In the year of 1995, when metal was being viciously suffocated by an almost supernaturally lame mainstream pop culture, TWISTED TOWER DIRE was born. Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Candlemass…these were the teachers. After releasing two cult demo cassettes, several split EPs and contributing to various sampler CD’s to critical acclaim, the band began a partnership with long time fan an…d Solstice mainman/guitarist Rich Walker. He had recently begun a new label called The Miskatonic Foundation and offered to support the recording and distribution of the first TWISTED TOWER DIRE album.
The band unleashed their self produced, full-length debut in 1999. Despite a modest budget, “The Curse of Twisted Tower” won over many dedicated fans that appreciated TWISTED TOWER DIRE’s traditional yet unique sound. From 1999 to 2000, the band embarked on a relentless, self-financed world tour in support of “Curse” including several American festival appearances. A European stretch of the tour with fellow heathens Slough Feg and Solstice followed, including several club dates and the Wacken Open Air Festival, where the band had to perform directly after Venom’s headlining set!
In 2001, TWISTED TOWER DIRE released the critically acclaimed “Isle of Hydra” (produced by Kevin 131 & TTD) on The Miskatonic Foundation and Hellion Records. The album featured tighter songwriting and improved production, but still retained a certain underground feel. In support, they played shows in North America’s Mid Atlantic Region and beyond, including more festival dates. In July 2002, TWISTED TOWER DIRE returned to Deutschland, once again with the mighty Slough Feg, to continue their assault on clubs and festivals, including a headlining appearance at the Headbanger’s Open Air Festival.
In September of that same year, TWISTED TOWER DIRE signed to Germany’s Remedy Records. Their third release “Crest of the Martyrs” (produced by Piet Sielck & TTD) was unleashed upon the masses on May 26th, 2003. “Crest” had the distinguished honor of being named one of Terrorizer Magazine’s Top 20 Power Metal Albums of All Time (Issue 137, Nov. 2005). This release was accompanied by another European invasion with festival gigs at the Metal Bash Open Air Festival and their second appearance at the Wacken Open Air Festival. “Crest” was also the first TWISTED TOWER DIRE album to be officially released in Japan (Spiritual Beast) and the USA (Magick/Cleopatra).
Between 2004 and 2006, the members of TWISTED TOWER DIRE all went through some heavy personal times. The band kept moving forward despite the setbacks, playing shows across the US, including the first Alehorn of Power Festival (Chicago) in June 2006, and working on the aptly named fourth album “Netherworlds”. In September 2006, lead vocalist of nine years, Tony Taylor left the band after a long battle with depression. Once it was decided that Tony’s departure was permanent, TWISTED TOWER DIRE welcomed Viper (NC) vocalist Johnny Aune as their new singer, reinvigorating the spirit of the band making an appearance at Germany’s Keep it True Festival.
Tragically, the world lost ex singer Tony Taylor to a fatal motorcycle accident in February 2010.
TWISTED TOWER DIRE have gone through countless trials and changes, but the purpose has remained the same from early basement practices to today’s basement practices. The “Tower Brethren” continue to play their guts out for the legacy of Classic Heavy Metal with their latest album “Make it Dark” in 2011 and their headbangmania live shows. The band appreciates the support of their dedicated friends and fans around the world and hopes to soon see YOU in front of the stage banging thy head!
Current Line up:
Jonny Aune – Vocals
Scott Waldrop – Guitar
Dave Boyd – Guitar
Jim Hunter – Bass
Marc Stauffer – Drums
Singer, Nightclub Entertainer, Shirley Johnson has proven she is creative human being who put forth the effort to make everything she does a work of art. Her music is soulful and smooth; her lyrics are warm, affectionate, and understanding. Shirley presents a sound that is distinctively her own, conveying stories of reality, with the ultimate message that personifies love.
Born in Franklin, Virginia, Shirley’s musical talent was evident from the age of 10, when she began singing gospel music. After 8 years of singing Gospel, In 1965 she began singing Pop and R&B music. From there Shirley was recognized as one of the up and coming female artists in R&B music. Because of popular demand Shirley became an opening act for such superstars as: Al Green, Jerry Butler, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, and Millie Jackson, just to name a few. Also, during the late 60’s she recorded her 1st three singles on Biggs and Shawn Records.
In 1984, she was advised by a close friend to move to Chicago, the home of the Blues. With her warm personality Shirley was welcomed into the Blues arena with open arms.She opened for some of the best in the in the industry.Some of those artists include: Johnny Christian, Artie “Blues Boy” White, BuckWheat Zydeco, Little Milton Campbell, Johnnie Taylor, Buster Benton, Koko Taylor, and Bobby Rush.
Between 1986 and 1988, Shirley recorded 2 more singles on Diamond Jim & Big Boy Records. In 1989, Shirley became acquainted with Professor Eddie Lusk, and later toured with him as his opening act. This relationship lasted for 2 years. Shirley then formed her own band in 1991,which jump-started her Blues career. Shirley was asked to appear in 3 movies: “Next of Kin” with Patrick Swayze, “Father Jim” with Robert DeNiro, and “V.I. Warshawski” with Kathleen Turner. She also did a commercial for the Dept. of Tourism for the state of Illinois.
Hard work and dedication finally paid off, because in 1994 Shirley released her debut CD called “Looking for Love”. The 1st single to ride the charts was “I’m Gonna Find Me A Lover”, she also did three compilation CDs. She currently is a Delmark Recording Artist with two CDs on the label: Killer Diller and Blues Attack. Shirley is in constant command all over the world. She was also nominated for the W.C. Handy Award for ‘Best Female Blues Singer’.
A veteran of all 6 Chicago Women in the Blues shows at Reggies, Dia Madden is lead vocalist with the Gand Band, Cruise Machine, and has toured for the past few years with the Legacy Girls, a trio that performs the music of girl groups from the 40’s – the 60s.
THE FLIGHT OF SLEIPNIR
The Flight of Sleipnir’s creation stemmed from a desire to explore ethereal and progressive sounds with themes that reflect upon the rich literature of ancient Scandinavia.
Nobody Move is an energetic pop/rock band that has been taking the planet by storm with the release of their latest album, Your Favorite Channel. With a summer of recording and playing, Nobody Move proved themselves as a band that gives it all on stage. This is clear from the moment the first note hits all the way until the final second of their set. Nobody Move released their debut EP Sunset Boulevard in January of 2014 and went right back in to follow it up with a hard-hitting freshman record. But they have proven themselves as anything but underclassmen, boasting a sound that will enthrall you from the moment you press play.
It is a great honor to speak of Keshia Dixon-Nelson. Born October twentieth, nineteen eighty-nine now age twenty-three, this hot young sweetheart delivers a new approach to the music industry. She carries on the legacy of her grandfather Willie Dixon. In R&B, Pop, and Blues she brings a sweet and soft, yet poppy and up beat feel. Keshia delivers a new sound to music that can mix with rock, R&B, and many genres of music.
Enhancing the music industry with songs like “Moneys Myth is Everything”, “Broken”, and “Blues Man” is something she aspires to share with the world one day. This American Beauty has been prepared beginning at age twelve forming a singing group called “Riminiz”. Her mother, Shirli Dixon-Nelson trained and developed her daughter’s voice of harmony. Shirli managed her, but the tragic passing of her mother in August 2003 left Keshia to developing the career for herself.
Continuing solo-singing and doing what she has been doing most of her life Keshia has sang at many different venues in Chicago such as Buddy Guy’s Legends, Harold Washington Library and Cultural Center, the Chicago Blues Festivals and Blues Heaven foundation. Keshia has even traveled to sing in the Mexico City Blues festivals in Mexico to reach people of foreign languages. Keshia idolizes her beloved mother Shirli Dixon-Nelson and her grandfather Wille Dixon and works to live the dream they strived for in the industry. Currently self managing she is looking for a manager but hasn’t been as lucky to find someone as good as her mom. Committed with character, conscience, and devotion soon to prosper American Beauty, Keshia Dixon-Nelson.
Tracee Adams: A South side regular on the blues scene with a powerful voice and presence in the tradition of Aretha Franklin. Always an audience favorite at Chicago Women in the Blues
Born November 18, 1970, in Chicago, IL , Gwendolyn Williams started singing at the age of 3. Her favorite artist was the legendary Natalie Cole. “I would sing for everyone, anytime and anywhere”. Gwen went to DuSable High School where her music teachers would encourage her to sing. While in high school she had the honor to sing for Chicago’s Mayor Harold Washington for a Christmas Event. Gwen also sings for True Love Baptist Church under the guidance of the late Pastor Alfred Williams. Pastor Williams was one of many who acknowledged her extraordinary talented voice. Mz. Peachez got her first break sitting in with Kissy and Shorty Mack’s band at the Tacs Lounge.
Word spread throughout the south-side club circuit about the girl with the “Big Voice”. Stan “Sarge” Davis, owner of Lee’s Unleaded Blues, quickly realized that she had a special gift to belt out the blues, Stan would have Peachez sing with Sir Walter Scott and the Mighty World Band.
Mz. Peachez dedicates her career to her loving parents, Ms. Gwendolyn Williams, the late Mr. Johnnie Knight, Grandmother Wilma Knight and her Aunt Nell Knight
Accomplishments:
Winning the 2007 Blues Diva Award
Performed at the Chicago Blues Festival in 2009
Mz. Peachez has performed at B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted, Kingston Mines, Blue Chicago, Shaw’s Crab House, Time out Lounge, and at Lee’s Unleaded Blues. She currently works with Toronzo Cannon and the Casanovas.
The Magic Beans are a traveling band from Nederland, CO set out to bring their unique, genre-blending music to the masses and inspire a good time. Their diverse songs move your mind, while tight grooves move your booty when they come to town or through the speakers. Drawing from a wide range of influences, The Magic Beans leave nothing off the table as they combine americana, funk, rock, and electronica into a one sound and sometimes even one composition. Their sound has been described as space funk, ameritronica, and groove grass. The group uses no pre-recorded tracks or samples in favor of a more traditional approach to music: original songwriting, diverse instrumentation, and continually pushing the envelope are what have set this group apart. Seamlessly combining acoustic roots music and traditional instruments with modern technology and electric dance music, The Magic Beans are as unique as their place of origin, the Colorado Rockies.
The Magic Beans have shared the stage with an eclectic group of musicians: ranging from members of String Cheese Incident, Humphrey’s McGee, Lotus, Leftover Salmon, ALO, The Motet, to acts like Railroad Earth, Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Great American Taxi, Twiddle, Zac Deputy, Elephant Revival, Greensky Bluegrass, Split Lip Rayfield, Juno What, Papadosio, & The Werks just to name a few. They’ve performed over 200 shows as group across the nation in venues like; Ogden Theater, Boulder Theater, Mishawaka Amphitheater, Bluebird Theater, Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Animas City Theatre, Belly Up Aspen, the Cabooze, George’s Majestic, Parish Austin, The Grenada, Gothic Theater, Funky Biscuit, State Bridge Amphitheater, Fox Theater, City Hall, 320South, The Eldo CB, and many more across the country. The group has a full studio album and live shows available for free to fans at themagicbeans.bandcamp.com and has also put on two of their own festivals and participated in countless charity and benefit events. Look for the groups second studio effort, a double album, to be released early next year.
Scott Hachey – Electric/Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Josh Appelbaum – Bass Guitar
Casey Russell – Keyboards, Synth, Acoustic Banjo/Guitar, Vocals
Cody Wales – Drums, Beatbox
Hunter Welles – Electric/Acoustic Mandolin
“American Opera folk rock singer/songwriter may give the likes of Joe Cocker a run for his money. His songs are gritty and moody with just the right amount of edge.” —TOPIAT
SwampYankee music. The Suitcase Junket is Matt Lorenz’s nationally touring, throat-singing, slide guitar playing one-man-band. www.thesuitcasejunket.com
We are a husband and wife duo from Chicago, IL who met through music and have been playing together ever since. We’re excited to share what we’ve created.
Sounds del Mar is a 70’s Rock and Roll band from the 90’s. Founded in 2013, SdM has their debut album, Miami Vicin’, in production with a summer 2014 release date soon to be announced. More info including sample tracks from the upcoming album, Miami Vicin’ is available at www.soundsdelmar.com. T-shirts, stickers, and pre-orders of the album are also available on the website along with links to our YouTube channel, Twitter and Instagram.
Time was, artists didn’t simply record songs, they crafted audio experiences that began when the needle found the groove on Side 1 and led listeners on an emotional and spiritual journey that carried them through to the end of Side 2. The history of rock ‘n’ roll is rife with tales of musicians who labored months in the studio to find just the right drum sound, just the right guitar setting, just the right groove. But who can deny that when the pieces were put together perfectly, the results were magnificent!
Great Moments in Vinyl expands on the tribute band concept by weaving the stories and images accompanying the music into their set. In their Martyr’s debut, Great Moments in Vinyl honors two legendary albums in the career of Bruce Springsteen. His second release, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle, followed hard on the heels of his major label debut and gave him the chance to prove he was more than just the new Dylan. By album number three, though, his record company was ready to sever their relationship if he didn’t find an audience for his music. In a desperate bid to save his career, Springsteen went back into the studio and produced the masterpiece that made him a legend, Born to Run.
Comprised of veterans from the Chicago music scene, Great Moments in Vinyl regularly celebrates the albums of their musical heroes.
From sitting in at the middle school janitor’s home studio to band practice in his parent’s living room, Ryan Langlois’ music is truly home grown. In his teenage years Ryan fronted several bands and projects. The most popular of which has seen supporting members find success with acts like Penthouse Penthouse and Halcyonaire. He has played nearly 100 shows throughout the west coast, performing at venues such as Blakes On Telegraph, the Oakland Metro, and Popscene.
Ryan left California in the Fall of 2011 to experience life on the opposite coast. In the Summer of 2013, he released his debut solo EP entitled Wednesday Night. Currently writing at a pace of 2-3 songs per week amidst frequent live appearances, Ryan continues to improve his craft and demonstrate his work ethic. His most recent project, Bandit, incorporates the tongue-in-cheek humor of Warren Zevon while paying homage to other influences such as Rooney and The Rolling Stones. Though plans for a full solo-album are already underway, he continues to write with other artists to fortify his ability in all genres.
Tim Rogner is one of the founding members of Chicago punk rock band, Allister. Beginning in 1998, Allister signed with Drive-Thru Records and went on to tour the world. They released a total of 4 albums and also had a certified Gold Record released in Japan. He has since recorded a solo EP and has plans to record and release a solo full length in 2015.
In 2008, Event Horizon emerged from the ashes of rock bands Leaving the Will and Blood Lust Kill when high school friends Craig Podell, John Clark, Parke O’Leary, and Mario Polito combined their talents. They sought to blend the styles of their previous bands, the hardcore metal of Polito’s Blood Lust Kill and the pop-rock sound of Podell, Clark and O’Leary’s Leaving the Will.
The result was something that would be fresh injected into a music scene that was growing stale and repetitive. Drawing influence from the classic rock bands of the 60s and 70s, as well as progressive bands like Yes, King Crimson, and Rush, they slowly molded their own unique sound which would set them apart from a music scene fading into mediocrity. Consisting of dual guitar leads, soaring vocals, and a groovy rhythm section, it wasn’t long before Event Horizon’s unique prog-rock sound took off.
In the beginning, the band started off playing around their hometown of Mahopac, New York. With a strong local following, Event Horizon soon branched out to venues across the Northeast, playing shows around New York and New England. Along the way, Event Horizon was fortunate enough to share the stage with quality acts like Senses Fail, The Sleeping, Closure in Moscow, and Sleeping With Sirens, further helping the band hone their skills and reach a higher level of playing.
With an ambitious desire to share their music with the world and bring people back to the innovative roots of rock and roll, Event Horizon strives to help shape the future of music. In an industry falling victim to generic sounds, Event Horizon is reviving the classic sound of true heartfelt rock, exploding with ingenuity, creativity and passion.
“Formed in 2009, in Grand Junction, Colorado, Zolopht has become a premier act in the Western Colorado music scene. With heavy reggae, blues, funk and rock influences, Zolopht utilizes three part harmonies to produce a unique and welcoming sound.
Having shared the stage with such artists as: Rusted Root, Dirty Heads, Tribal Seeds, The Expendables, Stranger, Mike Pinto, J Boog and Hot Rain, Natural Vibrations and Mystic Roots – Zolopht is having a break out year. Adding more cities to the lineup and headlining regional festivals, they have made their presence known.”
Newly released album – “pH Balanced” has been getting a positive response. Check us out on iTunes as well! Here are a couple reviews from our album –
“This is an album of carefully crafted songs, with wonderful harmonies! The music is fresh and interesting. These are gents who obviously know their way around a studio and a good arrangement.”
“Great reggae-infused rock from western Colorado. These guys are amazing live and are impressive on their first full album.”
Born and raised on the west side of Chicago, Ethan Butler does not produce your typical Westside, church-raised tunes. He started playing guitar at the age of 13 and quickly began write. And although Ethan has been writing and playing for years, he has only recently begun the journey of a professional career as a singer/songwriter. But don’t let his freshness to the scene detour your interest.
Drawing inspirations from MJ to Coldplay and JT to John Williams, Ethan describes himself as a “center city artist.” Layering light undertones of jazz, alternative, folk, and R&B with acoustic pop, Ethan whets the palette of his audience by giving them an eclectic listening experience. But instead of coming across as a “lost” artist, Ethan skillfully incorporates a variety of styles while maintaining a sound that is distinctly “Ethan Butler.”
Ethan is currently doing shows with just his voice, his guitar, and his heart. His giftedness on the guitar matched with his powerhouse vocals and the sincerity of his lyrics will usher you into his story. His voice is smooth and rich with conviction as he vocally paints the picture of each song on the canvas of your mind. He never performed covers at his shows, and he never apologizes for it.
“Honey & the 45s combine the low-fi sonics of eighties punk, the gorgeous rolling cadences of seventies R&B, and the infectious hooks of sixties pop. As whip smart as the lyrics are, the music itself is even better.” – Robert Rodi, New City Music
Honey & the 45s is a Chicago based blues/rock band featuring two female front-women. Known for its soulful sound and jazzy undertones, the band was originally formed as an acoustic group by lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Kristina Cottone, and singer, violinist and saxophonist Kim Kozel. Honey & the 45s’ unique sound has evolved into a soulful rock ‘n’ roll band by adding lead guitarist Jon Gould, bassist Sean Tatum, and drummer Jarad Kleinstein.
“This five-piece is steered by the sweet-dripping vocals of Kristina Cottone and the on-the-one harmonies of violinist/saxophonist Kim Kozel. For a band that’s only been together for a few years, they sound like they’ve been mastering their craft and living their songs for a decade or two.” – Rob Ross, Pop Dose,
Honey & the 45s’ debut album, The Need, was released in September of 2012. Five of the tracks off The Need were remixed by Grammy-Award nominated engineer Fred Breitberg and ‘spun’ on over 100 radio stations nationwide.
“They have a way of making the genres of jazz, funk, and blues sound fresh and completely new, as if the band is introducing each style to their audience for the first time.” – Listen Here Reviews
In 2014, the band took home the award for best Blues/Jazz band at the Chicago Independent Music Awards, and went on to open on the main stage for Cold War Kids at the Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon in Chicago and Big Data in St. Louis. Honey & the 45s has been featured in print, on commercials, in press conferences and has performed at some of the most prestigious music festivals and venues in Chicago and the Midwest.
Honey’s album, MAD, was released in December of 2014 and has received critical acclaim. Honey & the 45s made its live National television debut in December 2014 on WGN.
“A stellar set of seven songs that seamlessly weaves genres like rock, soul, jazz and blues, ultimately telling the story of a passionate group that wants more than just success.” – Chicago at Night, by Jim Ryan
“It is quite difficult to not be entranced in the unreal qualities of Honey & the 45s. If they continue to produce even a percentage of the sound they achieved with Mad there is nothing that can hold this band back. I can’t think of a better record to kick off the year.” – Greg Shaw, Nanobot Rock Reviews
Bryan Roberts hails from the Chicago area . Writing and performing his original music , using Acoustic , Electric and Dobro guitars to add depth and passion to his songs.
▼You are probably wondering, “Who are these dudes and why are they bothering me?” If you know about Mexican Cheerleader, The Mashers, Lynyrd’s Innards, Apocalypse Hoboken and countless other offshoots, chances are pretty good these are dudes you know. 5 dudes to be exact. 5 very good looking dudes.
The killer street thrash band known as REIGN was formed in 2013 in Chicago IL. Fusing death metal rhythms , progressive song layering, old school thrash riffs, and a punk attitude, REIGN is a sonic force to be reckoned with.
Throughout 2013 they built an underground following, gained a reputation for high energy shows and toured the midwest (without any recorded material!). In 2014 REIGN released a single, “New World Order”(DEMO). In early 2015 REIGN released their first self-produced EP “WMD” and began a small scale national tour, playing dates on the West Coast and Midwest.
“AUDITOR fuses static noise walls, punishing downtuned industrial beats, black ambient drone, and dead-eyed doom metal into a palpable expression of emptiness.
“There isn’t one drop of hope to be found within, not even a flicker of light to cast a warm glow in this world of despair and confusion.”
-Heathen Harvest
“There are no niceties about it: this music wants to destroy you.”
-Toilet Ov Hell
“… a harrowing black ambient epic, all grinding, pulses, crumbling rib cage rattling rumbles, staticky drum machines, and primitive programmed rhythms, straddling the line between dark and moody, and truly terrifying, ultimately, and seemingly impossibly fusing the two, into something heady darkly hypnotic, and strangely mesmerizing.”
-aQuarius Records”
MEND is the partnership between Chicago based Kassi Cork, pianist / composer and Max Glascott, technological impresario, DJ and experimental noisemaker. Both accomplished musicians and performers in their own right, the pair’s collaboration started in their high-school days and has evolved more than 10 years into what has become a versatile and commanding body of work.
Influences range from industrial to hiphop with nods to dub-step, acid, electro, classical and beyond. Deceptively cohesive and powerfully resonant, MEND is a fascinating and heavy experience for people who think of music as a way to explore.
“This is a work of pure audio artistry that raises the bar not only for up-and-comers but also for veterans in need of some energy and direction. Hands down, Mend’s full-length debut is as great as it gets.” -RegenMag
Hailing from deep within Arkansas, deFrance is a new breed of Rock n Roll. Cut from the roots of only the best in southernmusic, deFrance blends elements of true folk & country music with the classic songwriting styles of Tom Petty, Neil Young & Ryan Adams into a fresh take on Rock n Roll. The band put out it’s first release “HOME” in September of 2015. Look for more to come!
THE SPECIAL CONSENSUS is a four person acoustic bluegrass band that began performing in the Midwest in the spring of 1975.
The first band album was released in 1979 when the band began touring on a national basis. In 1984, The Special Consensus initiated the Traditional American Music (TAM) Program in schools across the country and began appearing on cable television and National Public Radio shows. The band has since appeared on The Nashville Network “Fire On The Mountain” show, toured for three seasons as 4/5 of the cast in the musical Cotton Patch Gospel (music and lyrics by Harry Chapin), and released sixteen additional recordings. The Northern Indiana Bluegrass Association sponsored a video production of the TAM Program and copies were sent to schools around the world by the Nashville-based International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). In 2000, Pinecastle Records released the first band performance video, filmed for Iowa Public Television’s “Old Time Country Music” show, and The Special Consensus 25th Anniversary recording to mark this milestone year for the band. The band has been featured in cover stories of the renowned bluegrass publication Bluegrass Unlimited in 1998, 2005 and 2010 and several of the band recordings have received Highlight Reviews and appeared on the National Bluegrass Survey chart in that publication. In November 2003, The Special Consensus received a standing ovation after the first band performance on the Grand Ole Opry at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. International tours have brought The Special Consensus to the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, Ireland, South America and Australia. In 1993, the band performed the first of many concerts with a symphony orchestra, complete with orchestral arrangements of songs from the band repertoire. The fifteenth band recording “35” was released in 2010 by Compass Records in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the formation of the band as a professional touring and recording entity. The sixteenth band recording, “Scratch Gravel Road,” was released by Compass Records in March 2012 and was nominated for the Best Bluegrass Album GRAMMY Award. The song “Monroe’s Doctrine” from that recording was nominated for the IBMA Recorded Event of the Year award in 2012. Compass Records released the seventeenth band recording “Country Boy: A Bluegrass Tribute To John Denver” in March, 2014. Two songs on this recording received IBMA awards in 2014: “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” received the Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year Award and “Wild Montana Skies” received the Recorded Event of the Year Award.
DUSTIN BENSON plays guitar and sings lead, tenor, baritone and bass vocals.
He was raised in Jasper, Alabama, where he “grew up” on bluegrass music. His father taught him to play the guitar when he was 12 years old; he began playing the mandolin when he was 16 and joined his father’s band as the mandolin player when he was 17. Dustin moved to Nashville in 2002 and has played and toured with many of the more renowned bands in the world of bluegrass music, including Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike, the Alecia Nugent Band, the Larry Stephenson Band (for over four years), Bradley Walker, and most recently Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road (playing guitar and bass). He was nominated for Guitar Player of the Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) in 2010 and he endorses Mike Long guitars. Dustin joined The Special Consensus in 2011 and appeared on the 2012 Grammy-nominated band recording “Scratch Gravel Road” and on the 2014 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award-winning band recording “Country Boy: A Bluegrass Tribute To John Denver” (both released by Compass Records).
GREG CAHILL plays banjo and sings baritone and tenor harmony vocals. Chicago born and bred, he has been playing bluegrass banjo since the early 1970s. Greg co-founded The Special Consensus in Chicago in 1975 and has continued to tour nationally and internationally with the band since the late 1970s. In 1984, he created the Traditional American Music (TAM) Program to introduce students of all ages to bluegrass music. He has appeared on all 17 of The Special Consensus recordings, on numerous recordings by other artists and on many national television and radio commercial jingles. Greg has also released three recordings: “Lone Star” (1980, with guests Jethro Burns and Byron Berline); “Blue Skies” (1992, with Chicago mandolinist Don Stiernberg); and “Night Skies” (1998, with Don Stiernberg and guests Sam Bush, Glen Duncan and Tom Boyd). He has also recorded and toured European countries with the ChowDogs (Slavek Hanzlik, Dallas Wayne and Ollie O’Shea). ). Greg has released four banjo instructional DVDs and teaches banjo at festival workshops and at music camps nationally and internationally. He is a banjo instructor at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and an adjunct faculty member of the music department (teaching banjo) at Columbia College in Chicago. He served on the Nashville-based International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Board of Directors from 1998-2010 (Board Chair/President 2006-2010), became a Kentucky Colonel in 2010 and was awarded the prestigious IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award in 2011. Greg was also appointed to the Board of Directors of the Nashville-based Foundation for Bluegrass Music in 2007, elected President of the organization in 2011 and rotated off that board in 2012. The 2012 band recording “Scratch Gravel Road” was Grammy-nominated and the 2014 band recording “Country Boy: A Bluegrass Tribute To John Denver” received two International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards (both released by Compass Records).
DAN EUBANKS plays bass and sings lead, baritone and bass vocals. Dan grew up in Crystal City and St. Louis, Missouri, and his grandparents began taking him to bluegrass festivals at a very young age in the 1970s. He began playing music on drums, then banjo and guitar, and eventually electric bass at age 12. Dan played in country and rock bands throughout high school and he attended college on a music scholarship. His study of jazz bass playing eventually led him to the upright bass and a very diverse musical education that included study of nearly all styles of American music and procurement of a Master’s in Jazz Studies degree from Webster University in St. Louis. In 2003, after many years of teaching at several St. Louis-area colleges and universities as an adjunct professor, Dan’s desire to get back to his bluegrass and country roots prompted his move to Nashville. He has been teaching, performing with various bands and working as a studio session musician since his relocation and he joined The Special Consensus in 2013. Dan appeared on the 2014 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award-winning band recording “Country Boy: A Bluegrass Tribute To John Denver” (released by Compass Records).
RICK FARIS plays mandolin and sings lead, baritone, tenor and high baritone vocals. Rick is actually known in the world of bluegrass music as an award-winning guitar player. Born in Illinois, raised in Arkansas and Missouri, Rick and his family moved to Kansas in 1991 and he started playing with the Faris Family Bluegrass Band in 1998. Although guitar was his first instrument (he began playing when he was 7 years old), Rick also plays dobro, banjo and mandolin. The Faris Family band toured extensively throughout the USA and Canada and was awarded Traditional Bluegrass Group of the Year, Instrumental Group of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year and Entertaining Group of the Year several times by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA). Rick was awarded the SPBGMA Midwest Guitar Performer of the Year in 2005 and 2008. He was one of the first teachers at the Americana Music Academy in Lawrence, Kansas (where he remained a teacher of guitar and dobro for five years). When not on the road, Rick spends his “spare time” as an excellent luthier, building guitars (there is a year waiting list), dobros and mandolins. Rick joined The Special Consensus in 2009 and appeared on the 2010 band recording “35,” on the 2012 Grammy-nominated band recording “Scratch Gravel Road” and on the 2014 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award-winning band recording “Country Boy: A Bluegrass Tribute To John Denver” (all released by Compass Records).
House Of Shem is an Aotearoa (New Zealand) based harmony trio comprised of Carl Perkins and his two sons Te Omeka Perkins and Isaiah Perkins who are each multi instrumentalist and producers.
Formed 2005 in the rural area of Whanganui, ªThe band embodies elements of roots reggae, pacific reggae and traditional maori music with relatable song-writing that connects powerfully with not only New Zealand and Australia audiences, but reggae listeners globally attracting fans from all areas of the world.
Since bursting onto the music scene with their debut album Keep rising in 2008, House of Shem has released three very successful Albums and built a rapidly growing loyal fan base. Working with Grammy award winning engineers on two albums Errol Brown (Bob Marley, Burning Spear) and James Caruso(Damian Marley, Nas, Stephen Marley) and mixing at Tuff Gong Studios, Jamaica shows how dedicated House of Shem in presenting quality product to the world.
Having obtained two Platinum and Gold albums, Carl Perkins has also been inducted into the New Zealand Music hall of fame with former band, The Herbs.
House Of Shem was the first ever Reggae band in Aotearoa (New Zealand) to debut at number one on the day of release for their album “Island Vibration”
“Hailing from Aotearoa, New Zealand HOUSE OF SHEM will once again deliver Raggamuffin fans and unforgettable performance with their rare mix of power and harmony within their own unique blend of traditional and contemporary reggae styles, do doubt giving the legends of reggae a run for their money.” Raggamuffin Festival liveguide.com.au
“As far as NZ reggae bands go, House of shem would be one of the best, and they have proven that with this second album. Fans will not be disappointed, it is as good, if not better, than their first.” ISLAND VIBRATION review by Fili – mightyape.co.nz
House of Shem’s last album “Keep Rising” was also their debut and it got them worldwide acclaim and fans, as it was easily considered one of the top reggae albums to EVER come out of New Zealand, alongside Katchafire and Fat Freddys Drop’s revolutionary debut albums. BEST OF REGGAE bestofreggae.blogspot.co.nz
Music found under blue collars. Kelly Ravin is a musician hailing from the Green Mountain State of Vermont. He writes songs about real life. Kelly’s latest album, “Leathered, Weathered, Worn, and Wiser”, was recorded live in a tattoo shop in Belfast, ME with shotgun shell mics, and a room full of friends and family. Scratchy vocals, and gritty guitars seem to explain it all. So now, the vans packed, the road is clear, and there isn’t an end in sight.
Kelly also plays in the national touring band, “Waylon Speed”. Being the road dogs that they are, you will probably see them in a town near you!
Mud Morganfield is an established star in the world of Blues music. The eldest son of the legendary Muddy Waters, Mud was brought up surrounded by many of the finest musicians in the Blues. Mud’s singing is firmly in best of traditions of Chicago Blues, but he is also a writer of great new songs and he is backed by some of the best musicians playing today. He is acclaimed by both critics and artists such as Buddy Guy and Jools Holland for his own musical ability,
To call GoldLink an aspiring rapper would not do him justice. The DMV-bred emcee accrued over three million plays on his Soundcloud and captured the attention of an entire industry with the first project he ever released.
GoldLink’s sound doesn’t throw it all the way back to the boom-bap, New York style, nor is it entirely a product of digital production. Instead, the music mixes the buttery grooves of 90’s R&B with classic hip-hop breaks to give it an essence of nostalgia, and then turns on its head with bouncy, forward-thinking production style led by the likes of Ta-Ku and Kaytranda. Add that to GoldLink’s ability to fill every pocket of the dynamic instrumentals he tackles with a roller-coaster delivery, and suddenly your head is bobbing to the self-proclaimed “future-bounce” genre.*
The racing mind of a 20-year old is usually not a romantically stable place, so you will often hear GoldLink battling the worries and woes of his love life. However, with the mental and social acuity of someone far beyond his years, it is not out of the ordinary to find GoldLink tackling a larger social injustice. Whether it be dealing cocaine, gun-toting friends, an absent father, or the general hardship of growing up in the ghetto, there is substance behind the sound.
With a catalog of less than twenty songs under his belt, GoldLink has still been able to receive the support of outlets like FADER, Complex, Noisey, and XXL. The recognition spread further than the web though, as GoldLink played several showcases at SXSW, a Los Angeles debut alongside future-bounce Soulection conglomerates, as well as numerous other concerts in New York and elsewhere on the horizon.
The short career of GoldLink thus far has shown him relative success, and with a summer filled with new music right around the corner, we are all excited to watch, experience, and dance to his progression.
Born and bred in Chicago, she is a 4ft, 11inch singer performing blues & soul around Chicago with the help of The Shakin Tailfeathers. For the majority of her adult life, she’s been singing all kinds of styles, but her passion has always been Roots-Americana music. Most notable for being 1/2 vocals in THE HONEYBEES, she decided to pursue a solo career. Her first solo album “Introducing Barbara Clifford” is made up of mostly original songs from her own writings. It was recorded on Blue Lake Records (Switzerland) with the band The Rhythm Storms. Since then, she’s performed worldwide and stateside.
The Usuals are a band based from the Elgin IL area compiled of members of FTF, The Four Squares, Almora Knights, Oil Can Boys and Tricky Dick. With a pure old school Midwestern skate punk sound. Originally formed in 2000, there was a 6 year hiatus but for the last several years have been hitting the scene hard playing out and also promoting shows in the Elgin area doing their part to keep the scene alive.
“We set out to write a record about life, and it ended up being about death,” says Lord Dying guitarist/vocalist Erik Olson about the band’s third studio album Mysterium Tremendum.
While the new record centers around death (and you bet your ass it’s a double-LP concept album), it focuses more on what awaits us on the other side (while also exploring our culture’s fear of dying and the struggles with our mortality). The ideas for the concept have been kicking around for some time, but it’s fitting that they’re only now coming to fruition.
At the core of these Portland, Oregon, heavy metal titans are Olson and guitarist Chris Evans, who’ve been making music together since fifth grade. They formed Lord Dying before they had a name or a record when another Portland powerhouse Red Fang beckoned them to open some shows for them in 2010. Two records and countless live performances—including tours with Voivod and Crowbar—followed.
Mysterium Tremendum is the record Olson and Evans have wanted to make since the band’s inception. It’s easily Lord Dying’s most musically diverse album, but one that could only be created following the band’s jackhammer 2013 debut Summon the Faithless, and 2015’s brooding Poisoned Altars. “It’s more along the lines of what we wanted to do early on,” says Evans.
Lord Dying was already beginning to expand its musical palette—including moodier interludes and Olson’s expanded vocal range—but Olson says once the decision was made to make a concept record, he and Evans pushed themselves to match the themes musically and vocally. You’ll hear it in songs like “The End of Experience” and the floating “Severed Forever,” which sees Olson melodically doubling his vocals before returning to his trademark growl. Shorter interludes like “Tearing the Fabric of Consciousness” and “Even the Darkness Went Away” are stunning and fragile, like nothing the band has ever done.
Olson and Evans worked tirelessly on the songs together throughout a year-and-a-half, using programmed drum parts, and sending ideas back and forth. As Olson puts it: “It was the first time we were able to put things under a microscope.” The songs were all but ready by the time they headed to Los Angeles’ West Valley Recording Studios in August of 2018 with engineer Mike Plotnikoff (Fear Factory, In Flames). L.A.-based bassist Matt Price and drummer Chase Manhattan jumped right in to bring these songs of death to life, and the results are tremendous and seamless.
Mysterium Tremendum is an emotionally satisfying record, lyrically and musically. Its exploration of death goes beyond longing for it to see what lies beyond (“Lacerated Psyche” is about the death of Evans’ sister). There are many layers to it—you might even find parallels between the record’s concept and life itself. It’s a journey. And in their quest to pursue death, Lord Dying have themselves found new life.
Tristan Shone, the creative core of Author & Punisher, started the project in 2004, setting out to craft devices (machines) as a force multiplier. That he could control machines to trigger a myriad of sound objects (synths et al.) was not just heuristic but revolutionary. Shone’s mechanical engineering and art background functioned perfectly as a catalyst to his songwriter form. To date, Author & Punisher has seven lauded full-lengths and one EP, the latest of which is Krüller. Shone’s unconventional yet assiduous methods with music and machine have landed crucial collaborations with Perturbator’s James Kent, and Tool’s Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor, who appear on Krüller tracks “Misery” and “Centurion,” respectively.
Hailing from the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, Captain Coopersmith is a six piece rock band, active since 2013. Their first album, the self titled Captain Coopersmith debut, is a sonic tour de force of music and lyrics. Melded together, they formulate a complex concept album that explores the nature of human reaction, and how different perspectives will lead to different outcomes, even in the same situation. A band that tackles such heavy subjects so masterfully rarely gets to claim such accomplishments after only one year of playing together. Captain Coopersmith is a special exception however, as its members have worked together extensively, developing remarkable chemistry, before starting their most current project With such a solid instrumental foundation intact, Captain Coopersmith further showcases their talent with powerful three-part harmonies. Joey Scully and Tommy Glaviano take turns singing lead, with both having plenty to offer. However, they work best when they’re all working together as a trio. With the addition of Hanna Azcui, they are a supreme joy to listen to. Their beautiful harmonies are crafted successfully largely in part to the strong rhythm section. Mike McAvoy and Eric Gianakakos offer a full, rich, and stable foundation that allows the rest of the band to really unleash upon their most creative melodies and solos.
