Redshift: Bursting With Rock

You ever go to a club to see a band perform and you have to sit through several "lame" bands to get to the one you wanted to see in the first place? Well, I had that mindset a while back when I went to one of my favorite clubs, the Somewhere Else Tavern (SWET) in Greensboro,NC. I went to see some friends of mine play and I didn't know most of the other bands on the bill. I missed the first band and was waiting for band number two to finish setting up.

Well, the next forty five minutes proved to be a very rewarding experience to me. The second band was Redshift out of Washington,DC. From their opening song, you could tell that there was something a little different about these guys. They were serious and they meant business. The band was very tight and cranked through song after song. Songs such as "Bleed Me Dry" and "Satellite" showed that the band combined the best of driving rock and roll, catchy hooks and a sound that demands your attention.
I spoke with the band after their show and lined up the following interview that was very revealing.

JP: Let me start off by telling the readers that the band consists of Jake Mimikos on vocals and guitar, Pete Torres on bass, Shawn Battle on drums and vocals and Ron Cruz on guitar. So, where did the name Redshift originate from?

Redshift: We were looking for a name that would sum up our music, energy and what we were trying to portray as a band. Redshift first caught our attention as a good sounding word. The meaning of Redshift hit everything that we felt we were trying to convey. It means a large burst of energy that shifts the light spectrum to red, one example was the birth of a star.

JP: So how long have you guys been together?

Redshift: Originally, we started about three years ago. Over that time, we got Paulo playing bass about a year and a half ago and then Ron about five months ago. So honestly, we feel like we have a new beginning, the lineup was finalized when Ron joined the band. We feel like we are one cohesive unit now. We just recently had Pete Torres take over duty on bass.

JP: Funny you should say that. I was going to comment on the fact Ron joined the band after you recorded your EP "Into The Oblivion". Do you think that he has changed your sound any?

Redshift: Yes, we feel he has changed the sound slightly. he comes with more of a classic rock feel, so his sound will put more of that element in our songs. I don't think it will change the sound drastically, but it will fill in alot of space in songs. Sometimes music can be too precise, Ron brings that almost psychotic, unorthodox attitude to the band. It gives it an edge that is missing in today's rock. More importantly, Ron brings an energy that is unmatched and has brought our live performance to a new level.

JP: I do have to admit that after seeing you guy splay live at the SWET, Ron is alot of fun to watch onstage. In between songs, he is constantly riffing bits and pieces of songs. I kept hearing Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" that night when I saw you.

JP: Who do you guys sight as your musical influences?

Redshift: We all take influences from different rock eras. mainly heavy, driven rock and roll. Jake's influence came from 90s grunge and new metal era bands like Pearl Jam, Audioslave, Muse and Coheed and Cambria to name a few. You can see a heavy influence of Van Halen, Led Zepplin and late 70s early 80s rock in Ron's style. Shawn grew up on Motley Crue and played in hardcore bands. He loved the straight forward pounding style of Tommy Lee, which gives Redshift its hard rock groove. JP: At your shows, you mention the Jagermeister is a sponsor and you give out freebies from them. That's a pretty major score for a new band. How did you hook up with them?

Redshift: We first contacted them and told them that we loved Jagermeister and of course we pestered them for a while and sent them our music. They finally responded saying that they liked our music and that they would put us on a trial period where they send us Jager merch and we had to prove we were worthy. We ended up putting together videos and slideshows of our performances showing us promoting the product on stage and at shows and sent them to our rep. He ended up loving them and we were sponsored within two weeks.

JP: You guys seem to love to play live. What are you best and worst road stories?

Redshift: Well, we love being on the road and checking out new places. Anytime we drive hours away and find ourselves in good company and playing in front of a large crowd, it's always a positive experience. We especially love being able to stop at a Waffle House on the way from a show. Our worst experience was finding out our show was cancelled after we had promoted it and driven half way there. Of course, it never helps driving long distances when Ron has to take a leak every five minutes!

JP: What's it like trying to get this dream going when the music industry is in such a time of turmoil?

Redshift: It certainly makes it more of a challenge and that's how we look at it. It pushes us even harder though. The industry is going through some changes now and that's fine with us. We are going to make music regardless of the status of the industry, even if we have to do all the work ourselves. This is the path we've chosen!

JP: So, tell me ...do you guys have any printable guilty pleasures for your fans?

Redshift: Ha ha! Well, Shawn loves 80s hair bands and spandex and rocks out with them all the time. Ron sings Michael Jackson songs really well without warning and Jake used to love Madonna...and still rocks out to her!!

JP: You guys probably don't get alot of down time. In that rare chance that it does happen, how do you like to spend it?

Redshift: Shawn hits the river by his house and goes fishing on his canoe all by his lonesome self. Ron sleeps because if its a day that ends with Y, he probably hasn't slept at all. Jake usually hits the gym or cries himself to sleep.

JP: Quick, one word to describe each other...what would it be?

Redshift: Jake: zany, Shawn: idiotic, Ron: screw loose!

JP: I like to ask this of all my bands that I interview. If you were trapped on a desert island with only one store bought CD, what would you want to have there with you?

Redshift: Jake would want Guns and Roses "Use Your Illusion 1", Shawn would want CCR "Greatest Hits", Ron would want Van Halen's first CD.

I have to add that the interview was done before Pete Torres took over on bass and i apologize to pete for not having his input on the answers. The band is currently burning up the road and playing every place that will let them plug up an amp. You most definitely want to catch these boys live. Anyone can record a CD, but the real proof is in their live show and these guys do not disappoint. The mixture of Jake's commanding vocals and Ron's intricate guitar guitar work along with the back beat of Shawn on drums and Pete on bass, this band is one strong cohesive unit. You mix in some catchy tunes that have you rocking along within minutes and you have a deadly combination. The band has opened for bands such as Def Leppard, Thriving Ivory,Candlebox, Lifehouse and Poison. You can catch them now or read about them later when they're in the big time!

Elliott Yamin Wows Roanoke,Virginia

“Play That Funky Music White boy” was a huge hit for Wild Cherry back in the seventies and still gets major airplay today. Little did we know how appropriate of a song it would turn out to be for Richmond’s Elliott Yamin. Most of you know Elliott from American Idol Season Five where he came in third place. He recently released his sophomore CD, not counting his holiday CDs, entitled “Fight For Love”.

Elliott was in Roanoke,VA on July 17 to perform a special concert at the opening ceremonies for the Coventry Commonwealth Games of Virginia. The games are for male and female athletes of all ages and is similar to an Olympics type competition. I was fortunate to sit down with Elliott backstage before the show to ask him a few questions.

“It’s been a lot of fun so far. I love coming back to Virginia to perform. I have met a lot of great kids here too. I’m a diabetic and I met several kids who are also. It was great to share stories with them since we have that in common. Exercise definitely helps out with your diabetes. I love playing basketball myself,” said Elliott.

I asked him how the reaction has been to his new CD “Fight For Love”? “We’ve been very happy so far, given the landscape of the whole industry and the economy itself from the release of my first CD, we have been very pleased. It’s harder in the market being an independent artist, but I’m very satisfied with the response from radio and the fans.”

It has to be tough figuring out what songs to release to radio. How do you determine which ones? “We do a lot of testing at radio and we also listen to what the fans have to say on the websites. In Japan we released “You Say” as the first single because it tested so well, where here in the states we released “Fight for Love” as the first. I think we’re going to release “Can’t Keep on Loving You” as the next single here. We’ll send it to AC (adult contemporary) radio and see how it does,” responded Elliott.

Speaking of singles, I asked Elliott what happened to a song that I viewed on YouTube of he and Jermaine Dupree called “When I’m Gone”? “That is actually on the Japanese version of my new CD as a bonus track. I loved working with Jermaine. We got along great and the chemistry was awesome. To me, it’s an honor to be able to say that I actually got to work with him.
You know, Jermaine and I actually started working on a second song together but we never finished it. So, I can’t wait to get be able to work with him again.”

Elliott is a very busy man these days promoting his new CD. He had a gig in Modesto, California the day after his appearance in Virginia. He will be singing the national anthem at the WNBA All Star game. He also told me that he will be heading out on tour the day after Labor Day for six weeks with the band Thriving Ivory. “Their lead singer Clayton has the most amazing voice. It’s so unique. I’m looking forward to going out on the road with them,” said Elliott.

I always like to ask two questions of all artists that I interview to give a little insight to their fans. I asked Elliott if he had any “guilty pleasures”, if printable, that would surprise his fans? “Well, I don’t get a lot of down time, but when I do I just like to lay around and do nothing. I have a Shitzu named Buster and I like to spoon with him on the couch.” My other question was if you were trapped on a desert island with only one store bought CD, what would you want to have there with you? “Only one? Oh, without a doubt, it would have to be “These Songs For You Live” by Donnie Hathaway. I have worn that one out so many times. I love it!”

Elliott’s show that night was an acoustic set with his keyboardist Joonie and Russell Ali on guitar. He played a mixture off of his two CDs. Newer songs such as Can’t Keep on Loving You” and “You” and “You Say” translated so well acoustically. Elliott also mentioned that that show was the first time that they had performed “You Say” here. The stripped down arrangement combined with Elliott’s emotional vocals actually gave me goose bumps several times. An artist who is willing to play acoustically is very brave for it exposing one’s vulnerability. Elliott pulled it off flawlessly in Roanoke that night.

For those wanting to know, the set list consisted of : “Free”, “Know Better”, “Find a Way”, “One Word”, “Can’t Keep on Loving You”, “You”, “You Say”, “Fight for Love”, “Wait For You” and “Movin’ On”.

Elliott hung around after the show and signed autographs and posed for pictures with his fans. Being accessible like this really has a big impact on his fans. He’s such an amazing performer and human being. He listens to his fans and loves communicating with them. He is genuine and sincere and it shows. Elliott may play the N Club in Greensboro, NC on his tour. He is definitely worth the short drive down to check out. My thanks go out to all of his people who were so nice to me and the people involved with the games. A special thanks to all of the Etrain members that have contacted me and shown so much love and support. Thank you for welcoming me to you family. Thanks Covie for the amazing clip that I included on here from Roanoke.

Rachelle Ramm: Rock's Sexy New Vixen

One part sex, one part attitude, one part determination and one part talent. If you put all of those together and blend carefully you come up with one delicious combination. That would be one way to describe Rachelle Ramm: delicious. She is a treat to all of the senses. First off, it would be hard to look at her and not notice that she looks like a model. She definitely knows how to milk sexuality out of the most uncommon elements. Secondly, there is her voice. It's a mix of the rock attitude of Pat Benatar and the emotion of the Wilson sisters of Heart.

I spoke with Rachelle recently after discovering her on MySpace. Her first Cd “City Of Sin“ has been out for a while and Rachelle has been gaining a building a following with her aggressive take no prisoners attitude and amazing vocals. I asked her how long she had been performing. “Well, when I was very young, I had a small tape recorder. All of my neighbors knew that I loved the movie Grease. I think I was like 3 or 4 years old and I was so into Olivia Newton John. I would sing 'Hopelessly Devoted To You' for them over and over. My poor neighbors! I really loved to perform for anyone who would listen. My family was also very into music. My mom was into the Doors and Hendrix and my dad loved Stevie Wonder,“ said Rachelle.

Rachelle does have a wide array of musical tastes and influences. I asked her who her influences were and what I would find in her ipod. “I have so many influences, where do I start? I absolutely love Heart! I also like alot of rock such as Metallica, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Guns And Roses, Hendrix, I could go on and on. Now, when I chill out I like to listen to Cat Power or Sting. I like to mix it up. As far as what's in my ipod? I have a wide mix in it now. I have some Cat Powers, Kings Of Leon, early Chris Cornell, some classic Janis Joplin, Zepplin and alot of others.“

Rachelle aggressive attitude and determination may be traced back to her love of extreme sports. “I am a very active person and I am very hyper. If you give me coffee late in the day or at night, you better look out! I have swam competitively since I was six years old and continued through college. After that, I got into wake boarding. My true passion is snowboarding. I also enjoy mountain climbing, anything that pushes myself.“

Given the fact that this woman is in excellent shape, I had to ask her if she thinks that there is a double standard in the industry as far as women are concerned? “Well, I think there is, but I don't work out and eat right because of the media. I do this because it's a healthy lifestyle that I choose. I mean, I do want to look my best but I like to push myself and challenge myself. The whole double standard thing, yeah, it's sick and twisted I guess. I call myself healthfully insane because of the challenges I like to take on.

Let me tell you people, after five minutes with this woman, you can see that she is on full throttle. Most people would kill just for an ounce of her energy. She is truly a dynamo!

So, with all this passion and energy, how does she channel that into songwriting? Is there a method to the madness for this energetic lady? “Most of my lyrics come off the top of my head unless I am playing around with the guitar. Then again, maybe something is inspiring to me and I run with that. I ask myself 'how it can relate to people?'. Sometimes, Hank Shermann will give me a riff and I will play with it. It strikes me sometimes late at night, there may be a situation that I am going through in life and I will write about it. I have so many little scraps of paper and napkins and anything that I could find to write on when an idea came to me.“

So let's talk a little bit about your CD “City Of Sin“, can we? “You better believe we can! I had so many ideas that I wanted to try on this CD that we could have done two full CD releases. It was a “DIY”, do it yourself CD. Next time, maybe it would be wise to get with a label so that they could help with advertising. I would love to be in the situation to have financial backing for another CD. It's on its way though, don't worry. We did record a new single not too long ago called 'Asphalt Lucky Lust'. It was quick and easy. Hank and I created the idea in one day!“

Her CD “City Of Sin“ is a great tool for her to showcase her amazing voice. It also has a bit of a mix of styles on it also to show her versatility. “Not Ordinary“ has a punk/pop kind of feel to it while “Animal Attraction“ is a slower tempo song yet not quite a ballad. I told her that I would love to hear her slow it down and sing a real ballad on the next CD. “It's funny that you say that because I have been feeling that too lately. I want to record a very sultry, powerful and emotional ballad soon, “ said Rachelle.

So, for a woman who cannot stand to sit still for a long period of time, what are her long term goals for her career? “First and foremost, I want to be happy and share my passion for music. You should never start in this business to become rich or to just do it for the money because it will make you miserable. I think my biggest goal right now would be to tour around the world. I want to perform live for as many people as possible and inspire happiness. What a feeling to look out and see that you're making people smile and feel it with you.“

My last two questions were more about what makes her tick. One was what is your guilty pleasure, if printable and the other was if you were trapped on a desert island and could have only one store bought CD, what would it be? “My guilty pleasure? Well, I guess it would have to be Absinthe alcohol. As far as the CD goes, that's difficult. In this moment, I'd say Guns And Roses 'Appetite For Destruction', I have extreme fond memories during the time it was released.“

I have to tell you that my interview with Rachelle was so refreshing and entertaining. She is like a whirlwind spinning in every direction! You should check her out at www.myspace.com/rachelleramm or at her official website, www.rachelleramm.com. She has a powerful voice that will reaches out and grabs you be your neck and demands your attention. Check her out and see what all the fuss is about.

Agonist Singer Stands For Her Beliefs

Mama always told me never to judge a book by it's cover and man is that so true. I first saw pictures of Alissa White-Gluz in Revolver's Hottest Chicks In Metal. I have to admit that she is a very striking woman. A pure natural beauty, whose hair is a wild combo of purple and blue. So, I decided to check them out. I picked up their first Cd entitled "Only Once Imagined" and popped it in my player and was shocked. I knew they were a metal core band but it was Alissa's vocals that caught me by surprise. She has the amazing ability to go from a growling type of screaming to singing in this very melodic tone.

I saw them a while back at Volume 11 in Raleigh,NC and shortly after go ta chance to talk with Alissa.

JP- "Hi Alissa, let me start by thanking you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me."

Alissa- "No problem! We have been very busy on the road touring to promote our latest CD 'Lullabies For The Dormant Mind'."

JP- "I'm curious as to when you first decided that this was what you wanted to do with your life, take off on the rock and roll journey?"

Alissa- "In 2003 I was in my first band called Dream Theater. We were a progressive metal band. I always performed in school programs and plays."

JP- "Now, I saw where the band was first called Tempest and then changed its name to The Agonist. How did that come about?"

Alissa- "We were called Tempest until Simon joined. That's when we found out that there was another band with the same name. There were some legal problems, so we decided to change our name to The Agonist. I really didn't think the old name fit us very well. This one is more appropriate."

JP- "Your vocal styling is very amazing. I was blown away when I saw all that power and emotion coming out of such a small person. I can't get over how you go from growling to singing very melodically. How do you accomplish such a feat?"

Alissa- "Well, thank you. I have to take care of my voice to make sure that I don't strain it. I have to watch how much I use it before a show and I even have to watch what I eat."

JP- "You are such a creative person that I am sure you must have a wide range of influences?"

Alissa- I am actually inspired for songs from painting. I love Salvador Dali. I am also inspired by Gwen Stafani, Poe, Freddie Mercury and Andrew Lloyd Webber. I also love Angela Gossow, who I know, of Arch Enemy. I think she is just amazing."

JP- "The lyrics that you write are not typical in this day and age. Your lyrics do have somewhat of a serious tone to them. You have very strong beliefs that you express through them."

Alissa- "That's true, my lyrics are a mixture of things, but mostly I write about what I believe in. This is entertainment and it's art. I know that people who listen to our songs may not share my beliefs but I would still want them to listen to what I have to say. If they don't share my beliefs they can still enjoy our music. I don't try to shove it down their throats or anything. I just want to share a different look on things."

JP- "So, what are your best and worst road stories?"

Alissa- "I have so many great road stories, not many bad ones. We just get to meet so many amazing people out on the road. we crash at alot of peoples houses while we are touring. We actually got to crash at Bam Margera's house not too long ago. We found out that he is a huge fan of the band. That was very cool."

JP- "Do you have any guilty pleasures , if printable, that may surprise your fans?"

Alissa- "I love Vegan ice cream, I could eat a whole tub of it. There is this cappuccino flavor that I just love"

JP- "On your new CD, at the beginning of '....And Their Eulogies Sang Me To Sleep', it sounds like a vocal slip. Was that a blooper or what?"

Alissa- "That is so funny, you are actually the first person who has asked me about that. Our producer Christian Donaldson likes to keep all of the tape of my exercising my vocals and all the bloopers that may come along. When he's mixing the finished product, he likes to sneak those slip-ups in and see if anyone catches them. I actually liked that one and we left it in."

JP- "One last question, if you were trapped on a desert island and could have only one store bought CD, what would you want there with you?"

Alissa- "Wow, I would probably want to have something by Arch Enemy or 'The End Is Begun" by 3."

The Agonist is definitely a standout in the growing genre of metal core. Musically, they are a tight unit. Lyrically, I challenge you to find a band who has more to say in their lyrics. You can check them out at www.myspace.com/theagonist.

Scarlet Sins Show The Big Boys How To Rock

Scarlet Sins burst onto the metal scene with a vengeance with the release of their self-titled debut CD in September of 2007. The band, consisting of lead vocalist Sylvya NuVynska, guitarist Cristina Bishop, bassist Tanya Nicklaus and drummer Elie Bertrand, made the industry stand up and take notice. These ladies rock just as hard, if not harder, than most of the male dominated industry with Sylvya having a vocal style that in hands down one of the most amazing ever heard. I recently spoke with the ladies about their assault on the music industry.

JP: "I'm curious, you ladies definitely have a very seasoned sound, how long have you been playing?"

Sylvya: "Well, I have been singing since I was a little kid. I started taking vocal lessons at 13 it's something that I have done ever since."

Cris: "I started playing keys when I was 5 and have pretty much played any instrument I could get my hands on since then, but I fell in love with playing guitar in my early teens and haven't looked back."

Elie: "I've been playing drums for 14 years."

Tanya: "I've been playing an instrument for almost 10 years. I started off with guitar and switched over to bass about 3 years ago. As for singing, I've been doing that since I was a little kid."

JP: "Do you know the moment that you decided you wanted to pursue music?

Sylvya: "Music has always been in me. I knew it was something that I've always wanted to do from a really young age. Going to concerts with my older sister solidified it even more. I never had that specific moment; it was just always there.

Cris: "I can't remember. Music has been there my whole life, like eating and sleeping, so I am not sure."

Tanya: "I remember being cast as the main character in a school play when I was about 10 years old. I was dressed up in this little peasant dress and was sweeping the floor as I was belting out this song...I felt like I was on top of the world!"

Elie: "For me, there really wasn't a moment, it was always what I wanted to do. As far as I can remember, I never wanted to do anything else than rock the world."

JP: "Who are your musical influences?"

Cris: "Mozart, Metallica, A Perfect Circle, Alice In Chains and more recently Killswitch Engage and Lamb Of God."

Tanya: "I have so many influences but mostly all within the hard rock and metal genres. Some of my favorites include Tool, Deftones, Alice In Chains, Marilyn Manson, Lamb Of God, Korn, Black Sabbath and Arch Enemy."

Sylvya: "I grew up listening to hard rock and metal. Bands like Guns n' Roses, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Skid Row, AC/DC, Alice In Chains...the list goes on."

Elie: "I listen to alot of different styles of music from funk to metal to pop to house and I'm inspired by alot of drummers. Definitely Daniel Adair, Tomas Haake, Denis Chambers and John Bonham are direct influences to my style."

JP: "Do you think there is a double standard for women in the industry?"

Tanya: "I wouldn't say it's a double standard but it's definitely harder to be taken seriously as a woman in the hard rock/metal genre. People often assume that you suck before they even have given you a chance or even listen to your music, but I think we're slowly changing peoples perceptions, one person at a time!"

Elie: "It's part of the game. We deal with it and we have fun doing what we do."

JP: A very interesting choice to cover Depeche Mode's 'Strangelove', what made you do it?"

Tanya: "Cris and i were driving one day and we heard Depeche Mode's version the car. As soon as the lyrics 'I give in to sin' came up, we looked at each other and knew we had to do a remake of this song."

Cris: "At the time. we were toying around with the idea of throwing a remake on the album, but we didn't want to do a rock song. 'Strangelove' was perfect because we had so much room to play with it and it came together really fast."

JP: "Can you tell me a little bit about the following songs?"

"Drown" - Sylvya: "It's about someone that is falling apart and doesn't realize it, but the chorus is positive. I wrote it for a friend and just wanted that person to know that no one is ever alone in their problems and that i would never let them down."

"Reborn" - Sylvya: "This song was written by Cris and myself. To me, this song is about losing someone very close to you and they're not coming back to take you with them." Cris- "The lyrics I originally wrote for this song were about meeting your dream person while being stuck in a bad relationship and hoping for strength to make the right choice."

"With You" - Sylvya: "When I first heard Cris' guitar parts, I fell in love with them right away. As she played the riff, the words just poured right out of me. I wrote all the melodies and words in less than half an hour. It's a love song and when you're in love, it's o easy to write about it. At the time, that's how I felt.

JP: "What inspires you to write? Is it impulsive? Do you purposely sit down and try to write?"

Sylvya: "For me, I write best on impulse. If I have to sit there and think about it, I'm never really happy. My best writing just comes out of nowhere."

Cris: "Same goes for me. I get ideas at the oddest times or in the oddest places, like right when I'm waking up or when I'm on the subway."

JP: "What would you be doing if you were not playing music?"

Sylvya: "I'd be a drummer..LOL! I would love to design a rock and roll clothing line for tall people. I hate shopping because nothing ever fits me."

Cris: "Writing music instead?"

Tanya: "HA ha, I think Would be working at a boring office job for the rest of my life!"

Elie: "I would be miserable!"

JP: "Any chance of touring the US this year?"

Sylvya: "We would love to! Do you know any great booking agents that want to set up a tour for us?"

JP: "What animal best describes your personality? I know, it's a strange question!"

Sylvya: "I'd say an eagle. They are strong and independent and free. How amazing it would be to always see the world from above."

Elie: "A goldfish because I forget alot and I live in small places, i.e. my place, teh rehearsal hall, the van..ha ha!"

Tanya: "I have no idea what to reply to this! I've never compared myself to an animal. I've compared other people to animals though mind you."

Cris: "Hmmm, maybe a tiger?"


JP: "Is there someone that you would die to play live with?"

Sylvya: "There are so many bands that I would love to play live with. If I could only pick one, it would have to be Metallica."

Cris: "Metallica all the way!"

Elie: "Lamd Of God, Meshuggah and Guns -n Roses."

Tanya: "Probably Tool, I love their sound and they're amazing live. Just their lights and laser show alone is worth seeing them live."

JP: "Last question ladies: If you were stranded on a desert island with only one storebought CD, can't be downloaded or a mix CD, what would you want with you?"

Sylvya: "Scarlet Sins of course!"

Cris: "Metallica- 'Master Of Puppets.'

Elie: "'Nothing' by Meshuggah

Tanya: "Hmm, tough question, but I would probably choose Alice In Chains 'Dirt' because it's a phenomenal album from beginning to end."

The girls have had quite a run so far in their early careers. They have supported such acts as Buckcherry, Cyprus Hill and April Wine. They were also chosen from 600 Sonicbids to open for Motley Crue. They are currently in the studios writing material for their followup CD. These girls prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that the metal genre is not just for the boys. Their sound is tight and very mature to be such a young band. Cristina definitely can lay down some heavy riffs on guitar while Tanya provides a driving bass line throughout their songs. Elie is just a beast when it comes to pounding the skins. Then, there is Sylvya on lead vocals. Her voice contains so much raw power and emotion that she grabs you and demands your attention. Check them out for yourselves at www.myspace.com/scarletsins or at their official web page, www.scarletsinsonline.com.

Textures

Tiffany Shea probably wrote her first song inside her mother’s womb. It seems as if just seconds after birth she had booked her first show. I’m pretty sure that she got her first standing ovation from the visitors looking at her in the hospital. You see, Tiffany is more than your flavor of the week artist. In an industry of manufactured artists, she is definitely a breath of fresh air. She has the personality to win over the most unruly crowd and the spunk and determination to make her dreams come true.


Tiffany last stormed through Greensboro in 2004 when she played the SWET. "You know, I think that it was one of the coolest club shows that I have ever done. All of the kids were really close to the stage and they were really listening intently to what I was expressing. It was kind of like pouring a glass of water. As opposed to pouring it out all over the floor, each kid there was a glass and they were full of the water that I poured out by the end of my set. They really absorbed it and took it all in. It was really cool," said Tiffany in a phone interview we recently conducted.


Tiffany is not a stranger to the music scene as I soon learned. She has been performing since 1997, first solo and then with her band in November of that same year. She has released an amazing 13, yes 13, CDs in that amount of time. I think the only artist to put out more CDs on that time frame would be Tupac, but he doesn’t count since he’s not touring anymore.


She was born into a musical family with her dad being a drummer and her mom was a piano teacher. She then moved to singing in church and later community theater. Her love for the arts also extends to art and her love of painting. "When I was 19 years old, I went to see Sister 7 who were out of Austin, Texas. They were a power, passion funk/rock band. I knew the minute that I saw them perform that was what I wanted to do with my life. It’s kind of funny, Patrice Pike was in that band at the time and she and I will be touring together later this summer."


Tiffany’s sound, both vocally and musically is very unique. Imagine taking the over the top personality of Cyndi Lauper, add a little Pat Benatar, a touch of Tori Amos and sprinkle in some Ani DiFranco and put them all in a blender and process them and you get a touch of what this women is capable of. If someone were deaf and she had to paint a canvas to describe her sound to them, how would she do it? "Wow, that’s an amazing question. Well, you know I love to paint. I think all of my art is an extension of who I am. I think the canvas would have lots of bold colors and it would be multimedia with tons of textures so that they could touch it and feel all the differences. It would be abstract yet evoking a feeling that’s universal at the same time. My music is raw, human emotion. I think I capture that where it’s not cryptic or so black and white that it’s boring." I can say for certain, that boring is one word that has never been used to describe this young lady.


The music industry has been in such turmoil the last few years and yet Tiffany is determined to keep marching on just as she has done for over ten years now. I was curious as to what keeps her going? " I have been doing this since 1997. I have funded all but two of my CD releases, they were on independent labels. In the summer of 2005, I had a major career letdown and I crashed and burned. I was burnt out! I mean, I had been doing all of this by myself: I booked my own shows, I was my own graphic designer, I was funding my CDs, it just got to be too much on me. I just walked away from it and tried to figure out what it was that I wanted to do. I tried working in a office and quickly found out that wasn’t what I wanted to do. I went to audio engineer school and I constantly found myself wanting to be on the other side of the glass. I went to art school and I was constantly drawing about music. The songs just kept coming into my head and I had to get them out. It’s then that I figured out that, music, it’s not what I do, it’s who I am. It’s my gift and I have to be diligent with it."


Her 2003 release "Phoenix" garnered her praise from all over and numerous awards. What was it about that CD that registered with people? "I think it was the first album that really captured the sound and the feeling of me. It was also super high quality. We really took out time and we wanted it to be right and not just do it to do it, you know what I mean? The power of the music on that CD really did shine. Actually we just re-released a new version called ‘Phoenix II’ this year. It’s been re mixed and edited. There are a few songs that were left off from the original release and some stuff added to it. It’s like ‘Phoenix’ on steroids!"


On a personal note, do you have any guilty pleasures that you can share with your fans. Well, as long as they are printable? "Ha ha! If they’re not printable, I think I will keep those to myself. I guess my one big one right now would be chocolate chip ice cream....I sure am glad you didn’t ask me that question ten years ago!"
One more question as a more fun one for your fans. I always ask everyone that I interview this one. If you were trapped on a desert island and could only have one CD, it has to be a store bought CD, what would you want to have with you? "Oh that’s easy, it would have to be U2 ‘The Joshua Tree’, without a doubt. There are other favorites that I would also love to take such as Tori Amos ‘From the Choirgirl Hotel’ or Heart’s ‘Greatest Hits’ with their eighties stuff on it or Sting ‘Ten Summoner’s Tales’."


Again, Tiffany’s performance at the Somewhere Else Tavern is on Saturday, June 6 at 8:00 PM. If you have never seen her perform live, this will be a treat for all. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take us five more years to get her to come back and visit.

Indiegrrl Festival Rocks Spencer,VA

I believe there is nothing like a true appreciation for the arts, whether it’s painting, theater, music, poetry or what ever format that it can take the shape of. Well, just recently in our back yard of Spencer, VA this took place. On Saturday, May 30th locals and a few out of towners were treated to our first Indiegrrl Festival. The festival was part of the new library dedication at the Spencer Penn School.


Now, I know some of you may be scratching your heads wondering "What the heck is Indiegrrl?" Well, it’s an organization that was created back in 1998 by songwriter Holly "Figueroa" O’Reilly. In October of 2005, the wheel was turned over to Martinsville’s own Vicki Blankenship and she began her drive. Now, for the what is it part. It’s a non-profit organization that creates an opportunity for women in the arts, whether spoken, music, painting, comedy, authors, etc., to showcase their talents. It also creates a type of social network for them and creates an opportunity to educate their own communities. They have festivals all across the country to help share their gifts with others.


The festival in Spencer was the first for our area and was scheduled from 10:00am until 6:00pm. There were over 25 vendors selling their arts and crafts and some delicious food also. Vicki had lined up some great talent for the show, which offered a wide variety from blues to newgrass to acoustic americana. Each artist was given one hour to entertain the crowd. The day kicked off with Broda, from Farmville,VA, who performed songs from her "Spiral Staircase" CD. She included such favorites as "Rosemary’s Picnic" and "Mulligan Game". She also played "Don’t Sell Yourself Short" which was submitted and included on a sampler by OG Magazine to be given out on the West coast at different events. Now that’s some major exposure right there! "This is actually my second event that I have been a part of and I am just as honored to do this show as I was the first one. I couldn’t be more excited," said Broda after her performance.


Next up was Spartanburg, South Carolina’s Leslie Berry who performed songs from all of her three CDs. She offered songs with very powerful lyrics including "Story of You" from her latest CD "Was It Blue" which was dedicated to all the grandmothers in the crowd. Leslie has such a gentle, yet powerful voice that really takes you by surprise. "I think shows like this one are a great networking opportunity and helps the musicians out by helping us get signed or helping us make our CD. It’s the spirit of Indiegrrl, that’s what it’s all about," responded Leslie.


The Near Misses from Charlotte,NC were next. They are 3 very talented women who have the most amazing harmonies that I think I have ever heard live. Their sound is somewhat country/newgrass. They played a set consisting of songs from their two CDs including "Pretty Enough" from their newest CD "Marigold". They were in great spirits joking around during their entire set. "Everyone here has been really sweet to us and this is such a good cause. We think it’s a very cool event and the vendor support is awesome. We just wish that the community would have come out a little stronger to support it," said the ladies as they packed up to head back to another show that night in Charlotte.


Melissa Reaves from Boone,NC was up next and performed a set that included some amazing effects using a seven second delay foot pedal. Her set was a mix of blues and rock and included a slowed down version of AC-DC’s "You Shook Me All Night Long’ which was amazing. She closed her set with a touching acoustic version of John Lennon’s "Imagine". "I’m excited to be a part of this event. We need all the help and support we can get from the community. It’s not uncommon for the first event like this to have a small turnout, but hopefully we can build on it. It’s a tough time right now, but something like this can only enrich your community," said Melissa.


Next up was the show’s organizer Vicki Blankenship who performed a short set of very emotional and heart felt songs. There’s nothing like watching a performer who genuinely gets into their music like Vicki does. Her set did include a couple of tracks from her upcoming third CD "Elements" which is due out in August. "Blue Flame Trance" was an incredible song done by Vicki solo but will include a full band on the CD.


We were treated to Norfolk, VA’s award winning musician Julie Clark as the show’s closer. She has won the Virginia Music Award for Folk/Acoustic Artist of the Year. She was armed with her acoustic guitar and sung us songs from her two CDs. She, like all of the artists that appeared, have an uncanny knack for telling great stories. They don’t sing just to sing, they invite you in and have you sit down and they tell you a story with each and every song that they sing. "Feel Free" is a perfect example of Julie sharing with us problems she had with her mom as she was growing up. She closed with an unbelievable cover of "People Get Ready". "I just love the small town aspect of this plus the library dedication was very nice too. I’m a big library girl and that part was extra special to me. I just love it here, the scenery is just so beautiful," said Julie.


I spoke to Vicki afterwards about the day’s event. "The vendor turnout that we had was amazing, I just wish we would have had the community come out in stronger numbers. It’s hard to pull off an event like this without their support. The people who did come out really loved it and they did support the vendors. The artists that were here did a great job too. We tried to include different types of music to entertain the people. We had alot of talent here and award winning talent too. Broda and Leslie are actually board members of Indiegrrl. It is hard to pull these off and not go in the hole because we still have to pay the artists. I am excited to have Binding Time Cafe behind us and supporting us."


For those who did attend, you know what you were treated to. For those who didn’t, it was a day full of amazingly talented women who performed their hearts out. It was close to 90 degrees and these women were pouring their souls out under the beating sun. The turnout was low and that was a disappointment for many. It was such a positive event and a missed educational opportunity for many to show the young girls in our community the power that the female body and mind is capable of. Hopefully, there will be a second festival next year and we as a community can turn out and support a little stronger.