I seriously hate change. Once I get used to something and
I get comfortable with it, I tend to stick with it for
as long as possible. Sometimes, it's not always a good thing.
My computer was six years old and nothing on it was
up to date, including my virus software.
It was acting up for quite some time and I
soon found out why. I had more than twelve different
viruses on my system and by the time I cleaned it up,
the damage was done. That's why you haven't seen a
newsletter the past two months.
Anyway, I got a new computer and I'm in the process of setting
it up to the point where I'm comfortable with it. So, yeah,
there's some stuff that I need to catch up on. But, it's not
gonna happen with this issue. I have a lot of new releases
that I wanna tell you about, but, they're gonna wait
until the next issue. This month, I'd like to do someting special.
Enuff Z'Nuff guitarist Derek Frigo recently passed away and,
if that's not bad enough, drummer Ricky Parent is fighting cancer.
I'd like to take a moment here to talk about the band because
a lot of musicians could learn something from these guys.
They've been through a lot in their career and they're
still going strong. A lot of bands would have broken
up long ago if they had to go through what this band
has gone through. But, like the old saying goes,
what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. They've
continued to release top quality albums and I don't
feel they've been given the credit they deserve. I've
got a lot of respect for this band and I've always
had a soft spot for their debut release, which is one
that I still listen to on a regular basis.
So, in honor of this great band, I'd like to share an
interview I did with 'em back in 1999 when they were
promoting their "Paraphernalia" album. This interview
was done for the Ballbuster website and I believe it's
still up there somewhere. I was thrilled to have a
chance to speak with Chip and, hopefully, we'll
have something new for you in the future. But, for now,
here's the original interview with the introduction
as well.
They never went away and, one again, they're
in the spotlight with a hot new album called "Paraphernalia."
Yes, I'm talking about the one and only, Enuff Z'Nuff.
Some people might pass them off as just another 80's
hair band. But, this is a group of musicians who have
continued to grow with each release, like a fine wine,
they've only gotten better with age. So, say what you
will, it doesn't really matter because Enuff Z'Nuff
has released their strongest album to date. They're
one of the few bands who have survived, with some success,
in the ever changing musical world. The reason they've
survived is because they have never turned their back
on the music they set out to create. They've stayed
true to what they believe in and with their latest
release, they've proved that there's still a lot
of life left in the band. They carry the torch
for good time rock and roll.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with
long time member Chip Z'Nuff. His career
may have started in the baseball diamond,
but, it's plain to see that rock and roll
has been his true field of dreams!
Paul: You started out pursuing a minor league baseball
career. How far did you actually go with that?
Chip: I pitched in a few scrimage games,
I tried out for The Brewers, The White Sox,
The Royals. My grandfather, back in the 30's,
played for The Sox and it just runs through the family.
I graduated from high school, got some scholarships
to go out and pitch. I went out, tried out for a
few teams and I guess I just had more to say
writing a song than throwing a slider.
Paul: What made you decide to switch to rock and roll?
Chip: I just love the creative end of it all. I had more
to say writing a song, playing my guitar than I did
throwing a curve ball. My arm hurt all the time,
I pitched in thousands of games. I was always
in pain, it's a tough sport. I pitched from
the age of 10 years old for a good seven years straight.
Eventually, I was worn out. Writing a song tripped
my trigger more than striking somebody out.
I still love the sport though.
Paul: Are you on any baseball cards?
Chip: So many people have asked me about that.
Nope, not one baseball card. All I did was try
out for these teams, I never signed a contract.
Paul: But, you do have a trading card. Number 171
in the ProSet Music Cards. How did being involved
in that come about?
Chip: Well, that came about cause we caused a
little commotion with our first album. The record
did very well, MTV responded to it, radio responded
to it. It seemed to catch on, the public dug the
record. Huge stars, guys like Paul Stanley, Cheap Trick,
David Letterman, Howard Stern, all said good things
about the record. I think they all helped that out actually.
Paul: I recently did an interview with Blackie Lawless
of W.A.S.P. and he said that the mood that you're
in when you make a record is reflective of who
you are at that time. So, going back to that
first album, who would you say Enuff Z'Nuff
was at that time?
Chip: We were ourselves. Nothing but. Obviously, we had
influences making our first record. Show me a guy without
influences and I'll show you a guy who hasn't written one
note. But, we had a vision in the begining and that was
to write songs that were strong and would leave a
mark in our hometown of Chicago.
Paul: You appeared on a Cheap Trick tribute album
that was put out by Rock Dream Records, which
was a really great album. How did you get involved with that?
Chip: First of all, we were playing out in New York and when
Rock Dream approached Enuff Z'Nuff and asked us if
we'd like to be included on the Cheap Trick
tribute record, we said yeah, we'd be flattered.
We love the band. We chose "Everything Works If You Let It"
because it's an obscure song. The record did great
and it made a lot of the bands feel good because
they were getting the chance to do something
in the best wishes of that band, Cheap Trick,
which is record one of their songs honorably.
I think we really nailed it on that. Also, because
of recording that song, Billy Corgan heard the track
and it's one of his favorite Cheap Trick songs.
That's how I got him to come down and perform on this new record with us.
Paul: Well, now the fans are able to hear your new album,
"Paraphernalia," which is a really good album. I would describe
it as a mature release that still carries the good time
vibe of your first album. So, when you went into making
this record, what did you hope to accomplish when you
put these songs down?
Chip: Thanks for the compliments. I appreciate that Paul,
we all do. When we first went in the studio,
all we cared about was putting together as
many great songs as we could on tape. Then
figuring a record that would be cohesive to
what we've done in the past. But yet, to get
to the next level production wise, song wise,
try to write the best songs that would come
out of us at that time. We recorded like 40
some songs and we knocked it down to what
we thought were the strongest fourteen.
After we finished the record, which was basically
recorded by Donnie, myself and Ricky as a three piece.
We had Monaco, who is our guitar player, come down
and play on a couple of songs and we thought, ya know,
we don't need the guys. But, wouldn't it be great
to have three of the biggest superstars in Chicago
come down and play on our record with us. I called
Rick Nielson personally, he just got a little bit of
time off, working with Cheap Trick, they were in the studio
making their new record. He took time out to come
down and play with us on three songs. From there
I asked James Young from Styx, and he just
recorded two songs that Donnie and I wrote for
his solo record, "Raised By Wolves," so,
I guess he felt he owed us a favor, which he didn't.
But, it was really nice, he came down, laid down
some vintage Jeff Beck style guitar. I took the record
and showed Billy Corgan and he saw "Everything Works If You Let It"
and that Rick was playing on the record. So, he came down
and performed with us and he nailed it. He's a pro and
one of the smartest musicians I've ever worked with.
Really intelligent.
Paul: After all the albums you've released, do you
find it hard coming up with new material?
Chip: Yeah, I do. I'm not so sure about speaking for Donnie.
But, we both go through stumbling blocks, I think any
writer does. But, it's good to have two brains. We
both work together and come up with stuff and trip
each others trigger with things and inspire each other.
Paul: Any videos planned for this album?
Chip: We just shot a video for the first single,
which is called "Freak," which features Rick Nielson on
guitar. It was shot and edited by the guys who do
the Jerry Springer show, believe it or not.
Paul: With the way the music scene is today, where
do you think Enuff Z'Nuff fits in?
Chip: Oh, we fit in...I'm not sure if there's any
room (laughs). I think we fit in, but, it
depends on what you're talking about.
I mean, we're a very diversified band,
but, there's a lot of groups that are out
there now that are fresh, new and record
companies are gonna put a lot of chips
into them and push 'em. We're one of the
bands that has old time values, old fashion values,
we actually play and sing, we show up with our
equipment. It's a difficult road because there's
a lot of product out there but there's not enough
demand. Not only for us, but, for a lot of bands.
They're slipping through the cracks because there's
not enough room in the stores for their records or
the press doesn't have time to talk to them.
It's real tough out there. But, we fit in anywhere
we wanna fit into. We make our music and we go out
there and play and let the music speak for itself.
Paul: Well, I apprecite you taking the time to talk
with me. Before we end this interview, is there
anything else you'd like to say?
Chip: Sure. Our web site is peachfuzz.org and we'll
be out in your town sometime this year. So, pull out
your peace signs and paisleys, it's gonna be like an
indoor mini Woodstock without the mud when Enuff Z'Nuff
gets to your town. It was good talking with you.
You do good! See ya!
ENUFF Z'NUFF: http://www.enuffznuff.com
BALLBUSTER: http://www.ballbusterhardmusic.com
In other news, I recently did an interview with Nocturne's
Lacey Conner, which can be found on the Bands Backstage website.
I hooked up with the band at a King Diamond show here in
Pennsylvania and I was really impressed with what they
had to offer. They've become one of my favorite bands
and I have nothing but praise for them.
I also did an interview with Mary Prankster, which should
be posted in the near future. This interview is kind
of special because the first time I spoke with Mary
was on Easter Sunday. When we hooked up to do another
interview to promote her current release, "Lemonade Live,"
once again, we were on the phone during Easter Sunday.
This might be the start of a tradition, huh? Anyway,
be sure to check out Mary's new album because it's da' bomb!
Can't forget about The Millennium Music Conference.
That's coming up this month and that's the only thing
I'm really excited about right now. Three days, more
than 300 bands on 30 different stages, what more could
you possibly ask for. I'm looking forward to catching
up with some old friends, people I haven't seen in a
long time and meeting some new people. Once this
event is over...and I sober up...I'm gonna have
a lot of information for you. You can count on
that. Also, if you happen to see me up there,
be sure to stop and say hello. I have some CD's
and magazines that I'll be carrying around with me,
which I'll be handing out to anyone who's interested.
My good friends in EDENPARK are celebrating their
tenth year together, making music. What a long,
strange trip it's been. Anyway, they're a band
that marches to the beat of no drummer other
than their own. I've been trying to hook them
up with other publications in order to help
them reach a larger audience and, so far,
most of the reviews I've been able to get
them have been good. There are a few people
who didn't quite get what they're all about, but,
that's to be expected. They're a fun band and
that's what they try to bring to their audience.
They just want you to have a good time and that's
something anyone can appreciate.
The Spotlight page on PA ROCKS has been updated
with new articles on Trixy Red, Single Bullet Theory,
Shirl Harris and Christina Ward. So, be sure to check
that out when you have a moment. Also, the Spotlight
Yahoo group is going well. It's pretty much just
like a message board, as I've said before.
We've got magazines, record labels, radio stations
and bands posting their news. I'm gonna update the
links section in the near future. Remember, you don't
have to become a member to view or post messages or
to check out the links section. So, be sure to check
it out, bookmark the page and keep up to date on
everyone we're writing about...well, at least those
who continue to post.
Six months ago, SHIRL HARRIS gave me a copy of her CD.
I never wrote about it because it wasn't meant to be
a public release. However, I've made a few copies for
people and, so far, the reaction has been pretty good.
People seem to like it, which doesn't suprise me because
there's a lot of potential here. I believe her music
deserves to be heard by as many people as possible and
that's why I started writing about it.
In my house, this CD can be heard from begining to end on
a daily basis. No lie! Now, I know you can't please everyone.
But, if you appreciate good music that comes straight from
the heart, do yourself a favor and check this out. I think
you'll be impressed. As for musical style, I would say that
SHIRL HARRIS is a singer/songwriter with a rock edge...and
she has a rather unique vocal style, which was something
that I've always admired!
With a name like BALONEY PONYZ, I'm sure most of you will
know what kind of music you can expect to hear. You're
thinking about the good time rock 'n' roll from the 80's,
aren't you? To a certain degree, you're right on the money
because this release has that vibe. But, like anyone
who wants to have a lasting career in this business,
you have to grow and take it to the next level, which
is exactly what this band has done. On their current,
ten song release, the band goes through a lot of changes.
Opening track, "Get Off," features rap style vocals and,
from there, they rip into "Crash," which, to me, sounds
like a heavier version of The Black Crowes. "Human Nature"
comes off like one of those boogie woogie rock tunes. Of course,
there's gotta be a ballad and that comes in the form of "On My Way."
If you're looking for something more straight forward and in your face,
take a listen to "Crack Song" and/or "Sex Junkie," they'll do the
trick for you. This is the kind of music that I live for. It's a
solid, good time rock 'n' roll album and it's well worth picking up.
So, be sure to give it a listen, crank it up and let the good times
roll!!!
I wrote the following review on JASON WHITE'S "Shades Of Gray"
for Rock Bottom Zine, which most of you should be familiar
with by now. If not, be sure to check out the website fo r
more information. As for the review...here you go!
I can't believe I let this release sit on my desk for so long.
I had this album for quite some time now and I finally got
around to giving it a listen and the first thing that came
to my mind was Bob Dylan with the songwriting strength of The
Beatles...a singer/songwriter vibe with a radio rock edge.
You won't find a weak song on the entire disc, it's seriously
that good. This is, without a doubt, one of the best releases
that you will ever hear. Trust me on this one, "Shades Of Gray"
is a release that you don't wanna pass up. Jason White managed
to release another album before I got around to writing this
review and, if that release is anything like this one, you're
in for one hell of a listening experience!!!
Northern Blues is, as I'm sure you can guess, a blues label.
However, with the release of TAXI CHAIN'S "Smarten Up,"
they're about to take blues in a whole new direction.
Their music has been described as "funkin' sawdust rockin'
bagpipe, bagpipe blues with a little country twist." The
band was formed by GRIER COPPINS, who was an original member
of the Canadian band RARE AIR, which was bagpipe/world/jazz/funk/fusion band.
As with all Northern Blues releases, at least the ones that I've heard so far,
"Smarten Up" has an excellent sound and a top quality production. So,
if you're looking for a blues record that's a bit different,
this release will provide you with a rather interesting
listening experience.
Well, I think that more than makes up for the two months
that I didn't send anything out. Plus, the next time
you hear from me, it will be after the Millennium Music Conference.
So, I'm sure I'll have a lot to talk about with that, as well
as the releases that I already have sitting here. I'm gonna
be busy, that's for sure. But, I wouldn't want it any other way.
Thanks for your continued support. Until next time, remember,
support your local music. That's what it's all about!
SPOTLIGHT
c/o Paul Autry
P.O. Box 227
Shamokin Pa. 17872