo3Lve8QULYWycojwquNWFw1084msFtOqItadw8wX6r0yWkGZSIJZGSinlPoVq8ulaJf5faRtsVZFcVj2iFyddtA6rdLgBZw5VimcDSmeUE47uWtt6pg/s1600/ET-inConcert2-2019-02-19.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="960" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeSgFhJTB1v9dturhELaJ-VoTo3Lve8QULYWycojwquNWFw1084msFtOqItadw8wX6r0yWkGZSIJZGSinlPoVq8ulaJf5faRtsVZFcVj2iFyddtA6rdLgBZw5VimcDSmeUE47uWtt6pg/s640/ET-inConcert2-2019-02-19.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 2019 L - R: Miko on guitar, Naoto on bass, Mally on drums, Jyou lead vocals, Omi lead guitar</td></tr>
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This is mainly melodic metal, and of quality. Many of the melodies could stand on their own in various genres. The gutsy instrumental work is rich and satisfies the metal fan in me.<br />
I don’t wanna be all gushy, but... Exist-Trace is dang near perfect. <br />
Why?<br />
They have artistic quality, musical balance, and creativity that will not be kept in a box. I will use some descriptors to try and convey what I’m hearing, but please don’t assume any cut-and-dried stereotypes beyond what is said. For example:<br />
They have some Metal qualities and are very capable of laying down a rich metal sound, and they mostly dress in black or other dark colors, like Goths, and they deal with heavy subjects often, like Goth and Metal do. The song Power of “One” is about people coming together to change everything, a positive message. On the other hand...<br />
What about when people aren’t so mutually supportive? The song “Water” is from the viewpoint of a girl who has just given birth and is in recovery, her body is torn, and her lover is angry at her for letting this happen. He won’t even hold the child. She is hoping for an end to cruel words and a beginning for love. But now - sorrow and pain and no love. Yes. They go there.<br />
They’re also woke enough to (for example) try and wake others up to the existence of child sacrifices. (You can believe or disbelieve that, but you can’t say they’re afraid to bring up the hard issues.) Is “Sacrifice Baby” raising our awareness about overt Satanic type sacrifice or about abortion? Maybe both. You decide. What it is not, is a shallow excuse for musical art, which is all too common. E-T (a curious acronym) lays down some serious content.<br />
At the same time, no two songs are quite alike. They vary. They lighten up and have fun with it too. A couple of tunes have a lot of the “hot” swing-jazz influence from the late 1940s. They have a lot of things going on.<br />
One of the categories they inhabit is Visual Kei. Visual Kei is a kind of glam-rock involving costumes and usually androgyny. Japan, like England, has a history of cross-dressing in theater, so the theatrical androgyny may or may not mean anything regarding their offstage sexual preferences/orientation. Legendary Visual Kei band Shazna for example, re-formed for the third time in 2017 with three of the original male members from 1993 including lead singer Izam, who is a scarily sweet-fem character onstage who is often in very convincing drag, plus three newer (2017+) members including Raychelle and Natsume of (also) Raise a Suilen. Izam’s first marriage (to a woman) failed in 1999, but his second marriage (to a woman, actress Yoshioka Miho) in 2006 appears still strong and they have three children. So don’t assume anything personal; it’s all just visuals, impressions. Maybe.<br />
So, lead singer Jyou has medium-short hair (think unisex anime hero/heroine hairstyles) and dresses in a “masculine” style, while guitarist/songwriter/vocalist Miko generally wears lacey black dresses, and the others are all along the gender spectrum in between. Bassist Naoto splits the difference, wearing her hair quite long on one side and closely buzzcut on the other.<br />
And as Japanese rock band members often color their hair (not all, Band-Maid has kept theirs natural I think), there’s hair dye involved and early on, Jyou's hair was blonde/light brown, then for a time, it was bright red. About that:<br />
Red hair is of course Anglo-, or at least Gaelic-American and "American" relates to rock and roll. But in Asia, red hair is a bit edgy, for a couple of reasons. Conservative folks expect black hair and at times that gets ridiculous, with school teachers in Japan harassing students with other hair colors, telling them dyed hair isn’t allowed even when theirs isn’t dyed at all. Recently a folk singer did a protest song about this; she has brown hair and they demanded she bring a doctor’s certificate that brown was its natural color. She was like, You could just look at the roots?! At least she got a song out of it.<br />
The other reason goes back thousands of years to the Scythian migrations. The Scythians were a Nordic-ish nomadic group who exchanged DNA with lots of people along the way, but their base genetics tended to be very tall, red haired and (compared to most Asians) large nose, and their culture was fierce and warlike to survive their many challenges. They swept across northern Europe and Asia eastward, then southerly (though there is physical evidence and Native American legends that some red-haired giants ended up in North America), skirmishing with and apparently reconciling with the Japanese in the process, after which the Japanese adopted the Scythian overlapping metal plate armor and the Scythians brought the Japanese chain-mail westward because it worked well with their fighting style of longbows and long swords on horseback. Point being, they left an impression; to this day the traditional depiction of a demon in many Asian cultures is often a big red-haired character with a large "hooked" nose.<br />
BTW, a number of Scythian groups settled in various places and although mixed, red hair still is not unusual among some of them, such as the Gaelic people of Ireland and Scotland - in fact one of the Scythian names for themselves was “Scoti”.<br />
So when you see Japanese rock band members with dyed red hair, there is an ancient association with being intense, fierce, and possibly not a nice little cog in the traditional local social system. A wildcard.<br />
Exist-Trace played on this. They did a song “Ginger” (British term for a red-haired person) during the period lead singer Jyou played a ginger-haired masculine character. Interestingly, it has the feel of a late 1940s or 1950s French jazz club. In the official video, the band members find a stash of jewelry and each is killed off by her companion(s), and the last one standing, looking narrowly into the camera like a stone-cold killer, is of course, Jyou as a ginger.<br />
And of course, now that I’ve said all that, Jyou seems to have her natural hair color (?) back lately. But anyway, now you know about that and it applies to some other bands too.<br />
The past: Exist-Trace was formed in 2003-2004. They have kept the same people since then to date, excepting a support guitarist “Yama” whose what-when-where I’m unclear on. So there is good reason why they are a tightly integrated, well synchronized band. They probably have instinctive knowledge of each other's approaches and responses by now.<br />
The name has to do with tracing our existence, our lives... <br />
<br />
iTunes: <a href="http://smarturl.it/exist-trace_iTunes">http://smarturl.it/exist-trace_iTunes</a><br />
Spotify: <a href="http://smarturl.it/exist-trace_Spotify">http://smarturl.it/exist-trace_Spotify</a><br />
Google Play: <a href="http://smarturl.it/exist-trace_GGLPlay">http://smarturl.it/exist-trace_GGLPlay</a><br />
Amazon MP3: <a href="http://smarturl.it/exist-trace_Amazon">http://smarturl.it/exist-trace_Amazon</a><br />
Official International Fan Club: <a href="http://archangel-diamond.com/">http://archangel-diamond.com</a><br />
<br />
CDJapan is a solid source, and allows you to look at the total cost with shipping before entering your payment. Nice. This is the Exist-Trace page there. Note that just under the name of the CD/DVD is the name of the artist/group. A couple of them say "V.A." instead which means a "Various Artists" collection on which this group is included.<br />
<a href="http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/person/401394?s_ssid=e313615cb5c3bb7a0f">http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/person/401394?s_ssid=e313615cb5c3bb7a0f</a><br />
<br />
Group site<br />
<a href="http://www.exist-trace.com/">http://www.exist-trace.com/</a><br />
<br />
Official Twitter: Good for current tour info and miscellaneous pictures<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/existxtrace_19">https://twitter.com/existxtrace_19</a><br />
<br />
Mally's Twitter<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/existtraceMally">https://twitter.com/existtraceMally</a><br />
<br />
Miko's Twitter<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/miko_0307">https://twitter.com/miko_0307</a> <br />
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Miko’s personal blog<br />
<a href="https://ameblo.jp/existtrace-miko/entry-12450876918.html">https://ameblo.jp/existtrace-miko/entry-12450876918.html</a><br />
<br />
Discogs<br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/1804549-ExistTrace?page=1">https://www.discogs.com/artist/1804549-ExistTrace?page=1</a><br />
<br />
The Visual Kei corner of Fandom.com has a nice detailed history and discography.<br />
<a href="https://visualkei.fandom.com/wiki/Exist%E2%80%A0trace">https://visualkei.fandom.com/wiki/Exist%E2%80%A0trace</a><br />
<br />
And VKH-Press has an interview regarding their most recent (late 2016) EP release “Royal Straight Magic”:<br />
<a href="https://www.vkh-press.com/2017/02/interview-existtrace-on-royal-straight.html">https://www.vkh-press.com/2017/02/interview-existtrace-on-royal-straight.html</a><br />
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Their Facebook page...<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/existxtrace.official/">https://www.facebook.com/existxtrace.official/</a><br />
<br />
Yes, MySpace is still going<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/existxtrace">http://www.myspace.com/existxtrace</a><br />
<br />
Some nice pics from late 2017 by photographer Meiko Kikuta<br />
<a href="https://jrocknews.com/2017/12/exist%E2%80%A0trace-completes-19th-challenge-series-climax-event.html">https://jrocknews.com/2017/12/exist%E2%80%A0trace-completes-19th-challenge-series-climax-event.html</a><br />
<br />
And the Wiki schtick<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exist_Trace">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exist_Trace</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZF6pcESf1ljQMAXw2n0yXjbSQM0fQka7ZDVYsfBJElDtZ7gn9PsG_vC3AOw3cswDznh6aBV-Dv2f1NOuDceVWJYuWvn2E5a7jlIB_p1LuWiB07oC2ialOhdLvZwegHAcUfawefv-m7o/s1600/Exist-Trace_2019-02-Nagoya.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZF6pcESf1ljQMAXw2n0yXjbSQM0fQka7ZDVYsfBJElDtZ7gn9PsG_vC3AOw3cswDznh6aBV-Dv2f1NOuDceVWJYuWvn2E5a7jlIB_p1LuWiB07oC2ialOhdLvZwegHAcUfawefv-m7o/s640/Exist-Trace_2019-02-Nagoya.jpg" width="564" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 2019, Nagoya. L - R: Miko, Omi, Jyou, Naoto, Mally</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Jyou, Mally and Naoto started the group, auditioned guitarists and brought in Miko and Omi. Omi is lead guitarist, while rhythm guitarist Miko has become the principal songwriter and second vocalist (they all contribute at various times and degrees). Their tunes tend toward the melodic side of the metal spectrum.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A sampling of the YouTube music video posts. There are quite a few more, as might be expected of a band active for 16 years now. There are also a few talking video posts, of which some have English subtitles, that I haven’t listed here. A YouTube search on Exist-Trace will find them.</div>
<br />
Their first official release was Ambivalence in 2005. Heavy, yet some of Jyou's vocals are almost delicate. A tour de force.<br />
<a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q8xMxi_FeEs">https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q8xMxi_FeEs</a><br />
<br />
Halt<br />
An early one, from 2007. Sorta undead death-metal.<br />
<a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=CmF4jtVHh9Q">https://youtube.com/watch?v=CmF4jtVHh9Q</a><br />
<br />
Liquid. Heavy, with growls, etc. Song released 2007, this performance maybe 2009.<br />
<a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=x3MsqvWtEQs">https://youtube.com/watch?v=x3MsqvWtEQs</a><br />
<br />
How many singers can make a yodel sound artistically elegant?<br />
Jyou can.<br />
Lost in Helix from the EP “Vanguard of the Muses” - 2009<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CeLu9KN2hI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CeLu9KN2hI</a><br />
<br />
Instinct. 2011<br />
Begins with the invitation, “Shall we dance?” - with a certain edgy quality. Then rips into something that is danceable, yet heavy; sounds like it could be for a darkblood vampire party. Muahaha!<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXlwZOlQyrI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXlwZOlQyrI</a><br />
<br />
During her red-haired period, on June 18, 2011, Jyou did a rare public performance in a dress, for just part of their set. This is "Kiss in the Dark" which was one of their vintage French jazz club feeling numbers. So the dress was brief, as might be worn by the chanteuse in such a club when her song included dancing behind/with the mike (BTW, notice Jyou typically uses a classic slotted metal mike of the style of the late-40s - early 1950s period).<br />
A stunning and sexy performance.<br />
<a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=gum6O_dolb8">https://youtube.com/watch?v=gum6O_dolb8</a><br />
<br />
Ginger - official video<br />
<a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=mPtwsZDelGk">https://youtube.com/watch?v=mPtwsZDelGk</a><br />
<br />
Knife. A beautiful melancholy melodic anthem from 2011<br />
<a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=W5oLtIKghbY">https://youtube.com/watch?v=W5oLtIKghbY</a><br />
<br />
Antique Doll - with English translation, 2011<br />
<a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=MQ3b8kTWmBI">https://youtube.com/watch?v=MQ3b8kTWmBI</a><br />
<br />
True. Also 2011, with ginger Jyou. Official video, sound is pretty good.<br />
<a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=rZjlIKiCj3g">https://youtube.com/watch?v=rZjlIKiCj3g</a><br />
<br />
Signal. From album Virgin, 2012.<br />
<a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=7u83GNx-9Pk">https://youtube.com/watch?v=7u83GNx-9Pk</a><br />
<br />
Dream Rider. 2016, modified by fan to the CD track due to perceived poor sound quality in original official video. “exist†trace - Dream Rider MV (audio fix)” posted by Ro the Lion.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM82BJqt-1c">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM82BJqt-1c</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Updated 2019-04-16</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-39526494969758337842019-02-28T23:12:00.000-08:002019-02-28T23:14:42.475-08:00DisqualiaThe majority of Disqualia came from Destrose in 2015, and the group has a lot of similarities of approach. It is/was a tight, 5-piece band. <br />
At one point in Destrose, with guitarist Narumi as Destrose’ longest-running member, vocalist Lisa left Destrose and support vocalist Ibuki got them through their last live concert. Narumi and Risa Risa liked her and soon after, formed Disqualia with her.<br />
Disqualia follows the frequent metal custom of a dark or “negative” element in the naming, albeit somewhat awkwardly in this case. It is active as a support group still, but hasn’t been functioning as a complete and independent group since the loss of lead vocalist Ibuki and bassist Mai in 2017. I am uncertain where and when bassist Waka Oka (Or similar?) comes in, but Metal Archives lists her with Disqualia as:<br />
大場 和香 [ Translates as Ōba Waka per Google Translate] Bass (2017-present) <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXW94Xh1sVsy04LJj0vS9ru0B29_DyWAIQ27g0cVluImrTtdEePxzsdaxCcIR8QVVOJPrHkyTH7rEmR93yJTqs5bXdqilinywogauHafs__dCH02pWgYook06-32ycuqMVtyHdno7X4s/s1600/Disqualia-5-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="600" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXW94Xh1sVsy04LJj0vS9ru0B29_DyWAIQ27g0cVluImrTtdEePxzsdaxCcIR8QVVOJPrHkyTH7rEmR93yJTqs5bXdqilinywogauHafs__dCH02pWgYook06-32ycuqMVtyHdno7X4s/s320/Disqualia-5-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And that is a question because the principal activity of the remaining members of Disqualia - Risa Risa on drums, Narumi and Hazuki on guitars - appears to be supporting the solo projects of Rami, the original vocalist of Aldious, and she’s using the male bassist Fin at those times?<br />
So they began with:<br />
Risa Risa on drums<br />
Narumi on guitar<br />
Ibuki on vocals (left 2017)<br />
Mai on bass (also left in 2017)<br />
<br />
<br />
I see two full-length videos on YouTube. “Over the Destruction” has a lot of both video artsy-play and a shorter sequence of vocals processed to sound electronic. Otherwise the vocals are straightforward, if a bit heavy on vibrato amplitude at times. It has quite a range of sounds, from speed metal to a short mellow classic-rock sounding section. And Ibuki gets some swordplay in there, including licking it.<br />
<a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=M5zBKrTJRg">http://youtube.com/watch?v=M5zBKrTJRg</a><br />
<br />
The “Right Now” video is set in a snowy scene, although I suspect it was done in studio and green-screened into the snow scene because they are not dressed for cold. This one shows Ibuki’s remarkable versatility with superb control, I think.<br />
<a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=qGvi4gelZd0">http://youtube.com/watch?v=qGvi4gelZd0</a><br />
<br />
There is supposed to be a sample of “Blazing World” in there too, but I’m not sure the vid in question in exclusively that. Video vs. Audio are also painfully out of synch.<br />
<a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=Qmm4gyf3nLM">http://youtube.com/watch?v=Qmm4gyf3nLM</a><br />
<br />
Concert appears to be a cellphone recording and sound is not exactly HiFi. But it does give a glimpse of them playing live.<br />
<a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=CU6NWbTfbwo">http://youtube.com/watch?v=CU6NWbTfbwo</a><br />
<br />
Metal Archives helps pull together what is known of them.<br />
<a href="https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Disqualia/35404131">https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Disqualia/35404131</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Releases</b><br />
<b>Singles:</b><br />
Over the Destruction -2015<br />
Blazing World -2016<br />
<b><br />And an EP:</b><br />
Right Now -2016 with 7 cuts, two of which were instrumental versions of Lady Boy and Right Now.<br />
1. Lady Boy 04:16<br />
<br />
2. Shout It Out 03:32<br />
<br />
3. Right Now 04:39<br />
<br />
4. Mad Desire 04:12<br />
<br />
5. The Destiny of Love 05:21<br />
<br />
6. Lady Boy 04:16 instrumental<br />
<br />
7. Right Now 04:37 instrumental<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>30:53</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uXV48fhGtIZWGKM5VRqhLjeBLQ6ZdlUDNJoxE-fkKtanaX6RZnNoULY95LP0aftydYh_W52fiCQZfxH7hVH0i48oM7OCVdJSOzSCKJ-o0637KHQPcPEk6hokmd4GLbd-Y7fJ_zlXucM/s1600/Disqualia+site2-2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uXV48fhGtIZWGKM5VRqhLjeBLQ6ZdlUDNJoxE-fkKtanaX6RZnNoULY95LP0aftydYh_W52fiCQZfxH7hVH0i48oM7OCVdJSOzSCKJ-o0637KHQPcPEk6hokmd4GLbd-Y7fJ_zlXucM/s1600/Disqualia+site2-2016.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Online -</b><br />
<a href="https://www.disqualia.net/">https://www.disqualia.net/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/disqualia.jp">https://www.facebook.com/disqualia.jp</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Disqualia">https://twitter.com/Disqualia</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Remaining Today</b><br />
Narumi on guitar<br />
Hazuki on guitar<br />
Risa Risa on drums<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2htR1qboMQKl2Gw-tVumyfpoN5WY7GrtBT8Th3KekeKuKEb2nrmtts3LuHV0FWMNNPg56phhpiV0X0dLThoCKtj8vtNuDXDbmbqYXJs9FWGFVVaNuwgsrXF8vJifxhm7Ny78DBexMTM/s1600/Disqualia-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2htR1qboMQKl2Gw-tVumyfpoN5WY7GrtBT8Th3KekeKuKEb2nrmtts3LuHV0FWMNNPg56phhpiV0X0dLThoCKtj8vtNuDXDbmbqYXJs9FWGFVVaNuwgsrXF8vJifxhm7Ny78DBexMTM/s320/Disqualia-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Individual Connections:</b><br />
Hazuki<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/mochimochimuuch">https://twitter.com/mochimochimuuch</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWya8-8_aJeJLAJ42_ZSp67RFchYgVuz8WDkIqFqjjMxMpu4SbnDAJDmfPJiI_kAxLymc1qVhxnlbHgv3Bw5bsDtqasLRsgfXgsuPYNfSSnYvQ5dFDbslTrQkR03XtfELhd1xFClpeWI/s1600/Hazuki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWya8-8_aJeJLAJ42_ZSp67RFchYgVuz8WDkIqFqjjMxMpu4SbnDAJDmfPJiI_kAxLymc1qVhxnlbHgv3Bw5bsDtqasLRsgfXgsuPYNfSSnYvQ5dFDbslTrQkR03XtfELhd1xFClpeWI/s320/Hazuki.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
Ibuki<br />
Ibuki’s site, news page<br />
<a href="https://www.vocal-ibuki.com/about">https://www.vocal-ibuki.com/about</a><br />
<br />
Ibuki’s Twitter<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/vocal_IBUKI">https://twitter.com/vocal_IBUKI</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicIA7jrTqMzOrgoJ_R4deZ9qkzlyUsgj2EaiBEmHrmxteDqUTge1sudHD8rDO8KLsVYuU8GcRpCmtwjjDHjw8K1eVKRWTxD8zmh-oTi9WlSbNm8y-fG3hCEfXGE7OHCtGo11ik2GbBDY/s1600/Ibuki-wDisqualia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicIA7jrTqMzOrgoJ_R4deZ9qkzlyUsgj2EaiBEmHrmxteDqUTge1sudHD8rDO8KLsVYuU8GcRpCmtwjjDHjw8K1eVKRWTxD8zmh-oTi9WlSbNm8y-fG3hCEfXGE7OHCtGo11ik2GbBDY/s320/Ibuki-wDisqualia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Mai’s Twitter<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/mai_tsukahara">https://twitter.com/mai_tsukahara</a><br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgES4t-durBG13XM3ZcexvU9SU0D8Lb7sWmL-8ejrMStdAmPhe9Vq5Y61iUs2YyTy2ks0tUrj9qGUefQJVn4FKtV1b96jGN9Crx2HvR1C2BvylLu9y7ea1W8KuPr4U72ajC3Cj5mOoIeLo/s1600/Mai-q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="426" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgES4t-durBG13XM3ZcexvU9SU0D8Lb7sWmL-8ejrMStdAmPhe9Vq5Y61iUs2YyTy2ks0tUrj9qGUefQJVn4FKtV1b96jGN9Crx2HvR1C2BvylLu9y7ea1W8KuPr4U72ajC3Cj5mOoIeLo/s320/Mai-q.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Narumi<br />
Narumi released a mini-album of seven songs via her personal website in February 2018, "The Seed." Unfortunately, like many artist websites in Japan, the "English" button gives you a few words in English and the rest is all Japanese Kanji. Which doesn't give a westerner much confidence to buy from the site when we have no idea what we're doing there.<br />
<a href="https://narumiguitar.wixsite.comnarumiofficial/merch">https://narumiguitar.wixsite.comnarumiofficial/merch</a><br />
<br />
Her link to https://ramimusic.net seems to be shy right now. "Server not found"<br />
She has a couple of sample pieces from the album posted. They're instrumental, jazzy in flavor (especially "Red Rabbit") and unsurprisingly, have lotsa guitar acrobatics. <br />
Alternative source: CDJapan<br />
<a href="http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEODAI-36562?s_ssid=e336fb5c7877b1bfeb">http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEODAI-36562?s_ssid=e336fb5c7877b1bfeb</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbEg35f9oyI3VxZ0R_jAayWqkpovT2YFx-tP_v9CnCEPxIZ0XvURKZUeypCRO-pW7tPoxGklvhPV98Yn-bOPeXW-JRERIQ2nD5WlUHjUcVesGgvdaBWgdEd3eVqgeRxTaA8AoIBgIR3zA/s1600/Narumi-TheSeed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="947" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbEg35f9oyI3VxZ0R_jAayWqkpovT2YFx-tP_v9CnCEPxIZ0XvURKZUeypCRO-pW7tPoxGklvhPV98Yn-bOPeXW-JRERIQ2nD5WlUHjUcVesGgvdaBWgdEd3eVqgeRxTaA8AoIBgIR3zA/s320/Narumi-TheSeed.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
Narumi’s Twitter<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/NARUMI_gt">https://twitter.com/NARUMI_gt</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Risa Risa<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/risa_drums">https://twitter.com/risa_drums</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCFZlXBrOqx3nBpsmcy0izauUwXxyRG_4qUK_3ZdLNl1PMmbBosvlyDSEBMzfosGcmie3U-XlmvXz0WinZvvfQkIh3YaetesLITiH5WZcKgWHBtOD_asD2xiUlBB_8l40aj7lO-kmk04/s1600/RisaRisa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCFZlXBrOqx3nBpsmcy0izauUwXxyRG_4qUK_3ZdLNl1PMmbBosvlyDSEBMzfosGcmie3U-XlmvXz0WinZvvfQkIh3YaetesLITiH5WZcKgWHBtOD_asD2xiUlBB_8l40aj7lO-kmk04/s320/RisaRisa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Waka Oka / Waka Ohba / Ōba Waka<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/wakowass">https://twitter.com/wakowass</a><br />
<br />
Bassist Waka appears to be playing with the group “CQ” now. Their Soundcloud page is the most readable on my machine. Mostly smooth ethereal shoegazing stuff. A couple of almost metal sounding pieces though.<br />
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/cq_jp">https://soundcloud.com/cq_jp</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/CQ_band_jp">https://twitter.com/CQ_band_jp</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43k3yl4sw0dncczv0TsAEgTndpEtjieEIaxIo7poSki1pq16H12yYMHEd_yGnDIAIxhKeLgfIPCS8jO_uy0xsfSEhVvY-4zeaGOca7YNm4AJPfXeduayTn77v6M-51Kgt5jh_ov8F4zI/s1600/Wako+Ohba+-+CQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43k3yl4sw0dncczv0TsAEgTndpEtjieEIaxIo7poSki1pq16H12yYMHEd_yGnDIAIxhKeLgfIPCS8jO_uy0xsfSEhVvY-4zeaGOca7YNm4AJPfXeduayTn77v6M-51Kgt5jh_ov8F4zI/s320/Wako+Ohba+-+CQ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
And since the remaining Disqualia has been playing support for Rami...<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/RAMI_Vocal">https://twitter.com/RAMI_Vocal</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhfIMBqyUfY46etPD0D3YRmcFzvoVznt9tTj_dHON5h2r5Sg9G41uSPDd0ufR0QvBe0YA28sy4t85Aw1mT4kaCFdQRxB_0btZmYl457lmmY7s6GB4jtYGKMzHFTykhSwLSmWrT-7RjFg/s1600/Rami-Reloaded-693184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhfIMBqyUfY46etPD0D3YRmcFzvoVznt9tTj_dHON5h2r5Sg9G41uSPDd0ufR0QvBe0YA28sy4t85Aw1mT4kaCFdQRxB_0btZmYl457lmmY7s6GB4jtYGKMzHFTykhSwLSmWrT-7RjFg/s320/Rami-Reloaded-693184.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></i></span></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-48497650542313764892019-02-10T02:39:00.001-08:002019-02-28T23:16:21.135-08:00Destrose, the Metal Development Team On indefinite hiatus since mid-2015, but worth hearing when and where you can find material by them. YouTube has a few. However, there is a reincarnation of sorts in that former members have formed other groups. I’ll be talking about those too, below and later.<br />
In 2005, the group Destroya was formed. The original name may have been related to a particular kaiju, a mega-monster in the 1995 film Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, which resurfaced on TV in 1997, and in games and manga off and on ever since. In fact there was an XBox game with the character released in 2004. It eventually grew bigger than Godzilla, so you can imagine the earth-shaking reference. <br />
Then in 2007, "Destroyah" became “Destrose”. Not sure why - copyright/trademark issues? Searching the newer name you get lots of “dextrose” hits... watch for the links like "Search only for 'Destrose'?"<br />
They have had a number of personnel changes. So if you’ve heard one Destrose recording, No you haven’t heard them all. They changed People like a revolving door; there were several versions of the group. In the ten active years between 2005 and 2015, 23 full members came and went, including 8 vocalists.<br />
In 2008, four of their members formed Mary’s Blood.<br />
In 2015, former Destrose guitarist Minako Nakamura got together with a vocalist, Nico Shizuka, and put together Fate Gear.<br />
<br />
This article in JAME-World describes the connections between Destrose and the several very respectable bands formed or joined by their alumni. It’s quite a story involving no less than 11 spinoffs. Their list includes Aftermath, Albion, Animeta Girl, Disqualia, Fate Gear, Mardelas, Mary’s Blood, Octaviagrace, Re:Maker, Vampire Pledge and Velvet Cherry. And since the article, it appears one of their former folk joined Lovebites which makes it an even dozen besides Destrose itself.<br />
It was a dizzying game of musical chairs, with a partly different lineup for practically every demo, every CD, every video.<br />
See the Metal-Archives link below, and go to their discography tab and you can see which songs were on which releases, and who was in that group lineup. <br />
<a href="http://jame-world.com/us/articles-119663-the-destrose-connection-the-prologue-.html">http://jame-world.com/us/articles-119663-the-destrose-connection-the-prologue-.html</a><br />
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Guitarist Mina put the band together, joined by Eye on Vocals, second guitarist Eri, Kayo on Bass and Mari on drums. I don't find any recordings that Kayo was on. There probably were some unreleased ones.<br />
In 2007, they released 3 demo recordings. "Deathless Memories" and "Skykiller" were on the first, and Skykiller was on all their releases during 2007-2009 - but it should be said, with different group lineups.<br />
They had 3 DVD releases in 2009. Headless Goddess, Roses of Destruction, and Skykiller were on all three. And all had partly different group lineups. They kept having to redo a lot of the same tunes so people could compare what THIS version of the group sounded like. My impression was that it was effectively a very extended and very public audition.<br />
Their first DVD album was "Live at the Red Zone" in 2010, and their first single was "Roses of Destruction" - earlier introduced in the videos of 2009.<br />
In 2011, the single "Deathless Memories" (which had been on their first demo, redone) and in 2012, "Fenixx - To Revive" and “Nostphilia" were released.<br />
2013 brought the album "Destrose" and single "Rin/Maze" and in 2014, an EP named "The Prologue."<br />
They appeared in 2013 in the "Tokyo in Tulsa Pop Culture Convention" (Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA) which I don't recall hearing about or might have gone. I was working in Tulsa that year. Sigh.<br />
<br />
Final Members in 2015 included:<br />
<br />
Narumi on guitar, later of Disqualia <br />
Miho on bass, later Lovebites<br />
Risa Risa, later of Disqualia (there's a star between the two parts of the name but I'm not sure how to access that at the mo)<br />
<br />
More on the groups formed by Destrose alumni such as Disqualia and Mary's Blood later. A couple of pages on Destrose:<br />
<a href="https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Destrose/104752">https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Destrose/104752</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.metaladies.com/bands/destrose/">http://www.metaladies.com/bands/destrose/</a><br />
<br />
They still have a MySpace account... http://www.myspace.com/destrosedestrose<br />
And I tried: http://destroya.nobody.jp/<br />
- which refers us to http://destrose.net/ which gives the cheery message "Destrose.net currently does not have any sponsors for you." Mmkay, whatever.<br />
If anyone is interested in their lyrics, I ran the Kanji of some of the songs through the Google Translate system and can post those later. I didn't include them here because this is getting pretty long as it is.<br />
What I see on YouTube for Destrose:<br />
Headless Goddess<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJB_jVdkt-M">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJB_jVdkt-M</a><br />
<br />
Maze Live at Shibuya O-West<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qvuJ_Cjy7o">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qvuJ_Cjy7o</a><br />
<br />
Maze as an encore<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42Tyjkdxhq8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42Tyjkdxhq8</a><br />
<br />
Skykiller<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CivFcS3co_Y&t=0s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CivFcS3co_Y&t=0s</a><br />
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Sword of Avenger<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Ns_l4QcZI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Ns_l4QcZI</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Destrose - album<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0XEksCh3y_ZlPY4gPrUTMEQmLDTusq1y">https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0XEksCh3y_ZlPY4gPrUTMEQmLDTusq1y</a><br />
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Aftermath with Ami (also of Vampire Pledge)<br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/iRbMDXOJcQ0">https://youtu.be/iRbMDXOJcQ0</a><br />
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></b></span></i></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-53341117720790917602019-01-20T00:21:00.001-08:002019-02-04T10:09:01.203-08:00Raise a Suilen... and friends Not so very metal-influenced, but I followed up on the last person to drum for Cyntia and this is what I found.<br />
The aforementioned drummer Natsume who did the Urban Night album and tour with Cyntia has and does drum multiple gigs. One that had been simmering and began taking off early in 2018 was first called “The Third” because they were the third band to appear live on the “BanG Dream” program on Bandori TV. BanG Dream is an anime series about young female bands. Each character is very detailed. The studio musicians who ended up singing and playing the music began to eventually be revealed because people wanted to see them. The Third live band was renamed “Raise a Suilen” which is to say “Raise a bamboo curtain” revealing who the human band members are.<br />
The anime characters are way young, none older than high school sophomores and some in middle school. The live band is considerably older, and that’s good because their musical skill level is commensurate. (Yes, I know there are child prodigies. They’re notable, because they’re unusual. If all child music students were prodigies, none would be notable nor even called a prodigy.)<br />
So they’re a live band, and they’re an anime series. I’m probably oversimplifying or misstating the sequence and relationship, but that’s basically it.<br />
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They are:<br />
• Raychell (vocals and bass)<br />
• Kohara Riko (guitar and vocals)<br />
• Natsume (drums and vocals)<br />
• Kurachi Reo (keyboard and vocals)<br />
• Tsumugi Risa (DJ and vocals)<br />
<br />
On to the music. It’s high energy rock. So far, there are only four songs I see out there from this group.<br />
"Unstoppable" - <br />
Raychelle sings it cool, there is also vocal participation from the others, and most are very, well, animated. About the 3:10 mark, keyboardist Reo throws a high kick in the middle of playing. Lightning-fast, her foot flies up above her head for less than a second. Wow. Can’t fault the enthusiasm.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReM4oBWpv7E">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReM4oBWpv7E</a><br />
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This is posted as "R.I.O.T" but sounds very similar.<br />
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxhCp3XEWtw<br />
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Here’s the second live performance of that. We get a look at the DJ handling the intro music and the more complex electronica and visuals. I think. Overall they did a “value-added” presentation compared to the first.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxhCp3XEWtw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxhCp3XEWtw</a><br />
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“A Declaration of xxx” plus “Expose Burn Out!!!” - Not live but the only vid I see of these. About the first - it seems to be more or less a dating custom in Japan to begin dating after a “love from afar” period followed with a declaration/confession by the young man of having feelings for the young woman and then if she agrees to go out, zap they’re in a relationship. In a video about dating in Japan, a young Japanese woman told of what a surprise it was when a western guy simply invited her out, and she came to realize they didn’t have to go from zero to relationship in seconds flat, they could get to know each other first. She rather liked it.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVZPU44Ap-M">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVZPU44Ap-M</a><br />
<br />
<br />
A further observation about the group: Raychelle is relatively tall, 173 cm/5’8”, and Natsume is about the same, and everyone else is considerably smaller. So the more petite ones dress more like the young-girl anime characters while Raychelle and Natsume don’t even try because it would look silly. They get to be the adults I guess.<br />
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Some info pages. The first is a nicely detailed fan page. In all these, it is somewhat difficult to distinguish between the live band members and the characters that correspond in the anime series. In general, I’m thinking the quirkier the description, the more likely it is to be the anime personality. If I’m reading it correctly, this page says the live performance songs except “This is the Way We Roll” were their originals.<br />
<a href="https://iviachupichu.home.blog/raise-a-suilen-overview/">https://iviachupichu.home.blog/raise-a-suilen-overview/</a><br />
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<a href="http://bandori.wikia.com/wiki/RAISE_A_SUILEN">http://bandori.wikia.com/wiki/RAISE_A_SUILEN</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/BanGDream/comments/a3zjin/raise_a_suilen_characters_revealed_manga_revealed/">https://www.reddit.com/r/BanGDream/comments/a3zjin/raise_a_suilen_characters_revealed_manga_revealed/</a><br />
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<br />
These days Natsume also drums, and Raychelle does backing vocals, in Shazna, a “visual kei” band originally formed in Osaka in 1993 and currently in its third incarnation with three of its original members. “Visual kei” is the often-androgynous Japanese style glam rock, which can encompass any of several genres of music. I may expand on them in future following this series, because they’re not an all-woman band which is what I’m doing right now.<br />
<br />
Two other bands of note in the BanG Dream franchise, which are all female: Roselia and Poppin’Party. Like Raise a Suilen, they are both real live bands and anime cartoons. Briefly -<br />
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A fan magazine page covering Roselia, whose outfits seem to be flamenco-inspired. With video links. Just addressing the live performance vids, “Re:birth day” is nicely done rock/pop. “Netsuiro Starmine” is more intense, inventive and driving... Liked. “Louder” also; lead singer pushed her expression to the edge on this, deliberately (IMHO) going for a kind of desperate outpouring, which is not a bad thing. Many singers play it safe. She didn’t. My respect.<br />
Band characters’ popularity poll is listed near the bottom of the page. Two tied for first, though all were really close. Japanese diplomacy? The list is useful for names anyway.<br />
<a href="https://j-mag.org/en/2018/03/01/bang-dream_survey-3/">https://j-mag.org/en/2018/03/01/bang-dream_survey-3/</a> <br />
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Poppin’ Party, nickname Popipa: They actually perform the theme song for the TV anime “BanG Dream” series, linked in the page here. Over-the-top cutesy. They seem to be going for the anime character very-young-girl persona. I haven’t looked up the individuals, though most of these bands have members who are twentysomething. Similar to the Roselia article, popularity poll gives us the names.<br />
<a href="https://j-mag.org/en/2018/02/20/bang-dream_survey/">https://j-mag.org/en/2018/02/20/bang-dream_survey/</a><br />
<br />
There are other anime bands in the franchise, but those are the ones I know that have a live-band presence.<br />
The Wikipedia article on the BanG Dream! world. <br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BanG_Dream!">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BanG_Dream!</a><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">J </span></b></i></span></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-38535676635149651712019-01-16T19:55:00.001-08:002019-04-09T17:22:31.429-07:00Cyntia (Artemis)<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Cyntia with no “h” - when searching, you can expect to have to click links saying “Search only for ‘Cyntia’?” Otherwise you get everything but them. But well worth the search.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Cyntia is a phonetic form of an English pronunciation of the name Cynthia, which is supposed to be another name for the goddess Artemis.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> They spend more time doing PowerPop/Rock oriented stuff rather than metal oriented compared to the majority of others in this series. Fun though. Variety I like. Good roadtrip music. And how cool is it for your lead singer to be named Saki?</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Saki has a mostly natural sounding vocal style, comfortable to hear. When she lets loose the volume, it almost always sounds effortless. It soars. </span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And - she has the ability to use a bit of vibrato without overdoing it. That is vital to listenability for me. I can handle none or a little. Overdo and I feel like running for the exit. Saki wins.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And the band is great, top-level musicianship, with its own mix of traditional rock and metal (plus the aforementioned PowerPop), sometimes traditional Japanese elements, and occasional other touches pulled from the middle east, from jazz... Their quality seems to be more the norm than not of the Japanese rock/metal groups who make it onto YouTube, really. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-indent: 28.9px;">Some examples -</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Endless World - Playing a smaller club, Saki very casual in T-shirt and shorts, doing a cute childlike chorus, yet with solid strong instrumental work...</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=RAI1jMpZjls">https://youtube.com/watch?v=RAI1jMpZjls</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">More dressed up and rocking a bit harder at Blaze, a bigger venue with flashing lights, et cetera:</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=FnhObh5i_3U">https://youtube.com/watch?v=FnhObh5i_3U</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At Blaze, Part 2 - more intense, more metal elements included now and then:</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=nCmkm1fGmxQ">https://youtube.com/watch?v=nCmkm1fGmxQ</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">One of their more metallic rockers, “Through the Fire and Desire”</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Another reminder of how much fun Japanese groups have with the stronger rock and metal tunes. I gotta learn more of the language...</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=ERVcPiG7WU0">https://youtube.com/watch?v=ERVcPiG7WU0</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Ride on Time” - I mentioned rockin’ road music, right? Or dancing, whatever.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=EiJ_JrLYTuM">https://youtube.com/watch?v=EiJ_JrLYTuM</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">GeAr - Kickin’ hard rock and Saki leading “the wave” all in one song... I like.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=GNp6pXLKdK4">https://youtube.com/watch?v=GNp6pXLKdK4</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A rock anthem of sorts, originally released in 2013 - and, Ayano gets mobile with an Edgar Winter style keyboard-with-strap -</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Return to Myself ~ Shinai, Shinai, Natsu</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNxoOD_Jm5g">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNxoOD_Jm5g</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<a href="grhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1rxMeISxbE">Gr</a>een Eyed Monster</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<a href="grhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1rxMeISxbE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1rxMeISxbE</a></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Saki – <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Vocals</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Yui – <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Guitars, Chorus</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Ayano – Keyboards, Piano, Chorus </span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Azu - <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Bass, Chorus </span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Natsume – Drums, Percussion, Chorus (Support)</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Their music runs from heavy rock to well, pretty much pop. Being one of the few bands I’m reviewing in this series who is signed to a major recording label is probably an influence. </span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In 2015, previous drummer Kanoko Matsukawa left following the widely disrespected “Woman” album (many considered it fluff). She had co-founded the group in 2011 with lead guitarist Yui.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">They apparently realized how far astray they had gone and came back with a stronger sound on “Urban Night” in late 2016, followed by the “Urban Night” promo tour going into 2017 . It looks like Natsume played “support” drums for them but isn’t officially a member? The band website has a picture of the other four as the main banner and that’s it.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">They are said to be on hiatus as of January 2018. Reason given was Yui had a health problem.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Since Natsume’s main gig with Raise a Suilen took off and she became less available about then, that MIGHT have been a factor too.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I would really like to see (and hear) Cyntia regroup and continue.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIP62XqUI3dmiPqiKGxpY0cfK76lTBS23Ko4-d0GwkyCyDjOoksKCr4h7ZEzgGs7rcOjj1yYauyugoN9ObVw9vnbwc3iUpNBi_iDM7no039oDWjADaX5QblYELPz6eeooo3QGPGojrZ9U/s1600/Cyntia+4523-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIP62XqUI3dmiPqiKGxpY0cfK76lTBS23Ko4-d0GwkyCyDjOoksKCr4h7ZEzgGs7rcOjj1yYauyugoN9ObVw9vnbwc3iUpNBi_iDM7no039oDWjADaX5QblYELPz6eeooo3QGPGojrZ9U/s400/Cyntia+4523-a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cyntia Urban Nights promo pic, less Natsume</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Their site</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://cyntia.jp/">https://cyntia.jp/</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Their Encyclopedia Metallium page, doesn’t mention Natsume</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Cyntia/3540344935">https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Cyntia/3540344935</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Same site, page on Kanoko</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Kanoko/420951">https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Kanoko/420951</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Wiki schtick. Ignores the work of Natsume.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyntia">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyntia</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Natsume’s blog. Not terribly current, but it is showing her playing for Cyntia through December 17, 2017, under the “Schedule” tab (also the “Media” tab shows the cover of the Cyntia “Urban Night” DVD among other things). Then I see names like Raychelle, The Third, Shazna going as far as April 2018. I see references on her Facebook etc. to “Raise a Suilen”. A short review of that group will be following soonly.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="http://nananananachum1.wixsite.com/mogu-mogu">http://nananananachum1.wixsite.com/mogu-mogu</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Natsume’s Instagram</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/nananananachume/">https://www.instagram.com/nananananachume/</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And her Facebook photos, including concert posters, show her with Cyntia. So this is the correct Natsume.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Natsume-Drummer/100004432517648">https://www.facebook.com/people/Natsume-Drummer/100004432517648</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Drumming demo with disassembly and reassembly of a snare drum. Explaining it in Japanese of course.</span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=VQbuDKRZZtM">https://youtube.com/watch?v=VQbuDKRZZtM</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.9px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Okay. Done. Will pick up with “Raise a Suilen” next, because of the Natsume connection.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">J </span></b></i></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></i></span></span></span></div>
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</div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-19637959121273652592019-01-08T23:40:00.000-08:002019-02-03T21:14:28.254-08:00Bridear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbszA4PYP6ndROf0bU81DhoaJ-m1zPyTtSEy7XATq5uoyZsqPpE7hTN0MN_uaXU2A9Z4e-Lmc1sW6zHpcl3xzPPPStklpQhrkeqOQI55Z8rvSGkCPckLMQyEWQ_3drtDu8BxAHmlTIN0/s1600/Bridear-Graz-Austria-2018-11-27.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="556" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbszA4PYP6ndROf0bU81DhoaJ-m1zPyTtSEy7XATq5uoyZsqPpE7hTN0MN_uaXU2A9Z4e-Lmc1sW6zHpcl3xzPPPStklpQhrkeqOQI55Z8rvSGkCPckLMQyEWQ_3drtDu8BxAHmlTIN0/s320/Bridear-Graz-Austria-2018-11-27.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing Graz, Austria, 2018-11-27</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of Bridear’s early publicity photos carried the text, “Gal Metal Band from Fukuoka” which I think was pretty much to the point.<br />
The instrumentals are strong. IMHO, Kimi sounds more garage-punk than metal, usually. When they have another singer (Misa until her exit) doing metal “death growl” lines back and forth with her, THEN it sounds more metal. Just my opinion. Can’t do that every song though because it’s hard on the throat.<br />
They do several numbers with guitars playing identical notes, plus a few harmonizing as well, then back. Kinda neat.<br />
“Skew Lines” (2016) was one of their densest metal offerings. Lately, trying for a more “commercial” approach, “Dear Bride” (album “Helix” 2018) sounds more PowerPop. There’s a lot in between.<br />
They were formed in 2011 and have had only one change in the members. Their 2013 album “Overturn the Doom” had a cover scene that is darkish on the viewer’s side, but a door is partway open with a bright light shining from beyond... and several of their songs include the idea of light overcoming darkness, which illustrates my impression that Japanese female metal bands tend to be heavy-duty with their instruments and at the same time, more positive in spirit and message than many western death-metal bands. They clearly plan on winning and living.<br />
<br />
Lead guitarist Misa departed in 2017, citing different goals (she was not feeling the new pop-ish direction as I understand), and early in 2018 they gained Misaki. Since then they recorded the album “Helix”.<br />
<a href="https://visualioner.com/2018/03/30/misaki-has-joined-bridear-new-look/">https://visualioner.com/2018/03/30/misaki-has-joined-bridear-new-look/</a><br />
<br />
Official website, which has a button for which language to use:<br />
<a href="https://bridear.jp/">https://bridear.jp/</a><br />
<br />
YouTube channel:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqkHezzlbqWrmOhoTcZTVjg">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqkHezzlbqWrmOhoTcZTVjg</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Bridear_info">https://twitter.com/Bridear_info</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/Bridear_info">https://mobile.twitter.com/Bridear_info</a><br />
<br />
And this is Misaki’s page -<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/black_rainyday">https://twitter.com/black_rainyday</a><br />
<br />
Metal Archives page:<br />
<a href="https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Bridear/3540368187">https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Bridear/3540368187</a><br />
<br />
And<br />
<a href="https://www.last.fm/music/Bridear">https://www.last.fm/music/Bridear</a><br />
<br />
Former guitarist Misa:<br />
<a href="https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Misa/515792">https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Misa/515792</a><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_631801650"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.jrocknews.com/2017/09/bridears-misa-depart-european-tour.html">https://www.jrocknews.com/2017/09/bridears-misa-depart-european-tour.html</a><br />
<br />
A review of the 2018 “Helix” album. A dude is doing the growls on G-A-M-E? Sigh. Can anyone confirm/deny?<br />
<a href="https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/Bridear/Helix/703055/Liquid_Braino/198103">https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/Bridear/Helix/703055/Liquid_Braino/198103</a><br />
<br />
A live version of G-A-M-E, which definitely has Kimi doing the growls.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiFZ_JWKVwE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiFZ_JWKVwE</a><br />
<br />
Group member profiles:<br />
<a href="https://bridear.jp/profile/">https://bridear.jp/profile/</a><br />
<br />
Yoshitsuru is leaving at 2018 year end:<br />
<a href="https://bridear.jp/news/%E7%BE%8E%E5%BC%A6%E3%80%80%E8%84%B1%E9%80%80%E3%81%AE%E3%81%94%E5%A0%B1%E5%91%8A/">https://bridear.jp/news/美弦%E3%80%80脱退のご報告/</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyZj-3t2AsvHGMMLiMTwMwImIKvP8pT-kEmxTorXAsrhdqz3OWJ18OayZUWLyna7ZGLjENMOU2A9jKBuBS_r3Ix0CdJKXt_O5iLoSs69oyqLNLvlQfU7qz1mAJDN-9wj1m30L4ajJw5Y/s1600/Bridear+Official+2018.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="716" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyZj-3t2AsvHGMMLiMTwMwImIKvP8pT-kEmxTorXAsrhdqz3OWJ18OayZUWLyna7ZGLjENMOU2A9jKBuBS_r3Ix0CdJKXt_O5iLoSs69oyqLNLvlQfU7qz1mAJDN-9wj1m30L4ajJw5Y/s320/Bridear+Official+2018.tiff" width="320" /></a></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-84993204367350535262018-12-23T08:06:00.001-08:002019-04-09T17:24:54.982-07:00The Amazing Aldious“Once upon a time...” there was Aldious, and there is Aldious, and there shall be Aldious. The decade-old group has reinvented itself before, and they will again.<br />
The name was coined by original co-founder Rami (with guitarist Yoshi) as a contraction based on the phrase “Ultimate Melodious” and it works, I think. They started in Osaka in 2008. So quite a few folks see them as being the inspiration for the many female metal-influenced bands since then. They are a biggie, and they’re still together, but there were others before (Show-Ya comes to mind).<br />
Original vocalist Rami (with whom they came across with a fairly traditional metal feel) left in 2011 to get married. She has been doing some performances on her own since then, very metal sounding. Vocalist Re:NO has been with them since 2012 and is a talented songwriter. Her usually soft voice has been described as “ethereal” and her mostly white and pastel colored frilly chiffon princess dresses are more fantasy atmosphere than traditional metal. (She can totally still do the hair-whip headbanging stuff though.) I was just getting used to that, but recently they have been going more for a blackout look. Couldn’t help but notice that one of guitarist Yoshi’s outfits appeared to be black leatherette with spike studs covering the bra portion... I’m guessing they decided to try to go “badass look” there.<br />
Yoshi and bassist Sawa are the two remaining original members. Yoshi seems the most serious, at least on stage. Sawa left to play in Galmet, and for awhile was actually playing in both bands when she first returned. She (and guitarist Toki) smiles so giddily she has been called the happiest bassist in rock.<br />
With Re:NO the sound has more allowance for her voice and more experimentation. Not a bad thing. They still can and do lay down a kickin’ metal sound on a regular basis.<br />
I should also mention Marina, their most recent addition and a very capable drummer. Since her arrival she has more than proven her chops as a masterful percussionist, despite not having any other groups in her resume that I could find. If anyone knows of her membership with other groups, links are appreciated.<br />
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An interesting review on them from 2014.<br />
<a href="http://www.invisibleoranges.com/aldious-highly-stylized-j-pop-esthetics/">http://www.invisibleoranges.com/aldious-highly-stylized-j-pop-esthetics/</a><br />
<br />
Some info pages on them:<br />
<a href="https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Aldious/3540296084">https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Aldious/3540296084</a><br />
<br />
After writing the above, I found that Metal-Archives lists vocalist Re:NO as “former” member (which is maybe ahead of time); because of that I looked and sure enough, she’s leaving after their last performance of the year (December 17) due to an ear problem (eustachian valve issue). Well, crap. She has brought some memorable songs and unique style to a largely metal-influenced group and helped them stand out, I think. I will be curious where they go from here. They seem to me to be survivors.<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/ReNO_Aldious">https://twitter.com/ReNO_Aldious</a><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_631801666"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXlAxEzFTKF/">https://www.instagram.com/p/BXlAxEzFTKF/</a><br />
<br />
Maybe we can keep up with her here. I see a post acknowledging that she will be leaving the group after their last show this month:<br />
<a href="https://ameblo.jp/renomusic/">https://ameblo.jp/renomusic/</a><br />
<br />
Go Away - ironically, this was one of their more recent tunes<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1rxMeISxbE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1rxMeISxbE</a><br />
<br />
Posted this yesterday on a social media site; notice she wore her chiffon dress again for this last performance:<br />
<br />
Photo date December 17 - Bittersweet day.<br />
Re:NO’s last bow.<br />
Aldious had their last performance with lead singer/songwriter “Re:NO” the 17th. She had to leave the band because of an ear condition worsening with her performing. She brought a neo-fantasy character to the metal band with her song directions and her Barbie-in-a-pastel-chiffon dress look. I was just getting used to that and appreciating her music and now it’s over.<br />
Aldious survived the departure of Rami six years ago and hired another singer/songwriter/frontwoman (Re:NO); I expect they will find a replacement and transform, again. But a lot of fans will miss Re:NO and hope she finds a solution for her problem.<br />
[photo on Barks.jp website]<br />
<a href="https://img.barks.jp/image/review/1000162974/001.jpg"> https://img.barks.jp/image/review/1000162974/001.jpg</a><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></b></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Update on Aldious 2019-04-09:</span></span></span></i></span></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> Aldious is doing the “Evoke” tour. From Wikipedia:<br />“On
February 18, 2019, Aldious announced the Evoke Tour consisting of 45
dates in Japan and using guest vocalists R!N, and Saki from Cyntia.”<br /><br />Hmmm... Tryouts maybe?<br />R!N
I believe is the same as “Rin” of one of the several versions of
Destrose. If so, here’s a sample of her work with them, which I like
quite well:<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o7fktsBwQg<br /><br />A live version. A tad thick on the vibrato for me, still very listenable:<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KomzWVfAmGQ<br /><br />So R!N could be a good one if she doesn’t overdo the vibrato, IMHO.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Saki,
formerly of Cyntia, has the subtlety to follow Re:NO. I like her work a
lot. The only caveat I see is that she doesn’t lean too far in the pop
direction. Cyntia went that way for awhile and lost a sizable chunk of
their hard rock/metal-appreciating audience.<br /><br />Aldious has a rich
musical legacy and a lot of talent. Build on that and Aldious will have a
long life and prosper in its third incarnation.</span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-4807852392246102372018-12-23T07:46:00.000-08:002019-02-04T09:50:50.649-08:00The Japanese Wave of All-Female Rock and Metal Bands...I’m going to be sharing info on some Japanese artists in a series of posts, but I want to explain how I view the US music scene first, then I’ll go there. <br />
Today, the music business in the USA tends to be dominated by a few companies with their chosen songwriters, and which treat their artists like commodities. Many original musicians have chosen to go their own way, releasing their own creations online and through CDBaby (where you can place an order and have an album “burned” to CD and mailed to you) , for example, and not even trying for a traditional contract. (“What? You don’t want us to exploit, limit and dictate to you, use and abuse you?”)<br />
So our radio airwaves are filled with material that mostly sounds the same, while more original songs and sounds are mostly from independent artists you have to go looking for. YouTube, SoundCloud, PureVolume, ReverbNation, CDBaby are possible places. Look up an artist you like on YouTube and they will suggest others they think are in a similar genre. Explore.<br />
Earlier I shared some stuff on Band-Maid. That was the beginning of my learning more about Japanese bands, especially the current wave of all-female rock and metal bands in Japan. <br />
The Japanese music scene has a strong pop presence. Japanese “J-Pop” is big, as is Korean “K-Pop” . But like the USA, a lot of original music happens “underground” - often literally, in basement clubs under buildings belonging to other businesses, usually with performances after their business hours. (Of course, this isn’t new. One of the Beatles’ early venues was The Cavern Club in Liverpool, established in the cellar of a fruit warehouse. And the owners of the Cavern were inspired by the cellar jazz clubs in Paris.)<br />
Metal and metal-influenced rock are very active, with bands forming constantly, and many of these clubs are dedicated to those genres. In a sense, the most creative bands each create their own genre, as it is necessary to distinguish THIS group from the crowd. Typically each will have a particular gimmick, schtick or style for their act. Each member will show themselves as individual, but within that style. Remember how the “Power Rangers” children’s TV show characters had exactly the same outfit, just with different colors? And yet each was supposed to have a different personality. Today’s J-Rock bands aren’t quite that extreme, but everything is about the team, and each personality seen onstage may or may not be the actual private personality of the individual.<br />
I say this to hopefully help you appreciate what you’re seeing in the music videos. Band-Maid’s Miku got the idea for their approach while working at a “maid cafe” and that is where her whole “moi, moi!” audience participation cheer comes from, and much of her other chatter, besides their original outfits (which have gone though considerable changes, at least with Saiki and Misa). Akane was first weirded out by the outfits, but decided it was worth it when she heard the sound they were going for.<br />
Band-Maid and a number of other groups play to some degree (at least to western eyes) on childlike qualities and impression. Then, in the metal and rock genres at least, they blast you with a powerful sound. In real life, the band members of all these groups are typically twentysomethings. Miku of Band-Maid plays the most childlike role of them but she is the oldest, currently 28 I believe. Saiki is the youngest at 24 last I knew.<br />
You can also see this approach in Babymetal, although they are not within the category of all-female bands I’m discussing here; the women of Babymetal are a talented song-and-dance trio fronting a male band, and doing their best to seem like precocious little girls.<br />
Each band here has its own thing going. The vast majority seem to have taken some cues from speed metal, so you will hear a lotta superfast guitar work in there, and sometimes remember to let the bass player shine which is nice. <br />
As a general rule, Japanese artists strive to give everything 200%. Anything less would not be honorable. I mentioned earlier about Band-Maid’s Saiki having to have surgery to remove nodes from her vocal cords, typically caused by vocal strain. When Misa was first learning slap-bass technique, she practiced so intensely she had blisters when it was time to record. She went into the studio and recorded ANYWAY.<br />
And their drummer Akane has voiced her determination to “smash” the perception that women can’t play hard rock. It seems she has lots of company; the all-female bands coming from Japan are technically superb and often inspired.<br />
It would appear that Kurt Cobain’s prophecy that women are the future of rock is coming true, and in 2018 it is led by Japan.<br />
Specific band reviews follow.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">J </span></b></i></span></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-40325484349591873502018-10-02T22:57:00.003-07:002019-02-04T09:48:38.680-08:00Lacuna Coil - More Than an Empty TuneLacuna Coil started in the 1990s and is still one of the great metal bands. They have both a powerful sound and actual melodic lines. They’re from Italy originally. If you're a fan of European metal, you've probably heard them.<br />
The name means an empty spiral. The cover art on their album "Karmacode" was a play on that.<br />
This is one of their happier tunes.<br />
Cristina’s voice is still one of the most beautiful and clear in the world. She has been known to hit A7 BTW.<br />
Oh, and she’s now 46 so in the video here, she’s 42. Many think she looks more like 30s.<br />
More on them in a later update.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtft6LqgFSA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtft6LqgFSA</a><br />
<br />
A short intro to their history. Note their first release was in 1998.<br />
<a href="https://www.songkick.com/artists/183125-lacuna-coil">https://www.songkick.com/artists/183125-lacuna-coil</a><br />
<br />
You can get an overview of their CD releases here:<br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/215670-Lacuna-Coil">https://www.discogs.com/artist/215670-Lacuna-Coil</a><br />
<br />
Look them up on YouTube, Wikipedia, etc.<br />
Lacuna Coil<br />
Cristina Scabbia<br />
<br />
More on them in a later update.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">J </span></b></i></span></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-12227454067963786112017-10-02T06:09:00.002-07:002019-02-04T09:44:42.282-08:00Band-Maid: Rock Maid in JapanRecently Youngest Son played a couple of Band-Maid videos for me.<br />
Holy crap.<br />
This is one hard-rocking band.<br />
These are NOT entertainer-dancers with a soundtrack. They are musician-artists who can sing on key and play their instruments at a high proficiency, with both skill and soul. And a metal edge. If you listen, use speakers or headphones that are capable of serious bass frequency reproduction and power, because believe me, it's here.<br />
The lyrics are mostly Japanese, with an occasional word or phrase in English.<br />
Okay. These are twentysomething Japanese women dressed in faux-little-maid outfits (just a smirking artistic touch, related to a trend in female Japanese bands)... who crank up the music so strongly that metal fans are among their most loyal followers. They are independent artists who were just hoping to make enough to keep playing, but then they played a Comicon event, someone with the right connections heard them and set up a large venue in London, and once that very cosmopolitan audience heard them, suddenly they were known by people from all over the world. They thought they were going to be opening for someone else, but the money offered was really good so they went. While setting up their instruments, they learned they were THE only act booked that day. They played their hearts out. But people were stepping outside and calling their friends to come HEAR this. People were coming in from all over London and new people were circulating in as soon as room allowed. So they played back-to-back sets, for NINE HOURS.<br />
BTW, their tune "Thrill" is about this, their big break.<br />
Hooks they've got. <br />
When required, pop smoothness they've got.<br />
And rompin', stompin' rock and roll they've got.<br />
What was so impressive about them? Guess you'll have to listen and see. Some Official videos. The tagline, “Welcome home, master and princess” included there in the posting notes is often used as part of live concert opening by Miku - the sort of greeting might expect from one's Japanese maid on arrival:<br />
<br />
Choose Me<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZIJ2vFxu9Y">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZIJ2vFxu9Y</a><br />
<br />
Secret My Lips<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vuca7V-5Ec">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vuca7V-5Ec</a><br />
<br />
Yolo<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKZbzcUdY1g">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKZbzcUdY1g</a><br />
There are several other videos of Band Maid on YouTube including live concert appearances; they vary widely in quality. Some of the better quality examples:<br />
<br />
Nowhere near High-Res, but an energetic performance of "Freedom", live in Paris a year ago:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36_KRDPcKLo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36_KRDPcKLo</a><br />
<br />
Typical startup with Miku (dressed mostly in white) cranking up the audience, then they slam into the first number, November 2016 Manga festival in Spain. There are three vids of their appearances there on YouTube. Notice the poster's note: "Play it much louder."<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIyONnd4yMU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIyONnd4yMU</a><br />
<br />
Same concert doing "Thrill":<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia91tCY2nig">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia91tCY2nig</a><br />
<br />
Included mostly for unique perspective of being onstage:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqwo40Io_Q8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqwo40Io_Q8</a><br />
<br />
Another outdoor performance, in Japan, with some better quality video and nice closeups:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfTzZffxLsg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfTzZffxLsg</a><br />
<br />
One more, Inazuma Rockfes in Japan. Note the plastic covers over the amplifier head units; they were dealing with intermittent rain:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I55xmNTNtc&t=480s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I55xmNTNtc&t=480s</a><br />
<br />
The following links are also in the posting notes for the official band video releases on YouTube:<br />
Official Facebook:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/bandmaid/">https://www.facebook.com/bandmaid/</a><br />
<br />
More info is on the band's own site. The Bio/History is barely there at all, but the page includes individual members' pics with names so you can tell who is whom:<br />
<a href="http://bandmaid.tokyo/BIOGRAPHY">http://bandmaid.tokyo/BIOGRAPHY</a><br />
<br />
Official Twitter<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/bandmaid">https://twitter.com/bandmaid</a> <br />
<br />
Official Instagram<br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bandmaid.jp">https://www.instagram.com/bandmaid.jp</a> <br />
<br />
Buy CD (European Edition):<br />
<a href="http://www.jpurecords.com/artists/band-maid/">http://www.jpurecords.com/artists/band-maid/</a><br />
<br />
Buy CD (WORLD)<br />
<a href="http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/person/700668888">http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/person/700668888</a><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></b></i></span></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-72545919740152781642010-12-09T05:01:00.000-08:002019-02-04T09:36:42.412-08:00Ah, the Guilty Pleasure: Porcelain and the Tramps The subject of Guilty Pleasure music choices came up in an online discussion recently, and I wrote the next three paragraphs. Then it grew.<br />
<br />
My upbringing was somewhat strict. So a musical act where the singer covers anger and/or sex and uses bad words has a certain guilt attached. I can hear my ex: You LIKE that? I can't believe you would listen to that! Shame, shame.<br />
I have some of those now. Lately it's been hard to get enough of Porcelain and the Tramps. Why? Would I actually like this person on a social basis? I dunno... Alaina, or the part she plays, comes across as belligerently blunt, bossy, frequently profane and ready to take what she wants in a relationship, usually sex. With exultation. I tend to turn it down when pulling into a parking lot or next to another car. And then... back up ASAP. She can write and sing and be fresh and creative, with gusto.<br />
Okay, maybe not as guilty artistically as the Madonna and Britney stuff I had. But in other ways yeah.<br />
<br />
Why not artistically? Porcelain can go from a kicking chanting sound to a sweet bit of melody that could have been from the 1940s or 1920s or even earlier, while never letting you forget this is a self-aware, self-empowered Modern Girl... then combine those elements and pump them out in another and another way. She explores you-will-not run-over-ME anger/determination (Gasoline and My Leftovers), grinning romantic sexual intention (Sugarcube), desire versus talk of desire (You Want), wry and sarcastic appraisal of vanity and deceit (Transparent), and an adoring/judging prude (The Neighbor), an apparent mistress-slave relationship (King of the World), a romantic relationship post-mortem (The Preying Mantis), a look at the dynamics of prostitution (Redlight District, ironically maybe the most radio-playable song yet), the self-explanatory I'm Your Favorite Drug, a joy-of-sex number (I Feel Perfect), and pride of being really fantastic at it (F*** like a Star). Um, yeah, largely about sex and sexual romance and power... and pursuing fun to actually grab it, not to pine away like some maudlin Victorian. She's quite clear about what she means. Yet in her bluntness, she writes damn good poetry, uses alliteration and illustrations and empirical statements et cetera in ways that flow seamlessly, and shows the same talent in melody lines, beats and pacing that can turn on a hair without losing its way. Rock and Roll? Dance Music? Pop? Classifying her is pointless and hysterical - at least half of this cannot be played on the air. Which is sad because (A) lovemaking has to be superior to hate and THAT gets played all the *%# time, and (B) Porcelain is a world-class treasure of an artist. If the world weren't so dang prudish and artistic justice existed, she would be recognized as such and be ridiculously rich. Crap. What a downer. What would make me feel better?<br />
Well - other than that - I'm gonna listen to Sugarcube again.<br />
And smile.<br />
<br />
Porcelain and The Tramps is essentially Alaina Beaton's group, and at any given time can include the musicians that work for the time and situation. If there's better info on that, feel free to correct me. She has been writing and performing on a professional level at least 5 years that I know of. She's currently 25, pretty, has a fine ability to create her own striking dramatic style and loaded with independent attitude. A true underground star, IMHO. Wiki doesn't have an article on her or the band, though they do list them in a couple of other articles:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RedOne_production_discography">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RedOne_production_discography</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Virgin_Records_artists">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Virgin_Records_artists</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
They DID have an article on Wiki, but it was deleted for "Lack of Notability" (as was Alaina's):</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcelain_and_the_Tramps">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcelain_and_the_Tramps</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaina_Beaton">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaina_Beaton</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- Despite listing her in a string of articles about other artists she's worked with - co-wrote "How Do You Love Someone" for "Guilty Pleasure" by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Tisdale" title="Ashley Tisdale">Ashley Tisdale</a>, also co-wrote "Lolita" for Belinda's Carpe Diem CD, more of the same with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L.P._%28singer%29" title="L.P. (singer)">L.P. (singer)</a>, is featured on "Action" on "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Are_Machines" title="We Are Machines">We Are Machines</a>" album by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Drum_Corps" title="Street Drum Corps">Street Drum Corps</a>... But Urban Dictionary knows her:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=alaina%20beaton">http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=alaina%20beaton</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=porcelain%20and%20the%20tramps">http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=porcelain%20and%20the%20tramps</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
- Which is pretty much Underground Cult Queen defined, I reckon. It is mentioned here and there that some consider them "Industrial" rock. I haven't the foggiest idea why. She can go through 3 or 4 genres in a single song, and none of them sound like what I would consider Industrial - think Rammstein. Anyroad - her MySpace site:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/rockcitynosebleed">http://www.myspace.com/rockcitynosebleed</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Which references her Twitter site - don't usually include these but she doesn't have that many:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://twitter.com/PORCELAINBLACK">http://twitter.com/PORCELAINBLACK</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Check YouTube for videos - mostly fan slideshows it would seem. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And this appears to be her Facebook location:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/profile.php?id=100000599499515">http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000599499515</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- Or at least one of them. Search there on her name and you'll see what I mean.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Have fun - but don't say I didn't warn ya.</div>
<div style="color: red; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br />
</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="color: red;">J</i></span></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-30104555582669461892010-10-24T17:02:00.000-07:002019-02-04T09:33:13.090-08:00Genya the Survivor<div style="text-align: center;">
Genya is a Holocaust survivor. She is 70 this year. She became one of the great artists of rock and roll. And almost 50 years after she began her career, she still is.</div>
<br />
It's a miracle she exists at all. On the 8th of September, 1939, the city of Lodz, Poland, was captured by the German army. A thirtysomething wife and mother of three named Zelkowitz was around three months pregnant then. The 233,000 Jews of the city of nearly 700,000 were forced into a ghetto and used as slave labor to produce supplies for the army, while being systematically starved. Anyone smuggling food in was typically shot. At one point the ghetto number grew to about 300,000 from people being brought in from the surrounding area, but that is not a total; trainloads of Jews (and at least 150,000 others) were being shipped out to the death camps on a regular basis. The Zelkowitz family would soon be among them. By the war's end only about 900 Jews would remain alive in the city.<br />
Six months into the occupation, on April 19, 1940, a baby girl was born in Lodz. Genyusha Zelkowitz would spend much of her first five years in concentration camps. Families of both her parents would die – her grandparents from both mother's and father's families, uncles, aunts, cousins, all of them, plus her two brothers. Her father saw all nine of his brothers killed. When the Russians came, they were no longer in Nazi concentration camps, they were in “displaced-persons” camps – moved from one to another to another. They were still not free. The little family – her parents, herself and her sister Helen – escaped their liberators (she remembers lying flat in the grass after the initial bolt out of the camp, feeling suffocated by her mother's hand over her mouth), made their way across Europe, and ended up in another displaced-persons camp in the US-controlled area in Germany. But at this camp, they were free. And ships sent by people trying to help the refugees would take them to either the newly forming state of Israel or to the USA. The next boat out of Germany was to the USA. They came by ship through Ellis Island in 1947 and ended up in an apartment on the lower East side in New York, her father starting a candy store with the help of their sponsor. They had to have sponsors to immigrate; the volunteer sponsors who took the Zelkowitz family under their wing were named Solomon.<br />
Her mother called her Goldie now instead of Genya because she thought it would help her fit into the new country. Goldie would fall in love with Rhythm and Blues with her ear against the radio speaker, turned way down in the wee hours of the morning. The whole working-through-the-pain approach of blues really connected with her experience. Her first English teacher was that radio.<br />
Through her teenage years she became more rebellious and independent. Her parents arranged a marriage that didn't work at all; she ran away to California riding on the back of a friend's Harley, then came back and got an annulment. (Some garbled accounts of her life claim she met Ginger and founded Goldie and the Gingerbreads in Cali at 16, not true. Read her book.) She did “cheesecake” modeling work (for those unfamiliar with the term, that's skimpily clothed - or less - in sexy poses). She met and became friends with Shel Silverstein (and his wife), whose song “Carry Me Carrie” she would later record. She never stopped being in love with music... by her late teens she had developed some skill on alto sax, drums and harmonica.<br />
When she was twenty-one in the summer of 1961*, she was at the Lollipop Lounge in Brooklyn where a band called The Escorts was playing (one of at least three groups with that name). On a dare, and because she loved to sing, she asked if she could sing with them. They stared at her bellybutton peeking between her low jeans and halter top – risque in the early 1960s – and agreed. She did “Stupid Cupid” with actual expression and the crowd loved it. They yelled for more. She did another. A few days later Richie (Richard Perry), the leader of the group, invited her to sing for them full-time... and she became a professional singer, working clubs and recording with them over the next year-plus. “The Escorts featuring 'Goldie'” was on the label of their 45 RPM single “One Heart” with “Somewhere” on the flipside, both from Leonard Bernstein's “West Side Story” musical. It charted well and “Somewhere” hit # 1 in Michigan, leading to their doing “record hops” with Marvin Gaye there. But The Escorts were a preppie group that had to take winters off for college. Goldie wanted more, and after meeting a girl drummer named Ginger Panabianco the next summer (1962), she began to see possibilities.<br />
In the fall of 1962, with Richie and the rest of The Escorts going back to University of Michigan, she and Ginger put together something new: A (soon-to-be) successful all-girl band, Goldie and the Gingerbreads. Not a girl vocal group backed by invisible male musicians, but a band with all instruments played by young women and played well. At first they didn't have a guitarist; later they would try several and keep Carol MacDonald, in 1963. But their first tour was as a trio with Margo Lewis as keyboardist carrying responsibility for both the instrumental melody line and bass with her portable (barely) Hammond organ. They went to Germany and Switzerland opening for Chubby Checker in late 1962. (The latter's German version of “Let's Do the Twist” had been released in January, so his audience there was clamoring for live shows. Adding to the excitement was the unprecedented return of his original 1960 English release to the Number One on the US charts at the same time.) Tony Sheridan, a well-known English singer-guitarist who had collaborated with a new group named The Beatles on some recordings a year earlier when their drummer was Pete Best (just before they had Ringo Starr), was a star on the German part of the tour and sang some numbers with Goldie at some of the venues in Germany – to the great irritation of his rather rigid manager, who thought he should strictly solo.<br />
Goldie/Genya's feelings about being in Germany were edgy, and she freely admits she was wearing a chip on her shoulder. Her earliest memories of hearing German spoken were from Nazi soldiers whose orders were to shoot food smugglers in Lodz, including perhaps her childhood friends, and then concentration camp guards. Everywhere they went, she would go into jewelry shops and ask to see whatever they had with the “Star of David”. She would usually end up buying something as they were almost universally nice. But if they were out, she got upset. And when one shop owner told her bluntly that she would not find one Star of David in the entire shop, she flew into a rage and began screaming at him. Her bandmates had to drag her out and calm her down. Between their reasoned talk and the very positive, friendly treatment she was overwhelmingly given by almost everyone there, she was able to gradually relax and enjoy their tour.<br />
They would achieve critical acclaim and some well-placing records over the next five years, and the appreciation of the soldiers at the military bases they toured. Mainstream media coverage and respect was harder to come by, yet male musicians studied their techniques; they were known as “the musicians' musicians”. They would get more respect in England and Europe than in America.<br />
The biggest impediment to a hit record in the US was, oddly, race. Genya sounded “black” to the white stations so they mostly wouldn't play their tunes, and the black R&B stations weren't playing white artists. In England and Europe, pop artists of all sorts and races were played on the same stations.<br />
Their biggest break was probably the 1964 “Mods and Rockers' Ball” in New York, with any artist of any kind who was anyone in attendance – and Goldie and the Gingerbreads being the entertainment act booked. The Rolling Stones were there and found the Gingerbreads exciting. So did Tom Wolfe, who wrote about it. And so did Ahmet Ertugun, legendary co-founder of Atlantic/Atco Records. He signed them immediately and Goldie would later fondly remember Ahmet and his people as both fair, and genuinely caring for their artists in an industry that most often exploited the artists routinely. He talked them up around town too... though by the time they pulled the plug on the party at 4 AM and breakfasted with some of the “in” crowd at the “in” place – The Brasserie - the group was the buzz of New York.<br />
Also that year, The Animals' Eric Burdon, Hilton Valentine (whom Goldie later dated for awhile) and their manager Mike Jeffries were walking by The Wagon Wheel, a club where Goldie and the Gingerbreads were kicking out “I Can't Stand It” loudly enough to be heard in the street. Thinking it was a black group, they stopped in to give a listen and were blown away by the rest of the act. They invited them to England, paid their passage and put them up in the duplex the Animals shared. One problem: Goldie visited Eric in his room just once, and it gave her the creeps, and it was hard to forget. Eric was a WW2 memorabilia collector, mainly of Nazi items. His room was filled with Nazi uniforms, helmets, books, swastikas... she didn't think he was one, but that stuff in her face was not where she wanted to be. They later stayed in a fleabag hotel. But... they toured with the Rolling Stones, the Hollies and others, and the U.K. and Europe loved them. Ringo Starr and Harry Nilsson took her to her first Indian restaurant. Jeffries, with partner Mickie Most,would manage them for some time.<br />
In 1966, after recording backup vocals to a Georgie Fame tune in London, she started messing with a piano and sang an R&B song called Disappointed Bride, which was recorded and was released as a single under the name Patsy Cole. It made its way to Jamaica where it topped the charts. Georgie's horns, Spencer Davis and Stevie Winwood joined in to back HER up on that one. Dusty Springfield had been there for Georgie's backup too but left before Goldie started this.<br />
In late 1967, Goldie and the Gingerbreads parted ways. Publicly, she wanted to explore her own direction. The image of the group had become too confining – she wanted to rock more (Charles Chandler and Eric Burdon produced their recording of “Can't you hear My Heart Beat” and Eric kept saying, “Sing it like Diana Ross would sing it” instead of letting her do it as herself, which upset her). More profoundly and privately, there was friction with the rest of the group about her overpowering role and personality. They felt estranged from her and she didn't know what to do about it. So she remained in the UK and the others returned to the States. In 1972 Ginger and Carol would put together another even more innovative all-woman band, the jazz-funk-fusion Isis, later joined by Margo.<br />
In 1968 Goldie came back with a powerhouse 10-piece band named Ten Wheel Drive, and reclaimed her original first name, touring as “Genya Ravan”. Ravan (sic) was a play on her “black” singing sound suggested by a jazz drummer friend as “Raven”, and she respelled it for uniqueness. Ten Wheel Drive had guitars, keyboards, horns and of course drums... everything. She was the only woman leading such a group, again. (The most comparable group would have been Blood Sweat & Tears, all male.) It sounded bigger than ten people because most of them alternated between two or more instruments. Genya occasionally did her blues harmonica. It was played on progressive FM stations, they did the Fillmore East regularly, et cetera. They put out some amazing music, “tight” and strong, but are best known for the novelty tune that hit the charts in a big way, “Morning Much Better”. It was during this period she met Janis Joplin, they did a show or two (?) together and the two were inevitably compared, but Genya wasn't thrilled by the “sounds like...” comments at the time. Frankly, I think her sound at full cry is closer to Aretha Franklin – not surprising since they both grew up listening to the same R&B artists, who were also Genya's first English teachers via radio.<br />
Ten Wheel Drive lasted into 1971. In their time together they put out three albums, “Construction #1”, “Brief Replies” and “Peculiar Friends”. Genya then put out three solo albums from the west coast: “Genya Ravan”, “They Love Me, They Love Me Not”, and in 1974, “Goldie Zelkowitz” with a cover pic showing her in some old-style East-European (?) Jewish dress... albeit open down the front... There was some critical acclaim for her work on all three, but little mainstream media support. And she was frustrated by producers who didn't “get” her, or didn't care what she thought. Becoming her own producer became more and more attractive. She moved back east and eventually learned the art so well she made a name as a truly talented producer who could capture the best of an artist – the first successful professional female record producer ever. She worked for RCA and also established her own label for a time, Polish (pronounced like furniture polish).<br />
She sometimes contributed tracks to other people's albums as appropriate, but still was doing her own, though – her “Love is a Fire” was heard in the movie “The Warriors” in 1979, and in her self-produced CDs “Urban Desire” in 1978, then “...And I Mean It!” in 1979. She and quite a few others consider these some of her best work.<br />
One of the RCA projects was an album for a punk group called The Dead Boys (Young, Loud and Snotty, 1977), and she recalls unloading on them why they should NOT be using swastikas for shock value. They dropped that, and she now considers that one of her best production projects.<br />
There were plenty of others too – Long John Baldrey, Kool and the Gang, Tiny Tim?!<br />
Polish produced the 1982 album “Siren” for Ronnie Spector, another Holocaust survivor. This was another project she liked the results of, but working with the famously unstable diva was another matter. She credits the expense of trying to finish the album with Ronnie as a major factor in the collapse of her label. She took some time off. She visited friends.<br />
All during her career Genya had been drinking, smoking and chemically enhancing her way through life. She seemed bulletproof, immortal. She wasn't. It all caught up in the mid-80s and hit hard.<br />
She knew she was sick, and thinking over how she'd been living, she decided she had to get off the drugs and alcohol. It was a good first step. Bernie Segal got her started in AA. Getting off drugs, notably cocaine, took longer. But August 11, 1990, she learned just how sick she was.<br />
Lung cancer. Third stage. Prognosis: Three to six months to live. But they didn't know Genya.<br />
She went through all the misery the medical profession could throw at her – chemo, then surgery, the works. Her immense determination was challenged. In chemo, she was violently sick and her hair not only fell out, but her body was so hypersensitive she couldn't wear the beautiful natural hair wig that her sister and friends bought for her... though she kept it as a memento of their love. Her sister and her old bandmates came to help as soon as they heard. Older sister Helen, who had nearly died from a shrapnel neck wound in Poland and was saved by a nearby military mobile clinic, who had never projected the toughness Genya had, now was the emotional rock and caregiver as baby sister fought for life, fought to want to keep going. After the hospital treatments and surgery to remove the remaining cancer (and the upper portion of a lung), Helen took her to her home in Florida to recover. At the time, she was focusing simply on living.<br />
She took up painting. She learned more about websites and set one up for herself in 1997. When she was stronger, she became a radio show hostess/deejay – eventually with two shows – on Little Steven's Underground Garage venue on Sirius Satellite radio. She helped discover Hilly Kristal, The Wives, Linda Potatoes. She discovered TriPod at CBGB's in 2001 and produced their demo album, even contributing a vocal to one tune. Would she sing again on her own? Would there be any more albums by Genya Ravan?<br />
The question hung in the air while the 1995 “Best of Ten Wheel Drive” was released, followed by a personal-best collection of existing, previously unreleased tracks in 2003, “For Fans Only”. She worked on her memoirs, and 2004 brought the publication of Lollipop Lounge, Memoirs Of A Rock And Roll Refugee (Genya Ravan, ISBN 0-8230-8362-4 ).<br />
Then, in 2006, “Genya Ravan Live” from a performance at CBGB's was released, and in 2010, “Undercover” is out. She's back, she's seventy and she still rocks.<br />
I have to tell the truth. The intense power of her squall in the late 70s – early 80s work is muted. But her soul is here, deeper and more experienced. Not less, just different. Of the new stuff, “202 Rivington Street”, literally about where she comes from (as a child in New York), has with the most spill-your-guts feeling of revelation, I think. And from what I've seen elsewhere, others have gotten the same impression.<br />
Genyusha Zelkowitz has continuously grown and re-invented her life from its beginning. And with the perspective of nearly losing it some 25 years ago, re-found it as well. She is exploring her visual (painting) talents, her music has returned in a new form, and I hear she has a full-time love these days.<br />
She is a survivor – of the Nazi death camps, the cold genocidal brutality that would have destroyed her and her remaining family had it had the chance. Of being practically imprisoned by their liberators, and the flight to the west. Of adapting to a strange new land with a new language and customs. Of a sadly unwise, nearly forced marriage she wasn't ready for. Of the ups and downs of the music business, of a curious combination of fame and obscurity. Of her own self-destructive behavior culminating in cancer and chemo and surgery. She has been pulled through some things by others and Providence, pushed herself and driven through other things, and seems to be in a good place now...<br />
Alive and kickin'.<br />
<br />
Some firsts:<br />
Co-founded the very first! successful all-female rock and roll band<br />
Co-founded first female-led power rock band<br />
First female professional music producer<br />
<br />
And from the Ten Wheel Drive – Fillmore East days, the boobie prize [sorry, had to say that]:<br />
The first female rock artist to remove her top onstage – and didn't even get arrested, thanks to body paint. And probably the location. According to one source, it was a vest that came off; under that she was wearing a dark but very sheer blouse thing but it was unbuttoned and highly see-through anyway.<br />
Though she WAS probably the first female rock artist arrested for public profanity onstage, after her colorful language when somebody started yelling “Sly!” while she was opening for Sly Stone.<br />
<br />
<br />
* Re times and ages: In the early 1960s she would have had to be at least 21 to be drinking (as per Pages 40 and 41 of her book) in a public lounge without them losing their license. That places the first encounter with Richie The Escorts at Lollipop Lounge sometime after 19th of April 1961. Considering they recorded her not long after that, went back to college that fall, did some “record hops” with her in Michigan that winter and then performed in New York with her the following summer when she met Ginger Panabianco which she states was 1962, the Lollipop Lounge encounter with The Escorts pretty much has to be the summer or fall of 1961.<br />
Genya states on page 40 that the Lollipop Lounge encounter was 1962, and on page 47 that “Somewhere” was released in late 1962... and on page 42 that they already had a recording contract by the time she was asked to sing with them and they went straight there – but on page 45 that "Sometime in the fall of 1961 we met with the record-company executives at Decca... " and describes the subsequent recording of "Somewhere" and three other songs. THEN the boys went back to college, then the record was released, hit # 1 in Michigan, so she went to meet Richie and the group at UMich at Ann Arbor that winter and they did some record hops with Marvin Gaye to promote their music further. Then she got together with the Escorts the following spring (after school, a/k/a next year) and performed together during the summer and she met Ginger that summer – which had to be 1962 because before the end of that year they had formed Goldie and the Gingerbreads and were touring Europe opening for Chubby Checker. Assuming the remaining references to “1962” are valid, that is... as opposed to simply the only year number she can remember.<br />
So, my bottom-line analysis of all this is that dear Genya's memories of this time of her life are being recalled from the far side of a hellacious lot of chemicals, recreational and medical. That doesn't change my respect for her or her art.<br />
And Yes, I realize I'm being obsessive with this. It's my nature and my work – I've spent much of my life proofreading and verifying engineering documents. It's as much a part of me as my love for music.<br />
The rumor repeated on several sites, even in the Wikipedia article on her, that she started Goldie and the Gingerbreads when she was 17 or even younger may have been a bit of disinformation started by an early manager or record company due to the perception in the sixties that popular music sung by teenagers was more authentic – and more profitable. Being 22 and thereabouts could put her and her companions out of the running for being “teen idols”. There is no way it can fit the time frames of other events, especially her birthday in 1940! Or it could have been the simple messy tangle of third-hand information. This has led to confusion on some sites as to her birth year, its relation to when the family arrived in America, the idea that she was born in a concentration camp (she wasn't; she was born in Lodz, they were taken to camps later) and lots of other stuff that makes no logical or mathematical sense when you compare them all. So: Categorically, the teenage start to Goldie and the Gingerbreads is malarky. She was 22 at the time, and the year was 1962, according to the preponderance of evidence from her memoirs plus recorded facts on when records were made, when Chubby Checker's first German tour was, Tony Sheridan's remarks about working with the Beatles, et cetera.<br />
This is a tiny taste of a very rich and adventuresome life. If you've read this far, you'll want to read her book: “Lollipop Lounge: Memoirs of a Rock and Roll Refugee”.<br />
<br />
Her Sites:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.genyaravan.com/">http://www.genyaravan.com</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.goldiesgarage.us/">http://www.goldiesgarage.us/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/GENYARADIO">http://www.myspace.com/GENYARADIO</a></div>
<br />
Her Book:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/">www.amazon.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=-p57_POtU8UC&pg=PA58&lpg=PA58&dq=Genya+Ravan+Margo+Lewis&source=bl&ots=TgRqDRFOq2&sig=1_HO9kr_VyzCKMDBzBvI4LDZ5e8&hl=en&ei=fa6ZTLDNMMb_lge1rslr&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CDYQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q&f=false">http://books.google.com/books?id=-p57_POtU8UC&pg=PA58&lpg=PA58&dq=Genya+Ravan+Margo+Lewis&source=bl&ots=TgRqDRFOq2&sig=1_HO9kr_VyzCKMDBzBvI4LDZ5e8&hl=en&ei=fa6ZTLDNMMb_lge1rslr&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CDYQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q&f=false</a></div>
<br />
Articles:<br />
Dates are not all correct, but it's a start:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genya_Ravan">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genya_Ravan</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goldminemag.com/article/Genya_Ravan_Girl_power/">http://www.goldminemag.com/article/Genya_Ravan_Girl_power/</a></div>
<br />
This one gets her birth year wrong, but has lots of other good info:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/bio/genya-ravan/483169">http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/bio/genya-ravan/483169</a></div>
<br />
<br />
An overview of female bands of the sixties including Goldie and the Gingerbreads:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vonghouls.com/garpunk/dec2004.htm">http://www.vonghouls.com/garpunk/dec2004.htm</a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b> J</b></span></i></span><br />
<br />
</div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-64033428535746285782010-01-28T05:38:00.001-08:002019-02-04T09:21:51.187-08:00A Trio or Three<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: maroon;"><b><i>Trio One of Three: Cream</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><b><i> </i></b> Long long ago and far far away (or something like that) in the Sixties (yes, before Star Wars and during the original Star Trek), a schoolmate told me about a group called Cream. Over the next several years I acquired I think pretty much every LP record they made. It was a British group that did blues-rock, their versions of some Robert Johnson and Willie Dixon tunes and quite a bit of original material. The drummer was a tall guy named Ginger Baker (it's an English thing) who kicked double basses which was not usual then. The bass player was a broody intellectual poet named Jack Bruce. And the lead guitarist was a Yardbirds and John Mayall Bluesbreakers alumnus named Eric Clapton. All of them were already well known in the U.K.; they were the first band referred to as a "supergroup". They had some hits mostly with their original stuff and then showed up on a U.S. TV variety show in a spaced-flower-child inspired video, no skits or nubile females or cussing, just them singing and an independently moving background with landscapes and lights and I think flowers. I could taste cream in my mouth for a week after that. No, I'm not gay, and I wasn't doing any psychotropic drugs that I remember. It was just there. Cream eventually split up, reportedly because everybody's ego (principally Baker's and Bruce's) was bigger than the group and it reached the point of being unable to work together as a team. But while it lasted (1966 through 1968), it was awesome to behold. There was another group of the same name about 20+ years later but it was unrelated. The three played together again at their 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and in a short series of concerts at Royal Albert Hall and at Madison Square Garden in 2005. They understand the value of scarcity.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cream2005.com/">http://www.cream2005.com</a></div>
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If you like solid blues-inspired sixties rock, or just have an interest in hearing an original, historic 60s band that isn't played everyday, check them out. Albums: See</div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_discography">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_discography</a></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_%28band%29">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_(band)</a></div>
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Later, Ginger Baker formed Ginger Baker's Air Force, which has been described as a a jazz-fusion band. He also did some traveling and recording of indigenous North African drummers, which he considered in danger of fading away. However, in his own playing, I think he was at his peak in Cream.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ginger-baker.com/">http://www.ginger-baker.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Baker%27s_Air_Force">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Baker's_Air_Force</a></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Baker">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Baker</a></div>
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<br />
Jack Bruce did some solo work and I once had an album named "Out of the Rain" by him. His first solo album was "Songs for a Tailor".</div>
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<a href="http://www.jackbruce.com/">http://www.jackbruce.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Bruce">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Bruce</a></div>
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Eric Clapton - did a pile of stuff you probably already know. I particularly liked his work on his first post-Cream album, "Derek and the Dominos", and on George Harrison's.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ericclapton.com/">http://www.ericclapton.com</a></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Clapton">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Clapton</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: maroon;"><b><i>Trio Two of Three: The Eroica Trio</i></b></span></span></div>
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Eroica means "Heroic" and is a reference to a Beethoven piece... not "erotica" as my ex liked to say sarcastically every time I listened to them. In the context of the group itself, it refers to the "heroic" passion with which they approach the music.<br />
<br />
I first encountered this outfit in the form of a coworker loaning me a couple of CDs to stay awake and cranking at the computer, about 2001. One of them was "Baroque", a 1999 release by The Eroica Trio, with tunes from Vivaldi, Loeillet, Bach, Buxtehude, Lotti and Albinoni (kinda full circle there). In rock terms, it was a "tight band". They should be - two of them had known and played with each other since age 9 and they met the third at 12. Their renderings seemed effortless (ha ha) and flowing, never stilted or trite. And on top of that, they weren't bad to look at - three nice-looking ladies, attractively groomed and gowned as for a formal event. I've heard at first they had some trouble being taken seriously because of that. Thankfully, they stuck to their guns (or gowns) and didn't uglify themselves, and today they are a high-demand, award-winning, world-recognized group. And each is an outstanding musician with solo and orchestral-backed work to her credit.<br />
One has left since they began - Adela Pena, due to fatigue injuries of the hand (carpal tunnel?). She's playing with the Orpheus Orchestra now, so I don't know exactly how that works unless she has a less demanding concert schedule with them. I have long thought the violin was not designed for humans anyway, maybe some alien race. Maybe for some kind of dry-land squid. It's rough on necks especially.<br />
In 2006, Pena was replaced by an equally impressive talent, Susie Park. Unlike the others, she didn't go to Julliard, she went to Curtis Institute of Music and New England Conservatory. And by the time she joined Eroica, she was also world-acclaimed. (Even I had heard of Susie Park and I'm not a "classical only is my world" kind of guy.) And like the others, she keeps the view pleasant.<br />
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So currently the group is: Erika Nickrenz, piano; Susie Park, violin; Sara Sant'Ambrogio, cello.<br />
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Their current release, their 8th, "An American Journey", explores a more present-day pop culture arena, not a new venture for them in terms of recent composers, but this gets into Gershwin, Bernstein and a new work referencing Johnny Cash. What I've heard so far (on the MySpace site) is well-done just like the historic pieces of "Baroque" but the new composition seems to me less elegant in comparison. Eroica did a creditable job, they didn't drop the ball, it isn't a "fault". The material and classical musicians just have a hard time meshing smoothly, IMHO. Maybe that's me. Give them a listen and see. And remember, if you don't like this disc, there are seven previous ones to check out.<br />
On musical styles: Symphony orchestras and classical ensembles have never sounded at home (to me) playing the likes of The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" and so on... rather like training an elephant to tap dance. However admirably the elephant (generally a graceful creature) performs, it's never quite "there", never quite as graceful as the creature in its natural environment. The Trio is far more agile than an orchestra but there are still odd moments of pacing. Oh well. You may disagree.</div>
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Their concerts include a variety of compositions and are a lot of fun, I hear.</div>
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Anyways. In case I haven't meanderingly talked you out of it, I do totally intend to convey that if you have even a passing interest or bare tolerance for Classical, at least the more intimate chamber compositions, these people should be on your list of "Check Out Next". Okay?<br />
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To start catching up with them:</div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.eroicatrio.com">http://www.eroicatrio.com</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.myspace.com/eroicatrio">http://www.myspace.com/eroicatrio</a><br />
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<a href="http://eroicatrio.blogspot.com/">http://eroicatrio.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3430000021.html">http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3430000021.html</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eroica-Trio/14018704774">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eroica-Trio/14018704774</a></div>
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<br />
Here's a this-month article (January 2010) online:<br />
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<a href="http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-380364">http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-380364</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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As a group, Eroica's label seems to be EMI Classics. Articles about them include a short stub in Wiki:</div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eroica_Trio">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eroica_Trio</a></div>
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A longer one from their management group:</div>
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<a href="http://www.imgartists.com/?page=news/index.html&id=55">http://www.imgartists.com/?page=news/index.html&id=55</a><br />
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And re the members:</div>
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Erika Nickrenz - So far, only a page on the Eroica Trio site:</div>
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<a href="http://www.eroicatrio.com/html/nickrenz_bio.html">http://www.eroicatrio.com/html/nickrenz_bio.html</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sara Sant'Ambrogio official Web site -</div>
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<a href="http://www.sarasantambrogio.com/">http://www.sarasantambrogio.com/</a></div>
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Susie Park official Web site - Missing from Existence? Would you like help with that, Susie?</div>
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Here's a nice not-so-new article on Susie:</div>
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<a href="http://www.chambermusicsociety.org/artistDetail/44/artistID=405">http://www.chambermusicsociety.org/artistDetail/44/artistID=405</a></div>
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And former member Adela:</div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adela_Pena">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adela_Pena</a></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orpheus_Chamber_Orchestra">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orpheus_Chamber_Orchestra</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.orpheusnyc.org/">http://www.orpheusnyc.org</a></div>
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___________________________________________________</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b><span style="color: maroon;"><i>Trio Three of Three: One More time, E.A.T.</i></span></b></span></div>
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Okay, Eagle And Talon is supposed to be the dynamic duo and all. But Andrew Jeffords is the quiet (?) dude who plays with them and even sings some in concerts. And I wanted an excuse to mention one more thing about them.<br />
I paid the money and did the download-plus-CD purchase of the album of Thracian. I expected a CD in an envelope. I got that, but much more. Let's see, there were several little animal cutouts, a flexible foam-plastic stuff intended for, say, a child's feltboard/storyboard? A tube of organic coconut-based lip balm, a packet of herb tea, a standard-sized cherry Tootsie Roll, A large chocolate Tootsie Roll, an art-critter drawing by Kim that reminds me of John Lennon's early sketches on acid, and two glossy photos: An entry into a living or dining room that has hanging plants plus what looks like a birdhouse hanging from the ceiling, and the other is Andrew dressed as a frumpy housewife talking on a house-type wireless phone by a counter on which is, uh, some bicycle seats? The effect of all these things together seemed to say to me that anything can happen and it's gonna be good fun.<br />
Practical considerations: It was in fact a bubble-wrap CD bag with "Your Thracian Loot Bag!!!" written on the back and the CD liner notes have some more pics (Andrew gets to wear a plaid shirt, no dress involved) and you can actually READ the lyrics in black and white. I know some artists are trying to portray a moody image and all, but small, thin brown letters on a dark background don't do it for my oculars. This readability is a GOOD thing.<br />
All in all, I was digging it, laughing and showing this stuff to my sons. The younger one said "They're just like you!" with what sounded like dismay. So they might not be for everyone. But somehow I think they would be pleased by that.<br />
I think I was one of the first buyers, so I don't know how many shipments got this treatment. I'm glad mine did. Personal, artsy, delightful, real and surreal all at the same time.<br />
Okay, next time I promise I'll stick to talking about somebody else.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">J </span></i></span></div>
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<small><i>Powered by</i> <a href="http://www.qumana.com/">Qumana</a></small></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-23635253836756393612009-06-11T18:38:00.000-07:002019-02-04T09:11:37.195-08:00Liberation Legends: Sleater-Kinney<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);">The first tune I heard by Sleater-Kinney was “Oh!” on Epitonic.com. The vocal reminded me of maybe the B-52s a little, or some mid-60s girl group. It was funny and sexy and really different. At first it sounded like a girl telling her boyfriend No – but soon I realized that's not it, she's coaching him! Had to hear it again and again. I started checking out their other material, and every cut was different, then started buying CDs, largely off eBay because they were hard to find. Still haven't got “The Hot Rock” although I've heard most of the cuts, and I don't have the pre-”Dig Me Out” discs, “Sleater-Kinney” or “Call the Doctor”. But Sleater-Kinney has affected my music listening and awarenesses for the past half-decade.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> Sleater-Kinney is one of the strongest groups of our time (turn of the Millennium)</span><span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);">,</span><span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> creatively and musically. I believe it was Greil Marcus, who has a rep as The Guru among rock writers, who did an article on them in Time Magazine representing that they were the best band in America. (It was a “Best of America” project in Time in 2001.)</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> Facts in case you don't already know: S-K is/was an all-girl/woman group generally considered to be punk or post-punk style (sorta) in-your-face feminists, which was named for a freeway off-ramp near Corin and Carrie's homes. Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein are longtime friends; they had a love affair but Corin was much more emotionally invested which Carrie only realized after they broke up as a couple. They were friends before and obviously still are. They each do guitar and vocals, but Corin usually leads on vocals and Carrie on guitar. They did other bands earlier, and had some modest success with this one but it was their fourth drummer, Janet Weiss, who brought new energy and inventiveness late in 1996 that helped propel them to international cult heroines (or at least international cult heroines who were far better known). The first disc she did with them was 1997's “Dig Me Out”. The title tune blasted me awake in the morning on my radio/CD alarm for awhile, opening with dissonant guitar and then the surprisingly varied drums and Corin's urgent singing. “One more Hour” was about Corin's feelings at the aforementioned breakup. “Turn It On” was another mightily sexy number, and seems to be about a male (“Oh it's too hard – it's too good...”) who turns her on even though she doesn't truly trust him. (“Why do your words have to ring so false... why do your eyes have to change so much...?”) “It's Enough” might also be, depending on how one takes it. “Little Babies” is the closest thing to a general negative review of males, IMHO. There are a lot of possible double entendes, in different directions... “Not What You Want” has the singer encountering a guy friend and asking him to take her for a drive and to keep driving faster. She's totally stressing. He's asking What's wrong and apparently whether it's him, and her reply is “It's not what you want”. Which can be taken a couple of ways. Like, My feelings aren't headed in the direction you want, forget that, and/or What you want has nothing to do with what I'm going through. Of course this isn't his idea of a good time, but what I'm hearing here is that this is HER stress, she owns it and No he is not the cause. Everything in HER life is not about HIM.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> I hear a basically similar idea on “Youth Decay” from “All Hands On The Bad One”. “Acid Tooth / It's got nothing to do with you / But if you wanna watch me chew / My teeth are cutting you out...” This (with the context) sounds like she doesn't want to be close to men at least right now. I'm okay with that. The writer actually recognizes that all men are not the source of her problems, despite complaining in the same song about her father judging her and her mother harshly. I've heard women and men (both “liberal” and “conservative”) say basically that if anything is wrong in a woman's life or psyche it's the nearest man's fault. Lemme tell ya, that gets old fast. I'd much rather deal with the honest feelings of a woman who wants an equal relationship rather than one who says the man should make all major decisions and then gives you holy hell if it doesn't turn out to be what she wanted (and what you were supposed to have guessed). What I'm saying is that the perspective here is reasonable and fair; these are not man-haters here.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> BTW, Corin and Janet have been married to guys, Corin still is, and Janet is still friends with her ex and does a project band named Quasi with him. Carrie happily babysits Corin's son Marshall and is his favorite because she will roughouse with him.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> Most of the early cuts I've heard, from before Dig Me Out, are so much shriller they're physically painful for me to listen to. Women's hearing is possibly more attuned to enjoy it. They have said that harshness was part of what they aimed for at the time to make a point.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> The title tune on “All Hands on The Bad One” is social protest at its finest, skewering precisely how proper conservative society condemns those who act or look different while doing the same stuff themselves (sometimes a couple of years later), with an undertone of social protesters themselves being a particular target as seen on the CD cover. (Similar idea to “Call The Doctor”.) “You're no Rock and Roll Fun” is about a certain pop star, reputed to be based on an encounter with Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys, who is too full of himself to play around with “the girl band”. It's playful (of course) and has its own good kickin' fun. So is another song about the other person not letting her get close, “Ironclad”. Overall impression: They're in control of their own destinies and refuse to be controlled or be victims.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> At least once per CD they tend to do a rage-against-the-unfairness-of-the-music-machine and at least one desire-for-a-woman number, the majority (?) of both done by Carrie. Sometimes the desire tunes are poignant - “Buy Her Candy” comes to mind, and the near-desperate certainty of “Dance Song '97”: “You're the one that I saw/You're the one that I want...” Sometimes they're just awkward musically (Milkshake'N'Honey) or conceptually (“Prisstina” on “One Beat” is about a totally non-socialized non-playful college girl who walks past a club, hears rock-n-roll, goes in and is instantly converted from celibate scholar to gay. Right... ). There's a relentless, often bleak analyzing of truth as seen by the writer: “Do you see her face/When she's gone/Sometimes so bright/Your heart just stops...” (Jenny). But there is also the power of that truth to rise above the present state of things or the present (former?) relationship: “...It is brave to feel/It is brave to be alive...” (Things You Say).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> All three are individually bright musicians with actual creativity, world-class. Together they're a Tour-de-Force. Carrie is an intense, impressive lead guitarist who plays like she's awake, and can do both sarcastic and some surprisingly subtle vocals as well. Corin is the even more urgent wail that will blast your hair back, yet also versatile, and probably the most political in her writing. And no slouch on the guitar either – she and Carrie do complex interplay anytime it seems appropriate. Janet Weiss is among the very top few drummers I have heard in the past 50+ years. She is not merely “filling the holes”, but is an important part of the structure of the music, and those beats and patterns are living things. She can also do the more repetitive pounding rock very effectively. In the videos I've seen, Janet looks totally focused and in control, yet also getting really into it, head swiveling and hair swinging almost straight out at times. Not merely skilled, but a passionate artist. Yeah.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> My favorite S-K CD is “One Beat” from 2002. Besides the usual pean of praise for Rock, for Their Rock, for Grrrl Power Rock etc. (One Beat, Step Aside), it has the spookily accurate Faraway about the beginning of the Iraq war (?) with the bombs falling, written before the event because Corin saw it coming, and Combat Rock, about the war-faring of our country and the media/political popularization of it as the One Right Attitude of the Loyal American Citizen. Corin did a show with Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam in Denver at the beginning of the Iraq war and they were booed by 10,000 people for their political stance – and they kept going, in the face of death threats and all. Gutsy and earnest people.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> There are plenty of relationship postmortems too... “The Remainder”, “Funeral Song”. There's the eerie feminist identity-of-the-self versus the image shell “Hollywood Ending”, and the environmental “O2”.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> The last song on One Beat, “Sympathy”, is Corin's frank portrait of her feelings and thoughts in a terrible, amazing time a few years ago when her first child came 9 weeks early. It is ragged and raw and real and should pull tears out of a turnip. It did from me.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> The events include: Doctor with long face giving bad prognosis (they were losing him), a new mother's fear and anger and cry for help from a God she barely knows exists, or at least has her doubts about, and a glimpse of what the results and her thoughts were, after. Hint: Corin's firstborn son is still a strong, healthy, roughousing little boy with none of the long-lasting problems that often come with this stage of prematurity. The lady is utterly honest about what she understands of what happened, and about what she really doesn't understand. Which puts her light-years ahead of many overtly “religious” people in my book.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> God is not a political property; He/She loves screaming liberal feminist rock singers too. Just in case you hadn't heard.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> Which brings us to the latest (last?) album, The Woods. Everyone has their opinion, this is mine. To compare it with their previous CDs:</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> All the albums from Dig me Out forward through All Hands on The Bad One, The Hot Rock and One Beat were produced by John Goodmanson on the Kill Rock Stars label. They were very personal, very Carrie-Corin-Janet personal. I wasn't in love with every cut, but I had a great liking for the totality. There were always songs that spoke to me somehow. Then came “The Woods” on Sub Pop in 2006, produced by David Fridmann. Contrary to the Sub Pop blurb for the album on the S-K MySpace site, I'm not afraid of things being new. A new album by S-K is always different than the last. That's cool. What's not cool with me is that Fridmann did not like the Sleater-Kinney I liked, and was determined to change their sound to suit himself. The band gave it their all-out effort. This guy is supposed to be big-time or something like that. Maybe it really is what they wanted to do. But most of the tunes just don't seem as heartfelt and real and personal. Rollercoaster is almost there. Steep Air may actually be there. And the plaintive Night Light sounds something like certain cuts of the old S-K, like The Swimmer from All Hands on the Bad One but different. But unlike any Sleater-Kinney CD before, this one overall left me feeling a sense of loss and sadness, and not just because of the self-consciously dark subject matter. It felt like it was an album by Fridmann, not by Carrie, Corin and Janet. They just worked there. Am I the only one who feels like this? They're not saying anything like this in interviews, so maybe it's only my opinion. I should probably listen again, try more to get into it, but rarely desire to.</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> Then the announcement in 2007 that the band is on indefinite hiatus. Everyone is doing their own thing. This happens, sure. But I wonder if the pressures of working toward an artificial end had anything to do with it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);"> Sleater-Kinney as a band seems not to have been on MySpace in a year and a half. Here are some URLs anyway.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/sleaterkinney">www.myspace.com/sleaterkinney</a><br />
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Bandsite:<br />
<a href="http://www.sleater-kinney.com/">www.sleater-kinney.com</a><br />
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Fansite:<br />
<a href="http://www.sleater-kinney.net/">www.sleater-kinney.net</a><br />
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Further Links on a Sleater-Kinney webring (see, webrings aren't all porn popups) – and some of 'em even work.<br />
<a href="http://www.webring.com/hub?ring=sleaterkinney">http://www.webring.com/hub?ring=sleaterkinney</a><br />
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<br />
Articles:<br />
<a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/sleater-kinney-1">http://www.answers.com/topic/sleater-kinney-1</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleater-Kinney">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleater-Kinney</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: rgb(153 , 51 , 0); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Band Members Today:</span></div>
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Today, Carrie seems to be writing. She has a music blog on NPR's site; one of them is specifically on being a musical contrarian. That sounds like her... Carrie's position as an “Indy” is well reinforced there. Anyway, she really has more thought-provoking depth the more I read. Worth the look.<br />
Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places, but is Carrie doing the musician thing as a professional gig these days? If so, it seems to be a well-kept secret. If you find her playing on something, I'd like to hear about it. She did a side project in 1999 with Mary Timony called The Spells.<br />
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Corin seems to be collaborating with other musician friends on a selective basis. S-K has worked with Pearl Jam in the past (has opened for them) and Corin most of all. Doing gigs like this where she's part of the show but but can also step back give her a chance to be with her family more than touring full-time with S-K plus maybe a side project or two (Cadallaca, 1997 through 2005?).<br />
<br />
Janet is still doing the “Quasi” group project with ex-husband Sam Coomes. Like in S-K, she comes in on vocals, once in a while. I have “When the Going Gets Dark” by them. I wouldn't call it rock and roll. I wouldn't call it Marvin either. It sounds like a collage of folk-protest and a train wreck. I think I like it. “I Don't Know You Anymore” seems real and desolate. “Peace and Love” is about the power of those things. And “Poverty Sucks”, about integrity versus financial success in the System, is wryly funny. Actually, most all of 'em are.<br />
“Never give up, never give in – Poverty sucks but it ain't no sin...” Love that line.<br />
They have a new CD coming out soonly, with Joanna from the Jicks on bass. It helps the mind not to fragment so badly.<br />
<br />
Janet was also working with the Jicks on the side when in Sleater-Kinney; now she's full-time with them. Malkmus' vocals tend toward the “cracking voice is more real” approach – something Coomes pushes much farther. I'm of the position that such a device is artistically useful when used occasionally, not all the blinkin' time. But that's me.<br />
<br />
An independent news blog on Sleater-Kinney Members, <span style="color: rgb(51 , 0 , 153);">“Tiny Suns Infused With Sour”</span>:<br />
<a href="http://toiras.blogspot.com/">http://toiras.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
<div style="color: rgb(153 , 51 , 0); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
Band Members</div>
<br />
<span style="color: rgb(153 , 51 , 0);">Carrie</span> (Profile is private, but the photo is her):<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/228612031">www.myspace.com/228612031</a><br />
<br />
For her thoughts, check out Carrie's “Monitor Mix” blog on the NPR site:<br />
<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/monitormix/">http://www.npr.org/blogs/monitormix/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: rgb(153 , 51 , 0);">Corin:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/corintucker">www.myspace.com/corintucker</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/cadallaca">www.myspace.com/cadallaca</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: rgb(153 , 51 , 0);">Janet:</span><br />
Article:<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Weiss">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Weiss</a><br />
<br />
"Totally Janet" Fansite:<br />
<a href="http://home.earthlink.net/~bgrrrl">http://home.earthlink.net/~bgrrrl</a><br />
<br />
Interviews:<br />
The Gothamist<br />
<a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/07/17/janet_weiss_drummer_jicks_quasi_sle.php">http://gothamist.com/2008/07/17/janet_weiss_drummer_jicks_quasi_sle.php</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Band Sites - <span style="color: rgb(153 , 51 , 0);">Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks</span>: (Members: Stephen, Janet, Joanna Bolme, Mike Clark)<br />
<a href="http://www.stephenmalkmus.com/">www.stephenmalkmus.com</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/stephenmalkmus">http://www.myspace.com/stephenmalkmus</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: rgb(153 , 51 , 0);">Quasi</span> Band Members: Sam Coomes, Janet Weiss, Joanna Bolme<br />
<br />
Quasi Official Site:<br />
<a href="http://www.theequasi.com/">http://www.theequasi.com/</a><br />
<br />
Quasi Official MySpace Site:<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/theequasi">www.myspace.com/theequasi</a><br />
<br />
Quasi Fansite:<br />
<a href="http://www.quasi2x2.com/">http://www.quasi2x2.com/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: rgb(153 , 51 , 0); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
About Eagle and Talon and Sleater and Kinney</div>
<br />
<span style="color: #993399;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="background-color: white;">Lots of music columns and blogs have already made the comparison of EAT and Sleater-Kinney. Eagle And Talon seem to admire S-K; in my intro article on Eagle And Talon I mentioned the tribute pics and such. They have philosophical and scholarly and in-the-real-world involvement with feminism and as nearly as I can tell, bisexuality (?). And some of their riffs seem to be influenced by S-K, especially the deliberate dissonance that shows up every now and then. They show the radical, smart, artsy-stark originality that characterized the Sleater-Kinney approach. But that originality is their own. They're less concerned with being the all-girl band; they use males in the band although it's clearly the Kim and Alice show. Their controlled musical chaos is just as real but different, and often smoother than S-K. They can be spare and they can let loose an amazingly rich sound. And in the concert clips I've seen, they seem to having more fun with it. Off the wall thought # 483: As much as I like their male drummer's work, I can't help wondering what playing a set with Janet Weiss would sound like.<br /> Another angle on EAT vs. S-K: More cerebral, more humor, more interested in keeping the music moving forward consistently, yet more dynamics going on in a given song, I think. Kim's vocals tend to be lilting/chirpy and sneakily, playfully sarcastic at times rather than the rollerball dynamo Corin's approach tends toward in social commentary. I like EAT for many of the same reasons as I like S-K, but for other reasons too - Eagle and Talon is not a Sleater-Kinney clone. They are fresh, bright and worth some serious listening, for themselves. And they're just getting started.<br /><br /> While I'm here, I owe you and EAT a correction. I honestly think the lyrics sound like what I said, but I must respect the Authoress and her intention. Kim wrote:</span></span></span><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="color: #cc0000;">“after reading your post I just had to let you know what I'm really trying<br />to say in hot caught he he!!<br /><br />"I like women, I like mannequins, and I don't build fires for myself"<br /><br />although I have to admit your interpretation is definitely more exciting:<br />“I like women... I like men in kilts – A little bit of fire, for myself...”</span></i></span><span style="color: #993399;"><br /><br /> <span style="color: #4c1130;">Blame it on the Scottish side of my genes I suppose. Correct me, correct me... but be careful, I might like it.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: rgb(153 , 51 , 0); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
Sleater-Kinney's Different Drummer, or one of them:<br />
Lora (a/k/a Laura) MacFarlane</div>
<br />
The first two CDs by S-K (which I don't have but have heard some cuts) had Lora MacFarlane drumming. When Sleater-Kinney did their “Call the Doctor” tour in 1996 (?) the drummer was Tori (Toni?) Gogin who was pretty dang good. Lora was expanding a side project named The Ninetynine. And somewhere in there was Misty Farrell as drummer.<br />
Lora was born in Scotland (surprise, surprise) and her family moved to Australia when she was quite young. It was there that she developed her drumming, and her songwriting, and released some very unique material both as a limited-edition album CDs and as individual recordings. She worked as a guest musician (?) with the Brautigans and Manic Pizza, and did some recording with a couple of friends in various modes under various names: Sea Haggs, Keckle, Popemobile... there was a very rare CD, Jelly, which cuts can be heard here: http://dev।null.org/losttreasures/jelly<br />
<br />
Don't go there if it bothers you to hear a teenage girl exploring her sexual thoughts and intentions, as several of the songs do (and she sounds even younger). There's a wonderful freshness and candor in it without being crude, IMHO. (Some would argue the point concerning “Seasaw”, but that's them.) There's also a tune that MIGHT have a similar application, about a “Beastie” which is being celebrated in song and possibly taking part in that, and then suddenly it's out of control and there's screaming. Interesting... I hadn't been that shocked at where a tune went since some early Pink Floyd. Like the one where Syd Barrett (I think) is murmering into the mike so you get really close to the speaker and then there's this “bloody murder” type screaming? Or another, “Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving With a Pict”? Like that, only quite different.<br />
<br />
Today with the Ninetynine, her affinity for the experimental is still healthy, and bringing in another person on drums allows her to do more chromatic percussion instrument work and vocals. There are a few videos on YouTube with Ninetynine … here are a couple of them. Lora is on vocal and vibraphone and has a drummer who looks like a wild man playing, who pounds the skins very well. And Oyeah – lately she has been using the more conventional spelling of her name, now “Laura”.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8nyVnT2ySU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8nyVnT2ySU</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgqYXH_C72A">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgqYXH_C72A</a><br />
<br />
Official MySpace page (Note the “different” main graphic pics):<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/ninetynine99">http://www.myspace.com/ninetynine99</a><br />
<br />
Group site:<br />
<a href="http://www.ninetynine.org/">www.ninetynine.org</a><br />
<br />
Members at the mo (lineup may vary):<br />
Laura MacFarlane<br />
Cameron Potts<br />
Meg Butler<br />
Iain McIntyre<br />
<br />
<br />
Enjoy.<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> J</span></span></i>Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-63441477527115645952009-05-16T21:57:00.000-07:002019-02-04T09:04:27.005-08:00Eagle and Talon: Sharp with Strange Feathers<div style="text-align: left;">
I like these ladies' work, a lot. Okay. Explanation follows.<br />
<br />
E.A.T. (it's on their MySpace page that way, honest) in turn likes Sleater-Kinney a lot and seem to figure they'll be compared anyway. So they apply some humor to it... A couple of their released photos have Kim (the Anglo Canadian, BTW) looking up at the camera in a classic broody pose that looks remarkably like some shots of Corin Tucker from S-K, who she doesn't normally look like, while Alice (the Asian-American) deadpans, well, kinda like Carrie Brownstein. Alice is the drummer and the guys who work with them don't look remotely like Janet Weiss, so that's pretty much the limit of that. Some of their songs have a definite S-K influenced flavor (contrapuntal dissonant chord progressions for one), but if you're a Sleater-Kinney fan you will know that “influence” is as far as it goes.<br />
Looking at their MySpace site, etc., they have a number of quirky posed photos that press the question, “What is this??” Kim breezing through a fifties-ish diner scene carrying a covered cooking pot. Another in the same general scene with a Mini-Me type character sitting on some asparagus (I think) on top of the, uh, cook pot. (It's Alice with a similar red top, but with white ballet/Tinkerbelle gear below that.) Is it “me sitting on the pot”? Or maybe “Tinkerbelle sitting on the pot”? Another has Alice sitting on what appears to be a washing machine in a utility room while Kim uses a plastic step to try to climb up there (?) where there really doesn't appear to be enough room. Hmm, 'zat have anything to do with the reason Xaviera Hollander said she often stayed home to do laundry when she was a young girl when her family was going out somewhere? We're dealing with a couple of artists with a sense of fun, whether on camera or in the music. Then there are several pics of them looking pretty effectively like little girls, as if they grew up together, which they didn't. Surreal stuff.<br />
So are their lyrics. Trippy, strangely juxtaposed words. But there's a purpose in there, make no mistake. They're just making sure the journey to the goal is interesting and probably gigglesome on the way, like the diametric opposite of expectable wording. Even when literally dead serious, talking about how the choices we make can maim or kill someone for our profit (“Georgia”), they zing it in with a sweetly sung yet sarcastic twist (“They'll trade a baby for a lap dance... they'll trade a finger for a fur coat...”). In fact, “Georgia” is one of their smoothest songs musically and one of the most jarring lyrically. Unforgettable. (Note: This was about the time the nation of Georgia was fighting the Russians over South Ossetia. Coincidence?)<br />
On the same CD, “Thracian”, is “Hot Caught”, a breathtakingly frank praise to the sexual value of, mmm, getting caught. And so forth: “You're all that I see, when he's not with me...” “I like women... I like men in kilts – A little bit of fire, for myself...”<br />
BTW, I asked them in an email if the CD name had to do with the ancient nation or with the phonetic sound (like thrashin'). The answer is apparently Yes:<br />
<span style="color: rgb(153 , 51 , 102);"> <b><i> “thracian pron. "thray-shun" refers to the ancient greek peoples but according to one friend, thrace is still around. and we like the meanings that the sound suggests (to us anyway)”.</i></b></span><br />
Yep, they're fun. And brilliant. And sexy. And I sound way too much like a fanboy.<br />
Fair warning: They'll do that to ya.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.eagleandtalon.com/" mce_href="http://www.eagleandtalon.com">The official EAT site</a><br />
<a href="http://www.eagleandtalon.com/" mce_href="http://www.eagleandtalon.com">http://www.eagleandtalon.com</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/eagleandtalon" mce_href="http://www.myspace.com/eagleandtalon">Their official MySpace site</a> (check out the video downloads - sound quality not great, but shows how they work):<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/eagleandtalon" mce_href="http://www.myspace.com/eagleandtalon">www.myspace.com/eagleandtalon</a><br />
<br />
A couple of other people's reviews:<br />
<a href="http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2008/11/eagle-and-talon-thracian/" mce_href="http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2008/11/eagle-and-talon-thracian/">Tom Whyman on Line of Best Fit</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2008/11/eagle-and-talon-thracian/" mce_href="http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2008/11/eagle-and-talon-thracian/">http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2008/11/eagle-and-talon-thracian/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.3hive.com/2008/12/eagle_and_talon.php" mce_href="http://www.3hive.com/2008/12/eagle_and_talon.php">Sean on 3Hive</a><br />
<a href="http://www.3hive.com/2008/12/eagle_and_talon.php" mce_href="http://www.3hive.com/2008/12/eagle_and_talon.php">http://www.3hive.com/2008/12/eagle_and_talon.php</a><br />
<br />
Next time we'll talk about Sleater-Kinney and Lora MacFarlane. I was very much into S-K for the past five years and still like them, though there's no new product since “The Woods”. They're the one everyone compares EAT to, to some degree or another. There are some obvious similarities, and there are great differences. Stay tuned.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: rgb(153 , 0 , 0); font-size: 180%; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">J</span></span></div>
</div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-32953443801554804302009-02-19T20:18:00.000-08:002019-02-03T23:45:59.975-08:00Christopher Heidler and Friends do Christian Hiya - and apologies to anyone actually reading this - I have not posted here in awhile. As of January 26 I am among the increasingly popular ranks of the unemployed... downsized because most of my company's clients were afraid or banking-impaired to do new projects. Since I have been working on mostly natural gas pipeline projects as a mapping designer, and people haven't stopped needing heat this winter, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But then, the economic gyrations of late seem to have little to do with logic anyway. Let's see, these people over here ruined the economy buying worthless paper, so let's give them lots more, of public money we have to borrow? Is anyone really looking out for the many "little guys" who got hurt? Maybe the stimulus bit will actually restart things. We'll see.<br />
It would appear that I'd have more time to do this, but then there's that whole looking-for-a-job thing. Eh. So.<br />
<br />
This seems an appropriate time to post a few words on religious music. Faith is a necessity at times like these, or at least the need is more in-your-face obvious. I can only speak with some certainty when evaluating that which is identifiable as Christian, since that is my background. I might later get into my take on some others, but with the caveat that I don't claim to have as much understanding of say, Hindu or Islamic music. I do recall about 30 years ago hearing an LP record done by the Shankar family (yes, Ravi Shankar's family) with lines like "I am missing you; Oh Krishna where are you?" and "Jaya jagadish hare, Jaya Jagadish hare..." or something like that. I think it was part of "Shankar Family & Friends", recorded in 1974. As a Christian, I felt a little weird about listening to it. At the same time, I was aware that Christian worship music could be having the same effect on someone with a different background. Maybe even the culturally-sophisticated Shankars. So it seemed only right, with Christianity asking others to consider its claims, to try to examine where they are coming from as well.<br />
<br />
Maybe it has something to do with being a Southerner that draws me to Christopher Heidler's worship music. Maybe it's the fervent genuine longing-for-the-divine quality that matters to me. Maybe it's how professionally well-done the results are from these obviously devoted folks from Georgia, USA. Probably all of those. Badly written or performed music, done ever so earnestly, doesn't make me want to listen to it. Neither does a polished recording with zero soul. Heidler's CD is well-done in every way that counts, with feeling. It's not only his work (Mike Kinnebrew's compositions are a major portion) but a group of close-knit, talented individuals. I'd like to say Lindsay Kinnebrew's brief vocal foreground appearance in "Wait for You" is exquisite. And I'm not just saying these things because it's hard to pan music related to religion. This is more about faith than religion... there is a difference.<br />
Going to the website of the Passion Church (www.passionchurch.com) mentioned on the CD, I notice it's a fairly slick site, shows happy people and people praying for each other with hands raised to heaven, and has a repetitive riff playing on an endless loop that's seemingly designed to irritate the hell out of you. At one point I saw a mute button for it, which should be on every page. I'd like to suggest they use some of the beautiful stuff from the worship instead, rotating a much larger set of tunes. I liked the goal stated as a text from Luke 10:27 - "Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." That's what Yashua of Nazareth said was the most important law, something I wish all His followers took seriously. <br />
<br />
To get back to Chris and this CD: Southern but not bogged in some self-conscious "Southern" tradition, inventive but not bizarre, passionate without raving, mellow and gentle without being a bore. Genuine. Good music any way you listen to it. <br />
In 2004 I was searching for music to keep my head moving while I was working in front of the computer. I was on another site - it might have been <a href="http://www.indieheaven.com/">http://www.indieheaven.com/</a> but I'm honestly not sure any more - and was referred to <a href="http://www.highestpraise.com/">www.highestpraise.com</a> where you can hear one song by Chris and that's about it. The site is primarily presenting itself as a worship resource, and very little is said about any of the artists and their work (hint - y'all could stand to work on that). I ordered this CD anyway, and haven't regretted it a bit. Everyone I've played it for has been delighted to hear it, and I haven't witnessed that consistency of approval very often at all. I'm thinking it's time for another one? I know you can't force it. But when faith meets a need, things happen. A few years ago, a friend at work was finishing leading a youth worship in his church. At the last minute, the pastor sent him a message that he needed him to do a "special music" moment to open the main service. As soon as he had gotten the message and was racking his brain to know what to do, a partition slid back, the spotlight hit him and he turned to face the audience with his guitar. At that moment, having nothing from his mind to work with, he was given a song of his soul, an elegant one, perfect for that time, and just did it. It doesn't often happen that way, but I have been told several times that a tune of mine, presented for the first time at worship, prepared the listeners for the exact message they would be hearing next - which I had no clue about beforehand. My point, I guess, is that thing about "ask and it shall be given you" can very much apply to art, and sometimes it's given without you even knowing to ask. There's a divine flow there. And Christopher Heidler's self-titled CD is in it.<br />
<br />
CD Name: Christopher Heidler<br />
Tunes:<br />
I behold the love of God<br />
Boast about this<br />
Rejoice<br />
Praise the Lord, O my soul<br />
Great is Your Faithfulness<br />
How Wonderful<br />
Come to Me<br />
Alone<br />
Wait for You<br />
I am an Offering<br />
<br />
Chris Heidler on guitars and lead vocals<br />
Tony Otero and Chris on Bass<br />
John Brockham on drums<br />
Lindsay Kinnebrew on background vocals<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/christopherheidler">www.myspace.com/christopherheidler</a><br />
He has some neat links to others on there.<br />
Chris teaches guitar at Atlanta Christian College, and sometimes plays guitar with Mike Kinnebrew's band:<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_631801773"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/mikekinnebrew">http://www.myspace.com/mikekinnebrew</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mikekinnebrew.com/media.html">http://www.mikekinnebrew.com/media.html</a><br />
<br />
Give 'em a listen. If you have any interest whatsoever in Christianity, you'll get into what is being said... if not, they're still enjoyable artists. Try some.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><b>2019-February-4 Update:</b> I do not see a current way to order the album reviewed above, nor a new one available. I had ordered it previously through HighestPraise Productions in 2005.<br />New home (?) of Highest Praise Productions. I still see Chris’ existing songs on the site but not any path to order albums. Page is operated by Fred McKinnon, a musician who appears to present himself there as a pro worship leader. The “Interview” page sends us to his (former?) site www.highestpraise.com, where I just get an error message, “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress.” For what it's worth, this page has some of Chris' songs for streaming playback on the Soundclick site; I see six of them so far:<br /><a href="https://www.soundclick.com/bands3/?bandID=111533">https://www.soundclick.com/bands3/?bandID=111533</a><br /><br />Fred’s site. For sales of Chris’ album, it refers us to the HighestPraise site that doesn’t work.<br /><a href="https://www.fredmckinnon.com/2005/07/14/praise-the-lord-o-my-soul/">https://www.fredmckinnon.com/2005/07/14/praise-the-lord-o-my-soul/</a><br /><br />Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-28804147911218669252009-01-21T20:11:00.000-08:002009-01-21T20:13:16.605-08:00The Day After<p> It's done... Mr. Obama is sworn in, now Mr. Pres. Getting on with his new beginning. Closing the special-order calaboose at Gitmo. It's time.</p><p><br /></p><p> Any information any of the prisoners might have had has been obsolete for years. The only reason not to release the majority is that those who weren't mad at us before, have lots of reason to be mad now. If there's real evidence against any of them, I say try them according to the principles our nation was founded on, and if that isn't good enough, the charges are trumped-up crap and the cases should be thrown out. You say "If anyone knows anybody who might be connected with Al-Quaida, bring us the wretch and we'll take him away and pay you lots of money", are you going to get the perpetrators or some poor schmuck the bounty hunters don't like? Possibly both, almost certainly the innocent schmuck.</p><p><br /></p><p> I'm just hoping (there's that word) that they do it right and don't just move them to the same situation elsewhere and rename the tribunals something else.</p><p><br /></p><p> Okay. That rant is done. One more, about the music.</p><p><br /></p><p> I was folding laundry at a launderette with TVs (still don't have a telly and rarely miss it) and the inaugural ball was on two of 'em. Mr. O made it the first OPEN public presidential ball ever. He'd been saying he would make things more open - what a spectacular way to kick that off! Of course security was awesome, but it was the grand gesture that began his presidency, and I don't mean that facetiously at all.</p><p><br /></p> Mary J. Blige - her solo early in the show - I vote for best soul, best performance of the evening. Period. No one else, no matter how revered, gave the raw heart she put into that song. Not slamming anybody else, but she was the cream. So ta speak.<br /><p> Okay. Done.</p><p><br /></p>Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-34392763479325044232009-01-16T19:03:00.000-08:002019-02-04T07:43:54.924-08:0021st Century Gypsy Soul<div align="center">
<span style="color: #993399;"><i><span style="font-size: 130%;">ME TALK PRETTY</span></i></span></div>
<div align="center">
<br />
<br />
Members: “Julia” [real name Uliana] Preotu on vocals, James Kluz on drums, Leon Lyazidi on guitars, Nate Meng on bass<br />
<br />
<br />
I didn't start out wanting to like this group as much as I do. Internal conversation:<br />
<br />
“It's just pop stuff - romance/lovelife/soap-opera subject matter. Typical pop. What's the big deal?”<br />
<br />
“Is being in love ever really shallow? It's as deep as the individuals involved. And you do like some love songs. Besides, they're fresh in how they do – I swear I think I heard a new riff or two. And the dynamics is good, not just loud O/D and not just soft and smooth till it's lame.”<br />
<br />
“Yeah okay two points. Or three. But isn't some of it a little too predictable, going from delicate modulation to steady shouting, then back through the cycle again? And since when do you like shouting?”<br />
<br />
“One point, but it's Artistic shouting done by a cute chick and not aimed at me like a weapon. So I'm good with that. Actually I might be becoming addicted to hearing her.”<br />
<br />
“Whaddya mean like a weapon?”<br />
<br />
“Like when someone is in your face yelling AT you and threatening your life and limb because they blame you for their problems and you never even met them. This is exploring feelings about a relationship and it's not even about me unless I want it to be.”<br />
<br />
“Like a lot of hip-hop/rap. You know that sounds racist.”<br />
<br />
“Everything sounds racist if you're thinking that way. My black neighbors and I get along at least as well as the white ones. I just have no desire, and no wish to develop a desire, to look at album covers with big black guys glaring at me and then pay to hear them yell epithets at me. If I wanted that I could go down the street and beat on somebody's door at 3 AM. I hear this young lady do what I consider infinitely more musical and do delicate lines and then strong lines then other stuff and it makes me happy. So I'm gonna play it again.”<br />
<br />
“You're incorrigible.”<br />
<br />
“Absolutely. And I find this band very encorriging, including about the state of original music today.”<br />
<br />
Try this: Look up their MySpace and PureVolume pages and have a listen.<br />
<br />
Now I'm going to try again: “Me Talk Pretty” is an Indie group based in New York. MySpace says “unsigned” but they're on their second EP or album, depending on your definition (7 on the first one, 5 on the other). In other words, they're not sitting around waiting for some giant label to hand them money and tell them what to play. They're getting on with putting their creations in people's ears. The MySpace page has links to several indie outlets (hey, maybe I should start one and call it that). And the studio names on the current album are all recognizable rockstars in their fields: Arun Venkatesh producing, additional programming by Rhys Fulber, Mike Plotnikoff mixing. And hey, Warped Tour 2008! Not shabby at all.<br />
BTW, my son pointed out that there's a famous wedding picture of Elvis and Priscilla touching tongue tips – just like the two x-ray people on the cover of the current CD, “Ruby” (done in 2007). So the album is like an x-ray pic set of love/desire relationships? The 2005 “Ana” has different artwork and a different approach, more experimental. PureVolume lets you select groups of tunes by the album they're from, so you can distinguish the timing of the work you're listening to.<br />
<br />
The group has been together with the present lineup for three or four years and they're tight, the vocals by “Julia” are often strident but rarely strained, and they can indeed kick it out powerfully or with simple elegance as needed. It has been commented that Julia's voice is sometimes overshadowing the rest of the band. Probably true – but I truly like it that way, maybe 'cause I get into lyrics and want to hear them. And let's face it, spotlighting the attractive female front/singer is a formula that has worked for a host of highly regarded successful bands. Turn off ego, turn on the feeling, play your heart out behind the talented young lady singing who looks a lot better in a halter top than you do. It works. Especially when she's as earnest as this one.<br />
<br />
“Julia” is actually Uliana Preotu, 26, a genuine Gypsy from Romania. I think I see the source of her flair for dramatic gestures and keeping the listener entertained in the best sense of the term. If you check out the videos posted on their MySpace and PureVolume pages you can catch her and the band in the minute details of the Warped Tour and her narration, often on-camera, keeps the pace and the interest moving.<br />
<br />
About the material: It's good, but the band would still probably make you like it even if it were mediocre or if they were doing covers. I was reminded how Janis Joplin took the old standard “Summertime” and cranked it into her own energy and it came out completely different than when anybody else did it. MTP's tunes are good, but the band's tightly done inventive licks and Uliana's dynamic treatment of the hook-y lyrics combine for a compelling set of tunes that grows on you, bigger than the sum of its parts.<br />
<br />
Here's where:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.metalkpretty.com/">www.metalkpretty.com</a><br />
Will be a standalone site someday, but right now it simply redirects to:<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/metalkpretty">http://www.myspace.com/metalkpretty</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.purevolume.com/metalkpretty">http://www.purevolume.com/metalkpretty</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/card/0,,3530008,00.html">http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/card/0,,3530008,00.html</a><br />
<br />
In case you're not familiar with ArtistDirect, it's newsy, a lot of varied content, with a base of album info. But I can't order the MTP albums there.<br />
“Ana” is on Amazon.com.<br />
<br />
<br />
Uliana's page:<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/stayfragile">www.myspace.com/stayfragile</a><br />
<br />
And the guys:<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/jameskluz">www.myspace.com/jameskluz</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/leonlyazidi">www.myspace.com/leonlyazidi</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/natemeng">www.myspace.com/natemeng</a><br />
<br />
“So after all that, did it sound too gushy?”<br />
<br />
“Completely. Like a Sunday Supplement interview PR piece. Like so-and-so is even prettier and nicer in person kinda crap.”<br />
<br />
“Sorry. But I'm not taking anything back. This is really good stuff, very – involving.”<br />
<br />
“They're not Lacuna Coil.”<br />
<br />
“No, they're Me Talk Pretty. And I bet you thought of them because MTP has the Big Enveloping Experience thing going on. Not Lacuna Coil's, their own Experience.”<br />
<br />
“They're not experienced enough to have experience.”<br />
<br />
“The quality of experience is not always dependent on its length – it depends on how smart you are. And in music for example how talented in what you're doing.”<br />
<br />
“Whatever. I'm going to bed now. Goodnight already.”<br />
<br />
And with that, Me Myself and I went to bed.<br />
<br />
G'night.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">J</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Ten Years After department, 2019-February-04</b><br />
<b> </b><br /> The http://www.metalkpretty.com/ website now redirects to “Cilverband.com” which in turn says check back later.<br /><br />So Yes, they changed their name in 2013 to “Cilver” and reinvented themselves with a heavier sound. Bumblefoot (Ron Thal) of Guns N’ Roses helped out on the song “In My Head” on their first album following. They’ve had several changes of personnel, and are still active. They recently were opening for “Breaking Benjamin”. Further links:<br />https://www.facebook.com/Cilver<br /><br />https://twitter.com/cilverband<br /><br />https://www.instagram.com/cilverband/<br /><br />https://myspace.com/cilvermusic<br /><br />https://www.reverbnation.com//Cilverband<br /><br />I don’t see them on PureVolume now. They are on ArtistDirect.<br />
<br /></div>
Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-67967889529314157002009-01-07T20:32:00.000-08:002019-02-04T08:45:28.233-08:00The Pianist<div align="center">
<b>Evgeny Kissin</b><br />
<br />
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Initially, I want to address the recording by Kissin with the Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra that was my introduction to his work. It was done almost two decades ago when Evgeny was 13, about a year after he began to came to the attention of national leaders in Russia and the larger circle of international music figures.</div>
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It is # 60051-2-RC in the RCA Victor Red Seal Series [Melodiya VDC-1330]: Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto # 3, Visions Fugitives and Dance, piano by Evgeny Kissin and Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra on everything else (Andrei Chistakov conducting). And it has two movements at the end that are written by Kissin himself, as "Two Inventions".</div>
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<br /></div>
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In the second-to-last scene of the movie "10", Bo Derek's character is saying she likes to use certain music, certain composers, for certain events going on in her life - this kind for housework, that one for exercising, etc. So her male visitor naturally wants to know about what she has playing now. "So what do you like to do to Prokofiev?" Her calm answer was "F___."</div>
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If ANYTHING could make Prokofiev sound sexy and like something I'd want to develop an appreciation for, that should do it. But... no. Prokofiev, like most "Modern Classical" composers of the early-to-mid 1900s, doesn't reach my soul like say, earlier classical composers, or Amel Larrioux, or 38 Special or Sara Evans or Disturbed. They mostly have me wanting to look around for where the movie is that I'm apparently missing. It doesn't help that Prokofiev is supposed to have great cleverness and a sense of humor. So did Syd Barrett of early Pink Floyd, and the latter is more fun to listen to, I say.</div>
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Listening for how the orchestra and Kissin express the material, I can appreciate it in a technical sense. I can hear the alacrity, the passion, the critical mass of musicianship, but despite the talent here Prokofiev still isn't a composer I warm up to. Sorry.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
HOWEVER. At the end of the CD are the 13-year-old's own "Two Inventions." Suddenly we are propelled back through time a couple of centuries or so. I hear the influence of several of the great classical composers, there's definitely some Chopin shadowing it, yet more the warm feel of a Mozart piece. It makes the whole CD worthwhile for me. BTW, he was playing his own compositions at 7.</div>
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I scanned through the reviews of his live concerts. Uh, everyone has an opinion. Some of them are useful, some not. In general, those that describe rather than judge are useful On the other hand... Some of them would like to see Kissin interpret more with his head and less with his heart. My take on that is that if he did, it wouldn't be Kissin playing, it would be their flawed interpretation of Kissin. If they know the One True Way the composition should be interpreted, by all means they should walk up to the piano with THEIR boundless talent and play it their way, and see if others agree that theirs is THE perfect interpretation. No? Then shut up and enjoy the one who may be the most formidable classical pianist of our time. He is awesome not merely for his proficiency, but for his art.</div>
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One thing they agree on (and so do I) is that he is passionate, lots of dynamics (loud and soft), pours his heart and soul into it and is likely to finish a concert exhausted, with sweat dripping, and may limit his encores to possibly three or four because his energy is spent. No cool technical renditions here. He gives it all he's got, and that's a lot. I find it enjoyable and satisfying, especially when I also like the composer.</div>
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His early concerts specialized in Chopin, with everyone being stunned at this child bringing Chopin to life like nobody else could. In an interview more recently, he commented that he didn't have Beethoven mastered yet, so as to play him "adequately". But, a 2008 CD features exactly the Ludwig... I look forward to hearing it. It's "The Complete Piano Concertos" with the London Symphony Orchestra.</div>
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You can hear a taste of his work on Beethoven and others on his website, which includes a discography:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.kissin.dk/"><span style="color: #3366ff;">www.kissin.dk/</span></a><br />
<br />
The samples are medium-res 128k full-length mp3s, btw.<br />
<br />
And a few more on his MySpace site:<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff;"> <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=409069779">http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=409069779</a></span><br />
<br />
This appears to be the Sony/BMG Music site for him:<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff;"><a href="http://www.kissinmusic.com/">http://www.kissinmusic.com</a>/</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Wiki has a short but decent article on him, with some good links:<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evgeny_Kissin">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evgeny_Kissin</a><br />
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Which includes the link to this article that tells more than most:</div>
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<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2004/jan/02/classicalmusicandopera.russia"> <span style="color: #3366ff;"> http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2004/jan/02/classicalmusicandopera.russia</span></a></div>
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Okay. More later. Peace and love to ya.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i> J</i></span></span><br />
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Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-54700771055679684952008-12-31T22:12:00.001-08:002019-02-04T08:29:03.547-08:00Last Chance of '08/Amel Larrioux<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: "lucida grande";">31 December 2008<br /><br />General Specifics<br /><br /> This is my last chance to put any actual review content in here before the year change (CLUNK) and if anyone is checking it out, possibly the only chance I'll have to prove I can write something worthwhile in a reasonably intelligent manner. No pressure!<br /><br /> My music collection is largely CD-based. I download and listen to MP3s (running about an 8 GB iTunes folder currently), but if I'm impressed enough to keep listening and buy someone's tunes, I'll want the best file quality possible and that would be the original AIFF (CD) form. And sometimes I've found some sweet work in a thrift shop or used CD store that I wasn't expecting and often didn't know about before. Serendipity and all that. Of course, you have to be prepared for a few stinkers too.<br /><br /> So – I will be discussing the work of each artist that I personally own, or members of my family do, or that I've listened to otherwise enough to form a clear opinion. Once I hear a particular singer/songwriter/group I tend to follow up, learn about them and their other “product” and decide what I think and what I can share.<br /><br /> First Up: <b> Amel Larrioux</b> grew up in Greenwich Village (New York, not England) of artistic parents and developed as a singer, a songwriter and a person with many influences to draw on. For a time she was part of Groove Theory (the 90s incarnation). The CD I found at a thrift shop, “Infinite Possibilities”, was her first solo after GT. It is, IMHO, avant-garde blues-jazz that is eminently accessible to anyone listening with an open heart.<br /> Amel examines, sympathizes and revels in her blackness (she is biracial) as being her, but she NEVER does anything to fit a stereotype – anyone's stereotype. She is a free spirit. She can redefine what “Soul” is between any two songs, say Sweet Misery and Searchin' For My Soul, sound ethereally tribal on Shine, philosophical on Weather and have tears running down your face for the joy and beauty of Make Me Whole. Amel is like no one else; Amel is Amel, an artist true.<br /><br /> Links:<br /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amel_Larrieux">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amel_Larrieux</a><br /><br /> <a href="http://www.myspace.com/bravebird2">http://www.myspace.com/bravebird2</a><br /><br /> <a href="http://www.amellarrieux.com/">www.amellarrieux.com</a> redirects to<br /> <a href="http://www.blisslife.com/bliss/index.php">http://www.blisslife.com/bliss/index.php</a><br /><br /> Article found here on her with some info: (I disagree with the rating vehemently)<br /><a href="http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Amel%20Larrieux:1927151052:page=biography;_ylt=Aqu.xkDq.2clAT7hw0HzAuoJGbgF">http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Amel%20Larrieux:1927151052:page=biography;_ylt=Aqu.xkDq.2clAT7hw0HzAuoJGbgF</a><br /><br /> Infinite Possibilities is on Epic Records, 550 Music, Sony/BMG Music Entertainment.<br /><br />Songs on Infinite Possibilities:<br /><br />Get Up <br />INI<br />Sweet Misery <br />Searchin' for My Soul <br />Even If <br />Infinite Possibilities <br />Shine <br />Down <br />Weather <br />Make Me Whole <br /><br /> Other albums:<br /><br /> Bravebird<br /> Lovely Standards<br /> Morning<br /><br /><br /> Sounds like her husband Laru is a fortunate man. When I listen to Amel, I feel fortunate too.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: "lucida grande";"> <b>Update 2019 February 4</b><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/amellarrieux">https://www.facebook.com/amellarrieux</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/amellarrieux/">https://www.instagram.com/amellarrieux/</a><br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/amellarrieux">https://twitter.com/amellarrieux</a><br /><br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amel_Larrieux">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amel_Larrieux</a></span></span></span></span><br />
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Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365854615173635274.post-56963039544388206232008-12-17T11:31:00.000-08:002008-12-26T04:59:22.806-08:00Words N Music One!<p><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>Howdy. This is about music and writing and air and anything else I want.... but the focus is on music. What part of the musical spectrum depends on what I'm into at the moment. It might be a really good recording of Mozart or Disturbed or Lacuna Coil or Pat Benatar or... right now I'm really appreciating Brittany Kusserow: Old mind young person deep thoughts exquisite acoustic uh, folkie? More on that will follow, I can promise.</em></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><em> I've listened to music for over half a century, all kinds. My taste is my own; I will describe and point and you can check it out and see what your impression is. You're welcome to sent me a note - I may or may not put it on here and I may or may not answer it. All rights are reserved for material I write and publish here.</em></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><em> In case you're wondering, my nationality is American, the name is Dutch and is a poetic-license takeoff on being a quarter Dutch; it's a pseudonym.</em></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><em> Good vibes to ya.</em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>Jacobus</em></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><em></em></span></p>Jacobushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14272785403577676983noreply@blogger.com0