brick beats

2 | BrickBeatsMag.com

table of contents:4 suffrin’ moses

12 mindfish18 jazz spoken here

20 lost river cavemen26 - 32 reviews

33 dr. beat and the beat offs36 cassie the venemous

38 javier aladren42 blue eagle

48 section 850 jack white

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Management Team:

Writers:Devon Antonetti, Erin Beese, Lindsay Citaro, Merri Collins, Heather Farr, Bekky Hobson, Scott Hutchinson, Allison Maloney, Griffin Messer-Kruse, Miranda Richardson, Cynthia Robinson, Hannah Rose, Jenna Siska, Chealsia Smedley, Michael Stover, Eric Wietmarschen

Photographers:Sarah Daniels, Elizabeth Held, William McFadden, Ryan Murphy

Designers:WANTED

Cover Design: Anna MooreLogo Concept: Alison Yunker

Editor-in-Chief: Neal PattenEditor-in-Chief: Phil BarnesDesign Director: Mikaela LongoPhotography Director: Christina SnyderCopy Chief: Chris MadisonMarketing Director: Aaron WestendorfAdvertising Director: Kyle RanallyWeb Designer: Aaron WenttTreasurer: Julie Brown


by NEAL PATTEN photos by PHIL BARNES

blues brothers


He is decked in the same outfit as last time: a slick black button-up shirt, blue jeans and timeless Chuck Taylors. He tops it off with a pair of Aviator sunglasses combed into his hair. Striking a balance between classy and

cool, he seems less intimidating now than he had before. A week ago an air of machismo surrounded him as he knocked back a couple of brews with his band mates. They had been preparing for the Battle of the Bands in the crowded dance floor above The Union bar. After taking to the stage, they cavorted around with furrowed brows and curled lips, acting like a bunch of tough guys. Now he appears unassuming as he unlocks his office door.

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The room is small and nondescript, but certainly outfitted for a musician. A wooden piano straddles the right wall, littered with old vinyls and disheveled sheet music. Only a small desk and bench fill the remainder of the space. The walls are off-white with paint peel-ing slightly here and there, but otherwise they are devoid of any décor. He pulls some of the dusty albums off his piano and begins to mock them. He almost insinuates one should recog-nize the obscure artists such as Michael Lind. The cover to Lind’s album, Play Tuba, features the portly performer grasping the eponymous instrument like it is his child, his eyes drawn into an unsettling gaze.

This is the office of Zach Quillen, lead sing-er and guitarist for The Sufferin’ Moses Blues Band. He is just one of a motley collection of performers. Zach and friends formed what is currently Athens’s only classic blues band early in the summer of 2009. The band’s four headliners are a mix of Ohio University stu-dents and alumni.

Zach earned a choral music education degree in 2006 and began graduate school for music theory in 2009. In the interim, he was a tour-ing musician, taking to the road with the Jazz Cream Assassins, the R&B Station and various solo stints. He now works as a teaching assis-tant for a non-major music theory class. He also runs free tutoring sessions and teaches the mu-sic major sight-singing labs.

Drummer Cory Clark is a senior audio pro-duction student minoring in music. He came to the band with 17 years of experience. For-merly of the band Hennigan, he met Zach through a show booking. He teamed with Zach to play for the Jazz Cream Assassins, which led to the formation of the Sufferin’ Moses Blues Band.

“It is a way more relaxed band. I love it for that reason. No one is trying to make it big. We are just a few dudes who like to play music.” Cory says.

Jeremy Harmon, also previously of Jazz Cream, lends his talents on the saxophone. Jeremy recently graduated as a music educa-tion major. Joining Sufferin’ Moses brought him

closer to the band’s signature style.“I had always loved the blues, but getting a

chance to play it at every gig really connects you to the music,” he says.

Jeremy expands upon his appreciation of the blues, “The people who initially wrote this mu-sic were telling their story. The fact that we get to … tell their story is something you don’t find in much of today’s music.”

He feels the genre is distinctive for that reason.“There are not very many musicians on the

top of the Billboard charts that have any idea what it is like to write music and actually have a compelling story to tell.”

Bass guitarist Brad Huffman graduated as a vo-cal performance major in 1999. He went on to sing through Opera Columbus for several years before returning to Athens in 2008. He is currently furthering his education in vocal performance.

Chris Keesey is the newest member, and can be heard on the drums.

All four men provide backup vocals to Zach.Zach and Brad acknowledge that forming a

classic blues band was an unorthodox venture considering the college-age concert crowd.

“Some of the older blues isn’t accessible to the younger crowds,” Zach explains, “but if you put that in a newer band full of young guys, it tends to be something they [college students] want to hear.”

The gamble did not seem to be of concern when the band was coming together.

“We didn’t come to the blues on purpose,” Zach admits.

When the band was in its infancy, the mem-bers realized they shared a unique affinity for blues music.

“We’ve all played it. We all love it. It’s accessible. So it works for the audience, too,” Zach says.

The nonchalance of the band’s creation epit-omizes the laid-back intonations of blues mu-sic. Blues originated near the end of 19th cen-tury in the American Deep South. The melting pot of narrative ballads, work songs and spiri-tuals gave birth to jazz, ragtime and the blues. The music is casual but melancholy, typically highlighting lost love, a lack of money or other pains of living.

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“It’s really poor folk music,” says Zach. “This isn’t high art.”

The down-to-earth tunes are in concert with Zach and his bandmates’ easygoing nature. Even the choice of their name was fairly serendipitous.

Around the time the band was taking shape, Zach had been living in a rented room. One af-ternoon an unusual jar caught his eye from a shelf. Upon investigation, he found a peculiar imprint revealing that a ‘Suffering Moses’ had crafted the piece in Kashmir, India. Zach scoured

the Internet to explain the strange engraving. He eventually discovered the sculptor’s real name was Moses, but he had adopted the ‘Suf-fering’ moniker for his pottery shop. An Ameri-can woman who had visited this store asked the craftsman why he had christened himself ‘Suffering Moses.’ The artisan answered, “How else could I make anything beautiful? Only by suffering, right? I suffer for my art. You create nothing good if you don’t suffer.” Zach felt this statement characterized the developing band’s moody sounds.

It’s got to have that grit. It’s got to be real. You can’t

fake the blues.ZACH QUILLEN

‘‘’’

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“[Suffering Moses] says the blues: It’s simple, it’s folksy, it’s pain, it’s real. I think it works.”

Despite their name, The Sufferin’ Moses Blues Band’s set list is not limited to the classic definition of blues.

“We definitely have an eclectic group of cov-ers – not something you’d normally expect out of a blues band or even a cover band around here,” Zach says.

The blues artists in the band’s rotation in-clude Buddy Guy, Albert King, B.B. King, Freddie King, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. The

band mixes up their performances by adding Santana, Eric Clapton, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Boyz II Men, The Temptations and Tom Petty, among others.

“Playing the blues is all covers.” Says Zach. “Everybody that plays blues plays somebody else’s song, but it’s their version.”

Zach still feels the band’s music is original.“The thing that’s neat about the blues is you

always do something of your own. People even add their own verses … the blues is pretty flex-ible,” he says.

Not only are blues songs distinctively adapt-able, but there is also an exceptional versatility to where one performs the blues.

“We play all kinds of shows from Big Blues festivals to the famous Red Brick front stage, which is why I have so much fun with this band. I never know where we are going to play next,” Cory says.

Perhaps once the most interesting venue for The Sufferin’ Moses Blues Band members and a definite band favorite, previously took place at The Pub every Sunday night. From midnight until closing time, people flocked to the bar for “church.” The resounding slogan for the alco-hol-fueled “mass” was: “It’s SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! We’re drinkin’ for Jesus! J.C. and the boys would like another round!”

Zach and Brad were particularly fond of playing at “church” once a month because there was no stage separating the band from the audience. Zach loved being up close to the bar patrons.

“I’m playing something that connects you to me, and me to you. You have to listen. You’re a part of it,” he says. “It’s deliciously low class without a stage; it feels more authentic to the blues, because it’s like the old juke-joint,” Zach explains, “It’s the most fun, debaucher-ous, raucous good time. It’s just one of those things that’s a total rebellion of all social norms. Everybody is going to get hammered on a day when no one else is getting hammered. The whole thing is unique.”

In addition to the four leads, the band fea-tures as many as seven other transitory mem-bers, all familiar faces from the Athens music

Music is not an iPod. It’s people.

ZACH QUILLEN

‘‘’’

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scene. Among them are popular crooners Mike Ward and Dedrick Bonner, members of the band Section 8 and The Singing Men of Ohio.

When the main four are faced with song re-quests not in keeping with their blues roots, they enlist the help of one of the transitory band members or any of their other friends.

“Being music majors, we have a lot of very talented friends at our disposal,” Zach says, “It’s really honestly nothing to grab a friend and play a tune.”

The band is almost always guaranteed to spot a companion in the crowd, as several of their closest friends are also their most devoted fans.

“A girl will come up and say, ‘Hey, can you play me the Miley Cyrus song?,’” Zach says, “We’ll ask a friend, ‘You want to sing with us? Jump up and sing Miley Cyrus with us,’ and we’ve got a party in the USA.”

One must wonder whether or not it is disori-enting for audience members to witness such a casual stop-and-swap of performers, but Brad does not think it is.

“It’s an activity and not a concert, which is what I like about it,” he says, “I think the audi-ence feels it, too. It’s something they can be-come a part of. It’s not over their heads.”

Jeremy feels the communal connection be-hind their shows is an important part of small-town life.

“Live music is becoming something of the past and I think that’s a shame … music is not

an iPod. It’s people.” Which makes the relation-ship between the band and the audience all the more significant. “Even though we (might) play Miley Cyrus, she has never had to live in a place like Athens. It’s a real place where people work hard to make a living.”

Supplementing this musical interaction is the familiarity of their songs. The band does not have immediate plans to produce a full-length original album. They have recorded three original and four cover songs available on CD at any of their shows or for streaming at www.sufferinmoses.com. Even so, they are not fully keen on the idea. They feel as though recording can be restrictive of the blues’ dy-namic sound and culture.

“It’s counterintuitive to try to record a stu-dio album on something that’s entirely impro-vised in the moment when feeling the crowd,” Zach explains.

The way he describes the blues suggests that recording could cheapen the experience.

“It’s got to have that grit. It’s got to be real. You can’t fake the blues.”

Despite the rugged persona Zach and his bandmates exude on stage; removing their platform makes them as accessible as their mu-sic. The passion and enjoyment the members of The Sufferin’ Moses Blues Band feel for play-ing their soulful harmonies is palpable and in-fectious. It is funny how music known as “the blues” can make you feel so good.

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school of mindfishby BEKKY HOBSONphotos SARAH DANIELS


Upon first meeting the band Mind Fish you might find their eccentricities to be a little off-putting. It is hard to get a word in edge-

wise once this animated crew starts spewing off sto-ries. They were all in front of me goofing off, making up hilarious Folger’s commercials and at one point turned off all the lights and pretended to be ghosts. It’s impossible to not laugh around them.

“You tell them I have washboard abs,” teased Dan Barbera (guitar) at the beginning of the interview.

There were a few bumps along the road to be-coming Mind Fish. Steve Warstler (drums) and Dean Tartaglia (guitar and vocals) knew each oth-er in high school but were not fond of one anoth-er. According to Warstler, Tartaglia and his brother talked too much.

However, when Tartaglia began his freshman year at Ohio University, he and Warstler started working together to create Mind Fish. The name

of the band is derived from Mind Riot, a band that Tartaglia was a member of in high school.

Mind Fish spent a lot of time casually experi-menting with their sound during their first year.

“Every band has about a year being a band when they’re not really a band,” said Tartaglia.

After some trial and error with different mem-bers, the band finally landed bassist Trent Riss-over in the fall of 2009 and took off from there. Barbera completed the group in the spring of 2010. Barbera quipped that he just kept showing up at Mind Fish shows until the band finally gave in and let him join.

Mind Fish draws much of its influence from the alternative punk group The Hard Lessons and their sound is often compared to Say Anything. The members describe their sound as “nerd pop” and work on borrowing little touches from a vari-ety of genres.

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Like most other bands, Mind Fish started small. They played a show for a handful of freshmen outside of Lincoln Hall and per-

formed in 90 degree heat outside of Scripps Amphitheater in order to acquire the attention of potential fans.

“We played for like ten parents and they weren’t even our parents,” Rissover said laugh-ing, “They just stared at us.”

But admittedly, the small shows got them to where they are today while creating memories along the way.

“When you’re in a band you do a lot of things that are dismal and pedantic,” said Tartaglia, “That’s when you create the best memories.”

They have come a long way since then, play-ing over 60 shows. This past summer Mind Fish toured the east coast performing in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and more. They have one full-length record entitled, “Measles, Mumps and Rebellion” and are currently working on another, tentatively named: “Watch Out.”

““Watch Out” shows the progression of a new band,” said Warstler, “I feel that it really shows maturity and development in the song writing process.”

The band rehearses at Warstler’s house in a small back room that becomes loud and smelly fast. They spend six hours a week practicing there to perfect each song.

“We won’t play it live unless we can do it tight and well,” said Barbera.

Barbera compared Tartaglia to a rigorous mu-sic conductor that notices every mistake and makes you do it again and again until it’s correct.

“We want to be the best band on the bill every time we play, and that’s not always pos-sible,” said Tartaglia, “But we try.”

Mind Fish now records in the School of Me-dia Arts and Studies studio on campus with Ed-die Ashworth, an accomplished OU professor who has done extensive work in the fields of audio engineering and record producing. He is most well known for his contribution to several of Sublime’s albums, but has also worked with Slightly Stoopid, Unwritten Law and Izzy Strad-lin, among others.

The band previously recorded in a variety of

places, from their own houses to the homes of ex-girlfriends. Warstler, who graduated with a degree in audio production from OU, did most of the audio work for the first album.

Since teaming with Ashworth, the production value of Mind Fish’s second album has been much higher than their first. There is more at-tention to detail and improved overall playing.

For the promotion of the new album, Mind Fish has been working on creating press kits for prospective record labels and booking agents with the hopes of getting signed and playing at larger venues.

However, they have established a growing fan base here in Athens. The band played for a full house at Casa Nueva during winter quarter. De-termined fans trudged through eight inches of snow to see them play.

Mind Fish’s biggest struggle amongst one another is that they all talk way too much. At times, it becomes overwhelming for the four of them to share the same dreams.

“It’s like being married to three people. I don’t know how the Mormons do it,” said Rissover.

“And no one gets any. We can’t even kiss,” Warstler added.

Mind Fish is definitely a band to experience live; their shows are full of energy. At one per-formance at The Union, Tartaglia ended up breaking the microphone. Of their many mem-orable shows, the band recalled the awkward time they played at a teen venue with Jesus’ face painted on the wall behind them.

Beyond all their ridiculous stories about In-sane Clown Posse and Faygo soda, crazy stalk-ers and Barbera’s washboard abs, Mind Fish does take their music seriously. They are genu-inely passionate about what they do.

“This is really what we do. This is really our lives,” said Tartaglia, “It’s a cathartic thing.”

After the members graduate, they plan to keep touring and playing shows until their parents stop supporting them or they can no loner sup-port themselves. They plan on trying to “make it,” whatever “make it” might be for them.

“It’s like the pursuit of happiness,” said Tarta-glia, “It’s not about being happy. It’s about the journey getting there.”


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“ It’s like being married to three people. I don’t know how the Mormons do it.

TRENT RISSOVER, MIND FISH BASSIST ”


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mentor musicians


Jazz Spoken Here

by SCOTT HUTCHINSONphotos by WILLIAM McFADDEN

It’s no secret that today’s college music scene is dominated by party-themed hip-hop and catchy Top 40 tunes, but not so long ago a dif-

ferent genre ruled the charts: jazz. Once an Amer-ican obsession, jazz music, it seems, has faded into obscurity today. However, Ohio University Music Director Michael Parkinson and his band Jazz Spoken Here are doing their part to spread a love for the genre and prove that jazz is still very much alive.

A lifelong jazz musician, Parkinson was named the Director of the School of Music in the sum-mer of 2007. While he knew his new position at Ohio would be a time consuming one, he also knew that no matter how busy he became as an administrator, he would never give up on his own musical endeavors.

“When I came here it was to be an administrator, but I made it clear to everyone that I was still a musi-cian,” Parkinson said. “I was going to do all I could to stay connected to the music making process.”

He certainly kept his word. A year into his tenure in Athens, Parkinson, a

trumpet player, began to jam with several area musicians. Since then, what began as a four-piece

jam band has developed into a dedicated jazz sex-tet known as Jazz Spoken Here.

Playing original pieces, as well covering songs by some of jazz’s most influential artists, the group has been able to tap into the music scene and make a name for themselves. Gaining recog-nition hasn’t been easy though, as some people consider jazz to be a dying art form.

“Being a jazz musician is difficult. You have to go looking for the place to play.” Parkinson said. “You have to keep turning dirt over in fresh fields, because that’s how you’ll find the gigs and get people to hear your music.”

Jazz Spoken Here has been fortunate enough to find those gigs over the years and have performed at concert halls, restaurants, churches and other venues throughout the area. Getting a gig booked isn’t the end of it, though. You still have to deliver a product that people want to hear.

While jazz may have reached its peak in popu-larity years ago, Parkinson and his band mates have found a way to put a fresh, original spin on the genre that makes the tunes of the past rel-evant today.

While they do play traditional jazz, Jazz Spoken

p

mentor musicians

Here draws in influences from all over the music spectrum and brings those influences to life in their music. Layering in hip-hop rhythms, Latin grooves, or whatever may spice up a piece, they certainly aren’t afraid to step outside the bound-aries of customary jazz.

“Interpretation in jazz music is expected. It is not the exception, it’s the rule,” Parkinson said. “Music shouldn’t sound the same as it did so many years ago and people need to understand that.”

It’s this understanding of music and the way it works that has allowed Parkinson to become not only a successful musician, but a successful profes-sor as well. Since 1972 he’s been teaching students the ins and outs of music and has passed on his knowledge just as his teachers did for him.

“I love to teach and I’ve been successful at it be-cause I always want the person that comes after me to be better than I am,” he said. “I look back at some of my professors and know that if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now. Helping my students is my way of thanking those people who have helped me.”

Parkinson has certainly helped countless students

in his time at Ohio and has done so, in part, by leading by example. Stressing the importance of practice and dedication is one thing, but living by those guidelines can help to push that point even more.

“I think it’s good for our students to see some-one like me, who’s an administrator, still getting the trumpet of the case, still excited about playing music and still pushing to become better,” Parkin-son said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, but I’m still working at it.”

Despite decades in the business, Parkinson still has a love for all things music. Whether he’s on stage with the band or just playing his trumpet during a little free time at home, his dedication to music is undeniable.

“If I’m teaching music, listening to it, reading about it, practicing it or even just talking about it, I’m still the kid in the candy shop,” he said. “It’s a nice place to be.”

Parkinson and the rest of his Jazz Spoken Here band mates have several performances lined up in the year to come, including a slot on the annual Foothills Music Festival where they will be the first jazz group to ever play.

I was going to do all I could to stay connected to the music making process.

“”

MICHAEL PARKINSON



Cavemenupclose

by CYNTHIA ROBINSONphotos PROVIDED

It was only a matter of time before the discus-sion turned to Mamaw’s Kentucky biscuits. They were buttery, flakey and doughy, and The

Lost River Cavemen’s Michael McMillan assured me of their perfection.

Homemade biscuits, his neighbor’s grits with but-ter and sugar, and a fine Kentucky drawl made the night with the Lost River Cavemen a great success.

It began somewhat shaky and confusing. I was sitting in Jackie O’s brewery, awaiting the ar-rival of a band of men whose name may have sparked the idea of the movie Deliverance with a smattering of exciting Kentucky music. Jack-ie O’s was the perfect venue for such a band, the bearded bar-goers downing freshly brewed beers alongside chicks with hula-hoops working their barefooted magic.

Instruments began to take up space on stage as The Lost River Cavemen entered the scene, don-ning unique threads and plucking strings for per-fection. They were dressed in straw hats, bow ties and vests, mixing 1920s traveling act apparel with postmodern country. It was a conglomeration of mustached men joined by an upright bass, fiddle, guitar and drum set.


Background bar music played easing antici-pation as folks shuffled about, grabbing beers or harder drinks in preparation for the show to come. Hula-hooping contests adequately heightened the mood, as onlookers watched with delight. Wiggling hips were rousing pre-cursors to upcoming rhythms.

And then, without warning, the lights flicked off. The fiddle erupted.

“I’m sure many of you like bourbon,” winked front man Michael McMillan, strumming the guitar viciously. Lively hands swung high in the air, celebrating a Thursday night with a carefree alternative country vibe. Jackie O’s not only felt like a brewery, but a moonshine factory. We all reveled in the madness.

They continued to wow the crowd with up-beat bluegrass music tweaked by their own special touches. The fiddle was incredibly charming, accompanied by smooth bass and roaring rhythms. The body bouncing increased and McMillan jumped up on the speaker, chin to the ceiling, upping the ante.

After a few upbeat tunes, they slowed down for a break. I noticed the boys at the bar and slinked my way over to discuss music, charm and of course, alcohol.

“Oh, so you noticed the Spanish-like strings in there?” asks McMillan as he downs a jäger-bomb. I twinkled my eyes as we discussed their changing rhythms and Otis Redding influences.

“Yeah, we try and switch it up every once and a while — and we take inspiration from pretty much anywhere and everywhere.”

I told him of my own guitar playing and the frustrations which inevitably came from learn-ing bar chords.

“Yeah, you just gotta be persistent,” he chimed in, with that sweet Kentucky drawl.

He told me of his own passionate persistence, Emailing several venues and sitting at the com-puter “until his fingers fell off.” After Jackie O’s, they will be visiting Brooklyn, Manhattan and various other places throughout Ohio and Ken-

tucky — while spending night after night in the band van. McMillan, to my surprise, told me of his fulltime occupation as a nurse, although hoping to venture further into musical territory:

“I really like carin’ for people, but I truly enjoy this. I’d love to do this as a full time thing.”

He knocks back another jägerbomb and turns to me with open eyes.

“Do you wanna play?” I was a little taken aback. He gave me, how-

ever, a musical offer I couldn’t refuse. I had also just polished off a White Russian.

I sang two greatest hits, “Heart of Glass” by Blondie as well as “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams. I couldn’t see the crowd very well behind the lights but assumed they were waiting for the southern stringed folks to jump back on stage.

Clapping ensued and I shimmied back to my seat and my pumpkin ale. McMillan came over and put a hand on my back.

“That was beautiful... it was like smoke — whoo!”

He gave me another look and a high five. He went back to congregate with the band mem-bers and then returns.

“Do you mind if we... slept on your floor to-night? It’s just we’re pretty much sick of sleep-ing in the van you know and— ”

I’m too nice. I, of course, say ‘yes’ and perhaps would have liked to consider my-self something of a modern-day Penny Lane (from Almost Famous), although fell very short. He was somewhat shorter than me and I could feel the creeping fever in my veins due to lack of sleep. In my mind’s eye, though, I was sporting a fur coat and purple tinted sun-glasses. The romanticized “Band-Aids” thing could become my fantasy. I took another swig of Pumpkin Ale.

They all jumped back on stage. The crowd waited eagerly before the band pulled out the covers. Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” and Otis Redding’s “The Dock of the Bay” cast

front stage pass


love into the air, causing bodies to dance with joy. They continued with the drowsy, throaty “Crimson and Clover,” and I suddenly had post-set jitters. It was going on 2 a.m., Joan Jett’s spirit was alive in the woodwork, and The Lost River Cavemen were going to have a sleepover at my house.

Continuing with a slower tune of their own, their set began to wind down. It struck me as something one would dedicate to a fine lil’ lady, as the lyrics smoothed over the crowd in a sum-mery, dance-like melody: “Ain’t much money to see my honey…”

But McMillan had to jump up on that speak-er at least one more time. The instruments exploded in an uproar, and the finale was in place. Quick, hardworking hands knocked gui-tars, fiddles, drums and bass as the band rocked their bodies up and down and back and forth to sweet, southern sounds. The crowd shuffled back and forth with bottles in hand and clapped

until the final beat. Now it was time for analysis. I was tired as a motherfucker. But I had to

wait for the band. I made my promise. I sat out-side The Union with a bag full of schoolbooks and heavy eyes. McMillan came out and took a seat next to me.

“It was a great show!” I exclaimed, hoping for him to be pleased.

“Well, thanks so much. Thanks for coming out.” I smiled. I knew my voice drew him in from

earlier. He looked at me with eager eyes. “So... is it still alright if we stay over, then?

We can sleep on your floor and we have our own blankets—”

I’m a nice person. I reply with more smiles and open eyes.

“Sure!” I looked over to the rest of the band as they

loaded drums and other pieces into the van. “Are they coming?” I asked. “Oh yeah — they are just loading stuff in and

front stage pass



they will come after.” I knew this was somewhat of a trap. But alas,

my inner Penny Lane was calling for me to be cool and have some sort of “experience.” So we went on our way past college kids with backward hats and Vera Bradley bags return-ing from the bars. It was felt like a mixed-up

universe, as it seems what we should have done was hobble into a pickup truck and hit up a dusty backcountry road with bottled beers. Instead, we made our way down Court Street with Lil Wayne blasting from bars and drunk-en dudes eyeing short skirts with hope they would seal the deal.

front stage pass

We try and switch it up every once and a while — and we take inspiration from pretty

much anywhere and everywhere. MICHAEL MCMILLAN

‘‘ ,,


As we entered my apartment, again, I felt the southern Kentucky ambience of the night was dissipating as we sat down on my couch with pink pillows and blankets. I quickly put on my three-dollar Dolly Parton album to el-evate the mood.

“Oh, I love Dolly Parton,” he laughed.

It was then that our conversation about Ma-maw’s Kentucky biscuits ensued.

I wanted to know all about Kentucky culture — as if it were a state and lifestyle so much far-ther removed than a few hours. Alas, he had a “Mamaw” with the perfect biscuits and a love of Dolly Parton, her country twang the soundtrack to our conversation in the background.

We played a few tunes as he showed me the “The Dock of the Bay” chords, my fingers reaching the strings with more ease than I expected. I smiled at the moment. Perhaps it wasn’t a hotel after the concert with drugs and ‘70s tunes, but Penny Lane smiled upon me. I was “in it for the music.”

That was until he wasn’t. I shouldn’t have been so dumb, since the rest of the guys were “going to catch up.” He could sense my unease and then asked if he could just “tell his friends we had sex.” I laughed, and then he laughed and said he was of course, joking. I think I be-lieved him. I suddenly felt farther and farther removed from groupie fantasies and Cam-eron Crowe innocent magic. I gladly gave him enough of my pink blankets.

As I shut the double doors to my bedroom, I told him how much I enjoyed the show. He told me thanks— and thanks to giving him a place to sleep other than the van. I figured he needed a break since they were leaving Athens bright and early the next morning on their way to po-tential stardom.

“Oh, another thing,” he asked, “Can I leave Dolly Parton on?”

“Surely,” I said. It was either she or me to lull him to sleep. I figured a sweet southern peach would do a slightly better job.

In the morning, the room was blank. The only thing left on the couch was a big pink pillow and a folded blanket from a gentleman who most likely had a Mamaw who taught him proper manners.

Dolly Parton was laying on the record player. She was stopped. She had a good night, though.

front stage pass



reviews

The Ridgesby LINDSAY CITRARO

In the world of modern music, artists are com-ing and going faster than people can catch their names. For fans of the indie folk genre, the

combination of beautiful lyrics and laidback ele-ments is appreciated. The music has to not only resonate with them but also have a distinctive sound. The Ridges have done just that.

The Ridges consist of Victor Rasgaitis (lead vo-cals and guitar), Johnny Barton (drums, glocken-spiel, backup vocals) and Taylor Smith (cello, back-up vocals). Their debut album is self-titled and consists of five tracks. In addition, “The Ridges” features eight guest musicians playing a variety instruments including: bass, mandolin, and accor-dion, which is heard on “Overboard.” The sound is unlike anything I have heard. It is completely acoustic and really captures a live performance feel. While I would typically call The Ridges a folk rock band, they have incorporated orchestral and classical elements that set them apart.

To start off the album, “The Insomniac’s Song” really captures the musical identity of The Ridges. It begins with an arrangement of string instruments showcasing their strong harmonies. True to its ti-tle, the lyrics tell a story of not being able to sleep alone and the constant feeling of being an insom-niac. While it is very repetitious, I think the simplic-ity adds more meaning. It engages the listener by asking: “Do you know the feeling?” Accompanied by the presence of constant eerie string and guitar riffs, “The Insomniac’s Song” is a great example of the cohesiveness the band.

Some albums begin strong and soon fizzle out. However, The Ridges are not a one-hit-wonder band any means. “Intended Love” and “War

Bonds” both tell tales of two lovers. “Intended Love” has an infectious melody that makes it hard not to smile. It opens with just the guitar and vio-lin playing together idly and quickens to a speedy drumbeat complemented by harmonica riffs. My favorite part of the song was an impressive instru-mental breakdown in the middle, where each note had a specific role. While I listen to “Intended Love” I picture a couple singing to each other in a very playful, charming way thanks to the lighthearted-ness of the clever lyrics. It is a sweet love song that blends guitars, violins, percussion instruments and harmonies into a little musical package.

The album continues with the haunting track, “Not a Ghost.” The song begins with the solitary sound of a riveting violin as vocals creepily slither into the song. The music slowly builds up but then surprises with a sudden, strong voice and thrill-ing drumbeats. In the first verse, the vocals really complement the violins and ringing of bells, only to be followed by a lonely drumbeat in the sec-ond verse. I think this adds a unique quality to the song as parts of it taper off into hushed voices and tambourines before eventually building up again. I loved these surprise elements because they give a chance for the song to shine both instrumentally and vocally.

The music flows seamlessly throughout the al-bum. The overall theme lingers with you even after listening to it. It’s like a short story that you can take with you everywhere. Each track brings a differ-ent quality to the table yet has a familiarity, which is what makes it so relatable. At 24 minutes, “The Ridges” can easily be listened to from beginning to end. You don’t want to miss out on this album.


Music is meant to move the listener. The mood that is instilled depends upon the style of the artist, but the listener should

always feel something. That being said, The Ridges do this more successfully than any artist I have lis-tened to in quite some time. They posess a small-town feel and their style shifts and changes as the album progresses.

The opening song of the album, “The Insomniac’s Song,” has a depressing, almost funeral march-esque quality to it bringing forth feelings of sorrow and longing from the listener. They follow swiftly with “Overboard” which brings with it an up beat, almost polka-like melody. The final three tracks on the album are “Not a Ghost,” “Invented Love” and “War Bonds” — each a little different, but all effusing the same vibe. All three are laidback tunes appropriate for late night jam sessions around a campfire or porch sitting on a sunny afternoon. This continual shift of style makes the album a fun listen because you never fully know what to expect.

The quality of these songs and underlying feelings each pushes across could be attributed to the location in which the album was recorded — the abandoned asylum in Athens, Ohio from which the band derived their name. Strong feelings of grief and death can be felt in “The Insomniac’s Song” while lyrically the same themes of pain are found in “War Bonds.” The latter song’s contrast between lighthearted melody and dark lyrics make it complex and ultimately my favorite track on the album.

The Ridges is comprised of Victor Rasgaitis on the guitar and harmonica, Johnny Barton on the drums and Taylor Smith playing the cello and contributing vocals. All three band members combine for the vocals found on the album and none of the artists push themselves to the forefront, giving their music a pleasant melodic quality and really drives home the relaxing feelings evident in the album.

The Ridges debut album is well put together and worth more than a few listens. The continually changing mood of the album initially keeps the listener casually engaged and by the end has the listener absolutely in love with what they listened to. The Ridges asylum may be a haunting place, but listening to The Ridges will not come back to haunt you.

reviewsby ERIC WIETMARSCHEN

Album line-up:1. The Insomniac’s Song2. Overboard3. Not a Ghost4. Invented Love5. War Bonds


Southeast Engine : Canary


reviews

by DEVON ANTONETTI

Hard times haven’t brought down Southeast Engine’s sound in their sixth album, “Canary.”

The Athens band, consisting of all Ohio Univer-sity graduates, may be gaining popularity, but the members still have their hearts and minds plant-ed firmly in the Appalachian hills. “Canary” tells the story of a family struggling through the Great Depression, each song initially seemingly deso-late but ending high in hope, showing the bands musical range and sharp focus.

Setting the tone for the rest of the album, “Curses of Canaanville,” starts slow, establish-ing emptiness and helpless sorrow with images of a faded, forgotten home. But the echoing howls pick up and the song’s tone transforms into one of optimism. Singer Adam Remnant cries out with gentle yearning that, “I am in-debted to you and your many faces/ lighting the way in a world that’s fading.”

Following the Great Depression theme, each song unfolds the small-town dreams and reali-ties of the Hocking Valley family. “Summer and Her Ferris Wheel” and “1933 (the Great De-pression)” are more upbeat tracks, sung with a sense of urgency, almost hitting on a rock-abilly sound. Though some of the songs can be daunting, moving slowly from disappoint-ment to apathy, the overall message remains a gleam of trust in what once was for the family and what could be if only the narrator can hang onto the American dream.

Given its subject matter, “Canary” is an enthusi-astic breath of hope, a constant longing for content-ment with no signs of dismay. The sounds are noth-ing for Southeast Engine, still playful with whimsy in their folk-rock jams, but lyrically, the band has matured to see a greater picture in their music. Part of what makes the album so rich is the band’s abil-ity to maintain their Appalachian roots – a culture fraught with problems but one that is not easily de-terred from pursuing fulfillment.

Album line-up:1. Curse of Canannville2. Cold Front Blues3. 1933 (The Great Depression)4. At Least We Have Each Other5. Adeline of the Applachain Mountains6. Red Lake Shore7. Mountain Child8. New Growth9. Summer and Her Ferris Wheel10. Ruthie11. Sourwood Mountain


I first heard about the alternative band, South-east Engine, when a friend of mine lent me the album, “Coming to Terms with Gravity,” dur-

ing my freshman year of high school. He was in love with the Athens band and their distinct songs that entwine small town life with long nights of debauchery. Upon listening to the 2005 release, I started to consider Southeast Engine’s music to be a sort of soundtrack for the life of teenagers in rural towns.

Their latest release, “Canary,” from Misra Records has come closer than ever to capturing that small town spirit. It is truly an ode to our little community of Athens.

With songs that sound as if they came straight from an indie film, their heartfelt words build a real connection with the listener.

Lyrics from songs such as “Curse of Canaanville” paint an image of spring nights in nature, perfect for music on a camping trip to Stroud’s Run.

“Beyond the shadows amongst the weeds/ where the light of town recedes/ and since you’ve been gone/ I have found you in the strangest of places,” echoes from lead vocalist, Adam Remnant, nestling the band’s folk rock melodies into your mind.

As you listen to the album, you’ll likely form an eagerness to understand the storyline in each song. Using banjos, guitars, an organ and a piano, they re-tell the stories of rural folklore, dwelling into the past-lives of Southeast Ohio’s ghosts. Listening to “Canary” is like hearing stories sung sweetly and romantically in your ear. This can be heard especially within the song “Mountain Child”:

“Down in the Hocking Valley you won’t find any gold/ but you might find yourself that black diamond coal/ and as long as I can remember and as far as my eyes see/ these are the hills I’m belonging as good as good can be.”

Southeast Engine make their storylines quite easy to pick up in songs including “At Least We Have Each Other,” that build a swift beat between vocal and guitar, speed up and become more frantic, hit a climax, then die down again. It is safe to conclude that this album is best listened to in its entirety.

If you are planning on spending ample time in Athens, or you are just lacking a guitar player around your campfire, I strongly encourage you to pick up one of their albums and listen. You will be surprised at the warm feelings you can derive from this music for your college town.

Southeast Engine : Canaryreviews

by MERRI COLLINS

Have an opinion?Want to write a review?Contact BrickBeats at [email protected]



reviews

BROTHERTIGER

Point of Viewby GRIFFIN MESSER-KRUSE

Album line-up:1. Real Life2. Back to Us3. Evening Glow4. A House of Many Ghosts5. Lovers (Casa del Mirto remix)

As I sit here at 1:54 a.m. (I’m a nighttime writ-er) smoking a Parliament Light and listening to Brothertiger’s newest EP, “Point of View”

on my trusty Numark headphones, I can’t help but notice its inherent duality. On one hand, you have a record that is meant for the dance floor: it’s chock-full of pulsating disco bass lines underneath crisp synth work reminiscent of ’80s new wave and 21st century electro music. However, the five tracks on “Point of View” are multi-dimensional. While the EP is the perfect soundtrack for a dance party, it is just as appropriate during a late night headphone listen on the couch, precisely how I am enjoying it now.

The opening track “Real Life” sets a subtle tone for the EP with its effects-laden vocal swells, skewing lyrics in favor of phonetic Aahhs that are startling yet beautiful. Right out of the gates “Real Life” highlights Brothertiger’s unique sound, merging electronic beats with psychedelic pop vo-cals and lyrics. The result is a record that is both in-fectious and uplifting, yet danceable and serious. “Real Life” develops with style and culminates

with emotional singing that feels so human even alongside the computerized instrumentation.

“Evening Glow,” the third track on the EP, ex-plodes out of the speakers with an energized dance beat and a thumping bass line. But the song quickly shifts focus from beats to lyrics. When the chorus finally hits, it’s almost as if the lyrics de-scribe the sound Brothertiger has cultivated, “Get us to the other side/ Don’t you move too fast/ don’t you move too slow.”

Listening to “Point of View” makes me think of a long drive on a gorgeous summer day, windows down, with no real destination in mind. It manages to sound mature while retaining its playfulness. On “Back To Us,” Brothertiger sings about remember-ing a lost love, but with a youthful inflection in his voice, “And I can see the shoreline/ It takes me back to us.” After a listen to “Point of View,” it is hard not to crack a smile and be optimistic with him.


reviews

DISMEMBERMENT

The CondemnedDISMEMBERMENT are a black thrash metal

band hailing from Circleville, Ohio. “The Condemned,” their first EP, was released last

March. There’s a lot of good news for this EP. It’s not every day that you find a guitarist who can solo like Jacob Shively while still maintaining a good sound. It’s equally as hard to come by a drummer who can keep bells and ride cymbals sounding as consistent as drummer Taylor Emerine can.

If you only listen to one song on this EP, make sure you give the title track “The Condemned“ a try. It embodies what the rest of the album is about: thrash metal and eminent doom. The track is classic thrash metal that exemplifies DISMEMBERMENT’s musical ability and shows off the unique and gritty vocals of vocalist and guitarist Luke Shively.

“Triumph of Death (Plague)” comes in at a close second as my favorite track on this album. The first few measures feel like a heavy metal anthem, but it’s not long before they kick it into gear in double-time. The interplay between tempos make for an interesting listen.

Another must-hear track is “No Peace on Earth, No Rest in Hell.” It makes good use of going back and forth between major and minor chords in the chord progression until the minor key takes over in the faster section, which comprises the better part of the song. The major chords come back during the guitar solo in this instrumental piece, although I could have used more guitar solos throughout to compensate for not having lyrics. After the solo, the track goes into a half time section for the remainder of the piece, which keeps the aural interest of the song going.

But there is also some bad news for “The Con-

demned.” The mixing of the tracks seems heavy on both percussion and vocals, which is disappointing because a little more weight on the guitars could make all the difference. The timbre of the guitars is drowned out by the percussion. The mixing of the album leaves me wanting more of the squeals and other effects in the guitars, an American metal call-ing card since the 1980s. Also, some of the more complicated ideas tend to get sloppy. For example, “Cryptic Isolation” starts to come apart a little into the transition to the 6/8 section. We finally get to hear bassist J.D. Henderly in this track, but the mini-fills in the drums distract from the bass line, which could also be a bit louder. Many of these is-sues may be a byproduct of the mastering.

These criticisms, though, are irrelevant at a live show where concertgoers are more concerned with headbanging than with precision, but they should be paid attention to while recording. DISMEMBER-MENT plan to hit the studio again towards the end of the year to record their first full-length album.

Overall, “The Condemned” meets expectations set for an EP.

by ERIN BEESE

Album line-up:1. The Condemmned2. Possessed3. Triumph Of Death4. No Peace On Earth, No Rest In Hello5. Cryptic Isolation



reviews

by MICHAEL STOVER

Album line-up:1. Will Rap 4 Food2. Hands Up3. My Environment4. Listening 5. Cold Chillin’6. Touch It

7. Can’t Help Myself8. Shining feat. Amor Jones

9. Don’t Look Back10.Tryna Succeed feat. Truro

11. One Two12. Time

13. De Sol feat. IZ

14. Never Forget Me15. Hunger16. Amir’s Song17. Words of Wisdom, Pt. 2

Jéan P has been on the grind a long time, being the co-founder of independent hip-hop record la-bel, “1side Music Entertainment,” and dropping

mixtape after mixtape. Jéan has paid his dues and, along with his other label mates, has changed the face of hip hop here in Athens. The label is starting to branch out past the Ohio University gates. “Will Rap 4 Food” is the first of two LP releases this year by Jéan (the other being “Opposites Attract”).

To those new to Jéan, his sound is reminiscent of the ’90s when rap lyrics had deep meanings. At the same time, he will appeal to listeners that are fans of modern chart-topping rap music. The mix-tape starts with Jéan P flexing his lyrical muscles in the first two tracks, which include the title track and one of the singles, “Hands Up.”

As you move forward in the album, Jéan starts to show why he’s one of the most popular hip hop art-ists not just at Ohio University, but in the state of Ohio. “My Environment” is all about the world that Jéan sees around him. Our corrupt world may have an effect

on the Canton native emcee, but at the same time it doesn’t stop him on his journey. The rhymer speaks of his struggles and how it has shaped him as an artist.

Jéan P does a 180 with “Cold Chillin’,” which is all about, believe it or not, ‘chilling out.’ Every col-lege student should be able to relate to this track. After a rough week of classes filled with home-work and long lectures, all you want is a weekend to unwind. Jéan P feels your pain and expresses his downtime with friends and good times on this track. The beat, as with most of the sounds on the mixtape, is reminiscent of solid ’90s beats that will have real hip-hop fans bobbing their heads.

“Don’t Look Back” is another one of my favorite songs on the record that was produced by 1side Mu-sic label mate and owner DJ iShine. The track is all about moving forward in life and not being tripped up by the problem-causing circumstances from the past. iShine produces a beat that will have the listen-er playing this song over and over again.

Right after “Don’t Look Back,” our ears are blessed with “Tryna Succeed,” the topic of the song being self-explanatory. The track features fellow local rap-per Teuro, and the two talk about pushing through the struggles that life has tossed their way. The song is definitely one of motivation and should encourage the listener to see past their current problems and realize that after rain comes sunshine.

“Amir’s Song” follows a couple tracks after “Try-na Succeed” and was produced by recent signee, BOOM. The track is about Jéan’s son Amir; I saw it as a love letter to the newborn. The track is inspir-ing, encouraging and it’s the track that has gar-nered Jéan accolades across the internet.

At the end of the day, Jéan brings a real solid project to the table with this album. It’s 17 tracks of good music and the best part is that it’s free. “Will Rap 4 Food” is a project that should appeal to any hip hop fan. This mixtape will have you nodding your head to solid production, paying close atten-tion to Jéan’s thought-provoking lyrics.


Just what the DR. ordered

by HANNAH ROSEphotos PROVIDED



Dr. Beat and the Beat Offs are one of the newest bands to hit the Athens’ music scene. And with a name like that, they are

bound to gain attention. Less than a year ago, the band formed with the objective of creating “white boy funk” that had the power to “transport the audience to another, funkier, universe.”

The band is composed of Ohio University students — Ian Lesage (guitar and vocals), John Kammerer (bass) and Nick Kopko (drums). In the summer of 2010, Kammerer and Lesage began regularly playing music together and eventually asked Kopko to join.

Soon after the trio’s formation, the musicians officially declared themselves a band. With this label, the only things the members had left to do were practice and name their new project. After hours of brainstorming, they finally began calling themselves: Dr. Beat and the Beat Offs. “Dr. Beat” is a reference to a metronome commonly used by musicians, and the remainder of the name was added in order to be both humorous and risqué.

There is obvious chemistry among all the members of the band. Even while being interviewed, the three musicians bounce ideas off of one another with passion and spontaneity. Each member alone possesses a personality filled with character and individuality; when the three converse, the energy level raises tremendously. As an outsider, one may feel overwhelmed by their intense presence. But after consideration, it becomes apparent that the band thrives off this intensity.

Playing a mixture of dance, electronic and funk, the band draws inspiration from artists such as Primus, Lettuce and Beethoven. The members also contribute their backgrounds in jazz as an essential part of their style. In addition to creating original music, they also regularly perform covers by a variety of musicians. The members, all being fans of many different genres, are content playing any kind of music but specifically enjoy performing “intense and recognizable” songs.

Lesage writes the majority of the lyrics and says any gaps in his songwriting are “filled in beautifully” by the other members. Staying true to their impulsive nature, they do not have a particular process to creating or practicing their music. Instead, they prefer to jam, usually improving three or more entirely new songs per practice

session. Successful jam sessions eventually make their way into their performances.

“We just go. We all feed off of each other’s ideas and then refine them,” says Kopka.

This idea of collaborating as both friends and musicians is one of the reasons the band has successfully taken the necessary steps from “jamming” privately, to performing onstage.

“It’s easier than being in a band with random people, it makes us more functional,” Kammerer continues, “The fact that we are friends helps us from getting seriously mad at each other sometimes.”

One of the band’s main priorities is creating a fun and lively environment for their audience. They want their listeners to enjoy the music, have a good time, and leave remembering their experience as a positive one.

“We want people to dance at our shows,” says Kammerer.

The band spent most of its first show earnings on a laser with the intent of creating an audience full of dancing fans. All three members say it adds to the feel-good environment at their performances.

“Everyone needs to come to the shows and see this glorious, glorious laser,” Lesage professes.

The audience members are not the only ones having a good time at a Dr. Beat and the Beat Offs performance.

“Everything we play is because we have fun playing it. We hope our audience has as much fun as we do,” Kopko says in a sincere tone.

Having performed at several Athens venues including The Union, Casa Nueva, Jackie O’s and at several house parties, the band looks forward to playing gigs at new locations within Athens as well as possibly traveling to other Ohio cities.

The members are not entirely certain what direction the band will take, but they all eagerly anticipate what the future holds. They spend time between their academic and work responsibilities focusing on promoting the band in whatever ways possible. They hope to soon begin recording their first EP.

As the band members reflect upon past shows, they seem content and confident with the outcomes. Show goers have been pleasantly surprised by the talent and energy produced by the fresh-faced trio, and they seem to be responding exactly how the performers intend them to by dancing wildly and having a good time as the band does the same on stage.


Everything we play is because we have fun playing it. We hope our

audience has as much fun as we do. NICK KOPKO

‘‘‘‘



The five-hour flight from Columbus to Los Angeles was unbearable for Cassie Whitt. As she sat anxiously in the uncomfortable

blue suede seat next to the aisle, she could only imagine the lyrics and sounds that would be on My Chemical Romance’s new album: “Danger Days.” As the plane landed, Cassie Whitt prepared herself for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that she was about to experience.

Whitt, along with 10 other My Chemical Romance fans, was invited to an exclusive listening party for “Danger Days” two weeks before its release date this past November. Whitt was chosen amongst thousands of applicants because of her dedication to the band and its fans.

Cassie Whitt is a junior at Ohio University majoring in online journalism and has already created a fan base of her own on the web. With her blog, Cassie the Venomous, she has developed a following of diehard My Chemical Romance fans like herself.

Whitt began her MCR blog in 2008 during her first year at OU. While Whitt had been blogging for years, a band exclusive blog was a step in the professional direction for her.

“I’ve been blogging since I was a ranting pre-teen,” Whitt said, “Usually it was more like personal blogging back then, but [Cassie the Venomous] is more news specific. Its more journalistic writing than whining,” Whitt smiled as she recalled blogging on Xanga, Tumblr, and Greatest Journal.

Whitt was first inspired to create a professional blog in her Journalism 101 class. Robert Stewart, current director of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, encouraged his students to start a blog for experience, and Whitt immediately took his advice.

“He suggested that we all start a blog and blog about what we really like and like it’s a way to showcase your writing, so I consider my blog my online clips,” Whitt said.

When Professor Stewart encouraged Whitt to start a journalistic blog, she had no trouble

Cassie the

VENEMOUSby MIRANDA RICHARDSONphotos PROVIDED


deciding what to blog about.“No matter what I do in life I want to make sure

that its something that I really have a passion for, so naturally I would write about [My Chemical Romance].” Whitt said, “They’re kind of the central focus of my entire existence. They changed so much about my life and it really helped me see the world in different ways and I feel like it has kind of been owed to them that I do something in return.”

After two years of blogging about My Chemical Romance, Whitt started tweeting about the band as well. Between the two reporting methods,

Whitt has attracted over 5000 followers. When Whitt realized that so many MCR enthusiasts were going to her blog and Twitter for information, she began focusing on the interests of fans.

“I noticed that people would come [to my site] and notice what I had written.” Whitt said, “I think that’s what made me start focusing so heavily on them because I realized that information [about MCR] just wasn’t getting out there in a valuable way so I found out that I could really help a lot of fans.”

Whitt’s popularity among MCR fans was soon acknowledged by the band’s record label, Reprise Records. While Whitt does not like to say she has

FIND CASSIE ON THE WEB: cassiethevenemous.com@PoisonAndFire

connections with the band or the label, they do communicate from time to time.

“I can talk to [people from the label] but I don’t abuse that or anything, and I don’t really like to say, ‘Oh I’m connected to them’ because I’m not really. I just have access to them if I need it,” Whitt said modestly.

Although Whitt may claim it is no big deal to be in contact with the record label, it was reprise records that originally permitted Whitt to listen to “Danger Days” two weeks before the album release. Whitt was invited to the listening party, where she was asked to write an album review of “Danger Days” on her blog.

“It was Amazing!” Whitt said, “We got to hear the stuff early and I wrote about it like freakishly fast between airport stops on the way home. It was a really incredible experience.”

Because her review encompassed an album that had yet to be released, Whitt included anything that she felt would help give fans a better feel for the music before it reached their ears.

“When I write about My Chemical Romance I don’t spare details. With that post [about “Danger Days”] it was before it came out so I didn’t want to like spare anything on it so I went track by track and I did a review of it,“ Whitt said with a smile.

Whitt may just be MCR’s most dedicated follower, having been to 15 of their concerts and even meeting members of the band on four separate occasions. Her most memorable and exciting moment was when she met the band this past December.

“I made it a point last time I met them to say, ‘I have never met a fan who has ever been depressed by your music. There’s always a hope that we can see in it. Like people who really listen know that,’ and they thanked me and I’m glad I got to tell them that.”

Through her blogging and tweeting, Whitt’s love for My Chemical Romance has grown to a whole new level where she not only connects with the band’s music, but to the fans as well.

No matter what I do in life I want to make sure that its something that I

really have a passion for.CASSIE WHITT

‘‘’’


Front Room Open Mic Night. 8 p.m. The first performer was Javier Aladren. He took the stage, ukulele in hand and began his first

song. His music consumed the room, while his po-etic, dark lyrics came spilling out in perfect con-trast with his carefree strumming. Aladren was not your average open stage rookie; his theatri-cal presence, ability to fling his entire being into a song, and his revealing stare kept the audience focused throughout the set. He was unveiling him-self before our eyes and revealed the art beneath his music in the process.

Aladren is a mysterious and quirky 19-year-old nomad full of sarcasm and original humor. Grow-ing up he was constantly moving, but theatre and music were always prevalent parts of his life.

“Both of my parents are directors, and my moth-er told me early on that I have a flair for perfor-mance,” he said.

His parents helped cultivate this flair by buying him anything music related, from simple books to instruments. With their continued support, his musical obsession took off. At age 6 he was listen-ing exclusively to the “Cabaret” soundtrack and didn’t stop until his stepdad urged him to listen to other music.

This effort created a move from one obsession

by CHEALSIA SMEDLEYphotos by ELIZABETH HELD

Art Beneath Musicth

eThe

to the next, spanning multiple categories from bur-lesque to The “White Album” by the Beatles. In ad-dition to learning to play the piano and ukulele, Al-adren created his own sphere of artistic influence, occupied by artists such as Bright Eyes, Imogen Heap, Radiohead, Owen Pallett, and The Decemberists.

The Decembrists were one of Aladren’s’s biggest inspirations, and the release of their album, “Colin Meloy Sings Live!” inspired him to pick up the guitar.

“I’ve always been fascinated with really big sounds, and I realized that people could be very captivating with just themselves and a guitar,” said Aladren.

Although he was a natural performer, being the lone man on the stage wasn’t always an easy task. In the beginning Aladren struggled with stage fright and a pessimistic view of the audience.

“It was really jarring to be on stage and realize myself trembling,” he said.

This initial, unsure reaction was due to the fact that he was no longer acting. He was simply Javier. There was no longer a role to play or character to impersonate on stage.

The band, Bright Eyes, allowed him to grasp a different aspect of music as well as a new focus: the art of introspection.

“There are some things in my life I can only get out through music without feeling stupid,” he said. “How dare people going through tragedy tell me my life can’t suck? I know it’s a terrible thought but it still bothered me and I still had to get it out,” said Aladren.

His new approach of fearless thinking has helped him write his new EP titled: “Someone’s Dreaming.” The album is a personal exploration of his dreams and thoughts, which allowed him to think freely without any constraints.

“There was a pocket of time when I was in a writer’s block. There was anticipation of a dream that I had when I was 4 or 5 years old,” he said.

In the dream Aladren was in his grandmother’s backyard, where he picked up a stick to strike a spider web in a nearby tree. To his dismay bees swarmed out of the tree. The anxiousness that he continued to experience from this distant dream defeated his writer’s block, giving him the appro-priate theme for his next album.

“I had a fascination with dreams, the human sub-conscious, and how real dreams feel,” said Aladren.

Nightmares especially fascinated Aladren. He hardly ever remembered his good dreams and be


gan to love the ability of a nightmare to shake off reality. It was soothing to run to someone for comfort about something that he knew deep down wasn’t real.

“It felt good to not participate in any logical ra-tional world and worry about something abstract that a part of me knew wasn’t real,” he said.

Aladren woke up needing to write about his nightmares, engrossed with what he couldn’t

control. He embraced the challenge of explor-ing the complexity of dreams, while uncovering how his mind operated and how he perceived the world around him. His exploration, from dark, haunting melodies to fun, simple songs was evident in his performance.

“It is art,” said Aladren, “and has just as much potential for intellectual growth and stimula-tion of culture.”

I realized that people could be very captivating with just

themselves and a guitar.

‘‘ ,,JAVIER ALADREN



“I was hungry for it, and I practiced every song of theirs for days,” Bo Koster ex-plains over the phone from his home in

southern California. “And when I went in to audi-tion, the rest of the guys [in the band] weren’t even wearing shoes.”

Koster is the keyboardist for My Morning Jacket, the Louisville, Kentucky quintet known for psyche-delic Southern rock heard on their popular songs: “One Big Holiday” and “Wordless Chorus.” He has been with the band since 2004.

Originally born David Paul Koster in Lakewood, Ohio, about six miles west of Cleveland, Bo, as he is known personally and professionally, is also

an Ohio University graduate. Though he majored in political science and “hanging out,” the for-mer Bobcat has come a long way since playing Frisbee on High Street and sneaking into music rooms to play piano.

Koster grew up in a creative family, the son of a fiction writer mother and architect father, but did not start performing until adulthood. He dropped out of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, coming to OU in 1993.

“I didn’t really have any plans after dropping out of music school, and I had some friends down there,” Koster says lightly about his decision to come to OU. “It wasn’t very strategic.”

ThePIANOMAN

by DEVON ANTONETTIphotos PROVIDED


During his time at OU, Koster identified more as a music fan than a music maker. Aside from the occasional jam session with friends, he spent time outside the classroom swapping music. His favorite memory in Athens, albeit a “simple” one, was blasting jazz music from his porch, prompt-ing a curious neighbor to come over and inquire about his song selection.

“He was all freaked out and said, ‘Who in Athens listens to this kind of music?’” he says, laughing. “We’re actually good friends to this day.”

Koster graduated in 1996 and moved to Los Angeles where he worked odd jobs in television and film to pay the bills. Even though he is a clas-sically trained pianist, it wasn’t until he worked on a project for Yamaha that he began thinking se-riously about being a full-time musician. He and Mike Garson, David Bowie’s longtime keyboardist, recorded parts for player pianos, which he consid-ers his first foray into professional music.

Shortly after beginning his new career, a friend left a message on his answering machine telling him about a band called My Morning Jacket that was looking for a new keyboard player. After hear-ing one song, Koster set up an audition and spent the next week learning the band’s entire catalog, which, at the time, spanned five years, three full-length albums and eight B-sides and EPs.

“I was crazy and manic about joining, and I treat-ed it like a serious job interview. They were so chill though when I went in,” he explains.

Since becoming a member, Koster has been able to dabble in various other side projects, including touring with and producing for other bands. Last year he hit the road with Delta Spirit, a San Diego based folk rock band, when they opened for Neil Young, and soon after produced the band’s 2010 album, “History From Below.”

In his seven years with the band, Koster has appeared on Saturday Night Live, been fea-tured in an episode of American Dad, headlined countless national and international music fes-tivals and, as of May 31, performed three full-length albums with the release of My Morning Jacket’s six album “Circuital.”

As for the future, the band will spend the com-ing months touring the U.S. and Europe. If Koster had the chance to return to Athens, he wouldn’t think twice about returning with his fellow band mates. “I’d love the offer,” he says.

I was crazy and manic about joining, and I treated it like a serious job interview.

‘‘

’’BO KOSTER

Sounds of the Blue Eagle

by JENNA SISKAphotos by RYAN MURPHY



Snap! The E string on my violin busting in half is a sound a musician never wants to hear. As a novice violin player unable to tune my

instrument, my only solution was to find someone to replace my string.

Searching the Internet for “music stores in Athens, Ohio,” I was surprised to find the Blue Eagle Music Store on Court Street – a small building I have passed almost every day but failed to notice. Even though I knew nothing about the store, I decided to stop in for the sake of convenience. I would soon discover Blue Eagle to

be a local secret in the midst of the college town. Walking into the narrow, 15-foot-wide local shop

with my violin in hand, I found myself surrounded by a mix of more than 30 acoustic and electric guitars. Several brands such as Gibson, Guild, and Recording King, covered the entire right-side wall from top to bottom.

Everywhere I looked, instruments crammed the room. Banjos, drums, amps, and fiddles were piled on top of each other. Despite the lack of organization, everything seemed as if it were right where it should be – an organized mess.

Following the curves of the smooth instruments, I was led to a young man seated on a wooden stool testing out a classic acoustic guitar. I took a moment to listen to the short measures of songs he was plucking. He must have been fond of all the various guitars at his disposal.

The room smelled of old wood and musty rugs, which gave me the feeling of discovering a hidden secret, like a child finding treasure in

the attic of an old home. Through all the clutter, I barely noticed another

man behind the back desk. He gave me a smile and said a friendly, “Hello,” as I walked toward him to place my violin on a dusty glass display case, which also served as the register counter.

The man introduced himself as Frank McDermott, the owner of Blue Eagle since 2006. McDermott’s age was revealed by the



gray in his hair and wrinkled skin surrounding his eyes. Wearing a green and brown button-down fleece, McDermott rolled up his sleeves to fix my broken string. I watched intently as he curled a new string around the violin peg, hoping that he wouldn’t laugh at my beginner’s mistake. After all, he had been playing guitar for the majority of his life.

After restringing my instrument, McDermott’s showed off his innovative, yet simple secret to tuning. He used one of the many fiddles hanging in the store as a check point to how mine should sound; no fancy devices were used, just his trusty old ear.

I quickly realized that Blue Eagle was a place of familiar faces when a woman walked in with a cheery smile and lively strut. McDermott was quick to strike up a conversation, as if the two had known each other for years.

The woman began talking about a music lesson with one of her younger students, who was learning to play the fiddle. I did not want to be rude but interrupted out of curiosity. After acknowledging my interest in the subject, the woman, Liz Shaw, asked if I would like a complimentary fiddle lesson. I snatched the opportunity.

My fascination with Blue Eagle as a store for musical instruments, accessories and repairs, spread when I discovered that Shaw was part of a group of instructors from the Athens area that offered their secrets to playing musical instruments right in the store.

Shaw is part of the fifth generation of musicians in her family and has been learning traditional music by ear since she was 13 years old. After winning numerous folk music contests as a teenager, she noticed people seeking her out for her knowledge, which ignited an interest in musical instruction.

Returning to the store a few weeks later for my first lesson, I was directed downstairs to the basement studio. The wooden board stairs leading to my lesson space felt shaky as I made my way to the bottom.

The studio was another secret to behold. At first look the rooms contained nothing more than rugs with two folding metal

chairs: one for the student and one for the instructor. This arrangement did not seem fit for teaching. Little did I know, this minimalistic set-up would prove to be quite effective throughout my lesson.

One dimly lit light bulb hung directly above a single music stand between the two chairs. I suddenly felt a cold chill from the low ceilings and dreariness of the lighting, and the dusty air dried out my mouth air as I waited in anticipation.

Squinting to look around the room, I saw a line of black guitar cases situated in a neat row. My eyes moved toward the back corner of the room, where a rejected collection of old, broken banjos and fiddles rested in a pile. The familiar scent of rosin kept me calm as I witnessed this unsettling image.

The mood felt solemn until Shaw picked up her fiddle and ran the bow across the strings. Folk style melodies reached my ears as Shaw began the lesson with a few tunes, titled “Cripple Creek,” “Arkansas Traveler,” and “Kitchen Girl.” Her fingers were a blur as she tapped away at the neck of her instrument.

When she finished fiddling, Shaw explained, “I teach a lot by ear and try to customize each lesson depending on the level of the student.”

The most important secret Shaw shared with me during this lesson was to utilize my musical ear. She insisted the best way to learn is to listen to the different rhythms and the pitch.

During Shaw’s instruction on how to complete a G scale, the squeaking of my strings sounded much like the constant creaking of the wood floors above. By this time, however, my nerves had settled with the emergence of a relaxed environment and Shaw’s laid-back teaching style.

My first lesson concluded, and from that point on, the studio in the basement seemed much more than cold, cracked stonewalls and hard cement floors. It became space of musical inspiration and growth. As I left Blue Eagle with sore fingers, I was thankful that I broke my string because it allowed me to uncover a few of the many secrets hidden behind the doors of the humble music store.


bobcat beat

Awe Capella

by HEATHER FARRphotos PROVIDED



bobcat beat

Gleeks need not drool over distant charac-ters from the FOX Channel phenomenon. In fact, Ohio University students do not

need to look any further than their own campus. Enter: Section 8.

“We are not nearly as coordinated as the ‘Glee’ cast, but we are twice as good looking,” president and junior Kyle Raffel said. “Plus, we’re within reach if you’d like to date us.”

With the emergence of the popular television show, Section 8 has been enjoying an increased fan base on campus. The male a capella group began in 1991 and was born out of OU’s own glee club, the Singing Men of Ohio (SMO). According to Raffel, the group does not fit neatly into any one genre.

“We literally sing anything and everything. From Celine Dion to Disney music, we can do it all,” Raffel said. “We have sung in different languages, from different decades and all different types of music that anyone can relate to.”

Although he can no longer be in a room when the song is playing, Raffel’s favorite song he has performed with the group is “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz. Junior Rocco Contini has trouble choosing between power ballad, “I Believe in You,” and the classic, “Hungry Like the Wolf.”

“’I Believe in You’ is a great power ballad that all the guys get into, which is weird because some of it is in French. It’s not a ‘typical’ song style for us, which is what I love about it,” Contini said. “‘Hun-gry Like the Wolf’ is just great because — well, we dance in it — and it is just such a fun song that the audience really gets into.”

According to Contini, the group is as diverse as the songs that it sings.

“Section 8 has so many big, diverse personali-ties,” Contini said. “We’re all so different, that we really shouldn’t work and have good chemistry, but I think that’s exactly what we do.”

Section 8 frequents award ceremonies, ban-quets, weddings, birthdays and everything in be-tween. For $200, which goes toward sending the Singing Men of Ohio on an annual spring tour, Sec-tion 8 has performed at Ohio University engage-ments, for student and professional organizations and for alumni chapters and societies. The group has also performed the National Anthem for vari-ous sporting events.

“My favorite place that we perform is the Front Room,” Contini said. “It’s awkward because we’re

so close, but I love that it’s so packed and every-one is there to see us perform.”

According to Raffel, Section 8 and SMO have given him opportunities to perform all over the country. The group has sung everywhere from Washington D.C. and Indianapolis to Manhattan and Boston.

“We got the opportunity to perform at two un-derprivileged schools while in Chicago and Virgin-ia,” Wolfe said. “The looks on the kids’ faces when we started singing was priceless, especially when our beatboxers started going.”

Beatboxing and rapping are not uncommon for the group, which got its name from the military term used when an enlisted soldier is discharged due to mental illness. According to Raffel, the group decides together how to arrange songs.

“Section 8 is a unique group because we are pure democracy. We vote on every song we sing, every soloist and every gig we choose to do,” Raffel said, “Majority rules: no exceptions.”

In 2003, Section 8 traveled to Penn State for the International Collegiate A Capella Competition. That same year, the group held its first invitational. The invitational has now become an annual event

In addition, the group is in the midst of produc-ing an album that will be out next year. Members are also discussing whether or not to audition for NBC’s “The Sing Off,” a show sparked by “Glee” that features competing a capella groups.

According to Wolfe, “Glee” has put live music back into the performance spotlight and has got-ten people more interested in a capella music and choirs in general.

“I’ll admit: I’m a Gleek,” Wolfe said. “I’ve seen ev-ery episode and I own the first season. It happens.”


white noise


You Don’t Know Jackby HEATHER FARR

On paper, Jack White’s musical career could easily be that of a rock

icon three times his age. In only his mid-thirties, White has already founded three commercially successful bands, led a respectable solo career full of legendary collaborations and dipped his hand in both acting and producing. Mysterious with just the right amount of insanity, White is no doubt one of the most revolutionary guitarists of the last ten years.

thingsyoudidn’tknowabout Jack White


white noise


The combination of his seemingly inherent old-soul sensibilities and his relentless energy has kept White in a hypothetical lab coat throughout most of his career. You may think you’re keeping tabs on him, but here are five things you (probably) didn’t know about Jack.

1. He was almost a priest. The youngest of ten children in a Catholic

family, the music scene almost missed out on the young musician, who would go on to be deemed #17 on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” list.

“[Before starting school] I’d got accepted to the seminary in Wisconsin, and I was going to become a priest,” White told Mike Wallace of CBS in 2006, “But at the last second I thought, I’ll just go to public school.”

His reason? He had just gotten a new amplifier and he didn’t think that he was allowed to take it with him.

2. He’s a little bit country. Semi-retired and 70-something, Loretta

Lynn was described as “the biggest music comeback story” of 2005 by CBS — and she has White to thank for it. After stumbling upon Lynn’s dude ranch and dedicating a White Stripe’s album to her, White and the band were invited over to dinner at her home.

“I was wandering around her house looking for something to steal,” White said in the aforementioned CBS interview, “And she caught me looking through these old songbooks. And I’d pick one up, and I’d go ‘What’s that, Loretta?’ And she’d say, ‘One of my fondest memories.’”

From there, White helped Lynn produce, write and record “Van Lear Rose,” which was nominated for five awards at the Grammys in 2005, winning “Best Country Album” and “Best Country Collaboration.”

3. Meg White is not his sister. Although Jack and his White Stripe’s

counterpart sport the same pale complexion

and jet-black hair and were often seen performing in coordinating red and black outfits one might expect a set of twins to don, the two are not related.

John (Jack) Gills married Meg in 1996 and took her last name. Although the couple split roughly three years after the White Stripes formed, they continued to perform, record and convince the press that the two ex-lovers were actually siblings.

4. His first instrument was not the guitar.

Although many fans flinch at the idea of the legendary guitarist as a drummer with his band, The Dead Weather, behind a drum set is where he actually started at age six. It wasn’t until he began playing in The Upholsterers with family friend Brian Muldoon that he took a serious stab at the six string.

“He played the drums…well, I guess I’ll play guitar then,” White said in “It Might Get Loud,” a documentary about the history of electric guitars featuring White, Jimmy Page and The Edge.

5. He’s into politics. Well, he’s campaigning. Disturbed by

the fact that 97 percent of all high school aged kids have never been to a stand-alone record store, White is on a mission to save vinyl. Two years ago, White created the Third Man Records label and standalone store in Nashville, Tennessee. Taking his show on the road —literally — White has turned a large yellow truck into a portable record store deemed the “Third Man Records Rolling Record Store.”

The store features for-sale records, turntables, a microphone and a sound system to support live shows. The mobile shop made its debut at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin, Texas and is expected to roll in to music fests and concerts throughout the country.

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