Spotlight - May 2003
THE SPOTLIGHT: May, 2003
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Well, here we are once again. We're still moving forward at a slow pace.
But, things are looking good. We've made some changes to our long overdue
print issue. Our interviews with Doro Pesch and Kittie will be found in an
upcoming issue of Rock Bottom Zine, which is a really cool publication.
We've got Paul Nelson, former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick and, here's one
we're really excited about, Bret Kaiser, who was the original vocalist for
Madam X, which some of you may remember as the band that Sebastian Bach was
in before Skid Row. So, it should be rather interesting to say the least.
We're also getting into movie reviews. Our focus will be on stuff that's
already been released. Stuff that we like that we wanna turn you on to.
I've thought about doing this for a long time now and I figured I might as
well just start doing it instead of thinking about it. So, we'll start this
issue off with a movie that recently caught my attention.
For some reason, I seem to be drawn to tragic people. With that in mind,
I'd like to tell you about Gia Carangi, America's first supermodel. In
1998, Angelina Jolie appeared in "Gia," which was a movie about her life.
She more or less came out of nowhere and became an overnight success. In
short, she was a woman who had it all. But, she was a bi-sexual heroin
addict who died from AIDS. It's been said that she was the first woman to
die from the disease. The tragic part is the fact that she was trying to
get clean and get her life back in order and if it wasn't for AIDS, chances
are she would've been successful. She learned her lesson just a little too
late and for that, she paid the ultimate price. I developed an interest in
Gia because of this movie...and the fact that she was from Pennsylvania. I
found two web pages about her that I thought were interesting. So, if you
wanna check 'em out, here they are. As for the movie, Angelina Jolie rocks.
I think this is one of her three best films, with the other two being
"Girl, Interrupted" and "Tomb Raider."
GIA: http://giamariecarangi.com
GIA: http://www.gia-carangi.com
Speaking of Angelina Jolie, did you know that she produced John Trudell's
2001 release, "Bone Days?" Yeah, neither did I. I also didn't know that
John appeared in Steven Segal's "On Deadly Ground," which I've seen a few
times. You learn something new every day I guess. There's so much to learn
here. So much, in fact, that I'm not even gonna attempt to explain it all.
Check out his web page and read his biography and you'll be as amazed as I
was. As for the album, it's a musical spoken word album which I actually
liked. I don't want to review it though because you need to experience it
for yourself in order to really appreciate it.
JOHN TRUDELL: http://www.johntrudell.com
DAEMON RECORDS: http://www.daemonrecords.com
Hannah Bingman is a young, up and coming singer/songwriter who has a lot of
potential. While she's currently working on her debut release, I had the
chance to hear some of her material and I was quickly impressed. She's got
a beautiful voice and there's a great deal of honesty that can be found in
her music. Once her album's completed and released, she's really gonna make
a name for herself...GUARANTEED!
HANNAH BINGMAN: http://hannahbingman.com
You wanted the best, you got the best. The hottest band in the world...The
Velcro Pygmies? Yes, The Velcro Pygmies! They've got a release called "Life
Of The Party," which is a must have album for those of you who still enjoy
80's style rock 'n' roll. The album features fourteen songs with an
additional five sing-a-long tracks, as well as a DVD with videos, live
footage, interviews, the whole nine yards. It's the perfect rock 'n' roll
package and, to be honest, it doesn't get much better than this. If you buy
one album this year, make sure it's this one. 'Nuff said!
VELCRO PYGMIES: http://www.velcropygmies.com
For those of you who are into Dream Theater, I'm sure you're familiar with
James LaBrie. But, have you heard about his solo project, Mullmuzzler? If
not, you might wanna check it out. His current release, "2," is, of course,
his second release with this project. It's a very creative progressive
album with an excellent production. I was actually suprised at how crisp
and clear the sound was. No kidding! But, I don't know, maybe calling it a
progressive album isn't doing it justice because there is a lot of variety
to be found here. With a 52 minute running time, there's a lot of material
to take in, even though there's only ten tracks. It's a full album in every
sense of the word. You have to listen to it more than once to really
appreciate it though. At least that's what I think. Check it out and decide
for yourself.
JAMES LABRIE: http://www.jameslabrie.com
Otis Taylor's "Respect The Dead" is a dark blues album with an edge. The
musical style is raw and rather simple. But, it's an album that will touch
the deepest part of your soul. The stand out track here, in my opinion, is
"Black Witch." "Hands On Your Stomach" is another good one.There's truth in
these songs. But, the real power here is the passion that Otis puts into
each song. His voice is what really gets your attention. Like I said, it's
a dark album. But, if you've got a hunger for a really good blues CD, Otis
Taylor will more than fill your plate.
Northern Blues: http://www.northernblues.com
With a name like Metal Militia, I'm sure you already know what to expect
when it comes to musical style. But, expecting something and actually
hearing it are two different things. This is thrash music, plain and
simple. Kind of like early Metallica mixed with a bit of Metal Church. I've
also seen comparisons to Slayer and Megadeth in various reviews. The thing
is though, this release is like a breath of fresh air for this style of
music. They've made it exciting again. Their current release, "Perpetual
State Of Aggression," has a modern sound without losing the old school
flavor. What's really suprising here is, while the band may sound like
seasoned pro that's been around for years, mastering their craft, the fact
of the matter is that this is a teenage band. So, they're young in every
sense of the word. If they sound this good now, one can only imagine what
they'll sound like in a few years. It's gonna be amazing!!! If you're a fan
of heavy music, this CD is a must have. No question about it.
METAL MILITIA: http://www.metalmilitia.cc
Got a three song demo from Montreal that really caught my attention...even
though the lyrics aren't in English. They've got a Dio/Black Sabbath vibe
going on, which was really cool. There's not much else to say. If you like
heavy rock, you'll enjoy this. YEAH!!!
MONTREAL: http://www.montreal-heavy.com.ar
Evick's "Anachronism" is just an excellent rock 'n' roll album that's got
the feel good vibe, and energy, of a live show. It's a real fun album that
captures the spirit of those who are young at heart. There's twelve songs
on this release and there's not a weak one in the bunch. It's not often
where I get an album that I enjoy from begining to end. But, this one's got
it all and, yes, I'd even go so far as to say it's a must have addition to
your collection.
EVICK: http://www.evick.com
Nowhere Quick's latest release, "Ready," is a rock album with a lot of
style. There's a lot of variety to be found on this thirteen song disc.
They may lean towards pop here and there. But, when they decide to kick it
up a notch, it's rather impressive. As it states in their bio, "Ready"
represents the full grown Nowhere Quick. Head bouncing beats, enormous
hooks and a ton of harmony. Can't argue with that. They've been around for
a few years and, if you're not familiar with their music, it's time to
introduce yourself to 'em.
NOWHERE QUICK: http://www.nowherequick.com
Since I've seen this term used a number of different times, I guess it's
safe to say that Carfax Abbey can best be described as dark techo rock.
I've had a copy of their four song CD for quite some time now and, after
giving it a listen, I would agree with what other people have been saying
about them. I haven't seen them live yet. But, from what I've heard,
they're a lot heavier in person than they are on record. So, there's more
to this band than what you'll hear in the privacy of your own home.
Hopefully, I'll be able to get out there and check 'em out someday. Maybe
you will too. For now, though, be sure to check out their website.
CARFAX ABBEY: http://www.carfaxabbey.com
Merging a colorful blend of aggressive electronica influenced rhythms with
intelligent and emotional melodies and lyrics, MindLikeWater skirts the
cutting edge of modern rock music. They have a new release available. But,
"The Hourglass Syndrome" is the one I have and it features fourteen songs
that clock in at six minutes shy of an hour. Stand out tracks include "Let
Me Bleed," "Beneath The Skin" and "Darkstar."
MLW: http://www.mindlikewater.org
With "Killbox 13," Overkill's brand new (thirteenth) album and full length
debut for Spitfire Records, the boys from New Jersey have delivered a
modern thrash metal masterpiece that succeeds in both stoking that seminal
fire and moving the band into the new century. As much as I dig this
release, I'm still rather fond of 1999's "Coverkill," which was a cover
album that featured an interesting collection of material, including a
thrash version of the Kiss classic "Deuce" and Black Sabbath's "Never Say
Die." Yeah...gotta love 'em!
OVERKILL: http://www.wreckingcrew.com
Spin Magazine has proclaims The Great Kat as "the fastest female guitar
shredder in the world" and her latest CD, "Wagner's War," is "an
overpowering whirlwind of speed guitar and complex orchestration." Spin
concludes that The Great Kat's CD's are a "blitzkrieg that update classical
music for a generation accustomed to high speed internet velocity." In
other words, The Great Kat is 'da bomb!
THE GREAT KAT: http://www.greatkat.com
I'm sure a lot of you remember porn star Traci Lords. Well, she released an
album called "1,000 Fires," which I actually have in my collection. Anyway,
that's exactly what Slick Idiot's "DickNity" reminded me of. It's an
electronic/techno dance sort of release, which really doesn't float my boat
because I'm not into this particular musical style. But, for those of you
who are, it's a release worth checking out. It's got a good sound and at
least there's some variety from song to song, unlike the Traci Lords album
which, for the most part, all sounded the same. I should also note that
this release is more rocking than Traci's album and it's got a lot more
substance. Like I said, it's not a musical style that I can get into. But,
it does have some fine moments. I think the best track on here was "Idiot,"
which featured some killer guitar riffs over that electronic/techno beat. I
thought it was pretty cool. Now, if you're someone who can appreciate an
album such as this, don't be afraid to check it out...you'll probably dig it.
SLICK IDIOT: http://www.slickidiot.com
AUGUST 15th: The man behind the mask will come face to face with his worst
nightmare in the highly anticipated "Freddy vs. Jason" movie. This is the
one that we've been waiting for and, hopefully, it'll be worth the price of
admission. Only time will tell, I guess.
OFFICIAL SITE: http://www.freddyvsjason.com
SPOTLIGHT
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