Author: Ross

King’s X is an American hard rock band noted by music critics and fans for their sophisticated sound that combines progressive metal, grunge, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion pop groups. The band’s lyrics are largely based on the members’ struggles with religion and self-acceptance. Since being signed to Megaforce Records in 1987, King’s X have released twelve studio albums, one official live album, and several independent releases. The band is currently recording for the InsideOut Music label, and continue to tour with each new release.

Lee DeWyze launched the pivotal stage of what was already a high-profile musical career with his Vanguard Records debut – Frames, in the summer of 2013.

What followed was a high-caliber list of praise from the LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Yahoo Music, Rolling Stone, and dozens upon dozens more.

“I hunkered down and wrote an album,” the Chicago native explains. “I wanted to take it back to what I’m really about, which is writing emotionally charged, meaningful songs. It wasn’t like I wanted to find a label and then decide what kind of album to make. I knew what kind of album I wanted to make and knew I could make. It’s going back to the kind of music I’ve always loved. I grew up listening to Cat Stevens, Simon & Garfunkel—folk-based acoustic music. Don’t get me wrong—my experience on the show was great. But for someone like me and the kind of music I make, that only takes you so far. It feels really good to get back to the grass roots of what I’m about. The way I see it, everything that’s happened throughout my career has happened so that I can make this record.”

The show DeWyze is referring to is American Idol, which he won in 2010.
DeWyze played guitar, piano, mandolin, banjo and drums during the recording sessions, during which he collaborated with renowned producer/songwriters Toby Gad, Drew Pearson, Matthew Wilder and Phil Allen, as well as mixer extraordinaire Jim Scott. “I’ve never felt a connection with my music, more than I do right now,” DeWyze says, making no effort to hide his excitement. “It’s a very real thing, and it feels right.”

Frames garnered many licenses and syncs and proved that DeWyze was not only a great singer, but an extremely talented song-writer. Shows like Nashville, Reign, and Hart of Dixie all used his music, as did ESPN, and several independent films. Blue Cross Blue Shield recently used the song ‘Don’t Be Afraid” as part of their national 2014/2015 campaign.

However, the door really kicked open when Lee penned the song ‘Blackbird Song’ for The Walking Dead in March of 2014. An original song that he wrote specifically for the show itself.
Blackbird Song has accumulated over 50k single unit sales, 2M collective YouTube views, and has over 1.1M Spotify streams.

The song is considered one of the top 10 syncs of the 2014 by the Music Guild Association.

In 2015, DeWyze will release an onslaught of music and video content, and continue his relentless touring here in the US and overseas.

Lee has a #1 song in Ireland called Lullaby that was recorded and performed by Ronan Keating. He also has a #3 song in Italy called Magnetic Heart recorded and performed by Marco Mengoni.

“I’m finally in the lane I belong in, and I feel like I can just go.” DeWyze says in anticipation of what he’s preparing to unleash in 2015.

LEZ ZEPPELIN, the New York City-based all-girl band has gained worldwide critical acclaim for the musicianship, passion and gender-bending audacity they bring to the music of Led Zeppelin.

Founded in 2004 by New York guitarist, Steph Paynes, It wasn’t long before the group’s reputation for playing Zeppelin’s music with a kind of passion and force beyond anyone’s expectations began to attract major interest from press and industry. In June, 2005, Chuck Klosterman wrote an article for SPIN magazine that featured Lez Zeppelin as a leading protagonist in a trend of all-female hard rock “tribute” bands. He referred to the group “the most powerful all-female band in rock history” and described the rise of bands like Lez Zeppelin as a “kind of multilayered cultural phenomenon.” The fortunes and notoriety of the group surged after this and Lez Zeppelin became provocative subject for the news media across the world. Stories about the group appeared in the Times of London, whose journalist called the band “the best new band I’ve seen all year, no question;” Reuters and CNN.com, which ran a front page feature that called the group so “electrifying” they are “driving club audiences to a frenzy.” The group also appeared as part of a major feature on CBS Good Morning, which ran nation-wide, as well as on many other local TV news spots in New York (ABC, WB) and across the country.

In April 2007, after extensive touring in the US and Europe the band released its first album, Lez Zeppelin, which was produced by Eddie Kramer, renowned for his work as recording engineer on several of Led’s albums – most notably, Led Zeppelin II, Physical Grafitti and The Song Remains the Same. In the wake of this release, the band was invited as the first “tribute band” to ever appear at a series of major rock festivals including the Download Festival (formerly Donnington Park) in the UK; Rock-Am-Ring and Rock-Im-Park in Germany; and at the Voodoo Festival in New Orleans. However, it was an announcement in February of 2008, that Lez Zeppelin would take the stage at the Bonnaroo Festival that sparked a worldwide media storm. Several major press organizations, including the Associated Press, Billboard, NME, the Chicago Sun Times and more, reported mistakenly that LED Zeppelin – in the wake of their historic reunion at the O2 in London — would headline the festival, an embarrassing gaff that had to then be corrected, turning the announcement of Lez Zeppelin’s appearance into headline news across the world. Lez Zeppelin became a much-anticipated highlight of the festival, headlining opening night with a blistering set for an audience of 20,000 people.

Throughout 2008, the group continued to tour heavily in the U.S. and in the late fall made its first visit to Japan to promote the release of the debut record, which had sold nearly 7,000 copies the first few months after release. In March 2009, Lez Zeppelin was invited to India by a major network media task force to headline The Concert for Mumbai, a benefit organized to buy ambulances, which were sorely lacking in the aftermath of the terrorist bombings in Mumbai. Again, Lez Zeppelin held the unique distinction of being the first American group of its kind to take part in an event of this magnitude.

Following a three-month tour of the US, the band headed back into the studio to start on a second album, which would take the group back to where it all began – Led Zeppelin’s 1969 debut. The band solicited the help of producers Perry Margouleff and William Wittman, who approached the project with two main musical intentions: to remain true to the sounds and textures of the “vinyl” version of the record and capture that ‘tight-but-loose’ intensity in the moment. Recording at Margouleff’s Pie Studio’s, a world class analog facility, the band employed all of the same vintage equipment used by Led in 1968 – from the ’50s era Les Paul and Telecaster, to the Supro amp, 60’s era compressor, Hammond organ and Fuzzbender stomp box — working fastidiously to recreate the incredibly complex layers of the album with a dedication that has never before been demonstrated by any band of this type in the history of the rock world.

Lez Zeppelin is set to launch a full-length tour of Europe, the United States and Japan in early 2011 to support LEZ ZEPPELIN I, and to continue to deliver a musical experience that not only exceeds expectations, but serves as the authentic female counterpart to one of the greatest rock groups of all time.

I grew up in Roberta, Georgia (pop. 808)…

I’d have to say my biggest influence is my dad. He played guitar and sang for me ever since I was a baby. His music was the only thing I ever listened to as a kid.

And…Whoever bought me that Mariah Carey tape “Emotions” did me a huge favor… I would practice singing to her every day. I owe my lucky ear to my dad and that tape.

The first time I sang in public was at an all black Southern Baptist church on Christmas eve when I was 8. For some reason I decided to sing “White Christmas…” I just recently realized the humor in that — but luckily at the time, everyone thought it was cute…

Soon after, I started singing in talent shows and would do the National Anthem for opening day of little league baseball.

I would always act like i could play my dads Gibson — ’till he was getting pissed that I kept knocking it around…So he bought me my very own guitar when I was 13. As soon as i learned a new chord — i wrote a new song…And thats pretty much how it goes.

In late 1987, artist/performer Groovie Mann and musician Buzz McCoy met one night in a dark and seedy Chicago bar. Discovering their common love for tabloid newspaper tales of sex and Satan, kitschy horror flicks, and trashy exploitation films, the boys started conjuring up the plot for their own “B movie” to be called MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT”. Yet without much experience and limited access to video equipment, the duo scratched their dreams of celluloid, but decided to transmute the project’s accompanying soundtrack into a live band scenario. To accompany their vision, they also formed a trio of bodacious and sultry back-up singers/dancers known collectively as THE BOMB GANG GIRLZ, and later that year the group hit the road!

The project soon caught the attention of renowned industrial-dance label Wax Trax Records, who signed them in early 1988. In July, the band went into the studio to record their first full-length album, the ominous and foreboding I SEE GOOD SPIRITS AND I SEE BAD SPIRITS. It introduced the world to TKK’s unusual style of blending dance rhythms, distorted vocals and sampled movie dialogue, to create a sound that would become their signature trademark. The public response to the LP was unexpectedly overwhelming, and quickly established THRILL KILL KULT as one of America’s premier “alternative-industrial” acts.

Their next endeavor, the psychotic and dark CONFESSIONS OF A KNIFE (1990) brought its listeners deeper and darker into the twisted, warped minds of its creators. It gained them growing notoriety among the underground club scene with tracks like “Kooler Than Jesus” and “The Days Of Swine & Roses”. MLWTTKK also recorded a string of 12”s for Wax Trax, including “A Daisy Chain 4 Satan” and the hard-hitting “A Girl Doesn’t Get Killed By A Make-Believe Lover…Cuz It’s Hot” which featured the vocals of “cult poet” Lydia Lunch.

Not satisfied with dabbling merely in the dark side and sensational aspect of life, the boys dropped the gothic horror theme and turned to pumping disco bass lines and big burlesque horns to create their next masterpiece, SEXPLOSION in 1991; an album filled to the brim with lust and sexual innuendo. The LP also spawned the chart-topping college radio hit “Sex On Wheelz”, and soon the major labels came knocking!

TKK signed to a fledgling Interscope Records in 1992, whereupon releasing the haunting, techno inspired 13 ABOVE THE NIGHT (1993). The album featured new bass player Levi Levi, and guest vocalist “house diva” Shawn Christopher. In 1995, the band added twanging guitars and a brass horn section to their ever-changing sound, thus creating a groovy, surf/punk rock opus entitled HIT & RUN HOLIDAY, (a concept album of sorts, which told the tale of a “rebellious vixen,” Krystal Starlust, and her “fatal attraction” to a drifter named Apollo).

Oddly enough Groovie and Buzz soon found themselves back in the world of film, writing material for an array of soundtracks like director Paul Verhoeven’s naughty “Showgirls”, animator Ralph Bakshi’s “Cool World”, Gregg Araki’s “Nowhere”, the South Park guys’ comedic “BASEketball”, “The Flintstones Movie”, and even the cult classic “The Crow” – in which the band also performs, making their silver screen debut! Their music has also been featured in dozens of movie trailers, network tv and cable shows.

The band teamed up with Rykodisc in 1998 and released the playful DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS, a saucy little dish, which featured obscure remixes, b-sides and unreleased material that had fallen along the wayside. Ryko has since reissued TKK’s entire back catalog!

In 2001, Groovie and Buzz formed their own label, SleazeBox Records, as a vehicle for their many developing side projects. Groovie released DARLING KANDIE, a project he co-wrote with the late William Tucker, and Buzz co-wrote and produced CHEMICAL MESSIAH with Cherrie Blue (aka Lady Galore from Lords Of Acid). They also released a new KULT offering entitled THE REINCARNATION OF LUNA, the band’s first studio album in 4 years!

Even now, 20 years later, the band continues to tour extensively, and has shared billing with the likes of Siouxsie And The Banshees, Lords Of Acid, Ministry, KMFDM and Marylin Manson, to name but a few. THRILL KILL KULT also continue to record and produce albums, such as 2005’s sleazy homage to the 70’s disco era called GAY, BLACK & MARRIED, and their latest accomplishment; the sultry and depraved THE FILTHIEST SHOW IN TOWN, which was released in April 2007.

MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT have certainly stood the test of time, and remain one of the true pioneers in today’s alternative music scene.

OMG Music Fest is a concert where many talented artists join together to perform and to share their passion for music with young people around the country.

This year’s lineup includes: Jacob Whitesides, Reed Deming, Round2Crew, Grant Landis, Tyler Matl, Alyssa Shouse, Dylan Holland and more.

Stroke 9 formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1989. The band has since recorded five albums and toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Europe. Fueled by the commercial success of the hit song Little Black Backpack, their third album, Nasty Little Thoughts, went gold in 2000.

Taylor Hicks is one of the most beloved AMERICAN IDOL winners of all-time.

From the start, Hicks’ material on the mega-hit show set him apart, with a unique take on Southern soul, R & B, country and blues. More than 63 million votes were cast and nearly 37 million viewers tuned-in to crown Hicks the Season 5 winner of AMERICAN IDOL, making it one of the most-watched TV events of the decade. Hicks’ star continued to rise after he stepped off the IDOL stage. Less than three weeks after his IDOL victory, his debut single, “Do I
Make You Proud,” entered at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, Pop 100, and Single Sales Charts. Coinciding with the single’s release, a cover story named him People magazine’s “Hottest Bachelor of the Year.” His self-titled album (Arista), debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 and was quickly certified RIAA Platinum. Hicks has performed with artists like Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, Gladys Knight, Earth Wind & Fire and The Allman Brothers, appeared in
concerts worldwide, and penned a bestselling autobiography “Heart Full of Soul” (Random House).

On Broadway, Hicks starred in the hit musical, GREASE as Teen Angel, and when asked to join the national tour, happily agreed. The 18-month tour connected him with fans across America.

Hicks, who hails from Birmingham, Ala., had music on his mind from childhood. As a young adult, he became a fixture around the Southeast, playing concerts and club dates with stars like James Brown, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Robert Randolph, Keb’ Mo’ and Widespread Panic, among others. Hicks also released the independent albums “In Your
Time” and “Under the Radar,” which were later compiled and released by Vanguard Records as “Early Works.”

In June 2012, Taylor Hicks began his residency at Bally’s Las Vegas. As a testament to his musical talent and showmanship, Hicks will continue to bring the roadhouse to the Las Vegas Strip with a year-long extension through 2013 at a larger venue, Paris Las Vegas, making him the first Idol winner to secure a long term residency in Las Vegas. Hicks has rapidly become one of the most popular acts in the city. He will have an exclusive commitment to Caesars Entertainment, bringing his soulful ballads to Caesars properties across the country throughout the year.

He is currently in studio working on his first country album.

American singer-songwriter Teddy Geiger first catapulted onto the national stage in March 2006 when his debut album, the critically-acclaimed “Underage Thinking,” entered the Billboard Top 200 at #8 and yielded a million-selling Hot AC Top 10 single — “For You I Will” — when Teddy was just 16.

This year Teddy is recording and releasing his new album, The Last Fears, exclusively through Pledge Music at www.pledgemusic.com/teddygeiger where fans are invited to help play an integral part in making the album.

Proficient on a number of instruments including guitar, bass, piano and drums, Geiger had first made his reputation as a musician in high school when gigs around his native Rochester, New York, earned the loyalty of an ever-growing fanbase of self-proclaimed “Ted-Heads.” While an internet fan buzz fueled his early burgeoning popularity, Teddy’s first independent release, the regional EP “Stepladder” (on Cred Records), peaked at #1 in Rochester and made the Top 10 in Billboard’s mid-Atlantic regional “Heatseekers” chart, leading to a deal with Columbia Records.

Teddy’s debut album, “Underage Thinking,” was both a popular and critical success. “Teddy Geiger projects an easy charm along with his real pop chops,” raved The New York Times while People magazine, in a three-and-a-half star “Critic’s Choice” review, predicted that “Teddy Geiger should have a long career ahead of him.”

Teddy’s dynamic new school pop, informed by the spirit of rock’s glory days, earned him spots on shows featuring Gavin DeGraw, Kelly Clarkson, and Hilary Duff’s #1 pop tour. Teddy has shared bills with Brandi Carlile, Pete Yorn, Simple Plan, Fall Out Boy, Frankie J, Jesse McCartney, The Click 5, among others. Teddy’s breakout year closed with the artist becoming the first male to grace the cover of Seventeen magazine in five years.

Teddy — who had a dramatic role as an emerging young singer-songwriter in “Love Monkey,” the short-lived CBS cult television series (later picked up by VH1) — made his big screen debut in 2008′s “The Rocker,” a summer comedy starring Rainn Wilson and Christina Applegate which premiered a number of new Teddy Geiger performances in its soundtrack.

Since the release of “The Rocker,” Teddy Geiger moved to New York City and began writing the songs at the core of The Last Fears. New compositions and performances include “Shake It Off,” “Magic,” “Home,” “Ordinary Man,” “One More Night,” and “Walking In The Sun”. The album has a sound not dissimilar from his debut but also showcases both his maturity and depth as a songwriter and craftsman.

The Sixties Show is from NYC and is The Greatest 1960’s Musical Re-Creation Show on Earth. The band features former band members of The Who, Bob Dylan, and NBC TV’s Saturday Night Live band.

“ An Aural and Visual tour de Force!!”
“Powerfully Dramatized…. A Breathtaking Musical Experience of Major Importance!”
“…The Show is an indisputable Hit!!”
“An Immersive Historical and Musical Spectacle…A Must See!!”

This is a show about time travel , going back to the 1960’s, based and around the most remarkable musical re-creation show you will ever see.

This popular theater show is a cross generational crowd pleaser and has been selling out every theater and performing arts center that the show plays at. The band is widely celebrated and known for re-creating spot on, note for note re-creations of the hits, B-sides and deep album cuts from the greatest songs of the 1960’s.

In addition to the concert experience, the show is full multi -media Broadway type production that is powerfully dramatized by a combination of time travel special effects, narration, 60’s archival audio and newsreel footage and a light show. This seen to be believed bigger-than-life, Broadway theater styled show is nothing less than awe -inspiring.

The Sixties Show is a high energy trip back in time that reminds the audience how uniquely inspirational, entertaining, and historically significant the music and events of the 1960’s was and continues to be.

All of the music is performed live, with no samples, backing tracks or prerecorded music of any kind.

The band uses a state-of-the-art sound system but, only plays authentic 1960’s period vintage and re issue vintage gear and instrumentation just like original artist’s and original recordings. This combined with genuine 1960’s mod costumes that the band wears only add to the meticulous detail and authenticity of this popular and powerful theater show.

The members of The Sixties Show were hand-picked to perform and record with Sir Paul McCartney, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, The Bee Gees, Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen and other legends and individually have performed at the most renown venues in the world such as Madison Square Garden, The Hollywood Bowl, Wembley Stadium, The Grand Rex in Paris, The Budokan in Tokyo and others.