Pistol Day Parade Burning Bright On New Album

If you get the attention of Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue and he chooses one of your songs for one of his Sixx Picks on his radio show, then you're doing something right. If you're a fan of his show, then you probably have heard of Pistol Day Parade already. If not, check out my interview with them for Rock Revolt Magazine and then go get their new album Burn  and crank it LOUD!!!

http://rockrevoltmagazine.com/interview-pistol-day-parade/

Those Devilish Boys From Charm City Devils

The Charm City Devils seemed to come out of nowhere with their interesting spin on the song "Man of Constant Sorrow" that most people associate with the movie O' Brother, Where Art Thou. These guys are one of the hardest working bands around, both on-stage and off. I got the chance to talk with lead singer John Allen about the band and the crazy year that they had. You can read all about it here:

http://www.rockrevoltmagazine.com/charmcitydevilsjohnalleninterview/

KISS and Motley Crue: A Night of Rock and Roll Excess

“The Tour”, as it was christened at a press conference a few months ago, pulled into the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Charlotte, North Carolina on July 25. The crowd, despite the heat and humidity, was ready to experience two of the biggest spectacles ever in the history of rock and roll. Tonight, they were sharing the same stage and promised to bring a full production, 90 minute set of maximum rock and roll.

The Treatment, heralding from the U.K., opened up the show with a brief, yet power packed mini-set with selections from their debut album This Might Hurt. After a short break, the curtain covering Motley Crue’s stage dropped and the house lights went down. Scantily clad girls holding Motley Crue signs marched their way across the walkway from one side of the amphitheater to the other. In the middle of this precession were both Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx from the Crue. They made their way to the stage and the show began with a pyrotechnics bang.

Motley Crue’s show was filled with theatrics including stilt walkers, scantily clad female back-up singers, girls suspended by tapestries above Tommy's drum kit and a ton of pyro. The band sounded tight even though poor Mick Mars can barely move around the stage because of his ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis that affects the spine and pelvis. Don’t let that fool you though; the guy still plays like a beast. Speaking of playing, drummer Tommy Lee brought along his roller coaster drum kit from last summer’s tour. He even took a lucky fan along for the topsy turvy ride.

Motley Crue’s set was hit filled and included such Crue classics as “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “Dr. Feelgood” and “Home Sweet Home”. They even included their new single “Sex”, which got a decent reaction from the rowdy crowd. Speaking of reaction, bassist Nikki Sixx and his newly found syndicated fame thanks to his radio show The Sixth Sense got the biggest crowd reaction of all the Crue members. It seemed as if every time he spoke, the crowd would cheer wildly.

The Crue exited the stage and the tear down began as the road crew attacked the stage at a fever pace. They were tearing down the Crue’s set and clearing things out for the huge KISS stage show. After a brief period, the big, black curtain with the KISS logo on it dropped down covering the front of the stage and the crowd was brought to its feet. Then, the anticipation stated to build.

Then, the intro known to millions worldwide began to bellow over the PA system. “Alright Charlotte, you wanted the best, you got the best, the hottest band in the world….KISS!!!!” The curtain dropped and “Detroit Rock City” began to ring out. The guys were lowered down from the ceiling. Yes, we have seen this stage intro before, so that part was a small disappointment.

The band stuck close to the original make-up days playing such KISS classics as “Black Diamond”, “Love Gun” (during which Stanley flew out into the audience) and “Firehouse” (which saw Simmons breathe fire). They did include their new single “Hell or Hallelujah”, which sounded really good, and one non-make-up classic “Lick It Up”. Simmons also did his blood spitting routine and then flew to the rafters to sing his trademark song “God of Thunder”. "War Machine" sounded almost as menacing as the looks Gene was directing towads the cameras throughout the song.

Stanley and Simmons were particularly animated on this night in Charlotte, NC and seemed in great spirits. Guitarist Tommy Thayer, who is still receiving criticism for wearing the Spaceman makeup even though he has now for almost ten years, sounded just as sharp as ever, although not as animated towards the crowd. The band included all their trademarks including lots of pyro, cherry pickers that raised Simmons and Thayer almost to the top of the amphitheater, Stanley smashed his guitar in half and drummer Eric Singer’s drum kit was raised high in the air also. Oh yeah, “Rock and Roll All Night” was the finale and the confetti covered everyone as far back as the eye could see. No matter how many times I experience that, it never gets old.

Now, for the bad stuff. Vince Neil of Motley Crue still manages to mumble his way through songs. KISS have been coming out at each show and mentioning a curfew that won’t allow them to play any longer. It seems the truth of the matter is that it’s taking much longer to tear down the Crue’s stage to get ready for KISS to come out. This has cut into each band’s playtime with each one clocking in, on average, 75 minutes. That’s not exactly the 90 minute sets that we had been promised. KISS’ set list has become somewhat stale and needs to change up a bit. There are so many non-makeup songs that could be included into the set that would go over big with the crowd. “Heaven’s On Fire” and “Forever” are just two examples.

Overall, it was a great show. You had one up and coming band that sounded great and two legendary bands that have been doing their thing for 30 years (Motley Crue) and 40 years (KISS) and show no signs of slowing down. These two bands definitely know how to throw a party when it comes to a concert. It was a rarity to see anyone sitting down on this eventful night, unless they were just catching their breath. On this hot and humid night in Charlotte, KISS solidified why they are still called the hottest band in the world.

Lita Ford Attempts A Comeback On Living Like A Runaway

What were you doing when you were 16? Skipping school? Falling in love for the first time? Learning to drive a car? Starting your very first job? Well, if you were Lita Ford, you were joining an all girl band called The Runaways and making history. The band broke up in 1979 and Lita began her solo career. Her most successful album was 1988’s Lita and it made her an MTV favorite.

She stayed out of the limelight for quite a few years and made her return in 2009 with Wicked Wonderland. Here we are three years later and with a new label to call home and this iconic rocker is poised to bring the noise to a whole new generation. Her new album Living like a Runaway is set to be released on June 19 through SPV/Steamhammer Records. Lita promised late last year that this album was going to a “real comeback album” for her. Well, let’s see if it lives up to that promise.

The album kicks off with “Branded” and it definitely sounds like old school Lita. It’s one of the many songs on the album whose lyrics are very personal to Lita and touches on abuse, which she was experiencing in her previous marriage. My attention was captivated with the fourth track which is the title track. An autobiographical song in which it seems to focus more on the story telling aspect of the song, rather than just rocking out. A tender and delicate song about living on the edge and one of the best that Lita has ever recorded in her long career.

A Lita Ford album just wouldn’t be complete without a power ballad. “Mother” starts out as an acoustic number that just soars on both a musical and lyrical level. The guitars come cranking in on the solo and deliver in a big way before switching back to an acoustic finish. It was written for her two children after a nasty divorce from her former husband Jim Gillette. “Devil in My Head” is another great song with a great guitar riff that drives the song home.

“Asylum” has big 80s written all over it. You have to love the dual guitar wailing away on the solos in unison.  “A Song to Slit Your Wrists By” was written by Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue and is one of the more interesting ones on the album. It almost takes on a sort of industrial feel at times. I’m not sure if that’s how Nikki intended for the song to sound like or not. Lita said it was the ultimate good riddance song.

Lita recorded a killer version of the Elton John classic “The Bitch is Back”, complete with the Uptown Horns. Elton gave her his blessing to do the song and her version is pretty amazing. The only bad part is that it’s only available on the limited edition Digi-pak version as a bonus track. It’s too bad that it was included in the regular CD release as this song could have garnered a lot of media attention for her. Who knows? It may still do just that!

Lita is going through a major life transition with her divorce and fighting for custody of her two children. That emotional baggage is apparent in many of the songs on this album. She has stated that she was inspired for this album by Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. It’s a musical journey in its entirety and not just a few individual songs. This album is much better than her comeback album Wicked Wonderland. It may not put her back on top like she was in the late 80s, but it’s a giant step toward regaining ground on that spot that she once held.

Kopek: The Rock Of The Irish

Have you ever played word association? Ok then, what comes to mind when I say Irish? Red hair? Shamrocks? Bagpipes? Lucky Charms? How about genuine and authentic rock and roll saviors, here to deliver a sermon that not only is rock and roll not dead, but it is about to grab you by the neck and choke you into submission. Do I have your attention now?

Let me introduce you to three lads from Dublin, Ireland: Shane Cooney on drums, Brad Kinsella on bass and Daniel Jordan on vocals and guitar. They go by the name Kopek and their debut CD, “White Collar Lies”, has only been out a short time, but it has caught the attention of an industry that has grown stale and an audience that is hungry for real music. These guys are as genuine as you get: real musicians writing real songs and playing real music.

I had the privilege of catching up with drummer Shane Cooney before a recent gig and we talked about this crazy rock and roll ride that has begun for the band. “The response here in the States has been overwhelming at times. We wanted to keep things honest and original when we made the CD, but we truly did not expect this kind of a reaction on this side of the pond. Everyone seems to be really into it,” said Shane.
So, what’s in a name? What exactly does Kopek mean? Shane explained, “It really doesn’t mean anything, we just liked the word. We wanted to choose something that people would hear and associate it with the band, no second meanings. We wanted to have a blank canvas, free to do what we wanted. Plus, it needed to have a hardcore and rock sound to it.”

The boys have been busting their chops and paying their dues for almost ten years now, so this is no overnight sensation story. Drawing on influences ranging from Robert Johnson and the Doors to Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins, the lads perfected their sound. Daniel provides some nasty guitar riffs that are as infectious as his very unique voice. Shane and Brad are a solid rhythm unit providing that fist in the air pumping backbeat that keeps the songs throbbing along.
“Our style is one that would stop you on the street, throw you up against the wall and slap you in the face”, says Shane, when asked about the group’s sound. “The Sex Pistols would have killed for all of this material to write about. There is so much horror going on in the world. Then you have bands that write love songs, but what if you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend? Things do tend to piss us off, especially after our hangover wears off and we like to write about those things; whether it’s the price of alcohol or the price of oil.”

Shane told me that his musical defining moment came when his parents took him to a midnight show when he was eleven to see Jerry Lee Lewis in Ireland. It was a rare opportunity to see Lewis perform and Shane was a mere twenty feet away from him in a small club. He was so blown away by how real Lewis was and how he wasn’t trying to copy anyone else, he just wanted to be himself. That was the moment that he knew he wanted to do that for a living.



Speaking of shows, Kopek has definitely been busy burning up the road on tour. They just finished up a very successful tour with Hinder, Saving Abel and My Darkest Day. I was fortunate to see the guys perform in Greensboro, NC on that tour. “That was a great show! The crowd there was very into it and very energetic. I also learned that moonshine is a delicacy in those parts of the South,” explained Shane when recalling their stop in North Carolina. The band ended that tour and then jumped onto another tour with Cold and Egypt Central. Shane told me that when that tour was over, the band would be joining another tour, but he couldn’t let the cat out of the bag yet and tell me who with.

Our conversation closed with a discussion of the band celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the States instead of their native Ireland. “We were actually in Baltimore on that day and had a show to play. It’s amazing how all of America comes together and for one day only, everyone is Irish. I think we drank for two days straight and are still a bit hung over. America certainly knows how to do St. Patrick’s Day right,” said Shane.

I have to tell you all that this band has had a major impact on me. I cannot tell you the last time that I got a CD that was as solid as “White Collar Lies” is. Shane explained to me that they wrote and recorded in a way so that each song could be strong enough to be a single and video. The irony is that there are so many choices floating around, that the label is debating exactly which one to release next. How many bands can say that they actually have that type of a problem?

Check out these Irish lads and see what all the fuss is about. One listen to “White Collar Lies” will make you a believer not only in the luck of the Irish, but also in the talent of these amazing musicians.

Kopek: Dublin's Addictive Musical Export

Ireland’s newest export to the USA comes in the form of a power trio of rockers called Kopek. Their stellar debut CD entitled “White Collar Lies” has just been released onto the world. The band, consisting of Shane Cooney on drums, Brad Kinsella on bass and Daniel Jordan on vocals and guitar, are here to bring back some much needed energy and passion to rock and roll.

How many times have you opted not to buy a band’s CD because you only liked a song or two on it? Well, this CD is an exception to that rule as it is a work of art from beginning to end. It flows cohesively from beginning to end and warrants the listener’s attention to such an extent, that you don’t want to skip any tracks. How many times has that happened to you while listening to a band’s CD? Be honest now; very few times has such an occurrence happened.

The CD opens with the new single “Cocaine Chest Pains” and the opening riff immediately grabs you by the throat demanding your attention. It also caught the attention of Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue as he featured it on his radio show The Sixx Sense as one of his new picks. If this one doesn’t get you rocking, then you best call 911 because this is pure rock and roll ecstasy.

The title track shifts gears and slows the tempo a bit while delving in lyrics on a level sure to strike a chord with many people today. Touching on the government getting richer while more and more lives are lost, it is a song that touches on the sentiment of many Americans today.

“Love Is Dead” is another stand-out track that pays homage to many of the band’s fallen idols. It was the band’s first video and is a stellar example of singer Daniel Jordan’s insanely original and powerful vocals.

The band really mixes it up and rocks out with fierce intensity on songs such as “The Easy Way (D.B. Cooper)” and “Bring It Home”, which also includes another nasty riff that the song is based around. They also know how to slow the tempo a bit on songs such as “Floridian” and “Bigger Than Us All” to where they are almost ballads, but they build up to their chorus which rocks out.

Brad and Shane are a tight unit to supply the backbeat and drive that powers this band. Daniel, well, what can I say about Daniel? This guy is definitely a star that many people will be talking about in the near future. He is a highly skilled guitar player with some original and amazing riffs that hook you from the first chord. He also possesses one of the most original voices to come along in years. He has a rough and raspy voice that is so powerful and full of conviction that you can’t help but to notice who is singing. It hooks you and makes you want to hear more.

I highly recommend this CD to lovers of powerful rock and roll that is true to the core and heartfelt. You also have to love the effect of the distortion pedal on a catchy riff. Kopek may be new to the scene for most of us, but these guys have been putting in their dues for almost a decade and it looks as if the payoff is in sight. Check out “White Collar Lies” and experience a new force in rock and roll to be reckoned with.