Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story < Back Belles, Balls, and British Accents: Bridgerton Spinoff Arrives in May Keeley Brooks Apr 26, 2023 Share Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story If you’re a big Bridgerton fan, you’re gonna want to go ahead and clear a day next weekend to binge-watch its prequel series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story . The six-episode limited series drops next Thursday on Netflix. While the show itself is based on Julia Quinn’s series of eight novels , each of which focuses on a different Bridgerton sibling’s quest to find love, the prequel is masterminded by Shonda Rhimes via her production company Shondaland. Centering on Queen Charlotte’s rise to prominence and power, it will tell her backstory and introduce us to her younger days while also chronicling her love story with and betrothal to King George. The show will also focus on the great societal shift that occurred as a result of their marriage, as well as on the early lives of Lady Danbury and Bridgerton matriarch Violet. India Amarteifio ( The Tunnel TV series) will play a young Queen Charlotte while Golda Rosheuvel returns as the Queen Charlotte we met in Bridgerton . courtesy of Netflix In an interview with RadioTimes , Rosheuvel says that in spite of the title, Queen Charlotte isn’t just about the young Charlotte, the young King George, or the queen in her middle years. “Lady Danbury and Violet and the whole matriarchy are there, too, both young and as they are in Bridgerton . It’s about how these women came to be – how a woman of colour [sic], in Danbury’s case, got into the court and then all of the emotional love, the relationships between the women and how they were built up. But throughout, it’s all kept under the umbrella of Bridgerton .” Roshuevel goes on to describe the inner workings that enable the older Queen Charlotte and her 17-year-old persona to exist in the same universe as “a behind-the-scenes Bridgerton ” and says the two series overlap in flashforward and flashback: “… so where in Bridgerton I might have been at the Presentation Ball and then leave the room, in Queen Charlotte I walk straight into a scene that’s in the spinoff.” To ring in the New Year, Netflix released an image from the show featuring Arsema Thomas ( Redeeming Love ) as a young Agatha Danbury. courtesy of Netflix In February, they released an image of a young King George, played by Corey Mylchreest ( The Sandman ). courtesy of Netflix In a TUDUM exclusive first look online, we get to see the cute but awkward first time they meet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUONzsAzv1I For Valentine’s Day, Netflix teased us with a literal peek at the new series and released its premiere date. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DUXYyTkerU While the Bridgerton storylines are all works of fiction, Queen Charlotte is actually based on a real individual (she wasn’t a figure in the novels but was added to the TV production). In a 2021 interview with Variety , show creator Shonda Rhimes commented on her fascination with the monarch. “I’m very obsessed with Queen Charlotte, and I always call her the Beyoncé of the show,” she told the magazine. Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was born a German noble and became queen consort to George III upon their marriage in 1761. She married him in a whirlwind love story. King George announced his plans to marry Charlotte, a princess at the time, without ever meeting her. According to the royal family's website , the couple tied the knot a whopping six hours after meeting each other for the first time when Charlotte arrived in Britain that September. Definitely love at first sight. The couple had—hold your breath—15 children (14 of which were born at Buckingham Palace) and were happily married the first 25 years of their marriage. It’s a miracle she survived so many births, given the time period. While in the series the monarch mostly fills her time indulging her proclivity for society gossip, in real life Queen Charlotte was also an amateur botanist and a passionate patron of music, especially the works of German composers like Handel and Mozart, who, at age 8, was invited to play at court. As portrayed in Bridgerton , King George III suffered several bouts of mental illness, which were reportedly kept a secret from the Queen. Eventually his illness became a permanent condition and made it impossible for his wife to be around him. As his condition deteriorated in the late 18th century, Queen Charlotte found refuge in a country estate she purchased near Windsor Castle called Frogmore House. A few years later, in 1801, she commissioned an addition to the grounds: Frogmore Cottage . King George III died of mania in 1811, and after serving on the throne for 57 years, Queen Charlotte died in 1818 at the age of 74. Their granddaughter Victoria, daughter of their third son Edward, would later become queen in 1837. The Frogmore properties are now most famously associated with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who hosted their wedding reception at Frogmore House and later called Frogmore Cottage home for a brief period before permanently breaking away from their working royal roles in early 2020. Currently, Princess Eugenie lives there with her husband Jack Brooksbank and their son August. For readers who might be wondering, there will be a book tie-in. Rhimes will co-author a book with Bridgerton author Julia Quinn about the queen’s rise to power , and that book, published by Avon Books, is set to be released the same day the show premieres. “Taking Bridgerton from book to screen was fascinating for me to watch, and it's such an exciting challenge for me to take it in the other direction, this time crafting Shonda's brilliant vision into a novel," Quinn said in a statement. "I'm especially thrilled to have the opportunity to write about Queen Charlotte, who was not in the original novels. Her character —and Golda Rosheuvel's brilliant portrayal of her— was a tour de force, and I think readers will love getting a chance to know her more deeply." Rhimes’ prequel series looks to continue the refreshingly un-stuffy tone that made the original show such a hit, though whether it will return to the steamy, raunchfest of Season 1 remains to be seen—though, something tells me we can expect plenty of passion. Beyond Queen Charlotte , Netflix has confirmed that Bridgerton will be back for at least two more seasons . The upcoming Season 3 is set to disrupt the book order and adapt Julia Quinn’s fourth book in the series, “Romancing Mister Bridgerton”. It’s expected to arrive either later this year or early next year. If you want more of the inside scoop on what’s to come, you’ll have to wait and get it from Lady Whistledown. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story premieres May 4 on Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLtnNw0KT78 Keeley Brooks is an entertainment writer who hibernates in NW Alabama and is a voracious consumer of film and streaming content, much to the chagrin of her family. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

It was a night of dynamic performances and captivating energy. < Back Collision of Sound: Sleeping with Sirens, Teenage Joans, and Holding Absence Ignite the Stage with Powerful Performances Rian Nickels Oct 8, 2024 Share It was a night of dynamic performances and captivating energy. Strap up your black boots, throw on some eyeliner, and come along with me for one of the most exciting nights of my life. On October 4th, 2024 I got to photograph one of my absolute dream bands – Sleeping With Sirens – at The House Of Blues in New Orleans, LA . (To say I was thrilled is an understatement; I think my inner teen was healed that night.) Sleeping With Sirens is currently on tour to celebrate the 13th anniversary of their second album Let’s Cheers to This released in 2011. Supporting Sleeping with Sirens were alternative rock bands Teenage Joans and Holding Absence . The House of Blues started the night with the Australian punk rock duo – Teenage Joans. The duo consists of drummer and vocalist Tahlia Borg and guitarist and vocalist Cahli Blakers. Unfortunately, I arrived at the show a little late due to traffic and lack of parking (That’s the good ole French Quarter of New Orleans for ya), so when I walked in, I wasn’t sure if the band was still on the first three songs and sadly missed my opportunity to photograph them. However, I got this clip of Sleeping with Sirens on stage in between songs to sing Tahlia Happy Birthday and hand deliver her a cake! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/999a0f_0b1a6b0a416948e8bf9d14372729f836/720p/mp4/file.mp4 “Imagine being 14 years old and Sleeping With Sirens is your favorite band, and then being 22 and they are hand delivering you a cake and singing you Happy Birthday”, Tahlia said to the crowd before the duo went on to play a cover of one of Pierce the Veil 's most popular tracks ‘ Circles .’ This was the perfect move to get everyone excited about what was in store for the night. Teenage Joans also performed original songs from their debut album The Rot That Grows Inside My Chest . I was thoroughly impressed by the talent level they could achieve with only two members. Not every day you get to see a punk rock duo of women, and I indeed became a fan. Teenage Joans thanked everyone, threw guitar picks and setlists, and then made sure to get everyone excited for the following supporting act – Holding Absence. Holding Absence is a Welsh alternative rock band from Cardiff, Wales that consists of lead vocalist Lucas Woodland, bassist Benjamin Elliot, drummer Ashley Green, and guitarist Scott Carey. The energy they all brought to the stage felt very fun and lively. Lucas and the rest of the band members delivered a high-energy, chaotic stage presence that electrified anyone in the room. The amount of energy and movement they brought to the stage amplified the overall experience and kept the crowd engaged and in the moment. I had never heard of Holding Absence before, but the crowd indeed did; almost the whole audience of the sold-out show knew the lyrics to every song. Holding Absence gave their all for their set and then got the attendees screaming for who they’ve all been waiting for Sleeping with Sirens. Credit: Rian Nickels Credit: Rian Nickels Sleeping With Sirens is a post-hardcore band from Grand Rapids, Michigan , and has been blessing our ears since circa 2009. The band consists of four members: Kellin Quinn as lead vocalist, Matty Best on the drums, Justin Hills doing backing vocals and bass guitar, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Nick Martin, and touring lead guitarist Tony Pizzuti. As I said before, Sleeping with Sirens was on tour to celebrate the 13th anniversary of their second album, Let’s Cheers to This , and they were about to perform it for us in its entirety. Credit: Rian Nickels The lights dimmed and they allowed the press photographers in the photo pit; I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t one of the most incredible things I’d ever experienced just walking down the steps with other individuals with the same dreams and goals as mine. I wondered how many of our dreams were coming true that night. The anticipation of waiting for them to go on stage to let me loose to photograph a band I’d looked up to for over a decade was eating me alive. Upon coming out and the crowd going insane, I could only look up and smile. They started with the track ‘ Tally It Up, Settle the Score ’, a song about proving all the people who said you couldn’t do It wrong, which was the perfect track to get the crowd head banging and jumping and pumping my blood because there’s nothing more motivating than the people who don’t believe in you. They followed this with ‘ Do It Now Remember It Later ’, which follows similar themes with lyrics like “ Remember when they said that what we want can never be done? When it all comes falling down, we'll do what we want to ”. This was a full circle moment for me, from being 16-years-old and crowd-surfing at Warped Tour to this same song to photographing them performing it at 28-years-old at a venue that has many times felt like home. Credit: Rian Nickels After they played their third song, ‘ Four Corners and Two Sides ,’ it was time for me to leave the photo pit and enjoy the show with the attendees. This was a sold-out show at the House of Blues, which, if you don’t know, means that you packed in there like sardines, so I went all the way to the back for an easy exit after the show. Sleeping With Sirens went on to play more of their album, but a surreal moment for me was when they played ‘ A Trophy Father’s Trophy Son ’, which at its barest is a song about having a rocky relationship with your dad. It meant so much to me to see a room of so many people screaming, “ Is this what you call a family? ” in unison. It was one of those moments when you realize you’re not alone in your feelings and life experiences. Credit: Rian Nickels For their track ‘ All My Heart ,’ Kellin had everyone pull out their flashlights on their phone. The flashes lit up the House of Blues, and everyone sang, “ You still have all of my heart ,” in unison to create one of the most beautiful moments I’ve seen within those walls. Kellin then told us the whole story of his first time on tour with the band Enter Shikari in New Orleans . He mentioned how he had just gotten lost in the quarter and had gotten separated from all his friends and bandmates after being given one of his first Hand Grenades– a feeling almost every Louisianan knows all too well – Kellin’s Wife had called another bandmate and demanded they find her husband, after seeing Kellin fall asleep on top of the tour bus and wake up with one of the worst sunburns of his life. I liked this story because it felt like an authentic New Orleans experience and not a fabricated story for excitement like some bands will do. They went on to play more songs from the album, such as the title track ‘ Let’s Cheers to This ,’ ‘ Who Are You Now ,’ and ‘ Your Nickel Ain’t Worth My Dime ,’ before telling us goodnight and exiting the stage. Credit: Rian Nickels It’s important to note that earlier in the show, he told us they’d be leaving the stage soon and returning for five more songs. (Five Encore songs are wild, but I’m here for it). This had the crowd screaming “FIVE MORE SONGS” and “ONE MORE SET” which I’ve never heard before at a concert. They came back out on stage in different outfits and used this opportunity to perform songs that weren’t on the second album—starting with the song that rose them to fame, ‘ If I’m James Dean and You’re Aubrey Hepburn .’ This was another beautiful moment as everyone in the building knew every word and didn’t miss a beat. Kellin told us to sing it, and we didn’t deliver anything less. You could see how emotional this made Kellin, but he brushed it off with a bounce and big smile. Other songs they played for their encore were ‘ Kick Me ,’ ‘ Leave it All Behind ,’ and one of my personal favorites, ‘ Better Off Dead .’ Before playing this track, Kellin told us that he wrote this song for the people who sometimes can’t stand the reflection in the mirror and sometimes feel like they’re better off dead. They then finished off with an extended version of their biggest song from the album, ‘ If Ya Can’t Hang ,’ which was another one that had the whole House of Blues practically roaring. Everyone knew the words as they chanted, “ IF YOU CAN’T HANG, THERE’S THE DOOR BABY ,” while, of course, pointing out where the door of the venue was. It's a staple moment at almost every Sleeping with Sirens concert. Ironically, the concert was over, and we would hit the door soon because we couldn’t hang. Funny how that worked out, huh? Photographing Sleeping with Sirens at The House of Blues felt like more than just capturing a moment—it was a personal milestone that brought my teenage dreams full circle. I’ve been a fan of this band since my teens, and to stand in front of them, camera in hand, was nothing short of surreal. It’s an accomplishment that means the world to me, not only because of how long I’ve carried their music with me but because it represents growth, passion, and a love for music and photography. That night, the mix of nostalgia, excitement, and pure joy reminded me of one of the many reasons I do what I do. *All photos courtesy of Rian Nickels - to see more, check out Rian's site below. rianmusicjpeg.myportfolio.com Rian Haynsworth www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90's flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? HIt us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

More Than a Petty Betty < Back Team Gwen: Erica is the Next Voice You Need to Win! Nicole Brice Oct 29, 2022 Share More Than a Petty Betty Erica Calle possesses a timeless beauty. One which invokes memories and feelings for years gone by. With her big tulle skirts, pageboy hairstyle, and Riot grrrl personality, Erica channels all the old Hollywood glamour into a complete package for 2022’s local music scene. Credit: Gary Governale Known locally as the frontwoman of Petty Betty , a popular novelty band in South Louisiana , Erica is known to bring “ it ” when belting out tunes such as ' Johnny B. Goode ' and other favorites. With a booming and boisterous voice combined with a larger-than-life persona, Erica truly exemplifies what it means to be a star. Surrounded by some of the most talented musicians on the scene, Erica credits the men behind her as the ones to inspire and push her to the limits vocally. Credit: Gary Governale The band, Petty Betty , is comprised of Tony Busby (guitar), T-Mike Galliano (bass & vocals), and Chris Lyons (drums), as well as the gorgeous Erica Calle (lead vocals). Petty Betty is a music group native to Baton Rouge with over 50+ combined years of experience in music & entertainment. With upbeat lyrics and catchy music, they bring the party when they perform. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQrbR0JkUKU Red, Rock, & Blue 2022 Erica started singing when she was very young, but says, “Starting out, I wasn’t any good and I sounded like a drowning cat.” Credit: Gary Governale Well, folks, those days of sounding like a drowning feline are sure over because this leading lady has some of the best pipes in and around Baton Rouge , AND she even auditioned to be on the national TV show The Voice at 22 years of age. At the audition, she made it through the first round of the pre-auditions and ended up getting a nasty cold but managed to push through, which afterwards damaged her vocal cords. She was unable to sing for a while after that, but by doing karaoke, she was able to retrain her voice to do what she wanted. Once the pieces fell into place, Petty Betty was formed. Inspired by Blues and Swing music, Erica credits her look and vocal stylings to the music that she adored as a child, such as Cab Calloway , Buddy Guy , Etta James , and Ella Fitzgerald , and she has said, “I was born at the wrong time.” Credit: Gary Governale When we asked Erica who she is digging these days musically she replied with, “ Kaleo ! I just LOVE their music!” When asked about her personal style, Erica said, “Thankfully the group of guys that I work with each bring their own unique style and ideas that makes for an amazing blend. Personally, I love Rockabilly but sometimes will add a Stevie Nicks look to my wardrobe so I can change it up a bit.” Credit: Gary Governale “Bettie Page definitely influences my stage look, but I try to look towards the strong female lead singers such as Jinjer , The Pretty Reckless , Bishop Briggs , and Halestorm as far as their energy/persona. I like to blend vintage and current rock vibes for my look.” Credit: Gary Governale Petty Betty has quite a following, and you can rest assured that if they are playing a show, it will be packed. The energy from every member of the band radiates throughout all performances with none being stale or boring. Their on-stage energy is so infectious that you’ll end up wanting to be on stage just to experience the party with them. When asked if Petty Betty has plans to record any original material in the future, Erica has said, “We would love to pursue some originals! I wake up in the middle of the night to write down lyrics that just pop into my head, and we’ve played around with a few song ideas, BUT we would really need to slow down to focus on it properly.” Catch Petty Betty LIVE in and around Baton Rouge and be sure to visit their social media accounts to show some love. October 30 - 52nd Annual Parish Fall Fest in Denham Springs 2-4pm November 4 - TrickShots Sports Bar in Denham Springs 9pm November 5 - Boudreaux & Thibodeaux's in Baton Rouge 10pm November 12 - Mike Bruno's Harley Davidson in Baton Rouge 1-4pm November 12 - Big Mike's Sports Bar & Grill in Denham Springs 9pm Erica Calle - YouTube Petty Betty LIVE | Facebook Petty Betty fan club | Facebook Petty Betty (@pettybettylive) • Instagram photos and videos *All photos by Gary Governale * www.governalephotovideo.com Zenfolio | Home I have been working as a video professional since 1993, with a wide range of experience writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing. A strong interest in videography, specifically lighting and composition, led me to photography in 1998. Rapidly changing technology has blurred the line between video and photography, allowing me to work in both mediums.. Baton Rouge, LA, United States www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90's flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Reach out to mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Blow Up My Life is a cinematic unicorn in the thriller-comedy genre with undeniable humor and thrills with a capital T. < Back Blow Up My Life: Film Review Keeley Brooks Nov 20, 2023 Share Blow Up My Life is a cinematic unicorn in the thriller-comedy genre with undeniable humor and thrills with a capital T. I enjoy watching corporate conspiracies play out on screen, especially when they involve Big Pharma. Recent adaptations have kept the tone heavily dramatic and serious for obvious reasons. There’s no room for thrills or comedy—why would there be? And if there was room, what would that look like? Would it even be successful? In short, yes. Blow Up My Life is 2023’s cinematic thriller-comedy unicorn , featuring healthily balanced moments of humor laced with non-stop thrills … and I mean Thrills. Blow Up My Life is a dark comedy about a disillusioned man wrestling with his morality on doing the wrong thing to do the right thing. When disgraced pharmaceutical employee Jason Trumble (Jason Selvig, one half of the viral comedy duo The Good Liars) uncovers a bombshell of company corruption , he sets out in a rush to expose their wrongs and save millions of lives before they can dispose of him. As he goes on the run, he enlists the help of his computer-wiz cousin Charlie (Kara Young, of I’m a Virgo ) and his journalist ex-girlfriend Priya (Reema Sampat, of Orange is the New Black ). However, the man at the heart of the scandal has other plans. Jason Trumble is an up-and-coming hotshot software designer at Furenza Pharmaceuticals. His claim to ego: the Doxie app, which is designed to help curb addition by controlling the dispensed dosage of opioid recovery drug Doxie. After posting an embarrassing, drug-fueled rant online one night, Furenza fires Jason and he subsequently loses everything, resorting to living in his “Burning Man van.” To make ends meet, Jason turns to running his own computer and software repair business. When a serendipitous house call brings him face to face with his former boss, Gary (Davram Stiefler, the other half of The Good Liars)—who’s quite an arrogant jerk—Jason illegally copies Gary’s computer data. While sifting through the information, Jason uncovers damning evidence that the Doxie app is glitching, dispensing increased doses instead of decreased doses to people, causing them to become addicted, with the risk of overdose and death. The whistleblower stuff is that Furenza knows and is choosing to keep quiet because revenue is through the roof and the glitch has become their key money-making tool. Corporate greedmesiters. When Jason confronts Gary about it, some wild, unexpected action happens that shocks viewers and redirects Jason’s focus to one thing: taking down Furenza … or as Charlie puts it, “F**k them before they f**k you.” I was very pleasantly surprised with this film. From its screenplay to the acting to its balance in tone and technique, Blow Up My Life had my attention from its opening scene, which hooks viewers in with its graveyard setting, its 1940’s gumshoe-detective-style narration, and its lead actor. The narration is something I loved about this movie. Jason narrates his story into a tape recorder the whole time he’s on the run from Furenza. And this is where first-time, feature-length filmmakers Abigail Horton and Ryan Dickie go to work in tying in the levity not through the comedy itself but in the way it’s executed. It’s just genius , especially around this subject matter. It works really, really well and makes this viewing experience fun. Jason Selvig as Jason Trumble (Source: IMDb) Jason, sweet and naïve in his lack of awareness, delivers his story in such an engaging, unironic, deadpan way that he adds just the right touch of comedy without being overtly “in your face” and without cheesy dialogue. He’s very sincere and realistic—so much, in fact, that it’s easy for us to forget we’re following a character and not a real person in real life just trying to do the right thing. Selvig does a superb job at bringing an authentic level of humanity to Jason that viewers can’t help but feel sympathy for him. Kara Young also weaves in the levity with her character, Charlotte August (aka Charlie). Most of the time we see her, she’s on a computer screen hashing out Jason’s next movie with him regarding the conspiracy. It is she who calls out his naivete and helps clear a path to exposure and escape for him. She stands as the voice of reason when Jason wants to give up, kicking his ass back into action with her exciting “damn the man” speeches. Kara Young as Charlie August (Source: IMDb) The chemistry between Young and Selvig is palpable and delightful—they effortlessly feed of one another’s creative energy. But just because Blow Up My Life features levity does not mean it’s a light-hearted movie; quite the contrary. The thrills here involve life and death, non-stop close calls, and incriminating accidents. Surprisingly, though, the tragedy in this story comes not in overdoses but in wondering if Jason and Charlie will succeed and knowing what will happen if they fail. Another thing I loved about this movie is the soundtrack—music by P. Rose. The music paired with this story gave me an 80’s Teen Wolf vibe in the way the music helped to drive any action and mischief that’s happening on screen. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Could there have been a better soundtrack? No. Overall, Blow Up My Life is a nice change of pace from stories like Dopesick, and it has all the elements making up a must-see film: an excellent plot; effortless acting; a great soundtrack; nicely done editing; carefully explored cinematography; thrills, action, and comedy; a relevant message; an awesome screenplay; and an ending that leaves you breathless. You really can’t go wrong in this selection, which is riveting from start to finish and sure to be a classic. Blow Up My Life releases on digital platforms on Tuesday, November 21, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UzETcrUUk8 Keeley Brooks is a big ole movies, television, and streaming nerd with a voracious appetite for entertainment consumption and an uncontrollable urge to write about everything she watches, even if it sucks. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Tony Biggs < Back DJ Skillspinz: A Classically Trained Master of Combining Textures and Beats Nicole Brice Apr 7, 2023 Share Tony Biggs With so many aspects of music production being prefabricated these days, I’ve managed to find a man who is still mixing it up the old skool way. (Yes, we spelled it like that on purpose.) As a lover of hip-hop and rap my entire life, what initially drew me to DJ Skillspinz was his insane scratching techniques. Using nothing but his talent, turntables, and an ear for combining beats , he showcases his mad skills with each new mix he releases. His choices for his combinations are diverse and fascinating, and they showcase his knack for individuality in a world oversaturated with conformity. Based in Georgia with over 210k followers on Instagram alone, people are definitely loving what he's doing. Antonio “Tony” Biggs, aka DJ Skillspinz , is an Army veteran , a disc jockey, a producer, and a composer, who is widely known for music on the Peacock series One of Us is Lying , on S1E1 of the Netflix series Gentefied , and on the Starz program Step Up . He was an extra in the BET movie Redeemed as well and has produced/deejayed for GhostFace Killah’s Theodore Unit , Play (of Kid ‘n Play ), and Def Jef , Grits , the Ambassador , and Grammy artist Lecrae . Other credits include Xbox 360 ’s Project Gotham Racing 4 , and he is an Akai MPC Beat Battle Round 10 champ. What has this man not done, seriously? With an impressive history of production and music, further samples of his work can be heard on the Ghostface Killah Theodore Unit album 718 , where he produced track number 14 , and on the Rapland Records House Party Conversions album with Play of the famous rap duo, Kid ‘n Play . Additionally, Antonio was also nominated for a Dove Award for his debut album Reintroduction of the DJ and is the first Christian DJ to release a turntablist record on Rescue Records . His current album, Table Manners: The Mixtape , is available via all streaming platforms, and there’s even more new music on the way. He shared with me some mixes he plans on doing, but I was sworn to secrecy, so you’ll have to follow him and see what he releases in the future. We recently had the opportunity to chat more in depth with this turntable master to learn about his fascinating career and life, so, after you finish reading this, you’ll want to go check out his Instagram page. It is full of things sure to make your head spin, kind of like a record. Photo provided by artist MaM : Man, I am so impressed with all of your song combinations, because I am a huge, HUGE fan of old-school hip-hop. Some of the stuff you’ve done with A Tribe Called Quest, I’ve been like, “Damn … this is awesome!” So, how did you get into making music for TV shows and movies? TB : That’s something I always wanted to do [ever since] I was a kid. I am a big horror movie fan, and when I was 13—maybe 15—I used to record on cassettes different sound bites from my favorite horror movies and use that to make music myself. I guess you could say it came from my love of horror movies. I always wanted to do something in film and television, and so it just fits. Eventually, I started making beats , which got me into hip-hop . Being involved in the industry has led to great opportunities to submit my music to people for consideration. The rest is history. MaM : You’ve had your music licensed to Netflix and Peacock. I mean, dude, that’s awesome. Were you surprised to see your song on TV? TB: Well, the [Netflix] supervisor didn’t let me know it had been placed in the show, and sometimes that’ll happen, but it was crazy! I kept watching Gentefied and they played another one of my songs. I ended up with two songs in that one show. MaM : Wow, that is incredible! I read you were nominated for a Dove Award. Tell us a little more about that. TB: That was really cool. I think back then I wasn’t really focused and aware of what was really in front of me. I was younger and wasn’t really paying attention. I wish I could go back, honestly, to do it all over again and be more aware of what was going on around me at that time. I was just so focused on making more music and doing other things. Photo provided by the artist MaM : How old were you when you got that nomination? What year was that? TB: My record came out in 2000 , so it had to be later that year. I think I was 23 or 24. MaM : I also see that you were the first Christian DJ to release a turntablist record on Rescue Records. Are you still signed to a label, or are you just doing things independently? TB : I’m independent right now, but I was the first Christian DJ to do that. Of course, there were other DJs before me, you know, doing Christian hip-hop and other stuff, but no one had put out an actual turntablist record. It was a blessing to be able to do something like that, and there hasn’t been anyone else since me to put out another record like that. MaM : You were a trailblazer then and you still are because no one else has been able to do the same. I find these days that creativity is lacking because of all the prefab apps out there that do everything for you. TB : I think it takes away from the culture and from the skill used to create when you can press a button and have the computer scratching for you. You don’t really need a DJ . That’s what I hate, but it’s kind of a blessing and a curse with technology. Everyone thinks they can be a DJ now, but, for example, my sister recently bought herself a DJ controller, and now she talks like she’s a DJ . I’m over here thinking, ‘Why do you have this?’ MaM : See, all the technology scratching for you is just not the same to me. TB : I guess you gotta get in where you fit in, right? It is what it is. MaM : So, what first got you into DJing and music? TB : That’s a great question. I was in a group with my brother and a good friend of ours. He lived right across the street from us. We were probably 9 or 10 years old. We had a little rap group and my uncle, who is from up north and used to come down and visit all the time, heard us rapping. He kind of took us under his wing and took us to a friend’s house where we did a little demo. The guy recording us went around the room asking each of us what we did, and my brother was like, ‘I’m the rapper,’ and my friend was like, ‘I’m the rapper, too.’ They get to me, and I go, ‘I’m the DJ ’—mind you, I did not have any DJ equipment, but once I said that, it just stuck and we went from there. I always just wanted to be a DJ . It's crazy to think about. I can’t recall one specific DJ who made me think, ‘That’s what I wanna do.” Now, I used to use my mom’s turntable sometimes. I used to take her stuff apart to see how it worked. She would bring records home, so I guess I can credit her as being the one to introduce me to hip-hop. I remember her bringing a record home by the Fat Boys and telling me to listen to [it]. It was ‘ Jailhouse Rap’ and it stuck with me. She had also brought home a record by Roxanne Shanté . After that, though, I remember I was hooked. A 12-year-old DJ Skillspinz / Photo provided by artist MaM : So, she didn’t care you were taking apart her turntable? Wait, did she know? TB : I don’t think she knew. I used to take her speakers apart, too, just to see how they worked. MaM : Then you put it back together the same way so she never noticed? TB : Yeah. Still to this day she doesn’t know. MaM : Well, she does now! (laughter) MaM : So, let me ask you: Who are you inspired by from that period of growing up? TB : I would say Jam Master Jay was a huge influence, ya know? I mean, Jazzy Jeff was a huge influence, too. DJ Magic Mike from Vicious Base and DJ Scratch from EPMD , too. I love all those DJs . I love a lot of DJs . MaM : I miss the music from that time period. I would love to bring it back and teach this generation what good rap and good hip-hop is. TB : That’s one reason I’m doing what I’m doing … [to] keep it alive. I used to think there wasn’t a place for it anymore, and I tried to create new stuff for the newer generation and stuff. I was just sitting down one day, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna put this mix out, this Wu-Tang one,’ and it just took off! I was like, ‘Oh shoot! People are still out there still loving this.’ MaM : Yep, like me. I was creeping around on your Instagram page and was like, “Man, this dude is awesome!” TB : Thank you. MaM : Just being honest. I love everything I’ve seen so far. My next question for you would have to be, at what age did you officially start DJing with your own equipment and everything? TB : Here’s a funny story. My aunt, God bless her soul, she bought [me] my first turntable. I used to watch Yo! MTV Raps and I saw the turntables the DJs were using, and I thought to myself, ‘Man, what kind of turntables are they using?’ A guy from my neighborhood had this magazine called J&R Music World . It was in New York , and that is where my aunt is from. I was looking through the book one day and came across the turntable all the DJs were using [and] I knew I needed that turntable. We had a family gathering and my aunt knew I loved music, [so] I told her about the turntable I had seen. She told me that if I made As and Bs on my report card that she would buy me my first turntable. A young DJ Skillspinz / photo provided by artist MaM : How old were you at that point? TB : I was in high school … 9th grade. … I ended up not making [all] As and Bs on my report card; I actually made a C. I went back to my teacher, though, and I was able to convince her to change my grade to a B. (laughs) I went right [then] and called my aunt to tell her the news, and about a week later, I came home from school one day and there was a turntable sitting in the chair in my living room. From then on, it was uphill. MaM : That is really cool you had your family’s support. What did you say to the teacher to get your grade changed? (laughter) TB : See, I was supposed to be reading this story. The whole class was reading this book, and we had to fill out a form showing where we were in the book. My teacher told me I was supposed to be further ahead than I was. I explained to her that I had made a mistake and filled out the form wrong and that I really was further along than I had written, and so she changed my grade. MaM : Dude, nice. I wish I would have had those powers of persuasion back in the day when I made a C. (laughs) DJ Skillspinz in Waco, TX / photo provided by artist TB : I want to throw this in there, too, about the turntable. My aunt only bought me the one turntable and I needed a second one, so, [I worked at a program for teenagers during the summers] and used the money to purchase the second one. MaM : Nice. So, you live in Georgia now, but is that where you grew up? TB : I am from Columbus, Ga ., born and raised. MaM : Never lived anywhere else? TB : I lived in Nashville, Tenn ., … then [when I was 18] in California for a while in South Central . MaM : What made you decide to move out there? Did you always want to? TB : Nah, I was trying to pursue music and had family [who lived out there]. Then, this guy who claimed to be a manager took me down a little path for a bit. You know, [you’re] learning [and] just trying to trust people because they say they’re gonna do certain things and, well, you live, and you learn. MaM : Yep, that you do. When did the music stuff start to take off for you? Where were you living when that happened? TB : I was back in Columbus . [I’d made] a mixtape, and [this guy out in California had a copy and he] ended up leaving the tape at someone’s house, and that someone gave it to somebody else, and that somebody gave it to this A&R with Rescue Records . [This] A&R guy was a former dancer of Vanilla Ice ’s. (laughs) MaM : Oh my gosh, wow. (laughter) TB : Yeah, well, let me tell you a funny story about that. He heard my mixtape and was like, ‘We need to find this kid,’ [so] they [contacted] me and wanted to sign me. The crazy thing about that is, I remember Vanilla Ice coming to Columbus [on tour] and my brother and I used to sneak into concerts, but [at that time], I didn’t want to see Vanilla Ice . We had gone in and seen who we wanted to see, but I remember being outside the Civic Center and I could hear Vanilla Ice telling the crowd to say stuff to his DJ . I didn’t want to hear that. The crazy thing is, this guy ( A&R rep) was inside dancing with Vanilla Ice , and we didn’t even know each other. Come years later, and this same guy signs me to the label. MaM : Whoah. That’s insane. That’s something I like to call a universal happening. It all comes back full circle. TB : For the record, though, I respect Vanilla Ice , and I love what he did for hip-hop , pushing the culture forward. MaM : Definitely, I agree. If people like Vanilla Ice hadn’t come around, I don’t feel there would be an Eminem. He paved the way, even with as much hate as he got. As far as current projects are concerned, are you working on releasing any additional albums? TB : I’m about to do another album. ‘ Table Manners ’ is new, but I have a few mixtapes I want to put out but just haven’t yet. I’m gonna do an actual project because people have been hitting me up about it. … I have some things coming up that are so freakin’ dope, so [there’s more coming soon]. Photo provided by artist MaM : Last question: Do you feel the platforms musicians have to release their music on these days is sufficient, or do you miss the way things used to be? TB : Honestly, I miss how things used to be. As I was saying before, it took you having to have talent to get signed and technology is a blessing and a curse, but I think either you have it or you don’t, and you shouldn’t rely on technology to get you a record deal or to get you hundreds of thousands of followers. That’s crazy when you think about it. Things have been watered down so much. I wish more people would take the time with their craft to refine it. To check out the work of this genius of the turntables, be sure to hit one of the links below! The Meet-ups | Dj Skillspinz Make The Bass | DJ Skillspinz (bandcamp.com) ‎DJ Skillspinz on Apple Music DJ Skillspinz (@djskillspinz) • Instagram photos and videos DJ Skillspinz | Spotify Dj Skillspinz | Facebook Episode 23.1 DJ Skillspinz - YouTube www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Nicole Brice is a lifelong lover of hip-hop from the late 80s and early 90s, and will often have A Tribe Called Quest blaring in her car. It annoys her kids. Want to be featured? E-mail her at the_nicolebrice@mixedaltmag.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Deondria is a visionary with a remarkable natural talent. < Back Conversations with an Indie Filmmaker: DeOndria Michelle Nicole Brice Nov 20, 2025 Share Deondria is a visionary with a remarkable natural talent. Sometimes the best introductions to new talent come from our very own friends. Originally from Chicago, Illinois , and now residing in Hobbs, New Mexico , DeOndria Michelle is an up-and-coming cinematographer, director, filmmaker, and editor who specializes in cultural documentaries, product productions, and imagery . She’s got a visionary mind that brings realism to all her work, and what I love most about her portfolio is her own style. I can’t describe it. It’s just raw and vivid and rich. Credit: Deondria Michelle A visionary, DeOndria has a remarkable talent for using natural light to create warm, inviting shots. Her careful use of light gives her videos an authentic, lifelike quality that draws you in, making each scene appear both effortless and beautiful. While she is currently working on a new commercial for a client, her portfolio continues to grow with many other endeavors, including three short horror films, also in the works. Initially, she wanted to pursue music, but then found her calling with the video camera, so how did we learn about her? As I mentioned above, sometimes the best introductions to new talent come from our very own friends, and my good friend Ronzo Cartwright from Stone Deep was the one who put DeOndria on my radar. Read on to learn a little more about her aspirations and more. MaM : Thank you for joining us today. So, you are a cinematographer, director, and editor, and you do it all. Tell us a little more about that. DM : I feel like you have to. You gotta do it all, especially when you don’t have the funding to outsource. Everything I’m doing, I learned on my own. I went to the same university as everyone else, YouTube , and I incorporated what I learned from there into what I do. I took the little bit I learned and have expanded on it as I go, so that I can incorporate it all into one vision. I like that I can edit it myself. It’s been a tough road, but I feel like I should have pursued this a long time ago. When you’re doing your own work, you know what your vision is, and to place it in the hands of someone else is hard. Filmmaking should be a team effort, in my opinion, but when you’ve done it so long by yourself, you don’t trust anyone else with your vision. You can only tell a person so much about what it should be. Art is subjective, so they can interpret it as they see it, but ultimately, it’s your vision. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p32br1XzOIw Beautifully Black by Deondria Michelle MaM : I read that you specialize in cultural documentaries and product promotion, but could you tell us a little more about what you do? I also see that you originally wanted to pursue music. DM : Music was my first love. I started as a singer-songwriter. I worked with a well-known producer at one point, but I realized that while music held my heart, it’s not my passion. My writing partner would be up early writing, and I just wasn’t in it. I didn’t want to be in a studio laying vocals and all that, but when I picked up a camera, I realized I loved it, and I could do that stuff all day long. From sunup to sundown, I could do videography. You get that feeling when you’re doing something that aligns with your soul. You know. MaM : What is your proudest achievement so far on this journey? DM : Recently, actually. I had stopped posting on Instagram during COVID for several reasons and just got back on. I realized I had almost 1,000 followers. When I first opened that page, I was doing a bunch of “follow for follows,” not realizing I was gaining dead followers rather than authentic ones, and that the algorithm would send this content to these followers, with very few engaging, because no one is actually there. So, I took it upon myself to test this theory, and I hope others will test it for themselves. I deleted and blocked every single account that was following me and left the 142 people I knew had followed me for a reason. I feel that the smaller person with fewer followers has a dedicated audience that has fostered trust, and trust is important in this industry. MaM : You kept the organic followers. DM : Correct, and prior to me doing that, my channel on Instagram was getting maybe 200-300 views, but as soon as I made the change, I posted a video, and that video skyrocketed my views. After that, each video kept getting good views and rising, and I realized my views were increasing by 250% or more. Even my engagement is up, and that was just last week. MaM : That’s incredible. See, most don’t even do a deep dive into the logistics of who is engaging and whatnot. In fact, every single follower we have on Instagram is organic. They found us and liked us. I have not done any tricks or anything. DM : Exactly, growing organically, and while companies think that inflated numbers are the way to go, I started reaching out to companies right after I did it, because my views had gone up. I optimized my platform for engagement. I want people who love the niche I’m in to follow me, and while it may have hurt me on the business side of things with fewer numbers, I’m now pushing my content to those who want to see it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP5W16Hqac8 When the Sun Goes Down by Deondria Michelle MaM : So, what is it about video and filmmaking that inspires you and makes you want to pursue it anyway? DM : Initially, it was a dream, and one day I decided to take my camera out while watching TV because it had been in storage. The past two years, I have come a long way working on things. I think bringing stories to life is the most important thing. It’s more than a picture. It’s a footprint that will never go away. Good, bad, or terrible, it’s there, so for me, that’s something I want especially in this space, because in cinematography, there aren’t a lot of women. MaM : You are right about that. DM : My mentors are men. Even my unofficial mentor is a man—all men. There aren’t many black women in this space. For me, to build a position in this space is the most essential piece of the puzzle. I want to create that space for black women to thrive. You have your directors, filmmakers, and writers, but there should be a black woman in every single filmmaking space. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbj1Vs59u4s Stuck by Deondria Michelle MaM : I agree – I’m calling it now. You will become one of the most prolific woman cinematographers and videographers of our time. I have a feeling. You are going to inspire other girls and women. DM : I tell all women that being a cinematographer isn’t easy. I always chip a nail. Before I got really into this, I’d have my hair done every two weeks, etc. That was a constant. Doing it the way I’m doing it now; this is not a job where you get up and put on a full face of make-up. This is a space for your gym shoes, jeans, and a t-shirt. Get to work. MaM : What are you working on currently? DM : I am working on three short films, actually. They are horror films, so I’m working on a Thanksgiving one, a Christmas one, and a New Year’s one. MaM : That’s awesome. I love scary movies, too. DM : Each day, too, I try to do a complete lighting setup to practice. I’m still learning. A teacher is always a student, too. I’m not a master at it, but I keep trying new things each day. Credit: Deondria Michelle MaM : Do you have a favorite professional in this industry that you admire? DM : I really like Malik Hassan Sayeed , who worked with Spike Lee . He worked on Belly and Clockers and has done so many other films. I love his style and his work because it’s not the typical Hollywood look. I love the way he creates this bright, contrasty, noisy look in his work, and what I like most is that his style is achievable. He’s one of those whose work is complex but simplified. MaM : What is your ultimate goal you’d like to achieve as a creative in this visual world? DM : To leave a footprint. I want to leave my footprint so that the generation behind me knows who I am. I want to be in someone’s Mt. Rushmore. I want to make a place for women to be included in that conversation. With many projects in the works, Deondria’s talents will soon be known once she fully unleashes her creative prowess on the world. Be sure to follow her on social media to stay up to date on all her endeavors. To learn more about Deondria Michelle: YouTube: DeOndria Michelle - YouTube Website: deondriamichelle.com deondriamichelle.com www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Reach out to mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

The Gosh Darn Dangs bring the Hammond community together with their soulful tunes. < Back Southern Happenings: Meet The Gosh Darn Dangs Rian Nickels Jun 7, 2024 Share The Gosh Darn Dangs bring the Hammond community together with their soulful tunes. Take a stroll with me as I look back on my magical evening of May 10th, 2024, when I had the pleasure of experiencing The Gosh Darn Dangs , a beloved local band from Louisiana, busking on the vibrant streets of Downtown Hammond. I want to take a moment to introduce the (at the time members) of the band: Leading the way was Mike, the band's founder and charismatic lead vocalist, who occasionally added a soulful touch with his harmonica. Lexy added a unique charm to the group, whose enchanting harp melodies and vocals provided a delicate and captivating layer to their sound. Keeping the rhythm steady and dynamic was Tim, the talented drummer whose beats infused the performance with energy and drive. Rounding out the ensemble was Jake, the bassist whose deep grooves and harmonious vocals added depth and richness to the band's musical tapestry. Completing the lineup was Kris, the skilled guitarist whose riffs and vocals added a powerful and harmonious vibe to their performance. Credit: Rian Nickels The adventure began at PJ's Coffee , located at the bustling corner of West Thomas Street and North Magnolia Street. Here, the band gathered for some last-minute instrument tuning and practice. Watching them prepare for their performance felt like a rare privilege, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their world of music. With instruments finely tuned and spirits high, we set off down West Thomas Street, searching for the perfect spot to share their music. The lively atmosphere of downtown Hammond, with its charming streets and buzzing nightlife, provided the ideal backdrop. The anticipation grew with every step as the band and their followers sought the perfect place to set up and play. Credit: Rian Nickels When they reached their first stop, the sidewalk outside the beloved local bar Benny's Place , they had to change their plans out of charming respect for the skillful jazz players performing across the street at Mariner's Inn . Undeterred, they continued their stroll through the brightly lit streets until we arrived at the heart of Hammond's latest addition, Railroad Park . The city center was the perfect place to begin truly. Equipped with a well-lit stage, bench seating, and ample room for people to gather, it offered an ideal setting for the performance. Here, the band launched into their melancholic tunes, including " Going 100mph in a 30mph Zone ," a poignant song about the trials and tribulations of youth and the journey toward adulthood. The atmosphere was warm and cozy, but after a complete set, they only got a few passersby, so they returned to Hammond's busy sidewalks! Credit: Rian Nickels As we walked from the Railroad Park to our next destination, The Gosh Darn Dangs did a cover of “ Scott Pilgrim vs. My GPA ” by Midwest Emo band Mom Jeans . The harmonies bounced and echoed off the tall downtown buildings until they landed across from a locally cherished bar, The Red White and Brew . The calming riffs and strums drew the attention of the bar patrons, even from across the busy street. After incredibly relatable songs like “ I’m Not Gonna Die Today ,” the band started to build an audience of late-night strollers and bargoers. Credit: Rian Nickels As each song ended, the intimate audience cheered. When asked about the origins of the song “ I’m Not Gonna Die Today ”, lead vocalist Mike Spoon said, “ Writing this song was a turning point for me. Getting it out in music form helped me understand myself better and set me on the path to having a better attitude about things. It's a journey I am still taking. So, in a way, this isn't a sad song. It's kind of like the dark cloud just under the silver lining. We all must go through it in our way. ” Credit: Rian Nickels The contrast between live music in a dedicated venue and busking on the streets is profound, rooted in the unique connection fostered between musicians and their audience. While a venue encapsulates sound within walls and confines emotions to a designated space, the experience of street performances allows emotions to ripple through the open air, touching everyone in its path. That night, The Gosh Darn Dangs’ music brought a piece of the community of Downtown Hammond together to enjoy a night of soulful tunes, and it reminded me that our time on Earth is limited, so we need to experience all there is out there just once. To learn more about the The Gosh Darn Dangs , just hit one of the links below. Facebook The Gosh Darn Dangs (@thegoshdarndangs) • Instagram photos and videos *cover photo by Rian Nickels rianmusicjpeg.myportfolio.com Rian Haynsworth www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Rian Nickels is a total music junkie. Do you have a show you’d like her to review? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Previous Next

Bangin' Out the Hits < Back Tank and the Bangas C.G. Smith Jan 5, 2023 Share Bangin' Out the Hits In the fall of 2015, my wife and I had been living in New Orleans for nearly six months. A co-worker had been talking up this band to me for a while, so we made the trek across town to The Maple Leaf bar on Oak St. to catch the show. The band was New Orleans’ own Tank and the Bangas. Their high-energy, infectious performance and wonderfully arranged music changed our idea of what a local band could be. From that point on we were fans and made it out to every Tank and the Bangas performance we could. These days the ticket prices are a little more expensive than in those earlier days, the stages are usually much bigger, and their music has evolved a bit from those early club performances, but the group is still just as grounded as they ever have been. credit: Jacob Walker I had the good fortune to be able to sit down with the group at the Uptown New Orleans restaurant Molly’s Rise and Shine after business hours and talk about their beginnings, their evolution over the years, and what the future holds for the now twice Grammy-nominated band. MaM : First off, I want to thank y’all so much for being here. I also wanted to thank Lauren and Mason of Molly’s Rise and Shine for letting us use this unique space. We are very grateful. Is this the first time you’ve been here? Tank : Yes. Norman : Yeah, I’ve never been here before. MaM : The chicken biscuit is fire. Tank : That’s good to know. (playfully) What? You think we just like chicken or something? Albert : What about the vegan options? Tank : What? You think we’re vegan or somethin’? Norman : The chickens were vegan. They only fed them grain. [laughter] MaM : Your hard work has led to so much success. It really shows – how much you all enjoy performing for an audience. How did y’all deal with the pandemic? Not being able to tour, did it help or hurt the band? I know "Friend Goals" came out of it, but overall, with the pandemic, how did it affect you? Tank : I think both, right? The only hurting I would say is because it’s hard to get back into the specific rhythm of touring. The world still is a bit scared, so the numbers aren’t exactly the same as they were pre-Covid. I would say that is the only hurting, but the helping, I mean, we got "Friend Goals." It’s such a good little EP. We had fun making it. Before that we were on tour so much. It was a nice little break at the perfect time. We needed it. We was [sic] like, ‘Oh my gosh, people cook regular food and sleep up in their regular beds, and go for regular walks?’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxeKuEm8gio Norman : After being off schedule for like weeks, and weeks, and weeks, it was like every day at eleven o’clock, ‘What y’all doin’? Y’all still up?’ Yeah, we wide awake, doin’ nothin’. Tank : I watched Paternity Court a lot. I ate a lot of crawfish. Norman : I really got to sit with myself. I was like, ‘Wow, this is how I am? Okay, gotta change some stuff.’ Some of it’s cool, but I got to know me a little bit during Covid. Albert : Oh yeah. Tank : Yeah, we all had those little moments. You know I was cool while we was [sic] on break, then the next shit came around and I was like, ‘Wait a minute, what’s goin’ on with the schedule? Wait a minute now, wait a minute! What you mean we are cancelling again?' ‘Cause you know, of course, we had to survive. We thought of creative ways to do it. We had a lot of little shows with virtual performances, which is cool and lame all at the same time. (imitates interacting with a virtual crowd) ‘Throw your hands up!’ Albert : Only the ends of songs are lame because you finish with a big finish and there’s just crickets. Tank : And there’s nothin’. Just a bunch of hearts and thumbs up and, ‘Love you guys!’ Norman : But we appreciated such silent love! Albert : You just hear hard breathing like ‘Dancing with the Stars’ contestants. Tank : (imitates hard breathing at the end of a performance) ‘Thank y’all, thank y’all!!’ Norman : It means y’all were sittin’ there watchin’ this happen, so it was definitely appreciated for real. The band used to have the occasional parties in the backyard of Tank’s Auntie Tee Tee’s house in the Lower 9th Ward back before their breakthrough with NPR’s Tiny D esk concert. MaM : The backyard parties at the Yum Yum were so much fun. My wife and I went to at least two or three of them. Any plans to do anything like that in the future, or is that just off the table now? credit: Shambala Festival 2022 Tank : Oh, no. We definitely want to do that in the future. We miss it. Every time we go in the backyard, we’re like, ‘We gotta get one of these goin’ again.’ We just never know when Auntie’s gonna feel like doing it, honestly! We all have to be in the mood at the same time, so that lets you know how beautiful – how everything had to be lined up so perfectly and feel like doing one. It takes a lot of work. Albert : Big, big picture though, Norm and Ta talk a lot about, ‘What if we did a festival? What if there was [some]thing that was a hub, a Bangaville thing? The idea of community … especially performance community is always going around. Norman : Bangafest. Tank : Bangafest sounds dope. MaM : I’d go! Tank : I know you would! Norman : We don’t even have to travel for that! MaM : From Tank’s run with SNO, to those early open mics, to playing major festivals on the biggest stages in the world, can you tell us about some of your best and not so great moments? Tank : Whoa, mmm. Let me see ... best definitely was um, .... all the time! We have a good time! The best memorable moments: Coachella, Jimmy Fallon, The Apollo, Glastonbury was beautiful. Norman : Yo, I got a bad one. We were in Germany, and we didn’t have our luggage ... Josh : We didn’t have our clothes! Norman : We had to perform in our pajamas. Tank : We was [sic] in a barn. Norman : The gear was all wrong. I had a Motif instead of a Cronos. Oh man, that was a day. Tank : Yeah, that was a crazy one. Norman : We were still in another country playing music, doing something we love. [Tank talking about the mural where we did the photo shoot:] Tank : That [mural] was painted by an artist, not just done online? MaM : Yeah, hand painted for the restaurant by an artist named Ken Cox. Albert : The process of breakfast on acid. Tank : That’s some crazy color right there. Albert : The cost of your eggs. MaM : Your version of “What the World Needs Now,” I was blown away by it when it first came out and I just heard it again on shuffle the other day. How did that track come about? Any stories from that recording? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tm5oSdEFvU Tank : It was supposed to be bigger, something different than it was. Josh : It was on some heal-the-world, Quincy Jones-type stuff. It was a lot of fun to be able to call friends, people we cared about, and family members as well to help us create that entire New Orleans ordeal. It was such a great thing to be a part of and find all those voices in the right spots. Norman : It came out beautiful. Josh : And we had to do it in like one day or something! Albert : We had people come in on schedules, that had to come in for 45 minutes. Oh, we gotta stop and do this trumpet part! Okay, get outta’ here, come on! Thank you, man! Alright, see ya!” Josh : David Shaw came in so late at night. Tank : I love David on that. I just wish we would have [sic] got him recorded singing on it. I loved him on it. I loved everybody on it. Especially since we were just getting people that we wouldn’t even normally day to day work with, but we knew in the community. I loved what everybody added to it. It was perfect. Josh’s nephew, my niece--we were crying when Sunny was doing her poem and the children was [sic] singing. I think that was the last time we was [sic] all together. It was just so special. It really was what the world needs now. MaM : For the time we were all in, it was perfect. Tank : I know. It really felt awesome. Josh : That was a fire question. No one ever asks that. MaM : You’ve already worked on projects with some amazing artists. Who are some of your dream collaborators, past or present? Tank : Present – we’ve done with Layla, that was a dream for sure. Alex Isley is a dream, and Robert Glasper ... people that we just put out there that we can’t believe that we was [sic] able to make music with later on. Josh : That Blue Note whole thing was fire. Tank : Blue Note was amazing. Josh : That’s a whole list of people that was special. Tank : Juno is a future collaborator for sure. Kendrick Lamar and Stevie Wonder. credit: Jacob Walker Norman : Amahd Jamal, I’m waiting on that. Albert : Can we go to the past? Do they have to be living? Roy Hargrove, you know he passed, but man, that’s music that I grew up with and really stuff that shaped me and made me seek out sounds like this band. Norman : Same, yo. You talkin’ ‘bout ‘Like Water for Chocolate,' that’s Roy. That’s a Common album that D’Angelo, Roy, Questlove, all of them did, RH Factor. All that shit. Albert : The ‘Straight Ahead’ album. His Cuban album? He’s so good. Josh : All right – Kirk Franklin. Take that. I wanna work with him. Norman : Listen, I really want to work with Warryn Campbell. If you [sic] out there, [if] you hear this, somebody send it to him. If you know him, if he’s your cousin, tell him Tank and the Bangas want to work with him. I ain’t jokin’. Tank : For some reason I don’t feel like that’s very far away, even though we don’t know him. I feel like it’s a degree of separation. MaM : I know faith and family are important to you. With all the touring and recording y’all have been doing, how hard is it for you to find time away from the band for family, etc.? Is it easier to get that time now that you’ve had some success? Norman : I try to take some intentional time to focus on the family. MaM : Wasn’t it in your rider that you had Sundays off so you could play at church? Norman : That was back when I was playing at church more, but that isn’t really my focus anymore. Kids though? Got ballet comin’ up, art class comin’ up, we skatin’ … tryin’ to keep them out the Matrix, man. I’m tryin’ to give some real people time, you know what I mean? I didn’t get a lot of people-time growin’ up, so I figured out a lot on my own. I don’t want them to have to do that. Aside from that, God is everything; church ain’t. credit: Jacob Walker MaM : What are some of your favorite things about being a ‘Banga’? Josh : Easy. The best part about it is it’s me. I don’t have to be nothin’ else or put on to be nothin’ because it’s literally … me. Just like she don’t [sic] really gotta do nothin’ [sic] to be Tank, that’s just who she is as a person. I really like watching how other people interpret what a Banga is to them. I really enjoy that part, but I don’t know; I just be myself. Being a Banga is just kinda who we are as us. Albert : I think the best part of being a Banga is getting to make and participate in making, for me, the music you dreamed of making as a child. Josh : Big facts. Norman : I realized over the years [that] we are therapists, we are healers. We bring in vibrations, which water responds to, and 75% of that is standing in the audience. When we was [sic] first starting, people would come to the shows over and over and I was like, ‘What the hell? What is wrong with these people? We just seen you last week! This is the same show, goofy; what you doin’?’ Tank : It is not the same show though, never! Josh : It’s not the same show though. MaM : My wife and I were one of those crazy people at every show we could get to, especially that 2015 - 2018 time period. We were obsessed. “Themeparks” was one of our wedding songs. Tank : That’s sweet! Norman : Didn’t we write that on Golden Drive in Chalmette? Tank : I think so. Norman : We wrote that in my living room! Tank : I had a relationship, and I just wanted to talk about all of the good parts of it, and the fun parts of it, you know? That’s what it was for. Some people really are just muses. MaM : Josh, as musical director, what has changed as far as how you’re presenting those older songs these days? Josh : Boredom. It’s ten years of playing a certain song and you want to try it different. She (Tank) really gets creative at moments, and she can get bored too, so two people who can get very whimsical and creative and want to change things on the fly. credit: Jacob Walker Norman : At the last minute. Josh : I just said on the fly! Tank : Aren’t you in my brain? Aren’t you in my spirit? Josh : Even in those times it’s a lot of fun. I think a lot of times we’re really just trying out different things because we get to. We can. We have the capability. The truth is, the more we push ourselves to do more stuff, the better we get at it. Norman : We’re free. The reality is the melodies fall out the sky sometimes; we just catch ‘em. We sat in rehearsals, and we had to take a little break and wrote like 3 songs in 6 minutes the other day. Stuff just happens. We stay open. Tank : Growth is real. Ain’t [sic] nobody in this band in their fresh beginning 20’s anymore. We don’t even jump up and down as much as we used to. [laughter] MaM : I remember a show y’all did at the Ogden when you broke it all down. I heard your songs presented in a whole different light. Tank : We love to calm it down. People don’t think that we know how to calm it down because we’re such a big sound, but it’s our most favorite thing to do—at least it’s definitely mine. You hear the lyrics, you hear the music, the intention. It’s quiet, it’s soft, it’s beautiful, it’s heard, it’s felt. I love those type of shows. That’s how we started out. That’s why Tiny Desk was really nothing for us. I was nervous, but as far as calming it down, it’s nothing for us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKzobTCIRDw Norman : I didn’t know nothing [sic] about it (Tiny Desk). All I saw was T-Pain do it with a keyboard player. I thought, ‘Oh, it’s gonna be easy.’ I didn’t grow up listening to NPR. I was like, ‘Cool, it’s an open mic; that’s how we started.’ MaM : Josh, as musical director, how do you decide – do you just naturally stretch your legs on a song, or do you say here, we’re gonna arrange it this way? Josh : A little bit of both. Sometimes we stretch out naturally, sometimes I say let’s try this. We’ll try stuff in rehearsal to see if it sticks. If it don’t [sic], we’ll leave it alone, if it do [sic], we’ll push it.” MaM : You ever just throw shit at them live? Josh : Yep, yeah, they good [sic] enough to handle that. They superbad. The fun part is, if we fall on our face, we’re good enough to carry ourselves so nobody even knows it happened. We’re creating a chord progression as we go sometimes. We’re having fun. Tank : Their ears are so crazy. Sometimes they even hear what I don’t hear. Josh : I think that part makes it very easy for us to be able to ‘float.’ Norman : Growing up in church too, you know, anybody [can] get up and sing in any key, talking about praise and testimony ceremony ... Josh : Most of the time, it’s the wrong key! Norman : ... If you doing [sic] it right and they change key and you don’t follow them, then it’s your fault. If they start in the right key, you learn to move with them, you learn to just flow. Yeah, church got me ready for it.” MaM : Do you guys approach performances today any differently than you did in those early days? credit: Ruthie Herman, WOUB Albert : Carefully. From behind. [laughter] Norman : Prayerfully. We always pray; we always rehearse. Tank : It feels more intentional now, to me, if anything. More mature. You want to get it right, you know? It just feels a little more intentional, but I still have my moments of freedom that I do love. You know, Josh tries to reel it in a lot, which is a good and a bad thing to me. You know, like, let me be who I am, [and he’ll be] like, ‘Don’t stay there too long!’ I’m like, ‘Shut up!’ [laughter] The band recently performed its very first residency at the famous Blue Note venue in New York City in November of 2022. MaM : How was Blue Note? Josh : It was amazing. Norman : It was an honor to be in that room. The artists that we had come and join us—Keyon Harrold, Isaiah Sharkey … Norah Jones. Josh : Man, the type of people that came through, not even just the artists. Norman : Yeah, the people that came through just to kick it with us, the stage was so dope. Josh : Yeah, all of that was just wild. Norman : Y’all thought enough about us to come through; thank you. MaM : I have to ask this question, Tank, since my dad is such a huge Norah Jones fan: How did you become friends with Norah? Tank : It’s so crazy. All of it was kind of magical, even things I didn’t even know until a couple of years ago … how things was [sic] working out for us to meet. Jelly (singer Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph) was doing a session with her husband, and she invited him to the show (at One-Eyed Jacks). I don’t know if she knew that Norah was his wife or not. They ended up going to the show, Norah was pregnant, and she was hearing me do all these little crazy voices. Someone told me that she was in the house. Then she text [sic] me one morning when I was at Waffle House and she wanted me to do a video with her, a really silly song. Of course, I said yes. I didn’t know what it was about. It was a silly song. It was really silly about men who don’t think that women take a shit. L to R: C.G. Smith with Albert, Tank, Josh, and Norman MaM : I still remember how cool it was when she came out during your second performance of your Alice in Wonderland at the Music Box here in town. Tank : Mmmmmm, the purple piano. It was really special. Anybody that was a part of those shows just knows it was so special. It takes a lot to do a Music Box. Hats off to the people who do it and run it. It’s hard to explain, too, when people ask what it is. Josh : Shout out to Danny Elfman, because he sure helped with the ideas in that space too, like the orchestra. MaM : It’s just such a cool space. Tank : Yeah, it’s crazy. Hard to explain. You be [sic] like, ‘It’s a musical space where they use pieces, materials of old houses and they make instruments. You can’t explain it. You have to go there; it’s an experience. MaM : So, the hardest question for artists to answer, how do you describe the Tank-and-the-Bangas sound? Tank : (repeats) You have to go there; it’s an experience. Norman : (repeating an answer Albert came up with before) It’s genre-fluid. Josh : It’s a struggle to explain it to ourselves, but according to the Grammys, it’s one of those ‘progressive R&B albums.’ [laughter] Tank : That’s funny! They did the best they could to categorize us. I think just the fact that you’re Black, they already want to put R&B on you. They like [sic], ‘Well, it ain’t [sic] just that, so let’s go ahead and put it in progressive.’ I don’t mind, especially with this album. It’s where it needs to be at [sic] with this album, that’s cool. I love it, I’m happy to be nominated. Josh : I mean, [for] some artists it’s easy and [for other] artists it’s very, very hard to do. Tank : You can describe the song which is at hand, but to put them all in a thing? To literally say that the same band that made ‘Outside’ made ‘Heavy,’ or the same band that made ‘Heavy’ made ‘Brady’s,’ or the same band that made ‘Brady’s’ made ‘Eggs Over Easy,’ or ‘Eggs Over Easy’ - that’s the same band that made ‘Easy Goes It,’ or ‘Anxiety.’ ‘Mr. Lion’? That same girl, she did ‘Dope Girl Magic.’ So, it’s really hard. It’s whatever we was [sic] feeling at the time. Josh : This entire same band has done a lot of these songs with an orchestra, so maybe they’re a classical band. Tank : It’s all over the place. MaM : I always loved “Drummers." That’s a different kind of song. Tank : We love that one. That one never got recorded and it has so much more to it, too. It’s really cool. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE5tHVbWNJA MaM : Were there any moments where you were working on, writing a song, and just astonished yourselves, like, “This is gonna be good!?” Josh : ‘Ants.’ Tank : ‘Stolen Fruit.’ Norman : ‘Rhythm of Life.’ Albert : ‘Stolen Fruit,’ and ‘Black Folk.’ Tank : Yeah, anybody comin’ in the studio, you need to hear this! This is so special. Albert : So much so, that it slowed down progress. Like any new visitor, after we had gotten like a rough for ‘Stolen Fruit,’ anybody came in, Tank would be like, ‘Turn down the lights.’ Tank : Turn down the lights, light a candle, and play this for them. Norman : (imitating Tank) ‘Shhhh. (dramatic pause) Play that one.’ Albert : It was like a whole afternoon of that, it was great. Then we did ‘Black Folk' and [it] was, like, a live take. A bunch of us were playing in the room, and the take you hear from Tank, that’s just her on a 58 (Shure 58 live microphone). Everybody was playing in the same room. We tried to do the vocals in isolation, tried to do other takes, but it just didn’t have that … it didn’t have that thing. Man, that was a magical moment. I remember when we were playing that and I was like, ‘This is great!’ Norman : We should do an unplanned live album. Just press record and start playing. Albert : Directly to vinyl. You can do that. You can press it directly to vinyl. Tank : I’ve done that. I did that with ‘Eggs Over Easy.’ It was a freestyle. MaM : So, we are an entertainment magazine. What are some shows y’all are watching lately? Tank : I feel like we’re never watching the same thing. We talk about it more when we’re on the road, ‘What are you watchin’ right now?’ Albert knows that I have to eat and watch somethin’ from Netflix. Norman : I know how to make this cool: Say one show you think the other person is watching right now. Tank : (to Norman) Oh lord, a documentary? A Christmas show? Norman : I’m watchin’ the Nature Channel. Josh : (to Tank) Wednesday ? Albert : (to Josh) Anime, or, I don’t know, big, high-budget crime, like action-y? Josh : You know what? You’re kind of in the space, ‘cause I saw something like that. Knives Out on Netflix; the [sequel just] came out. Tank : (to Albert) You watchin’ some type of cartoon in the morning with your girlfriend. Albert : I’ve been watching season 6 of Rick and Morty and it’s stellar. It’s a return to form. It’s some of the best stuff they’ve had going on over the past few seasons. Highly recommended. Josh : (to Tank) Just say Wednesday already and get it over with. Tank : We ain’t done with Wednesday , so no. Norman : 432 playlist on Spotify. 432 hertz. Yo, why when I play it on the speaker, I can actually feel the highs, the lows, and the mids. It’s in your chakras. It’s like we really do resonate at that frequency or somethin’ because you can feel it through the speakers. I don’t get it. Tank : 432 Hertz? That’s the playlist? Norman : Do that, then type playlist. They got a bunch of different genres. Get ya [sic] chakras right. Josh : I be [sic] watchin’ Forged in Fire . I had to think about what I’ve been watching. I be [sic] watchin’ people making beaucoup swords and all that stuff. Norman : Then they try to see which one’s stronger. Josh : Then they be [sic] choppin’ beaucoup stuff with it. Man, these cats are wild. MaM : They make a Hattori Hanzo blade? Josh : They probably have done one at this point, but they be [sic] doin’ all kinds of fantasy weapons as well. Norman : Based on historic, like the way they would build them at this time or that time in history. MaM : What are some creature comforts on tour, anything that connects you with back home? Albert : A nice bowl of ramen. Norman : Coffee and good greenery, I’m good to go. Facetime with the baby. Tank : My phone so I can watch TV. Albert : An eye mask. Tank : Headphones. Gotta have them headphones. Gotta zone inside them headphones. credit: Jacob Walker Norman : Drum machine, that MPC one. Josh : I’ve been without my phone on a whole tour before. I lost my phone, like, the top of the tour, and I didn’t have my phone for, like, six weeks. It was weird as hell. Norman : That’s gotta feel good! You ever leave your phone at home and be way across town and be like, ‘Oh well.’ That shit feels so good. Josh : I was on the other side of the world. It was not the same. Tank : First of all, I would never do it because where the hell ... how am I gonna get home? I need that GPS. Momma gonna call me, you know what I’m sayin’? Now you need to stay in touch, AND I gotta listen to the regular radio? Oh no, I need to plug in, so I got my own radio. Norman : Turn that radio off and listen to the radio in your head. Tank : That’s too much [sic] thoughts! Josh : Being over there, there was no radio, and there was barely television. I wanna play drums. I hope they don’t have a bad drum set with some bad cymbals. That is a real horrible thing. Tank : That was not a good answer though; he’s talkin’ about something that you don’t feel at home with(out). You hit drums every day. Josh : I’m telling you, no, no, no, on TOUR. Tank : Josh needs some wings with barbeque sauce. Josh : No, listen, wait ... Norman : You gotta hear this man out about them [sic] drums. Because if those drums ain’t [sic] Yamaha special just like Josh needs ... [laughter] Tank : We about to get a DIVA! Josh : Look at this, you see this? (shows me the palms of his hands) This happened to my hands years ago, playing the wrong kit with the wrong sticks. My entire hand turned purple, and I couldn’t close it. So, I was playing drums like this, (Josh shows me half-open hands, as if he is delicately holding sticks with his fingers) but my hands were really like ... Norman : I wish y’all could see through this mic. [laughter] Josh : (wrapping up his defense of saying drums are a comfort on tour) A good drum set, an amazing drum set, and amazing cymbals, and amazing sticks. I can make tour with that and good vibes. Tank and the rest of the group continue having fun teasing Josh. Albert begins calling out to Tavia, "Ta! Ta!" to have her stop the insanity. Albert : (to me, as the hilarity wanes, feeling sympathy for me having to try and make sense of all the talking over each other) You just write this out, right? You transcribe this, right? A lot of it will be just asterisks - inaudible, asterisks - inaudible. MaM : Ok, Tavia says ten minutes left. I gotta get to the Grammy nod. Grammy nod number two. I’m sure that first one was an incredible experience. Tank, are you as nervous? Will you have a speech ready this time if you win? Tank : I think we could write a speech. I’m not as nervous this time. Norman : You gonna write it? I’m gonna wing it. Albert : The best things in life are wung [sic]. Tank : Then it goes, (imitates the music cue to get off stage) [to] get us off that stage. Albert : There’s four of us! That’s bullshit! We EACH get the allotted time! Josh : It’s the allotted time times four. Tank : Yeah, you use your privilege, see how far that gets you! Norman : They will never call us back! Tank : Albert said, ‘Excuse me, white man speaking! That’s not fair.’ Albert : Hey, if La La Land can take an Oscar, we can do this. Josh : Boy, you stupid! Tank : It’s exciting, definitely less nervous-y. It’s more exciting for sure, because [the] first time is very cool, but this time, it’s for the work, so that just feels just really dope. Josh : The entire body of work. [The first Grammy nomination] was us being really good coming out to them. That’s awesome, but this one is very awesome because it’s for everything that we’ve put in. Norman : Real talk, real talk. Tank : I would really like to win it. credit: Jamelle Tate, courtesy of the artist Josh : Not just one song, not one video; it’s the entire thing. Norman : The first one, all the other artists had radio hits. We didn’t have any hits on the radio, and they still had to say our name. Y’all had to put songs on the radio to win. Tank : You know how you say, ‘Since you guys made it,’ ‘Since your big success,’ ‘Since your breakout,’ you know how you keep saying that? We don’t feel that way. Y’all don’t feel that way, right (Tank asks the Bangas)? Like we’re some breakout stars, like we’re up there? Norman and Josh : No! Albert : Oh God, no. Josh : I feel like we’re new to somebody every day. I feel like because we’re new to at least one new person every day, that’s eventually gonna happen. MaM : So since she got y’all on the clock, is Tavia the special sauce for this whole thing? Josh : Facts. Albert : Oh yeah. Josh : She’s working right now. If you look right there, you can see her answering emails as we speak. Norman : We wouldn’t have gotten Tiny Desk without Ta, ‘Think Tank’ would have never happened without Ta, ‘RandoMe’ would have never happened without Ta ... Coachella, none of that. Tank : (looks to Tavia) Ta, I’ve been doing this. Norman : Shit, you was [sic] on the sofa. She picked you up off the sofa. Tank : Who was on the sofa? Norman : Tank Ball. That’s why I say you better understand! Tank : Boy, I’ve been doing this … My friend know [sic] she met me while I was on my journey. Norman : Ta said, ‘Come on, get in the studio, girl; you want to do a CD, come on.’ Tavia : I nurtured her journey. I think both Tank and I may have tapped into something that was deeper for both of us that we didn’t know was there. Granted, I met her doing poetry, which is what she wanted to do. She wanted to travel with her poetry book. She did not want to do a poetry show unless she had an album. Gus Bennett was put in my ear and he said, ‘I’m only telling you that I did a spot with Raj Smoove.’ I don’t know why Gus thought that I was the person. Tank : I don’t know why anybody thought you was [sic] the person to tell! Tavia : I know! Tank : No, I mean in my own self. Norman : Because you was [sic]! Tavia : One of Tank’s mentors pulled me to the side, spoke to me, and said I should really pursue this. They saw something in us that we didn’t see ourselves. We both just went full-fledged into it. When I met Tank, she had just quit her job and I was working two jobs and going to school. I thought I was really gonna be in an office job at the USDA or something. Other people were trying to get Tank to do things, but they were trying to get her to do what they wanted her to do, and not what she wanted to do. I was like, 'Let’s do what you doin’. I’m down for the poetry, like, let’s make this poetry album.' Everybody else was tryin’ to get her to do jazz songs and stuff, but she wasn’t feelin’ that.” credit: Erika Goldring/Getty Images [laughter] MaM : Y’all been together what, a decade now? Tank : Over a decade. Tavia : Twelve years with Tank and the Bangas, 13 years of friendship between me and Tank. MaM : So much great music. What’s the future hold? Josh : I don’t know – more stuff. Whole [sic] lot more stuff. Tank : We would love to get our book together. Norman : It’s comin’. Tank : We want to create an affirmation book for adults like us, and kids, and teenagers, because we have a lot of quotes that we live by and that we share with each other. We would love to do that. We would love to get more into big soundtracks for great movies; we’ve been offered those opportunities before. The world actually believes that we put on one of the best shows in America, [so to] have that stage and those things offered to us to make it what it’s supposed to be. Be more disciplined, more consistent. Just falling in love every day with what we doing. It’s not always easy, especially for myself. Definitely this year I’m going to make some resolutions, which I haven’t done in a while, honestly. Norman : Will you make a resolution? Whoop whoop! Tank : I feel made fun of. I thought this was a safe space. Norman : First of all, it’s a safe space. That was Kirk Franklin. I don’t know if you don’t know.” [laughter] Tank : Tavia, I’m not feeling safe. Let’s go. Norman : You need to self-care more. Your pants say self-care. If you want some self-care pants, they on TankAndTheBangas.com . Tank : Oh my lord. Norman : ... and they on Tank right now! Albert : More good music, Tank and the Bangas 2022 and beyond – for the kids! Whoooo!” For more on information on the outstanding talent that is Tank and the Bangas, their albums, their shows, and all, well, all things bangin', visit them online at https://www.TankandtheBangas.com . *Cover photo from taken from artist website. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90's flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? E-mail us mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

From Misery to Malice is turning passion into progress in the Louisiana music scene. < Back From Misery to Malice: Louisiana’s Rising Force in Deathcore Nicole Brice Mar 24, 2026 Share From Misery to Malice is turning passion into progress in the Louisiana music scene. Louisiana deathcore plays a vital role in the state’s music scene, demonstrating that the region’s cultural identity extends beyond its famous roots in jazz , blues , and cover bands. The genre’s mix of extreme metal and hardcore elements has a dedicated underground following among those who appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into creating a heavier sound. Although it may not always attract mainstream attention, Louisiana deathcore continually strengthens the local music scene by uniting fans through tight-knit support and a shared passion that keeps it alive and evolving. Despite being largely underrepresented in Louisiana , deathcore is a genre that combines the best aspects of both worlds to produce a full, powerful sound—and those vocals are not easy to perform. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vexmdx1KnUU Chaos Theory by From Misery to Malice Enter From Misery to Malice . From Misery to Malice is a deathcore band from Lafayette, Louisiana , formed in 2021 . With influences ranging from Michael Jackson to Cannibal Corpse , each member brings something unique to the mix, and that’s one reason I’ve kept this band on my radar for a while. Not to mention, the personalities in this band have helped them build a positive reputation, not just for their sound but for everything they do. From Misery to Malice is turning passion into progress in the Louisiana music scene, and we are here for it. Credit: Justin Hammer Deathcore , what a concept, really. This subgenre gained popularity in the early 2000s and merges two equally important genres to create a more well-rounded sound, but for me, From Misery to Malice adds a little groove at times, too. Just listen. It’s there. Consisting of Jon Michael on vocals, Matt Denais on lead guitar, John Citizen on rhythm guitar, Hayden Poche on bass, and Dylan Poche on drums, these guys are consistently playing shows everywhere from Lafayette to New Orleans , and we urge you to see them live if they come close by. Credit: Justin Hammer Mixed Alt Mag recently had the chance to participate in an interview with the band for Backstage 504 , which you can watch here . Wanting to learn even more, we reached out to lead vocalist Jon Michael to get the scoop on what else we felt should be shared about From Misery to Malice . Dive in to learn more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDkVkaxfh3k Backstage 504 - Episode 22 MaM : Let’s touch on this new single you guys have coming out. What is the projected release for that? Didn’t you say April? Jon : Hopefully, yeah. The song is being mixed and mastered right now by a friend of ours, but we also want to do a video. Maybe sometime in May . Credit: Justin Hammer MaM : What is the ultimate goal you want to achieve as a band? Jon : Ultimately, we’d like to play shows with Lorna Shore or even get the opportunity to play Louder Than Life or the Mayhem Festival . Become one of those bands who is a household name. Lorna Shore , for example, is one of our biggest inspirations, and they’ve been around since the MySpace days. I would even like us to become as big as Falling In Reverse . They pay their bills with their music and have built their lives and careers around it. I would love to be able to leave my day job to just play music. From a business standpoint, I hope that the more we get Lafayette on the map and the bigger bands hear about it, the more big-name artists will come to Lafayette . It would also help boost the bands in the area, looking to do the same. Credit: Justin Hammer MaM : What shows do you guys have coming up? Jon : We don’t have anything booked right now, but I’m currently getting a bill together for a show that isn’t finalized yet. Lafayette is really starting to come up, with a stronger music scene and a stronger sense of community among local musicians than in other places. The Lafayette scene is starting to draw people to shows. At a recent show at The Pit , people came all the way from Houma . Credit: Justin Hammer MaM : Do you feel the deathcore scene is underrepresented in Louisiana? How many actual deathcore bands are there in this state? Jon : There are a lot of hardcore bands I’ve been noticing, but the actual deathcore bands are Severed in Sleep , Alone in the Morgue , and Human Instinct , but Human Instinct is more hardcore at times. It kind of goes along with the extreme vocals in deathcore. Not everyone can do all this. There is a certain stigma associated with deathcore , not just in Louisiana , but certain people haven’t wanted to associate with the deathcore community because there are always a few bad apples in the bunch, and sometimes there is a lot of drama with the overall deathcore scene. It’s not the genre – it’s the people, so gotta take the good with the bad. As From Misery to Malice continues to build its presence in Louisiana’s heavy music scene, they’re clearly gaining momentum. In 2026 , they plan to release a new single with an accompanying music video, along with several other upcoming projects. The band shows no signs of slowing down. Make sure to listen to and stream their current catalog on your favorite streaming platform now. From Misery to Malice is a name worth watching as they push forward and continue turning ambition into reality. To learn more about the band: Apple Music: music.apple.com From Misery to Malice on Apple Music Listen to music by From Misery to Malice on Apple Music. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leprosariumband Instagram: *All photos by Justin Hammer Photography www.justinhammerphotography.com Shop Art Art gallery is a collection of art that is currently available for purchase at Justin Hammer Photography. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Reach out. Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

SÖŪP’s music is a harmonious blend of diverse musical influences, serving as a bridge between the past and the present. < Back SÖŪP: A Rich Tapestry of Musical Expression Nicole Brice Mar 13, 2024 Share SÖŪP’s music is a harmonious blend of diverse musical influences, serving as a bridge between the past and the present. Music has always been a powerful medium for expressing emotions, telling stories, and connecting people from different backgrounds. Growing up, I was introduced to many notable classic rock acts, and the complexity of the songs I heard opened my mind and consciousness to new concepts and ideas in a way that pop music could not. Legendary acts such as Ten Years After , Led Zeppelin , and Rush paved the way for generations of rock enthusiasts with a diversified range of intricately crafted sounds, and their legacy continues to this day because of pockets of emerging musicians who are discovering the music for the first time. Continuing the legacy of well-crafted music for the masses out of Asbury Park, New Jersey , is a 3-piece hard rock group with divine creativity called Sӧῡp. With a whimsical and progressive style, Sӧῡp is a group of musicians who have come together to jam and create music spontaneously and organically, and they are proving to be an up-and-coming force in the new emerging face of rock music. Consisting of Harrison on guitar, Monica on drums, and Mercedes on vocals, bass, and keyboards, the band is gaining momentum with its vibrant energy, steady bookings, and clear, concise ideas of what they want to accomplish musically. They are full of ingenuity, drive, and passion, with talent far beyond their years, and have come up with a sound so fierce that it’ll knock you on your ass. Photo provided by band Drawing influence from progressive rock greats Rush and rock legends Led Zeppelin , this trio knows how to command attention with their thunderous presence. Released on January 1, 2024, “ The Captain ” is the first recorded release by Sӧῡp in a series of songs to be released this year and is a meticulously crafted orchestration of creativity, taking you on an epic journey of sound. Mercedes’ range is dynamic and powerful, with soaring vocals reminiscent of the great Cherie Currie of The Runaways , evoking the nostalgia, solidarity, and influence of 70’s rock. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL5yBr-0uus Paying homage to the past while embracing the future, Sӧῡp’s music is a harmonious blend of diverse musical influences serving as a bridge between the past and the present, and if I were to describe their music, I would have to say it is an experience to be had with headphones and the volume turned up. The layered textures and sounds take you back to a different time and place and allow for complete escapism. Photo provided by band Mixed Alternative Magazine had the opportunity to catch up with the band recently in between their many upcoming shows, and we were able to have an authentic discussion about the state of the industry, influences, plans, and much more. Take a moment to learn a little more about the band called Sӧῡp, and then be sure to jam out to their latest music on your favorite streaming platform. MaM : Mercedes, your vocals on the new track, “ The Captain ,” are phenomenal, with so much power and passion. It reminds me of Cherie Currie ’s performance on the song “ Neon Angels on the Road to Ruin ." Who do you cite as your ultimate vocal influence, and why? Mercedes : I really appreciate the compliment. I tend to get my vocal technique from a good number of male artists that I listen to. A lot of people do draw comparisons with me and several other female vocalists in the classic rock realm, but truthfully, I have been influenced by Geddy Lee from Rush and Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin. MaM : You know the Wilson sisters from Heart were heavily influenced by Zeppelin, too. Mercedes : I did not know that. Honestly, it’s an honor to be compared to many of these iconic female vocalists, but the surprising thing is that I don’t take a lot of inspiration from them. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : Were your parents influential in determining your music tastes? Mercedes : That’s actually a common misconception. I grew up listening to current music, but my Dad would listen to a good bit of John Denver , Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons , and James Taylor . As far as classic rock goes, I didn’t know anything about the bands I’m currently influenced by back then. I discovered all their music on my own, and then, when I became friends with Monica, she and I went on to discover even more together. MaM : Take us through a little band history. How did you come together as you are now? Mercedes : Both Monica and I were taking music lessons at the same place, and our music teacher noticed a good bit of similarity between us. He decided to introduce us, and we really hit it off and just started becoming great friends. Eventually, we decided we wanted to form a serious band, and we’ve been working hard at it ever since. The biggest setback has been finding consistent band members to take it as seriously as us. We did not go to school with any musicians, so it was a bit of a trial until we found Harrison because we clicked with him in ways we didn’t with anyone else. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : Harrison’s guitar playing is exceptional, too. His tone is so crisp and clean. Mercedes : It’s almost as if Monica and I manifested his existence. We knew exactly what we were looking for, and then he walked into our lives, so it’s been perfect. MaM : What drew you to playing the instruments you play? Monica : So, we had a little issue when we first met because both Mercedes and I played the bass, and what were we going to do with two bass players, right? We didn’t have a drummer, though, so I picked it up, and it’s been about three years. It all clicked so fast, and I never thought I’d love another instrument as much as the bass, but I certainly love the drums more. I feel like I can express myself by playing drums in ways I could not with the bass. I’ve never felt more creative in my life. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : I have so much respect for drummers because what they are doing looks so difficult and exhausting. Monica : I will say that sometimes your fingers cramp up, and it is a test of strength. It’s cool to watch yourself get stronger and more capable with it as you progress. I found that the stronger I got, the more improved I got with my playing. MaM : Were you self-taught, or did you have a few lessons? Monica : Both; some things I was taught, but others I just figured out along the way. Photo provided by band MaM : Harrison, how did you start playing guitar? Harrison : My whole family is full of musicians. My dad plays bass, and my uncle plays guitar. They had a band when I was younger, and it got me inspired to play music when I would see them perform live. I was about 7 years old when I picked up a guitar, and I’ve just stuck with it. It’s the only thing I’ve ever stuck with. MaM : I love the tone of your guitar. Do you have any specific gear you use to achieve your sound? Harrison : I really like to use a Les Paul guitar with a Marshall amp and my chorus pedal. That’s my favorite pedal right now. MaM : Who would you cite as your ultimate influence for what you do? Harrison : David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. Photo provided by band MaM : Who do you collectively cite as the one band that made you want to pursue music as a career? Sӧῡp : Rush Mercedes : Yeah, Rush — across the board. MaM : Back to your new single, “ The Captain ,” how did the concept for that piece come together? Give us a little backstory. Mercedes : About two years ago, Monica and I realized we wanted to create one big theme with our music. One big concept. We wanted to establish a visual vibe with a storyline instead of just music with lyrics. Looking ahead, we want to create a visually poignant nautical theme with our music, one about discovering new horizons and what is encountered along the journey. “ The Captain ” grew out of that, and we’re in the process of writing the other songs, too, so you’ll have to stay tuned. A lot of our songs are about the ocean and water, ultimately leading to a concept album about a journey. Rock operas and concept albums have always fascinated and inspired me, so it’s just about channeling my inspirations into one big piece as my take on it all. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : How do you approach the songwriting process? Is there a formula you follow? Mercedes : Usually what we do for any song is write the music first. That’s how things came together for “ The Captain ”. I heard the riff first before we had even started writing. I was sitting in my yard one day trying to figure out how to write the song, and I was looking in my notes, and I found a small fragment of a poem about a captain that I had written, but it wasn’t complete. I was able to take that small fragment, though, to turn it into our song, and a few minutes later, I told everyone I had the lyrics done. We then put it with the music and tweaked it and it came together like magic. Monica : Once we play a song live, we usually find more things we want to change. We like to add more flavor here and there, but sometimes we’ll play a song live for many months, thinking it’s complete, but then right before the recording process, we find something else to change. It’s never quite complete. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : Where do you see yourselves headed in the future? I know you already have a busy 2024 shaping up. Mercedes : Our main goal is to release music that people will love. We will release singles, but we hope to draw more people to us by getting our audience hooked on a few songs, allowing them to marinate with the ideas, and then selling them the entire concept. We hope to unite people by presenting a new take on a vintage sound. Monica : There’s nothing better than taking a journey with your two best friends, especially when it resonates with people. As Sӧῡp continues to evolve and grow, they will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the music industry and inspire future generations of musicians to push the boundaries of musical expression. To learn more about the band and to experience their music for yourself, visit www.soupofficial.com . *Photos by Jeff Crespi www.jeffcrespirocks.com JEFFCRESPIROCKS See through a different lens! www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

An interview with Travis Marc < Back No Sleep for Deep Sleep Atlantic C.G. Smith Jul 12, 2023 Share An interview with Travis Marc New Orleans-based alt-rock/alt-post-grunge duo Deep Sleep Atlantic is making some pretty big waves with the recent release of their debut album, Prelude . Earlier this year on March 31st , the duo released their debut single ' Bipolar Tendencies ,' a darkly energetic tune less about the mental illness and more about the fragmented way in which society operates. The song was a powerful first step for them, and they’ve successfully backed that power up with the release of their first album. Comprised of singer/guitarist Travis Marc and drummer Daniel Perez , the album is full of creatively catchy lyrics that focus on remaining aware and mindful while facing and connecting to life and its challenges, and on doing so with courage. All the parts on the album were recorded by Travis , and after meeting Daniel , the two joined forces. Daniel Perez and Travis Marc, photo courtesy of Deep Sleep Atlantic Travis is a SAMA-nominated multi-instrumentalist/producer/songwriter originally from Johannesburg, South Africa , who spent time in London with different bands before landing here in the States. He has been playing and writing music professionally for about 25 years. He’s a hell of a guy, a consummate professional, and keeps himself insanely busy. Credit: Gary Governale I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to sit down with him and talk about his musical history, his work ethic, and his most recent project, Deep Sleep Atlantic. Here’s what he had to say: MaM : So, you’re on your third continent. You spent your first 19 years or so in South Africa, then moved to London to play in a band, and now you’re here in New Orleans. How did you end up here, and how does New Orleans rank? TM : So, I was going through some stuff, and it was a real tough period in my life, and I just needed to get away, so I booked myself a trip across America. While I’ve been in bands my entire life and toured pretty much everywhere, there were parts in America I’d never been to. New Orleans was one of those places. I came here and was here for a few days, then I met a girl. We hit it off and we did the distance thing for, give or take, three years; it was tough. We … eventually were like, ‘What are we doing here? Let’s start looking into one of us moving.’ We weighed out the pros and cons and it made more sense for me to move than her. MaM : You had a project in England at the time? TM : I did, I did— Dead Days . In fact, we’ve got a record that we are still trying to finish. We’re doing it remotely, so that record will come out, I’m hoping, this year. At a push, maybe next year. We’re jokingly calling it ‘English Democracy’ because it’s taken us a better part of four years already, but it’s outstanding. We’ve put out three records, and it’s by far the best one. It’s totally different from Deep Sleep Atlantic. MaM : Now you moved down here, happily ever after. How long did it take you to get into the scene here in New Orleans? TM : I auditioned for my first band about six days after I arrived, on the 11th of February. I got married the 22nd. The week before I got married, I went and did an audition. ... It was the strangest audition I’ve done in my life, and I’ve done some weird ones. But I got the gig, and I then went to two jam sessions, both at DMACS, and I think by the 27th or 28th everything started shutting down [because of Covid]. So, it was really bizarre because the day we got the call that people needed to start going home and stuff, I was supposed to play that night. So, at that point I guess I was here for twelve days or so? Thirteen days? I got very lucky because I was working as an assistant at Esplanade Studio at the time, and everything shut down except for the studio. So, while the gigs stopped, the studio was busy as hell, so I was in the studio every single day. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : What changes do you think you’ve gone through from the very first project you’ve been in until now? Are there any major changes that you can point out, or were you just out of the womb a natural? TM : Hmmm. That’s a tough one. I’d love to claim that, but no. I still feel like I really have to work, but I don’t mind it. I enjoy the process, you know? I guess there’s no massive changes. I can listen to stuff that I was involved with as a teenager and go, ‘I think I’m a better singer now,’ or, ‘My lyrics definitely make more sense now as a writer,’ but that’s not necessarily fair, because how can you relate to something you wrote as a 15- or 16-year-old and now listen to it and say, ‘Those lyrics are crap.’? Because they weren’t crap at the time. They meant something to me, even though I can’t relate to them now. If I’m really pushed, I’d say I think I’ve become a better writer. I’m less worried about whether I can put all the cool things in and make people think, ‘Oh, wow; what a cool little guitar part.’ I don’t care. It’s all about the song. I do not care about the genre. I do not care about anything else—just the song. Now that being said, I do care about the sonics of the song while we’re living in this it’s-all-cool kind of world, and I do think of little details: ‘Were the snare drum hits consistent or did the one guitar part go out of tune on the last chorus? Or, man, I can hear that sibilance kind of mouth noise. Stuff like that drives me crazy. MaM : We both had music in our lives growing up, thanks to family. Do you think you’d be the same without that experience? TM : It really plays a part. Whether it helps shape you, I’m sure it does. I recently read this very interesting article. This DNA scientist was saying he’s on the cusp of proving that humans are who they are, and it’s set in your DNA from day one, and while your surroundings and upbringing will play a part in who that shapes, the bottom line is you are who you are. Now I don’t know if I believe this, but I’m also not a scientist. It got me thinking. Credit: Gary Governale I definitely had other ambitions and aspirations, other things that interested me that I was gung-ho on achieving, but once I discovered music, none of that mattered. Music was a big part of my upbringing—not to the point where I was playing or anything, although my parents always told me I was doing certain musical things that made [them] go, ‘Huh.’ I don’t know if I’ve spoken of this before, but something that always makes me wonder, especially as I get older, so I was, I guess, luckily, expelled from kindergarten. For a year, I was at home … with my coloring books and my mum. She had a side hustle where she would knit jerseys, beanies, and gloves. She had this room with a big knitting machine and a radio. The radio would stay on, she would do her knitting, and I would sit there coloring in my coloring books while listening to the radio. I fell in love with Fleetwood Mac and Bonnie Tyler, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, and Madonna, Phil Collins—whatever the big hits of the day were—Tom Petty, all that kinda stuff. Keep in mind, I don’t know how knitting machines work now, but I do know that then, it was this long, rectangular thing, and this bracket would go from left to right and then back. It had a timing kind of thing to it. (Imitates the sounds of the machine going back and forth) Now subconsciously, maybe that did something, I don’t know, but I’ll tell you, my parents are adamant it did something. My dad was a printer. He had proper machinery that weighed hundreds and hundreds of tons. So, I had this year off and these machines—they’re called Heidelbergs. So, this thing comes down, almost like a mechanical karate chop. It goes up and it comes down. (Imitates the rhythmic sound of the machine) MaM : (Begins to sing Pink Floyd’s “Money” in time to the sounds) TM : Exactly! I obviously didn’t know who Pink Floyd was, but my parents swore to God that I would, between sitting there in the room with my mum falling in love with these 80’s melodies and standing inside my dad’s factory with this machine, they claim that I would stand there and make up these raps to the machinery timing, or I would play paint buckets, trying to stay in time with this machinery. So, that particular year was everything. I can’t give it all the credit because I don’t know, but I’ve never struggled to work with a metronome, ever. I do put that down to the knitting machine and the Heidelberg printing press. MaM : What inspires or influences you nowadays? TM : I take inspiration from anything: conversations, words, podcasts, songs—anything I can listen to and go, ‘That’s cool.’ Credit: Gary Governale If it’s cool and I want to explore it, I’ll make a note of it, and when I’m at my wit’s end and I can’t think of something, I’ll pull up my notes. For the most part, I’ve never needed to wait for inspiration to hit. It’s like, I work at it. I’ve always treated it like a job. So, 8 to 5 I need to create, or work in studio, or get better at editing, or producing, or creating content. I’ve never been that stereotypical sleep-‘til-4-o’clock musician. The long and short of it is, if I don’t do something that makes me feel like I worked on trying to get better at my craft every single day, I can turn into a moody bastard. So, keeping my own shit together means I’ve either got to get up early and practice, or when those around me that I love go to bed, I’m going to stay up for a few hours and practice. Whatever I need to do to allow myself to feel like I’m alive. MaM : Plus, I think you need to stay connected to whatever that is that we’re trying to tap into, right? I think the longer you’re away from it, the harder it is to get back to it. TM : One hundred percent. I write a song every day. Might not always be a whole song, but I’ll at least do a verse and a chorus, and I’ll put it on the back burner. I could pick up your guitar now and write us a song. It would not be difficult for me. I consider that a true, true blessing, okay? I know people who will spend six, seven years on one song, you know? It’s different for everybody, but for me, it just comes. I do think, to your point, if I took it for granted and I had this attitude of, ‘I can write songs whenever,’ take a ten-year sabbatical and come back, I’m pretty convinced that that gift [would] be gone. I’ve definitely had a couple people get frustrated over the years. ‘What’s that song about?’ I’ll be like, ‘Well, what do you think it’s about?’ They’ll go, ‘Well, you wrote it.’ I’ll reply, ‘Well, did I? I mean, my name’s on the credits, but somebody else wrote that song. It just came out in the form of my hands on a guitar.’ I’m not trying to sound arty; I genuinely believe this. I remember reading interviews with certain people that were like, ‘It just comes out of me,’ and I’d always be like, ‘This motherf*cker. It just comes out of me. Bullshit.’ Whatever that is, is a hundred percent true. It just takes a little bit of refinement from my side. MaM : Do you have a favorite song of yours that just came out and has been untouched since it first came out? TM : There’s a couple, yeah. In my last band, we had this song called ‘Liar Liar,’ and I’ve got early demos of that from when I was 16, 17. It’s identical. On this new record, ironically that first single we put out, ‘ Bipolar Tendencies ,’ I got home from the studio that one day, picked up my guitar, sat on the bed, [and] fifteen minutes later I had ‘Bipolar Tendencies,’ and I was like, ‘I should put this on the record.’ I went and demoed it, did the drums a couple days later. That’s identical to how it was. Nothing changed, except I put a sample of a heartbeat in it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgBPk-zff-U Official Video for 'Bipolar Tendencies' MaM : You recorded and engineered this new album yourself, right? TM : I was never the guy who was like, ‘I’m gonna produce my own record, I’ll engineer it.’ Listen, I do think there are strengths in letting other people do stuff, like the Deep Sleep Atlantic record--my buddy Taylor Tatsch , he mixed that record. He did a superb job as far as I’m concerned. You can get too close to the stuff. Where my thought process behind it all changed was, I was in a very well-known studio, and I was just there playing on this person’s record. It wasn’t my record, but I’d known the producer. This particular artist, they couldn’t get their thing right. They were in the live room and I’m in the control room with this producer, and I don’t know if he knew that I was in the control room, or if he just didn’t care, but a comment was made, something along the lines of, ‘Ah, fer f*ck’s sake, just get it right already! It’s a shit song as it is.’ The artist never heard that, but I heard [it]. It suddenly got me thinking, ‘Wait, I’ve been in hundreds of studios by now. I wonder if this is how they feel when I’m paying to have my music recorded?’ That was the changing moment. After that I was like, ‘Nope, I’ll do it myself.’ … If you put some true care into it, people can tell, man. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, the new band, Deep Sleep Atlantic, tell us how that came about and where do you see it going from here? TM : I’d been in bands forever. I decided I was moving to America—I was done with bands. A friend of mine introduced me to a mutual friend, who is fairly visible in the music industry, who says to me, ‘We’d love to have you on our books.’ I’m thinking, ‘Me, on his books? Why now? I leave in less than a week.’ So, I said, ‘No, thanks, man. If you take me as a writer, but as far as bands go, I think I’m a little burnt out.’ I’d been gigging more than 20 years at that point, closer to 25. Bands are hard, you know? You’re dealing with all these different personalities and not always in a nice, positive way, you know? So, I come over here and I’m working at Esplanade [Studio], and every day I’m seeing really great artists coming in to do their thing. I’m sitting at home after a few of these sessions and I’m thinking, ‘Yeah, that was great, but I’ve got songs that I think are better than that, or different.’ Not in an egotistical way, just in a comparable way. So, I start writing songs. Next thing you know, I’m creating logos, writing down band names, and I’ve got about 43, 44 songs. I’m still talking to this guy who wants to manage me, and eventually he says to me, ‘You will come out as an artist, and I’ll focus on pushing you as a writer. That’s the only way we’re doing it.’ So, I said, ‘Okay.’ So that’s what led to Deep Sleep Atlantic being created, but by this point, I’m almost finishing the record and I don’t have a band. I’m still not sure if I want to have a band. Then I meet Daniel at Esplanade Studio. He and I hit it off. So, I tell him that I’ve got all these songs and I don’t know what I’m gonna do with them. I sent him, like, three songs. He comes back and says, ‘Dude, I loved the songs. We should jam sometime.’ And that was it: He and I started the band. It was as easy as that. Where we see it going, who knows? I mean, you never know where these things could go. As an actual band, we’ve only been officially out there now since the 31st of March, and it’s exceeded all my expectations thus far. I’ve been in some very good bands; I’m extremely blessed to say that. We seem to be getting a lot of feedback and a lot of love and a lot of positive response. So, where do we see it going? We’ve got some plans. I’m not going to be juvenile enough to talk about them because if they don’t transpire, then you get egg on your face. MaM : How did you come up with the name? TM : It wasn’t taken. (laughter) I hate to use the word ‘woke’ in a wrong manner, but the play on it would be just being insightful and awakened to your surroundings. Chad from the Musical Lab podcast … told me that he thought it was that we had traveled across the Atlantic. Now listen, I can’t take credit for that. I hadn’t even thought of that, but it’s a fairly cool concept. Daniel and I have both lived in several places at this point and we travelled from those places across the Atlantic to get here. Now that didn’t inform or influence the band name but, you know, America is one of the biggest countries to exist, and there’s so much going on here at the moment. Some people are very sensitive to it, and some people aren’t. So, for me, I think the name is kind of just a play on … we’re at this point where there doesn’t seem to be middle ground. You’re either one of these really insightful and have-to-preach-about-it kind of people, or you’re one of those other, ‘Naw, it’s not even a real thing’ when it is. So, I don’t know. I just think it’s much like a song. You take from it what you will. For me, it’s an important name because of certain situations around it, but that would be how I describe it. We went through hundreds of names. Originally, we wanted to go with something else. We even did a couple tester gigs under a different name, only to be at a gig and this bass player I know came to me and said, ‘I tried to check you out before the gig. You know, there’s a rapper out there using that name. So, I went and checked. We are big do-stuff-behind-the-scenes kind of guys, and we had done all this work. We were about to launch, we registered all the socials, we registered the website, we did all the things that you do, right? We put up one little post and about three weeks afterwards, this rapper puts out a song and emerges under the same name. Three weeks after our post. Now, I’m not saying he took the name, but that name was so unique, that I think it would be very hard for someone else to think of that exact thing. Humans are more similar than we admit, so I’m not saying it’s not possible, but when that was brought to my attention, I was like, ‘Okay, pull everything back. We’re not launching. Shut all of that stuff down and let’s regroup. That’s what eventually led to us taking the name Deep Sleep Atlantic. MaM : Talking about live shows, you have a few under your belt now with Deep Sleep Atlantic. How have those gone? TM : Fantastic. MaM : So, Daniel is on drums and vocals, you’re on guitar and vocals, now, to fill in the other spaces … TM : I split my signal between a guitar and a bass cab, so that fills a lot, and we play with tracks. We’ve got a Pro Tools rig, and that fills the little keyboard-y parts that we’ve got on the record and a couple little nuances. We play with in-ears, we play to click. We do all our own sound, so basically when we get to a venue, they give us what they want to mic, we then feed them our tracks so it’s in the mixing desk, then they feed the signal back to us and we have control over all the levels. It definitely takes a bit of that spontaneity away because we are locked into playing to our tracks. Every now and then, some inspiration hits and you want to go jam it over here, [but] you can’t do that. It takes some serious discipline to do what we’re doing, but it’s also not so bad because I have always been a fan of bands that sound like [they do on] the record. MaM : So, let’s talk about the album Prelude . Where did you record that album? How long did it take, and are there any stories from the recording sessions? TM : [We] recorded that album in my house, except for the guitar solo in ‘ Bones ’—that’s my buddy Zack [Loy] from the band Live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJPeOMB7tEU Official Video for 'Bones' There’s a saxophone solo in ‘ Blue ’—that’s Dave; he plays in the Dave Mouton Experience . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wvpZFEpwiI Official Video for 'Blue' And then there is a cello part in ‘ Mess We’re In ’ that I didn’t play. Everything else, I did in my house. I was doing it in between gigs, and sessions, so I did it sporadically. A story regarding it would be, it was shotgun house. I’ve since moved—the neighbor who basically convinced me to move was extremely, uh, [long pause] I think if she could have, she would have done everything she could to prevent that record from being made. It started getting to a point where I couldn’t even cough without banging coming from the other side of the wall. It started to become a bit of a joke, but not in a good way. It was in a—and I don’t mean for this to sound condescending—but it was in a ‘I think this person needs some help’ kind of way. MaM : Well, after months of hearing drums through the wall! TM : Well, ironically, I had the drums done before they even moved in! Okay, guitars—I’m a bit of a stickler for the guitar. You may have to do a part 500 times before you find the tone that you like. So, I do understand that from a neighborly point of view, especially if you are at home and you hear the same riff all day. I understand that can be frustrating. It got to the point where my wife and I would turn the television on and [within] two or three minutes, the pounding on the wall would start. Then we started to hear violin. Not properly played violin, more like the screeching sound from Psycho . After that, these notes started. You’d come to the house and there’d be a note on the door about something, or there’d be a note in the backyard about something, or there would be a note under your door, or in your post box. I tried to meet in the middle. I made a schedule, and I said, ‘Look, I’m not going to make noise every day. I definitely won’t make noise after 7 p.m. I get that you want to relax and stuff, but you’re at home all day.’ At this point, I’m only home maybe two days a week because I’m working at the studio. It was really reasonable; it wasn’t, like, every day. She said, ‘Oh, no, I need those times for my clients.’ I said to her, ‘There’s nothing more I can do. I’ve stopped the noise, we don’t turn the television on, and we don’t even have guests at the house because we don’t want to upset you.’ MaM : You have cough drops ready. TM : Exactly! So, it got to a point where we were like, ‘Let’s just move.’ That did hinder the album process. It was an album that could have taken me, let’s say, a month. Let’s say a week for drums, a week for bass, maybe a week for guitar, and a week for vocals. I could have been done. The drums and the bass were done before she got there. She just wasn’t willing to meet me in the middle. So that was both a funny and frustrating aspect of the album. MaM : Do you think any of that influenced any of the vibe on the music you were recording? TM : No, no. I mean, definitely some of the frustration while playing guitar came through. There were definitely moments where I was like, ‘Okay, you’re gonna make this hard for me? I’ll turn it up.’ Credit: Gary Governale MaM : How do you balance the art versus the business? You’re obviously talented creatively, but you also have a lot of knowledge and experience in the business side. How do you work in both without going crazy? TM : I think it’s much harder than anyone gives it credit for. I think if you start thinking about the business stuff too much, it will affect the art. You don’t want that to happen. So, I, personally, try not to think about that when I’m making music. I try and look at them completely separate. It really doesn’t make me sound rock n’ roll at all, but I will have lists … of stuff that I need to do to take care of business and I will dictate certain hours of the day to do that, whereas when I’m creating, or recording, or making art or anything, I worry about none of that. I think you NEED to think about the business though, unless you have someone who can take care of that for you. People are listening to music with their eyes now, so you could have the greatest record out there and it might be discovered (the good ones always are discovered eventually), but if you’re not taking care of something that [allows] people [to] somehow find you, I think you’re doing yourself an injustice. Plus, it’s in your best interest to learn that side of it now because no one’s going to care about your music, or your art, or you as much as you. I’m happy to do the work, I’m not lazy. I’m many things, but I’m not lazy. Follow Travis and Deep Sleep Atlantic on all social media and streaming platforms, available at www.DeepSleepAtlantic.com . To see their tour schedule, click here. *cover photo credit: Gary Governale www.governalephotovideo.com Zenfolio | Home I have been working as a video professional since 1993, with a wide range of experience writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing. A strong interest in videography, specifically lighting and composition, led me to photography in 1998. Rapidly changing technology has blurred the line between video and photography, allowing me to work in both mediums.. Baton Rouge, LA, United States www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Chris Bond < Back Color, Form, and Texture with a Modern Twist Nicole Brice Nov 28, 2022 Share Chris Bond Color, form, and texture are the words that come to mind when I think of this artist, I am about to introduce you to. Color truly is everything. It doesn’t matter which medium is used because if something has a pop of color and catches my eye, I am hooked, and the stunning use of color and imagery used in these pieces is no exception. Let me introduce you to work of Chris Bond . Art by Chris Bond Chris is a Baton Rouge -based artist using texture and form to create colorful visual masterpieces reminiscent of a style made famous by Vincent Van Gogh . Each piece is unique and different and makes you stop to think and admire all the beauty in the world that serves as inspiration for those who create. Art by Chris Bond He likes to manipulate acrylics to make them look like oils. In fact, had he not told me that he prefers acrylics, I would have thought he was using oil paint all along. Chris credits William Whistler as an inspiration because “he was the father of modern art, right?”, says Bond . Although he prefers working with acrylics, he will utilize any medium to achieve the results he is looking for, because to him, the surface one uses to create is just as important as the materials. No truer words have been spoken. Art by Chris Bond Crediting his grandmother, Claudia , as his true inspiration, he has been creating ever since he could walk and pick up a crayon to color, and at 55 years old, this artist’s work is something to take note of and be inspired by. Art by Chris Bond For more information about this stunning artist’s pieces and to see his work, you can visit him on social media at: Chris Bond | Facebook If you are interested in purchasing pieces from him, he can be reached at: 430davidbond@gmail.com www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

The Muscle Shoals artist on songwriting, artistic identity, and why songs are everything. < Back Bay Simpson Is Writing Muscle Shoals’ Next Chapter Zach Taylor Jul 6, 2026 Share The Muscle Shoals artist on songwriting, artistic identity, and why songs are everything. Bay Simpson speaks with the confidence of someone who knows his roots, even as he’s still discovering where he’s headed. And that’s important when your hometown is Muscle Shoals, Alabama. For many, Muscle Shoals is almost mythical. Even if you’re not in the music industry, you probably know the legend. For me, it always felt like a landmark on the way to Pickwick Lake —a monument more than a living, breathing town. It’s a place frozen in black-and-white photos, old studio walls, and legendary names. But for Simpson , it’s more than legend—it’s home. For him, Muscle Shoals was fishing, the river, and growing up surrounded by music—long before he could grasp the size of its shadow. That’s what made talking with him so interesting. Credit: Bud Gambrell Bay is anything but dismissive of the past. He lights up when talking about The Beatles, Tom Petty, The Who, The Everly Brothers, Zeppelin, the Stones —all the giants whose songs endure far beyond the moment they were made. But he’s also keenly aware of what it’s like to be a young artist today, where music has to compete with algorithms, shrinking attention spans, and the endless demand for content. Sometimes, it’s just content for content’s sake. In other words, Bay Simpson isn’t trying to outrun Muscle Shoals’ history. He’s trying to keep it alive—without getting trapped by it. Graphic from the June 26, 2026 show at Mars Music Hall in Huntsville I sat down with Bay backstage before his June 26, 2026 show at Huntsville’s Mars Music Hall. We talked about his name, Muscle Shoals , songwriting, time, regret, ' Fortunate Son ,' artistic identity, and why, even with all the booking agents and PR, no one will ever care about an artist’s career as much as the artist themselves. *The following conversation has been edited lightly for clarity. MaM : Let’s start with your name. What is the origin of Bay? Bay Simpson : There was an indie artist named Bay Chandler . My mom was about seven months pregnant with me, and I think she was going to name me Seth or something. Bay Chandler came and played at the little white amphitheater on campus, and my mom saw him play and loved the name. She said, “I’m going to name my kid Bay.” MaM : Do you associate your name with anything? An image? A feeling? Bay : Not really. I’ve always felt like my name made me unique because not many people have it. I like that aspect of it. When I think of a bay, I think of something closer to the ocean, for sure. Credit: Bay Simpson MaM : You come from the Muscle Shoals world. It is in your blood, and it has this almost mythological weight for people. Was it special to you growing up, or was it just home? Bay : It was both. Growing up in it, being around FAME through my parents and stuff, you learn the history of it as you get older, and then it becomes cool. But to me, it was just a really cool place to grow up. I was on the river a lot. My dad was a big fisherman, so I was always familiar with the river and the lakes, whether it was Wilson, Pickwick, or Wheeler. I got to know the land pretty well, as well as the music scene. There’s definitely a mythical thing about it, sure. MaM : Smallmouth, largemouth, or spots? Bay : I’ve probably caught more largemouth than anything else, but there’s nothing like catching smallmouth. MaM : What do people get wrong about Muscle Shoals? Bay : In the music world, people see Muscle Shoals and associate it with the 1950s or 1960s . But there are still many mainstream ties in the modern day. Jason Isbell is from the Shoals. He grew up writing at FAME . That was his first deal. Chris Tompkins is from the Shoals, and he’s one of the most decorated songwriters in modern Nashville country. John Paul White is another current Shoals guy who had a ton of success, won a Grammy , and played on the Grammys. The misconception is that Muscle Shoals is a thing of the past. It’s still a thing. For me, I just want to carry it on. I want to keep it current and add to the legacy. Credit: Bud Gambrell MaM : That brings up something I think gets overlooked. People think about the product, but you’re talking about songwriting. Do you think songwriting is an underrated part of the music industry? Bay : Oh yeah. I think it is what makes the icons who they are. Nobody would see Tom Petty or Paul McCartney as these Mount Rushmore figures if they didn’t have songs people will sing forever. The Beatles were sixty years ago, and people still know so many choruses of so many songs. As an artist, yeah, you can have a hit. You can have a moment of success. A lot of people do. But some of them are more memorable than others, and to me, that goes back to the songs. Ultimately, we’re in the songs business. Songs are everything. Credit: Bud Gambrell That idea—that songs are what survive—became the thread running through the rest of our conversation. I found myself thinking about the music I grew up loving, especially the influence of the Seattle scene. Some songs live on, even when the artists who wrote or performed them are gone. The music endures. Bay Simpson may come from Muscle Shoals , but he’s not interested in treating that legacy like a museum piece. He’s focused on what lasts, what fades away, and what it means to make guitar-driven music in a world that often feels more interested in content than in actual songs. From there, our conversation turned to influence, time, attention spans, regret, and the sound he’s still chasing. Credit: Bud Gambrell MaM : Listening to your music, I picked up on some Beatles influence. Was that a major influence for you? Bay : I have a lot of Beatles influence. I have a lot of Tom Petty . I have a lot of ’90s influence, too, and much of that came from The Beatles . I’ve studied so many bands. Most of the iconic rock bands of the time. I was a Zeppelin fan and a Stones fan primarily, and then it wasn’t until later, probably five or six years ago, when I first got into my twenties, that I really started to appreciate and understand The Beatles. Credit: Bud Gambrell MaM : One thing I noticed in your writing is how often the idea of time shows up. “Time Waster.” “A Thousand Years From Now.” “Too Old for This.” “21st Century.” You’re still in your twenties, but time seems to weigh heavily on your mind. Why do you think that is? Bay : I think a lot of it comes from the stuff I’ve always been drawn to. It is typically the stuff of the past. Those are my biggest influences. Being in this modern era of music is tough, man, because it's less about the music and more about who can make the best social media content. To me, that is unfortunate. There are still people whose music rings true, and that is the reason people like them. BlackBerry Smoke is an example. But I am constantly thinking, “What would it have been like fifty years ago? What will it be like fifty years from now?” We are already in a place where attention spans are so short. I’m only in my twenties, and I’m sitting here thinking, “If people’s attention spans are only about ten seconds now, what are they going to be when I’m seventy?” I stay in that headspace. Plus, I’m a nerd. I’m a Star Wars nerd. I like old alien movies. Space, time, and all that stuff are cool to me. MaM : There is angst and regret in some of your songs, especially the breakup songs. But then you also cover “ Fortunate Son ,” which is interesting because that song carries a lot of generational anger. Do you feel any dissatisfaction with the world you inherited, or am I reading too much into that? Bay : I would not say that exactly. I am a big believer that everything is relative. There is nothing new under the sun. History repeats itself. My reason for covering a song like that is, first, because I love it. That is some of the coolest music ever. And second, my granddad was a Vietnam veteran, and he has told me stories about flying into battle listening to that song, which is crazy to me because it is literally like a scene from Forrest Gump. I do have moments where I think, “Man, I wish I had existed in a time when music seemed to be the thing.” But then I also have moments when I think maybe it has always been a bit of a gimmick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akKsPtkq9zM Fortunate Son - Bay Simpson MaM : So maybe it is less about dissatisfaction and more about bringing back a sound or a feeling that you think still has a place? Bay : That is more so the deal. An artist's career is so challenging. I love it, don’t get me wrong. I would not do anything else. But I would not be doing it if I did not feel I had a space to carve out for myself. If I did not feel like I had something to say or that I could fill a space that needed to be filled, I do not think I would be doing it. And I do feel that way about what I do and who I am as an artist. MaM : In ten years, what does Bay Simpson sound like? What sound are you chasing? Bay : I feel like the sound I am chasing is already there in a lot of respects. I feel like the way I sing is already pretty unique, and I know who I am as a songwriter and as a player. For me, the focus has been on how to get to the next level. That comes with putting in the time, putting in the hours, and figuring out how to really connect with fans. A lot of luck plays into music and who blows up and who does not. But the ones who stay in it and keep working are the ones who get those breaks. So, I am just going to keep writing, keep doing what I love, and keep writing what I want to say and what I want to hear until something really breaks through and goes to the next level. Credit: Bud Gambrell This is where the conversation struck me personally. Bay Simpson transitioned from an artist with songs I could relate to into an artist and a person I could relate to. Bass fishing and Star Wars helped, sure. Those things made him human. Familiar. But what connected with me most was the struggle. The grind. The strange, frustrating reality of trying to make something meaningful in a world that often rewards visibility before substance. As a debut independent author, I have experienced firsthand many of the struggles Bay referred to: shrinking attention spans, constant content creation, the pressure to promote yourself, and the waiting. Always the waiting. Waiting for the right person to notice. Waiting for the work to break through. Waiting for talent, timing, effort, and luck to finally land in the same room. There are plenty of sayings on motivational posters about how the only things you can control are yourself and your work ethic. There is truth in that. But it is naive to believe dedication, work ethic, and even raw talent automatically translate to success. It takes more than that. And Bay knows it. Credit: Bay Simpson MaM : As you’ve grown and become more established, is there anything you used to have to do yourself that you can now hand off to somebody else? Bay : That is a big misconception in the business. Even the people who are successful still have to keep their hands in everything. I have a booking agency, but you still have to hound it to get gigs. That is just how it is. I have PR. I have people like that, and they are great, and they do a great job. But as an artist, especially now, there is no shortage of artists out there trying to get everybody’s attention. You have to be the one who drives the ship. There are certain things I have handed over, but I still keep my hands in everything I do. Nobody cares about my career as much as I do, and that will never change, no matter how big it gets. Credit: Bud Gambrell MaM : You have a rider. What do you put on your rider? Is there anything funny on there, and what does it say about you? Bay : My rider does not have anything crazy on it, and that probably says a lot about me. I am just pretty professional. I just kind of roll in. I am not one of those high-maintenance people. I just want some Coke and some water . Throw us some pizza or put some chips out. Something like that. MaM : You put a lot of emphasis on songwriting, both your own and other people’s. If one artist could cover one of your songs, who would it be and why? Bay : I would probably bring somebody back from the dead and say Prince . Somebody like Prince is just the coolest. Very artistic. I think he could do a cool version of “ A Thousand Years from Now .” MaM : Tell me about the origin of "Where Do I Go From Her." When I saw the title before hearing the song, I wondered if you had written down “Where do I go from here?” after a heartbreak and then scratched off a letter. Bay : It was just one of those clever things that falls out. It does not come from trying. Somebody probably said, “Where do I go from here?” and I thought it would be interesting if you changed it. It is a breakup song. Sometimes, if I have a title I know is really good, then it becomes about coming up with the coolest possible melody. I took that into a co-write and ended up with that jangly chord progression. I am a big fan of The Who , so I like acoustic-guitar rock and the way you can use acoustic guitar rhythmically, kind of like Pete Townshend did or like The Everly Brothers . That was one where I wanted to write a song with a driving acoustic track. I had that rocking chord progression, and it just kind of fell out. There is not much science behind it. You just do it until the heavens, or whatever you want to call it, open up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6JSVbHA7ig Where Do I Go From Her by Bay Simpson And there it goes. Bay Simpson may be chasing something old, but he does not sound stuck in the past. He sounds like an artist trying to figure out how to make songs matter now. In a world built on clips, scrolls, and seconds, that might be the most Muscle Shoals thing about him. Go check out his music today on your favorite streaming platform. It's incredible. Credit: Bud Gambrell Where to find Zach Taylor: Website: https://sites.google.com/view/zach-taylor-author/home TikTok: zach taylor, author (@zachtaylorbooks) | TikTok Facebook: Zach Taylor Books Facebook Where to find Bay Simpson: Website: http://www.baysimpson.com TikTok: baysimpsonmusic (@baysimpsonmusic) | TikTok Instagram: Bay Simpson (@baysimpsonmusic) • Instagram photos and videos Facebook: Facebook Spotify: Bay Simpson | Spotify Apple Music: ‎Bay Simpson - Apple Music Where to find Bud: Email: the_budgambrell@mixedaltmag.com Website: https://bgambrellphotography.com Amazon: https://a.co/d/1CLA9Tz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bud.gambrell www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

90’s alt rock with dark and dreamy layered vocals < Back Mindy Scurto and Captive Frame: Reigniting Shoegaze Nicole Brice Jul 31, 2023 Share 90’s alt rock with dark and dreamy layered vocals I recently came across the music of an indie band called Captive Frame. With numerous releases on their Bandcamp page, I was drawn to their sound because it reminds me so much of one of my favorite shoegaze bands, Scarling . When most think of shoegaze, they instantly think of bands such as My Bloody Valentine , Cocteau Twins , or The Jesus and Mary Chain : distorted guitars, feedback, and dreamy layered vocals encasing you in soothing waves of sound. With an insanely creative cover of Nirvana’s “ Something in the Way ,” Captive Frame has found a way to showcase the perfect mix of distortion and feedback making the well-known tune feel reinvented. Other tunes such as “Walking Away” and “Seven Mondays” take the listener through an atmospheric journey of texture and sound. With so many songs to experience on their Bandcamp page, you truly need to experience their music for yourself to understand the beauty of Mindy Scurto’s voice. It’s soft, it’s haunting, it’s seductive. Captive Frame is the brainchild of multi-talented female vocalist, Mindy Scurto, who is currently based out of Florida, and her husband, Joe, who plays lead guitar. Originally from Maine, Mindy is a graphic designer by day and a talented musician by night. Coming from a metal scene in New England, Scurto founded her own graphic design company called MK Studios, where she has taken on numerous projects for her band as well as others to give them the identity they all visually need. In addition to graphic design, Mindy also paints and loves to engross herself in fine art. With a history of over ten years in the business, Scurto formerly managed a music shop in her home state where she worked exclusively with Autistic children teaching them music and integration. I recently had the opportunity to chat with Mindy at length about her music, her life, and her passion to create as well as the current state of her band. Take a moment to learn a little more about this creative woman who knows how to captivate with not only her voice but also with her outgoing personality. MaM : Tell us a little more about the band beginnings. MS : Captive Frame started a long time ago back when I was living in New Hampshire. We had a band before that was called Zounderkite and then another one called Cactus Hag. We toured all over with Cactus Hag and had a lot of fun, but my health got really bad and we ended up moving around New England a good bit. After I was misdiagnosed with diabetes, they essentially told me I was going to die, and at that point I decided we needed to get the hell out of New England because I had developed neuropathy. I couldn’t play anything, and I couldn’t do my art. In the middle of the pandemic, we decided to move to Florida in the southwestern part of the state, and that is where we currently are now. Photo provided by band MaM : So, what year was it that you could say that Captive Frame really got started working on material? Was it 2012? MS : No, it was more like 2014. I remember I was still working at the music store, and I found DKFM, which is a shoegaze radio station, and I was just blown away. That kind of gave me the idea for the band and then Joe, my husband, who is a huge Siouxsie and the Banshees fan, heard this line in the song “Unrest” where she says something about a captive frame, and that really resonated with him. It symbolizes being stuck and the line really stayed with us. When we moved to Florida, we got with a producer and we had this plan and then ended up knocking out an album in a year. It just poured right out of us. MaM : What is going on currently with the band? Any new material coming? MS : We have the live line-up finally and we’ve only practiced twice, but the guys we have are really serious about the music, which is great. We’re not used to people taking the music seriously because we’ve been in some bad situations with band tyrants, and it just really messes up everyone’s time. The chemistry of this group is so right, and we are a super tight family. Currently practicing and working on songs. Cover art for Captive Frame's upcoming self-titled release MaM : Who makes up the current line-up of Captive Frame? MS : I sing and then my husband, Joe, is the lead guitarist. Eric is the rhythm guitar player and then we have Richard on bass and Ghimel on drums. Photo provided by band MaM : I truly love your sound and it reminds me of the band Scarling. Have you ever heard of them? It was a side project of Jessicka from Jack Off Jill. MS : Oh, no shit! That’s so funny. My old roommate from college was a Jack Off Jill maniac. That’s a great compliment. Thank you. MaM : What would you say the future holds for Captive Frame? MS : It would be really cool if we could get signed and we would love to travel, so we will see. To hear Captive Frame’s music, hit one of the links below and be sure to follow them on social media, too. They are working on so many things, so stay tuned! Bandcamp: Music | Captive Frame (bandcamp.com) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/captiveframe/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/captive_frame/?hl=en www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Gino V’s unique ability to infuse his compositions with emotion, technical proficiency, and soul will shape and inspire generations of musicians to come. < Back Gino V.: Redefining the Music Scene with Rhythm and Soul Nicole Brice Oct 20, 2023 Share Gino V’s unique ability to infuse his compositions with emotion, technical proficiency, and soul will shape and inspire generations of musicians to come. In South Louisiana, we have a rich musical landscape with bands playing many genres of music. From rock to zydeco to metal and everywhere in between, the market is saturated with talented individuals all looking to showcase their craft to the masses, and in the ever-evolving landscape of music, there are those rare individuals who possess the talent and vision to create something truly unique. When I first stumbled upon the Gino Vallecillo (aka Gino V.), I was blown away because it was unlike anything I’d ever previously heard, and it did not fall into one category. It’s a little bit of pop with a little bit of soul and a little bit of rhythm & blues. To be frank, it’s just good. Credit: Gary Governale Hailing from the town of Delcambre and stabilizing himself as a fixture on the local music scene in Lafayette, Louisiana, Gino V. has made a name for himself with various projects, including being a touring musician and playing in such bands as Sailor Mouth, Random Animals, HoleOpener, and The Band Forgiven. Gino’s diverse range of projects shows he is a man on a mission to be heard and seen. Multi-talented, Gino plays drums and sings, which is no small feat. With unparalleled skills and an ability to seamlessly blend various genres, Gino possesses an innate musicality—one that is sure to leave an indelible mark on the industry. Born and raised in a musically inclined family, Vallecillo was exposed to a diverse range of music from a young age where he absorbed the various musical styles, forming the foundation of his artistic journey that shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Having just released two new singles independently under his solo brand with the tunes “Shine” and “Back Home”, we were able to steal a few moments of Gino’s time to chat with him recently where we spoke about the state of the music industry as well as upcoming projects in the queue and what the future holds. Take a moment to read a little more about Gino V. and then be sure to check out his music on all streaming platforms. MaM : Thank you for speaking with us this morning. We did a little research on you, and it is insane how many projects you have been involved with over the years. Tell us a little background and history on you. GV : Well, my full name is Gino Vallecillo, but I shortened it to Gino V. because I’m Hispanic but grew up in Cajun Country. Since people have slaughtered my name my entire life, I figured it was easier for people to remember it this way. They can’t mess up Gino. I’m from Delcambre, which is south of Lafayette – about 35 minutes. I started playing drums around 12 years old but didn’t start playing on a kit until I was 14. I’ve been singing as long as I can remember, too, and I grew up in a very musical household where no one else played instruments, but everyone loved music. My dad is from Honduras, so I was exposed to salsa, mambo, and bachata dance styles early on—a lot of Afro-Cuban stuff. He was also into disco and soul music, so I absorbed that influence as well. My mom was more into rock from the 50s and 60s and also into 90s country, so I have those influences, too. Now, my brothers were the ones who liked hip-hop and R&B, so that kind of changed me. As a youth, it helped me to create the gumbo, if you will, of influences that got me here. Initially, when I first started, I was gigging in hardcore and metal bands from the time I was 14 and 15 years old, and that went all through college. In 2015, I decided to move on from the group I had been playing with for the past six years so I could start doing my own thing. I started trying to fill the pool with my singing again because I had taken a hiatus from it to focus on playing drums. I had been gigging in Lafayette in the heavy scene for a while but then decided to jump over to do more soul, blues, and R&B, which in Lafayette, oddly enough, is divided. You do have a few of us that do kind of catch every genre, but there’s so much out here including zydeco, which is huge. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : Obviously. GV : You can go out and see many genres in Lafayette, though, but I started taking the jump to do something different. Then in 2017, I started a band that I had initially hoped would be a dirty blues band, but it wound up taking shape to be more R&B-esque with a little rock influence. We were called Sailor Mouth. For about four years, I was in Sailor Mouth, and then in 2021, I was allowed to go on the road with a national recording act for about seven months. I got to experience the world and travel the country, and it lit a fire under me. Being out there inspired me, and I came across many musicians who had given their lives to other artists with nothing that was truly theirs. People don’t realize it, but the music industry is extremely hard. It’s one of the toughest industries to be a part of because it takes so long to establish yourself. There’s no security either. The best way to establish that security for yourself, though, is to have your own thing to fall back on no matter what. MaM : So true … go on. GV : After coming home from that road gig, I didn’t have my own thing anymore, so with the help of one of my best friends, we were able to write “Shine”. He has been super influential in my taking this next step. For the past year, I have written a ton of music and am sitting on close to 20 songs. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : Oh wow, that’s a lot. GV : “Shine” is the first release and I have some more music I want to release. My goal is to just continue to build my discography and try to elevate my brand. I have a lot of cool things coming up. MaM : Do you find it’s more difficult to get your music heard these days or do you feel technology has made it easier? GV : To be honest, I feel it’s a little bit of both. I use Distrokid and with that, there’s a lot of content put out because anyone can use it. I do think that because everyone is using streaming services our attention spans are not what they used to be, and for me as an artist, I don’t think I’ll be putting out a full record anytime soon. It would take so much of my time because I would obsess about every single detail including tracking and flow. I feel like singles are the way to go for me to establish my discography. I do like where technology is these days, but I think we’re on a different playing field than where it used to be with music. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : I can agree especially with the whole attention span thing. I couldn’t tell you the last time I listened to an entire album. I keep my music collection on shuffle, so it’s ever-changing. It’s crazy to think how far the industry has come and to think about how much things have changed. Of all these bands you have played in, are any of them still active? GV : Well, with Sailor Mouth, we are on a hiatus. A member moved and one had a baby and then I went on the road. Our guitarist is the guitarist for Wayne Toups right now, so he’s got that gig. Life just happened. I do still play for a very small circle of people currently. I still play for Ray Boudreaux. He’s a singer from Carencro and was on The Voice back in 2013. I also play for a soul singer out of Port Barre named Sarah Russo, who is incredible. I have a few projects. This is what I do full time and it’s what I want to do. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, mad respect for the fact that you play drums and sing. I’m not gonna lie: It looks difficult. How do you stay coordinated? How did you hone that skill to where you are just rockin’ the hell out of it? GV : Well, I think that it kind of started when I was younger. I was actually rapping and drumming when I was 14. I kind of dipped my toes into the water just to see if I was capable. Getting into the heavy scene, I found other drummers doing it in rock and metal bands. I got into Atreyu big time and Brandon Saller was a kick-ass drummer who sang. Underoath, Aaron Gillespie, another band with one who plays drums and sings. I was always inspired by it and wanted to do it. In 2016, I found Anderson .Paak and was very inspired by him, and I think that was one of the things in 2016 that gave me a kick in the ass when I saw him live because I knew I could do it. I wasn’t where I needed to be because I needed the mic time, but I knew it could be done. You’re not gonna get good at it unless you’re doing it constantly, so I’m always singing. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : That leads me to your new song, “Shine”—how did the lyrics come about for it? The entire vibe is so strong. GV : So, I had just come off the road and was trying to establish what I was going to do next. Josh, my homeboy, sent me the basic riff while I was on the road, and I had started messing with it. When I found the time to sit down, the song just poured out of me. The melody hit first and then the words came. The song “Shine” in general, I believe, is my outward expression of gratitude for the love I received from my partner. I went through some dark times in 2020 and I would have never gotten through them without my partner in my corner. So, the song is essentially that, but I think it’s up to interpretation, you know? It could be whatever that light in your life is, whatever that thing is that you can cling to that kind of pulls you out of the darkness when it doesn’t really feel like that’s possible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq7mIvKU-Gs MaM : I can definitely resonate with that. You said for the rest of the year you plan to release singles, but what are your goals for the remainder of 2023 and into 2024 and beyond? GV : I want to continue to release music and I would love to do more on the local festival circuit. I’m going for Festival International next year here in Lafayette. I’d also like to do more road gigs … maybe travel through the Bay St. Louis area, maybe Mississippi, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and then go through Texas. The biggest thing for me right now is elevation. I want to take what I’ve been doing and do it on a new level. As Gino Vallecillo’s musical journey continues to evolve, his future projects will undoubtedly push the boundaries of contemporary music even further. His unique ability to infuse his compositions with emotion, technical proficiency, and soul will shape and inspire generations of musicians to come. To check out the music of Gino V., just hit one of the links below! DistroKid : Shine by Gino V. - DistroKid Linktree : ginovmusic | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree *Cover photo by Gary Governale www.governalephotovideo.com Zenfolio | Home I have been working as a video professional since 1993, with a wide range of experience writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing. A strong interest in videography, specifically lighting and composition, led me to photography in 1998. Rapidly changing technology has blurred the line between video and photography, allowing me to work in both mediums.. Baton Rouge, LA, United States www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Cutting straight into the bone of the Saw franchise, John Kramer confesses his own despair and exposes himself as a radical nihilist. < Back The Philosophy of John Kramer and the Saw Franchise, Part 4: Film Analysis Ezekiel Kincaid Oct 31, 2023 Share Cutting straight into the bone of the Saw franchise, John Kramer confesses his own despair and exposes himself as a radical nihilist. We’re back, folks, with our fourth and final lesson in John Kramer’s philosophical nihilism. I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey, and I hope it has at least made you think, along with challenging your perception of the Saw franchise. For today’s blue-collar philosophy lesson, we are going to look at radical nihilism and how John Kramer (Tobin Bell, of Finders Keepers ) fits that rubric. Let’s go ahead and jump in, shall we? Radical nihilism can be summed up as a “destructive” philosophy. What I mean by that is this: A radical nihilist usually has no loyalties, believes in nothing, and sees their purpose as to destroy. This is because they have a dissatisfaction that comes from their recognition that they live in a world where their ideal values will never exist. The “world as it is” is the greatest hindrance to the radical nihilist, so much so that they seek to negate and destroy its inherent moral, religious, and political values so their own can flourish. Now, let’s apply this paradigm to John Kramer in the Saw franchise. Can his ideal of “appreciating life” exist in the world as it is? Another pertinent question we need to raise concerns Jigsaw’s aim: Is it really to change others or to change the world by destroying others? Because, as a radical nihilist, the only way to bring change is through destroying what is. I am going to argue that John Kramer’s goal is not to incite true change in others, but to annihilate others, thus changing the world as is . A good example of this is Amanda (Shawnee Smith, of Anger Management ). She is proof positive that Jigsaw cannot change people’s value system. For those of you unfamiliar with the franchise, Amanda is Kramer’s first survivor. She becomes the case study and poster girl for Jigsaw that his therapy “works.” However, as the story unfolds throughout the Saw franchise, it becomes abundantly clear she is not “cured.” Amanda with Jigsaw, courtesy of Lionsgate Kramer then takes it upon himself to retest Amanda. The fact he has to do this proves his methods of rehabilitation are sorely inadequate. Amanda herself even agrees with this failure and says, “Nobody is reborn.” This all takes place in Saw III (2006) and, moments later, is followed up by Jeff’s willingness to kill Jigsaw. Speaking of Jeff (Angus Macfadyen, of Equilibrium ), let’s look at him for a moment, and then we’ll jump back to the scene mentioned above. In Saw III , Kramer asks Jeff to view Danica (Debra McCabe, of People of Earth ) and Timothy (Mpho Koaho, of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency ) as people who made mistakes rather than people who contributed to the death of his son. Jeff ends up failing to obtain this outlook and failing to rescue them from their traps. But not to worry, Kramer, our scholar on humanity, has factored in Jeff’s failure for the overarching game. Danica herself exposes the test’s very premise when she says, “I made a mistake … I’m human.” Jeff, too, is only human, and he will make mistakes leading to the death of others, which he does. Jeff then becomes a synecdoche for everyone involved in the game , including Jigsaw and Amanda. But it goes deeper. Jeff serves a larger purpose. He isn’t Kramer’s test subject, all of humanity is. There was never any chance Jeff’s values or perspective would change. He, like Kramer and everyone else, is flawed by belonging to the world as it is. Let’s jump back to the scene in Saw III with Jeff, Kramer, and Amanda, where Jeff is wanting to kill Kramer. In coming face-to-face with the inadequacy of his own methods, and Jeff’s desire to kill him, Jigsaw asks Jeff, “You haven’t learned anything tonight, have you?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asjTYMUwYTc Like Amanda, Jeff is being retested. And, like Amanda, Jigsaw cannot change his values. The list goes on as we examine other movies in the Saw franchise. Art (Louis Ferreira, of Stargate Universe ) survives his mausoleum trap. Does he learn anything? Has he changed? Nope. In Saw IV (2007), he becomes the head of another game where he dies. In Saw II (2005), Eric (Donnie Wahlberg, of Blue Bloods ) fails his test but not all is lost. He proves his willingness to survive and live by escaping. This should be it for Eric, shouldn't it? But it’s not. He then becomes bait in the same trap that ends up killing Art. All in all, Amanda ends up being right when she states in Saw III , “Nobody changes.” But what about Kramer, the very one who has instituted this form of rehabilitation? A big NO on that as well. Those of you who have seen the movies, recall with me, if you will, John Kramer’s statement from Saw II where he says he is “unfixable.” And there we have it, folks, right in front of our faces. Kramer’s own words scream at us the radical nihilist’s confession of despair. No one is fixable, so the entire damn system needs to burn. Jigsaw is sick and tired of it all. He is tired of the current world-as-it-is value system. He is sick of people not appreciating their lives because of this system. But people can’t change, not even with his method; therefore, it must all be destroyed. Let’s go back to the original Saw (2004) for a moment. There’s a scene in there where Detective Tapp (Danny Glover, of Lethal Weapon ) says to Kramer he is “sick” but he’s not referring to his cancer. Kramer’s response is telling. He states he is “sick of those who don’t appreciate their life” and he is “sick of those who scoff at the suffering of others.” And then comes the ultimate culmination and confession of Jigsaw: He says he is “sick of it all.” To put that in nihilistic terms, he is sick of the world and the current state of existence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk_PzaM41xc What about Kramer’s cancer? His physical illness? Does it play a part in this? Oh, absolutely. Jigsaw’s destructive nature displayed in his games is intricately tied to his terminal illness. Thus, the only true change Jigsaw institutes in any of his traps is devastation. The games he subjects people to are not capable of changing anyone’s values. Kramer’s aim is much more simplistic: to destroy the world as is. In closing, I want to examine one more phrase from Kramer that highlights his radical nihilism, and it is probably one of the most important phrases in the franchise. In Saw IV , Kramer states, “If the subject survives my method, he or she is instantly rehabilitated.” Yet, as we have seen above, this is far from the truth. As a radical nihilist, Jigsaw’s values remain intact despite evidence to the contrary, and despite the impossibility of those ideals ever becoming a reality in the world as is. This also answers the question as to why, even if people survive, Jigsaw just puts them in another game to die anyway. It is because destruction is the chief end—the obliteration of the world-as-it-is value system. There is much more to unpack when it comes to the philosophy of John Kramer—so much more, in fact, that even passive and radical nihilism fail to cover it. This means while Kramer fits these paradigms, there are also aspects of him that do not. Those points are beyond the scope of these articles. However, seeing much of Kramer through the lens of passive and radical nihilism does shed light on his madness and gives us a background to understand some of the seeming contradictions that are evident throughout the movies. Before I end, I want to sum up a few things. First, radical nihilism embraces the impossibility of change. Second, when we examine passive and radical nihilism, especially in John Kramer, we see the two are intertwined. Nihilists like Kramer rely on their view of the world as it is being the non-ideal of existence. This is the only way they can understand existence. There is a deep conflict between the world-as-it-is view and the world-as-it-ought-to-be view. Jigsaw’s world view is one where he gives into destruction in order to institute change. He has wholeheartedly given himself over to the belief that people are predictable. Thus, he allows them to be human, to keep their current value system and ultimately doom themselves. There is a deep irony existing inside John Kramer. With all of his destructive games, he still relies on the world existing as it is while also being the source of his own dissatisfaction in life. Because Kramer will never fulfill his goal of total destruction, as a nihilist, his own life will have no purpose either. credit: Lionsgate Entertainment And there you have it, my friends. I hope you’ve enjoyed this little discourse into the Saw franchise, and I plan on bringing you more thought-provoking pieces in the future. Until then, stay tuned for more fantastic upcoming B-movie reviews in my current series What the Hell Did I Just Watch . Catch y’all on the flip flop. Happy Halloween, my friends. Now go watch some Saw movies! Ezekiel Kincaid lives for horror and loves to watch it, write about, and talk about it, whether that be in his own horror novels or in reviews. His experience as a pastor and paranormal investigator brings everything he writes to life. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Ripe with fuzz, psychedelia, and haunting rhythms < Back Of The Roses: Austin's Moody & Mysterious Indie Art Rock/Pop Band Nicole Brice May 1, 2023 Share Ripe with fuzz, psychedelia, and haunting rhythms Of The Roses is an Austin, Texas-based indie art rock/pop band led by singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Serenity Autumn and Josh Delarosa . The band also features Will Lord on bass and Alexander "Wilhelm Scream" on drums. These guys are making serious waves in Austin and should be on your list of bands to devote some listening time to. Before the band formed, the members led other music projects that saw them in the studio with Austin superstar Jackie Venson and performing as an Official SXSW Showcasing Artist opening for Priests and D.C.-based label sister Polygon Records in 2019. Their paths soon collided: Serenity and Josh met in 2020 and began writing songs together, then enlisted the help of Will Lord and Wilhelm Scream to record and perform live, rounding out their unique sound. The band released their debut EP, Mirror's Always Round , in 2022, a soundscape of textures and melody. Ripe with fuzz, psychedelia, and haunting rhythms, the band's sound is defined by Serenity's badass vocals, Josh's intricate guitar playing, and the tight rhythm section of Will and Wilhelm Scream. Vibrant and diverse, this band continues to evolve and grow with their mix of indie rock, art rock, and pop. Credit: Greg Taylor/Taylored Eye My favorite tracks from the Mirror’s Always Round EP are definitely “ Falling Through ” and “ Friends ,” but honestly, the whole album is great. “Falling Through” really hits hard—it’s super emotional and captures that feeling of being lost and alone in such a real way. The lyrics are raw and honest, and the vocals have this haunting, beautiful vibe. There’s a steady beat and some really cool, atmospheric guitar work, and by the end, the song just explodes with energy. If you’ve ever felt lost, this one will totally resonate with you. I’d totally recommend giving it a listen if you want something smart and moving. “Friends” is super catchy and totally danceable, but there’s this dark, twisted vibe to it that makes it stand out. The lyrics dive into themes like control and paranoia, and you can really feel that with the distorted guitars. It kicks off slow and atmospheric, building tension before the drums and guitars come in and pick up the energy. The chorus will definitely get stuck in your head, and the bridge mixes things up in a cool way. The outro is intense. There's also a music video for “Friends” on YouTube —it's visually stunning. Definitely worth checking out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB9l67sUhSo The official video for "Friends" by Of The Roses The other tracks are “ Gone ”, which has a cool, funky vibe; “ I Hope You Love Me More ”, which has a 60’s psychedelic tone; and “ Fear ”, which starts out with crunching guitars and leads to a pleasant cornucopia of sound. Of The Roses is definitely a band to watch, and their music is sure to impress you. Credit: Greg Taylor/Taylored Eye Because they are one of my new favorite bands, I just had to speak with them to learn more about what makes them tick, and I was able to connect with Serenity Autumn and Josh . Both are witty, intelligent, and just downright fun. I feel that within the next five years Of The Roses will become a household name, so be sure to check out their music, then go download their latest EP. Credit: Greg Taylor/Taylored Eye MaM : Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I am so impressed with your music. I feel like the biggest fan girl, so I made several notes that I would like to share with you before we kick this off. Your sound is hypnotizing and catchy with an incredible guitar tone and I feel your vocals complement each other amazingly. Also, too, I totally dig your lyrics. Who is the primary songwriter in the band? JD : Whoever is singing on the track usually is the person that wrote the song. With “Falling Through”, we both kind of sing and we wrote that song together. Usually, the music comes together first and the lyrics second. We collaborate in that regard, but Serenity writes a good bit of the lyrics and if I write them, then I bring them right back to Serenity to see if they are grammatically correct and make sense. SA : Right. Well, I study journalism, and I’m an editor, too, so that’s why he brings it to me. MaM : What inspires your lyrics? Everyday life, or do you see something and think it would make a great inspiration for a song lyric? SA : Everyday life. It’s a lot of different things. Josh has some good stories in terms of the song “Fear”, actually. JD : For me, songs just come to me, and it’ll be like if I’m driving a long trip or if I’m falling asleep or if I’m in bed, I’ll just hear it in my head and will get up to record it. “Fear” came to me when I was taking a hot shower one day. I just had this melody in my head and I thought, “This sounds cool,” so it’s sort of like the music just comes to me. Along with the music, you kind of hear a few lyrics in there, but sometimes the lyrics don’t make sense. It’s just words that go along with that melody, so you must sit down and actually write. The funny thing is that when I write, I don’t intend it being autobiographical, but sometimes it just comes out that way. It just subtly happens. Credit: Greg Taylor/Taylored Eye SA : Yeah, you’re tapping into something that you don’t realize you’re tapping into. MaM : They do say that life experiences make the best inspiration. JD : Absolutely. There is a lot going on in the world, of course, and I think it makes for inspiring music in terms of painting a picture with the music. I think it’s having a conversation, too. SA : Some of our songs are love and romance based. I also write from a politically conscious perspective, I guess, kind of like Talking Heads. I like interesting characters. The song “Friends” is like a character to me. I also have Type I Diabetes, too, and I’ve been through a lot with that. That’s probably its own interview, though. Image taken from artist social media MaM : I was reading about that and actually have a question about it because I read that the band kind of formed around your last hospital stay in 2016. SA : Sort of. I may have written it that way. Kinda. (laughs) MaM : Would you mind elaborating on that? How did the band initially form? SA : Sure. Personally, that’s just how I came into making music in general—because of my hospital stay—but me and Josh met playing in a cabaret band, so it was really that meeting that pushed us together to start writing music. MaM : Well, you two complement each other. You couldn’t have picked a better band mate or songwriting partner. Really, the dynamic you two have is incredible, especially with the latest EP. Don’t change a thing. So, are you both living in Austin now? I saw that your band is based there. Image taken from artist social media SA : Yeah, we live, work, and play in Austin. MaM : So, one thing I like to ask artists and musicians is what they are currently listening to that is helping to inspire them to create. What is on your playlist? SA : Because I am a music journalist as well and work at a record store, I kind of have to listen to everything all the time and I really like that. MaM : Well, that’s a good thing. Best job ever! SA : I am in complete bliss, most of the time, but I have been listening to a lot of Lana Del Ray. I have been listening to a ton of her music recently. My favorite artist, though, is St. Vincent. MaM : What about you Josh? JD : Lately, there have been a few bands. Since I’ve never gone through an 80’s phase, I’ve been listening to a lot of electronic 80’s stuff. MaM : Nice. Some of my fave music. JD : Yeah, some of the bands are ones that Serenity turned me onto. Elvis Costello and Franz Ferdinand are a couple. Serenity really was the one to get me into Franz Ferdinand and I think they are just brilliant. Someone else that I have gotten into recently, too, is Taylor Swift. (laughs) SA : Wait, what? (laughs) MaM : I feel like an arrow has been put right through my heart. (laughter) JD : Listen, give me a chance. (laughs) MaM : Serenity seems just as shocked. JD : Let me say it’s the melodies, for me. I would never buy a record, but I can appreciate the music and the songwriting, and for me— MaM : Ok, I’ll let you slide with that. (laughs) JD : Thank you. (laughs ) I won’t go spend over $1,000 on nosebleed tickets or anything, but I will say that, for me, it’s just something that is selling and that people like, but the biggest thing for me, as a songwriter, [are] the melodies and the poppy tone that reels me in. I like good pop songs. Like a three-minute song that is very catchy is great to me. MaM : I guess you could say you admire her songwriting capabilities and her ability to bring it all together, which I can dig. So, that leads me to your band name. How did you come up with the name? Image taken from artist social media SA : Josh? JD : No, you can go. (laughs) SA : Josh doesn’t like to tell, so I guess I will. (laughs) I would like to say it was not Josh’s idea because it does seem narcissistic at first, but — JD : Yeah, it was not my idea, but Serenity, tell how it came about. SA : So, Josh’s last name is Delarosa, which in Spanish translates to “of the rose.” MaM : Ah, I see what you did there. SA : Yeah, we had a brief romantic relationship, but our closeness has lasted longer than the relationship, and we’re still really close, but it was my idea because I thought it sounded pretty. MaM : Well, it fits! It’s a bad-ass name. SA : Thank you. MaM : Another question for Josh: I’ve read that you’ve had some of your music featured on local and national radio. Can you tell us a little more about that? JD : Yes, I’ve been blessed to have had experience in bands that had music on college radio and just radio in general. Yeah, it’s sort of … (laughs) … yeah, I’ve been on the radio … I don’t even know what to say … MaM : Well, you’ve been in some other bands, so tell us a little more about that. JD : Well, they were sort of in the same vein. This is my first band that I’ve actually had a hand in. I’ve been in other bands where I was a songwriter, but I was always on the side. I didn’t want to be in the front. This is our first where it is OUR band. In the past, I’ve always been in the same wheelhouse, if you will. MaM : So, you guys released your latest EP in 2022, but are y’all currently recording or writing new material? I know Serenity mentioned releasing a new single. What’s in the queue? SA : So, I am getting ready to graduate college, so everything is moving at a glacial pace. (laughs) We have a song ready to go, but we just need to start the process of getting it posted. I can send you a copy so you can include it in the article. We also have a Christmas song we recorded that I think you would really like, but that’s not coming out until Christmas. It’s a goth version of the of the song “Snow Miser” from The Year Without a Santa Claus . Credit: Greg Taylor/Taylored Eye MaM : That’s awesome!! SA : It’s one of my favorite Christmas songs, so I told Josh, “Do the Smiths thing you do so well” and then we put a Johnny Marr-sounding guitar riff on it and a dance floor beat, and it’s hilarious in my opinion, but it’s also really sad when you listen to the lyrics in that context. (laughs) MaM : I can’t wait to check it out. I bet it’s epic. I have one last question for you guys. What are the future aspirations for the band? Do you want to make a career out of this or just do this as a side thing? SA : Well, I know that personally, I want me and Josh … well, we have explicitly spoken about doing this full time. That is the goal. Doing this as a job would be the best thing to happen to us. We look forward to it. - To experience all that is Of The Roses, head on over to all of their pages, put in some headphones, and enjoy! Home (oftherosesband.com) Of The Roses | Facebook Of The Roses (@oftherosesband) • Instagram photos and videos Mirror's Always Round EP | Of The Roses (bandcamp.com) Of The Roses - YouTube Of The Roses | Spotify ‎Of The Roses on Apple Music www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

“Blood Machines is a highly creative vampire novel that subverts tropes and cliches, using the creatures to explore the concept of a surveillance state. < Back Blood Machines: Book Review Shaun Corley Dec 13, 2023 Share “Blood Machines is a highly creative vampire novel that subverts tropes and cliches, using the creatures to explore the concept of a surveillance state. Depending on whom you talk to, the vampire is either a potent metaphor or is derivative and “done to death”. A quick look around the pop culture landscape shows compelling evidence for both sides of the argument. On one end are classic books of the genre, such as Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” or Richard Matheson’s “I Am Legend”, which do not glorify vampires but instead show them for the fearsome creatures they are. On the other end we have works, such as " Twilight" or " The Vampire Academy" , that play up the more sexual aspects of vampire mythology and add a layer of luster to the undead. And then there is the novel “Blood Machines”, which uses the blood-lusting creatures to explore the concept of a surveillance state . While also the subject of numerous films, vampires have made their way to television as well in shows like True Blood and What We Do in the Shadows . They even star in video games, such as the mega-popular “Castlevania” series and “Vampire: The Masquerade”, a popular role-playing game centered around vampire clans. Those who argue that vampires are still relevant point to the creature as a potent allegory for issues of class and sexuality; Anne Rice’s seminal “Interview with the Vampire” touched on these themes, as did Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Stoker’s original novel. Commentators who believe the vampire to be cliche use the shallow and superficial nature of works like " Twilight" as evidence for their argument. They believe that these works strip the vampire of its literary power, instead focusing solely on the sexuality element at the expense of other themes. While the two sides continue to debate with no satisfactory answer in sight, J.K. Gravier has slipped under everyone’s radar with the excellent “Blood Machines” . This novel, which deftly mixes the police procedural genre with elements of vampire lore, imparts new symbolic importance to the creatures . “Blood Machines” is set in an alternate America, where vampires have begun entering mainstream society. The vampires of “Blood Machines” are not sexy, they do not turn into bats, and a bite from one will not convert their victim. Gravier does not dwell on the nature of the vampires too much, instead opting to focus on world building and exploring the ramifications of such creatures in the real world. “Blood Machines” follows Allison Drew, a vampire (or “sanguinarian” as they are called throughout) working for the federal government. As part of their efforts to assimilate into the larger world, they have created the Vampire Bureau of Investigations. This agency, working closely with the FBI, polices vampires. Drew is sent to Detroit to investigate a series of murders where the victim's blood was drained. There she uncovers a massive conspiracy, stretching all the way to the highest echelons of the VBI … and the FBI. At every turn, Gravier subverts vampire tropes and cliches . As mentioned earlier, Gravier’s vampires lack many of the creature’s traditional powers, such as the ability to turn to mist or the ability to “charm” someone. These vampires can come out during the day, although it requires sunscreen and special clothing. Gravier even downplays the very word “vampire”, as some prefer to label themselves “sanguinarians”. Gravier also dispenses with a great deal of vampire lore, stripping it down to its bare essence and injecting it with new life. Playing around with these tropes allows Gravier to discuss issues of surveillance and the police state . Allison Drew learns that both the VBI and the FBI have plans to implement a tracking system for vampires, one that would allow various agencies to keep tabs on them. The novel does not make it clear if this surveillance program would carry over to humans, but the implication is there. In “Blood Machines”, vampires also become a metaphor for race and class . Allison and her vampire friends existed on the margins for centuries, only making gains within the past 100 years. Their march into the mainstream has been slow, and they are still greeted with suspicion and fear. It is not a stretch to see Drew and her fellow vampires as stand-ins for any oppressed and marginalized groups. “Blood Machines” also explores the nature of the police state, and the relationship between law enforcement and the people they are pledged to serve. It does not glorify the police work Allison does. Her colleagues are corrupt, and the novel heavily implies this corruption goes all the way up the ladder. “Blood Machines” contains themes of the erosion of civil liberties and the rise of the surveillance state , which resonate loudly in today’s world. Numerous novels, television shows, and movies have centered themselves around these issues, some of them with nothing really new to say. With “Blood Machines”, J.K. Gravier takes vampires—which are often dismissed as “overexposed”—and uses them to talk about these very themes. The end result is a highly creative vampire novel that subverts tropes left and right. “Blood Machines” is currently available for your reading pleasure. To learn more about J.K Gravier and “Blood Machines”, visit any of the below listed links and be sure to leave a solid review. The book is worth it, especially if you’re a vampire fan. J.K. Gravier | Author Info “Blood Machines” | Amazon “Blood Machines” | Barnes & Noble “Blood Machines” on Audible Shaun Corley is an East Coast pop culture enthusiast who loves to write about everything entertainment. A big, important Screen Rant writer, Shaun has many leather-bound books, which are far outnumbered by comics and the smell of rich mahogany. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Drawing inspiration from Southern roots < Back Electric Age: Reinventing Sludge Rock with No Rules Nicole Brice May 16, 2023 Share Drawing inspiration from Southern roots Southern rock is distinct and heavy. Southern rock also has soul and can be very melodic at times and that is exactly where the music of Electric Age fits in. Formed in 2011, Electric Age is a southern sludge rock band out of Louisiana comprised of local music mainstay, Jason Ogle on bass, Shawn Tucker on guitar and vocals, and Kelly Davis on drums. With influences such as Corrosion of Conformity, Black Sabbath, Pantera, and Led Zeppelin these guys are forging their own path in the oversaturated music scene with their nonconformist approach to making music on their own terms. Paying attention to the artistry of the music rather than making tunes that are catchy, Electric Age’s songwriting approach is a refreshing nod in an industry full of prefabrication. credit: Gary Governale With prior projects such as Execution, Guilt Trip, and Slaves of Freedom, Electric Age’s Jason Ogle adds a veteran touch to the band on bass. Vocalist Shawn Tucker’s previous projects include Soul Erosion and Black Market Halos and his southern rock vocals show hints of influence from Dax Riggs amongst other notable southern vocalists. Kelly Davis’ savage skills on the kit round it all out and brings the sound full circle. The band has released three albums, Sleep of the Silent King (2016), Live at the House of Blues – Nola – EP (2017), and Painter of Saints (2022) with all being heavy, melodic, and just plain incredible. credit: Gary Governale - the band performing at Chelsea's Live in Baton Rouge May 6, 2023 Getting ready to begin work on their third album, I recently had the pleasure of taking these gentlemen to breakfast where we sat down and chatted about anything and everything. Personality, precision, and sheer talent are what makes the music of Electric Age so enjoyable, so sit back and dive into this entertaining conversation and then be sure to go stream all their music. MaM : Thank you for sitting down with me today. I was listening to your music on iTunes, because I’m an Apple girl and prefer it to Spotify and have a few notes I’d like to share with you about it. “The Threshold” – love it, “Priestess- Part 1” – wow, amazing! EA : ::in agreement:: Yeah, that’s all Shawn. MaM : Painter of Saints, the song = could be a soundtrack for WWE Monday Night Raw or an action film. Painter of Saints - released February 11, 2022 EA : (laughter) MaM : I’m a wrestling fan, so that’s why that popped into my brain. (laughs) Shawn : We’ll take it. MaM : Seriously, though, that song is so action packed, I could see it being on a soundtrack. Oh, and “Soothsayer” – ripping off Kashmir a little bit? (laughs) Jason and Shawn : We called it “Kashmir” when we were writing it. (laughs) Shawn : You don’t hear that too much. Just people straight ripping off “Kashmir”. MaM : My husband was sitting next to me and goes, “Are you listening to Zeppelin?” EA : (laughter) MaM : …and I go, “Noooo”. He goes, “Why does that sound like ‘Kashmir’?” and I pulled up the actual song and did the comparison and was like, “Holy crap”. Shawn : Yeah Jason : We talked about doing it. We were like, “You know what?”. Shawn : Yeah, you don’t hear too many other people using those chords. That’s why it’s so recognizable. Kelly : The white board in the room during recording, on it the song was called “Kashmir”. MaM : What was the inspiration behind having a song that sounds so close to the original? As far as the riff…I mean, it does, but it doesn’t. It’s that riff. Shawn : We didn’t really think too much about it, honestly, we had the riff and were just like, alright. Jason : We didn’t really make a decision like “ok, we know it sounds like that”, but we do love Led Zeppelin, so why not do it? credit: Gary Governale - Jason Ogle MaM : Well, yeah, of course. It’s a tribute to a legendary band. Shawn : We do a lot more power chording than Zeppelin ever did in that song. MaM : Also, the production sounds great. Who mixed it? Jason : I did all the mixing, but I didn’t mix the first album. MaM : You guys are a solid rock band that is hypnotizing in moments because of your breakdowns in songs. EA : Thanks credit: Gary Governale - Shawn Tucker MaM : COC with soulful vocals, too. I hear the Corrosion influence a good bit, which is awesome. You don’t ever hear people saying Corrosion is such a powerful influence on them with their sound. Jason : Oh yeah, definitely for us. MaM : I used to be obsessed with Pepper Keenan in high school. Don’t ask me why, though. (laughs) Jason : Most reviews we’ve gotten have been COC, Thin Lizzy. Shawn : Down, of course, too. It’s in the water, you can’t get away from it honestly. MaM : Well, yeah, it’s all part of the whole southern metal scene and culture. Shawn, your vocals are incredible, and you have such a soulful voice. Kelly : I tell him daily. (laughs) Shawn : Thank you. Jason : The first record was his first-time doing lead vocals. MaM : Really? Shawn : Yeah, I didn’t start singing until 12 years ago. credit: Gary Governale - Shawn Tucker MaM : So, have you had any formal vocal training, Shawn? Shawn : Well, I’d sing in the room, but no not really. One day I just started picking up the acoustic guitar and started singing. And then I practiced for two years straight before I ever did anything. MaM : Origins of the band. How did the band form? Jason : It’s a funny story. Kelly : It’s one of those stories where we all say, “We’ve got to get together and jam”. We ran into each other at a Slayer concert, and we actually did get together and jam. credit: Gary Governale - Kelly Davis MaM : So, you all already knew each other? Jason : I called Shawn and said, “Man, I really want to go see this show.” And it was Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth. MaM : What year was this? Jason : 2010? 12? We’ve been together 10 years now, but Shawn was kind of hesitant to go, but he rides with me, and I hadn’t seen or talked to Kelly in years. We had gone to high school together, but anyway, we’re in the beer line and that’s when we saw each other and thankfully, The Facebook is how I found you. MaM : I love how you call it “The” Facebook. (laughs) Kelly : Everybody always says, “We should get together”, but we actually did it. Shawn : Well, you started jamming together first ::looks at Kelly::. Jason : Yeah, we started jamming and actually Matt Dupre of Big Frank. MaM : I know Matt, I went to high school with him. Jason : Yeah, he goes, get Tucker to sing and I was like, “Man, he’s not gonna do it” and then you said… ::looks at Shawn:: Shawn : I’ll do it with a guitar in my hand. credit: Gary Governale MaM : And that’s just how it came to be. Jason : Cause I wanted to be the guitar player and I got kicked back to bass. MaM : You got kicked back to bass, so you don’t enjoy being a bass player? Jason : I didn’t at the time. MaM : Well, what about now? Jason : Well, now I do. It’s kind of like a ZZ Top type of metal thing. It’s a 3-piece. MaM : Well, and then the beards. (Kelly and Shawn have similar beards) Kelly : (laughs) credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, last release was just in February 2022, but as far as new music…what’s the direction for the band going forward? Jason : The first record was written as a concept record because Shawn had this vision and it was a big undertaking to make the first album, and it’s over an hour long and some of it was written with me on guitar. The second record sounds more like what we sound like now. On the first record, we hadn’t played a lot of shows and the third record will sound more like the second. MaM : So, would you say the second record defined your sound? Jason : Definitely. The 3-piece sound. The first record is so orchestrated. Some of the songs on the first record we can’t even play live, so we just don’t. Because they’re too complicated. We just can’t with 3 people. It was a concept record, so we didn’t hold back. We weren’t worried about whether we could play it live. When we do albums, we have album tracks. We know certain songs we can’t do live, but we don’t care. We’re making a piece of art. Kelly : It’s got keyboards, tambourine. Jason : Dog whistle? MaM : Cowbell? EA : More cowbell, please? (laughs) Jason : We have not used a cowbell yet. We’ve used beer bottles once. Shawn : Yeah, that was a failure. Jason : And the guy that made the record said, “Uh, no.” (laughter) credit: Gary Governale MaM : As far as the creative process, how do you come up with songs? Take me through that. Shawn : Different methods. For the first record, I demoed a lot of songs on an acoustic guitar and a little Tascam recorder and that worked, but now, Jason will bring a riff and I’ll bring a riff, or we’ll listen back to a recording of us jamming and then we’ll go over it, but there’s not really no set rules. It just kind of happens. A lot of times, we just write in the moment. While we’re jamming. Spontaneous. Kelly : Yeah, a lot of times, it’s just a free jam session and then we’re like, “What are we doing”? MaM : As far as lyrical inspiration…what inspires your lyrics? Shawn : I guess it’s more poetic and abstract, the way I write. The first album, no one knows what it’s about. That’s kind of a running joke. There’s no real meaning. It’s real ambiguous, but it’s up to anyone to decide what the song is about. Kelly : In fact, that’s what he told me one day. I was like, “Dude, I was listening to ‘Sleep of the Silent King’ and when you say this…what does it mean? “Uh…it’s open to interpretation”, he goes. (laughter) Shawn : That’s the beautiful thing about art, though. You can make it whatever you want. MaM : ::kind of hesitant:: May I ask what the title of the new album is? Shawn & Jason : We don’t know yet. Jason : Yeah, we have no idea. Shawn : We’re not done writing songs yet. We have quite a few written, but they just haven’t been working. credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, when are we expecting a completion date? Jason : We actually just signed to Argonauta Records again. They released our first record. Label out of Italy and they are going to take care of distributing it. We don’t want to rush the record, though. We’re pretty close, though, and my studio is set up, so we have plenty of time to record it. We’ll knock it out quick, though. MaM : So, you mentioned studio? Tell us a little more about that? So, you built your own studio at your house? Jason : Yeah, pretty much. Volume 10 Studios. I’m doing Branded for Exile’s record right now. I’ll be wrapping that up soon. But I’m fully functional. Ready to be recording bands and I’ve been recording since…I was always the guy that recorded. Whether it was a jambox or a phone, I was the guy putting it in the right spot and all that. MaM : Now, I want to know…of all the shows you guys have played, have there been any funny happenings or stories you could share? Jason : Kelly pissed off Meat Loaf’s daughter. (laughter) Kelly : Oh yeah, I can tell you that one. MaM : Oh, now I have to hear about this one. Kelly : We were playing at the Varsity and I’m stuck unloading everything by myself and I get it all in and then I decide to go sit outside. We’re opening for Anthrax and all of a sudden, a car comes zooming in and they block me in. I’m like “ah, man…what is this” and so I’m boxed in. Suddenly, I see Scott Ian and Meatloaf’s daughter, which is his girlfriend, start walking up to their tour bus. Nowhere am I thinking about this dude being like my high school idol, instead I’m like, “Hey dude, is your car going to stay there all night?” (laughs). Scott Ian, though, super cool goes…”I don’t know, talk to my girlfriend” and he goes in the tour bus and she comes up and says, “Oh, I have to go get the guys some food and I’m going to be in and out all night, but I’m going to be moving it” and so I tell her that I’m going to just get out of her way, right? It’s crazy, though, because there was Scott Ian. So, I tell Jason and Shawn about the story, and they go, “So you cussed out Scott Ian’s wife?” and I said, “No, I just asked her if she was going to move her car” and they’re like, “You were yelling at her, right?”, but the legend is that I cursed her out and there was a confrontation. (laughter) It just sounds cooler. Jason : There was one time they left me at TSA by myself. (laughter) Jason : When you left me at the airport? ::looks at the guys:: I bought an amp I could fly with and so I had the amp in my luggage and I didn’t unload all my electronic devices and when they slid it through the x-ray machine, it looked like a bomb. TSA grabbed me and I looked up and the guys kept walking and just left me. Kelly and Shawn : We didn’t know. (laughter) Shawn : I didn’t know you brought a bomb, bruh. credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, memorable shows…are there any shows that are memorable you have played? EA : Anthrax…Crowbar and Goatwhore at the House of Blues. Shawn : Oh, and the Acid Bath benefit show at Twist of Lime after the flood. MaM : What was this benefit show? I must have missed this. Shawn : It was a benefit show after the flood of 2016 and Jason played bass in Acid Bath with the original members and Ben Michon filled in for Sammy, because he was on tour. Jason : We played a set, though, but they had these jam sessions, too with everyone. It was fun. MaM : I can’t believe I missed that. So, as far as bands you have not played with, but would like to…who are they? Jason : I know of one. COC. MaM : COC comes here a good bit, too. Jason : We had King’s X. Shawn : Yeah, we were gonna play with King’s X except COVID got us. MaM : I remember King’s X was going to be at The Varsity. Shawn : Yeah, we were on that show. credit: Gary Governale MaM : As far as the state of local music now vs then, do you think things have changed for the better or worse? Of course, things are different post COVID, but things are starting to look up. Jason : It’s worse. The all ages shows, I mean…I don’t understand why they don’t have all ages shows like they used to. We used to have them all the time. I don’t see any bands doing that anymore. All you have to do is go rent a civic center. There’s really no venue, though, for the all ages shows…I mean, Mid City ballroom, but… MaM : So as far as aspirations for the future, where do you guys see the band headed? Jason : I think we all agree that we’re comfortable right where we are…writing records and putting out music. We like to play shows, but we just kind of pick what we want to play. With no pressure, it’s fun. Shawn : Yeah, it’s just about creating at this point. MaM : Any parting words or anything else we can let our readers know about you? Shawn : We’re just out here having fun and if people like what we’re doing, that’s an added benefit. Kelly : We’re just good friends. Jason : Yeah, we’re not just a band, we’re a family. - To experience all that is Electric Age, be sure to hop on over to their Spotify and then download their tunes via Apple Music. Be sure to check them out on social media, too, and give them a like and follow. Electric Age (facebook.com) Jason Ogle (@electric_age) • Instagram photos and videos Electric Age (bandcamp.com) Electric Age | Spotify ‎Electric Age on Apple Music Argonauta Records - YouTube *Cover photo courtesy of Gary Governale www.governalephotovideo.com Zenfolio | Home I have been working as a video professional since 1993, with a wide range of experience writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing. A strong interest in videography, specifically lighting and composition, led me to photography in 1998. Rapidly changing technology has blurred the line between video and photography, allowing me to work in both mediums.. Baton Rouge, LA, United States www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

An Undercover Talent on the Rise < Back Tyler Harrison Nicole Brice Jan 9, 2023 Share An Undercover Talent on the Rise I am the type of person who is constantly looking for new and interesting people with which to surround myself, virtually or physically. If I feel a connection to another human, then I want to know more about them. That’s how I first stumbled upon Tyler Harrison. A random follow request from Tyler on Instagram grew into a discovery of what he’s about and who he is as a person, and that led to a burning desire to showcase him to all of you. Tyler Harrison is a writer and internationally published author, who is not well known … yet, but I feel his time is coming. With a creative flair like no other, Tyler’s ability to assemble words in a poetic, imaginative way is what sets him apart from others his age. His knack of rhyming and word flow is incredible, and at 27 years old with all he has witnessed and endured throughout his young life, he is a man with wisdom far beyond his years and his writing reflects that. Enduring a traumatic upbringing as a child, Tyler was able to turn his pain into art that jumps off the page at you and makes you stop to breathe and think so you can process the words you just read. A very creative poet, fiction and sci-fi author, and a screenplay writer with three books under his belt, Harrison has just completed a screenplay and is on the path to success, so watch out! His current books are “An Apocalyptic Assistance,” “I Couldn’t Find Her So I Created Her,” “Letter in a Bottle,” and the newly finished screenplay, “Rewriting History: The Mind Trip for Centuries.” I was able to chat with Tyler recently about his work, his hopes and dreams, and his upcoming projects. This guy has so much in the queue, it’s insane! MaM : Tyler, thank you for speaking with me. I just finished reading your first book and I wanted to get a little more info about it from you. What a read! TH : So, yeah, “I Couldn’t Find Her So I Created Her.” I started writing it when I was in beauty school. During my first semester, I started talking about writing a book, so in my second semester I had this … me and my dad, yeah … my dad blew up on me and I was like, ‘I’m going to write about everything I’ve ever witnessed in the home.’ … In this book, I tell my story inside and outside the home, and [I] also talk about the memories and the people that I’ve met, and [the] different encounters [I’ve had] as much as I can remember, from the time I entered the world (or Earth) to the point where I was in college, and it was very therapeutic for me. [I was inspired by] talking to this girl and she was a creative writing major at the university I was attending. I was like, ‘Maybe if I show her I am into creative writing, I can impress her and woo her. It started as an initial collection of poems and I always wondered how one goes about being published, so I googled publishing companies and I … saw Austin McCauley Publishers and read about submitting things for publication. It was late one night and half asleep, I submitted the initial manuscript, which consisted of the selection of poems and other drastic stuff, and I didn’t expect to hear anything back from them … a few weeks later, I got an e-mail. MaM : To have published three books by age 27 is amazing. Tell me a little more about your other book, “An Apocalyptic Assistance” and some of your other work. TH : “An Apocalyptic Assistance” is a sci-fi fantasy novel … about Atlantis and the light. … I start by trying to capture the reader with the introductions of the characters. “Letter in a Bottle,” which is another book I’ve written, is a collection of poems [and] romantic poems, and I’ve got six illustrated books in production with the publishing house and those are waiting to be released. The illustrator is still working on the artwork, and they still have things to finalize on the business side. I just finished writing my first film screenplay, so I’m pretty excited about that as well. I’ve been writing so much that I’m actually tired of writing right now. MaM : I can relate to that. The creative process is definitely interesting. You have all these ideas and if you don’t write them down, you lose them. Your story, though, is what really drew me to you. Your background in an abusive household—I can relate to that because I grew up in an abusive household, too, and you’ve been through so much that I feel your strength comes through in your writing. [It] is inspiring to others. It inspired me. So, what do you see as your plans for the future? What all would you like to accomplish? TH : I just got finished writing the screenplay for a production company out of Atlanta, and I’m submitting it to them and … hoping they will want to sign a deal to use [it]. MaM : Tell us a little more about your screenplay. Is it a continuation of your books? TH : It’s a historical narrative … an alternate narrative, if you will. Basically, Ben Franklin becomes a traitor to the United States and helps the natives win back the land from the Americans. Ben is described as a war hero and [is] younger and not how most [people] think he would look. It’s been an amazing experience to develop these characters and write this script, but it has also been challenging. MaM : I want to know a little more about your book, “Letter in a Bottle.” Give us a brief synopsis of it. TH : So, it was 2019, and I went to this concert … it sounds kind of bizarre, but I am a hopeless romantic and I believe in divine intervention, and I fell in love with this female drummer … I felt drawn to her and developed this collection of poems inspired by her, and that’s basically the book. MaM : What inspires you to write all of this? You have such a diverse portfolio. You go from romantic to sci-fi fantasy to historical fiction and so, is it just life happenings you use as inspiration? TH : I just really want to write something that has never been written before. I can put all my memories into a time capsule with my writing and I don’t have to think about them anymore. It’s therapeutic. I can put them in this ‘box’ and they’re out of my world and I can forget about them and the past. All I then am left with is this moment, and it’s beautiful. MaM : I really like that analogy. It’s like closing a chapter on your life and just moving forward. I dig that. So, what else does the future hold for you? Any other projects upcoming? TH : Well, [I’m] working to get all my books on Audible and I’ve got the other six books in the queue, and I just want to keep writing and become internationally known. I’d like to eventually quit my day job and just do this for a living. I hope that my story will inspire others and reach other people’s hearts and hopefully my words can help transform how people see the world. To learn more about Tyler Harrison and to purchase his books, you can visit: Tyler Harrison | Facebook Tyler Harrison (@undercover_star_talent) • Instagram photos and videos Amazon.com: Tyler Harrison: books, biography, latest update www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Brett Carlisle is an award-winning songwriter paving his way with family, faith, and a new record. < Back Off the Charts: Brett Carlisle Bud Gambrell Apr 30, 2025 Share Brett Carlisle is an award-winning songwriter paving his way with family, faith, and a new record. Hello everyone! Welcome back! I'm thrilled you’re here and taking the time to join us. Your support means a lot, and I appreciate each and every one of you! This local songwriter first contacted me in September 2024 . He asked if I would be interested in his story. I told him that I was, and we found a local show that I could attend and conduct an interview. That local show happened to be The Alabama Smoke Show Unplugged , a songwriter showcase scheduled for September 17, 2024 . As life sometimes happens, it stepped up and cancelled my plans to attend. How about that. Fast forward to early 2025 . I ran into Brett at the Otis Walker show at Tangled Strings Studio , and I asked him if he might still be interested in an interview. Brett was still very interested. I was very close to sincerely apologizing for my cancellation last September, but as I looked closer at Brett's activities, it was almost a stroke of fate that the interview was happening now. There has been a lot going on within his musical world. By the way, I still apologized. Credit: Bud Gambrell Photography Brett informed me of a few shows that he had coming up. If you know me, you already know that when I saw he was playing at the new Rocket City Honky Tonk that is the one I picked. The venue is run by my old friend Shane Bickel . Shane and I once saw each other often when he worked at Side Tracks Music Hall . I pulled Brett aside to have a quick talk. We stepped out to the outside bar to hear each other and not compete for the juke box playing some old school country. It was a good thing the outside bar was covered, as it was a stormy evening in Huntsville . Credit: Bud Gambrell Photography The following is part of the conversation. We laughed a lot. This was a very relaxed but serious conversation. Check it out. OTC : Tell me about Brett Carlisle. Where are you from? Are you married? Do you have any children? BC : Well, I’m Brett Carlisle . I'm married. We have five children. Let me explain that first. We have two boys whom we adopted. They were her brother's kids. He passed away. We also have 3 girls—two of our own and one from my previous marriage. I was born and raised in Hazel Green, AL . We moved to Athens when we got married. OTC : Born in the downtown Hazel Green Memorial Hospital, huh. BC : (laughs) Yessir! If you’re from North Alabama , you get the joke here. Hazel Green is a small town that relies on Huntsville for hospital care. Hazel Green may not have had an urgent care facility back then. OTC : I understand that country music wasn't your first musical calling. BC : Country music was not my first music calling. Country music came, I guess, out of my rebellious side. I was more of a Christian artist at the beginning. I wanted to be like my dad growing up. I wanted to do Gospel music . Now and then, some of my stuff kind of flares into going on the side of Jesus . I was bringing it back to him, but I found my way. So it went from Gospel to Contemporary Christian to Country . Credit: Facebook OTC : You were the opening act when we met at the Otis Walker show over at Tangled Strings Studio. Now you're on your own tonight. Is there any difference in how you would approach being an opener compared to how you would approach this one? BC : The Tangled String Studios show was a storytellers' type show, and we were telling about the songs we wrote. Here at Rocket City Honky Tonk , great venue, by the way, if you haven't been here. This will be playing covers back-to-back, to back-to-back, trying to get the crowd involved, you know, playing stuff, they know. I'll throw in an original here and there, but that's the difference between the venue, where they're focused on you, and the venue where they're not focused on you. You’re just there for entertainment. Credit: Bud Gambrell Photography OTC: Is there anything you do while you're on stage doing covers to make that connection with the audience? BC : Definitely! I feel that you have to sing the songs so that they can sing something back. ‘ Dixieland Delight ’ is a big one! It's always been a big one. ‘ Sweet Caroline ’ is another song like that. ‘ Family Tradition ’ is another big one; we always like to play the songs that everybody knows. To get them going with you. And once you sing an original, they're paying a little more attention, bringing the attention to your music. Credit: Bud Gambrell Photography OTC : As I was doing my homework on you, I noticed that you promote not only your music on your social page but also other musicians. BC : Yes, sir. I feel it's important to support each other in this business. We can't get anywhere without support. And I think it's very, very, very important to help other artists as well as promote yourself. And I think that's the way we grow. I think that's how we grow as artists. And grow as people as well. OTC : While reviewing your social media, I saw a few EPK pictures of you with a busted guitar. There has to be a story there. BC : So, we found this guitar at a thrift store. It cost $6. And I thought, man, this would be fun to redo. It would be a fun project for me to build this guitar from scratch, so I intend to do that. And then my wife suggested that we take some pictures. And I was like, OK. She said, I think you should do a busted guitar picture. And I was like, with what guitar? And she suggested, of course, the one we bought for $6. I was like, OK, yeah, I'm down with it. We want to take more pictures now, so I need to find another $6 guitar. (laughter) Credit: Facebook OTC : You traveled around and played a lot of places all over the southeast. How do you maintain your work-life balance while you're on the road? BC : The biggest thing I have in my corner is a family that supports me. And they will go wherever it's family friendly. If I can travel somewhere like Gatlinburg or I want them to come with me. I want them to be there and experience it with me. Around here, there aren't a lot of places they can get in, but being close to home, it's OK. But as far as work goes, I'm very fortunate to have a job where I go in at 4:00 in the morning and get off around 11:30 to 12:00 noon. So, it gives me time with my family, and then I hit the road to do a show later that evening. Credit: Bud Gambrell Photography OTC : The first time we spoke was in September of last year. You reached out and wanted to sit down and talk, and for me, life happened. I couldn’t make it happen then. I'm sorry that didn't happen. At this point, I'm kind of grateful it didn’t. Because there's a lot to talk about. Have you ever heard of BAM Records ? BC : I have heard of BAM Records. I'm signed by them. I signed a recording contract with them two months ago. Credit: Facebook OTC : Now, there had to be a phone call or a conversation that BAM Records wanted to sign you. Tell me about this. This conversation had to be just amazing. BC : So, it wasn't a phone call. I played at a place called the Tennessean Truck and Travel Stop . There was a guy named Bobby Spivey there. Bobby wore a blue blazer and a ball cap. It just said the word MUSIC on it. After I completed my first set, he sat down with me and my wife, and he said, 'Hey man, I want to talk to you a little bit about what I do, he said. I'm a producer. I have my own label. I have my studio,’ he said. ‘I’d like to invite you to come and record any time for free, and I’d also like to talk to you about possibly signing a recording contract with me.’ And at the time, he'd been sipping on a little something. I didn't know if he was serious or not. So, it was kind of up in the air. I was thinking about it all night after that. We met the next day, Sunday after church, and he actually sat down with me and offered me the deal, the contract, and I signed it probably two weeks later. OTC : And you haven't stopped smiling since. BC : (laughs) It's hard to believe. It hasn’t hit me yet. I'm not sure of the exact release date yet, but by next Saturday , everything's done with the album, and I think that's when it will hit. When we do that whole album release party and all that, all the pre-sale stuff, I think that's when it will hit me! OTC : That's another thing that happened, you know, since we talked back in September. You've got the record deal. You've been in the studio. Tell me about the studio experience. Was this your first time in the studio? BC : My first time in a studio was at Silver Fox Sound with Robert Fox . Robert recorded three of my songs and produced some. What a great guy! He most definitely makes you feel at home when you're there. But this experience was very different because not only did I sing and play simultaneously, but I also had my drummer, Richard Best , playing while I was playing and singing. So it was like a live session. It's been different than my first experience recording the music and then going back and singing over the track. OTC : You mentioned something about a possible showcase coming up to accompany the new album. BC : In the fall, they're discussing a showcase at the amphitheater in Decatur with some of my label mates and me. I don't know who that's going to be yet. They have not conveyed all the information yet. They're still working on many details, but I'm hoping we pull that together and get it going. OTC : While I was looking at your social media page, I saw a post that you got a possible CMA Fest invite. BC : My label has contacted CMA Fest and was trying to work on getting me in there for May 3rd . I don't know if it's going to happen or not. I have not been contacted. I've not been told anything, just the possibility of it happening. It's just crazy to me! Credit: Facebook OTC: So, I'm hearing a suitcase at home packed in case they call, so you can leave now, right? BC : Yeah, I'm ready to go if they call me! Absolutely! Since this interview, the CMA Fest has become a reality. Brett received word that he will play during the CMA Fest on June 8, 2025 , at Bootleggers on Broadway from 6-9 pm. That’s excellent news, Brett! Congratulations! If you make it to the CMA Fest , stop by and check him out! Also, since this interview, I spoke with Brett , who informed me that a music video is in the making. Be sure to be on the lookout for that. OTC : Let's talk hardware and some things that have happened since we spoke in September. You won the 2024 Alabama Music Association Vocalist of the Year and the 2024 Alabama Music Association 2024 Male Entertainer of the Year. It has to be a little overwhelming that all these things are happening. BC : It is, but I try not to take anything for granted. I don't want to get an ego over it. I don't want to get a big head about it. It's a big honor. Big, big honor! And of course, that took me to nationals, where I went out and played the Country Tonight Theater in Pigeon Forge. OTC : Now there's another one, the NACMAI, that is a mouthful. You won Rising Vocalist of the Year and Rising Entertainer of the Year. That’s two more pretty big honors there. BC : Yes, it is! That's nationwide and for the North American Country Music Association International . They've been doing this every year, and they have a Hall of Fame show on Saturday Night when you're there. Randy Travis was inducted last year. He was there when we were there. Credit: Facebook OTC : So, this last six months or even the last year has been a whirlwind with a lot happening. The record deal, the album, the four awards. With all that in mind, how do you define success as an artist at this point? BC : One song at a time. I try to take it one song at a time. I want my music to be felt and not just to be heard. I define success as wherever I go, whenever I go to a bar, whenever I go to a restaurant to play, somebody requests one of my songs. I think that's the most significant sign of success to me. Credit: Facebook OTC : Two-part question. What inspired you to start writing songs? And is there any particular event or experience that led you to pursue songwriting? BC : There definitely is. When I was 21, I was married, divorced, and had a child. In the same year, my ex-wife left and took my daughter with her. I didn't see her for six months. That propelled me to write my first and what I consider my best song, ' Barbie Car ', which is one of the songs Mr. Fox produced for me. I was not a very good kid. I was not a very good high school student. I wasn't a perfect teenager or young adult, period. So, I did a lot of things, made a lot of stupid mistakes, and all of that culminates in many of the songs I write. OTC : What values and beliefs do you hold that are reflected in your songwriting, and how do those values inspire and guide you through your creative process? BC : I want to keep Christ strong in everything I do. I do, and I want people to hear the pain I went through in these songs. But I also want them to see the pain I’ve endured with my faith in Jesus. Credit: Facebook OTC : What lessons have you learned through your songwriting, and how have those lessons shaped your perspective and creative process? BC : I've learned I can't write a song in five minutes. (laughter) I always thought it was going to be easier and getting stuck on one song for two months kind of sucks. But it's made me patient. It's made me think a lot more, and I've been very grateful for that. I'm not a patient person by any means. Credit: Facebook OTC : What do you feel is the hardest part of songwriting? BC : Writer's block. Thinking about the following line. I have this notebook of songs that I don't know where to go with. So, I have probably 10-12 songs that are just sitting there. OTC : Sounds like you need a collaborator. BC : (laughs) I do. I would love to have somebody to write with. I wrote some with Tim Cannon. He's amazing! I've also had some help from Brad Thomas with some guitar parts, and he's also a great guy. As for sitting down face to face with someone and co-writing a song, I have not done that, and that's something that one of these days I will be doing very soon. OTC : Is there a favorite time of day that you find is better for songwriting or a particular setting that gets you in the flow? BC : I write songs in my bathroom. Not sitting on the toilet or anything like that. Yeah, on the edge of the bathtub after work. A lot of times, I'll come up with ideas and lines for songs while I'm at work. I'll be singing them in my head. I'll record something on my phone. When I get home, there's nobody there. The kids are still at school. My wife is still at work, and I will go into the bathroom, sit, and start playing what I hear in my head. Right around 1:00 until 2:00. It's the best time for me to write a song. OTC : While it’s nice and quiet? BC : Yes! Credit: Facebook OTC : What are your plans for the future, Brett? BC : I hope and pray that one day I'll be able to pursue a full-time music career. Right now, that's not feasible, but I plan to continue to push toward that goal and that dream. OTC : Who are your favorite songwriters? BC : My first favorite is a guy who got me into the genre that I am in. I'm a Southern Americana writer, and Drake White is probably my most significant influence on songwriting. He's a fantastic songwriter, and he is so underrated. So many people have no clue who he is. OTC : He is also an Alabama boy. BC : Yes, he is an Alabama boy. Another amazing songwriter is the Red Clay Strays and The Alabama Boys . OTC : I can relate to that. Do you have any last words that you want to add for any of your current fans and any future fans? BC : Chase your dreams! Do what you love to do. Do what you feel in your heart that you need to be doing because it will work out. If you believe in it enough, it's going to work out. With that closing remark, I’ll get out of here. I don’t have any more inspiring advice to offer beyond that. Until next time, Keep your diamond down in the groove! Where to find Bud: Website: https://bgambrellphotography.com Amazon: https://a.co/d/1CLA9Tz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bud.gambrell My new book: Bud Gambrell Photography by Bud Gambrell | Blurb Books Where to find Brett: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brett-Carlisle-Music/100087867837794/ www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Got something for Bud to check out? Reach him at the_budgambrell@mixedaltmag.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

A Soundtrack for Navigating Hell < Back When Metal and Rock Collide: 4 Mag Nitrous Nicole Brice Mar 21, 2023 Share A Soundtrack for Navigating Hell Louisiana metal has a distinctive presence in the South—one which is loud, savage, heavy, and full of sludge. Better than a morning cup of coffee, the music of 4Mag Nitrous not only hits you with a distinct sound that knocks you on your ass, but their stage presence is larger than life, too. If you need a soundtrack for navigating the hell that is Baton Rouge traffic, the music of 4Mag is it. Their latest offering, “Electric Conception,” was released in 2021 and is THE perfect music for cruising the road at a snail’s pace in and around the city, and on into outlying areas down I-10 and I-12. You must listen to it on full blast, though, with the windows down. I insist. Pioneers in defining a sound and scene beginning all the way in the 90s with other projects that each member was involved in, such as Leak, Blower Mower, Slaves of Freedom, Mutehound, and Routine Fiend, the men of 4Mag Nitrous have been a constant fixture on the southern metal scene in one way or another and are establishing themselves as the OGs of untamed southern metal. credit: Gary Governale Aggressive, loud-crunching guitars, brutally heavy riffs, and striking melodic vocals round out this band, and if Pantera, Slayer, and Motorhead had a band baby, it would be 4Mag Nitrous. Formed in January 2000, the band was on a mission to play the truest form of southern metal, and they have succeeded. Nitrous has gained much recognition by extensive playing and are currently played on 175 radio stations and heard worldwide via XM/Sirius satellite radio. These guys have solidified their place amongst the metal elite, and it’s time for the rest of the world to take notice. credit: Gary Governale 4Mag Nitrous's music has also been featured on the Discovery Channel's series Monster Garage , along with the compilation CD and DVD for both seasons. They have also licensed songs for the A&E series Dog the Bounty Hunter , and in 2010 signed on with Lionsgate Films to license music in six upcoming films. Having performed on nationally syndicated music television shows like Louisiana Jukebox and SXSW Music Showcase , these guys continue to make an imprint all over the southern region of the U.S. In 2005, 4Mag Nitrous charted at #17 on the CMJ charts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zl9XzJoCsQ The band is comprised of Joel Cangiolosi (vocals, guitar), Ben Michon (guitar), Josh Klipstein (drums), and Kib (bass). credit: Gary Governale We recently caught up with the guys to ask them a few questions about the upcoming album they are recording, amongst other things we were just dying to know more about. So, grab a Snickers and kick back as we introduce you to a little bit more about what makes these guys tick; afterwards, go download their entire catalogue. I promise, you will thank me. MaM : I know you guys are currently writing and recording new material. What is the direction of the new album, and what music are you currently listening to that is influencing the writing and creative process? Kib : We write what we have fun playing and music we like to hear that we’re NOT hearing. There’s some of our songs we all agree are more fun to play, so, of course, the new stuff naturally follows that direction. We tend to like to play heads down & haulin’ ass! We like our songs and shows to have a lot of energy and to have music that, when you’re driving, you subconsciously push that gas pedal all the way to the floor! I would never want anything to be heavy just for the sake of being heavy. It needs to have feeling. Joel : I’ve been currently listening to a death pop duo called VOWWS, Monster Magnet, and Ice Cube. All over the place, I know. (laughs) I try to stay away from the same genre of music that we play while in the writing process. Ben : Lately I’ve been listening to Eminem’s last two albums quite a bit, as well as ‘Sometimes’ by City and Color, ‘Still Standing’ by Goodie Mob, and ‘Déjà Vu’ by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. The new songs we are writing have more of a thrash element to them than our last effort, in my opinion. Klip : As far as I know, the new album's direction is faster and more aggressive. I actively am trying not to listen to too much music while we write this one, although it seems to be more old-school thrash when I do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwfWWRIeNEk MaM : Joel, give us a brief background history on past music endeavors. You have always been a fixture on the local music scene for as long as I can remember, and I’m getting old, so that has been a long time. Also, who are your vocal influences? Your vocals are insanely melodic for being metal. Joel : My musical journey started with a band called Big Daddy while I was in high school. Then in college, I had an original band called Sement. Then I moved on to a cover band called Bone China. Then we formed 4Mag and I played until 2004 when I moved out of state. Next was Lagerhead, Blower Motor, and finally back in 4Mag in 2017. It’s interesting that you asked me about my vocal influences. I was really hoping to just play rhythm guitar, but Kib talked me into getting on the microphone. I’ve always just thought of myself as just a guitar player, so honestly, there’s not just one singer that I have been influenced by. But don’t get me wrong—there are plenty that I enjoy hearing. credit: Gary Governale MaM : Ben, you, too, have been on the scene for a very long time. Give us a brief background history on past music endeavors. Also, your guitar tone is insane! Who are your guitar influences? What equipment do you currently use, and what is your favorite type or types of guitars to use and why? Ben : I started playing guitar when I was a freshman in high school at 13 or 14, I think. My grandmother bought me a $50 acoustic she found in the classified ads because I had been wanting a guitar. I have had quite a few music endeavors over the years, probably too many to list briefly. The most notable, I guess, would be Slaves of Freedom, Mute Hound, Big Frank, Routine Fiend, Glitchell, and Chemical City Rebels. I am still currently in Big Frank and Chemical City Rebels. credit: Gary Governale My guitar influences include Kirk Windstein, Scott Gorham, Brian Robertson, David Gilmore, Warren Haynes, Jerry Cantrell, Matt Pike, Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher, John Baizley, Pete Adams, Chris Wollard, and Chuck Ragan, to name a few. I currently play primarily on a Bogner Uberschall amplifier through an Orange 4x12 cab loaded with Celestion vintage 30 speakers. I run several different effects, primarily a Crybaby 535Q, Earthquaker Avalance Run, Electro Harmonix Micro Pog, and a Boss RC-1 looper. I really don’t have a favorite type of guitar. Now that I think about it, though, I guess Gibson guitars would be my favorite, because all the guitars that I own are either Gibson’s or shaped like guitars Gibson offers. My favorite one is an early 70's Yamaha SA-50 that’s shaped like a Gibson ES335 that I bought at a pawn shop for $200 years ago. credit: Gary Governale MaM : How did the 4Mag sound come about initially? When did you realize, “This is it,” this is OUR sound? Details. Kib : The main thing we go for as far as our sound is thick tones with a bottom end that growls. Each of us like so many different styles of music. When we write, each of us [is] sprinkling their own style into the pot and mix[ing] it all up. But the most important part of it is letting the song dictate the direction. We’ll try different versions of parts when we get to it, but most of the time, the parts will write themselves. You have to stand back, see how the parts are speaking to each other, and not just force something because you like it (because you wrote it). We know when something is good because we seem to all react to it with excitement at the same time. And when all four of us are smiling after we come up with something, we know it’s a keeper! credit: Gary Governale Joel : Well, our sound is still evolving. Now that we have Josh and Ben in the band, it has opened our scope of musical exploration. Both guys are very familiar with writing, so we’ve been working on our sound now that we have all the key members in place. As far as our early quest for a sound, I remember Kib saying he wanted a rumbling type of sound mixed with big rigs, cool cars, my painting endeavors, and our way of life down here. We mixed a concoction of our own style. credit: Gary Governale MaM : Klip, we must know more about your mad drumming skills. Give us some more deets. Klip : I have always been a "metal" drummer in our neck of the woods in Ascension Parish. [I] started off playing percussion in [sixth] grade. By the time high school hit, I had started on a drum kit and played with some friends. I have played music with Joel for roughly 25 years and Ben roughly 20. Ben and I are currently in another band called Big Frank. I play drums and am one of three vocals for the outfit. Although we are on a hiatus for the moment, my third band is Wicked River Rising. My drumming influences range from Dave Lombardo to Dave Weckl. credit: Gary Governale MaM : Kib, you are a beast on the bass! Obviously, someone had to influence your playing style, so who would that be and why? Kib : I was put in piano lessons at [four years old] and until I was 12, I played bass instruments in band in middle school, but when I was 14, I got a bass and started a punk band the same week. I loved The Ramones, The Dead Milkmen, and early 80’s thrash. I never played guitar; it was always the bass. From playing piano, I immediately understood the job of the instrument and made playing with my fingers easier. For me, writing songs on bass helps with coming up with solid, catchy riffs. credit: Gary Governale MaM : Guys, name one band you would like to share the stage with but haven’t yet, and why. Ben : High on Fire because I think our style and theirs would work well together, and I love their music. Klip : I don't necessarily have one band I would like to share the stage with but would like to play a large festival. It has always been a bucket-list item. Joel : Currently, probably Gojira but my inner child would say Metallica or Pantera (original lineup). All these bands rip, and it would be a great opportunity for our band to jump on a tour with them. credit: Gary Governale MaM : With all you have going on, what are your future plans? Kib : Hoping for new opportunities to share the stage with bands we love and new friends as we keep chuggin’!! NEVER STOPPING!! Ben : Finish writing the new record, release it, and play as much and as far out as we can. Klip : I want to keep writing albums and playing them live. Joel : Keep writing and booking gigs. Concentrate on our music and not some hokey gimmick(s) that I see a lot of bands doing. Keep pounding on doors and knocking down walls! _ If you want some good ole southern metal that fuses rock and everything in between, you’re gonna want to check these guys out. Their discography is impressive as a mofo. Also, too, to learn more about this intense band with the untamed sound, be sure to check out their social media links and website. Discography: 4Mag (Self-Titled) – 2005 Monster Garage (Comp CD – Season 1) – 2004 Monster Garage (Comp CD – Season 2) – 2005 High-Road EP – 2019 Electric Conception – 2021 4MAG NITROUS | New Orleans LA | Facebook 4Mag Nitrous Official (@4magnitrous) • Instagram photos and videos 4Mag Nitrous - YouTube ‎4mag Nitrous on Apple Music 4Mag Nitrous | Spotify www.4magnitrous.com 4MAG NITROUS The Official 4MAG NITROUS website. Electric Conception | 4Mag Nitrous (bandcamp.com) *Cover photo courtesy of Gary Governale www.governalephotovideo.com Zenfolio | Home I have been working as a video professional since 1993, with a wide range of experience writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing. A strong interest in videography, specifically lighting and composition, led me to photography in 1998. Rapidly changing technology has blurred the line between video and photography, allowing me to work in both mediums.. Baton Rouge, LA, United States www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

The Bellas are pure 80’s glam metal, capturing the essence of rebellion and discontent with a raw sound amplifying the voices of the unheard. < Back The Bellas: Re-envisioning the Power of Female Punk Rock Nicole Brice Nov 29, 2023 Share The Bellas are pure 80’s glam metal, capturing the essence of rebellion and discontent with a raw sound amplifying the voices of the unheard. In a genre often associated with male masculinity, what comes to mind when you think of females in the punk-rock scene? Energy, rebellion, and unfiltered expression? If you said yes to any of the above terms, then you are on the right track. Having recently discovered The Bellas, the newest all-female punk band from the underground scene in New Jersey, I began thinking about how the music scene desperately needs bands like this to redefine the state of the industry overall. The Bellas are unapologetically taking on traditional feminine characteristics by challenging stereotypes and celebrating the strength and power of femininity with their music, strong style, and charismatic live shows. So, who are they? The Bellas consist of teen drummer Giul, guitarist Izzy, lead singer Abby, and bassist Charlotte. Giul and Izzy are sisters to each other and cousins to Abby. Their previous bassist, Lindsay, was also their cousin, so upon formation, they were a band of cousins. When Lindsay left for the military, The Bellas eventually found Charlotte and the rest is history. Credit: Jeff Crespi The girls burst onto the scene in 2019 and have been chugging along ever since. With a couple of singles under their belt, “Teenage Dropout” and “Cherry Lips”, The Bellas are drawing inspiration from bands such as The Runaways and The Donnas. Their infectious sound blends ferocity with teenage angst and melodic hooks. Abby’s vocals are so on point that you’ll be singing and bopping along in no time. The Bellas’ music captures the essence of rebellion and discontent with a raw sound that amplifies the voices of the unheard by challenging the status quo and I know we’ll be hearing more from them in the future. I recently reached out to the band to see if I could learn a little more, and I was able to chat with their drummer, Giul, who is an absolute doll. Take a moment to read a little more about The Bellas below, then go check out their tunes. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : Guil, thanks so much for talking with us today! Tell us, what year did The Bellas come together? Giul : Our band officially formed and played our first show together in 2019 at my high school’s Battle of the Bands, but it’s something we’ve wanted to do since we were little. As kids, there was rarely a time at a family gathering when you wouldn’t see the four of us [cousins, prior to Charlotte,] planning out our lives as rock stars or imagining we were in a band together, long before any of us even began playing our instruments. Years later, as a freshman, I saw flyers in my school’s halls for a battle of the bands coming up and instantly thought of the girls. I sent them a picture of one and jokingly suggested that we “get the band back together”—to which they all actually agreed. By this point, though Izzy and I were already taking lessons and had experience playing our instruments, the four of us never formally played together. Against all odds, we got a few songs together and played just a couple of weeks later. Though it originally began as a fun one-time thing, we knew we had to continue together after the energy we felt when we performed. The rest is history! Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : Who are your biggest influences musically and stylistically? Giul : Many of the artists that we’re influenced by have impacted us both musically and stylistically. Our influences include—but are by no means limited to—RATT, KISS, Mötley Crüe, Kix, and Poison, just to name a few. Their approaches to music and attitude when performing are part of what drew us to them in the first place and [are what] continue to inspire us. Not only do these bands have great music, but they also put on amazing, larger-than-life live shows—something we strive towards for our own band. We absolutely love the cement pirate style, the tall boots, the over-the-top showmanship, and all that good stuff. When the band first started out, we were also influenced by artists like the Ramones, The Donnas, and Joan Jett, which inspired our name and logo. MaM : Is there one show you have played thus far that was notable? If so, where, and why? Giul : The show that immediately comes to mind is our most recent gig at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ. We played our fair share of both small and large venues, but this was easily our biggest one thus far. With so many iconic acts that have performed there through the years, this one easily stood out to us! Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : If you could share the stage with any musician or band in the future, who would it be and why? Giul : The classic lineups of KISS and RATT. They’re absolute legends in rock and metal. MaM : How do you feel about the current landscape of indie music, and how do The Bellas stand out? Giul : I’d say [the landscape is cluttered], especially with the vastness of music available on the Internet nowadays. Because of this, we make sure to stand out by putting on a good live show in a way that emphasizes entertainment and fun instead of a broader message. We prioritize style and stage presence just as much as musicianship; we want our show to be exciting in every sense of the word, and we plan to deliver in every way possible. If we can provide an escape for someone in the crowd and help them forget about whatever might be weighing them down and just have a good time, we’ve done our job. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : I see you’ve released two singles so far. Any plans to record an EP in the future? What are you guys currently working on and how do you approach the creative process? Giul : Yes, we are looking to release an EP soon! We currently have a few things in the works. In general, we’ve been starting to move towards playing original music almost entirely. I think that’s ultimately where we wanted to go with the band, so we’ve been trying to write and release more of our own content. We’ve most recently been recording a brand-new song and are in the process of adding the finishing touches! As for the creative process, we usually start with the music and then the lyrics come after. Since we are somewhat new to the songwriting process, we’re still trying to see what works. Most of the time Izzy or I have an idea and develop it independently before coming together, but we also want to try working more collaboratively in the early stages as well. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM: How would you describe your sound? Giul : Our sound is pure glam metal straight from the 1980s Sunset Strip and beyond—no filler, just loud, unapologetic rock n’ roll. MaM : Do you find it’s more difficult to get your music heard these days or do you feel technology has made it easier for you to showcase your product? Giul : It’s both easier and more difficult in different ways. Things like social media and publishing sites have made it incredibly simple to release our music and promote ourselves; if people want to hear our recorded music, it’s available right at their fingertips. On the other hand, there is so much music out there on the internet that it’s easy to get lost in the sea of other artists and songs. At the end of the day, nothing beats playing live shows for us. Not only have we met some amazing people this way, but we also put on an energetic show that you can’t fully experience by just looking at a screen. Our performance is integral to who we are as a band. The way we dress, and our stage presence is very important, just like the music is (and of course, we enjoy it!). It’s always a good time for us and we want to bring that energy to the people who come to see us as well. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : What are your ultimate goals and aspirations for the future? Giul : Keeping the ‘80s glam metal experience alive—the sound, look, and attitude. We want to go as far as we can with the band and see where it takes us. We are super passionate about performing and have a lot of fun doing it, so regardless of whether it leads to bigger opportunities or not we don’t plan on giving it up anytime soon! As the Bellas continue to refine their sound and produce new music for the masses, they are sure to emerge as a powerful force in the punk rock scene, serving as a reminder that with an unyielding spirit and a refusal to conform, anything is possible. Instagram : The Bellas (@thebellasband) | Instagram profile YouTube : The Bellas - YouTube Facebook : Facebook Spotify : The Bellas | Spotify Apple Music : ‎The Bellas - Apple Music *cover photo courtesy of Jeff Crespi www.jeffcrespirocks.com JEFFCRESPIROCKS See through a different lens! www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Nicole Brice loves music and will fight anyone who doesn’t like The Bellas. Got something you think she’d like to hear? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Old Fans, New Faces, One Incredible Night! < Back Weekend Rock: Dance Gavin Dance at The Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park Jeff Crespi May 31, 2026 Share Old Fans, New Faces, One Incredible Night! Dance Gavin Dance took over The Stone Pony Summer Stage on Friday, May 29, 2026 , and delivered an unforgettable performance to thousands of their devoted fans. From the moment they stepped on stage, the energy was electric . Their music has always struck me as incredibly raw, emotional, and powerful , and this performance only amplified that feeling. Every song seemed to get the crowd going. One of the most interesting things I noticed was the balance within the audience. There was a strong presence of longtime, old-school fans who have been following the band for years, standing shoulder to shoulder with a younger generation discovering and embracing their music. Both groups shared the same passion and excitement, especially as they eagerly battled for a coveted spot at the front of the stage. Watching the interaction between the band and the crowd was one of the highlights of the night. The energy flowing back and forth was incredible , creating the kind of live music experience that reminds you why concerts are so special. Whether it was singing along to every word, throwing themselves into the pit, or simply soaking in the moment, the fans brought an enthusiasm that elevated the entire performance. The supporting lineup was equally impressive. The Fall of Troy , Wolf & Bear , and Novelists each brought their own unique style and intensity to the stage, making for a stacked bill from start to finish. Every band delivered a passionate set that perfectly complemented the night’s atmosphere. Together, they created a relentless, in-your-face experience that kept everyone engaged and energized throughout the evening. By the end of the night, there was no sign of the momentum slowing down. From the opening act to the final notes of Dance Gavin Dance ’s set, the entire show felt like a celebration of heavy, emotional, and boundary-pushing music. It was the kind of concert that leaves you exhausted, exhilarated, and already looking forward to the next time. For more on Dance Gavin Dance: Dance Gavin Dance | Official Website & Merchandise The Fall of Troy ‎The Fall of Troy - Apple Music Wolf & Bear ‎Wolf & Bear - Apple Music Novelists ‎NOVELISTS - Apple Music All photos by Jeff Crespi www.jeffcrespirocks.com www.jeffcrespirocks.com JEFFCRESPIROCKS See through a different lens! www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com mixedalternativemag@gmail.com Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Bud Gambrell has compiled a journey through music in “Sidetracks Music Hall”—a memoir rich with local history < Back Sidetracks Music Hall by Bud Gambrell: Book Review Nicole Brice Sep 20, 2023 Share Bud Gambrell has compiled a journey through music in “Sidetracks Music Hall”—a memoir rich with local history When Bud Gambrell first contacted me to read his newly published book about the now-defunct Sidetracks Music Hall in Huntsville, Alabama , I had never heard of it … but I was intrigued. After reading the meticulously orchestrated memoir from cover to cover, I became engrossed in the history behind a truly unique establishment that not only touched the hearts of the patrons who frequented the space but also had a lasting impact on the musicians who played there. “ Sidetracks Music Hall ” offers a unique perspective on the magic of those live performances and on the lasting impact of the energy the space provided. Bud’s attention to detail in firsthand accounts from musicians, employees, and fans presents an engaging book that leaves no stone unturned and immerses readers in the vibrant atmosphere that was Sidetracks Music Hall . Though only open for a few years, the venue had a huge impact on the area that persists even today and is felt in the narratives of local musicians and patrons who offer a rare glimpse into the passion and dedication that goes into running a music establishment. Released June 8, 2023 The narrative of “ Sidetracks Music Hall ” seamlessly intertwines Gambrell’s personal anecdotes with the historical evolution of the music space, and through his encounters with renowned musicians—both big names and rising stars—the author offers readers an intimate glimpse into the creative process and the inner workings of the music and restaurant industry. What sets “ Sidetracks Music Hall ” apart is Gambrell’s ability to paint vivid portraits of the artists he met. From poetic songwriters to energetic performers, Bud captures the essence of their unique musical styles and personalities in moments that provide an intimate connection between the reader and the musicians, evoking a deeper appreciation for their craft. Gambrell’s attention to detail pulls the reader into the heart of what Sidetracks Music Hall was, not just to the locals, but to the artists and musicians who frequently took the stage there. It is worth noting that while “ Sidetracks Music Hall ” beautifully captures the spirit of live music, it also touches upon the challenges faced by the industry. Credit: Bud Gambrell “ Sidetracks Music Hall ” is a compelling memoir that takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the world of live music in Alabama . Through evocative storytelling and insightful reflections, Gambrell not only pays homage to various musicians but also sheds light on the unique power of live performances. Whether you’re a devoted music fan or are just simply curious about the magic that happens on stage, this book will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the music that moves us all. In order to get a better feel for the love behind the narrative, I reached out to Bud, who’s also a photographer, for a deeper knowledge of the lasting legacy Sidetracks Music Hall has provided. MaM : Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today. Give us a little background info on you. BG : Well, if I go back to the very beginning, I was born in Louisiana but raised in North Alabama. I’ve been a music lover my entire life and have actually been accused of being a music snob a few times. I’ve looked it up in the Urban Dictionary, too, and the first definition of it is definitely me. I’ve been going to concerts for a long time, and when they first opened Sidetracks Music Hall, I didn’t know that much about it. I knew that they were trying to cater to original bands and musicians, but one day I just started going and it just kind of became a second home to me. It just had something about the place … this aura. It’s hard to explain if you weren’t there, but the atmosphere was amazing. MaM : What gave you the idea to write and compile your book? BG : I actually got my idea when I was at Sidetracks last year. I was there shooting Ace Monroe and I was talking to the road manager. We were discussing my coming up to shoot a show they were playing at the EXIT/IN, and we were sitting at the bar, and I saw a book for this venue right there and the idea came from those who had chronicled and circled back all these bands and acts that had played EXIT/IN. It was around this time, too, that I found out Sidetracks was closing. Various logos of Sidetracks over the years MaM: How long did it take you to compile everything? BG : Well, I started on the book, and within a month, Sidetracks closed. September 4, 2022, was the last night. By the first of October, I had already started doing interviews and talking to people. Around the holidays, though, I almost abandoned it because it was so much, but by the first of the year, I told myself that I needed to finish it. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, but the inspiration came about because of my love for the place. It was a true labor of love. MaM : You mentioned photography earlier. Give us a little more info about your work in that arena. BG : Well, I’ve always been a hobby shutterbug ... I remember being in the Boy Scouts and taking pictures with a camera, but I can’t remember the model, and they don’t make them anymore, but it was a Kodak shaped like a box and you had to look down through the top of it and there was a thumb button to take the pictures. So, I would take those cameras on camping trips, and I’ve always had some type of camera around, but three years ago in 2020, to keep from going stir crazy, I got a drone and started with that. Several people told me the photos and videos from it were great and that I should become a professional and the next thing I knew, I was starting a photography business. Ace Monroe with Bud Gambrell at Sidetracks Music Hall. All of the photos on the wall behind them were shot by Bud. MaM : So, where do you like to shoot? BG : Right now, I shoot some local stuff at some bars, but a good bit of what I’m doing is at our local civic center. They’ve got four rooms there, and you’re shooting photos and listening to music, so it never feels like work. I got to shoot Joe Satriani last year, which was a dream show, and I’ve shot Gov’t Mule, Warren Haynes, and ZZ Top, too. Joe Satriani - photo by Bud Gambrell MaM : So, as far as all the bands and musicians that performed at Sidetracks over the years, who was your favorite to see and shoot? BG : Damon Johnson is one. I’ve been a fan of his for over 29 years, since his first or second album came out, and I’ve never had a chance to see him live until he played Sidetracks. Them Dirty Roses was another one, which I mention them a good bit in the book. There are so many, honestly, but if I had to pick just one, it would be Tab Benoit . I’ve actually got a picture on my office wall that I took of him, had blown up, and then had him sign it. MaM : How would you say Sidetracks Music Hall touched you personally? What takeaways do you have from the entire experience of seeing live music performed there? BG : It was the atmosphere. It had a home vibe and just always felt head and shoulders above everyone else. You know, there were nights I would go there by myself, and it was never a consideration whether I should or not because it always felt safe. It felt like home. Some nights, I could go and know half the people there, and some nights I didn’t, but by the end of the night I did. I wasn’t intentionally looking for a new place to hang out when I found Sidetracks, but the more I started going there, the more I realized how awesome the place was. It had this Cheers- type vibe where everyone knew your name, and to be honest, I don’t think I ever saw one fight the entire time I was there. I saw a lot of funny stuff, but never anything bad. Nobody at Sidetracks was ever in a bad mood. To experience the nostalgia of Sidetracks Music Hall yourself and to learn more about the establishment, Bud Gambrell’s book “Sidetracks Music Hall” is currently available for purchase on Amazon. The link is below, so be sure to check it out! The book is currently available via paperback, hardcover, and on Kindle. Side Tracks Music Hall: Gambrell, Bud: 9798396341999: Amazon.com: Books www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Trust Them 'Cuz They're Young, Talented, and Handsome < Back SaxKixAve: Much More Better C.G. Smith Jan 18, 2023 Share Trust Them 'Cuz They're Young, Talented, and Handsome Most musicians are lucky to have one successful project. In a world where there are anywhere from 50,000-100,000 songs being released every day, the market is oversaturated and the chances of breaking through this noise are harder than ever. Musicians who actually do break through and have any kind of success with one group is a rarity, let alone those who can take on and do well with multiple musical projects. New Orleans duo SaxKixAve is comprised of award-winning rapper Alfred Banks and Albert Allenback , saxophonist and flutist of the twice Grammy-nominated group Tank and the Bangas . These two artists are plenty busy with their main gigs, but thanks to the suggestion of Tavia Osbey, manager of Alfred and of Tank and the Bangas, that the two work together at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, these artists started a side project that is truly something special. Their first record, “ I Don’t Wear Suits ”, was released in April 2020 and is a celebration of this collaboration, and the duo has been performing those songs in front of live audiences whenever they can find the time to do so. SaxKixAve is currently finishing up their follow-up record, and I was lucky enough to be able to have them both over to chat about that, about how they make this project work with their busy schedule, and about some of the band’s highlights so far. MaM : I’ve heard a couple different versions of what “kix’ed” this all off. How did this insane, wonderful experiment begin? Albert : Well, Tavia—the manager of Tank and the Bangas and the engine, the logistic and business/life-path mind behind it all—hit me up and said [Alfred] was looking for beats. She said, ‘I know you make beats. Let’s get you in the studio together and see what happens.’ Alfred : It was great … I like Alby. He’s good money. We crack wild jokes. He sent me an email of beats, I picked one, I wrote to it, knock this one out. It was right when COVID hit. So yeah, I got in the studio with this dude, [and] we laughed for about three or four hours before we even started really recording. I thought, ‘This is a good guy.’ We recorded ‘Tawny’ and I guess he liked what I did. I loved it, and we just kinda kept goin’, kept goin’, kept goin’. Then it was like, ‘Hey man, you wanna make this a thing?’ Albert : It was like a 'Step Brothers' moment. Alfred : Yeah! He was like, ‘Yeah!’ I was like, ‘Aight.’ [sic] Albert : Are we in a band? Alfred : Are we a band?! Albert : Yeah, I think so! Alfred : (to Albert) Do you remember how we came up with the name? I know we joke about it. Albert : I remember us opening a Word document and trying out different fonts and stuff. I don’t think we tried it phonetically. I don’t think we ever would have tried this dumpster fire of a phonetic pronunciation—have you ever tried to say it fast? Albert then attempts to say the band name SaxKixAve quickly several times in a row. Albert : No, it’s terrible. Why did we do this? Maybe we should shorten it to SKA and say we’re bringing ska back and hire a trombone player. (laughter) Alfred : Definitely. Nah, I think this is one of the best things I think I’ve ever done. I enjoy this so much. In 2018, Banks was named "Best Hip-Hop Artist" at the Best of the Beat, presented by New Orleans' premier music publication, Offbeat Magazine . He followed that up with the 2019 Big Easy Award for Best Rapper, presented by Gambit Weekly . credit: Gary Governale MaM : It’s opened you up. Not just personally but creatively, too. You’re now singing a little bit. Alfred : Definitely. [Singing] was something I always wanted to do, but I didn’t really have the producer to help bring it out in the right way that would make me sound good, because my voice doesn’t have a lot of range. I can hit some notes but not too crazy. So, someone [who] could make something that could make me sound even better than I am … I think Albert does that. Rapping to shit I wouldn’t normally rap over—he’s down to go there with me. He’s down to do some really wild stuff, and I’m down to at least try and see what happens. In 2020, the two performed live as a duo for the first time at an Onbeat Session for Offbeat Magazine filmed at Loyola University. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiYRqaIQaDc Alfred : That was the very first time we had ever performed together, ever. How nerve-wracking was that?! Albert : It was terrifying. Alfred : I was scared out of my mind. Albert : (to Alfred) Doing this thing with you, having to do it live and perform the songs, I’ve become a much better piano player the past two years, and you don’t put a lot of pressure on me. We don’t put a lot of pressure on each other. Alfred : I don’t know how to read music. I’m not about to insult or critique someone when I don’t even know what you’re doing. Albert : I’m not a rapper—I’ve tried. It’s more difficult than it looks! (from the album “I Don’t Wear Suits”): MaM : So, have Albert’s rapping skills have gotten better? Alfred : I think Albert has more skills than he thinks. Maybe he couldn’t be a ‘rapper’ rapper, but (to Albert) you’re a good writer. You might not have rapper swag per se, but you could rap. Albert : I could deliver it, but it might not be believable when attached to a body—MY body. (laughter) Alfred : (to Albert) You really understand how songs go. He’s a dope-ass writer outside of being a musician. Albert : I just got [sic] to say this: As my rapping skills have improved, so, too, have Alfred’s declined. (laughter) It’s perfectly even, the way things have gone down. It’s more of a parasitic thing. (to Alfred) I think I’m stealing your rap life force. (laughter) MaM : Your songs have a wonderful mix of silly and serious. What’s y’all’s vision for what SaxKixAve is now and what it can be in the future? Albert : I think we want to have this digestible funny thing, because we’re both naturally funny and when we get up on stage, we’re not sure what it is, but something happens between us that generates what people have been calling entertainment. (Alfred breaks out in laughter.) Some sort of passable thing happens. We want it to be funny, but we want the funny to help communicate. Our natural state is tinged with melancholy. Our natural state is more depressive … more low energy. So, if we have this high-impact thing that’s kind of funny, then we can get in things; there's no other way to say this: We laugh so we don’t cry. It’s something that I’ve … learned watching Tank—how do you interface with the audience? You can be doing the best stuff in the world, but if you have any contempt or if you’re just holding the spoon of baby food out of reach of a toddler, that’s just rude. You should interface with the crowd so you can get it to them. We want this mix of goofy so we can be ultra-serious, and we want to be ultra serious so the funny stuff is even funnier. Alfred : I disagree with everything he just said. I’m here for the money. (More laughter ensues.) Alfred : We’re both very serious. We’re both really good at what we do—like, obnoxiously good at what we do. In the back of my mind, it’s about making how good we are palatable. Sometimes being really good can push people away like it’s not even relatable. I think the comedy takes the edge off. It’s like, ‘Let’s just vibe and have fun. Some of it is just on the cuff, but we give ourselves that room. In our other situations, there’s a lot of structure. For us, the future, people are going to hear … the music is going to be even much more better [sic] than it is now. More jokes. It’s just going to be unapologetically amazing. Albert : SaxKixAve: much more better [sic]. Alfred : That’s grammatically correct. credit: Gary Governale MaM : Was there a moment when you both knew you had something? Alfred : That [first] recording session. I always tell that story [about the song] ‘Tawny’ when I say [the word] crib. [Albert] was like, ‘Dude, can you yell ‘crib'?’ and I was like ‘What?’ Albert : Like 15 times. Alfred : I had to yell it and I was like, ‘Why am I doing this? This is stupid.’ Then he played it back and I was like, ‘Oh … yeah.’ That was the first time I trusted him. (to Albert) When did you feel like we had something?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLpjIRY0OuU Albert : When I knew we had something was when it was backed up by a crowd. I think we were doing Tip’s (Tipitina’s) or something. You said a few things in a row that I didn’t find very funny, but people were losing their minds. They were also losing their minds with the songs, and I was like, ‘What’s happening?’ There are things that only happen once per show [like] Alfred [going] off on this freestyle thing; we usually do this at the show. He’ll just freestyle rap for, like, five minutes. You’ve seen it: People hold up stuff out of their pockets [for him to rap about]. As I see the crowds more and more, I’m just like, ‘Wow, well let’s just be honest and a little unsure of ourselves, because apparently somebody likes that.’ MaM : Your dynamic—when you come together, it’s something you wouldn’t expect, I think, from seeing you both in your respective projects. It just works somehow. Alfred : I think that shit’s amazing, too. That Tav (Manager Tavia) ... maybe she didn’t see SaxKixAve, but she just thought we’d do good together. I don’t see Al all the time. We’re both doing our own thing, but every time I see him it’s like we were just hanging out yesterday. I don’t know if it’s because of our same sense of humor—the way that we’ve come to some recent discoveries about ourselves, but we just gel really well. (to Albert) Outside of the music, I can actually hang with you; that comes through, too. [Another] moment I knew we had something was [during a show] when the mic cord came out, I put [it] back in maybe halfway through the verse, and I finished the song. We had another song after that, but I was like, ‘Yo, Al, audible, play a beat.’ I freestyled about me f**kin’ up, and the crowd lost their minds. I was like, ‘Yeah, we got somethin’ here. I don’t think we can lose. This is incredible.’ That shit was dope. (to Albert) What was the first big show we did? I think when we did Performance Inception ... when you opened for yourself? Albert : Yeah! When SaxKixAve opened for Tank and the Bangas at one of The Broadside shows [last year]. Alfred : That was the first time I think Tank and the Bangas had [sic] saw us. When they came back and said, ‘You guys are amazing,’ I was like, ‘Yeah, we’re lit. We are LIT.’ credit: Gary Governale Albert is known for wearing short shorts all the time. MaM : Albert, is it hard for you to be behind the keys when people can’t see the full leg action? Albert : We’ve been workshopping methods to get around that, talking about maybe having a video feed that’s right under the piano, directly pointed at the legs and maybe running some sort of monitor behind Alfred so it’s just my knees constantly while he raps. Alfred : (to Albert) I know you’re joking, dude, but I’ll tell you this: You know what everybody says? They don’t even talk about your bun first; they talk about your legs. I’m not even joking. Everybody [sic] like, ‘Dude, the guy with the legs.’ MaM : I hear you’re working on your next record. Is there a title for it? What can we expect? Will it be similar to the first one? Alfred : There IS a title . (to Albert) Are you cool with that? Albert : Let’s do it! Alfred : (begins to count down) One, two, three … Albert : Wait, on three or right after three? Alfred : Like, ON three. One, two, three: Albert’s legs. (laughter) Albert : Ahhh! Sorry, ok, ok … Go!” Both together : One, two, three … ‘Nectarine Peels.’ Albert : Yes, we know you don’t peel nectarines, [and] we address [that]. MaM : It makes people think, and that’s the point. Alfred : (laughing) It’s provocative, man. Albert : It actually came from a text message. (to Alfred) Didn’t you just send the words nectarine peels or something? I was like, ‘Nectarine Peels?’ Alfred : Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! Albert : So, I said it has a kind of a ring to it. It seems to mean something, and then immediately I went and wrote this little melody and song at the piano when I got that text. I sent it to Alfred the next day. We’ve taken it to mean a whole lot of things thematically. A big part of it is ambition and its corrosive effects on how we think people see us, how we see ourselves, how we want people to see us, and how we want to see ourselves. That’s one of the main themes of it. I think we’ve made some of our best songs ever. It’s about the same runtime [as ‘I Don’t Wear Suits’], but there’s six real songs. Alfred : I feel like the first project, as great as it is, it was us figuring it out. I think for this one, it’s like, ‘Okay, this is dope, but how do we refine it?’ Keep it us, keep it funny, keep it light or, in some instances, not even as light. We have a song where we switch the topic seven times within the song … switch the energy. We kind of have an idea of what we are now. credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, no sophomore slump, then? Albert : I think this [album] is way better. We’ll see if people like it, but we have this thing: We love dance music, and we love old school hip-hop. So, we kind of find this thing—we have this sliding scale between boom bap and dance sometimes, and it’s really cool. You see little seeds of that on ‘I Don’t Wear Suits.’ We’re putting the very final touches on it. We’re almost completely finished. We’ve got great features: Mega Ran is on this, Pell is on this, LeTrainiump is on this, HaSizzle’s on this … Alfred : Who else is on there? Albert : Is that it, or is there one more? Alfred : I think Albert Allenback is on it. (laughter) Albert : There’s a fledgling rapper named Lyriqs da Lyraciss from New Orleans, and he’s on this record. Alfred's original rap name was Lyriqs da Lyraciss. Alfred : Bless his little heart. That guy, that guy left us around 2015. Bless his little heart. Albert : That was the first rapper I ever sent beats to. He left me unread. credit: Gary Governale Albert explains how he first tried to work with Alfred back in January of 2014. Albert : I’d been making beats for, like, two months but you couldn’t tell me they weren’t the greatest thing in the world. So, I sent him this impassioned paragraph about how I’m studying music at UNO (University of New Orleans): ‘Here, I made these beats, they’re real songs, and they’re great. Here’s nine of them. Check these out. I don’t use any samples.’ I wrote this to a prospective business partner [and] said, ‘I don’t use any samples. I make THESE biscuits from scratch.’ Alfred replied, ‘Word.’ Alfred : Yeah, I’m bad with that. So, here’s a little secret about me: I get overwhelmed really fast. I get about 20 to 30 DMs a day, and I can’t let one go unanswered. (to Albert) I’m just very bad with that, right? I’m the worst with that. Albert : But you’ve gotten better. You set much better boundaries now, and I’m proud of you. Alfred : I’m trying. Let me ask you a question, Albert: How did you hear me? Albert : I think it was this list in Gambit [Weekly]: the five worst rappers you need to avoid. Alfred : I was number three. Albert : You were all five! (Laughter ensues.) Alfred : I’ve just always wanted to know how you found me. Albert : Must have been someone from UNO shared a video or something. I honestly do not remember how I became your friend or followed you. You were constantly updating your status. MaM : His social game is on point. credit: Gary Governale Albert : It still is to this day! Alfred is just a fountain that you just put digital cups in front of and he says, ‘Here, take more, my child.’ I don’t have that. My fountain is not on. Alfred : It’s out of necessity. It won’t get done otherwise. I want to be successful. I don’t have money, so I don’t have a person promoting me all the time. So, I literally have to promote myself all the time. So, I just have to respond to that message. It can’t go unread. Albert : (to Alfred) I learn a lot from you, self-promotion-wise. I feel embarrassed and goofy just to be here sometimes. Just to be on planet Earth. I think there’s a lot of people like me. You’re going to post the thing you love to do and for some reason, you feel like it doesn’t matter. It can be some huge stuff and for some reason, we get in our heads and self-consciously you feel like it doesn’t matter, no one cares, but that’s not true. Alfred : (to Albert) I admire you about how much you detach yourself from it. I think that’s the illest shit ever, because I could never be that way and I admire someone that can. Albert : You inspire me. Like, when we make a video or a skit or something, or make an announcement, the only reason it gets done or posted with any kind of schedule or intensity or intention or commitment is because I feel obligated to live up to what you got [sic] goin’ on. So, I really appreciate your help in sharing more and feeling less embarrassed about self-promoting. I come from that tradition of people of ‘don’t talk about yourself too much.’ Alfred : One of the main things of this group, I really want people to know Albert Allenback as a solo act. I want people to know him because he’s really good. I just want people to know this motherfu**er is amazing. Drop your nuts, Cuz! Albert : Well, thank you. I will take that into consideration when it comes time to lower my testicles. credit: Gary Governale MaM : You both have your successful projects. How do you find time to do SaxKixAve? Is it just those slivers of free time? Albert : Yep, when we can; that’s the only way. We have conversations. We’re like, ‘Hey, you know what? I still really like you, still like doing this, but I’m busy right now.’ We’re really good at being able to keep a good, professional relationship. We’re close, but I think maybe there’s a part of us—some internal kill switch—that doesn’t let us get too close or something? It works really well. Alfred : (to Albert) I respect you and your time. I think one of the things you did early on was lay the boundaries of your time. I think I did that very early, too. I respect that. I know that when you’re running with Tank and the Bangas, you’re busy as shit. When I’m dolo, I’m busy as shit. We both respect each other’s time. So, when we HAVE time, I try to be as malleable as possible, given his schedule. I do a lot of shit, but I do have a little bit more free time than he has. So, I’m like, ‘Yo, when you free?’ ‘I’m free here.’ Done. Albert : That is how it goes. That is true, and you text back FAST. Alfred : That bitch always [sic] in my hand! credit: Gary Governale credit: Gary Governale MaM : There’s a lot of artistic freedom in SaxKixAve. How do you keep from floating away into the creative stratosphere with this, because it seems like opportunities are limitless. What keeps you both grounded and productive? Alfred : We do have some form of an outline of what we expect from each other. We go into the studio with this blank canvas. It’s not huge though. It’s a nice-sized canvas that we can throw a bunch of shit at and scrape off the paint that doesn’t work. We aren’t just throwing darts at the wall and seeing what sticks.” Albert : Fortunately, we know that we can do a lot of things, but I think we’ve also seen enough people try to do too many things. We have made a concerted effort to at least make an attempt to identify what we do the best That keeps us in the same bowling lane. Alfred : Definitely. Otherwise, you start making all kinds of weird shit. Not the good weird but that bad weird. That Chris Cornell and Timbaland-weird stuff. MaM : Things that just shouldn’t exist. What have been some highlights on stage so far? Alfred : So, a guy at Tipitina’s was saying my job (freestyling to things people hold up) was easy because people bring out the same things, and I was like, ‘Dude, I can literally freestyle about anything.’ Albert : (to Alfred) He was giving you shit because, ‘You can prepare for a phone and a lighter, and a comb, and keys.’ Alfred : So, I was like, ‘Go ahead, do whatever.’ I didn’t know that they had got [sic] together because Albert, him, and one other person were just pulling shit onstage, and I just knocked it out every single time they brought something out. That was one of the bigger eruptions we’d had. Albert : We had a Shop Vac, and a dolly, a partition, and a barricade … Alfred : … an ice chest, an orange cone. I just freestyled. The reaction of the crowd … felt good. French Quarter Fest was, by far, top five of my favorite shows I’ve done with you. Albert : Yeah. We had a drummer; it was great. Alfred : The story behind the set is so crazy. Albert : Oh yeah. It was horrible rain, and we weren’t gonna’ get to do the set. Pell stayed, but HaSizzle and LeTrainiump were gonna sit in with us and the rain messed everything up. Everyone else had other stuff to do, but then they let us do like 35 or 40 minutes and that was amazing. One of my favorites was from that Tip’s show as well. It was either a girls’ weekend or a bachelorette party—I couldn’t read the t-shirts—but they did NOT like us. First of all, we came out to this song of Alfred’s called ‘Too Much,’ which is a beat I made, and it is entirely his fault for picking it. (Albert laughs) It’s a wild, ecstatic, frenzied beat—wild music—and we came out to that hard. We came out swinging; we were spinning around and jumping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p-_D-Kh6X8 There were eight to 10 older women in matching sequence and t-shirts, who just wanted to celebrate Karen or whatever. They were not having it with us. I pointed them out and said, ‘Hey, I know we came out swinging, but we’ll get you back.’ By Alfred’s freestyle, they were into it and having a great time. My other favorite: We played a show [at a gallery] and there was a drum set up on stage. Alfred was doing his freestyle, so I grabbed a cymbal and walked it into the crowd, held it up, and Alfred rapped about it. I didn’t put it back, which is what got me in trouble. This drum set belonged to a kid at NOCCA (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts), and this 14-year-old kid came up to me after the set and he was pretty pissed. He wanted to fight me. I felt more like I related to him than anything because when I was 14, if you had touched my saxophone, I’d be like, ‘What the f**k is wrong with you? Where do you get off touching my shit?’ So, I understand, but it was funny because this fourteen-year-old kid really wanted to fight me because I moved his cymbal. Something clicked where I knew I was now an adult, because I didn’t feel like I was another fourteen-year-old being dressed down; I felt like I was able to take my lick. ‘Hey, you know what? I’m actually sorry and I understand why you feel that way, and I shouldn’t have touched your shit without asking.’ credit: Gary Governale MaM : I know y’all have jokes. What’s your favorite joke right now? Albert : What’s the difference between a chickpea and a garbanzo bean? (Silence for a few moments as the joke goes over my head.) I’ve never had a garbanzo bean on my face. (Much laughter ensues.) Alfred : There’s no way I could ever top that. MaM : Your social media videos are pretty funny. Do you guys sketch them out before you do them, or do you just hit record and go? Alfred : Definitely sketch them out. Albert : We fancy ourselves, against our better judgement, as some sort of amateur sketch comedy team. We are NOT. That’s why we make music. Listen, we’re musicians first; we’re not Saturday Night Live writers, okay? This is a means to an end. Don’t hold us accountable for this. A lot of our videos are Alfred doing funnier shit in the moment than either of us could’ve come up with just writing it out. Alfred : Yeah, those videos are great. I think we’ve had two go viral. You know its popular when you get those assholes that are like, ‘This shit isn’t even really that funny.’ Those trolls. It’s like, ‘Yes! We did it, baby!’ (laughs) Albert : At least they feel something. We spend much more time than we’d care to admit coming up with these. Alfred : I really enjoy doing it. I don’t enjoy it as much as the music, but I do enjoy creating because we both have funny shit in our head, and we live in a time we can legit act it out. Albert : And it feels like a break from the music. It feels like going into woodworking or something. There’s no pressure on this. I’m just building a cabinet; I’m not making my life’s work, which is what the music can feel like sometimes. You have to step back and be like, ‘Hey, chill out, because this is putting pressure on you.’ Spoiler alert: You don’t make great things when you feel a lot of pressure. Maybe some people feel like the pressure gets it going for [them] but for me, I have to be in a relaxed state and let good things happen; otherwise, I’ll shape myself into all kinds of molds that aren’t me. Alfred : I ain’t [sic] gonna lie, I enjoy pressure. I think back to, like, 2010 when I was freestyle battling guys and that feeling of being scared shitless out of my mind, jumping on stage in front of these people, not knowing what I’m about to say and just reveling in it. Being like, ‘Oh, I just can’t wait … but what if I f**k up? This is great; I love it.’ Albert : (to Alfred) Props to you. That’s amazing. That’s like being a stand-up comedian. I could never imagine. Alfred : I may sound cocky, but I’m very much an amazing rapper and I am looking for a moment to stumble. I want to f**k up because I want to learn where I f**ked up at. I want to perfect that and do it again and be much better at it. Albert : Sometimes you just want to feel human. (laughter) Alfred : Seriously, though; I really do enjoy the pressure. Pressure makes diamonds. credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, Albert, you’ve been making beats for a long time. You have a decent back catalog of tracks to pull from. This new album, is it pulling from that or are you coming up with new stuff on the spot? Albert : Some of it is brand new, some of it is ideas that I’ve been working on for years. You make these things and see what comes out. It’s new to everyone else, but it’s something you may have been working on for so long. I got some advice really early on. I forgot this fella’s name, but it was the first time Tank and the Bangas were playing a super lounge at Essence Festival. We were getting to hang out at Essence, and it was awesome. Kelly Price’s music director was there. He said he had started making beats late in life. He said, ‘Just make it and hold on to it because you might like it, but you never know who will.’ I’ve really taken that into account. I have probably over 1,000 songs or song ideas. At this point, I’ve been making beats and writing songs and doing full productions for almost 10 years now. I have a lot built up; it’s just a matter of, ‘Man, you remember that one I made a long time ago? Let’s see if that works.’ That’s how I get to a lot of good stuff, and then seeing what Alfred does. It’s like two comets hitting. Now I’m more likely to try a few more things and be like, ‘You know what? This is working. We’re going to go with what works, what’s good, how he said that this time, and how he was feeling this time, and how I was feeling right here.’ Just going more with using the stuff as it happens, instead of, and this is a nice tie-in—this is what ‘Nectarine Peels’ is about—instead of making yourself a delicious, fragrant, niche, sub-variant of a peach called a nectarine that some people are going to love and that some people aren’t even going to know about or care about … trying to force yourself into being an apple or an orange or any of the other Renaldo and LeBron-level fruits. You can do that, or [you can] stay being your nectarine delicious self and probably make yourself and a lot more people a lot happier than if you’d tried to be a banana. Alfred : I disagree with everything he just said. (laughter) Albert : SaxKixAve: much more better. credit: Gary Governale MaM : Is there anything else you’d like to say about the new record? Alfred : This new album slaps. Albert : It’s good! Alfred : ‘ Nectarine Peels’ ... I'm very proud of it. I like it. MaM : How many tracks are going to be on it? Alfred : About nine in total. Three skits. Albert : It’s like a 23-minute runtime, but it’s, like, nine tracks. We don’t want anybody to have to skip a song because they want to skip one of our stupid skits. I want to give people total control. Honestly, just take the skit off the album if you want, that’s fine, but we want to give people the option. Alfred : This album is amazing. Albert’s production on it is nuts. The songs came out so good. Lyrically, I feel like I’m doing some really cool things on here, jumping out of the box on stuff. We’re just having fun, and I really think people are going to like it. Currently, there is no release date for SaxKixAve’s second album, Nectarine Peels , but you can check out their website for any updates and be sure to follow them on social media. YouTube: @saxkixave1922 Instagram: @saxkixave Facebook: facebook.com/Saxkixave Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/saxkixave *All photos by Gary Governale www.governalephotovideo.com Zenfolio | Home I have been working as a video professional since 1993, with a wide range of experience writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing. A strong interest in videography, specifically lighting and composition, led me to photography in 1998. Rapidly changing technology has blurred the line between video and photography, allowing me to work in both mediums.. Baton Rouge, LA, United States www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90's flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Email us at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Elle's impressive discography, with its lyrics of love, self-discovery, and resilience, is a testament to her growth in sound and lyrical depth. < Back Elle H: Louisiana’s Own Songstress Making Waves in the Music Scene Nicole Brice Oct 23, 2024 Share Elle's impressive discography, with its lyrics of love, self-discovery, and resilience, is a testament to her growth in sound and lyrical depth. When I was first introduced to Elle Hudson , better known as Elle H. , I was instantly drawn to her magnetic personality and beauty. Elle is the type of woman that oozes confidence and sensuality while also being tough enough to kick your ass. Well-loved and respected in the Lafayette, Louisiana, music scene for her artistic contributions and overall vibe, Elle H. is an electric force of female rage mixed with the sympathies and heart of art and life. A powerful voice for women with deep and personal lyrics, she wrote her first song at 6 years old and had the talent and drive even at an early age. After hearing her mother listening to the music of powerful women like Etta James and Joan Jett , she instantly realized her desire to perform on stage. Now, she is on a journey to make a name for herself in the ever-evolving music industry. Credit: Gary Governale Elle's impressive discography, with its lyrics of love, self-discovery, and resilience, is a testament to her growth in sound and lyrical depth. Her music tugs at your heartstrings. It makes you feel emotion; to me, that is the ideal formula for a musician to leave a lasting impression. Each energetic and captivating live performance of Elle’s is a chapter in her journey, entertaining her audience with her expressive vocals and authentic persona in a truthful, poetic, and angelic way. Her presence alone is so captivating that one is instantly drawn to the energy surrounding her, feeling a part of her journey. At 13, she had a profound spiritual moment at a concert. This unbelievable feeling of life and energy overtook her, putting her in a trance for three days. Upon emerging from her trance, she started to have a more significant appreciation for life. Now, at 23, Elle has been writing and making music for over ten years without slowing down. By channeling her trauma into her art, she continues to craft poetic songs that exude female sexuality. We had the opportunity to sit down with this empowering female recently to chat about her music and more. Check out our conversation below, and then go down that rabbit hole and check out everything she has put out. I assure you that you will be a fan soon after. MaM : Thank you for the honor of speaking with you today. What would you say is your driving force to make music? Elle : I know how powerful music can be, how powerful honesty and transparency can be, and how lifesaving they are. I want to help people through my music. That’s why I do what I do. MaM : You had mentioned that when you saw Kelly Clarkson perform on American Idol, it made you realize your destiny. What other musical artists have influenced you? Elle : Nina Simone , Gwen Stefani , Lzzy Hale , Nicki Minaj , Etta James … I like a little of everything, but I am drawn to powerful women. That’s the main thing. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : Which genre of music would you say is your favorite? … or are you all over the board with music tastes, like me? Elle : I love everything and plan to do a little of everything in my career, but I would have to say R&B is probably what I listen to the most. R&B is such a broad genre so that many topics can be discussed under that umbrella. I was actually part of a hip-hop collective for about four years. MaM : I’m a huge fan of hip-hop, too. That’s awesome. I had no idea. Elle : It’s a significant influence on who I am, and I also have hours' worth of original R&B and rap songs that I just haven’t gotten around to recording yet. I’m just going with the flow for now, though. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : How would you describe your music for someone discovering it for the first time? Elle : Well, it changes depending on the project. My slogan for the recent album has been Heartbreak Queens or Heartbreak Hot Girls. I am trying to redefine what it means to be a sexy, hot girl. I want people to know that radical authenticity is sexy, and that vulnerability is alluring. In a day and age where shallowness is sold to us through the media, I want to show that there is more underneath it all. MaM : I really dig that. Your insight is refreshing. Elle : I had to realize that once I got my woman body in the twenties, people would interact with me differently depending on how I was dressed. I realized that I could use my sex appeal to make you listen to me. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : I know you dabble in burlesque , too. Tell us a little more about that. Elle : I do. The burlesque was never anything I imagined myself doing, but it was an opportunity that I had happened upon, and it has inspired me. The dancers I have met along the way, too, have helped me to refine my craft. My burlesque side is more of an homage to the more secure and timid version of me because, honestly, there is a version of me out there that would have judged the hell out of me for doing this 100%. She was very conservative and scared of everything. So, on the one hand, it’s an homage to self, but it’s also a way for me to take control of this again … this fantasy that people have projected onto me. If you think I’m sexy when I feel I’m awkward, I’m gonna use that to my advantage. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : Take us through a little of your musical history. You released the Introduction EP in 2017, correct? Was that the first recorded music you put out, or did you have something before that? Elle : I have a few covers I recorded in the studio, too, but I’ve never released them. They were really more for me. That was my first project, though. I was about 15 years old when we started and 16 when it was released. I was actually given the studio time by my mom as a birthday gift. MaM : So, after the Introduction EP , you released a series of singles and then came out with Symmetry . Elle : ' Symmetry ' is a whole other bag of rats. (laughter) Credit: Gary Governale Elle : So, my mom actually passed in June 2018, and this project initially had over six songs that were finished. After she passed, my life abruptly changed, so ' Symmetry ' is really about my grieving process. I look at it as a dissolution of self. I questioned my spirituality. I questioned my identity. I even questioned my sexuality. I pushed a lot of people away because I was feeling so much. I tend to isolate until I feel better. MaM : I do the same thing, so I can relate. Elle : Right? I need to be able to break shit in my own comfort. I need to be able to scream if I want to scream and get it out of my body. You know what I mean? I need that space to feel, which is what ' Symmetry ' was. The songs are an ode to my mom and our complicated relationship. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : I think that it’s incredible you were able to channel those feelings into something spectacular. So, I noticed that you collaborate with some of the members of First Street Hooligans . I love that band so much. Tell us a little more about that. Elle : So, Matthew Richard , lead singer and guitarist for the Hooligans , is my band's guitarist. I had just broken away from my hip-hop collective and felt drawn to the rock scene. I would jam with this band called Slightly Sour , which was a metal band. I was good friends with the drummer, Sebastian Elias . He then introduced me to some other people, and then I met Matt , and I showed him all the music I wanted to do. Matthew is very talented. I haven’t met many guitarists with the ear he has. I played him the beats that I had, and it kind of went from there. We decided to go under Elle H. or Elle H. and The Untitled . In the process of that, I met the rest of his band, and we all clicked really well. It was just a fun and laid-back collaboration that seamlessly came together. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : That’s awesome. So, this next question, I always like to ask this question because I get some interesting answers, but tell us about your best and worst shows so far. Elle : So, this one show, I had this heckler. Elle H. and The Untitled were supposed to play, but then bad weather happened, and it ended up just being me and my guitarist. This show was out of town, and the venue was dead, but we were just trying to fulfill the night. The same people had been in there all night without anyone new really coming in. There was this one group of rowdy, drunk married couples. They were older, and the men kept hooting and hollering because before the rainstorm happened, it was supposed to be a swimsuit party. So, I was wearing booty shorts and heels in my swimsuit amongst a sea of Cajun men. (laughter) So, we’re in the middle of playing ‘ Too Much ,’ and as I’m hitting some high notes, this guy in the back starts mimicking me, and I didn’t want to make the venue mad, so I just let it go, but it was pissing me off. Later, as I’m getting into the songs I’m singing, this man starts saying, ‘Take it off! Take it off!’ and crap like that. Finally, the bartender told him to shut up and get out, so he finally left. After he left, it was great! (laughter) Credit: Gary Governale MaM : Ok, so best show? Elle : Ok, so I have to put a lot of thought into this because I will say we have put on some really great events. I will honestly give myself credit for that. My favorite one has got to be the house party we put on as a band. It was to announce ourselves as a band because we all have different projects. The audience was a diverse group from various parts of the city. We had everything from 19-year-old frat boys to 32-year-old guitar heads. We made a big batch of punch and had a great night. It was in Matt’s garage, actually. It was fun to open up and show people who we were. However, after this year’s Fete du Void , that will probably be my favorite gig. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : Is there a key message you want people to take away from your music and performances? Elle : I just want to help people awaken their hearts. I want my shows to be a safe place for them to just be themselves. MaM : Hell yeah! So, in the next five years, where do you see yourself? Anybody you’d like to collaborate with? Elle : I would love to collaborate with Miley Cyrus . Her song ‘ Midnight Sky ’ came out as I was leaving a toxic relationship, and it was exactly what I needed at that point. I would love to be a household name eventually and be known for my authenticity. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : What’s on the agenda for the rest of 2024 and beyond? Are you doing any writing? Elle : Honestly, I write every day because it’s hard for me not to write, but I actually plan to take a trip with Matthew , and we plan to record in the mountains using the sounds of nature to create an amazing project. I definitely don’t want to stop doing shows, but I’m hoping to manifest a tour soon where we can move more towards Texas and New Mexico. Credit: Gary Governale As Elle continues to forge ahead artistically, she will no doubt continue to carve her path through the modern music scene due to her unwavering drive and will to succeed. She is not just a rare talent, but a beacon of authenticity, a quality that resonates with us all. I look forward to witnessing the future unfold for Elle H. To learn more about Elle and to experience her music, just hit one of the links below. Facebook: Elle H. https://www.facebook.com/selftitledelle Facebook: Elle H. and The Untitled https://www.facebook.com/ellehandtheuntitled Instagram: Elle H. and The Untitled Elle H & The Untitled (@ellehlive) • Instagram photos and videos Instagram: Elle H. Elle H (@selftitledelle) • Instagram photos and videos Spotify and Apple Music: TOO MUCH - Elle H *All photos by Gary Governale www.governalephotovideo.com Zenfolio | Home I have been working as a video professional since 1993, with a wide range of experience writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing. A strong interest in videography, specifically lighting and composition, led me to photography in 1998. Rapidly changing technology has blurred the line between video and photography, allowing me to work in both mediums.. Baton Rouge, LA, United States www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90's flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Reach out to us at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

The Enigma of Depression Through a Rose-colored Lens < Back Everything’s Poetic: David Donihue Erica Machen Mar 25, 2024 Share The Enigma of Depression Through a Rose-colored Lens In a world where we are drowning in society's lies about mental health, yet we thirst for those words to be substantiated, David Donihue poetically expresses a cyclic refrain emblematic of the empathetic souls of our time in "Everything's Poetic.” David showcases a resilient determination to find meaning and beauty in life despite adversity and mental health struggles. Bringing the poem to cinematic life, David has provided his readers—and YouTube followers—with a profound visual experience. Who knew invisibility could be so expressive? Without giving away too much, I'll limit my details here, but check out the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6arQezwpJBg The repetition of the phrase "This is the most depressed I’ve ever been," followed by reflections on past instances of depression, reflects a pattern of struggle with mental health. While acknowledging one’s own mistakes and the pain inflicted by others, he also expresses a longing for life to be meaningful and poetic, even amidst an endemic sense of despair. David also explores the idea that everything can be seen through a poetic lens, especially for those who are empathetic and introspective. He finds beauty in empathy and in understanding others' struggles and traumas. Maybe that poetic lens is rose-colored, but the understanding he seems to find is entirely bittersweet. There's a sense of unity and acceptance in David's poem as he acknowledges the diversity of human experiences, from "the hurting and the healers" to "the homos and the breeders," suggesting that despite differences, there is beauty and poetry in every life story. Ultimately, this is surely a celebration of resilience and the ability to find beauty and meaning in the midst of pain and chaos. It encourages embracing empathy, honesty, and a willingness to love life even in the face of adversity. David's raw honesty truly sets the tone for a remarkable poem full of thought and character. We recommend you check out more from this insightful poet and you can do so by clicking one of the links below. www.daviddonihue.com Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Judas Priest roll into Huntsville, AL with the Invincible Shield Tour. < Back Judas Priest: Probst Arena at Von Braun Center Bud Gambrell May 10, 2024 Share Judas Priest roll into Huntsville, AL with the Invincible Shield Tour. For many concert goers, such as myself, Tuesday, May 7th gave us a chance once again to witness the metal monsters Judas Priest . This concert was a huge accomplishment for me since I have been listening to this amazing band since 1978. As a teenager, I would listen to Stained Class , Hell Bent for Leather and Unleashed in the East in my room as my parents would yell to turn it down. My friends and I got to see Judas Priest Live in the early and mid-80s. For Tuesday's concert, though, I was back as not just a fan, but as a photographer. Being in the pit taking pictures of Rob Halford was an apex moment for me and Judas Priest did not disappoint! All these years later, Rob Halford can still carry every single note high and low. In many cases of rock singers, that does not happen. Rob Halford is still the reigning Metal God. The show was spot on. The band covered songs from every era old and new. They even played three songs from the new album, Invincible Shield . If you haven’t heard it yet, go get it! If this tour comes to a town near you, do yourself the favor of buying the ticket. This show is definitely one you do not want to miss. *All photos by Bud Gambrell bgambrellphotography.com Bud Gambrell Photography Bud Gambrell Photography is a locally owned and operated photography business in North Alabama. Call or email us today for an appointment. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Reach out to mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Jrago < Back What Do a Musician, an Indie Label, and a Video Game Have in Common? Nicole Brice Oct 18, 2022 Share Jrago Jeremy Pourcy is what you might call a veteran of the local music scene in South Louisiana. He originally started out with Knever in 2001 and continues making music with his very own metal band Jrago , in addition to playing bass with the First Baptist Church Worship Team in Denham Springs , LA. And did I mention he is developing his very first video game, Jrago – The Demon Hunter ? Because he sure is! Jeremy was previously involved with bands Eden , The Mysterious Stranger , Ambassador , and Branded for Exile . Multi-talented and multi-faceted doesn’t even begin to cover what all this man is about. We recently sat down with Jeremy to pick his brain on many topics, and he was incredible! Set to release a new album on December 16, 2022 , Jrago and Jeremy Pourcy are a MUST on your worth-checking-out list. credit: Gary Governale MaM : Give us a short bio of everything you have been involved in. I’ve been reading up on you and you’ve been on the scene for many years. JP : Well, in 2001, I joined my first real band called KNEVER playing bass. The lineup was Jason Ourso on vocals, Rusty Laughlin on guitar, and Jon Maher on Drums. I attended high school with Jason and Rusty , so that’s how we knew each other. After a few years, we added Cody DeRouen on guitar. During this time, we almost got a record deal, which failed, but it led to me starting an Indie label called Jrago Records . By 2004, we ended up replacing Rusty on guitar with a dear friend of ours named Luke Fauver . We had played shows with his other band, Caustic 6 , but unfortunately in the summer of 2006, Luke passed away and the band broke up. MaM : …and then from there, you created Eden with your wife, correct? JP : Yes, later that year in 2006, I married my wife, Kelly Smith , and we began to write and record music together. We called our project Eden , and it was mainly just writing and recording at home. MaM : After Eden, you had quite a long list of projects. credit: Gary Governale JP : Yes, I did. So, in 2007, I got a call from Jason Ourso , and he was starting up a new rock band and needed a bass player. It was called Murder on Sunday , which would eventually be renamed to The Mysterious Stranger . My time in the band was short lived, however, and I was replaced with another bassist. A couple of years later, I was invited to play for an A Perfect Circle cover band called Sea of Names (Mer de Noms) . The line-up was Rusty Laughlin on vocals, Adam Shelton on guitar, and Jeremy Rasti on drums. I was playing bass and keyboards. We never played any shows, but we had a good 10 songs we practiced for several months. MaM : It was about this time that you guys decided to bring Knever back, right? JP : Rusty and I joined Jon and Cody again, but this time Rusty was singing. We called it Never Again as a bit of a joke. By 2011, it was finally show ready, but I ended up leaving the project after the birth of my daughter. MaM : And when did Ambassador come about—after the reunion of Knever? JP : 2015 – I get a call from Jason Ourso once again, and he’s starting a new rock band. This time, with Gabriel Vicknair on vocals and Ean Savoy on drums. That was the beginning of Ambassador … but, then in 2016, Knever was back in action and needed a new bassist, so I joined them once again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b0T32Wg8do In 2018, Kelly and I released our third Eden album, Window , and Ambassador released its first album, Belly of the Whale . Coincidentally, Knever also released an album, which was to become the final album, The Collection . credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, what happened in 2019? I know a good bit went down but tell me a little more. JP : Well, in 2019, Ambassador gave me the boot, developing problems in Knever led to a breakup again, and I started to play with Branded for Exile for a few months but then ended up leaving that, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNk0knNcoSY So, by 2020, I was pretty much all alone musically and was trying to record a song unsuccessfully. After a few months, I got a call from Jon Maher , who also left Branded for Exile , and eventually we got our song “ Into the Precipice ” recorded. And that was the start of Jrago . MaM : Obviously, Jrago’s name is a play on your own name and you guys have been releasing songs like crazy. I can’t even keep up. Give us a little more info. JP : With Jrago , we decided to treat each song like an album and release them all as singles. This method of writing and recording allowed us to focus on each song individually. By the summer of 2021, we had six songs finished and decided to put out some CD’s (yes, I realize it’s an outdated medium these days, but we’re kind of old skool). So, our first album was called Destruction Breeds Creation . Our second album will feature eight songs and it’s called Disconnect . We have the release planned for December 16, 2022. credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, you obviously do everything yourself, which I admire tremendously. I, myself, am the same way. What recording software do you prefer to use? JP : I use Apple’s Logic software for recording. As far as why? I had previously used Apple’s “ Garageband ” software, and the interface and button configurations are similar. In Jrago , my main goal was to be able to write, record, mix, master, and produce music without having to get anyone else involved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoD54kktIUE MaM : What has been the biggest obstacle musically since starting Jrago? JP : Guitar. Without a doubt, guitar. Being a bass player, it took quite a bit of practice to get my first guitar chops up to par to be taken seriously. Even now, I still consider myself amateur at best. In addition, vocals and lyrics were tough, too. Jon had been doing back-up vocals in our previous projects, and now he was able to shine as Lead Vocalist. So, both Jon and I are stepping out of our comfort zones and filling multiple roles in this project. While it’s difficult sometimes, it has allowed us to both grow musically. credit: Gary Governale MaM : As far as inspiration, from whom or where do you draw inspiration? JP : I believe music comes from God . As far as my influences, it would have to be my friends and fellow musicians. Growing up in South Louisiana , there has always been a ton of fresh, original bands all around me. I, honestly, listen to more local music and band room/live recordings than I do mainstream releases. If I had to list some big bands that inspired me, it would have to be Metallica , Tool , A Perfect Circle , Avenged Sevenfold , Nirvana , Pearl Jam , Soundgarden , Killswitch Engage , Dredg , Evanescence , Fear Factory , Times of Grace , The Empire Shall Fall , Eighteen Visions , 36 Crazyfists , Blindside , and Pink Floyd just to name a few. Be sure to check out and follow Jrago on YouTube , Facebook , and Instagram for the latest on upcoming releases and shows! Jrago | Facebook Jrago Studios | Facebook Jrago Records | Facebook Jrago (@jrago_) • Instagram photos and videos Music | Jrago (bandcamp.com) Jrago Records - YouTube credit: Gary Governale *All photos by Gary Governale* www.governalephotovideo.com Zenfolio | Home I have been working as a video professional since 1993, with a wide range of experience writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing. A strong interest in videography, specifically lighting and composition, led me to photography in 1998. Rapidly changing technology has blurred the line between video and photography, allowing me to work in both mediums.. Baton Rouge, LA, United States www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90's flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Reach out to us mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Unwelcome is Gremlins meets Straw Dogs and is rooted in tradition and mythology, infusing a creature feature with searing psychological horror. < Back Unwelcome: Film Review Shaun Corley Oct 16, 2023 Share Unwelcome is Gremlins meets Straw Dogs and is rooted in tradition and mythology, infusing a creature feature with searing psychological horror. The 2022 film Unwelcome mixes the real-world horrors of home invasions with a creature feature, and while the result can be a little uneven, it is still a satisfying watch. Directed by Jon Wright , who brought audiences Robot Overlords (2014) and Grabbers (2012), Unwelcome sets itself apart from other such movies by embracing 80’s style practical effects over CGI. Drawing on Irish folklore, Unwelcome was pitched by Wright as “ Gremlins meets Straw Dogs .” Unwelcome stars Hannah John-Kamen ( Ant-Man and the Wasp ) and Douglas Booth ( Great Expectations ) as Maya and Jamie, a young couple who are the victims of a brutal home invasion the night they learn Maya is pregnant. While Maya is unharmed in the invasion, Jamie is severely beaten. The trauma of the incident leads them to relocate to Ireland, where Jamie has just inherited his aunt’s old estate. Maya and Jamie are embraced by the locals—for the most part. The estate is in desperate need of repair, and the couple hire a family known as the Whelans to fix it up. credit: IMDb Colm Meaney as "Daddy" Whelan with Jamie & Maya (credit: IMDb) On their first night in the house, they are advised by local neighbor Maeve (Niamh Cusack, of The Tower ) to leave out a blood offering each night, to appease the “Redcaps.” Maya and Jamie dismiss Niamh’s warnings. The next day, the Whelan family arrives at the estate. “Daddy” Whelan (played to the hilt by Colm Meaney, of Hell on Wheels ) bullies his three grown children, played by Jamie-Lee O’Donnell ( Screw ), Kristian Nairn (Hodor, of Game of Thrones ) and Chris Walley ( The Last Voyage of Demeter ). The children, in turn, terrorize Maya and Jamie, starting by stealing small stuff from their house. Later, one of the children, Eoin (Nairn), tries to assault Maya, drawing the wrath of the Redcaps, who drag him away. Matters spiral out of control from there. Looking for his missing son, Daddy Whelan and his surviving brood ramp up their war against Maya and Jamie, ultimately culminating in another violent home invasion. All the while, the two must contend with the Redcaps and a legacy of evil that threatens to engulf them. The two stories collide in a brutal and unforgettable climax, ending on a truly horrifying note. Unwelcome has a good deal going for it. Like all good folk horror, Unwelcome is rooted in tradition and mythology, in this case from the British Isles. The film’s Redcaps are actual creatures from Scottish and English lore. Closely resembling leprechauns, Redcaps are said to kill those who enter their territory, staining their hats red with the blood of their victims. Also called the far darring , these creatures are evil and malevolent. The Redcaps are brought to glorious life using largely practical effects, which adds a layer of realism to their appearance. The Redcaps’ menacing look was designed by Paul Catling with prosthetics created by Shaune Harrison . The lack of CGI in Unwelcome is a breath of fresh air in today’s industry. credit: IMDb Yet Unwelcome is not merely another creature feature. Instead, Wright infuses the movie with searing psychological horror . Maya and Jamie have been through hell together, surviving a violent home invasion with their lives. Wright effectively explores the trauma the incident left on them: Jamie becomes increasingly violent and more protective of Maya, to the point of reading books on self-defense techniques. Maya, by and far, seems to have healed and moved on from the trauma, but Jamie cannot let it go. It is a bleak and stark reminder that recovering from trauma takes time, if it happens at all. Wright described the film as a “home invasion thriller,” invoking the classic Sam Peckinpah film Straw Dogs (1971). Indeed, there are a number of similarities. Maya and Jamie, much like David and Amy in Straw Dogs , have relocated to the countryside, running up against provincial thinking and customs and mores that are wildly different. And just like Straw Dogs , this mistrust and tension builds to an explosive final conflict, one in which there are no real victors. One of Straw Dogs ’ themes of violence causing us to lose our humanity is taken to its extreme here in a bloody and unsettling ending. These elements could make Unwelcome a truly great movie, but the execution is a little uneven. However, the performances, particularly from Colm Meaney, more than make up for any deficiencies in the script. Likewise, Douglas Booth does an excellent job of chronicling Jamie’s descent into madness, one spurred not only by painful memories from London but also by the supernatural events going on around him. A fine addition to the folk horror canon, Unwelcome manages to rise above any flaws to become an entertaining movie. Unwelcome is currently streaming on AMC+, Prime Video, and DirecTV and is available to rent or purchase on Shudder, Google Play, Vudu, AppleTV, and Roku Channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQCAgCKQ5WY Shaun Corley is an East Coast pop culture enthusiast who loves to write about everything entertainment. A big, important Screen Rant writer, Shaun has many leather-bound books, which are far outnumbered by comics and the smell of rich mahogany. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

The philosophy of the Saw franchise and its iconic serial killer mastermind John Kramer cuts deep beneath the surface into the realm of Nietzschean nihilism. < Back The Philosophy of John Kramer and the Saw Franchise, Part 1: Film Analysis Ezekiel Kincaid Oct 19, 2023 Share The philosophy of the Saw franchise and its iconic serial killer mastermind John Kramer cuts deep beneath the surface into the realm of Nietzschean nihilism. In 2004, Director James Wan introduced us to a new kind of horror icon with the release of Saw : John Kramer, aka Jigsaw. In case you haven’t seen Saw , here’s what you should know: It’s one of the best and highest-grossing horror franchises of all time, having become a pop culture phenom that expanded into various other films, video games, comic books, theme park attractions, music, and tons of merch … and there’s even a Saw television series rumored to be in development at Lionsgate Television . The Saw series revolves around serial killer mastermind John “Jigsaw” Kramer and his apprentices, who are actually victims he traps in life-threatening scenarios that he refers to as tests or games. It’s up to the victim to decide what their scenario will be. What makes Jigsaw different from other horror icons like Freddy, Michael, Jason, and Pinhead is that John doesn’t kill for the thrill. in fact, he claims he’s never killed anyone at all. He simply gives people a choice. “Live or die. Make your choice,” is uttered more than once from him through the Saw franchise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaANSeQ3La4 As the storyline progresses, we find out more about what makes Jigsaw tick and why he does what he does in capturing people and putting them in traps. Immediately, Saw ’s storyline taps into our empathy, and in a weird, way we understand where he is coming from. Franchise creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell humanize Jigsaw and make us sympathetic to his plight, and they do so well with tapping into our psyche, that while watching the movies, we actually cheer for John Kramer at times. Saw features excellent storytelling, great tension, and creates so many moral gray areas , you can’t help but walk away from these movies thinking deeply about ethics, philosophy, and morality . This is because John Kramer thinks he has found the way to rehabilitate people and that is by placing them in traps that, if they survive, will help them walk away with a new appreciation for life. So, this topic will be a four-part series, but with this first part , I’m going to do something vastly different from the other film reviews to which you guys have become so accustomed. You’re used to seeing the snarky, sarcastic Zeke who enjoys making you laugh by subjecting myself to some terrible B movies. But behind the smart-mouthed persona, I have a deep intellectual and philosophical bent consisting of three degrees in theology, and with those degrees came lots of courses in philosophy. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I would take a special interest in the Saw franchise. Besides The Evil Dead , Phantasm, and The Conjuring universe, the Saw movies are by far my favorites in the horror genre. Cracking the Philosophical Code of Saw and John Kramer I’m so taken by the Saw movies that I have spent years watching and rewatching them, meticulously taking notes and trying to figure out where John Kramer falls on the philosophical spectrum. After years of research and comparing Jigsaw to numerous philosophical thoughts, I believe I have cracked the code. Now, I don’t know if Wan and Whannell ever had this in mind when they thought up Kramer’s character, so I cannot speak to their intent. All I have to go with is how John Kramer is portrayed in the movies. That being said, I believe that John Kramer’s philosophy fits squarely within the realm of Nietzsche's nihilism. Let’s unpack this theory and compare Kramer to Nietzsche, shall we? Over the years, I have read numerous articles arguing how the Saw franchise is ethically convoluted. On the surface it can seem this way, and I will be the first to admit it. However, instead of just making a broad, sweeping statement, I believe once we take a deeper look, it all begins to make sense, especially once we look at it through the eyes of Nietzschean nihilism, which can be subdivided into two categories: passive nihilism and radical nihilism. The complexity surrounding John Kramer exists because, ironically, he falls into both categories. This would explain why, on a cursory viewing, the Saw franchise’s ethics seem to be disjointed. Indeed, what comes out of Jigsaw’s mouth at times is hypocritical, but when seen in this new light, they are not confused. Before we jump neck-deep into the world of philosophy, I want to assure my readers of something. I know not everyone has a philosophy background, and I know as soon as someone mentions the word “philosophy” it can be intimidating. Though I have all these theological degrees, I assure you I’m just a blue-collar redneck at heart. I promise to make this understandable and not use lofty jargon, and for the times I have to, I will define the words. Feel better? Good! Let’s continue. First, let’s define nihilism : It basically summarizes a family of thought that says life is meaningless . It rejects all religious and moral principles, including the fundamental aspects of human existence. It is skeptical of all human knowledge, morals, and religious ideologies. Nietzsche , the father of modern nihilistic thought, took this category and divided it into two parts: passive and radical. In talking about nihilism in his book " The Will to Power" (1967), Nietzsche defines a nihilist as someone “who judges of the world as it is that it ought not be and of the world as it ought to be that it does not exist.” To put it in blue-collar terms, all he is saying is that because purpose and meaning in life is unknowable, the nihilist cannot accept the world as it is. Understanding nihilism is extremely important if we are going to make sense of Jigsaw's morality, since it is his morality that drives the Saw franchise. In fact, when we view his morality through this lens, it shows us how coherent Jigsaw’s moral mission is in his own mind and to those of us watching the franchise unfold. I have read other critics who call John Kramer a monster and comment how the film does damage to viewers because it promotes a mindset that is against modern ethics. Sure, I can see how and why the critics would say this, but their criticism doesn’t hold up once we firmly place Kramer in the camp of nihilism. As I will unpack in this series, Kramer’s moral quest is not to save other people and leave behind some immortal legacy ; rather, what Jigsaw wants to do is more destructive. His aim is to destroy the world as is by changing the world around him. This, my friends, is nihilism. Viewing Jigsaw through nihilist eyes shows us that following the loss of his unborn son and a failed suicide attempt, he seeks to destroy himself. How so? Go back and watch the Saw franchise. Have you ever noticed that Jigsaw’s victims MIRROR his own obsessive traits? This is what I am going to break down for you moving forward. We’ll look at passive and radical nihilism, their differences, their similarities, and how Jigsaw fits within both these paradigms. My goal is not to categorize John Kramer but to give us a lens to view the movies through to make sense of his morals and mission. So, for the next few articles, sit back, get your Saw movies queued up, and let good ole Uncle Zeke take you on a magic philosophical carpet ride. Stay tuned as we cut deeper beneath the surface in Part 2 of The Philosophy of John Kramer. Ezekiel Kincaid lives for horror and loves to watch it, write about, and talk about it, whether that be in his own horror novels or in reviews. His experience as a pastor and paranormal investigator brings everything he writes to life. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Phantum Sun’s music blends the ethereal with the visceral in a lush atmospheric fusion. < Back Phantum Sun: An Immersive Journey Through Sound Margo Leblanc Aug 26, 2024 Share Phantum Sun’s music blends the ethereal with the visceral in a lush atmospheric fusion. Phantum Sun , a Louisiana-based band from Lafayette known for its unique sound and dependability, has recently surprised the local music scene with its unwavering work ethic and drive. But why? What started it all, and who influenced them? Who is Phantum Sun ? Phantum Sun is grunge with a bit of rock and a little alternative . They don’t have one specific category that their music falls into. The band makes music for those who appreciate the artistry of creating songs. Phantum Sun started because of Nick Cline and Alec Louviere's high school aspirations to create together. In 2023, when long-time friend Drake Lasseigne joined the two, the line-up became complete, and here we are. The trio is full of spirit and angst, shown heavily in their music. Nick is on vocals and guitar, Drake is on bass, and Alec rounds it all out on the kit. Credit: Facebook Phantum Sun’s music balances the familiar warmth of nostalgic tones with a forward-thinking approach to composition. Lyrically, Phantum Sun is all about introspection and emotional depth. The lyrics aren’t always straightforward, but that’s part of their charm. With three singles under their belt, the band’s latest song, ‘ Robbery ,’ was released in May 2024 and is reminiscent of early 90s alt-rock by The Smashing Pumpkins , Screaming Trees , and Buffalo Tom . Mixed Alt Mag recently had the opportunity to speak with the guys from Phantum Sun about their music, aspirations, and more. Take a moment to learn what makes this band so unique below. MAM : Thank you for speaking with me today. First, who inspired you to pursue music, and how did they influence your original songs? Alec : Anything 80s related to rock' n’ roll got me to get up and start learning drums. Feeling the beat and sound of that era made me want to get up and do the stuff these guys were doing. Drake : I’ve been interested in music since I was a kid but didn’t have an outlet to learn to play an instrument until middle school. I took up saxophone, but it’s not the type of music I was into. My dad loved the look and sound of the grunge movement in the '90s, so he showed me the hard bass lines of Krist Novoselic and the melody powerhouses Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell . No questions what inspires me to make music. Nick : My biggest inspirations were my love of blues, grunge, metal, and everything really. I grew up listening to Ozzy Osbourne , Metallica , Stevie Ray Vaughan , Soundgarden , Green Day , and Alice in Chains . Eventually, I found myself fascinated with garage rock, which was my tipping point regarding sound and songwriting. All my influences have now fused to make one absurd amalgamation of tones, influences, and passion. It all ties together to make up the sound of Phantum Sun. Credit: Facebook MAM : How would you describe writing new music and the process that goes with it? Alec : I like to feel what the other two put together, then come in and see what fits the style we’re going for in that specific song. Drake : Nick writes the guitar parts and lyrics, so whenever he shows them to us, I watch and listen to what he has to say and start thinking of bass lines that match to get the best bass line I can for that particular song. Nick : I usually write many lyrics and guitar parts per day. Then, I bring the melodies, guitar parts, and lyrics to the band. After that, we jam and feel out the idea until it sounds like what we want as a unit. Credit: Facebook MAM : Who would you love to collaborate with one day? Why that person? Alec : I’d personally love to collaborate with Tommy Lee , just to study and learn about his drumming style. Drake : Definitely, Dave Grohl . Dave is my favorite musician and seems to be a genuinely good guy. He knows so much about the industry that I could learn from. Nick : I would love to collaborate with Jack White . Jack is why I picked up the guitar five years ago, and I haven’t put it down since. His guitar tone and passion for music would make for a wicked collaboration that would lead to me learning more as a musician. Credit: Facebook MAM : Where is your favorite venue where you’ve performed so far? I know you guys have been playing shows like crazy. Alec : I enjoy outdoor venues, partially because we can be as loud as we want; it feels freer, and the crowd tends to engage more. Drake : The 19th Hole in Houston, Texas has been my favorite so far. The bar's vibe has been immaculate every time we’ve been there; the stage is huge, and the sound guy is amazing and does such a great job. Nick : My favorite venue is a toss-up between Artmosphere and the 19th Hole . Both venues have shown unimaginable kindness to me and the guys. The vibe and sound of both venues keep me wanting to come back more and more every time we play there. Credit: Facebook MAM : That’s awesome. Having the support of the venues is enormous, in my opinion. What skills have you learned along the way that help you to be productive as a musician? Alec : After learning bits and pieces from other bands that we’ve played with, I’ve learned to practice consistently, but also being patient really helps when it comes to drumming. Drake : To me, it’s the chemistry between Alec, Nick, and me on and off stage. It never gets tedious or tiring if you trust each other. Nick : Practicing, trust in the process, hard work, networking, and the ability to learn from the smallest lessons are all skills that I have adopted and built on to become a more productive musician. Credit: Facebook MAM : What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses in being musicians? Alec : I think my strengths and weaknesses go hand in hand; it’s weird. I’m still learning as we go. Drake : The ability to blend what Nick does on guitar and Alec does on drums into something that makes the song thicker and heavier. My weakness is my age, which is due to my lack of experience. I’ve only been playing bass since 2021. Nick : I think my greatest strength as a musician is my never-ending sense of wonder and passion for music. It keeps me on the path of learning and evolving as a songwriter and musician. My greatest weakness is my need to be too hard on myself. Credit: Facebook MAM : Outside of music, what other hobbies and interests do you have? Alec : I know it’s probably not a “cool” thing to admit, but I’m a huge wrestling fan. I’m all about anything WWE . I also love puzzles, if anyone needed more proof of me being a nerd. (laughter) Drake : I’m a big outdoorsman. I love hunting and fishing, especially here in my home state of Louisiana . I feel so comfortable when I’m either on stage, on a boat, or in a duck blind. Nick : Outside of music, I am deeply interested in learning about anything I can, writing, watching horror, fantasy, sci-fi, etc., reading comics (preferably DC), and whatever else sparks the ADHD fuel in my head. Credit: Facebook MAM : What would you be doing if it weren’t for your interest in a music career? Alec : In all honesty, I have no idea. I never really had a backup plan. Drake : I’d probably be going to college for something related to the tech industry, but I never really had a plan B in mind. Nick : I would be in a field related to writing. Writing has always been my second love, after music, so anything dealing with that would be great for me. With their first tour approaching this fall, Phantum Sun continues to work hard to make a name for themselves in the local scene and beyond. If they come to your town, take a chance and see them live. You might just be a little surprised. They are a band built on hopes, dreams, and aspirations of someday making it big with raw talent and an unconditional love for music. That love fuels their drive to pursue no other life paths besides making music for the masses. To experience the music of Phantum Sun, just hit one of the links below. Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/5PdjxAClNtSIyvvnj2vgsU Apple Music : https://music.apple.com/us/artist/phantum-sun/1710758804 YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@phantumsunofficial Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/people/Phantum-Sun/61556703719338/ Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/phantumsunband/ www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Margo Leblanc loves listening to music, writing about music, and discovering new music. Do you have a band you think she'd like? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Next

An insider’s perspective on the Louisiana film industry < Back Behind the Screens with Kelly Mills C.G. Smith Jul 5, 2023 Share An insider’s perspective on the Louisiana film industry For quite some time now, Louisiana has been dubbed Hollywood South due to the many film and television productions happening in and around the state, mostly down in New Orleans but also in the capital city of Baton Rouge. According to the Louisiana Film & Entertainment Association , there have been over 2,5000 films and tv series shot in the state thus far. However, of all the cities used as settings, New Orleans is surely the city that has seen the most, with an explosion in numbers of productions being filmed pre- and post-Covid. More productions mean a greater need not just for actors but also for all the important people running around behind the scenes making everything work and flow. These are the people responsible for ensuring filming goes smoothly and according to plan, for creating the costumes and building and operating props, sets, and cameras … all the choreographers and coaches and stand-ins, the sound engineers and crews and special fx teams, the assistants and screenwriters and editors—all the people who make up the industry’s foundation but don’t often get the attention and credit they deserve. Kelly Mills is one of those people. courtesy of Kelly Mills Having been involved in the Louisiana film industry for over a decade now, Mills has had experiences working as a production assistant, as part of the camera department, as part of the art department in set decoration, and most recently as a grip. “It just depends what I get hired for,” Mills says. “It’s a gig-based industry, so it changes.” From working on popular tv shows like Strangers Things , Salem , and Your Honor to known films like Where the Crawdads Sing , Mills has been an instrumental part of making sure what’s supposed to run smoothly (and be historically accurate) does just that. She’s a hunter, a gatherer, a creator, a set designer, a prop master, an art director, a fixer, and a most dedicated, loyal worker. She’s also a complete ball of fun to be around. I was able to sit down with Kelly in January of 2023 to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of it all from an insider’s perspective. Grab yourselves a tasty beverage and kick back as you read about what it’s like working in the Louisiana film industry today. MaM : So, you’ve been working in the Louisiana film industry for ten years, right? KM : The first gig I ever had was in 2009. That was up in Shreveport, and I’ve been working in the film industry since then—full time since 2010. MaM : How’d you get started, what did you start out doing, and what do you do these days? KM : This takes a little bit of exposition. So, I graduated with a degree in theater in East Texas, which had absolutely no jobs whatsoever, so I moved to Shreveport and started tending bar. These two guys started coming into my bar with carpet samples. I asked, ‘Why are you sitting at my bar, taking up space with these damn carpet samples?’ They said, ‘[We’re] from California and we are art directors in the film industry.’ One day they asked me what I thought about their carpet samples. I told them they were all ugly and they needed new samples. Then they asked [if I wanted a job] and I said yes. I had no idea what this job would entail, but yes. The next day they called and said, ‘[We are] working on this movie and we need an art department intern.’ I asked, ‘When does it start?’ and they said, ‘Now, but we can’t pay you anything.’ So, I did it. Sometimes it’s kind of obvious when things are being thrown in your face, like this is what you need to do. So, I worked during the day on set for this movie and at night I still did my full bartending shifts. I did the whole movie that way. MaM : What movie was it? KM : It was called Playing for Keeps with Gerard Butler and a bunch of other people. It was ye old general romance, ‘Oh no, what do I do? There’s a kid. I’m in love with her, I’m in love with him – divorce – ahh!’ You know, that kind of thing. That’s where I first started. MaM : So, you weren’t just picking carpet samples. What did you start out doing and what are you doing now? KM : I started out as an art department intern, which legitimately meant I went and got coffee, I rode around with the art director, I helped him take notes, [and] I did a lot of basic sign designs and things of that nature. Then I figured out that I was going to next move to working on set as a production assistant. Because at that time there were some movies in Shreveport, but not a lot, and you needed to get paid for what you were doing, so I started working on set as just a general production assistant – getting actors coffee, shushing people, telling people to be quiet, where you can’t walk – that kind of thing. I was a production assistant for a very long time, probably three-and-a-half years. To move from a production assistant to work in the director’s guild, you need about that amount of time to get your days and submit all the information to try to join. I quickly figured out that it was a miserable job, and I didn’t want to do that anymore, so, I got lucky when a TV show called Salem came and I got to move back into the art department and set decoration world. I started working with them as their coordinator and working with their set decoration buyers. So, essentially, for a good while I was nothing but a professional shopper, which is a wonderful and incredibly stressful job all at the same time. Then I moved from set decoration to working the property department, which is very, very similar. I moved in the art department world for a good while. This was in the days before then-Governor Bobby Jindal put the cap on the tax incentives, but it was after Katrina hit New Orleans and a bunch of the productions had moved up to Shreveport. So, it was kinda like this weird wild, wild west where you just took whatever job you could take at the time—it didn’t really matter what department it was in. You just did what you had to do to get the job because that was the only job in town. Then, in 2015, I believe in June, Bobby Jindal put the cap on the tax incentives. I moved to New Orleans because [he did that]. Literally within a week of him announcing that he was capping everything, I knew that Shreveport was never going to see – at least for a good stretch of time – they weren’t going to see a union job, and I had just gotten into the union. The only place in all of Louisiana – if you were going to be filming in 2015 and after, you were either going to be working in New Orleans or living in New Orleans and working in Baton Rouge, that’s it. Maybe there [were] a couple of little low budget ‘I heart Jesus movies’ or Hallmark or whatever, but not anything that was union or paying. MaM : I heard you say that cap on the tax incentives actually led you to get married. KM : It did! It did! My poor husband, bless his heart. So, my husband Joe also works in the film industry. He’s a grip. He had come up a couple of times, working in Shreveport, and we did this LOW budget ‘I Heart Jesus’ movie called Dancer and the Dame . We met and hit it off, became friends, and we did a couple more low-budget things together in Shreveport. Then, in June 2015, the TV show I had been working on, Salem, had just wrapped and not a week after, Governor Jindal announced that the tax incentives were being repealed. I was like, ‘Crap, what am I gonna’ do?’ I called Joe and was like, ‘Hey dude, so I gotta’ move away from Shreveport and I’m moving in with you.” He was like, ‘Oh, that’s cool. Well, I totally would love to have you, but I don’t have an extra bedroom.’ I was like, ‘No, that’s fine, I’m literally moving into your bed – I’m your girlfriend now.’ He was like, ‘Oh, well, yeah, I think that’ll work. You’re gonna’ do that?’ I said, ‘Yeah, man, I literally just sold everything that I own, I bought a new car so I could get myself down to New Orleans, and I’m coming tomorrow.’ He’s like, ‘Oh, well, I guess that’s what we’re gonna do!’ We decided to get married six months later. MaM : What a great story. (laughs) So what are you doing now? KM : I move back and forth between the camera department. courtesy of Kelly Mills I got really lucky—I worked in the art department for years and years; it’s one of my favorite jobs. I love doing it, but it kinda got stale for a little while, so I was talking to a couple of my friends that work in the camera department and they were like, ‘You could do this.’ I was like, ‘Yeah! I could do that! Show me what to do!’ At the time, in the summer of 2021, we had so much work it was just crazy, because we were still trying to come back from the demand from the gaping hole of Covid-19. We were creating content like nobody’s business, and that requires union labor. So, they hired me, and I’ve been really enjoying working in the camera department now. It’s been interesting because I’m learning a whole bunch that I never even thought that I’d be capable of – I’ve always been the art girl. I’m the ‘I’ll bring the glitter, I’ll bring the fake drink, do you need orgies? We’ll do the orgies.’ That was my gig for years and years and years. Then, all of a sudden, they were like, ‘Here’s this camera that’s worth, like, a house; why don’t you pick it up and mess with it?’ I was like, ‘Oh, God!” MaM : That’s a lot more technical than the arts department. KM : In the art department, I have eight different ways that I can make vomit, depending on what the scene calls for. I have lovely vomit recipes. I know how to move a couch by myself … that kind of work. This [camera] is completely different work, and I’m really having a great time learning how to do it and stretching myself as a union employee to be able to do this work. MaM : Tell us about an average day on a set. Are there major differences between film and TV? KM : There aren’t really a lot of major differences between film and TV, except for with TV, you pretty much shoot a little film every week, which is rough. You have a shorter prep time, but you’re still expected to produce a film-like quality production. On an average day, our call time will be between 6 and 7:30 a.m. You show up and they provide what they call a non-deductible breakfast, which is a courtesy breakfast. You go, you eat breakfast, and then you show up to your prospective truck – whichever department you happen to be working in. courtesy of Kelly Mills So, let’s say I’m working in the prop department. I get my tool belt and look at the call sheet so I know exactly what to anticipate for the day. Say we’ve got [an] ‘explody bomb’ [on the list]. I already know how the bomb works, [and] this is what I need to give to the special effects guys who are actually going to make it all ‘splody.’ I know how to explain to the people that this is safe, it’s not going to ‘splode all over them, things of that nature. So then at call time, that’s when we start unloading our trucks and pushing our carts. Everything is in bins and carts. We usually send someone ahead that works with the actors on set for any hand props they need for the day. We set up and then you find out two important things: Where’s the bathroom and where is craft services. Do they have sandwiches? You make sure that you anticipate any unexpected needs, you wind up coming up with a lot of creative solutions for really, really, weird requests, whatever it may be. Whatever you can possibly think of, we have come up with weird solutions on the fly. Then there’s lunch, which is a good six hours after you start, Then you go back to work for another six to eight more hours. Our minimum is usually twelve [hours]. It’s not guaranteed that we’ll be in the same place all day. You’ve got to move your carts, you gotta take props away, you gotta give props back to them—a lot of minute details. Then you wrap and go to Avenue Pub (when it was open for 24 hours) and have a drink, then you go home and wonder why you made the decisions in life that led you to work fourteen-hour days. MaM : What are the most locations you’ve been to in one day? KM : In one day I had five different truck moves, which means you unload the truck completely, you do your thing, then you load the truck back up and you go to the next location. That’s just the shooting crew. When you’re on the pre-production [team,] you move around all day. MaM : As with any job, it depends on the people you work with. Is it one big happy family on set, or are there ever issues? KM : I am extremely proud to work with the brothers and sisters of 478. courtesy of Kelly Mills Generally speaking, we are kind, courteous, and professional to each other. Of course, when you spend twelve to fourteen hours together, you’re gonna’ wind up butting heads, but I have never met anyone in the 478 that I can say I dislike working with. There are definitely a number of directors I’ve wanted to murder—learn how to read a plan! MaM : Can you tell us about your worst and best days on a set? KM : Oh God, it’s probably all the same day! (laughter) No, so my worst day was in Arkansas [on] a movie called Greater . This was in my last couple shows where I was still a [production assistant] but I was moving over to the art department. It was low budget, low rates, miserable non-union, and the last day we had to shoot for 24 hours straight. At that point, it doesn’t matter if everything has gone well, you still have been physically at work for 24 hours. It was just the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my life. I was in North Arkansas, of all places. It was cold. I was in the Arkansas University stadium; it was just miserable. MaM : Now what about your best day? KM : My best day was probably the first day that I really, really understood what I was doing in the camera department. The first day that I was able to go into the camera truck—this was on a movie called Fast Charlie with Pierce Brosnan (who is a lovely man, sweet man)—and pull out and prep everything that I knew I needed. It was just a good day! Nothing went wrong; nothing f**ked up on the camera; our cables didn’t fail; I didn’t have to haul heavy shit anywhere; and we were just in three different areas in the same place. I didn’t have to push the cart and it was just, it was lovely. I was just really proud of myself for being able to do it—something that I would have never thought that I could possibly do. courtesy of Kelly Mills MaM : … coming from bartending. KM : Yeah, coming from bartending and telling two guys their carpet samples were ugly. (laughter) MaM : Why do you think Louisiana gets so many film industry jobs? Is it just the allure of the city, the way it’s stepping back in time, or … ? KM : It’s a combo of things. Some of it is, of course, is the French Quarter, and then some of it is being able to … so many stories are southern. New Orleans, in particular, is equitable to other southern states. New Orleans can play Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia. You wanna do it, you can do it in New Orleans. You want mountains? Can’t do it in New Orleans. We also have the Central Business District, and we have an infrastructure, thankfully, based around the film industry. We have rental houses, Panavision—the camera rental house—prop houses, and stages where you can shoot all of this stuff. So, [I’d say it’s] between the allure of the French Quarter and the allure of telling southern stories in a southern city. Also having the infrastructure to do so, and then, I think, the icing on the cake are the crews of New Orleans. The grip brothers and sisters and kin, the prop people—all of the people that routinely work in the film industry that are dedicated to the job that we do. Simply put, I don’t think that I’m bragging here when I say that New Orleans and Louisiana crew works hard and are generous and kind people to spend a really long time around. Producers come back for that. Who wants to work with crews that are bickering and are mean to each other, which of course make delays that cost money? We have a strong and compassionate union behind us. I really think … all of that … is a 1-2-3 punch—a knockout. MaM : What are some of the most memorable productions you’ve worked on? KM : Obviously, Stranger Things . I was very lucky to work on Seasons 2 and 3 of that. That was rewarding. I worked the set dec department as a buyer. My job on Season 3 was to carve. It was set during Halloween, [so I had to] carve hundreds of pumpkins. Just hundreds of pumpkins. That was my job. That and they just pretty much gave me a van and cash and said, ‘Go to estate sales.’ They were very conscious of being period correct in literally everything that is on that set. I was literally taking apart appliances and looking for the serial number to see if it was made in 1983 or 1984. Some crazy person on the internet is going to find your name on IMDB, figure out that you worked in the set dec department and then message you. That happened to me. They’re crazy. That was one of my favorite ones. I worked on a TV show called Salem for three years. It was set in Salem during the witch trials and that really taught me how to work in time periods and period-correct shows. I really honed my skills on doing the research that was necessary. MaM : Was there ever a piece or something that you couldn’t find? KM: Thankfully not on Stranger Things . On Salem, we pretty much just had to roll with what we could get. I had a lot of things manufactured. The hardest thing for me was bicycles for Where the Crawdads Sing . We had kids on kids on kids riding period-correct bicycles. They had to be working and functioning, and period correct. So finally, I drove up to Texas, because thank God my dad randomly collects vintage bicycles. I went and raided the man’s barn. I took every one of them to the Freret Street Bike Shop (shout out to Aaron!) and was like, ‘Fix these for me!’ Working on period pieces is my favorite. That’s what I like to do. MaM : So, Stranger Things , Salem , and Where the Crawdads Sing— anything else that stands out? KM : Let me look at my IMDB, I’ve done so many things. Ok, I was the prop master on a movie called The Card Counter . [It was] the first movie I did coming back from Covid, and it’s been nominated for a couple awards, I believe, which I’m really excited about. It was directed by the same guy who did Taxi Driver . I did the entire first season of Your Honor as well. I was really, really proud of that. The thing that I am least proud of: So, I did a movie called The Case for Christ . It was the first movie I ever did in Atlanta. It was miserable, and it was with Pure Flix, which is the worst. They didn’t pay their bills. I had to fight them for every paycheck. They should call Jesus to ask them how to run their business. It was rough. MaM : You’ve worked in the art department. Anything you’ve made that you’re really proud of? Like the pumpkins on Stranger Things ? KM : Yes! Pumpkins on Stranger Things ! One of the things I am most proud of is that in my career I have helped create three different orgy rooms. MaM : Each one’s different! KM : Each one is completely and utterly different! My favorite one that I helped to create was on the TV show Claws . I was lucky enough to be the assistant art director on the third season and we just had so much fun. There was this big orgy room. The research I did, I can’t even begin to tell you how many lists I’m on now because of that. (laughs) MaM : Because of your web searches? KM : Because of my web searches! Like, every kink that you could possibly think of we crammed into one giant warehouse orgy and I’m just so proud of it! That’s one of three orgies I have helped create—NOT been a part of, but that I just helped create. I would like to point out that at one of them I did have a buffet a la It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The industry has been almost my entire adult life. I’m proud of the work that I’ve done. I’m proud of the union labor that we are able to do in the Deep South, despite such strong anti-union sentiment that is just built into the way that we’re raised. I’m grateful for our union leadership and the work that they do. If any of our crew members are reading this, right now we’re in such a very strong economic downturn, but I want to encourage you that we have been through this before, we will go through it, and we will not just survive, but we will come back, be strong, and make movies. Because that’s what we do. We love stories. We will continue to do it. For more on Kelly Mills, visit her IMDB page and take a peek at all the cool shit she’s done and been an integral part of helping create. And to Kelly and those like her, we as viewers have to recognize how much we appreciate all of your effort and hard work in creating something of quality that entertains the masses. As viewers, we often do not know what it’s like for any workers in the industry unless we personally know of someone, so next time you meet a Kelly Mills, be sure to thank him/her/them for all the hard work. Without them, we’d have to say to Russell Crowe in Gladiator , “No, Maximus, we are not entertained.” Fortunately, we’re all in a different position so we don’t have to say that. Let’s hope the entertainment continues to flourish, and as it does, Mixed Alternative Magazine will be there as a landing spot for all the independent artists working so hard to make it happen. For more on the Louisiana Film Industry, visit them online at www.LouisianaEntertainment.gov . www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Moon Tree is a down-to-earth musical odyssey intertwining jazz, blues, country, and rock to create art built of timeless stories. < Back Moon Tree: Reflecting the Sounds of the Cosmos Erica Machen Jan 17, 2024 Share Moon Tree is a down-to-earth musical odyssey intertwining jazz, blues, country, and rock to create art built of timeless stories. Have you ever sat cross-legged, captivated by your grandpa’s extraordinary stories? The mysticism and legacy within words passed through generations lasso your attention. A similar enchantment echoes from the sonic musings of Moon Tree. Hailing from the Muscle Shoals area in Alabama, the band, consisting of Jeremy Parvin, Greg Chapman, John (aka Chet) Hicks, Kevin Reed, and Grayson Wright, intertwines jazz, blues, country, and rock. They may be sharing some folklore, but these are no classic folk songs. Band members contribute distinct elements. Vocalist Jeremy Parvin draws from Southern Baptist roots, infusing vocals with 70’s artists, blues, and southern rock influences. Guitarist Greg Chapman underscores the collaborative songwriting process defining the band. Drummer Kevin Reed injects high energy and jazz nuances. Chet Hicks, the bass player, emphasizes the band's melting-pot vibe with his musical experiences from across the country. And Grayson Wright, on keys, ties everything together with his incredible talent and youthful spirit. Each of the guys brings their own flavor to their musical gumbo, creating a uniquely soulful blend. Just as each of their flavors is unique, so are their albums. Moon Tree’s journey through genres is evident, from the gritty jazz-and-blues blend of their debut to the country-blues rock of "Too Much Honey". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w3PMrmTiIY Moon Tree’s latest album, "Into the Unknown," released in October and immerses fans in a cosmic odyssey, merging 70’s hard rock sounds with blues and gives vibes reminiscent of The Black Crows. Moon Tree’s streaming catalog is a musical space odyssey. “Footsteps and Stones” tells of one North Alabama man’s tribute to his indigenous ancestor through a hand-built stone wall. She walked for five years from Oklahoma to come home to the “Singing River” that is the Tennessee. Not only is this a testament to the tale, but it is a testament to Moon Tree’s journey in crafting musical masterpieces. Like the story they are telling, their art is being built of timeless stones. Inspired by the ethereal and space, "Into the Unknown" takes listeners on an epic celestial journey. Mixed Alternative caught up with these down-to-earthers to learn more about what inspires their sound, how their name is tied to the Apollo 14 mission, and the recent release of their third album, “Into the Unknown”. Check out our conversation below, then be sure to follow them on social media and get lost in the ride. MaM : In the spirit of Moon Tree's unique sound, each of you, in your own words, please give us a snappy introduction that captures the heart and soul of your musical vibe. L to R: Grayson Wright, Chet Hicks, Jeremy Parvin, Greg Chapman, Kevin Reed Credit: Amanda Chapman JP : I sing and don't play an instrument, which is probably best for all of us. I'm the front man. I was raised a Southern Baptist minister’s son. Gospel has always had a big influence. In my vocals, I draw a lot from 70’s artists with blues and Southern rock-and-roll influences. GC : In Moon Tree, we all have different musical backgrounds. We come up with things on our own, then bring it together for everyone to work on it. We put it on vinyl and hope people will listen like they used to listen to music. KK : I’m Kevin, the drummer. I’ve always played in more hard rock bands. Coming into this group, they weren’t necessarily a hard rock band, but they had really cool songs. We blended a little high energy with some of the jazz-type stuff they had going on. We build new things with each album. The first album is kind of jazzy, the second is kind of country, the third album is kind of hard rock stuff, and the next one … who knows what it's going to sound like? I try to help facilitate that as best I can by making it louder. CH : I’m Chet, the bass player. I’d say the vibe of our band is what most of our shows have shown: a melting pot. MaM : I’m glad you mentioned a melting pot. I was going to say Moon Tree's sound is a gumbo pot of gospel, classic rock, Texas blues, and jazz. How do these musical flavors come together in your songwriting to create something uniquely Moon Tree? CH : There are a lot of different kinds of influences. Everybody brings something different and are from different backgrounds. I think that's what made Muscle Shoals so cool back in the 70s. It's really the same thing with us. We all try to come up with song ideas, and then we try to make it sound like Moon Tree. It always does. It's great! JP : There's a tradition here [Huntsville, AL] in sort of making your own music and making your own fun. We really like working on the songs and getting them to that point. We all seem to gravitate toward the same musical point, which is really nice. We start off with the idea that's pretty raw; at the end, it's really refined. I think everybody's songwriting skills come into play, because everybody's bringing something to it in a creative way. MaM : Chet, with extensive experience, you have been around the musical block, so to speak. Would you share how your diverse experiences help shape the band's process in creating original tunes? CH : I have just played in so many different kinds of bands that when we started doing this one, it was easy. It was easy because it was kind of clear from the beginning. It was like ‘Ok, we're not really going to have any musical rules.’ We're just going to try to write the best songs we can write and get the best recordings we can make. There’s a lot of things coming from different genres since I played a bunch of different kinds. I was ready to do it [integrate genres]. A lot of what we do is really unspoken and understood between us. MaM : The Moon Tree name is tied to the Apollo 14 mission … pretty cosmic stuff! How does this out-of-this-world connection influence your storytelling, especially when delving into themes like folklore, spirits, and alternative perspectives? Credit: Amanda Chapman GC : The Moon Tree name came from the moon tree over at Ivy Green. Steven Tyler came here, and he hugged the moon tree. Whenever we saw that, it was like ‘Moon Tree?’ You know, that would be a good name. JP : There was a forestry expert who went on the Apollo 14 mission with the astronauts. He orbited while they went to the moon, but he was tasked with taking some seeds up with him in the orbit around the moon. When they came back in the early 70s, they spread those out amongst all the forestry commission. They planted seeds in certain areas. There are lists online for them. A lot of our music is inspired by ethereal things and space itself. Our latest album is titled ‘Into The Unknown’ and is very much in that lane, especially the title track, which is written by our drummer (Kevin). It has a very sort of, I don't want to say spacey, but let's say heavenly feel to it. MaM : You’ve opened for heavy hitters like Jimmy Hall and Jefferson Starship. How have these experiences shaped your live performances, and can you spill the beans on a standout moment from those gigs? GC : I just want to say we really appreciate everything we've had an opportunity to do. We've been very fortunate to play some shows like Jefferson Starship. It's an amazing opportunity to play those kinds of show. It gives you experience for future shows so that you're ready for anything that might happen. That makes you want to play better. Whenever we opened for Nick Saban, that was quite fun. That was the first time I ever used one of those in ear monitors. It gave me experience. It’s those experiences that prepare you for when something big comes up. JP : The show he is referring to was a charity event we were able to play very early in our career as a band together. We were very fortunate to play before Coach Saban was going to speak for the event, and it was great. MaM : You guys just released your third studio album, “Into the Unknown”, in October. What fresh sounds or themes can fans expect, and what cool surprises should everyone be on the lookout for in Moon Tree's upcoming adventures? Click image to experience Moon Tree KC : Hopefully, in the coming year, we're going to be playing in different towns. We’ve done Huntsville, Birmingham, and things like that. We want to spread out a little and really play behind this new album. We're really proud of this album. It's still new. So, hopefully we're going to be coming to more towns, playing more shows, and writing new music. Tonight, we've been rehearsing and have already worked on four new songs. They're all kind of gelling together real good [sic], and it’s totally different from the last album. We're always kind of moving forward. There's never much of a down period in this band. We record an album, we put out an album, we play some shows, and then we do it all over again. That's kind of the way it goes around here. GC : I would just like to say that I really appreciate having great local places around here where we can play original music, like Lava Room , For the Record , and Champy’s Shoals . JP : We also want to throw a shoutout to our superhuman keyboard sorcerer, who doesn’t always practice with us, because he is perfect and doesn’t have to! His name is Grayson Wright, and he is young and hip to what the kiddos like! He provides brilliant, often improvisational, chops on any style of piano/keys/synth, you name it! Venture out a little further on your expedition and be sure to visit Moon Tree online at www.MoonTreeBand.com . Moon Tree | YouTube Moon Tree | Facebook Moon Tree | Instagram Moon Tree | Spotify Moon Tree | iTunes *Cover photo by Amanda Chapman Erica Machen is a beast when it comes to consuming, writing about, and reviewing music. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

‘Come On Home’ is an upbeat and heartfelt anthem. < Back Reviews on the Real: Jared Daws Invites Us Back to Appalachian Roots with Soulful New Single ‘Come on Home' Nicole Brice Sep 16, 2024 Share ‘Come On Home’ is an upbeat and heartfelt anthem. Music truly can transport us to different places and times if the lyrics, vibe, and tone are just right. Enter Louisiana country artist Jared Daws , who has just released his latest, ‘ Come on Home ,’ an upbeat homage to rural country life and the relaxation that comes with it. Released September 6, 2024 The track has a strong opening that leads to crisp, clean vocals and a toe-tapping, head-nodding sound. With sing-along choruses and an incredible mix, Jared has managed to craft a feel-good song full of nostalgia and longing. Yes, just take me back to Appalachia, please. With a tinge of Louisiana flavor, Jared’s voice resonates with soul and strength. His vocals alone draw you into a song full of emotion that never lets up. This is truly an enjoyable track. The video , which was released on September 13, 2024 and is available on YouTube , paints a vivid visual and truly brings the entire song to life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rXvOFv6kJQ We were able to ask Jared a few questions so you can get a better feel for his newest tune. Check out our conversation below. MaM : Tell us a little about the inspiration behind your latest release, ' Come on Home '. What is the song about? How long did it take you to write the track? JD : ‘ Come on Home ’ is a tune about just getting back to your roots and doing the things that inspire you. For me, that’s being out in nature. Just breathing the air and hearing the sounds of the woods does something for me. The song came about from a little riff I wrote. From there, it all came together quickly. My buddy Pat Lyons , who plays for Colter Wall , helped me shape it up a bit, and it all came together from there. Credit: Cherish Ann / Memory Lane Photography MaM : Where was the new music recorded, and what are your plans for the rest of 2024 into 2025? JD : We recorded this tune in Nashville at The Owl studio in Berry Hill. A huge thanks to Pat Lyons (Colter Wall), Solly Levine (ex-Colter Wall, Noeline Hofmann), Preston Wait (Brothers Osborne), Geoff Henderson, Mitch Furr , and Katie Lang for helping me make this record! For 2024, we will just be ripping some gigs and getting ready to tour in 2025! MaM : What inspires you to create the music that you love? JD : Honestly, it all comes from my life experiences. I’ve dealt with and seen a lot in 30 years. Music helps make good and bad memories exist in a space where I can utilize their power. Being able to take a bad memory and turn it into something I enjoy or use a good memory and make it even better with music helps me out a ton mentally. Credit: Black Heart Media / Tayler Blackhart MaM : How would you describe the music you typically create? JD : They say country music is three chords and the truth. Most of my music has more than three chords, but that is true. So, I guess we will call it “country for the most part.” I just make what feels right, and it typically walks the line of country, folk, & Americana. It doesn’t matter what ya call it; I need ya to listen! MaM : Are there any musicians or bands you'd like to share the stage with in the future? If so, who? JD : The list would take up every bit of the space allotted for this interview, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. Sierra Ferrel , who, in my opinion, is the new-age queen of Americana music. Tyler Childers , for sure, as well. His sound is so raw, and I love that he’s just genuinely him. Lastly, I’ll say Chris Stapleton . That man has the soul of three generations inside of him. To make music with him would be an honor. MaM : We saw that you just released an album in January 2024. What are your plans for new material? Are you going to continue promoting your catalog, or do you have plans to push forward with new stuff? JD : I’ll always promote my catalog because I am proud of those songs. However, I see myself pushing my newer music more because it shows where I am currently in life. I’m living in the moment more these days, so pushing the music that’s with me right then and there is very important to me. I have a lot more music coming showcasing what life has been like lately, and I’m super excited and proud of it. ‘ Come on Home ' is a soothing, calming, relaxing song full of harmony that makes you think of campfires, hanging out, telling stories, and just the good times, so be sure to stream it today on your favorite streaming platform and catch Jared Daws live this fall at a venue near you. For more information on Jared Daws: www.jareddaws.com Jared Daws Official Website Home of country music artist Jared Daws. Shop for merchandise, stream and purchase music, as well as find tickets to upcoming events involving Jared Daws. *Cover photo by Cherish Ann / Memory Lane Photography Questions or comments? Reach out to mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

‘Run for Cover’ is an evocative track with introspective lyrics. < Back Reviews on the Real: Run for Cover by Aaron J. Burke Nicole Brice Oct 1, 2024 Share ‘Run for Cover’ is an evocative track with introspective lyrics. ‘ Run for Cover ’ is the latest release from Irish musician Aaron J. Burke , released on September 16, 2024, and offers a captivating and catchy blend of emotional sincerity and musical finesse. The song opens with a gentle and upbeat guitar riff, setting the tone and vibe. “Run fast, run for cover,” echoes the pre-chorus and chorus as Burke’s honest and raw vocals are delivered with vulnerability and intensity. The chorus – urgent yet melodic – serves as the song’s emotional core, reflecting between confrontation and retreat. Released September 16, 2024 Thematically, ‘ Run for Cover ’ explores escape, self-reflection, and the desire to find safety amidst inner turmoil. Burke’s lyrical style is poetic, and I genuinely enjoy it. The song's production is bare and stripped down, allowing Burke’s voice and lyrical content to take center stage. In contrast, the subtle build with instrumentation throughout the song adds layers of intensity, culminating in a powerful climax. There are no frills – just straight, enjoyable music. That’s the best way I can describe ‘ Run for Cover ’ by Aaron J. Burke. It’s melodic from start to finish, with excellent lyrics. For the lyrical inspiration behind his latest single, Aaron J. Burke said, “Run for Cover lyrically is a mash-up of various things, times when I've felt powerless or oppressed in life; it was my way of dealing with those emotions and writing something where I was saying, ‘No more, I won't be treated this way, I'm taking control over my life.’” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og2TUD8YZns I can even envision this song with a full band accompanying Aaron. I’ll be curious to see the future direction of his musical career as time progresses, so be sure to stream ‘ Run for Cover ’ on your favorite streaming service today. To learn more about Aaron J. Burke: Facebook Instagram www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90's flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Attachment < Back Shudder’s New Queer Horror Thriller Will Have You Rethinking Your Relationship Anxieties Shaun Corley Apr 3, 2023 Share Attachment New relationships can be a great thing. The feeling that, once again, somebody loves you and takes joy in your company is a rush unlike few others. Yet with all the giddiness and excitement can come anxieties as well–namely, meeting your partner’s family. It can be a nerve-shredding experience even on the best of days. You’re on your best behavior and putting your best foot forward ... you need to be on point, right? Mess it up and your new relationship could be in for a rough ride or a quick end. In Attachment, Danish director Gabriel Bier Gislason's first feature, protangonist Maja doesn’t do anything wrong in meeting her new girlfriend’s family, but she is still confronted by these anxieties, and in Gislason’s hands, they blossom into full-blown terrors. Attachment is a new queer romantic horror-thriller brought to you by Shudder. The film received a ton praise from critics at the 2022 London and Los Angeles Film Festivals, not because it’s a refreshing take on romance and horror but because it explores myths and tales of Yiddish folklore by using cast interaction and the story itself as “the creepy factor,” instead of the typical jump-scare efforts we are used to, hence the slow unnerving burn. The film’s opening moments introduce us to Maja (played by Jospehine Park), a young woman and former child actress, who coasts on old glories that amount to reading stories to bored children at the library. One day, Maja, who lives in Denmark, bumps into Leah (Ellie Kendrick), a young Jewish woman from London studying abroad. They go out for tea and find themselves back at Maja’s apartment. Their affair quickly blossoms and for a while, all is golden. Their idyllic existence comes to an end, though, when Leah has a seizure, during which she accidentally breaks her leg. Leah’s studies in Denmark are also winding down, which would spell the end for her and Maja, but Maja decides to accompany Leah back to London. From there, it’s all downhill. Maja moves into Leah’s second-floor flat above Leah’s mother, Chana (Sofie Grabol), who lives on the first floor and does not approve of Maja at all. It becomes quickly apparent that Chana is highly overprotective of Leah, as she repeatedly called her daughter while she was living with Maja and continues to hover over her now that Leah is back in London. It also becomes apparent there is more going on than Maja ever thought. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBYIhO2hg34 Chana and Leah hail from an Orthodox Jewish community, and Maja struggles to find her footing. Noticing that Chana and Leah’s flats are adorned with symbols from Jewish culture, Maja, in good faith, decides to learn more. Venturing out into the community, she visits a Jewish bookstore, where she meets the store’s owner Lev (David Dencik). Lev and Maja become friends, and she is astounded to learn Lev is Maja’s cousin. When Chana learns that Lev and Maja have become friends, she forbids Lev from speaking to her—an action that clues Maja in that something sinister is going on. Sure enough, Maja’s suspicions are confirmed when she learns that since Leah was a child, she has been besieged by a dybbuk , an evil spirit in Jewish lore. Chana’s overprotective nature stems from her desire to save her daughter from its influence. At its core, Attachment is a demonic possession thriller, but where most films in this genre are rooted in Catholic doctrine, this one grounds itself firmly in the Jewish tradition, giving viewers something new and unexpected. Gislason does not stop with dybbuks; he also invokes the Golem as well as Kabbalah. These topics may seem out of place in our modern culture, but Gislason, who is Jewish himself, never once adopts a condescending attitude towards them. Instead, in his hands, the dybbuk is a terrifying entity—one that wants nothing more than to destroy Leah and all that she loves. But, as stated earlier, Attachment draws its power by mining the anxieties that come with a new relationship. Maja is clearly out of her element in Leah’s ultra-Orthodox community, and Chana can barely hide her disgust. Part of this resentment is because Chana sees herself in Maja. She reveals she was not originally a part of this community either; she married into it. After converting, Chana’s husband left her. Now alone in a world that was never hers, Chana has had to make the best of it. Meeting a new partner’s family can be nerve-wracking, and Gislason knows this. He ferociously runs with this and successfully turns common anxieties into supernatural horror. Attachment is a slow burn of a thriller with subtle scares. Gislason does not opt for conventions. There are no jump scares, nor is Leah’s possessed form too demonic looking. Here, the emphasis is on atmosphere—Gislason is out to unnerve the viewer and he does this by keeping matters low key. The classics of the possession genre, such as The Exorcist , are often brutal and visceral, but Attachment keeps it subtle and, in the process, creates a genuinely unsettling movie. credit: Movie Reviews 101 With its slow-burn plot and complete absence of gore or jump scares, Attachment may not be for everyone, but Gislason has nevertheless crafted a solid entry into the possession film subgenre. Attachment takes its time getting where it’s going, but patient viewers will be rewarded with an atmospheric, unsettling horror film tapping into common new relationship anxieties that won’t subside anytime soon. Shaun Corley is an East Coast pop culture enthusiast who loves to write about everything entertainment. He’s a big, important ScreenRant writer who has many leather-bound books (and comic books) and whose apartment smells of rich mahogany. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

The Sludge Metal Legends Reunite for a Long-Awaited and Historic Performance. < Back Acid Bath’s Triumphant Return: A Night 28 Years in the Making Justin Hammer and Charles Sagona Apr 27, 2025 Share The Sludge Metal Legends Reunite for a Long-Awaited and Historic Performance. Friday night, the mythical Louisiana sludge metal legends Acid Bath returned to the stage, kicking off their reunion tour with a sold-out show at the Fillmore in New Orleans — their first performance in precisely 28 years . Credit: Justin Hammer Photography The current lineup features original members Dax Riggs (vocals), Sammy Duet (guitar), and Mike Sanchez (guitar), joined by Goatwhore's Zack Simmons on drums and Crowbar's Shane Wesley on bass . It's a blend of old blood and new energy , and from the moment they launched into the opening notes, it was clear this wasn't just nostalgia — Acid Bath came to reclaim their legacy. Dax Riggs by Justin Hammer Photography Acid Bath was one of Louisiana's most influential sludge metal bands in the 1990s , known for their unique blend of doom metal , punk , grunge , and Southern rock . The band was active from 1991 until 1997 , when they disbanded following the death of founding member and bassist Audie Pitre . After their final performance in Shreveport, Louisiana , on April 25, 1997 , it seemed to everyone, including the remaining band members, that this marked the end of an era and that their music would never be heard live again. Sammy Duet of Acid Bath by Justin Hammer Photography What makes Acid Bath 's return even more remarkable is how their legend status grew during their long dormancy. In their original run during the '90s, Acid Bath wasn't selling out venues like the Fillmore . They were packing into dive bars like Papa Joe's in Baton Rouge , Zeppelin's in New Orleans , and gritty all-ages shows in small-town halls like Gonzales, LA . Their glory days weren't measured in ticket sales , but in the cult following that quietly spread over the years, turning their two albums — When the Kite String Pops and Paegan Terrorism Tactics — into sacred texts of underground metal. In October 2024 , the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas announced its lineup, and to everyone's surprise, Acid Bath was included. However, shortly after the announcement, the festival was canceled. Despite this setback, more shows began to be organized, officially confirming the remarkable return of the iconic Louisiana band. Fast forward 28 years to the day: Acid Bath made their highly anticipated return to the stage at the Fillmore New Orleans on April 25, 2025 , performing to a packed and sold-out crowd. The show opened with an electrifying performance by Eyehategod , another iconic band from New Orleans and friends of Acid Bath 's members. Fronted by Mike Williams and featuring founding member Jimmy Bower from Down on guitar, Gary Mader on bass, and Aaron Hill on drums, Eyehategod set the stage with an incredible 45-minute set that energized the crowd. The biggest question lingering over the night: could Dax still deliver after three decades away? — was answered immediately. His voice was astonishing, shifting effortlessly from throat-shredding screams to hauntingly beautiful melodies , often within the same song. The years had done nothing to dull his dynamic range or emotional power. The audience was diverse , consisting of older fans who remembered seeing the band at their peak in the '90s, and younger attendees who were born well over a decade after the band disbanded. Acid Bath took the stage to a roaring, packed crowd. The moment's significance sank in as they began to play: Acid Bath was back. Looking over the audience, we could see everyone mouthing and singing along to their iconic songs, regardless of age, fully immersing themselves in this historic moment in music history . Immediately following ' Bleed Me an Ocean ,' the crowd couldn't contain their excitement and broke into chants of "Acid Bath! Acid Bath! Acid Bath!" Sammy grinned and told them, "Hey, y'all calm down — there's plenty more where that came from," which drew a giant pop. Sammy Duet of Acid Bath by Justin Hammer Photography Midway through the set, Sammy paused to ask the crowd, "Be honest — did you think this would ever happen again?" The thunderous "NO!" that followed said it all. The setlist , while powerful, leaned toward deeper cuts rather than expected anthems. Classics like ' The Blue ,' ' Cheap Vodka ,' ' Jezebel ,' and their traditional closer ' Cassie Eats Cockroaches ' were notably absent, leaving some fans both exhilarated and a little wistful. It wasn't a flawless performance. Early-show jitters led to a few songs being stopped and restarted. "Sorry," Sammy told the crowd after one hiccup. "You guys don't deserve this. Hold on — I just want to give you the best experience ever," before relaunching into a blistering rendition of ' Dr. Seuss Is Dead .' Sammy Duet of Acid Bath by Justin Hammer Photography But in the end , none of the minor missteps mattered. The sheer joy radiating from both the band and the audience was undeniable. It wasn't just a concert — a resurrection, a testament to how far their shadow had stretched while they were silent. This band has had a tremendous impact on the metal scene in New Orleans , and they continue to do so by selling out every show they announce within minutes. Their music resonates with younger generations, inspiring both local bands and fans. Even after being absent for 28 years, their influence remains significant. The merch line snaked through the venue, with fans waiting over an hour to score shirts, posters, and a piece of history. Acid Bath's long-dormant flame has been reignited, burning brighter than ever. Setlist: Tranquilized Bleed Me an Ocean Graveflower The Bones of Baby Dolls Dead Girl (Agents of Oblivion version) Old Skin New Death Sensation Venus Blue Scream of the Butterfly (dedicated to Audie Pitre) Paegan Love Song Dr. Suess is Dead Set List from 4.25.25 To learn more about Acid Bath: Website: The Official Acid Bath Website *All photos by Justin Hammer Photography Shop Photography Art | Justin Hammer Photography www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Reach out to us at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

With Halloween 2023 right around the corner, Mixed Alternative got together to recommend some of our favorite Halloween movies! < Back 20+ Halloween Films to Watch This Season: Feast Upon This Keeley Brooks & Mixed Alternative Staff Oct 22, 2023 Share With Halloween 2023 right around the corner, Mixed Alternative got together to recommend some of our favorite Halloween movies! ‘Tis the season for all things spooky, my friends, and here at Mixed Alternative, we love the weird and spooky because, well, that’s just who we are—well, maybe not spooky but definitely weird in the best possible way. In addition to costumes, candy, and creepy-looking house parties, Halloween is also celebrated in cinema. With the 2023 Halloween season right around the corner, we thought it would be fun to give you guys a little roundup of our favorite Halloween movies recommended by our writers and editors. Happy Viewing, my friends. --------------------------------------------------------------------- C.G. SMITH Evil Dead II (1987) Director: Sam Raimi Cast: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Ted Raimi, Kassie Wesley DePaiva The Evil Dead franchise follows Ashley “Ash” Williams (Campbell) in his battle to survive on onslaught of flesh-possessing demons that he and his friends accidentally unleashed when they found an old book, the Necronomicon, at a cabin in the woods and read it aloud. Oops. Evil Dead II finds Ash holed up in cabin with a group of strangers as the demons continue their attack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qBGnzz7mPI “I first watched Evil Dead II in middle school with friends at a sleepover, and what I loved about it then and now is the way it mixes comedy with gore . It’s wonderful. Evil Dead II will always be one of my favorite horror movies because of how absolutely fun it is to experience and how many memorable and quotable scenes there are not just in the franchise but in Evil Dead II in particular.” A Quiet Place (2018) Director: John Krasinski Cast: John Krasinkski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe If they hear you, they hunt you. Imagine having to live in a world where making the softest sound could get you killed. In A Quiet Place , a family must live in silence to avoid mysterious creatures that hunt by sound. Knowing that even the slightest whisper or footstep can bring death, Evelyn (Emily Blunt, of Edge of Tomorrow ) and Lee (John Krasinski, of The Office ) are determined to find a way to protect their kids while desperately searching for a way to fight back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR7cc5t7tv8 “ A Quiet Place is so great on so many levels, as it took something we all tend to take for granted and made the mere act of making sound a death sentence. Imagine giving birth in a world where you can't make a sound and there is no medical care, where you must keep your newborn quiet lest it be snatched by an alien before you can blink. Babies are not quiet, so the combined tension of giving birth silently and keeping a newborn quiet are just horrific. A Quiet Place is excellent writing and acting merging into a masterpiece from one spectacular idea . While A Quiet Place Part II didn't quite live up to the original, I still hold a place in my heart for this movie.” *Honorable Mention: The Omen (1976) Director: Richard Donner Cast: Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, Harvey Stephens, David Warner The Omen is about a boy named Damien (Harvey Stephens, of The Bat ) who is believed to be the Antichrist. When American diplomat Robert (Gregory Peck, of Cape Fear ) adopts Damien after his wife Katherine (Lee Remich, of Around the World in 80 Days ) delivers a stillborn, Damien’s first nanny hangs herself. When Father Brennan (Patrick Troughton, of Doctor Who ) warns Robert that Damien will harm Katherine’s unborn child, it isn’t long before Brennan turns up dead and Katherine miscarries when Damien pushes her off a balcony. As more people around Damien die, Robert investigates the kid’s background and realizes Damien may just be the devil’s son. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS-sXcx30O4 “I read ‘The Omen’ book as a young child and later saw the film. The idea that a child had been born as the son of the devil to an influential family and would one day rise through the ranks of society was fascinating to me. The way The Omen built suspense and overall tension is truly something to witness . ‘Damien, it's all for you.’ Plus, I kinda looked like the child actor when I was his age.” --------------------------------------------------------------------- JEFF CRESPI Drag Me to Hell (2009) Director: Sam Raimi Cast: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Ruth Livier, Lorna Rave, David Paymer Alison Lohman ( Gamer ) stars as Christine Brown, a beautiful girl with a loving boyfriend (Justin Long, of Accepted ) and a great job at an L.A. bank. Her heavenly life becomes a living hell when, in an effort to impress her boss, she denies an old woman’s request for an extension on her home loan. In retaliation, the crone places a curse on Christine, threatening her soul with eternal damnation. Christine seeks a psychic’s help to break the curse, but can she afford the price to save her soul? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd8NNcd4Oeo “ Drag Me to Hell is one horror movie that always stood out to me. Actress Alison Lohman does an amazing job as the lead and looks a lot like our editor-in-chief, Nicole Brice! Drag Me to Hell has some very suspenseful and scary moments throughout the film, starting from early on. I think this is a great movie that doesn't fall into a list with the more obvious ones ." The Exorcist (1973) Director: William Friedkin Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb, William O’Malley One of the most profitable horror movies ever made, this tale of an exorcism is based loosely on actual events. When young Regan (Linda Blair, of The Exorcist: Believer ) starts acting odd—levitating, speaking in tongues—her worried mother (Ellen Burstyn, of Requiem for a Dream ) seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. However, a local priest (Jason Miller, of The Exorcist III ) thinks the girl may be seized by the devil, so he makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert (Max von Sydow, of Flash Gordon ) to help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDGw1MTEe9k “I would have to say the scariest film of all time would be The Exorcist . The story, cinematography, acting, editing, and old school techniques combine perfectly to cast a deep shadow of fear in the hearts of any viewer. ” *Honorable Mentions: Saw Franchise (2004) Director: James Wan Cast: Leigh Whannell, Cary Elwes Creators: James Wan and Leigh Whannell, Shawnee Smith, Tobin Bell, Danny Glover A groundbreaking horror franchise, Saw is about a sadistic serial killer named Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) who kidnaps people and sets them up in one of his perverse little puzzle games so that they have the choice: live or die. In the original Saw movie, photographer Adam Stanheight (Leigh Whannel, of Upgrade ) and oncologist Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes, of The Princess Bride ) regain consciousness while chained to dirty, grimy pipes at either end of a filthy bathroom. As the two men realize they’ve been trapped, flashbacks relate the fates of Jigsaw’s previous victims while the two men are forced into torture as they fight for their survival, as Gordon’s wife and young daughter watch via closed-circuit video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-1QgOMQ-ls “As far as gore goes, the Saw franchise is fantastic and ultimately features some of the most cringeworthy horror scenarios available today . It’s no wonder the Saw movies make up the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time.” Halloween II (1981) Director: Rick Rosenthal Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasense, Charles Cyphers, Dick Warlock After failing to kill stubborn survivor Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis, of True Lies ) and taking a bullet or six from former psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence, of Halloween ), the masked Michael Myers follows Laurie to the Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, where she’s been admitted for Myers’ attempt on her life. The institution proves to be particularly suited to serial killers, however, as Myers cuts, stabs, and slashes his way through hospital staff to reach his favorite victim. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzOdUKVD8Ac “There’s a lot about the Halloween movie franchise that stands out for numerous reasons, but one of my favorites is Halloween II , which focuses on Dr. Loomis’s hunt for Michael as a traumatized Laurie is rushed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital. Only thing is, Michael is right behind her and when he gets into the hospital, the action makes for one unforgettable scene that forever stands out for me. It’s a must see .” --------------------------------------------------------------------- CHUCK BROOKS Get Out (2017) Director: Jordan Peele Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener, LaKeith Stanfield, Betty Gabriel, Marcus Henderson In a slam dunk of a directorial debut from actor, producer, writer, and comedian Jordan Peele ( Nope ), Get Out follows young couple Chris (Daniel Kaluuya, of Black Panther ) and Rose (Allison Williams, of M3GAN ) as they go to visit her parents in Upstate New York. Chris has never met them before and is a little weary about this milestone in their relationship. When they first arrive, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship (Rose is White, Chris is Black), but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries leads him right to a truth he could’ve never imagined. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koQKnuQb7zQ “What I enjoyed about Get Out is its commentary on how Black people are treated in the 21st Century. Peele managed to write an ingenious horror movie that’s stone-cold realistic commentary on the enslavement of a race of people for their perceived physical attributes and longevity . Get Out is masterfully told and acted out on all parts of the cast—the ensemble of which was a big deal. The scene where Chris is struck in sheer terror emanates with how Black people must feel today: like there’s an area where if they cross some perceived line in reality, there’ll be retaliation by the system. Catherine Keener ( The 40-Year-Old Virgin ) and Bradley Whitford ( The Handmaid’s Tale ) represent this and capitalize on Black lives before Black Lives Matter ever became a thing. This movie is important for a lot of reasons : It’s a good movie with a valuable message as a horror movie , it adds to the shallow repertoire when it comes to black horror films, and it crosses borders like Us (2019) does. The social commentary with Get Out is exploitation on Black people as a whole treated as a commodity, as something to be traded or sold. Peele wrote a horror movie about Black people that is a real-time horror tale set in real life, and he couldn’t bring more valuable views and messages to the masses with his work.” Zombieland (2009) Director: Ruben Fleischer Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslin, Bill Murray After a virus turns most people into zombies, the world’s surviving humans remain locked in an ongoing battle against the hungry undead. Four survivors—Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson, of White Men Can’t Jump ) and his cohorts, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg, of The Social Network ), Wichita (Emma Stone, of La La Land ), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin, of Little Miss Sunshine )—abide by a list of survival rules and zombie-killing strategies as they make their way toward a rumored safe haven in Los Angeles … at the house of one Bill Murray ( Lost in Translation ). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlW9yhUKlkQ Zombieland is one of the best comedy-horror films today. From its comedic aspects such as Columbus’s rules for surviving in this new zombie-infested world to the tough but sensitive levity Woody Harrelson brings to his character to the zombies’ development and adopted zombie-telling techniques from other areas, everything about this film works together to enhance an already excellent storyline . Zombieland is exciting, full of wild action with well-choreographed stunts, and it features just the right amount of gore without being too much. Zombieland is a movie that you can still watch and get something out of it, even if you’re not a zombie person . --------------------------------------------------------------------- EZEKIEL KINCAID The Exorcist (1973) Director: William Friedkin Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb, William O’Malley One of the most profitable horror movies ever made , this tale of an exorcism is based loosely on actual events . When young Regan (Linda Blair, of The Exorcist: Believer ) starts acting odd—levitating, speaking in tongues—her worried mother (Ellen Burstyn, of Requiem for a Dream ) seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. However, a local priest (Jason Miller, of The Exorcist III ) thinks the girl may be seized by the devil, so he makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert (Max von Sydow, of Flash Gordon ) to help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDGw1MTEe9k “ The Exorcist set the standard for possession movies. Friedkin's bold adaptation of Blattey's novel has shocked and scared audiences since its release in 1973 and still does so to this day. Often imitated but never replicated, no possession movie has ever surpassed this one in thrills and chills .” Hereditary (2018) Director: Ari Aster Cast: Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff When the matriarch of the Graham family passes away, her daughter and grandchildren begin to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry, trying to outrun the sinister fate they’ve inherited. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6wWKNij_1M “I once read somewhere that Hereditary was The Exorcist of this modern-day generation, so it is no surprise I love it. The Exorcist it is not, but that doesn't mean it isn’t unsettling. Ari Aster's dark take on the cult/occult subgenre of horror will keep you awake for days . That’s a guarantee.” Halloween (1978) Director: John Carpenter Cast: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran, Nancy Kyes, Charles Cyphers On a cold Halloween night in 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years. But on October 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21-year-old Michael Myers steals a car and escapes, returning to his quiet hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he looks for his next victims. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5ke9IPTIJQ “John Carpenter and Debra Hill raised the bar for slasher movies with Halloween . Ominous, atmospheric, and foreboding, Michael Myers has a creep factor that many of his predecessors and contemporaries lack. Halloween also has the best theme music ever !” --------------------------------------------------------------------- KEELEY BROOKS 28 Days Later (2002) Director: Danny Boyle Cast: Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, Naomi Harris When a group of eco-terrorists free a chimp from its lab cage in a Cambridge medical research lab, they’re unaware it’s infected with what is called the “Rage virus” and unknowingly unleash the apocalypse. When London bike courier Jim (Cillian Murphy, of Peaky Blinders ) wakes up from 28 days in a coma, he finds London in total collapse, the world in destruction, and society completely obliterated. It’s only when he’s chased through the streets by aggressive, wicked fast, bloodthirsty creatures and is saved by a couple of uninfected that he learns what has happened and must figure out a way to survive in a world not only full of raging zombies but also littered with broken down groups of humanity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7suz9ndPBHg “ 28 Days Later was the first zombie movie to truly scare me. Before then, I’d never seen fast zombies, let alone violent, aggressive ones. I love everything about this movie, from its concept to its pace in storytelling to its simple use of blood to imply more than what is seen. 28 Days Later features stellar acting (this was Cillian Murphy’s first big movie) and a smart soundtrack that drives the panic and tension throughout the story. And further compounding this hair-raising scenario is the horror story within the horror story , which shows what happens when humanity ceases to exist. I also love how Director Danny Boyle juxtaposes this horrific scenario with the beautiful backdrop of nature—ironic since nature is where viruses originate. ** For more about this movie, read my full review of 28 Days Later . World War Z (2013) Director: Marc Forster Cast: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, Matthew Fox When former U.N. investigator Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt, of Ocean's Eleven ) and his family get stuck in urban gridlock, he senses it’s no ordinary traffic jam and he’s right: The city is erupting into chaos at an incredibly fast pace, leaving little to no chance for escape or survival. A lethal virus spread through a simple bite is turning healthy people into something vicious, unthinking, and feral within a matter of 12 seconds. As the pandemic threatens to consume humanity, Gerry leads a worldwide search to find the source of the infection and, with a stroke of luck, a way to halt its spread. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slfrrjPndV4 “Clearly, zombie movies are my favorite horror movies--next to slasher films, of course. World War Z had the same effect on me that 28 Days Later had: sheer terror . I didn’t think it was possible to amp up the aggression, speed, and bloodlust that zombies of the early 21st Century had come to display, but World War Z came along and nailed it. With the exception of about four minutes at the beginning and end of the film, World War Z is adrenaline-inducing and heart pounding from start to finish . Every single moment of this film is level 10 panic and chaos—no time to think, no time to movie, no time to fear. The cinematography is gorgeous, again using the technique of juxtaposing breathtaking views with a horrific reality. And I have to give mad props to the makeup and special effects department, who, no pun intended, killed it with these zombies. Those moments in the halls of the Center for Disease Control had me holding my breath as I sat there, mouth wide open, in total awe and appreciation of what I was seeing: tension to the max . Also, that massive horde of zombie savagely climbing the walls of Jerusalem is just breathtaking—terrifying, but breathtaking. World War Z is stellar horror all the way around .” Scream (1996) Director: Wes Craven Cast: Drew Barrymore, Matthew Lillard, Skeet Ulrich, Neve Campbell, Tatum O’Neal, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Henry Winkler Set in the small town of Woodsboro, Middle America, Scream ’s plot follows high school student Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell, of The Craft ) and her friends, who, on the anniversary of her mother’s murder, become the targets of a costumed, knife-wielding serial killer known as Ghostface. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWm_mkbdpCA “I love Scream because it scared me without terrifying me and made me laugh in ways that didn’t make the movie any less effective in its serious nature. Featuring one of the best opening scenes in a slasher movie , which was alone enough to instill the fear and pace of this narrative and hook us in from the get-go, Scream reinvented and revitalized the slasher-horror genre . It’s funny and clever in dialogue and character portrayals—thanks, in part, to momentous performances from David Arquette ( Never Been Kissed ), Matthew Lillard ( Good Girls ) and Henry Winkler ( The Waterboy )—while remaining deep in the vein of seriousness, psychological thrills, and plenty of jump scares. Craven masterfully builds tension and self-parody as the body count in Woodsboro rises and a fright-masked knife-wielding maniac stalks high school students in middle-class suburbia. Another reason Scream is a must see : the irony in Randy Meeks’ (Jamie Kennedy, of Son of the Mask ) scene explaining the rules to surviving any horror movie: (1) never have sex, (2) never drink or do drugs, and (3) never ever ever, under any circumstances, say, ‘I’ll be right back.’” Cujo (1981) Director: Lewis Teague Cast: Danny Pintauro, Dee Wallace, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Christopher Stone Adapted from infamous horror author Stephen King’s story of the same name, Cujo is the terrifying tale of a sweet St. Bernard who is bitten by a bat and contracts rabies. Cujo, who roams between his owner’s house and auto garage on the same property, starts behaving oddly and becomes very aggressive, eventually morphing into a dangerous beast thirsting to kill. When stay-at-home mom (Dee Wallace, of Sons and Daughters ) gets caught in Cujo’s crosshairs while out on a fateful errand with her young son Tad (Danny Pintauro, of Who’s the Boss? ), she must fight to protect herself and Tad from Cujo when they become trapped in their tiny Ford Pinto after it breaks down at the auto garage … for days, with no help in sight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFUD8b-BZCc “I won’t lie: Cujo scared the absolute shit out of me when I first saw it as a young teen. It’s not the rabies-infested dog that makes Cujo so scary; rather, it’s King’s claustrophobic scenario of being trapped in a tiny, dysfunctional car guarded by crazed, rabid beast that terrifies. From the scenes of Dee’s escalating fear to Cujo viciously attempting to get into the car to Teague’s filming techniques that keep us grounded in awareness, Cujo is definitely one of the scariest real-life scenario movies I’ve ever seen . I never looked at St. Bernards the same way after seeing this film.” Beetlejuice (1988) Director: Tim Burton Cast: Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones, and Winona Ryder After Barbara (Geena Davis, of A League of Their Own ) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin, of Supercell ) die in a car accident, they find themselves stuck in their country residence, unable to leave the house. When the unbearable Deetzes (Catherine O’Hara, of Schitt’s Creek , and Jeffrey Jones, of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ) and their teen goth daughter (Winona Ryder, of Mr. Deeds ) move in, the Maitlands attempt to scare them away without success. That’s when they turn to rambunctious bio-exorcist Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton, of Batman ) and all hell breaks loose in the best possible Tim-Burton way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8drwhnYhmw “I adore this movie and everything about Tim Burton’s exaggerated gothic style. Beetlejuice features an all-star cast who, honestly, couldn’t have played their roles any better. Beetlejuice is original, creepy, funny, artistic, and completely entertaining . This movie never gets old and now with a sequel coming in 2024, I suspect Beetlejuice will reach a whole new generation of fans. I can't wait.” --------------------------------------------------------------------- MO THORNTON The Night House (2020) Director: David Bruckner Cast: Rebecca Hall, Sarh Goldberg, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Evan Jonigkeit Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth (Rebecca Hall, of The Town ) is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tires as best she can to keep it together, but then the dreams come and disturbing visions of a presence in the house call to her, beckoning with a ghostly allure. But in the harsh light of day, any proof of a haunting dissolves. Against the advice of her friends, Beth digs into her husband’s belongings in a frantic search for answers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tshycci2ZA “I love a good scare, and one of my go-to films for a sleepless night that has me double-checking the locks on my door while experiencing mounting, almost unbearable suspense is The Night House . Rebecca Hall stars as a widow whose grief is complicated by anger, confusion, and guilt as her husband died by his own hand. The remote lake house setting makes it all the creepier (and more delicious) to explore, along with the protagonist's thin spaces between reality and nightmare.” Fear of Rain (2021) Director: Castille Landon Cast: Katherine Heigl, Harry Connick Jr., Madison Iseman, Israel Broussard “ Fear of Rain brilliantly takes the audience into the dark, terrifying world of a teen girl who struggles with mental health.” Rain (Madison Iseman, of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle ) has early-onset schizophrenia, a condition that not only causes her to see vivid hallucinations but also puts a strain on her parents. When she meets Caleb (Israel Broussard, of Fear the Walking Dead ), a charmingly awkward new kid at school, Rain finally feels a lifeline to normalcy. But as she starts to suspect her neighbor kidnapped a child, she must figure out who and what is real while also battling the overwhelming forces that haunt her daily life . “The danger she encounters during her episodes might not all be ‘in her mind.’” https://youtu.be/jFxOxLLzjG8?feature=shared “Full disclosure: Both The Night House and Fear of Rain deliver heart-stopping jolts of fright that let me skip the gym the next morning—an added appeal.” --------------------------------------------------------------------- NICOLE BRICE Halloween (2007) Director: Rob Zombie Cast: Scout Taylor-Compton, Malcolm McDowell, Tyler Mane, William Forsythe, Udo Kier, Danny Trejo Nearly two decades after being committed to a mental institution for killing his stepfather and older sister, Michael Myers breaks out, intent on returning home to Haddonfield, Illinois. He arrives on Halloween with the indomitable purpose of hunting down his younger sister, Laurie (Scout Taylor-Compton, of An American Crime ). The only thing standing between Michael and a Halloween night full of bloody carnage is Dr. Sam Loomis (Malcolm McDowell, of A Clockwork Orange ). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjWLc-7SI00 “Rob Zombie’s Halloween completely changed my view of the Halloween franchise. Growing up, I always felt that beyond the first two original Halloween films, the franchise became cheesy and stale. Then in walks Rob Zombie with this scary as f**k take on the narrative and I was blown away. To this day, Halloween (2007) still freaks me out, but in a good way." Sleepy Hollow (1999) Director: Tim Burton Cast: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Jeffrey Jones, Christopher Walken Set in 1799, Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow is based on Washington Irving’s classic tale “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. Faithful to the dreamy custom-bound world that Irving paints in his story, Sleepy Hollow mixes horror, fantasy, and romance while featuring an extraordinary cast of characters that dabble in the supernatural. And, of course, it features Tim Burton’s unforgettable gothic style to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=504uo6f3xEc “I absolutely love everything about Sleepy Hollow . When Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp, of Pirates of the Caribbean ) is sent to the creepy town of Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of three people, he soon discovers the culprit isn’t another person but is the legendary apparition The Headless Horseman . Everything about this movie is perfect : the acting, the tone, Burton’s pace of his film, the cinematic techniques used to create suspense and fear, the scenery, the narrative—absolutely perfecto in my opinion. --------------------------------------------------------------------- SHAUN CORLEY Night of the Living Dead (1968) Director: George Romero Cast: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman The black-and-white George Romero classic Night of the Living Dead follows seven people trapped in a farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania as they fight to fend off a hungry horde of reanimated corpses. Pragmatic Ben (Duane Jones, of Vampires ) does his best to control the situation, but when the reanimated bodies surround the house, the other survivors begin to panic. As any semblance of order within the group begins to dissipate, the zombies find their way inside. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob8vZhSjES8 “ Night of the Living Dead is my first favorite movie from when I was all of 10 years old. When I revisited it in college, I found out it held up really well. What I like about Night of the Living Dead is its subversive nature. It was a commentary on 1968 America, and it is still relevant today .” The People Under the Stairs (1991) Director: Wes Craven Cast: Ving Rhames, Sean Whalen, Brandon Quintin Adams, Everett McGill, Wendy Robie, A.J. Langer When young Fool (Brandon Adams, of The Sandlot ) breaks into the home of his family’s greedy and uncaring landlords, he discovers a disturbing scenario where incestuous adult siblings have mutilated a number of boys and kept them imprisoned under the stairs in their large, creepy house. As Fool attempts to flee before the psychopaths can catch him, he meets their daughter, Alice (A.J. Langer, of Private Practice), who has been spared any extreme discipline by her deranged parents. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx4jKIzvVUo “ The People Under the Stairs is the first R-rated movie I ever saw in theaters. How my dad convinced my mom to let him take me I'll never know. The People Under the Stairs comes across as goofy and campy, but there's actually a great deal of subtext about gentrification and ‘urban renewal’ in it.” --------------------------------------------------------------------- TIM JACKSON The Exorcist (1973) Director: William Friedkin Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb, William O’Malley One of the most profitable horror movies ever made, this tale of an exorcism is based loosely on actual events. When young Regan (Linda Blair, of The Exorcist III ) starts acting odd—levitating, speaking in tongues—her worried mother (Ellen Burstyn, of Requiem for a Dream ) seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. However, a local priest (Jason Miller, of Paradox Lake ) thinks the girl may be seized by the devil, so he makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert (Max von Sydow, of Flash Gordon ) to help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDGw1MTEe9k “The scariest horror movie for me remains The Exorcist. At maybe 13 years old, I saw the TV version of the original 1973 movie, and even that version with the most graphic scenes and swear words removed was the scariest movie I had ever seen . Several years later, I saw the full, uncut version and was once again terrified. The Exorcist is exquisitely done . Its special effects for that era were superb. The subject matter, especially for someone raised in the church, seemed so much more real than a Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees. The Exorcist avoided a lot of the jump-scares and other horror tropes and instead just told a story that scared the shit out of you. It's the all-time best horror movie , in my opinion. *I also love some of the movies adapted from Stephen King's books: The Shining, Pet Sematery, Carrie, Christine, and Cujo , for instance. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Empowered < Back Rockin 4 Jesus: The Next Great Band You Haven't Heard Yet Nicole Brice Oct 22, 2022 Share Empowered Many bands label themselves and label themselves wrong. Case in point, Baton Rouge 's own, Empowered . A Christian Rock band fronted by Benny DiChiara with Shane Madere Jr. (lead guitarist, backing vocalist), Jeff Maddox (bass and background vocals), Mic Capdeville (percussion and background vocals), and Justin Burdette (guitarist and background vocals), this band has a serious unique sound that needs to be heard and is much more than just Christian Rock. With lyrical content that pulls at your heart strings, Empowered proves they are a band you should take notice of and listen to. credit: Gary Governale Empowered got its start in 1998 and was the brainchild of DiChiara who had previous success on the local music circuit singing with various secular bands. In 2011, they released the album Soulcry to modest success, but it wasn't until 2019's Three Days that the band really began to pick up steam. Three Days was produced by Mikey Howard of 7eventh Time Down / Love Journey Music and showcases the Empowered sound in all its glory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TIny6LmI7c To follow up the success of Three Days , Empowered have recently released their third EP, Yahweh-Nissi via Slingshot Records , an Indie label based in Baton Rouge , LA. The title track is straight up in your face rock-‘n’-roll with a hardcore message and the rest of the EP is a finely produced melodic journey of love and Jesus that will leave you singing at the top of your lungs. Empowered performing at Yes Fest in Baton Rouge, LA on October 15, 2022 credit: Gary Governale Shane Madere Jr. , lead guitarist for Empowered , said of the sound he achieved for recording the title track, "I used a combination of my Ugly Amps Big Ugly 100 on the Ugly Channel plus an emulation of an Xotic BB Preamp from my Fractual Audio AX8 unit to get the sound I was looking for." Shane definitely got it right and the guitar has a nice crunch with the sound emulating the stomps of an army on the march. When I asked Shane of his guitar influences, he cites Eric Johnson . “My solo sound and even the notes I used on the studio recording of Yahweh-Nissi was very much influenced by him. He writes very melodic solos that fit the song." Shane Madere Jr. (guitar) credit: Gary Governale Recently, Empowered took the stage at Yes Fest 2022 to play their new EP in its entirety at the state fairgrounds in Baton Rouge sharing the bill with 7eventh Time Down and Kari Jobe amongst others. Their set was a powerhouse performance of finely tuned music that left you wanting more. Justin Burdette (guitar) credit: Gary Governale Of the experience playing Yes Fest , DiChiara has said, “Playing Yes Fest in Baton Rouge was such an exhilarating experience, not only being on that stage, but the ministry aspect of it as well. It’s an amazing and humbling thing to see God work things out for our good – but only if we are looking to see it." Mikey Howard of 7eventh Time Down with Benny DiChiara credit: Gary Governale He went on to say, "A special thanks to all of the artists who we got to share the stage with. It wasn't just about meeting other artists and hearing about their ministries, but we also got to share the stage with our mentor/producer/friend/brother in Christ, Mikey Howard . We sang our new radio single ' Jesus Can Heal The World ' and it was an incredible moment." Mikey Howard took the stage to perform "Jesus Can Heal the World" with Empowered credit: Gary Governale Empowered 's sound is definitely unique and DiChiara has said of their sound, "Well, it’s not necessarily that we're trying to write to a sound. Over the past two records, we do seem to have come into our own. Someone said if U2 married Daughtry , we’d be their band baby." Jeffrey Maddox (bass) credit: Gary Governale When asked what inspires the band, he went on to say, "The inspiration simply comes from God . Yahweh-Nissi was a direct discussion between He and I, and I was told of the direction for the title track. It’s simply a war cry for believers to rally with Jesus and take it to the evil that seems to be everywhere in the world right now. I think that the rest of the record points everyone in that direction as well. Who’s gonna rise tonight?". These guys in Empowered are definitely on the rise and people should take notice. Mic Capdeville (drums) credit: Gary Governale Empowered 's new EP, Yahweh-Nissi , is available NOW on all streaming platforms and you can learn more about the band via their social media and YouTube . Empowered | Facebook EmpoweredOfficial (@empowered_rockin4jesus) • Instagram photos and videos EMPOWERED - YouTube ‎Empowered on Apple Music Empowered | Spotify *All photos by Gary Governale * www.governalephotovideo.com Zenfolio | Home I have been working as a video professional since 1993, with a wide range of experience writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing. A strong interest in videography, specifically lighting and composition, led me to photography in 1998. Rapidly changing technology has blurred the line between video and photography, allowing me to work in both mediums.. Baton Rouge, LA, United States www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90's flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Reach out to us at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Bringin' back the classic rock vibe < Back Born to Rock: Adam and the Metal Hawks Keeley Brooks Apr 24, 2023 Share Bringin' back the classic rock vibe By now, just about everyone on the planet has seen their video creatively (and hilariously) reviving the Guns ‘n Roses classic rock tune “Sweet Child O’ Mine”. If you haven’t, don’t sweat it—you know I’ve got you covered. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4eo6LS9lto BUT, you must also watch this take, because it features new drummer Griffin McCarthy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNiAKNJOTnk This fun-loving group of irresistible talent is known as Adam and the Metal Hawks and right now, you can’t open TikTok without seeing one of their infamously funny and wholly entertaining music videos full of prowess and passion. The band shot to stardom last summer when Jack Black finally publicly acknowledged his musical doppelganger in lead singer Adam Ezegelian after the band recreated Tenacious D’s “Kickapoo”, posted it on TikTok, and called on Black to duet with them. After six attempts to get his attention, and with the help of social media followers embarking on a public pressure campaign calling on the celebrity to respond, Black did just that. “We tried to incorporate either songs that he had covered or his songs,” Ezegelian said in an interview with Sweety High , “and we worked them into different formats for our TikToks.” At the time the Hawks posted these videos, their one main goal was to get the actor and musician, who covered the track in the hit movie School of Rock , to post a video reply. So, fans and band members constantly posted on Black’s TikTok videos, urging him to respond, and on May 27, 2022, he did. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzqJtpfct48 This attention, paired with their impeccable three-part harmonies and meme-worthy videos, shot the band into notoriety heaven and the rest, as they say, is history. “That was an amazing experience,” says lead singer Adam Ezegelian. “We’re all huge fans of [Jack Black] and Tenacious D, his band, and their music, so, in the beginning when we first jumped on TikTok, we kept getting comparisons to him because of my voice and facial expressions. So, we sort of leaned into it and started posting videos … a little challenge to get him to duet us, and eventually it just worked. … It was crazy. We were all in shock.” While Black has followed the Hawks on social media and liked some of their posts, he hasn’t necessarily responded verbally, but Ezegelian notes he is keeping an eye on them. “One day, hopefully we’ll do something worthy enough to get his attention and maybe get the invite out or to open for them on tour, which would be amazing. We’d love to play with them. We’re just holding on and keeping his attention and hopefully sending something out he’ll enjoy.” The guys have even gotten the attention of Styx with their mouth-wide-open version of “ Come Sail Away ”. With over three million followers on TikTok and one million on Instagram, it’s safe to say Adam and the Metal Hawks are the most famous band to emerge from social media as quickly as they have, but it’s not just because of their talent. These guys are so down to earth and genuinely hilarious on and off camera, their infectious energies and personalities suck you right in and make you feel like you’re hangin’ out with your best homies, just having a good time and kickin’ it to some bitchin’ rock tunes. All hailing from Long Island in New York, Adam and the Metal Hawks features, from left to right, original founding Metal Hawks members Johnny Barry on guitar and Ryan Daversa on bass, Adam Ezegelian on lead vocals (and I do mean lead vocals), and Griffin McCarthy on drums. Though none of them grew up together, you’d never know it given how they interact with and support one another. They’re truly a band of brothers enjoying life to the best of their ability, then sharing their experience through music and entertainment. Image taken from artist social media Prior to Adam, the band was known as Metal Hawks and consisted of Johnny and Ryan, who met at a local talent show in 2014, and the group’s original drummer, Alex Hertler, who left the band in 2022. (He is featured in the first “Sweet Child O’ Mine” video at the beginning of this article.) The three played every bar and club on Long Island and honed their craft before meeting Adam through mutual friends in 2019 and bringing him in to sing. “I was playing bass and singing at the time, so it was a little bit of a blow to my ego” laughs Daversa, who, in my opinion, bears a bit of a resemblance to 80’s rock band Warrant lead singer Jani Lane but who most commonly gets compared to Eddie Munson of Stranger Things or Michael Beck of the 1979 action-crime thriller The Warriors . “But, you know, the way Adam sings, man, I don’t want to sing anymore. That guy’s just too freakin’ good.” Once Adam took over singing duties, Ryan—heavily influenced by rock greats Rush, Van Halen, and Led Zeppelin—shied away from the role of lead singer and began focusing more on bass. Image taken from artist social media Guitarist Johnny Barry recalls always having had the vision of being in a rock band. He picked up the guitar when he was eight, and at age 10, he started his first band called Metal Hawks with two other kids, who would later be replaced by current bandmate Ryan Daversa on vocals and later, bass, and former drummer Alex Hertler. “My parents were very into music but never played any instruments. My dad loves classic rock, and his favorite band is Van Halen, which is also my favorite band,” Barry says. “Mine, too!” Ryan chimes in with a laugh. Adds Griffin, “Yeah, we’re all in fortunate situations with our families, who understand how difficult it is to do this for a living and to pursue it—my parents especially, because they’re musicians and know firsthand how difficult it is to get started. Our family circle is very supportive, so we lucked out with that. They’re all very great people.” “My dad is our number one fan, for sure,” Johnny continues, and the other guys agree. He credits Guitar Hero with helping him find his passion. “For my communion at eight or nine years old, my parents got me my first guitar, and ever since, I kept trying to start a band. I’m also into AC/DC and Greta Van Fleet.” Image taken from artist social media After Hertler left the band in 2022, drummer Griffin McCarthy was quick to audition and take over the throne. It was his addition that allowed the Hawks to pull out those beautiful three-part harmonies and achieve that awesome sound not many bands can pull off, especially since technology plays such a huge role in today’s music. “We’re trying to bring the classic rock feel back, especially to these kids on TikTok [who] may have never heard any of this music before or just heard it in a random animated movie. … We’re trying to be that voice of rock that just brings it back,” Ezegelian explains. And bringing it back they are, but they’re also putting their own spin on the sound, and that’s what makes them so unique. Each member is his own reincarnation of some great classic rock artist and collectively, they have a really hip vibe of effortlessly singing like birds while playing instruments, and that is pretty impressive. McCarthy said they all took the best of their inspirations of that era and molded it into their own style and brought it together, and it blends well. “It’s great people see it for what it is because there’s a huge gap in the market for that right now. So, it’s very cool to see this generation want to go see a full band live, [especially in this modern technological age]. It’s good for us because that’s what were here for,” laughs Griffin. Image taken from artist social media McCarthy cites his biggest influences as Rush, The Who, and Queen and says he’s been drumming since the age of three. “There was always music in my house. My parents are piano players and always played for me, then I started picking some of it up and playing a little on my own. I always had rhythm from an early age.” He eventually started showing interest in the drum set, which his mother noticed, and when he was seven, she enrolled him in drum lessons. “I got my first drum set at eight, and I haven’t stopped playing since. I always foresaw a future there. I fell in love with the drums immediately. And it’s amazing, because I’ve finally found a band who wants it as bad as I do.” McCarthy has toured with several acts prior to Adam and the Metal Hawks, including Yngwie Malmsteen and Prong, who went on the road with Overkill, and he even toured briefly with a Broadway production of “Rent”. Lead singer Adam Ezegelian says he’s been fueled by rock energy since he arrived on this planet, and his parents had a lot to do with that by raising him right and exposing him to good music. Growing up, Adam was active in plays and musical theater—even jazz band and an acapella jazz ensemble. Image courtesy of artist social media “I just love performing,” he says. “You know, making people laugh and clap along and bob their head … just getting into it.” Ezegelian’s life changed in 2015 when he auditioned for American Idol and got a ticket to Hollywood. He took his influences of Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses, and AC/DC, as well as his love for rock, and filled people with happiness with his resonant, multi-dimensional voice and animated facial expressions. Adam sailed right through to the Top 16 before being sent home, then in 2019, he met the Metal Hawks and, as their website says, “they’ve had stellar rock chemistry ever since.” And they’re right: Their chemistry is so stellar, it’s palpable. That might have something to do with the fact that they were all raised so right in being constantly exposed to some of the best, most influential music on the planet. Someone needs to give these guys’ parents a giant high-five for being so cool. Way to go, parents; you guys truly do rock. Recently the guys finished recording their second album as Adam and the Metal Hawks, though their first one, a self-titled album that dropped in 2020 during Covid, features their former drummer. Their hit single from that album released Sept. 2019 and is titled “ Turn Around ”. It’s a love song encased in a hard rock shell, and that’s easily relatable to all of us. That single set the tone for who they were and, shortly thereafter, they released “ Wastin’ Time ”, then “ Backwards ”. Since, with new drummer Griffin McCarthy (who reportedly plays a mean cowbell), the Hawks have released two other singles with videos, “Hey Hey Mama” and “Love is on My Wishlist (When It’s Christmas)”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H0m1MD2cUk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGUxSx5cSUE “We’ve been working for over a year [on this new album]. These songs are songs we’ve taken on road and played at shows and gotten crowd feedback and changed things here and there, and we’re just very excited to show you guys what we’ve been working on. It’s gonna be great when we can release it and see what everybody thinks,” says Ezegelian. “Yeah, all the songs are diverse and unique in their own way,” adds McCarthy. “Not one song sounds like the other. You won’t feel like you’re listening to the same song twice. It’s very original.” Adam continues, “A lot of our material is coming from our personal experiences, of course, and we want to make sure everybody can take something away from each song ... so, there’s strength in having that wide array of songs. There’s something for everybody there: power ballads, acoustic ballads, heavy songs, fast songs … if you’re a rock band fan, there’s gonna be some songs that you’re gonna love. As far as concept, a lot of it has to do with our rise from nothing to [being a] viral sensation, so we’ve got some good stuff on there—inspiration from being cooped up from Covid and the culmination of the past couple years going into this album. It’ll be a large weight off our shoulders once it’s released to just spread it throughout the world ... 10 lovely tracks.” I’d say the fellas are getting used to their newfound fame quite well. They remain graciously humble, without all the ego, but reality did smack ‘em right in the face last year while playing a festival in Switzerland. The guys agreed that seemed to be a pretty huge “Oh SHIT!” moment for them. “That … moment, for me, was about five minutes before we were going on stage in Switzerland last year. There were 15,000 people there … and it was the biggest crowd we’d played for. That was one of the only shows in my whole career where I was shitting a brick. It was that nerve-racking. But, after the first two songs, the crowd was totally into it, and we got a standing ovation.” Griffin agrees: “It was mind-blowing to see that many people in one space. It was such a unique experience. And what a beautiful area Switzerland is, too. The band before us didn’t have much crowd engagement, so we were worried the crowd wouldn’t like us but two songs in, they were engaged and going nuts for every song. They were super loud, super high energy. It was nice to see that because majority of those people had no idea who we were. [It] was really amazing to have that reception and make so many new fans at once.” Ryan chimes back in: “Yeah, that is one of my favorite things about playing these festivals. No one knows who you are but if you’re good enough and blow people away, then everyone knows who you are. That makes fans for life.” Currently Adam and the Metal Hawks are gearing up for their UK tour happening later this year, and they’re already working on their third album. While there are currently no U.S. dates at this time, the band does expect for that to change. “We don’t have anything formal to announce just yet but, like I said, [we have this] new album that should be out by summer or end of the year … maybe singles and videos out by summer,” says Adam. “We’re playing a bunch of festivals this summer to push the album release, and we have the UK tour lined up. I’m sure very soon after there will be something announced for the States.” Rock gods, we hope so. The guys also hope to return to Canada for another tour after playing there last year, and they say they’d also like to get some South America dates. “We’re just looking to jump all over the world and just spread the music.” So, if you can’t tell by now, these guys are a group you’re going to want to follow and keep up with, because they’re on the verge of blowing up worldwide. And, given what they’ve already produced and released, there’s no telling what kind of genius is waiting in the wings. One thing’s for sure, though: Adam and the Metal Hawks are just getting started. Expect great things from these guys, my friends. Image courtesy of artist social media In the meantime, I highly recommend visiting their social media pages and diving into their videos. I spent an entire day going down the AMH video rabbit hole and there’s so much yumminess in there, I sat covered in chills, boosting my serotonin, whilst rocking out with them to Toto, Queen, Twisted Sister, Aerosmith , Scorpions , The Romantics, Meat Loaf, Bon Jovi , Led Zeppelin, Elton John, AC/DC (with water!) , Leonard Cohen , Metallica, Van Halen, Steppenwolf--do I need to keep going? Because I totally can. They’re downright entertaining, engaging, creative, talented, original, and full of that classic rock goodness we’ve all been longing to return. "We're just always trying to have fun in our videos," Ezegelian said. "That's why we have such a large following: They want that little piece of fun, that serotonin boost, in their day, and that's where we come in." One day, guys, people are going to be covering your tunes and paying you tribute in the honorable and exciting ways you are doing now. And so, my friends, I leave you with quite possibly some of the best compilation videos in existence. Enjoy, and don't say I didn't warn you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI2I10rNVSk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucKQDibzh04 For more information on Adam and the Metal Hawks, and their badassery, cruise on over to any of the links below and rock your face off. YouTube @AMHBand Instagram @AMHBand www.amhband.com HOME | amhband.com AMH is a hard rock band from Long Island, New York, formed in 2019. The band consists of American Idol finalist Adam Ezegelian, along with Johnny Barry, Ryan Daversa and Alex Hertler. They released their debut album Adam and the Metal Hawks in April of 2020 and have since seen viral popularity on TikTok and other social media platforms. Twitter @AMHBand Facebook @AMHBand TikTok @AMHBand Spotify www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Alternative music will have a huge impact on 2025. < Back Nick's Corner: January 2025 Recs Nick Cline Jan 7, 2025 Share Alternative music will have a huge impact on 2025. Hello everyone! First, I would like to apologize for the lateness of this one. December and January are some of the craziest times of the year, as most of you can attest. But, besides that, welcome! Welcome to the first playlist picks for 2025. I want to thank all of y'all for the support you've been giving since I started at this magazine in June of last year. I am very grateful for all the opportunities and people I have met through this magazine, and I hope to continue meeting all of you beautiful people in the future. Okay, enough with the yapping. Let's get into it! 1 Black Gives Way to Blue by Alice In Chains Click to listen Deets about the track : First up on the chopping block is this beautiful song from 90s legends Alice in Chains . This song is from their 2009 album, Black Gives Way to Blue . It is the title track of the album that we will be discussing today. The song, ' Black Gives Way to Blue ', is a song that gets me through the harsh months of December and January. It is a tonal masterpiece that will leave chilling reminders of your triumphs, darkness, and lives ahead of you and the lives before now. It is perfect for that somber feeling of winter, and it can give you hope to push past the harshness of the past year into the greatness you will become in this new year. 2 Bleed by Kris Russ Click to listen Deets about the track : Next up is a local Louisiana act, Kris Russ . His song ' Bleed ' is an absolute banger. It is a grand testament to the possibilities of the music scenes in Louisiana. His mixing of early 2000s alternative and pop rock is a masterful determination of sonic mixing with modern sounds. The lyricism hits every note of the broken-hearted minds that will find his music inspiring and soothing. I can't wait to see what awaits Kris Russ in 2025, so I hope y'all feel the same after checking out his music. Follow Kris Russ closely because he has crafted a sound all his own. 3 Drywall by Goodbye Academy Click to listen Deets about the track : The following two picks will be more local acts that light the stage on fire with every note and beat they lay across. First up, Goodbye Academy . Goodbye Academy is a band located in the Baton Rouge area, and let me tell you, everyone needs to treat themselves to their live set. They are a powerful trio of musicians with so much energy and personality, and their sound reflects this in perfect unity. Their song, ' Drywall ', is the ideal introduction to their music that fuses the sounds of midwest emo , punk , and high-octane rock . Please do yourself a favor and check out this song and their catalog. You will not be disappointed! 4 Daydream by Jean Claude Seagal and The Gosh Darn Dangs Click to listen Deets about the track : Next up, we have the last local pick for this installment. Welcome, Jean Claude Seagal . Their sound is reminiscent of alternative legends of the 80s and 90s, but they fit in the modern twist of hard rock and punk . The song I want to show off today is ' Daydream .' This song is a special treat to listeners because it shows off another great band, The Gosh Darn Dangs . They are an amazing group to check out as well. This song offers sonic pleasures that will show off both sides of the two bands involved in the project. ' Daydream ' reminds me of Dinosaur Jr. in every significant way, but it has its sonic uniqueness that I genuinely feel deserves more love. Mixing fuzzy, spacey melodies, progressive drum styles, and pounding bass lines offer a sonic palette that will satisfy just about anybody. Do yourself a favor and check out this band of wickedly talented people. 5 Dragonaut by Sleep Click to listen Deets about the track : The last of this first playlist picks is Sleep 's wicked song, ' Dragonaut .' The stoner rock legends Sleep offer a different light to the playlist picks. They are a heavy, droning, and ready to beat your eardrums into the ground type of band. If you are a fan of old-school Black Sabbath and a fan of walls of fuzz, then you are in luck because these guys offer that in strides. Please do yourself a favor and check out Sleep and their discography. They have cemented themselves as legends in the stoner rock genre. This song is an excellent introduction to them because of its familiar feel of blues-influenced rock with that twist of walls of fuzz, droning melodies, and a rhythm section that could floor just about anybody. Check these tracks out and let me know what you think. -Nick- www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90's flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Nick Cline is the powerhouse behind the Louisiana-based band, Phantum Sun , and loves checking out new music. Got something you think he'd like? Email us at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Truly a Time to Let Your Soul Fly Free < Back Metal: The Killer of Trends Nicole Brice Nov 10, 2022 Share Truly a Time to Let Your Soul Fly Free To say that Metal , especially Southern Metal, had a HUGE impact on my life would truly be an understatement. To be honest, I cannot recall a single time when Metal was not a staple in constant rotation within my music collection. The one band, though, that I can attribute to me truly getting into super heavy music, though, would have to be Pantera , and I had the opportunity to not only see them once in my life, but twice . Those memories will never be forgotten, and those ticket stubs will forever be treasured heirlooms as will my 1996 concert tee from the tour for The Great Southern Trendkill . The ticket stubs from when I saw Pantera LIVE Tour shirt from July 11, 1996 Pantera always had that in-your-face / want to punch something sound. I can recall hearing ' Becoming ' for the first time in my brother's burgundy 1984 Honda Accord on his Alpine stereo at full blast while riding home from school one afternoon. The aggressive guitar that starts the track gives an instant punch to the cojones and what a musical journey that song is. It never lets up. Aggressive all the way through. Dimebag truly was a pioneer of his time and is so missed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLP0xP2M4S8 'Becoming' by Pantera Shows were a way of life growing up and every show that came to town was a "must see". In 1996, my brother and his friends heard that Pantera was coming to town, and so, I instantly HAD to go, right? Add in the fact that they were to play with White Zombie , and duh, no brainer! We were there! We ended up scoring balcony seats, fail , but at least we were getting to go to the concert, so there's that. On May 7, 1996 , The Great Southern Trendkill was released, and the cover was so sick that I knew before I even pressed play that I was in for an incredible experience. To this day, ' Floods ' is one of my favorite Pantera songs, hands down, because of Dimebag's amazing guitar solo , and I like to listen to that track on rainy days in my car at full volume. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5pr9lDaEyw 'Floods' by Pantera Considered one of Pantera's most aggressive albums, The Great Southern Trendkill features some of the fastest tempos and down-tuned guitars in their entire anthology, and even though it was to be one of the last Pantera offerings for a long while after, it serves as a reminder of days past when Metal ruled, and life was simpler. The 1996 show with Pantera and White Zombie was killer, no lie, and was one of the BEST shows I have attended in my LIFE . White Zombie was incredible, Pantera was incredible, Eye Hate God ...not so much, but the entire show was definitely one to remember. Back then, it was my first time seeing Eye Hate God , and their set was lacking something. I can honestly say that after all these years, Eye Hate God has gotten so much better, and I really enjoy their live shows. They have become icons, in their own right. Many years later, on a whim, I bought tickets to see Pantera again, but this time they were playing with Soufly . Winner, winner, chicken dinner! I am a HUGE Max Cavalera fan, HUGE ! I, literally, cannot go a day without listening to at least one Sepultura or Soulfly song. Max's voice gets me so pumped up! Just a few of my fave Sepultura songs are ' Refuse/Resist ', ' Roots Bloody Roots ', and ' Ratamahatta '. I even religiously wore my brothers Soulfly t-shirt in high school, often pissing him off when he would go looking for it and couldn't find it. It was almost always in my room in my dresser, ha! Oopsie! No clue how it got there. ::grins:: I'm wearing the infamous Soulfly t-shirt here, but it's hidden behind this stuffed pig. No clue why I was holding a stuffed pig. Anyway, so ended up getting to that second Pantera show late and arrived in the middle of Soulfly's set, bummer, but at least I got to go, and Pantera did not disappoint, once again. Sadly, I did not get a t-shirt from that show, but I have the memories of who I went with and the experience. Those things can never be replaced. Even though, Pantera is no longer around with the OG's, the memories of seeing their brilliance on stage will forever live in my mind, and maybe if I'm lucky, I'll stumble upon a YouTube video in the future of someone who recorded the shows I attended. Even though we didn't have camera phones back then, some people did sneak video cameras into those shows, and I'm sure someone out there has footage. They just have to. Till next time, listen to good music, reflect on the memories, and let us teach the future generations what classifies as truly GOOD music. Love and Light -Nicole- Me in high school wearing my Pantera tour shirt in 10th grade Geometry class www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

The power of authentic expression < Back Women Who Rock: Wanda Wesolowski Tim W. Jackson Aug 7, 2023 Share The power of authentic expression Wanda Wesolowski doesn’t particularly sound like a rock star name. The bespectacled, coveralls-wearing, unadorned young woman, still in her 20s, doesn’t necessarily look like a rock star, either. But the North Alabama southern pop rock singer/songwriter/musician is becoming well-known as a talented force in the area’s rich music scene, leading Wanda Band to release its second full-length album, “Only Feeling” , on August 11. As that album prepares to drop, Wanda shared a bit about her success, her sobriety, and her sexuality in a beautifully unassuming and authentic way. Wanda grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, with supportive and musically gifted parents. She explains that her father, Chuck, plays guitar and bass while her stepmother, Jill, is a classical pianist. “We had a music room when I was a kid,” she says. “Guitars on the walls and a drum set and a grand piano. So, I just kind of grew up around that.” She started playing drums and took drum lessons at age 10. “I played snare in marching band and vibraphone, xylophone—all the phones,” she says. Wanda started playing the ukulele and then playing guitar and singing. By the time she was 14, she was gigging every week. Credit: Malachi Byrd “My dad would take me to my gigs, and he would stay the whole time and walk around and listen and kind of let me know what people were saying and give me tips and pointers.” She says that while her parents have always been very invested in what she does, it’s somewhat of a blessing and a curse, “because on the one hand, they're like, ‘Hey, what are you doing today for your music career to happen?’ I'm like, sometimes I'm doing nothing and that's okay,” she says with a laugh. Early on, Wanda was performing covers and even jingles because they were quicker to learn. Eventually she started going to an open mic night in Huntsville that required acts to play originals because the venue didn’t pay its PRO (performing rights organizations) fees. “That was really how I became a songwriter,” she says, “because I wanted to play and I was like, ‘I guess I have to write my own songs if I want to play at this open mic night.’” That was The Foyer, which, as Wanda remembers, “was kind of a golden age in Huntsville that a lot of people still talk about, ‘Remember The Foyer days?’ It was a coffee shop open until two in the morning and was a great hangout for musicians and college students.” In fact, it was at an open mic event in Huntsville where she first met its host, Andrew Sharpe. Wanda explains, “He said, ‘Hey, you're really good. You need a band. I wanna be in your band.’ And then I went in the next week, and he was like, ‘Hey, I got a band together for you. We rehearse on Monday.’ So, I was like, ‘All right, cool.’” And that’s how the Wanda Band was born. A few folks came and went but ultimately the band became a trio with Wanda on guitar and vocals, Andrew on bass, and Nick Recio (Black Jacket Symphony, the Artisnals, and Great Peacock) on drums. Credit: Andrea Belk “We have a lot of laughs and make fun music and it's good,” she says. After its initial album, “ One-Hit” , which was released in late 2020, Wanda Band signed this year with Single Lock Records out of Florence, Alabama, and has released a series of singles leading up to its release of the new album “Only Feeling.” Image Provided by Artist, Album Artwork by Gaby Wolodarski One of those singles, “Reggae Song”, was released in June as part of Pride Month. I want a woman to touch my thighs Who loves to sing and only smokes to get high I want a woman to scream my name She could be anybody, she just has to be gay In this song, Wanda is more explicit about her sexuality, although she says, “I guess a lot of my songs are about queer heartache and that experience and some of my frustrations with living down in the South and being a queer person. I think it's important for me as a woman, a queer artist, to be out and to show that there can be queer joy, there can be queer heartache, and just kind of giving a voice to those who feel the same way and maybe have experienced the same things.” She goes on to say with a laugh, “I definitely think that whether anybody wants it to be or not, all Wanda Band shows are a pride event .” Wanda says she’s been pleased with the reception of “Reggae Song” and the three other singles that have been released ahead of the full album. “I like the idea of giving everybody a little taste pretty relentlessly, like once a month, of our music,” she says. “And then we'll just give them all 12 (songs) for the full release and that will be fun. I'm really excited for everyone to hear the whole thing as a cohesive album.” As for the album, it was recorded with producer and musician Jay Burgess (The Pollies) at his studio in Greenhill, Alabama, which also happens to be the hometown of Jason Isbell . “Once it was done,” Wanda says, “Jay showed it to Ben (Tanner of Single Lock Records in nearby Florence) and Jay asked if Ben could put some stuff on it. So once Ben put all his keys on it, he was like, ‘I really want to pitch this to Single Lock and see if they want to put it out.’ So, they came to us and that was really special to me because it meant that they actually wanted to be involved with it. Using their resources has been extremely helpful and we're really thankful for their support in that way.” It probably doesn’t hurt that Wanda was a student of John Paul White ’s in the music department at the University of North Alabama. White, a noted singer/songwriter in his own right, is a co-owner along with Tanner and others of Single Lock Records. Wanda’s Shoals-area connections paid off in landing her a spot in the 2022 version of ShoalsFest, a musical weekend event brought to the area by Jason Isbell and his team. That was a dream come true,” Wanda says. “When I first moved to Florence, I worked ShoalsFest. I tore down the stage. I stood up on that stage and looked out and I was just like, ‘Now imagine yourself being here next year.’ So just being connected in the Shoals really has helped our career skyrocket in a way that it wouldn't have been able to just sitting in Huntsville.” In addition to the album release, another important date is looming for Wanda. She’s closing in on five years of sobriety. “I just was like ‘I guess if I'm an artist, I need to be troubled,’” she says about her early days of drinking. “As soon as I got out of high school, I just started drinking and smoking and doing a bunch of things I shouldn't be doing because I thought, ‘Oh, this is what it means to be young. This is what it means to be a brooding artist.’ And I took it a little too far and realized after about four years of regular heavy drinking that it wasn't helping me. It was kind of making me hate myself for not pursuing my dreams in the real meaningful way that I wanted to because I was so concerned with drinking and partying and being an artist in that way—and not really focusing on my art.” Credit: Tim W. Jackson She realized, “Some people can casually have a drink or two. I was not one of those people. It was like, as soon as I have a drink I'm blacking out. It was not good and not healthy. So, I finally made that decision (to choose sobriety) and started The Wanda Band like six months later and just really poured myself into my art and my music. In a way, maybe I traded one addiction for another— just being addicted to working on the band. But it was a healthy outlet for me, and it helped me pass the time and gave me a creative outlet that I didn't have when I was drinking all the time.” The focus on music has definitely paid off. The band has gotten more notoriety, and not just because of what has become their trademark coveralls. “I just got a pair of coveralls one day and thought, ‘Hey, I look pretty good.’ And then the boys were like, ‘I wanna wear some coveralls.’ So, our first album release show we got matching coveralls for the event, and we never looked back. We were just like, ‘I guess we're a coveralls band.’ “It's so funny,” she continues. “With the coveralls, I don't have to think about (what to wear). I'm just like, what color do I want to wear today? Sometimes I forget to tell the boys what color to wear and they'll show up to the gig with all of their coveralls in the back of their truck. I like that they're into it. They both work in construction, so it kind of just goes with their aesthetic.” Catch the “coveralls band” in a handful of album release shows in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, and give the album a listen on your streaming service of choice. And keep your eye on this rising star who stands as a testament to the profound impact of music when it emerges from the heart and soul of a genuine artist and storyteller. Wanda’s dedication to her craft and ability to connect with audiences will ensure her indelible mark on the world of music, reminding us all of the power of authentic expression. For more on Wanda Wesolowski and Wanda Band, visit her below at any of the following links: www.TheWandaBand.com Instagram @TheWandaBand Facebook @TheWandaBand YouTube @WandaBand Spotify @TheWandaBand *Cover photo by Andrea Belk Tim Jackson is a seasoned journalist and author with a penchant for all things dark, macabre, and somewhat sinister. He lives in Tuscumbia, Alabama, with his artist wife and their remote-chewing dog, Maple. www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Last Giant's music is nostalgic and fresh < Back Last Giant: Captivating and Catchy Chris Pryor Jun 21, 2023 Share Last Giant's music is nostalgic and fresh In the vast world of music, it's always a pleasant surprise to come across a band that manages to impress with its unique style and sound. Last Giant is one such band that has caught my attention, and in this review, I'll be focusing on two standout songs from their latest album, "Monuments" released on June 9, 2023, by indie label Little One Ate the Big One and distributed via The Orchard. Released on June 9, 2023 via indie label Little One Ate the Big One Beginning in 2014 from the ashes of former Northwest indie-rock heavy-hitters System and Station (1998-2013), Last Giant is comprised of frontman RFK Heise (vocals, guitar, keys), Palmer Cloud (bass), and Matt Willes (drums). Last Giant has toured the U.S. extensively and has been featured in film and television, as well as shows including Mike Watt's "The Watt from Pedro" and Allen Epley's "Third Gear Scratch." Last Giant's video for "Captain My Captain" was the winner of MTV's indie video award with over 70,000 votes and they were a featured artist on MTV2. courtesy indie label Little One Ate the Big One With "Monuments," demoing started in early 2021 before Last Giant's film release, "Live from The Hallowed Halls." Shortly after, personal tragedy derailed the band from living in a consistent zip code. Band leader RFK Heise continued to write and hone songs, most of which would become Monuments while living throughout Northwest and Southern California. Lyrical inspiration was found in observation and introspection on not having a consistent home and being a stranger in a constant strange circumstance. First up for review is "Lost and Losing," a track that immediately captures your attention with its captivating guitar work in the intro. The vocals exude a smooth yet bluesy/folksy quality reminiscent of the legendary Bob Dylan. However, Last Giant infuses their music with a modern touch, resulting in a sound that is both nostalgic and fresh. "Lost and Losing" stands out as the perfect contrast to the rest of the album, and it's a fantastic choice for a closing track. The production is top-notch, allowing the listener to fully immerse themselves in the West Coast scene that Last Giant expertly captures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6g5IV4647A Moving on to my personal favorite, "Soldiers." Right from the start, this song hits you with a heavy, crunching sound similar to the legendary Motley Crue. The riffs are undeniably catchy, while the driving drums keep the energy high throughout. The transition to the bridge and subsequent lead guitar solo is seamless and adds another layer of excitement to the track. As the song progresses, it momentarily slows down, building anticipation for a rockin' crescendo that doesn't disappoint. The structure of "Soldiers" is masterfully crafted, making it a perfect fit for modern rock radio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR0iBZ_0esU Last Giant's musicianship and production shine brightly throughout the entire album. The band has honed their style and sound, resulting in a cohesive body of work that showcases their talent and creativity. Last Giant is a well-rehearsed group of musicians who know how to captivate their audience. Based on their impressive performance on "Monuments," there's no doubt that Last Giant is a band destined to be seen and heard. Their ability to blend classic and modern rock influences sets them apart from the crowd, and I have no doubt that we'll be hearing even more from them in the future, so keep an ear out because they're ready to rock your world. To check out more from Last Giant, visit their website at www.LastGiantBand.com or hit one of the links below. Last Giant | Spotify ‎Last Giant on Apple Music Monuments | Last Giant (bandcamp.com) Christopher Pryor is a multi-talented Renaissance man who currently fronts the Louisiana-based band Chris Pryor & The Main Event. He loves to listen to new music and give his opinions. Got something you'd like him to listen to? Hit us up at the_nicolebrice@mixedaltmag.com or mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . *cover photo provided by indie label Little One Ate the Big One www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Spyne!’s music is raw unfiltered rock with a nod to the classics. < Back The Dynamic Sound of the New Jersey Band Spyne Nicole Brice Mar 2, 2024 Share Spyne!’s music is raw unfiltered rock with a nod to the classics. In the 90s, the musical landscape was full of rock tunes, but over the years the music being pushed to the masses has changed, taking on a different sound and vibe. With the industry focused more on overproduction and autotune, newer generations of independent musicians are starting to bring rock music back to where it belongs – on top. By reinventing guitar-driven music for a new generation, these bands are looking to make a revolutionary change by authentically creating tunes full of originality. New Jersey is known for its vibrant music scene and is continually churning out all sorts of musical creatives. Formed in New Jersey in 2021, the band Spyne! is steadily making a name for themselves on the local music scene, and includes frontman and rhythm guitarist Kyle Moyer, drummer Eric Muhler, lead guitarist Liam Muhler, and bassist Toni Manousos. Full of personality and charisma, Spyne! are four talented musicians on a mission to push boundaries and create music that resonates with listeners on a deep level, and the best way to describe Spyne!’s music, for those not familiar, is it is unfiltered rock with hints of punk and pop. It is simply feel-good rock. The band’s latest single “ Win ” was released on September 15, 2023, and is an anthem for any underdog facing criticism. With crisp, clean bluesy guitars and powerful vocals, the chorus asks, “Yeah what if I win?” in a sort of mocking tone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57hhuIemfqg One of the defining features of the band’s sound on this track is Kyle’s powerful and soulful vocals , which could be compared to Daniel Johns from Silverchair meets Wolfgang Van Halen meets Dave Grohl . His dynamic range and emotive delivery add depth and intensity to all the band’s songs creating a powerful and enjoyable listening experience. Since their formation, Spyne! has been steadily releasing new music, and their debut EP, “ Away ”, released in 2022, showcases the band’s raw talent with an enjoyable 14 minutes of sound. Spyne! is currently working on a full-length album to be released in the future, but in the meantime, you can stay up to date on all their music via their social media. With a growing catalog of original songs and dynamic live shows, Spyne! is poised to continue making a name for themselves in the music industry and their solid booked calendar for 2024 can attest to that. Credit: Photo provided by band Mixed Alternative Magazine had the opportunity to chat with the guys in Spyne! recently to discuss aspirations, what makes them so unique, and upcoming plans. Take a moment to learn a little more about this talented and comedic group of musicians and then go stream their music and crank it up to 11. MaM : Hey guys, thanks for chatting with us today. First question – where did the band name and clever logo come from? Kyle : So, this goes back to me and our old drummer. We were sitting around, and he had just gotten done with treatment for scoliosis, so the name “spine” popped into our heads. We decided to add the “y” for a different take on the spelling and then the exclamation point at the end to show emphasis, so it reads as “Spyne!”. Also, too, with the “y”, it looks like a crooked back. MaM : What got each of you into music initially? Liam : I initially got into music because every member of my family plays an instrument, and we all play different instruments, so that has definitely been an influential factor in my interest in music. It was almost destined to happen and just seemed normal. I love all sorts of genres and we all have a different style, so it all just meshes well. Eric : Since Liam and I are brothers, you know we had a pretty similar upbringing. Both of our parents are teachers, so there was always a push for us to do something with music. Over the years, I tried numerous instruments, so it was about finding something I wanted to stick with. I started playing the drums, and over time, that ended up being the instrument that stuck with me. Toni : I was always fascinated with people moving people with their music. I think it’s a very powerful thing. Kyle : The earliest memory I have is listening to a bunch of different CDs in my mom’s car on the way to school. Growing up, I had a lot of eye surgeries done in New York, so we would have some long drives from New Jersey to New York and I remember listening to a lot of Deep Purple , Aerosmith , Van Halen , and anything classic rock , to be honest. My mom and dad were huge influences on my music taste, though. They introduced me to some great stuff. Credit: Photo provided by band MaM: That’s great parenting! How would you describe the music you typically create now? Kyle : I guess you could say it’s got a classic rock sound with a modern twist. We’re not trying to copy anyone, but we’re looking for a new sound that incorporates things from the past. Liam : I like to think of it as reinventing classic rock. An extension of an already rich tradition, but for a different demographic … more for our age group. I don’t feel like we’re making music to appeal to an older audience but more to a diverse audience. MaM : How do you approach writing music? Take us through the creative process. I read that you’re going to release a full-length album later this year, so tell us a little more about all of that, too. Liam : We are very privileged to have a great songwriter in Kyle. He writes from the heart and with his songwriting and Eric’s drumming skills, it’s just an excellent combination for Toni and me to add some riffs and harmony. We have a great formula and with live performances, we can stretch our muscles a little bit to change up the songs for the performance. Maybe change up a solo here or there. Our chemistry has these really consistent roles. Kyle : He’s right on the dot. It starts with me and then goes to Eric and then to the other two guys. We’re very lucky. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : If you could collaborate with any musician in the future, who would it be and why? Kyle : There are so many. I love Dave Grohl and have been a Foo Fighters fan since I was 12 years old, but I love Aerosmith, too. Liam : So, I have a bad answer for this. If I could collaborate with any artist, it would have to be Bruce Springsteen so I could complain to him. (laughter) No matter where I play or where I go, people keep mentioning him. The funny thing is that everyone around me has said they have met or seen Springsteen , so I feel like I owe it to myself to meet him. Everyone sitting at this table today has seen Springsteen . I’ve even done two Springsteen tributes in other bands, and I have yet to see or meet the guy. (laughter) MaM : If you ever do meet him, you need to tell him that he’s like Waldo … where’s Bruce ? (laughter) Toni : Paul McCartney for me. He’s influenced me the most. Eric : Rise Against for me. I would love to work with them and meet them. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : You guys are younger than me, and probably can’t remember a time without it, but how do you feel the internet has impacted the current state of the music industry? Liam : I think that the internet has fundamentally changed how we advertise things. I think that part of interacting with these social media platforms means that you must play by their rules a good bit and so we try to keep up with all of that. We try to put up cute and funny posts every so often. Something that can promote things seriously, but have a punchline, too. Sometimes having a sense of humor with what you post helps because it shows that your material is friendly and inviting. Kyle : I feel the same as Liam. Doing cute and funny things is great, but we’ve seen a good bit of changes with the internet just through the time we’ve grown up. Everything is so accessible now. Growing up it was more recreational, but since the 2010s, it feels like everything is media. The biggest struggle for us has been getting people to the shows, and in the past, it was more about just supporting the venues. Today, it’s so hard to pull people in and sometimes it’s the short funny media that makes them come to a show. It’s a learning experience. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : Do you have a favorite song to perform live? Eric : “ Away ” or “ Heaven Find You ”. People usually start jumping around during “Away” and it’s just fun to play. With “Heaven Find You”, I’m a big fan of the drum part I wrote for the song and love playing it. The chorus of the song is well-received by the fans, too. Toni : I think “ Win ” is my favorite original song to play. It’s just one of the best Spyne! songs and fun to play. Now, our cover of “ No One Knows ” by Queens of the Stone Age is one of the best we’ve done, and everyone loses their minds when we play it, too. Kyle : I don’t have an answer since I wrote all the songs. (laughter) I love each one. If I had to pick, though, it would be “ By the Bay ” and “ Heaven Find You ”. I also like it when we play “ Pride and Joy ” by Stevie Ray Vaughan, too. Liam : I’m going to start with my favorite cover to play live. Generally, with the covers, I love it when the songs have a good solo section because I like to make up stuff a lot. The guys give me a good bit of freedom to go crazy, but we played a cover at our last set at The Stone Pony by Kiss … we did “ Love Gun ”. That fulfilled something for my inner child because I grew up listening to Twisted Sister and other hair metal bands, and I just love the guitar work. With this cover, I was able to go crazy on stage and I think we have a recording of the performance somewhere. As far as originals go, I would have to pick “Win”. It’s got a kickass guitar riff that everybody remembers, and my friends have come up to me after a show to tell me that they really like “Win”. It’s such a terrific song. Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : Ok, going to throw you guys a funny question. Do any of you have any useless talents outside of the musical realm? Liam : I can juggle pins on a unicycle. (laughter) MaM : That’s awesome. Kyle : I’ve seen that happen. I want to say automotive repair because I suck at it, but it’s not exactly useless. I can play drums on my stomach and can do that incredibly well for no reason. (laughter) Credit: Jeff Crespi MaM : So, when can we expect the new album? Where do you see yourself headed in the future? Kyle : We’re looking towards 2024, but I have a feeling it will push into 2025. We want it to be right. We have these songs that are an amalgamation of everything perfect. We want it mixed the way we want, and I think we’re going to fulfill our full artistic capabilities. The goal is to open for bigger acts and get our name out there to similar music tastes because the internet isn’t great at that. Liam : I think it’s really good that we’re going to be patient with the process. We’re not the type to rush into releasing something a little bit premature. I want to wrap it with a neat bow when we release it. As Spyne! continues to evolve and explore new musical territories, one thing remains constant – their passion for creating music that connects with people on a visceral level. Whether you’re a fan of rock or alternative, Spyne’s music is sure to resonate with you on a profound level. To check out the music of Spyne!, click the link below. Spyne! | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree *Photos by Jeff Crespi www.jeffcrespirocks.com JEFFCRESPIROCKS See through a different lens! www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Subliminal Landmines are back with a new, harder-edged sound. < Back Subliminal Landmines: Detonating Their Return to Louisiana’s Punk Scene Nicole Brice Dec 3, 2025 Share Subliminal Landmines are back with a new, harder-edged sound. The Louisiana music scene is brimming with great bands, and one that is set to make a significant comeback in 2026 is the Lafayette-based punk band Subliminal Landmines . After a brief hiatus due to lineup changes, the band is back with a new, harder-edged sound and is ready to take the stage by storm. Credit: Gary Governale Since their inception in 2017 , Subliminal Landmines has continued to grow in scope, with numerous releases all showing a steady progression in sound. When asked about the origins of their band name, founder Grant Duhon explained, "Each of the songs we write has a deeper context, a subliminal aspect to each, and then once the listener connects the dots, and it clicks that you understand what the song is about, it's like a landmine that goes off triggered by realization." The name definitely reflects the essence of a band that never stops gaining momentum. Subliminal Landmines is more than just a punk band; it is a trio of creative individuals from diverse backgrounds who share a passion for making music and creating art. Initially, the band’s sound was more reminiscent of Green Day and a bit poppier, but over the years, their sound has evolved to embrace the skate-punk aesthetic, in the vein of Pennywise , and has now expanded into the hardcore punk genre. The new lineup features Scratch on vocals, Fry on bass, and Taz on drums. Credit: Gary Governale Recently, Scratch opened a multi-use chill space in downtown Lafayette called The Devil’s Den , which he hopes to house a barrage of shows in the future. As a hydro/hydra lounge and boutique , The Devil’s Den offers numerous beverages and oddities for purchase, including handmade corsets and jewelry , along with game rentals and more. With this new venue, Subliminal Landmines is poised to make a comeback that promises to be even more intense than before. The first show with the new lineup is scheduled for Friday, December 19, 2025, at The Devil’s Den . Mark your calendars and be there! Subliminal Landmines make their return on December 19th! The band recently stopped by the house to hang out and chat, so take a moment to learn more about what they have been up to as well as what’s in store for 2026 . MaM : So, tell us a little more about this new line-up and how things came to be. Scratch : We were looking for a bassist and a drummer, and some time had passed, and then my friend Steven ran into Fry one night, and they linked up, and he gave Fry my number. He then hit me up and tried out for bass and fit the spot perfectly. Then we had drum tryouts, and that’s where Taz came in. We then started practicing and writing, and we actually just recorded four new songs. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : Nice! Are you still going to promote Restless Thoughts from Different Cities that came out with the old line-up? I know once it came out, not much else was done in terms of promotion. Scratch : Well, I kind of plan to promote it, but for the most part, it’s just a release that is out there because we don’t have any physical copies. We had those songs in the vault for over two years, and we didn’t want to sit on them. MaM : It’s such a great EP. So, let’s talk to your new members, Fry and Taz. Guys, no last name? Just a first name? (nodding) MaM : (to Fry) How long have you been playing bass, and what got you into it initially? Fry : Well, I tried out guitar, and it was cool, but I like bass because I’ve always heard it prominently. I actually found Gorillaz, first off, and I started playing acoustic bass. Then I saw Red Hot Chili Peppers and Primus, and I always wanted to learn the hardest song to practice. That taught me you could do vocals while playing bass, so I’ve been trying to freestyle while playing bass. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : (to Taz) How long have you been playing drums? Taz : Three years. I had a drum set for a long time, and finally got to practicing on it. One day, I just looked at it and started. Played it, liked it, upgraded to the set I have now. Credit: Gary Governale Scratch : Fry has his own signature bass style. You can hear him slapping that bass. Fry : Double thumb is what we’re doing a lot of on this new stuff. Lowkey. I’ve been adding little strums and whatnot, too. I like to keep the action low so it’s a bit more rumbly. So, I’ll do some complex fingerstyle if I’m going to play fingerstyle, and it usually works out. You don’t hear enough slap in punk. It’s criminally underrated. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : (to Grant) So, you’re going by Scratch now? Why the persona change? Take us through that. Scratch : It’s a nickname I’ve always had, but when we brought Fry on, I was like, you know, it would be cool if we each had our own identities tied to the band, and I actually came up with a last name, too, as I was creating a character for The Devil’s Den . For the PS4 profile, I put Scratch as the first name, but then I needed a last name, so I picked Wilson because who can make it happen? Scratch WILL SON ! It just rolls off the tongue. (laughter) Credit: Gary Governale MaM : (looks to Fry and Taz) Are you guys going to add a last name to match Grant’s? Fry : I started with Fry Lock . So, like Fry’s locked in. MaM : That’s awesome! Fry : I have an adlib that I’ll do a lot, where I’ll spell out my name F-R-Y. MaM : Well, think about the whole gimmicky nature of previous bands choosing personas over their real names. Look at The Ramones, and The Donnas … I love when bands do that. It brings it full circle. Taz : I guess I need to find a last name now. Scratch : Mine naturally made itself. I didn’t actually think of it. The universe gave me a circumstance. It was like choose your last name, and Wilson was the first thing that came to mind. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : It’s almost as if you could change your whole persona within the band and make it to where people don’t know your real name. Scratch : So, with The Devil’s Den , I introduce myself as Scratch . That’s just my persona downtown [Lafayette]. I don’t really want people knowing my real name because I’m meeting a lot of people every day. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, let’s talk new venue. How did this all come about? Scratch : Well, so the name, obviously, has been floating around for a while in my head, but as a restaurant originally. A spicy food-based restaurant, actually, but it just didn’t work out that way. When The Grouse Room closed down, I was thinking about how Lafayette has lost another music venue, and what an opportune time to do what I do on a bigger scale or more consistently, not just once a year like Radfest . If I could house an event center where people can hang out, host events regularly, and host Radfest, then that would be it. But you can literally walk out of The Devil’s Den , and Parc International is right there. Right in our backyard. MaM : Tell us a little more about the venue. Scratch : I looked into The Grouse Room when it closed down, and I didn’t know whether they wanted a lease or if they were trying to sell it. They wanted to sell it, so then I saw a building two doors down, and when I tell you universal synchronicities with this building … things kept lining up and happening to make it happen. MaM : That’s usually how it works out. Scratch : The building was already red and black. The main wall inside, an original, beautiful brick wall, was basically sculpted by Fry, Taz, me , and a couple of other people. We got a crowbar and a hammer, chiseled off the rest of the wall to expose the brick, and then I basically revamped that whole building. It’s red-lit inside; it has this vibe. We’ve been getting some foot traffic. Basically, it’s just an awareness period right now, but a lot of peace and love went into those walls. Credit: Gary Governale MaM : So, what’s on the horizon for 2026? Tell us about the new music. Scratch : Yeah, the new stuff is a little more hardcore punk . It’s all recorded, four songs. My vocals are more aggressive, too. We recorded with Ben Finley at The Shed Sound Hole , and we hope to have it released by January or February 2026 . I hope to be booking regular shows at The Devil’s Den , not just for Subliminal Landmines , but also for other bands, and to do some fashion shows there, too. All kinds of things will happen in 2026 . Credit: Gary Governale As Subliminal Landmines continue to carve out their place in the Louisiana music landscape and beyond, make it a point to check out their first live show with the new line-up on December 19, 2025 , at The Devil's Den in Lafayette, LA. To learn more about Subliminal Landmines: Spotify: Subliminal Landmines | Spotify Apple Music: ‎Subliminal Landmines - Apple Music Facebook: Facebook Instagram: Subliminal Landmines (@subliminallandmines) • Instagram photos and videos YouTube: "Where's My Coke?" - OFFICIAL VIDEO *All photos by Gary Governale www.governalephotovideo.com Zenfolio | Home I have been working as a video professional since 1993, with a wide range of experience writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing. A strong interest in videography, specifically lighting and composition, led me to photography in 1998. Rapidly changing technology has blurred the line between video and photography, allowing me to work in both mediums.. Baton Rouge, LA, United States www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . 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Top 5 Nostalgia Picks for October 2024 < Back Way Back When: Nostalgia Picks for your Playlist October Nicole Brice Oct 1, 2024 Share Top 5 Nostalgia Picks for October 2024 It’s my FAVORITE month in the entire world! Woo Hoo! I struggled to decide on these, but I think you’ll enjoy them all. … and if you don’t … I don’t care. My column. My rules. I’m winking at all of you as I type that, too. 1. AFI – Halloween This 1999 Misfit’s cover by AFI is more enjoyable than the original, in my opinion. Something about AFI’s persona during this period does it for me, too. I know bands must evolve, but this period between Black Sails and Art of Drowning is my fave. Turn this one up loud and enjoy! 1999 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1v7KmK5xpM 2. Ministry – Everyday Is Halloween In 1984 after Ministry left Arista , they recorded a couple of singles for Wax Trax! , and this was one of those singles. For those who know of Ministry with its more brutal sound , this track will surprise you. More in vain with bands like Depeche Mode , this track was released as the ultimate goth anthem, and when I first discovered it, I would play it nonstop in the control room at 90.9 KSLU while we were working on promos because I loved it so much. You’ll be bopping along in no time once you put this one on your list. Trust me. 1984 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFPI9b9N6CQ 3. Def Leppard- Photograph Even though I was only two years old when this song was released, my earliest memories of hearing it were when the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair would come to town. I can remember this song being played on the sound systems with various rides that were going around. When I finally saw the video on VH1 years later, I became even more intrigued with the band. Forever one of my faves. 1983 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4dHr8evt6k 4. How to Destroy Angels - BBB This song is from the first self-titled EP released under the How to Destroy Angels name, featuring Trent Reznor and his wife, Mariqueen . It is so infectious that you’ll be zoned in within minutes while nodding your head. 2010 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y27mjl7iI1I 5. Candlebox – Far Behind This song instantly transports me back to 6th grade in the fall. There is so much love for this song in my heart. If you’ve never heard it, turn it up! 1993 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTqyUz_jSIo Hey, if you don't like these, cool. If you've never heard them, check them out! Love and light, Nicole www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90's flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Hawthorne Oachs brings deep awareness to everyday life < Back Hawthorne Oachs: A Free-Spirited Young Artist Full of Beautiful Harmonies Nicole Brice & Chris Pryor May 30, 2023 Share Hawthorne Oachs brings deep awareness to everyday life Sometimes, a musician comes onto the scene and just blows us away to where we are left virtually speechless. The next musician we are bringing to you has done just that and her name is Hawthorne Oachs. At the young age of 12, this spirited artist wrote, produced, and released her first single, “My Lullaby,” which was released in November of 2021. At 14 years old, Hawthorne has many talents and is not only a musical artist but also a digital artist and award-nominated actress with Z-Fest 2023 as a Best Child Actress Nominee. She has created the cover art for all her music released thus far and is frequently known to share her artistic creations on social media. With song lyrics written from the perspective of a young teenage girl, Hawthorne has a mature-sounding voice that is both powerful and contains soulful evoking memories of LeAnn Rimes when she first broke on the scene in the mid-90s. Photo provided by artist An incredible storyteller drawing inspiration from everyday life, Hawthorne’s songs are often about personal experiences with her relatable and thought-provoking lyrics. In addition to her music and art, Oachs is an advocate for mental health awareness, where she has spoken publicly about her own struggles with anxiety and depression. She hopes to use her platform to help others who are struggling with mental illness and wants to be a role model for young people everywhere. If you’re looking for music that is both powerful and meaningful, then we highly recommend checking out the music of Hawthorne Oachs. In fact, we listened to her entire catalog and could not find a single song we did not like. Her music is that good. Oach’s latest single, which released on April 21, 2023, is titled “A Single Flower.” It is a hauntingly beautiful arrangement full of abundant wisdom for a girl so young. Listening to it gave us the chills, and when that happens, you know something is resonating with your own energy. It has excellent production value and a good use of effects, and the harmony flows perfectly with the medley of the music. We cannot recommend it enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIGEX0gNN4I Set to release another new single in June, Hawthorne is a talented artist with a bright future ahead of her, so stay tuned! We recently had the opportunity to ask her a few questions, so check out her responses below and then go listen to her beautiful catalog of tunes. She is sure to become a household name in the years to come. MaM : Hawthorne, thanks so much for taking time to talk with us. Your vocals are so melodic, soulful, and strong for such a young lady. Who are your vocal inspirations and why? HaO : Thank you so much for the kind words, Nicole! Some specific singers that I really respect are my mom, Mafumafu, and Hayley Williams of Paramore. My mom is a talented singer and has been such a fantastic mentor throughout my life. I know I would have made my way to music eventually if I was born with different parents, but my mom and dad have given me the gift of a life immersed in music, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Mafumafu is a very emotional and passionate singer and I connect with that. I find a lot of joy listening to his work, and I found his music at the height of the pandemic, so his songs comforted me. I’m massively grateful for that in ways I’m not sure I can clearly articulate. Because of my mom, I’ve been listening to Paramore since before I could understand the meaning of the lyrics, so their music has always held a special place in my heart. They were my first concert when the ‘After Laughter’ album came out! Hayley has such a wonderful, powerful voice and I really love listening to both her solo work and Paramore’s whole discography. Their new album is a such a banger, too! Zac is a superb drummer and Taylor is a stellar guitarist who also has curly hair, like me! Listening to these people play their hearts out really inspires me to keep learning, growing, and improving as I turbulently make my way through these adolescent voice-changing years. Photo provided by artist MaM : When did you realize you wanted to create music and why? HaO : I’ve always been way into music starting from when I was really young. I'd sort all of the CDs and records in my house, taking them off the shelf, looking at the album art, listening, then putting them back. I also used to run around the house playing my little pink acoustic guitar, singing at the top of my lungs, making up songs. The piano was a safe place to play and decompress from the events of the day. I still do that. I was around [five years old] when I started taking formal lessons for both piano and guitar, and I immediately wanted to quit because if I didn't get something right on the first try, I would get discouraged. I'm also tenacious and headstrong, which I’m grateful for, because I stuck with those lessons and now piano and guitar are my favorite songwriting tools. During the pandemic, most of us turned to art to consume and keep us soothed and entertained. In the beginning, I ended up writing a considerable [number] of songs cathartically. Through that catharsis, I developed a love for songwriting and a realization that I was fastened to music for life. Photo provided by artist MaM : Who are your musical influences for your sound? HaO : Because I've grown up in a musical household, I've listened to quite possibly every genre that exists. As a result of that immersive education, I have an extensive collection of favorites that I've held closely in my heart. I can usually find something to like in whatever I'm listening to, and every day I'm discovering new artists that I love. For example, I've been listening to Minami, Mitski, and Blü Eyes lately. Right now, the songs I have on repeat obsessively are ‘Thick Skull’ and ‘Running Out Of Time’ by Paramore. I think inevitably over time, everything you've ever listened to influences your own sound. Experimenting and figuring out who I am as a musical artist has been a welcome adventure. My fifth single ‘Chase Me’ was probably the first time my sound and aesthetic felt most like home. With the latest songs that I've been creating, I've got a solid vision for the path forward and I'm exhilarated about that! Since I started releasing songs at [age] 12, there has been growth in me personally as well, so it seems logical to see growth in my music. In the fall, it'll have been two years since I started doing this. What's cool about it is that I can look back to where I started and see the growth and changes. I'm proud of everything I've done so far, and I wouldn't have changed anything! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izRMLjP3CT0 MaM : If you could share the stage with any artist, who would it be and why? HaO : Mafumafu! A few years ago, I had to pick a second language to learn for school. I started learning French, but that was a big non-merci from me after about a month. I just couldn't get the pronunciation right and wasn't feeling it. Since my appreciation for Japanese culture, candy, and food had grown, I chose to learn Japanese. Early on, it was suggested that I listen to and learn songs in the language to engross me, which would aid in familiarizing myself with pronunciation and vocabulary. When studying one day, a J-pop playlist was on autoplay, and I heard Mafumafu's cover of ‘Hated by Life Itself’ for the first time. I felt like I was hit by lightning. I understood him without understanding a single word. Between a global pandemic and the trials of adolescence, I needed brightness in my life. When I heard Mafumafu's voice, I felt seen, heard, and understood. I listened to that song incessantly for a while. All of his music and variety of content was the fortification I needed to see me through to better days. Admittedly, without something to hold onto then, I'm not sure what would've happened. I hope someday I'll get to meet him and tell him just how truly grateful I am, and wouldn't a Mafumafu x Hawthorne Oachs musical collaboration be the most beautiful finishing touch to that story? Photo provided by artist MaM : What music or things around you are inspiring you to create these days? HaO : Mental health awareness has been on my mind for the past two years, and lately I find myself digging into the problems we face as a society, but particularly those directly related to mental health. The surgeon general recently declared loneliness to be a public health crisis and said it's comparable to smoking. While I wrote and released it before this news broke, my most recent song ‘A Single Flower’ tackles the topic and the debilitating effects of loneliness. Another thing that's been on my mind is the alarmingly high rates of teenage suicide. My new song ‘Red Spider Lilies’ that is coming out on July 27th addresses the grief that one might feel when the person tethering them to this world is gone forever and they want to go, too. Maybe they were already thinking about it, and this was their breaking point, or maybe the grief was so unbearable they made the decision in a split second. I think if anyone said they were having those feelings out loud, it would be divisive, and some might even chastise them for those thoughts. This song is acknowledging that those thoughts and emotions can be part of being human and we should do better by supporting mental health, listening to others without judgment, acknowledging that humans can and do have dark thoughts, and normalize talking about those struggles. I think about how I turn to the creative output of others to comfort me, so if the art I create can be of that same service to others, then it feels like it's a small contribution and my own way of making the world a better place. Photo provided by artist MaM : What are your aspirations for the future? HaO : My primary aspiration is that my music gets to the ears and the hearts of the people who need it the most. I always set short-term goals for myself and celebrate them wildly when I reach them. I appreciate that this industry is overly saturated and jumping to the head of the line isn't realistic, nor is it a goal. I simply want to help people first and foremost. I want my music to be of service to others in the same way that music has been of service to me in my life. If that turns into something bigger than I am imagining right now, I will enthusiastically embrace whatever comes from it. The one thing that is non-negotiable and that I refuse to do is stop creating music. Music has been and always will be a comfort to me, and my true aspiration is that the music I release will be a comfort to others. - Be sure to add the music of Hawthorne Oachs on your playlist today! This young lady is creating something magical, and we cannot wait to see what she has in store for all of us in the future. To check her out, follow any one of the below-listed links. Hawthorne Oachs (@hawthorneoachs) • Instagram photos and videos Hawthorne Oachs | Facebook Hawthorne Oachs | Spotify ‎Hawthorne Oachs on Apple Music Hawthorne Oachs - YouTube www.mixedaltmag.com Music | Mixed Alternative Magazine Southern-based indie music/arts/entertainment magazine with a 90s flair. www.mixedaltmag.com Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com . Previous Next Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link