This has been the most unusual interview for me to post. I contacted Wes Freed, former member of Mudd Helmut, Dirtball and The Shiners, and was glad to hear he would be happy to answer my interview questions “in between going to the dump and such”. I knew at that moment, this was going to be a great experience for me. The rowdy front man I remember is now and has always been, much to my surprise, just a country boy that used to wear leather pants for a while. In the process of communicating with Wes about the interview, I became friends with his wife, Jyl. When I had a chance to talk to Jyl and saw what a intricate part she is to Wes and how much history they share, I asked if she would like to be a part of the interview. I found Jyl has some interesting stories of her own and between corresponding by email and mailing me letters from deep in the woods of Wisconsin, we put together the story of the Freeds.
So, it is my deepest pleasure to bring to you my interview with Jyl and Wes Freed.
Cindy: Wes, you've been described as an “outsider artist”. What does that mean to you?
Wes: I think the term gets used a lot, in less than accurate ways, lately. I was under the impression that it applied to artistic mental patients, and mystics along the lines of St. Augustine, or Miles Carpenter, or Howard Finster. As flattering as it is to be included in such company, I think the term might be over-burdened. Even “underground” artist, like “alternative” rock, seems to have less impact than it once did. I mean, I went to art school, got a degree (only a BFA), so I don't know if the outsider term really applies. I'd prefer to think of myself as a painter who does some sculpture, some paintings on wood, rock & roll posters, record covers and many other items of “merch”, lots of tattoo designs, and anything else that pops into my head.
Cindy: How did the art evolve from the music?
Wes: I started doing poster and T-shirt art from the time I was in a band in high school. Then at VCU for Mutant Drone & Mudd Helmut, then Dirtball & The Shiners. Those last two bands put out five records between ‘em all, of which I did the artwork for (the paintings & drawings at least). Terry Melton was the Art Director for most of them through Planetary Records. I can’t really separate the art from the music. Hell, it’s all art. Sometimes I’ll write a song about a painting, sometimes I’ll make a painting about a song . The songs I write are very visual in nature. Plus when you’re the (visual) artist in the band, you’ve always got a deadline, just like school. Dan-o’s on the phone, ''Ya got a poster yet?, the show is Friday....'' The motivation to GET THINGS DONE, that sorta thing. It’s a natural confluence of things, visual & musical, I couldn't be happy without either one.''
To read more go to: http://tinyurl.com/l8xa5t
and be sure to visit my new website at www.elvistrajournalista.com
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I got bitten by the “hellbilly” bug a couple years ago and have been infected ever since.
Hank III was my first taste of the underground outlaw country music that is quickly gaining control of real country music lovers all over the world. I have explored many outlaw artists since and have had the opportunity to meet them and better understand why they tour like crazy and perform for any club, no matter how big or small. They believe in their music and have a passion about it that no artist on CMT is going to give you.
Hank III had me at “Dick in Dixie”, which describes his contempt for Nashville and the money hungry artists and record labels destroying country music’s heritage. I respected those words coming from someone with his family background. Hank III refuses to conform to what should have been easy for him and undoubtedly a more comfortable life.
That’s why Hank III is an outlaw and his new CD, “Damn Right, Rebel Proud” explores all of that and more beginning with his grandfather’s dismissal from the Opry in “The Grand Ol’ Opry Ain’t so Grand Anymore”, to being depressed, lonely and pondering death in “Candidate for Suicide”, and “3 Shades of Black”.
Hank III performed the best country set yet covering songs from all his releases, starting off with songs from my favorite CD, “Straight to Hell”, and including older tunes from “Risin’ Outlaw” and “Lovesick, Broke and Driftin’”. It was a wonderful variety of old and new mixed with the latest songs from “Damn Right, Rebel Proud”. At the end he brought out Lucky Tubb and sang a song to celebrate their famous family trees by performing Hank Jr.’s tune “Family Tradition”. It was a special moment for all.
The crowd was well behaved until Hank changed guitars and switched his cowboy hat for a baseball cap, then all hell broke loose. Assjack is a weird combination of energy, high volume and extremely talented musicians. This show I was actually able to get the full view of the band and was able to focus on their vibe and what they were projecting to the crowd, who, by that time was completely out of control. Disregarding the “No Moshing” signs, the crowd jumped, writhed, pushed, shoved and gave everything they had.
I don’t currently own any material from Assjack, but can honestly say I plan to download some soon. Hank III has a definitive method to his madness, and with the help of his Assjack cohorts he really defies convention and pours out so much conviction, even though you might not like their volume or content, you can’t help but walk away impressed with the sheer talent involved with that band.
I am now a believer in both sides of Hank III, although I know there are many more sides to cover. It was a show I will always remember, but unfortunately will be forced to recall by memory only, since I accidentally deleted all the photos and video from my camera before I could upload to my laptop. I’ve completed my mourning and will be damn careful next time. And I am assured there will be a next time. Hank sees how much we love his shows and he “will be back!”
To read more go to: http://tinyurl.com/kpyo6t
And be sure to visit my new website www.elvistrajournalista.com
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It was Saturday night and I was in the mood for some rock and roll. I had seen Calling Monroe recently and decided I wanted more, so I went to see them at Wranglers in Mechanicsville. I had never been there so it was a new venue for me to expose. Wranglers is one of those places where you can play pool, watch the game, or hear live music. Calling Monroe is a cover band that blasts out all the old school metal favorites (of mine) and some new material I actually don't hate.
The band is very social and greets us as soon as we walk in. I guess it wasn't hard to spot us since we were there before 10 and not many people were there yet. After a brief chat the band started and I was in my heavy metal haze listening to Van Halen's “Ain't Talking About Love” and while just a few songs in, the sound blew and there was nothing coming through the board. Bad, very bad. I jokingly said to my friend, unless the sound guy had a spare board in the back seat of his car, the night was over. Well, the sound guy had a spare board in his car, so the night went on.
After unhooking the old board and getting the new one ready with a mini sound check, the band was back on stage and vowed to go on with the next two sets with minimal breaks to make up for lost time. So that's exactly what they did. I was able to enjoy “Cold Gin” and “Wild Side”, and G&R's “It's So Easy” with the benefit of quality sound.
Singer and front man Rick Kirby has a way of molding his voice to the sound of the intended artist he is covering, so much so I was wondering how he could sound like AC/DC, Metallica, Poison and Alice in Chains. That is why I visited this band again and will continue to see them play. They are a cover band, but they are a entertaining, passionate cover band that is there for the crowd, not themselves, and that is what makes or breaks that type of genre.
That's not to say there is not a ton of cheese involved in their shows. I've only been to see them twice but both times there was a spot in the show where bass player, Jim Stanley requested a woman to come up stage and help him play bass, which meant the woman stood in front on him, he placed his bass in front of her and played with a woman between him and his bass. After seeing it twice I couldn't help myself and was led upstage at the end of the night to help Jim play bass. Very funny, I'm just glad not many people were there to see and if they were they were too drunk to focus. That did not, however, stop my friend from taking pictures.
To read more go to: http://bit.ly/He9Ys
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Wayne Hancock isn’t your typical country outlaw. He seems quite unassuming at first glance, but he is a man who has undoubtedly lived a life, including being bailed out of jail by Hank III (allegedly), and joining the Marine’s at the age of 18. He has a gaze that is wise but careful and a face that tells a story.
I had never seen a Wayne Hancock show before but I can say he did live up to the hype of my peers. When I sampled his music a few months ago I decided Wayne Hancock may be a little too tame for me. When I saw his performance, thanks to a very impressive band, you get much more than honky tonk twang. You get Texas rockabilly thanks to Huck Johnson and his upright bass, steel guitar by Bob Huffnar, complimented by James Hunnicutt on lead guitar mixes together to give you what has been called “Juke Joint Swing”, and I likd it.
Wayne Hancock is constantly showered with praise from his peers. The compliments are endless coming from the likes of Hank III saying that “Wayne Hancock has more Hank Sr. in him than either I or Hank Williams, Jr. He is the real deal." That’s a bold statement.
Mr. Hancock’s first major hit in 1995, “Thunderstorms and Neon Signs”, has all the elements of a perfect country song. It is bittersweet, and Wayne Hancock was meant to sing it. Then you have a song like “Viper” which is a cleverly titled song about a certain illegal pastime that shows the whimsical side of Hancock.
It’s easy to understand why all these “outlaw” performers tour together and are such close friends. They all have a very strong common bond. They are the real deal. They are stripped down and bare bones country music. It is what country music is meant to be and has somehow lost its way thanks to money hungry bands, even more hungry record companies, and the power of the media. There is no “Country and Western” music alive on the airwaves anymore, unless you are lucky enough to catch some vintage Merle Haggard, George Jones or Loretta Lynn.
To read more go to: http://bit.ly/GQi2p
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Tom Applegate began performing in the 1970’s, beginning with Lamour, and that led to a very colorful and spiritual journey with his band Beex and his wife, Christine Gibson. Tom lost Christine to breast cancer in 2007 and all was quiet for a while. Then last year Beex performed a memorial show for Christine, then Beex was resurrected once again recently for a show at the Plaza Bowl with Tom singing and rocking the audience into oblivion.
After seeing the show and watching Tom pour his heart and soul out with obvious raw emotion, I was touched and really impressed and it’s a show I still talk about today with much admiration. Tom Applegate is a true icon of rock and roll in our little town, and is playing and rocking just as hard today as he did 30 years ago. It makes me very happy to have Tom Applegate as my next interview. All you young ones out there, listen and learn.
Cindy: Where did the nickname “Tommy the Rock” come from?
Tom: “Hello, my name is Tom and I Rock!” Actually, I had a roommate at college in Ohio, Tom Wilson, who would punch holes in the wall and stuff like that so I called him “Tommy the Rock”. Later, when I came back to Richmond and we started Lamour, I wrote a song called “Tommy the Rock” which was a good scream-along with the last line being “Tommy the Rock is just a f*&king animal”. So people started calling me that. Now it’s good fun and a laugh.
Cindy: Before Beex, you were in a punk band named Lamour and released a 45” called “Sunglass Party”. Tell us about Lamour and Beex.
Tom: Lamour was a band that David Stover and I had been plotting more or less since high school. After I came back to Richmond we shared an apartment and started putting together all the pieces. Punk was so new that the handful of bands that were around, Ricky and the White Boys, Barriers…(I don’t really want make that list because I’ll leave out important players) had to create places to play. Most shows at the time were put on as warehouse parties. There was already a scene coming out of VCU’s art school doing very creative insane music. We didn’t know many of those people until we threw a party on 7/ 7/ 77 which was the “Sunglass Party”. I wrote a song about it which became our only record. 1978 & 1979 were pretty much rolling parties as the punk scene developed locally and nationwide. Richmond never really got much outside recognition or support. I think that helped Richmond’s development in a way because it wasn’t very competitive here. There was much more camaraderie. Bands supported each other and were intense and incestuous.
Christine first sang with the Barriers (an X-Ray Specks song) and then “My Generation” with the White Boys. After Ralph Harper, the White Boys singer died, Richard Buchanan (guitar) and Christine put Beex together out of the ashes, with Craig Thompson (bass), Boo Smith (drums) and Mike Tighe (guitar). That was the original Beex. I didn’t start that band although I did write their first single, “Beat Beat”, when they got a chance to make a record for Bill Asp’s Wasp label out of DC.
I mean all of this gets quite complicated actually, and I’m sure the story varies depending upon whose telling it. I know that it’s not entirely accurate and there would be many who would venomously disagree. Anyway Lamour was a blast.
To read more go to: http://bbs.richmonddigitalmedia.com/viewtopic.php?p=565#565
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I always said I was born too late and wish I was at least ten years older so I could’ve been a part of some really important music and culture. Well this interview is a perfect example of what I missed. I was barely out of high school when Benny Waldbauer decided to become a club owner at the age of 24. He opened The Copa in 1979 and then opened Benny’s on his 27th birthday in 1981. Cindy Hicks took his photo in front of the club and history was made.
Benny had some interesting jobs before and after the clubs including working for the railroad, selling electrical supplies, even worked as a light man for The Dads before finding his true love, hospice care. Benny graduated from nursing school in 1994 at the age of 40 and began a career filled with love and compassion by giving comfort to others in need and has been doing so for 13 years.
That’s a preview of Benny Waldbauer. This interview is different from the usual questions and answers. I met Benny at Nara Sushi one evening and just turned on the tape recorder and got lost in the memories of a real success story. Be warned, timelines and such may not be exact, but we were close!
Cindy: What is the story behind The Copa?
Benny: This is my favorite bar story as far as I’m concerned. I was selling electrical supplies at the time and had been for a while. I didn’t go to college. When I graduated from high school I got married and started working for an electric supply house. It is Eck Electric now, right down the street.
I had this buddy who got out of the army and his dad had just died. He had $5,000.00 and I had $5,000.00. I had just separated from my wife and I wanted to do something with the money because I knew I would just spend it. We were going to buy a house, so we planned to meet for lunch and of course it’s late 1978, so we did what everybody did, we smoked a joint and my buddy says, “I saw this ad for a restaurant, let’s go look at it”. I said okay and we went and looked at this restaurant which is now Cary Street Café. We walk in and found out the story about the restaurant, which was that some guys bought the place, cleaned it up, and had a big party. Then they didn’t have enough money to open so they had to sell, and we bought it for $13,000.00. When I woke up that morning I was an electric supply salesman, but when I went to bed that night I was a bar owner. And that was the birth of The Copa and that’s how I got into the bar business.
To read more go to: http://bit.ly/7eBM5
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This was a great weekend for live music. I made some new friends and reconnected with some I hadn’t seen in months. I started off the weekend by going to see my new friend Wes Edwards perform at Ellwood Thompson’s Coffee House where I sucked down two latte’s and then rushed over to Cary Street Café to see my old friends Black Cash and the Bad Trips. It had been last summer since I had been to one of their shows.
I enjoyed both shows a great deal, but the highlight of my weekend was definitely the show on Saturday with The Velvet Marias at Grandpa Eddies. I had only seen The Velvet Marias perform at the National a few months ago and just remembered being excited to here Sarah Gleason’s version of “These Boots Are Made for Walking” coming from the stage. It connected me to her immediately. I met her at the after party and we became fast friends. So I was eager to see another show.
This band is so animated and energetic. The drummer Jorge Santamaria had a smile on his face the entire evening. Smiling drummers just aren’t normal. John Ran Smith, guitar and vocals, is very entertaining and always seems to be telling a story while singing. He performs the song to its fullest meaning.
Then there is the lovely lead vocalist Sarah Gleason, who puts her own signature on every song she sings. She turned “Me & Bobby McGee” into an upbeat number which ended with a guitar jam by Paul Pearce. I already mentioned my love for “These Boots”, and similar to that era, Sarah also sings “Son of a Preacher Man”, but she sings it more Aretha style than Dusty style, and that’s how I grew up hearing that song.
The covers became more diversified when John sang “Fourth of July” by X, and bass player Mike Skiffington sang “Ball and Chain” by Social Distortion. But for me personally, the best cover done that night was Sarah’s version of “Never Been to Spain”, to which the band was given a standing ovation (by me).
To read more go to: http://tinyurl.com/qcy9lj
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I arrived at Poe’s Pub at 9:00 sharp and found one remaining place to sit. That’s a good sign, as I also found the last parking place, so the omens were good. I was flying solo that night and knew no one there, all new faces, which I thought was also a good sign.
I did recognize Jimmy Catlett, but it was actually our first meeting, so I chose to sit at my two top table in the corner, where I could smoke like a sinner, and focus my attention on the show.
Ryan Underhill took the stage and said his hellos to the crowd, which he was obviously friends with, and pointed out quite a few by name, thanking them for coming to the show. Ryan Underhill is unavoidably charming, and seems very comfortable on and off the stage. He was joined by the lovely Michelle Ford who sang back up like an angel. You don’t hear that too often with live bands anymore. It made the material automatically more soulful and combined with Ryan’s voice and accompaniment by Jimmy on guitar, it was a wonderful combination I wasn’t expecting.
Ryan Underhill writes all his own material and the songs that I enjoyed the most were the obvious bluesy numbers, my favorite being “Black Scorpio”. Jimmy played electric guitar and it was a down and dirty song that was the highlight of the set for me. That song was followed by my other favorite, “Heavy Rebel Feeling”, referring to Ryan’s time in Barbados. It was clear Ryan Underhill can sing a beautiful range of music and the fans loved him.
To read more go to: http://bbs.richmonddigitalmedia.com/viewtopic.php?t=232
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The April 25th show at the Triple will be forever known as the “Holy shit, that band was amazing” show that featured Octane Saints and The Sideshow Tragedy from Austin TX, via the Jersey Turnpike, forcing them to sit in traffic for hours and become the headliners of the night.
My friends the Octane Saints traded their headlining spot to let the guys relax and have some dinner before they had to go on stage. It’s no secret that I am a big fan of the Octane Saints. They have become friends and my idea of what a rock and roll band represents. Cool guys with cool songs that make you want to do the nasty dance.
It’s a party for me from the first song to the last. I find myself taking picture after picture just because they look so good on stage, so natural. The band is picking up speed and playing out more and I for one don’t plan on missing any shows.
To read more go to: http://tinyurl.com/c9qntc
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I’m not one of those people who enjoys jumping through hoops to go see a concert. I consider having to buy my ticket in advance, from one of the bands no less, be ready and out the door by the ridiculous hour of 7p.m., in the rain, is a little high maintenance and is not usually how I roll. I made the decision to go all the way with this and arrive on time, take photos of all the bands that performed, pay way too much money for drinks, and try not to lose who I came with.
My friend and I got there a little after 7pm and the show actually started on time by 7:30. It was a four band show with the Van Halen tribute band, Fair Warning as the main act.
First on stage was the Virginia Beach based band Scarz Within. Female lead singer Anita Ibanez was a strong performer. I liked seeing a woman on stage being powerful and commanding the audience’s attention. Scarz Within has opened for many national acts and has released 3 CD’s. Their vibe is loud and tough, although melodic, somewhere between Evanessence and the Genitorturers. The other band members were energetic and fun to watch run around the stage. It was a great start to a very high octane evening.
To read more go to: http://tinyurl.com/dk54zj
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Elvistra / Blog
INTERVIEW WITH JYL AND WES FREED OF DIRTBALL & THE SHINERS
This has been the most unusual interview for me to post. I contacted Wes Freed, former member of Mudd Helmut, Dirtball and The Shiners, and was glad to hear he would be happy to answer my interview questions “in between going to the dump and such”. I knew at that moment, this was going to be a great experience for me. The rowdy front man I remember is now and has always been, much to my surprise, just a country boy that used to wear leather pants for a while. In the process of communicating with Wes about the interview, I became friends with his wife, Jyl. When I had a chance to talk to Jyl and saw what a intricate part she is to Wes and how much history they share, I asked if she would like to be a part of the interview. I found Jyl has some interesting stories of her own and between corresponding by email and mailing me letters from deep in the woods of Wisconsin, we put together the story of the Freeds. So, it is my deepest pleasure to bring to you my interview with Jyl and Wes Freed. Cindy: Wes, you've been described as an “outsider artist”. What does that mean to you? Wes: I think the term gets used a lot, in less than accurate ways, lately. I was under the impression that it applied to artistic mental patients, and mystics along the lines of St. Augustine, or Miles Carpenter, or Howard Finster. As flattering as it is to be included in such company, I think the term might be over-burdened. Even “underground” artist, like “alternative” rock, seems to have less impact than it once did. I mean, I went to art school, got a degree (only a BFA), so I don't know if the outsider term really applies. I'd prefer to think of myself as a painter who does some sculpture, some paintings on wood, rock & roll posters, record covers and many other items of “merch”, lots of tattoo designs, and anything else that pops into my head. Cindy: How did the art evolve from the music? Wes: I started doing poster and T-shirt art from the time I was in a band in high school. Then at VCU for Mutant Drone & Mudd Helmut, then Dirtball & The Shiners. Those last two bands put out five records between ‘em all, of which I did the artwork for (the paintings & drawings at least). Terry Melton was the Art Director for most of them through Planetary Records. I can’t really separate the art from the music. Hell, it’s all art. Sometimes I’ll write a song about a painting, sometimes I’ll make a painting about a song . The songs I write are very visual in nature. Plus when you’re the (visual) artist in the band, you’ve always got a deadline, just like school. Dan-o’s on the phone, ''Ya got a poster yet?, the show is Friday....'' The motivation to GET THINGS DONE, that sorta thing. It’s a natural confluence of things, visual & musical, I couldn't be happy without either one.'' To read more go to: http://tinyurl.com/l8xa5t and be sure to visit my new website at www.elvistrajournalista.com
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HANK III & ASSJACK WITH LUCKY TUBB AT THE NATIONAL 7/1/09
I got bitten by the “hellbilly” bug a couple years ago and have been infected ever since. Hank III was my first taste of the underground outlaw country music that is quickly gaining control of real country music lovers all over the world. I have explored many outlaw artists since and have had the opportunity to meet them and better understand why they tour like crazy and perform for any club, no matter how big or small. They believe in their music and have a passion about it that no artist on CMT is going to give you. Hank III had me at “Dick in Dixie”, which describes his contempt for Nashville and the money hungry artists and record labels destroying country music’s heritage. I respected those words coming from someone with his family background. Hank III refuses to conform to what should have been easy for him and undoubtedly a more comfortable life. That’s why Hank III is an outlaw and his new CD, “Damn Right, Rebel Proud” explores all of that and more beginning with his grandfather’s dismissal from the Opry in “The Grand Ol’ Opry Ain’t so Grand Anymore”, to being depressed, lonely and pondering death in “Candidate for Suicide”, and “3 Shades of Black”. Hank III performed the best country set yet covering songs from all his releases, starting off with songs from my favorite CD, “Straight to Hell”, and including older tunes from “Risin’ Outlaw” and “Lovesick, Broke and Driftin’”. It was a wonderful variety of old and new mixed with the latest songs from “Damn Right, Rebel Proud”. At the end he brought out Lucky Tubb and sang a song to celebrate their famous family trees by performing Hank Jr.’s tune “Family Tradition”. It was a special moment for all. The crowd was well behaved until Hank changed guitars and switched his cowboy hat for a baseball cap, then all hell broke loose. Assjack is a weird combination of energy, high volume and extremely talented musicians. This show I was actually able to get the full view of the band and was able to focus on their vibe and what they were projecting to the crowd, who, by that time was completely out of control. Disregarding the “No Moshing” signs, the crowd jumped, writhed, pushed, shoved and gave everything they had. I don’t currently own any material from Assjack, but can honestly say I plan to download some soon. Hank III has a definitive method to his madness, and with the help of his Assjack cohorts he really defies convention and pours out so much conviction, even though you might not like their volume or content, you can’t help but walk away impressed with the sheer talent involved with that band. I am now a believer in both sides of Hank III, although I know there are many more sides to cover. It was a show I will always remember, but unfortunately will be forced to recall by memory only, since I accidentally deleted all the photos and video from my camera before I could upload to my laptop. I’ve completed my mourning and will be damn careful next time. And I am assured there will be a next time. Hank sees how much we love his shows and he “will be back!” To read more go to: http://tinyurl.com/kpyo6t And be sure to visit my new website www.elvistrajournalista.com
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CALLING MONROE REVIEW 5/30/09
It was Saturday night and I was in the mood for some rock and roll. I had seen Calling Monroe recently and decided I wanted more, so I went to see them at Wranglers in Mechanicsville. I had never been there so it was a new venue for me to expose. Wranglers is one of those places where you can play pool, watch the game, or hear live music. Calling Monroe is a cover band that blasts out all the old school metal favorites (of mine) and some new material I actually don't hate. The band is very social and greets us as soon as we walk in. I guess it wasn't hard to spot us since we were there before 10 and not many people were there yet. After a brief chat the band started and I was in my heavy metal haze listening to Van Halen's “Ain't Talking About Love” and while just a few songs in, the sound blew and there was nothing coming through the board. Bad, very bad. I jokingly said to my friend, unless the sound guy had a spare board in the back seat of his car, the night was over. Well, the sound guy had a spare board in his car, so the night went on. After unhooking the old board and getting the new one ready with a mini sound check, the band was back on stage and vowed to go on with the next two sets with minimal breaks to make up for lost time. So that's exactly what they did. I was able to enjoy “Cold Gin” and “Wild Side”, and G&R's “It's So Easy” with the benefit of quality sound. Singer and front man Rick Kirby has a way of molding his voice to the sound of the intended artist he is covering, so much so I was wondering how he could sound like AC/DC, Metallica, Poison and Alice in Chains. That is why I visited this band again and will continue to see them play. They are a cover band, but they are a entertaining, passionate cover band that is there for the crowd, not themselves, and that is what makes or breaks that type of genre. That's not to say there is not a ton of cheese involved in their shows. I've only been to see them twice but both times there was a spot in the show where bass player, Jim Stanley requested a woman to come up stage and help him play bass, which meant the woman stood in front on him, he placed his bass in front of her and played with a woman between him and his bass. After seeing it twice I couldn't help myself and was led upstage at the end of the night to help Jim play bass. Very funny, I'm just glad not many people were there to see and if they were they were too drunk to focus. That did not, however, stop my friend from taking pictures. To read more go to: http://bit.ly/He9Ys
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WAYNE "THE TRAIN" HANCOCK REVIEW 5/29/09
Wayne Hancock isn’t your typical country outlaw. He seems quite unassuming at first glance, but he is a man who has undoubtedly lived a life, including being bailed out of jail by Hank III (allegedly), and joining the Marine’s at the age of 18. He has a gaze that is wise but careful and a face that tells a story. I had never seen a Wayne Hancock show before but I can say he did live up to the hype of my peers. When I sampled his music a few months ago I decided Wayne Hancock may be a little too tame for me. When I saw his performance, thanks to a very impressive band, you get much more than honky tonk twang. You get Texas rockabilly thanks to Huck Johnson and his upright bass, steel guitar by Bob Huffnar, complimented by James Hunnicutt on lead guitar mixes together to give you what has been called “Juke Joint Swing”, and I likd it. Wayne Hancock is constantly showered with praise from his peers. The compliments are endless coming from the likes of Hank III saying that “Wayne Hancock has more Hank Sr. in him than either I or Hank Williams, Jr. He is the real deal." That’s a bold statement. Mr. Hancock’s first major hit in 1995, “Thunderstorms and Neon Signs”, has all the elements of a perfect country song. It is bittersweet, and Wayne Hancock was meant to sing it. Then you have a song like “Viper” which is a cleverly titled song about a certain illegal pastime that shows the whimsical side of Hancock. It’s easy to understand why all these “outlaw” performers tour together and are such close friends. They all have a very strong common bond. They are the real deal. They are stripped down and bare bones country music. It is what country music is meant to be and has somehow lost its way thanks to money hungry bands, even more hungry record companies, and the power of the media. There is no “Country and Western” music alive on the airwaves anymore, unless you are lucky enough to catch some vintage Merle Haggard, George Jones or Loretta Lynn. To read more go to: http://bit.ly/GQi2p
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INTERVIEW WITH TOM APPLEGATE OF BEEX
Tom Applegate began performing in the 1970’s, beginning with Lamour, and that led to a very colorful and spiritual journey with his band Beex and his wife, Christine Gibson. Tom lost Christine to breast cancer in 2007 and all was quiet for a while. Then last year Beex performed a memorial show for Christine, then Beex was resurrected once again recently for a show at the Plaza Bowl with Tom singing and rocking the audience into oblivion. After seeing the show and watching Tom pour his heart and soul out with obvious raw emotion, I was touched and really impressed and it’s a show I still talk about today with much admiration. Tom Applegate is a true icon of rock and roll in our little town, and is playing and rocking just as hard today as he did 30 years ago. It makes me very happy to have Tom Applegate as my next interview. All you young ones out there, listen and learn. Cindy: Where did the nickname “Tommy the Rock” come from? Tom: “Hello, my name is Tom and I Rock!” Actually, I had a roommate at college in Ohio, Tom Wilson, who would punch holes in the wall and stuff like that so I called him “Tommy the Rock”. Later, when I came back to Richmond and we started Lamour, I wrote a song called “Tommy the Rock” which was a good scream-along with the last line being “Tommy the Rock is just a f*&king animal”. So people started calling me that. Now it’s good fun and a laugh. Cindy: Before Beex, you were in a punk band named Lamour and released a 45” called “Sunglass Party”. Tell us about Lamour and Beex. Tom: Lamour was a band that David Stover and I had been plotting more or less since high school. After I came back to Richmond we shared an apartment and started putting together all the pieces. Punk was so new that the handful of bands that were around, Ricky and the White Boys, Barriers…(I don’t really want make that list because I’ll leave out important players) had to create places to play. Most shows at the time were put on as warehouse parties. There was already a scene coming out of VCU’s art school doing very creative insane music. We didn’t know many of those people until we threw a party on 7/ 7/ 77 which was the “Sunglass Party”. I wrote a song about it which became our only record. 1978 & 1979 were pretty much rolling parties as the punk scene developed locally and nationwide. Richmond never really got much outside recognition or support. I think that helped Richmond’s development in a way because it wasn’t very competitive here. There was much more camaraderie. Bands supported each other and were intense and incestuous. Christine first sang with the Barriers (an X-Ray Specks song) and then “My Generation” with the White Boys. After Ralph Harper, the White Boys singer died, Richard Buchanan (guitar) and Christine put Beex together out of the ashes, with Craig Thompson (bass), Boo Smith (drums) and Mike Tighe (guitar). That was the original Beex. I didn’t start that band although I did write their first single, “Beat Beat”, when they got a chance to make a record for Bill Asp’s Wasp label out of DC. I mean all of this gets quite complicated actually, and I’m sure the story varies depending upon whose telling it. I know that it’s not entirely accurate and there would be many who would venomously disagree. Anyway Lamour was a blast. To read more go to: http://bbs.richmonddigitalmedia.com/viewtopic.php?p=565#565
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INTERVIEW WITH BENNY WALDBAUER OF BENNY'S
I always said I was born too late and wish I was at least ten years older so I could’ve been a part of some really important music and culture. Well this interview is a perfect example of what I missed. I was barely out of high school when Benny Waldbauer decided to become a club owner at the age of 24. He opened The Copa in 1979 and then opened Benny’s on his 27th birthday in 1981. Cindy Hicks took his photo in front of the club and history was made.
Benny had some interesting jobs before and after the clubs including working for the railroad, selling electrical supplies, even worked as a light man for The Dads before finding his true love, hospice care. Benny graduated from nursing school in 1994 at the age of 40 and began a career filled with love and compassion by giving comfort to others in need and has been doing so for 13 years.
That’s a preview of Benny Waldbauer. This interview is different from the usual questions and answers. I met Benny at Nara Sushi one evening and just turned on the tape recorder and got lost in the memories of a real success story. Be warned, timelines and such may not be exact, but we were close!
Cindy: What is the story behind The Copa?
Benny: This is my favorite bar story as far as I’m concerned. I was selling electrical supplies at the time and had been for a while. I didn’t go to college. When I graduated from high school I got married and started working for an electric supply house. It is Eck Electric now, right down the street.
I had this buddy who got out of the army and his dad had just died. He had $5,000.00 and I had $5,000.00. I had just separated from my wife and I wanted to do something with the money because I knew I would just spend it. We were going to buy a house, so we planned to meet for lunch and of course it’s late 1978, so we did what everybody did, we smoked a joint and my buddy says, “I saw this ad for a restaurant, let’s go look at it”. I said okay and we went and looked at this restaurant which is now Cary Street Café. We walk in and found out the story about the restaurant, which was that some guys bought the place, cleaned it up, and had a big party. Then they didn’t have enough money to open so they had to sell, and we bought it for $13,000.00. When I woke up that morning I was an electric supply salesman, but when I went to bed that night I was a bar owner. And that was the birth of The Copa and that’s how I got into the bar business.
To read more go to: http://bit.ly/7eBM5
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THE VELVET MARIAS AT GRANPA EDDIES 5/16/09
This was a great weekend for live music. I made some new friends and reconnected with some I hadn’t seen in months. I started off the weekend by going to see my new friend Wes Edwards perform at Ellwood Thompson’s Coffee House where I sucked down two latte’s and then rushed over to Cary Street Café to see my old friends Black Cash and the Bad Trips. It had been last summer since I had been to one of their shows. I enjoyed both shows a great deal, but the highlight of my weekend was definitely the show on Saturday with The Velvet Marias at Grandpa Eddies. I had only seen The Velvet Marias perform at the National a few months ago and just remembered being excited to here Sarah Gleason’s version of “These Boots Are Made for Walking” coming from the stage. It connected me to her immediately. I met her at the after party and we became fast friends. So I was eager to see another show. This band is so animated and energetic. The drummer Jorge Santamaria had a smile on his face the entire evening. Smiling drummers just aren’t normal. John Ran Smith, guitar and vocals, is very entertaining and always seems to be telling a story while singing. He performs the song to its fullest meaning. Then there is the lovely lead vocalist Sarah Gleason, who puts her own signature on every song she sings. She turned “Me & Bobby McGee” into an upbeat number which ended with a guitar jam by Paul Pearce. I already mentioned my love for “These Boots”, and similar to that era, Sarah also sings “Son of a Preacher Man”, but she sings it more Aretha style than Dusty style, and that’s how I grew up hearing that song. The covers became more diversified when John sang “Fourth of July” by X, and bass player Mike Skiffington sang “Ball and Chain” by Social Distortion. But for me personally, the best cover done that night was Sarah’s version of “Never Been to Spain”, to which the band was given a standing ovation (by me). To read more go to: http://tinyurl.com/qcy9lj
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JIMMY CATLETT & RYAN UNDERHILL @ POE'S PUB 5/2
I arrived at Poe’s Pub at 9:00 sharp and found one remaining place to sit. That’s a good sign, as I also found the last parking place, so the omens were good. I was flying solo that night and knew no one there, all new faces, which I thought was also a good sign. I did recognize Jimmy Catlett, but it was actually our first meeting, so I chose to sit at my two top table in the corner, where I could smoke like a sinner, and focus my attention on the show. Ryan Underhill took the stage and said his hellos to the crowd, which he was obviously friends with, and pointed out quite a few by name, thanking them for coming to the show. Ryan Underhill is unavoidably charming, and seems very comfortable on and off the stage. He was joined by the lovely Michelle Ford who sang back up like an angel. You don’t hear that too often with live bands anymore. It made the material automatically more soulful and combined with Ryan’s voice and accompaniment by Jimmy on guitar, it was a wonderful combination I wasn’t expecting. Ryan Underhill writes all his own material and the songs that I enjoyed the most were the obvious bluesy numbers, my favorite being “Black Scorpio”. Jimmy played electric guitar and it was a down and dirty song that was the highlight of the set for me. That song was followed by my other favorite, “Heavy Rebel Feeling”, referring to Ryan’s time in Barbados. It was clear Ryan Underhill can sing a beautiful range of music and the fans loved him. To read more go to: http://bbs.richmonddigitalmedia.com/viewtopic.php?t=232
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SIDESHOW TRAGEDY & OCTANE SAINTS REVIEW
The April 25th show at the Triple will be forever known as the “Holy shit, that band was amazing” show that featured Octane Saints and The Sideshow Tragedy from Austin TX, via the Jersey Turnpike, forcing them to sit in traffic for hours and become the headliners of the night. My friends the Octane Saints traded their headlining spot to let the guys relax and have some dinner before they had to go on stage. It’s no secret that I am a big fan of the Octane Saints. They have become friends and my idea of what a rock and roll band represents. Cool guys with cool songs that make you want to do the nasty dance. It’s a party for me from the first song to the last. I find myself taking picture after picture just because they look so good on stage, so natural. The band is picking up speed and playing out more and I for one don’t plan on missing any shows. To read more go to: http://tinyurl.com/c9qntc
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SETH/FAIR WARNING/SCARZ WITHIN/AUTOMATIC @ NATIONAL
I’m not one of those people who enjoys jumping through hoops to go see a concert. I consider having to buy my ticket in advance, from one of the bands no less, be ready and out the door by the ridiculous hour of 7p.m., in the rain, is a little high maintenance and is not usually how I roll. I made the decision to go all the way with this and arrive on time, take photos of all the bands that performed, pay way too much money for drinks, and try not to lose who I came with. My friend and I got there a little after 7pm and the show actually started on time by 7:30. It was a four band show with the Van Halen tribute band, Fair Warning as the main act. First on stage was the Virginia Beach based band Scarz Within. Female lead singer Anita Ibanez was a strong performer. I liked seeing a woman on stage being powerful and commanding the audience’s attention. Scarz Within has opened for many national acts and has released 3 CD’s. Their vibe is loud and tough, although melodic, somewhere between Evanessence and the Genitorturers. The other band members were energetic and fun to watch run around the stage. It was a great start to a very high octane evening. To read more go to: http://tinyurl.com/dk54zj
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