minutes , it ’ s without the contrast and quiet . You don ’ t know what fast is . And I think the same thing goes for songwriting . If you have busy songs and complex songs , you need to follow them with stuff that is a little easier to think about so that when you run into one where there is a lot to think about , you ’ re not already overwhelmed when you get there .
How did you go about choosing the songs for “ Symmerty ?”
JIM : Initially , I always thought that the record company would like us to do an acoustic record , obviously , there ’ s been plenty of acoustic records done by plenty of bands . And generally it always comes across to me like the band played this similar arrangement with acoustic guitars , instead of electric guitars , and a real set of drums . Then they would have somebody put a little forced string quartet on it or a full string section . That ’ s the pleasant little kind of version of the acoustic version of the band . And I thought we got to do something that you just shouldn ’ t do and man “ Pitchman ” is a great example . You ’ re not supposed to really play “ Pitchman ” acoustically . And then I thought , what ’ s he going to do for the guitar solo without his whammy bar and his strat ? And he starts off with a banjo , which when I first heard it , I was on my hands and knees and just cried . It was just killing . I just loved it . It was so wrong , but wonderful . Yeah , you ’ re just not supposed to be doing this . Prog rock bands don ’ t use banjos for the soul . So I just thought the whole record was like that . For me , there ’ s a whole bunch of moments on the record where I just get a big grin . You ’ re not really supposed to be doing this . And it was just fun to do .
1982 comes , you guys are all over MTV ,” On the Loose ,” “ Wind Them Up .” Then you go to “ Heads or Tails ,” “ The Flyer ,” “ Behaviour ,” getting tons of airplay . And then all of a sudden a slight drop off as far as airplay goes . What happened during that time ?
JIM : I think , you know , the music business wanted us to come up with another hit . And we pretty much just kept making records as best we could . We always talked about the fact that if you just sit down and try to write a hit , this song is gonna suck . So you know , in the style that we ’ re playing , it ’ s gonna sound completely obvious what we ’ re trying to do . t felt like Saga that year . The most ridiculous one was when we got to ( Continued on page 63 )
THE VIDEO INTERVIEW CLICK AND LISTEN !
Page 31
SOME OF THE HOT NEW ARTISTS FROM THE
®
REVERBNATION LAUNCH PAD LIVE TOP 20
YOU SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO.
p;p’/
RTFX is the host of
the Launch Pad Live
Wednesday night at
9pm est on 99WNRR.
Zenora
Zenora is a highly-energetic rock band from
the Philadephia/Tri-State region who has hit
the rock scene running at full speed. In addition
to creating a potent live show, This all origi-
nal hard rockband has been busy wirting new,
original, heavy-hitting material while working
with well-established industry veterans to estab-
lish their sound. Zenora has recorded at Forge
Recording Studio in Oreland, PA. Zenora’s in-
fluences span decades of rock music, from the
Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, To Kiss, Motley Crue,
Guns n Roses, Rush, Van Halen and scores of
modern rock artists. WITH BAND MEMBERS
BETWEEN 20-23 YEARS OLD, Zenora’s poten-
tial is limitless, not to mention both guitarists
are lefties! Zenora has released two EP’s to date
which can be heard on all streaming platforms.
Voodoo Angel
Voodoo Angel is a rock band from France,
influenced by hard rock and alternative metal.
Since 2016, the band has opened for many art-
ists such as Uli Jon Roth.
Meanwhile, Voodoo Angel has released a video
for their Michael Jackson hit Alternative metal
cover “Billie Jean” which is acclaimed on so-
cial networks.
By Ronnie Shapiro Stoeckel
Continued
S.A.M.
Memphis, Tennessee quintet S.A.M (AKA Savage
After Midnight) had a Breakout year in 2019 as
their debut EP “11:59” announced their presence
to the world with high-profile media attention and
accolades across the board. Covid 19 had the band
hitting “pause” in 2020, but they are back and
continuing their former momentum with a blister-
ing new track “Remedy”, featuring Asking Alexan-
dria’s Danny Warsnop on guest vocals.
The band’s Shi Eubank says “On ‘Remedy” not
only did we get to create with producer Andrew
Baylis (Bad Omens, Vrsty) and Jayden Panesso
of Sylar - but we were able to co-write with my
buddy Jack Fowler of Sleeping with Sirens. The
song was sounding amazing on its own, but I felt
like there was an opportunity to take it a step fur-
ther. I reached out to another friend and one of my
favorite singers Danny Worsnop to feature on the
track. What you’re hearing is that melting pot and
we hope you enjoy it!”
I became involved with the musicals, being in the chorus for “Li’l Abner”
and “Once Upon a Mattress.” I also became a member of the marching
band, joining the flag twirlers in the colorguard (“Silks” as we were called.)
That opened my eyes and ears to a whole new world of music. Classical and
jazz were very new to me, but when you hear that type of music booming
from a brass section, or the beautiful, breathy sounds of the woodwinds, it
can really give you goosebumps. To hear pieces like “Rhapsody in Blue” or
“Malagueña as performed by a marching band, or a drum and bugle corps
(they have no woodwinds, for those who don’t know) is something so incred-
ible. It’s not just listening at that point, it’s experiencing the highs and lows,
the fortissimo and the pianissimo, the crescendo leading up to the climactic
moment of the piece. You become the music. You are in the composer’s mind,
listening to the story he wanted you to hear. Listening to these pieces, I be-
came George Gershwin, Mozart, Holst, or Beethoven. In college, the love
of music stayed with me. I was a video/audio production major, but I had so
many music classes, my advisor suggested adding music as another major.
And so I did. I was still in marching band, but I added concert band to the
mix as a percussionist. (You know what they say – a percussionist is someone
who doesn’t know how to play drums. That’s an accurate description.) There
I got to explore the sound of the keys – the marimba, xylophone, vibraphone
and bells. The marimba became my major instrument. The sounds of a per-
cussion ensemble took over my head, as I was immersed every day in them.
It was wonderful. Now during this time it was also the heyday of the 80s,
and we all know how absolutely fantastic 80s music was! I fell in love with
Bon Jovi at that time, a love that has stayed with me to this day as most of
you know, and the other “hair bands” as they were called. Poison, Motley
Crüe, Guns N Roses. But New Wave was really huge – you had Howard
Jones (still a favorite), Psychedelic Furs, Depeche Mode, so many amazing
groups. Now I had many different characters I could become when hiding
away! I could be a punk princess, a mall girl pop star, or a vixen rolling
around on the hood of a car (Tawny Kitaen style. RIP) We didn’t just listen to
the music of the 80s, we dressed it, and we became the artists. Girls dressing
up like Madonna with the lace hair bow and lace gloves were normal. But
we get older, and like the music, our tastes in it changes. These days, local
or indie rock bands, such as Rofo Audio, have been added to the soundtrack.
Although on the outside I’m still the rocker I became in my teens, on the
inside the music still dictates who I become, or who I’d like to be. Some days
Photo Credit:
Joe Schaeffer
I might
still get in that Broadway mood, where in my fantasy I’m Rizzo from
“Grease.” (I think I’m the only girl who never wanted to be Sandy.) Some
days I’m Pat Benetar belting out “Promises in the Dark” and some days I’m
mellow pop star Melissa Manchester singing “Don’t Cry Out Loud” or even
Barry Manilow singing “Copacabana.” Although I’m an adult now, I still
use the power of music to escape from reality. And when I feel bullied by the
world, I turn back into that little girl with the transistor radio and hideaway
from everything and everyone by creating that perfect soundtrack for the
moment. Music is everything to me. It’s my heart, it’s my soul. It’s who I am,
it’s what I do. It’s my life.
C YA!
Page 60