Katy Perry’s MTV Unplugged CD/DVD set is officially out! You can hear see all seven of the tracks here, courtesy of www.MTV.com. The songs include “I Kissed a Girl,” “Waking Up in Vegas,” and the premiere of “Brick by Brick”. Watch them and enjoy. We love Katy!

KATY PERRY

Official: http://www.katyperry.com

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/katyperry

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/katyperry

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/katyperry

MTV Unplugged on Amazon: http://links.emi.com/katyperry_unplugged

Chairlift, a multi-instrumental three-piece rock band, currently hailing from Brooklyn, New York, play a thoughtful, dream-filled techno-pop music combining unforgettable melody with an interesting production and a classical avant-garde sensibility embracing the future. At times it feels as though they are channeling the Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’s similarly from New York City both a trio and putting forth techno/electronica vibes ever so present in our musical landscape.

Chairlift is expansive and cinematic, its name evoking an ever-changing vantage point rising (or falling) above the ground. When it came time to write and record the songs for “Does You Inspire You,” the band’s debut album, the members of Chairlift drew on a vast array of pop influences, finding echoes of country western pathos in “Don’t Give A Damn,” a swaying emo-samba in “Make Your Mind Up,” and an ironically sunny evocation of love’s turmoils in, “Bruises,” (which was the ironic soundtrack for a 2008 iPod Nano campaign). The song has an electronica backbeat and a rousing choir with a memorable haunting chorus that is iconic to the band.

“Planet Health,” the second track leads off with birds chirping and Japanese melodies crescendo into pure, breathy ecstasy. “Evident Utensil,” evokes the most simple of utensils the pencil. The song makes quick use of the synthesizer.“Le Flying Saucer Hat,” tips its hat to ‘80s synth-rock utilizing French conversation against uptempo techno-music.

Chairlift is: Aaron Pfenning, an experimental minimalist guitar player, who creates the delicate haunting quality of Chairlift, Caroline Polachek, a Connecticut-born singer whose vocals shape-shift for the ethereal to the earthly to evanescent depending on the needs of the song; and Patrick Wimberly, a Nashville native whose decision to study jazz and orchestral arrangements at university brought him into the radius of the band.

The initial success of “Does You Inspire You,” released on the Brooklyn-based indie Kanine label in September 2008 led to the signing of Chairlift to Columbia Records. For the group’s major label debut, Chairlift remixed and mastered “Does You Inspire You,” and included two new tracks, “Dixie Gypsy,” and “Le Flying Saucer Hat.” For more on Chairlift please go to: www.chairliftmusic.com www.myspace.com/chairlift columbiarecords.com

By Susie Salva

The rock band Train was on the right track with a spirited performance to a nearly sold out crowd at the Majestic Theater in Ventura, California. Front man Pat Monahan is the consummate performer with his soulful swagger and poignant lyrics.

He commanded this middle age crowd eager to please them getting right into their signature song “Meet Virginia” off of their debut CD that was recorded fifteen years ago. Veteran guitar player Jimmy Stafford delivered a killer guitar solo accompanying that recognizable track.

Monahan sang a repertoire of material from the bands five albums…“Train”, “Drops of Jupiter”, “My Private Nation”, “For Me, It’s You”, and their new release “Save Me San Francisco”. Monahan engaged the crowd by bringing up four teenage girls on stage to sing with him “She’s On Fire,” giving them pink T-shirts and deeming them as the Trainettes. It was absolutely adorable as he danced with them having join in singing the background to that track. Next he dove into singing, “The Way I Wish You Were,” and then “Get To Me,” to a rousing crowd delirious by these infectious songs. Monahan promised that he plays a different set every night on the road making every moment exciting. You never know what songs they are going to sing making it fresh and entertaining.

He then asked the crowd to be quite as he sang “When I Look to the Sky,” without a microphone, saying, “I would like to sing this song without a mic as the way in was originally intended the song to be.” That was a majestic and moving experience.

Monahan tried out their new single, “Hey, Soul Sister,” where Stafford played a ukulele and the fans sang along. He than sang “It’s About You,” and “Calling All Angels,” as the crowd waved their hands into the air. After those songs Monahan, Stafford and drummer Scott Underwood performed an acoustic set playing “Hopeless,” and explaining how Monahan used to paint houses to make ends meet, “I would listening to this song not knowing down the line I would be performing live,” he delved into Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California,” complete with hand gestures aka Robert Plant.  He then again brought up two young kids singing a soulful, “Save the Day,” joking… Pat kicks ass.

Doing some acrobatics Monahan stood on the speakers singing “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me).” There was a video montage of San Francisco as they debuted the title track to “Save Me San Francisco,” taking a break and coming back with an encore of an INXS song.

Detroit Michigan native Uncle Kracker opened up for Train debuting their new single, “Smile,” as this pop-rap outfit entertained the crowd. He commented on the crowd as being older…but in a good way. “Forty is the new Thirty,” he maintained. The band played some uptempo southern style rock with a rap backbeat.

All in all it was and uplifting and entertaining evening. If you have the chance go see Train live…you will be blown away.

By Susie Salva. Read Susie Salva’s review on Train’s new CD here…

For more on Train please go to www.trainline.com.  Photo credit from www.trainline.com.

(Pat Monahan photos above by Leigh Hurst)

Southern California native, twenty-one year old, songstress Angel Taylor has just released her debut CD, “Love Travels,” on Aware/Columbia Records. This album is fresh, breezy, pop music straight from the heart. Taylor can best be compared to that of Norah Jones meets Alicia Keys with a twist of Ingrid Michaelson. The 12 tracks on “Love Travels,” are more than just personal missives that Angel Taylor has set to music, they are living and breathing experiences that all of us have shared. “Anyone who has ever wanted to be loved very deeply by someone, but hasn’t, will totally be able to grab hold of these songs,” says Taylor. “That’s what this album is about – wanting it so bad, not having it, and wondering why…It’s a lot of questions.”

And while Taylor doesn’t pretend to have all the answers, there’ no escaping how good it feels to get engulfed by her insecurities, romanced by her vulnerability, and swooned by her tender lyrics and swaying melodies. Angel Taylor is writing about the most pure, untainted of experiences that too often devour our hopeless romantic buried in us all.

“Chai Tea Latte,” opens the album like the songbirds mating call, comparing a multi-cultural love to that of her favorite Starbucks drink and romanticizing the perfect date in a gently stirred ballad. Taylor’s lyrics pack a wisdom that defies her years, finding the simplest, most accessible way to describe life’s most confusing emotions. Packing a melodic sensibility that is undeniable and engaging, “Like You Do,” and “Make Me Believe,” follow down more traditional pop avenues the former an uptempo, peppy track and the ladder with a reggae back beat. “Maple Tree,” is Angel at her most vulnerable, a lush canopy of music cloaking her bared soul. At opposite ends of Taylor’s musical spectrum is “Spinning Wheel,” the track that produced the titled of the album pairs with her piano ballad offering the jarring landscape for personal insecurities.

“Don’t Forget Me In Time,” is one of the stronger songs with engaging lyrics, catchy chorus and engaging melodies.
Co-written with her sister Ebony, “Epiphany,” is a jazzy interlude, and “It’s Easy,” features the songwriter in all her understated, stripped-down glory.

Just as spectacular as the music, is the young woman who crafts it. Taylor is one of music’s emerging voices for those of us seeking substance amidst the overblown style of today’s pop culture. A passionate blend of youthful innocence, soulful essence and spiritual center, Angel Taylor’s “Love Travels,” debut explores her longing for love and lust for life colored by dashes of hope. Angel Taylor was recently featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. For more on Angel Taylor please go to www.angeltayloronline.com or www.myspace.com/angeltaylor

Katy Perry with host Scott Harden

3OH!3 premiered their newest video for “Starstrukk (featuring Katy Perry)” on MTV today. This is the group’s latest single which can be heard in the trailer for “When In Rome,” an upcoming romantic comedy by Touchstone Pictures starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel. 3OH!3’s “Starstrukk” will also be included in the soundtrack of the movie set to release in January 2010. Known for their quirkiness, 3OH!3 does not let up in this new video and Katy Perry dives right in, getting up close and personal with the boys. It is definitely one full of entertainment and will have fans watching over and over again.

Written by Susie Salva
San Francisco based alternative rockers Train have put forth one of their best efforts on their latest CD release, “Save Me San Francisco,” on Columbia Records. This time out the band pays homage to and demonstrates their affinity for their home base of this cosmopolitan city. Train credits the city of San Francisco with cultivating the band’s identity and foundation, and so it’s no wonder their title track, “Save Me San Francisco,” tips it hat to the Bay Area metropolis that the band holds so dear. The album embodies a fresh, upbeat, youthful and spirited approach harkening back to their early musical roots.

“Save Me San Francisco,” is an autobiographical account of Train’s beginnings and also the soul of Train as a band. Frontman Pat Monahan is one of the most talented lyricists and the songs that the band have written on this new disc take the listener through the three piece’s humble start in the mid-90’s to present day music.

Accomplishments

Over the course of 15 years, Train has made its mark on music history with their Grammy-Award winning song, “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” and chart topping singles, “Meet Virginia,” and “Calling All Angels.” Since forming in San Francisco in 1994, the multi-platinum selling band has traveled a long, successful and sometime arduous journey.

Album Description

“Save Me San Francisco,” taps into Train’s organic sound, recalling the blues and folk-infused rock that put the band on the map from the start. “It’s pretty basic,” Monahan explains of the record. “But really cool because there’s super catchy riffs and melodies in it, which I think are way more important that any production trick or great-sounding vocal production. It’s kind of us going backward so we can go forward.”

The first single off of the album, “Hey, Soul Sister,” is peppy and fun filled tune with a catchy chorus that remands in your head for days on end. This song was recently featured on CBS’s “Medium”. With the help of producer Martin Terefe (KT Tunstall, Jason Mraz, and James Morrison) Train was able to tap into the bands roots and put out a song that is reminiscent of their massive hit, “Meet Virginia” while remaining fresh and current.

The third track, “I Got You,” is a tribute to the Doobie Brothers, “Blackwater,” evoking sounds of the ‘70s and mentioning Sonny and Cher’s, “I’ve Got You, Babe,” signatory song. “There are certain songs that, instead of there being have an intention, there is almost a theme,” says Monahan. This album seems to possess a theme of optimism, happiness, and hope in an enduring relationship. It seems this time out that Monahan and the band, (Jimmy Stafford, Guitar, and Scott Underwood, drums) are satisfied in their relationships and the storytelling lyrics on the album is, “about love in every you can think about it,” explains Monahan.

The rest of the disc including “This Ain’t Goodbye,” “Words,” “Brick by Brick,” and “Marry Me,” all evoke fondness of working relationships and one of finding one’s self in an happy and secure place.

In this day and age, career artists are few and far between, and after a decade and a half of being a band, Train is ready to present one of their strongest efforts to date. Monahan recognizes the band’s accomplishments, and, he states clearly, is more than grateful for the success they have experienced. For more on Train please go to: www.trainline.com

Train: Jim Stafford, Pat Monahan and Jim Stafford.

It was historic in nature, as G-VO, who released his second LP Zero & One on this night, stood on the same stage on which musical giants like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Ella Fitzgerald performed. The event was sponsored in part by the International Medical Health Organization, or IMHO, and was apart of the Ambassador Auditorium’s outreach and mission to support community-enlightening and significant endeavors. G-VO’s voice, a Sri-Lankan born voice, definitely is in line with this, and the people-packed Ambassador Auditorium was elevated in understanding, filled with the spirit of service through art.

G-VO stood tall on Saturday evening, representing his people with honor, but also with genuine, candid thoughts. The performance parts included: a DJ, a string quartet, a drummer, two guitarists, background singers, special guest performances, and as well, a poet. The voice of God even played a role, with G-VO conversing with God throughout the performance, likening it to the conversation Moses had with God prior to his following of God’s will in him being the one to lead the Lord’s children out of Egypt. G-VO’s music and performance showed that he is doing everything in his power to be a leader for God, to utilize his given talents to glorify the name of God, and take action in the world to represent a beacon of light and hope for others.

The event raised more than $20,000, all of which will be donated to support the IMHO’s efforts in Sri-Lanka. There were even two IMHO representatives in the audience who came on stage during the performance to provide an informative intermission, one that educated those in attendance about the realities of the conditions in Sri-Lanka. The IMHO has raised millions of dollars for those displaced peoples in Sri Lanka, and have been at the forefront of global issues for many years. The two representatives provided in-depth and gut wrenching accounts of what is currently taking place, including, but not limited to, overpopulated tents, lack of clean water, lack of appropriate rations of food, and even children being disconnected from the rest of their family members. G-VO’s performance was right on time, but in so many ways, overdue.

As told through G-VO’s music and commentary, as well as through the IMHO’s words, the audience (and I) learned about the conflict between the Tamil and Singhalese people as well, the integral reason for the current realities. This is apparently causing dire straits in the country, with wars and conflicts serving as a few of the fruits of this divisiveness, and as well, harsh distressing conditions in the camps that these displaced people live in. So many people in the country find themselves removed from their own homes, but still in their country. To be so close to home, but not be able to go there, is perhaps the most distressing reality of this situation.

His music is controversial, progressive, and clean. His musical tastes are of high quality, and this is no surprise as G-VO displayed multiple talents throughout the performance—singing, rapping, and playing the piano. G-VO is just as relevant to the needs of us here in America as he is to the issues currently happening in his home country. Hip-hop is in need of more leaders like G-VO. Those in Sri Lanka that are direct and indirect proponents of the strife in Sri Lanka could benefit from listening to him. G-VO is a dynamic and talented member of the Millenial generation, one whose ideas and words matter so much more now than ever.  We all would benefit from listening to G-VO, if only for a moment.

But the beauty of the One who directs the actions of G-VO, our Father in Heaven, is that a moment to Him is a lifetime. Let us pray that G-VO’s ideas, words, and efforts are heard, seen, and felt all the way to Sri Lanka. Historic things have happened in the illustrious Ambassador Auditorium, but until now, it had not yet worked to end a war, to assist in getting thousands of people back home. The Ambassador Auditorium, the IMHO, and G-VO all found a common thread on this evening, and hopefully the sounds of the performance reach the ears of the leaders in G-VO’s country, and with resounding power, creates peace.

Boston based pop-punk rockers Boys Like Girls release their sophomore album “Love Drunk” on Columbia Records, which is thoroughly intoxicating. These four friends didn’t have to look far for inspiration when it came time to record “Love Drunk” the long-awaited follow-up to their self-titled Columbia Records debut. The band knew how much they had progressed as a band while crediting a lot to their growing fan base. In the vain of All American Rejects and Good Charlotte, Boys Like Girls delivers some of the most exciting music of the past decade.

The band is comprised of Martin Johnson on vocals and guitar, guitarist Paul DiGiovanni, bassist Brian Donahue, and rounding it off is drummer John Keefe. The group puts forth catchy choruses, dance beats, and universal themes of love gone wrong. To capture the essence of the band they ascribed to making their sound more spontaneous and more importantly, creating a pristine sound instead of over-processing found so prominently on many of the current artists’ records to date. The mindset of BLG that rules their live show is also the mindset that helped shape “Love Drunk”.

“We came into the studio and started banging this new record out, it was like second nature to us. We didn’t want to write an album that was the same as our first record, but we still wanted to do something that would be fun and different and cool, and stay totally locked with our fan base. That’s because they have been here for us since the beginning and allowed us to evolve with them. They (fan base) are the most important thing to us,” says Johnson the primary songwriter of the band.

Look no further than “Love Drunk”, the album’s anthemic lead single and title track. It is a punchy celebration of love’s intoxicating effects. Boys Like Girls songs deal with the challenges of heartbreak and also the elation of new romance. “Love Drunk,” track has all of the happy medium between the band’s pop-rock debut and the more electronic fashion of bands like the Killers and Franz Ferdinand.

The lead track, “Heart, Heart, Heartbreak,” another pop-rock anthem, ramps the arena-ready sound up another notch, the verse-chorus-guitar solo combo custom made for audience participation and “Contagious,” follows suit with a penetrating bottom-end and rich vocal harmonies, further elevating Boys Like Girls to infectious new heights. On the less raucous end of the musical spectrum, a string section helps set the tone for the tender ballad with country superstar Taylor Swift on “Two Is Better Than One,” while the mid-tempo “The First One,” offers an endearing take on bouncing back from a broken heart.

Voted by Spin.com as Artist of the Year, it is easy to see why Boys Like Girls are so revered by their undying fan base while proving they are not at all affected by the sophomore slump. The band has made a smooth transition and progression from where they first started with their debut CD the self-titled, “Boys Like Girls.” Catch frontman Martin Johnson performing the National Anthem on Monday Night Football’s opening game on September 14th. They will also begin their headline tour on October 14th. Follow them on www.boyslikegirls.com and www.myspace.com/boyslikegirls.com.

Luke Pilgrim with band members of Last November.

LA’s the Place: Welcome to LA!  Is this the band’s first time playing in LA?
Luke Pilgrim: Sure is. First time in the city of angels.

LATP: Who has influenced you the most in your career?
LP: Bob Ross. Because of his calm, patient nature.  Remember “The Joy of Painting?”  Good stuff.

LATP: What is your personal favorite song off of your current album “Over the Top or Under the Weather?”
LP: I get this question a lot, and I can never answer it.  It’s like saying “who is your favorite, your son or your daughter?”  If I pick one, the other songs will resent me and grow up with serious baggage and personality disorders.

LATP: What inspires you to write your songs?  Any subject in particular that you tend to gravitate to?
LP: Everything inspires me!  Books, Films, TV shows, relationships, I just try to write lyrics people can relate to and live through.  That is the point of a song to me, it’s an escape.

LATP: Do you have any favorite spots to go to in LA while you are here on tour?
LP: Well this time I imagine we’re gonna hit some cliche tourist attractions.  Don’t judge, it is our first time!  We want it to be magical like losing our virginity… simultaneously.  But we really want to go by In-N-Out burger.  We’re huge Big Lebowski fans.

LATP: What is your favorite part about being in a band?  Least favorite part?
LP: Touring and meeting friends on the road is the most rewarding part.  Least favorite part is probably my sleep habits.  I never sleep, either because we are on the road and no one sleeps on tour, or because I’m obsessing over a new song or idea, and I just can’t sleep.

LATP: What is the craziest thing a fan has ever done?
LP: This wasn’t really a crazy fan moment, but it was interesting.  This guy almost hit Ty in the head with a beer bottle when we were in South Carolina.  The guy was being kicked out for biting a girl on the butt, and he wasn’t very happy about it so on his way out he flung his beer bottle and it just barely missed Ty’s head.  Taylor was the only one who saw it, Ty and I were rocking and didn’t even know about it until after the show.

LATP: There are rumors that a new album will be coming from Last November in early 2010 – can you tell us anything about it?
LP: There might be something to that rumor.  All I can say is the conscious molecule returns over a wizard goldfish…. no I’m just joshin’ ya.  Yeah, we’re working on some new tunes right now.  However I don’t know when we will be releasing anything.  We’re still in the demo/pre-production phase and we haven’t decided on a producer yet.  I am super excited about the new songs though, and we’ve been trying some of them out on the road.  Who knows, we may throw one of these tunes up on MySpace so keep your eyes peeled.

LATP: If you could play with any artist dead or alive, who would it be and why?
LP: I would like to literally play with an artist.  Like play scrabble with Mick Jagger, or twister with The Polyphonic Spree.  Wouldn’t THAT be something?

LATP: What is up next for Last November?
LP: We’re making a zombie film.  Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LastNovember (@lastnovember) so we can keep you up to date!

www.lastnovember.com

Maree McRae stepped into the music scene as lead singer and multi-instrumentalist for one of the Rocky Mountain region’s most sought after acts, Cadillac Ranch. After some time, she began to think about going solo. McRae’s solo career began with the release of her successful debut project “I Won’t Settle for Less.” Her debut quickly made its mark on the reputable National Gavin’s Top 40 Americana Radio Chart, gaining her acclaim and top awards as an insightful and melodic artist. Due to all of her new found success, McRae was approached with an offer to go on the road and tour. Unfortunately, at the same time her son became ill, and she was unable to commit to a traveling tour. McRae then decided to take some time off to stay with her son.
Luckily, after some time, McRae was able to get back in the studio, to work on her highly anticipated sophomore release, “Urgency,” after multi-platinum producer, Wyatt Easterling (head of A&R for Atlantic Records) heard McRae’s new writing, and offered her the opportunity to record in Nashville with triple Grammy award-winning engineer, Mark Capps. Her new album’s 12 original tracks maintain the truthful resonance that echoes a variety of styles from Americana/Folk Pop to Adult Contemporary. McRae self-composed all tracks, and the album is filled with her trademark, memorable melodies and lyrics from the soul.

“Urgency” is her most intimate work yet, with the title cut examining the preciousness of each moment in life and the poignant universal theme of immortality. This soulful collection of work holds McRae’s heartfelt voice front and center. Because of the poignant universal message she creates in this feature song and title cut, “Urgency,” McRae was offered and accepted the role of International Music Ambassador for the Colon Cancer Awareness Foundation.

Maree McRae's latest record, Urgency.

Now, McRae is ready to share her story, along with her new album, “Urgency,” with the LA’s the Place and the world.

LA’s The Place: You have gone through a good amount to get to where you are today. Can you tell us a bit about the obstacles you have faced in regards to your music and the struggle of your son’s illness?

Maree McRae: I remember after releasing my first album “I Won’t Settle For Less,” I got the cover story for Performance Magazine. That was a big deal at the time. We were playing the Crossroads Showcase in Memphis, and I was touring to the World Music Fest in Sweden. Then I was told that in order to get signed I had to commit to touring nine months out of the year. I remember crying thinking, “I have a sick child, how can I possibly tour?”
I realized then that I had a choice to make. Although I knew that my music’s exposure would suffer, my son came before it all. It really was an easy decision. I walked away from the dream to care for Stephen.

LATP: What did you take from the experience?

MM: I grew stronger out of necessity. I mean, you either sink or swim. You make a decision every day for hope or gloom.

LATP: You bring such feeling and emotion to your lyrics. Has being able to do so helped you to get through the challenges life brings?

MM: Because I can put my emotions into words, writing music is so healing and because I share this with others who can benefit, it’s been very therapeutic. I remember even as a little kid, I’d go sit on the piano stool and pluck away at the keys and totally disappear from this world. So I would say music is a total release for me.

LATP: Let’s talk about your single (and album name). How did you decide on the name, “Urgency”?

MM: About 2 years ago, on the day my son was finally diagnosed, I wrote “Urgency” walking out of Natl. Jewish Hospital. It was that overwhelming sense, as I stated in my album liner notes, that there was no time to wait. “It could be you, it could be me next, but what a gift it is to finally know how to spend our days.”

LATP: How about the rest of your album? Tell us a little bit about the tracks and what they mean to you.

MM: Honestly, nearly every track on this album is special to me. People email me daily telling me how a song has changed their life. “Do It For Love”, “Speak your Mind”, “Urgency”, “Let Go”, these are all the deeper songs, but I don’t think I have much “fluff” on this album anyway. I am proud of every song on this new release. Maybe “It’s a Shame” is more of the fun one, and even “Until I Met You.” The last song “Who Knows” of course, is very dear to my heart and it is still hard to get through it sometimes. “Who Knows” was mixed on this 100K system, just my voice, my keyboard and the beautiful cello. The sounds were so gorgeous, but on top of that, it being a song for my sick child…that was tough. I had Stephen’s picture with me in the vocal booth cutting it, and had to keep telling my engineer to give me extra time to get through this one! The song is about illness, it’s about doing anything to change it for our loved ones, to want to put ourselves where they are so they don’t suffer.
“Urgency” is available via CD Baby online and McRae’s successful single “Breeze” can be heard on the radio. Please visit her at: www.mareemcrae.com.

Invisible System - Punt Made in Ethiopia

Punt is an innovative masterpiece that blends high caliber musicians, such as Dan Harper himself, with a collective need for an expression of consciousness. To have such a large group of diverse musicians blend together on these songs makes me realize each of the players on this CD truly ‘left their ego at the door’ during the recordings. With Ethiopian roots, these songs grow without fertilizer and seem to be self watering. Each time you hear the songs, you will hear something different that you did not hear before as this will be the longevity of this world class fusion CD.

Invisible System - Punt Made in Ethiopia

Using his modular recording studio, Dan Harper has an international guest list that includes Mahmoud Ahmed, Bahta Gebrehiwot, Hilaire Chabby, Justin Adams, Tsedenia, Mimi, Tarmeg, Sami, Joie Hinton, Martin Cradick, Captain Sensible, Ed Wynne, Simon Hinkler, Dubulah, Perch, Juldeh, Elmer Thudd, Gary Woodhouse and Bos. With traditional vocals and modern fusion music you have a melting pot of global music.

Feel the Invisible System groove at http://www.myspace.com/invisiblesystem

SEE THE VH-1 SOBER HOUSE SCHOOL OF ROCK BENEFIT SHOW FEATURING PERFORMANCES
BY ACE FREHLEY (KISS),KYLE GASS (Tenacious D), STEVEN ADLER (Guns n’
Roses),MIKE STARR (Alice in Chains), and School of Rock All-Star Bands.

The show will be taped as a live concert event to benefit “Paul Green’s
School of Rock” community-based programs and will be shown by VH-1 as a part
of the Sober House series at a date to be announced.  You won’t want to miss
performances by Ace Frehley of Kiss and Mike Starr formerly of Alice in
Chains (current Sober house cast member) not to mention all the other
talented musicians.  The School of Rock All Stars Bands have performed with
Eddie Vedder, Alice Cooper, Ann Wilson, Peter Frampton and Perry Farrell and
range in age from 10 years old to 16 years old. All current cast members of
VH-1’s Sober House will participate in this Live event.

The tickets are complimentary — ABSOLUTELY FREE.  SATURDAY July. 25th from
7:30 PM until 11:00PM. You must be 18 years or older.

To join this exclusive audience, please rsvp ASAP.  Email
celebrityrehab@broadwayvideo.com with the following information in both
the subject line and the body of your email:

1. Rock Benefit
2. Your full name
3. The number of tickets you want (max.four  per request)
4. Your phone number
5. Your email address
6. Your age range (25-30, 45-50, 18-25 etc)
7. How you heard about the show i.e. email, website, your school, a friend,
Conscience Entertainment Group (CEG).

Example: Rock Benefit/Lisa Simpson/2/323-555-1212/musicgeniusLisa@aol.com
/18-23/CEG

We will respond quickly with a detailed confirmation via email. You should
hear from us at latest by SATURDAY, July 25th by 4PM. TICKETS ARE
COMPLIMENTARY! This is a live event.

VH-1 LOOKS FORWARD TO HAVING YOU IN THE AUDIENCE FOR THE SOBER HOUSE SCHOOL
OF ROCK BENEFIT SHOW!

EMAIL: CELEBRITYREHAB@BROADWAYVIDEO.COM

Sugarwall dishes unique sound

The Making of a Band

Sugarwall has been a long time in the making. After touring the Midwest in 2008, they parted ways with their lead singer and new bassist Rick Barrio Dill was asked to help find a replacement. Without any hesitation, he called upon a close friend and 5th generation musician Ronnie Dee (son of legendary recording artist Joey Dee & the Starliters). Ronnie contributed a fresh new perspective to the music and from there, the two worked on re-recording and re-writing the material. Rounding out the band is the talented Joey Lowe on drums and North Carolina native Mitch on guitar.

A Melding of Sounds

Now, bursting out of the L.A. scene, comes a new Sugarwall. Their sound is a unique combination of old school rock fused with vintage soul, hints of country, and a modern edge that separates them from the rest.  Think Matchbox 20 meets Rascal Flatts crossed with Train. Sugarwall delivers superbly crafted songs layered with ultra catchy guitar hooks, soulful infectious vocal melodies, and a solid groove that will keep listeners wanting more.

Praised as one of the best live bands you’ll see out there today, Sugarwall is an experience one simply cannot miss. Watch for dates near you and the new record “Find A Way” which was digitally released in June 2009. With notable tracks such as “Better Days,” “Video Star,” and “Nothing,” you must check these guys out.

LA’s The Place interviewed the band.

LATP: Your band is taking a risk during a very intense time in the economy. Besides the typical answer of “music is your true passion,” why are you taking a chance on your music over financial stability at a 9-5 job?

Sugarwall: Funny question really.  I think the band comes from a place where we feel we don’t even have a “choice”…this is what we were meant to do and any other pursuit would just be lying to ourselves.  Plenty of people love to tell you how bad the industry is, but if you are really following what you feel is your inner purpose and what gives you the most sense of “completion”, I think listeners and the public “get that” and the outcome will have positivity attached to it.

LATP: Tell us about your new LP “Find A Way.” What other groups can the sound compare to and how is it different from typical rock music in the scene today?

Sugarwall: We like to describe our sound as if Matchbox 20, the Goo Goo Dolls and Lifehouse all walked into a country bar and collectively picked some great Otis Redding songs off the jukebox…Sugarwall would come out the speakers. You could easily say that this is different from typical rock music today because our singer Ronnie Dee has a soulful and emotive aspect to his voice and tone that you don’t hear on this kind of Rock-Country-Pop…at all.  It’s inspiring and again, I think the public get this too.

LATP: The Los Angeles music scene is typically either punk or singer songwriters, is that correct? How does that affect Sugarwall?

Sugarwall: I don’t know if I could say that about LA and the “scene”.  I love Los Angeles with a passion, I just don’t personally feel any real “deep scene” just because the city is so big and diverse.  Sugarwall is really simple and in some ways a new hybrid of a few different feel-good sonic elements.  Our sound plays well in the other 90% of the country where life might be simpler, less hectic and maybe more traditional.  Someone reviewed the record the other day and called us new “Nashville Rock” and I thought that kinda made sense.   We really are a new twist on some of your favorite Rock, Pop or hint-of-Country bands so to speak, and we’re set up to be a touring band that lives wherever people understand this. Whether it would be Nashville, Britain, Sydney or Charleston South Carolina…we live where the music is at.

LATP: Why did you decide to tour as an independent band when the economy is keeping all the other bands at home?

Sugarwall: This gets back to what was brought up earlier. It’s not all “doom and gloom”, its just a different playing field. We know of plenty of bands that are doing great, but its because they are truly connecting with people, they have real talent to share and they have great songs to lead the way. They are building from the bottom up and not letting some “marketing machine” force feed to people what is cool or not.  The people know true talent as opposed to something that is cooked up in the studio and live music is getting its day again. You can’t download that experience.

LATP: What do you believe is your stand out track on the album and why?

Sugarwall: That’s a real tough question.  You will get a different answer from every 10 people you ask. As the producer on it, I know people might say this a lot, but I think every song we chose for the record is really strong with respect to our genre. We just shot videos for one of the ballads “Better Days” that kind of speaks about how you have to have the hard times to earn and really appreciate the good ones that are coming and then we totally changed feels and also shot a video for our Rock kinda country kitchy tune “Video Star” about a internet stalker.  You have the catchy Rocking tunes “Missed You,” “Find A Way” and “Goodbye” and you have the sweet songs like “Forever Now,”"Like Yesterday” and “For Your Love” which is the last song on the record, but depending on the time of day, my favorite.   That’s the nice thing about the Itunes store…if you want to pick and choose songs for your ipod or mp3 player, get er done…if you want to enjoy all different flavors, pick up the whole record the way we intended the journey to be. Have it your way.  (Laughs).

Curt Harpel, Music Producer, Hit Citi Music

Runs in the Family

Harpel’s father was a CBS newsman while his mother had a gift for singing. His grandfather, Herb Jeffries, was a famous singer with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. With that lineage, it is no wonder Harpel was eager to get started as he began his formal training at the age of just 18, leaving for New York to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and The Manhattan School of Music. Harpel would later attend the Santa Fe Opera and Broadcasting School, accounting for the blend of music and production training that is evident in the range of his compositions as well as his leadership of Hit Citi.

Curt Harpel

Professionally Tested

Harpel has lived a rewarding professional life, with memories that read like iconic placemarks in music history.  He sang with music legends Al Green and Patty Labelle in the Broadway touring production of Your Arm’s Too Short to Box with God. Before there was Barack Obama, Harpel earned an invitation to sing in the campaign of groundbreaking Presidential candidate Jesse Jackson. Harpel paid his dues the traditional way, singing in showcases in smoke filled bars and night clubs. While performing one night at a nightclub in Hollywood, a Morgan Creek Records A&R scout heard Harpel and signed him to a record deal, which ultimately led to Harpel recording an album with his band at the infamous Studio 55.

Ready to Serve

Harpel has assembled a diverse team of writers, singers, and musicians in creating Hit Citi. Motivated by a passion for the craft and the energy of their collaboration, Hit Citi’s creative team is making their mark in music production for film and television, conveying a cutting edge style in their compositions and music.

LA’s The Place TV

LA’s The Place is pleased to announced that Curt Harpel and Hit Citi will produce the music for LA’s The Place TV shows, slated to debut in the near future. Adding Harpel to the mix is a definite coup for LA’s The Place TV, as Hit Citi’s producing prowess has been featured in numerous film, television, and commercial projects, including Grey’s Anatomy, Samantha Who, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Zoey 101 and the still in-development, Get Smart 2.

Go to www.hitciti.com or call Curt Harpel at (310) 963-0855.

Los Angeles resident Pete Yorn has traded in city life for the rolling plains of Nebraska to work on his fourth album entitled, “Back and Fourth”, on Columbia Records with Omaha producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley).

Yorn spent two months in a guesthouse behind Mogis’s Omaha studio where he made the new album. He spent his spare moments driving around Nebraska exploring the wide-open landscapes and writing his new material. For the first time, Yorn wrote lyrics before composing melodies resulting in the most personal album to date. Escaping his everyday routine was something that shaped this new album. Yorn explains, “I think I found a different kind of inspiration there that helped carry the record home.” In Omaha, for fun Pete would check out local bands, gamble on riverboats, and hang out with the Mogis family.

“Back And Fourth”, sounds like no other Pete Yorn record because it was made like no other Yorn record. Yorn’s music can be compared to that of label mate Jakob Dylan and the Island styling of Jack Johnson. His songs reveal the freshness of new romance, lingering feelings of a broken relationship, and of a relationship gone bad. The lead track “Don’t Wanna Cry”, is a sentimental journey exploring love gone wrong.

“Paradise Cove,” is a summer soaked tune here Yorn is singing that he “got what I wanted but it wasn’t enough.” “Close,” again explores the complexity of romance and how it can go a rye. Then there is the anthemic song,
“Shotgun,” sounding very much like the Counting Crows examining all the consequences of a faltering romance.
Another stand out track is, “Country” something about it is very engaging and upbeat.

“Back And Fourth”, follows Yorn’s first three albums, which he considers a trilogy, and is his first album in three years. The songs on “Back And Fourth”, range from lilting mandolin lullabies to bracing anthems. But there’s a thread running through the album – an organic feel to the arrangements, a careful pacing to the sequence, a penetrating truth to the stories that’s unmatched by anything else in Yorn’s catalogue. These songs seem intensely personal and very raw.

While Yorn played virtually all the instruments on his first three albums, he assembled a top shelf band for “Back And Fourth”, including drummer Joey Waronker (Beck), pianist, arranger Nate Wolcott (Bright Eyes, The Faint, Rilo Kiley), guitarist Jonny Polonsky, bassist Joe Karnes (John Cale), and backing vocalist Orenda Fink (Azure Ray). “That’s the essential approach to the new album,” says Yorn, “I wanted to share my songs with a group of players who I respected, and then share the experience of recording them together as a group”.

For more on Pete Yorn go to www.peteyorn.com or www.myspace.com/peteyorn

Written by Susie Salva

Do you have a survival plan in place? That’s the question that Cage9 proposes on their explosive new CD, “Survival Plan”. And they think they have the answer. Cage9, based in Los Angeles, is comprised of Panama transplants Evan Rodaniche and Gustavo Aued on guitars/vocals and bass respectively, LA native Jess Beltz on guitar and from Phoenix, AZ, Gordon Heckaman have put forth something somewhat of a conceptual album dealing with such a dilemma.

Cage9

 The bands’ sound has the heaviness of Godsmack tempered with the memorable melodies of Buckcherry with a tinge of scream-0. Cage9 recorded two albums in 2008, an acoustic CD called, “For Amnesia”, which was finished in October of that year, and their latest project titled, “Survival Plan”. Both albums were released in Japan in January 2009 via Triple Vision Entertainment. This CD has an extensive repertoire including 15 gut wrenching tracks and two bonus songs.

Evan steers the project as the bands’ main song-scaper and master recording-guru who’s production and mixing skills have not only shaped Cage9’s unique sound but that of many other performers from Latin Grammy winners Los Rabanes, Atlantic Record’s upstarts Big City Rock, to Rolling Stone and Spin darlings The Willowz.

According to Rodaniche “Survival Plan”, delves into the idea that appears like all you hear about these days is talk of fear and what’s going to happen when the world self-destructs sometime in the very, very near future. Such sentiments can be heard on the lead track, “Comatose”, where war and impeding doom are expressed with a catchy chorus and memorable lyrics. “As am artist I felt it was my duty to accurately imitate life and compose an album or guide, if you will, on how to survive you own worst case scenario – random, mundane or impossible as it might be”. Their second track, “Worst Case Scenario”, deals with disaster and death again conjuring images of this looming doom. These songs are so expressive that they remain in your head for days on end.

A survival plan is what you would supposedly need to maximize your chances of making it out of any given unfortunate and or lethal situation intact. “Our theme icon is a play on the gas mask a universal sign. Many of these images are on the liner copy of the CD and the images center around one of us dressed in a tattered business suit performing everyday chores. This was to illustrate and at the same time poke fun at the fear that we are constantly barraged with on news reports and the Internet”, explains Evan.

“I based a lot of my lyrics on the concept although the whole album doesn’t necessarily reflect the theme, there are hidden clues and meanings to yes, formulate your very own survival plan – should your existence stumble upon any fateful twists or turns…during 70 or so minutes you might happen to be listening to this album anyway”, says Rodaniche.

On the track, “2:30 and Anxious”, Evan originally sang some falsetto vocals on his low verse vocal line but the he decided it might work better with someone whose voice was naturally high – a girl. Mandy (Cursed Lullaby) was his first pick because even though she mostly does different levels of guttural barking on much of her bands album, Evan has heard her softer, gentler, non-metal side.

The track “Horsey” has a galloping, bouncy feel of it and you can hear Evan’s voice intro into it within the first few bars. He was inspired to write a song about the relationship the denizens of Los Angeles have with the pilots of ‘ghetto birds” – do they really care about us?? Or is it just big brother watching over the sheep?? Whatever, sometimes you want (helicopters) to just go away. If you listen carefully, the percussion sound in the verse is a helicopter blade chopping up the smoggy LA skyline.

Cage9 has written an album, “El Motivo”, which was available in both English and Spanish. “It felt like the right time to do something in Spanish – it was definitely fun and we do have plans to do some more stuff in Spanish in the future”. Cage9’s albums are available for sale online at CDBaby.com and digital stores like iTunes. For all things Cage9 go to: www.Cage9.com, www.myspace.com/cage9 or www.twitter.com/cage9.

Fresh off their triumphant stint at the Coachella Valley Music Festival the compelling New York City trio Yeah Yeah Yeah’s has released their electrifying CD, “It’s Blitz,” on DGC/Interscope Records. This brilliant CD is just on the heels of their successful 2006, “Show Your Bones”, when they first burst onto the scene. ‘It’s Blitz”, was recorded with Nick Launay (producer of YYY’s 2007 release, “Is Is”, (EP) and longtime collaborator TV On the Radio’s Dave Sitek. This disc signals both a glance backward featuring techno sounds from the early ‘80s and a step forward with the ever-present electronica vibes currently happening now on the music scene.

YYY’s is comprised of Karen O (vocals), Nick Zinner (guitar, keyboards), and Brian Chase (drums). Zinner had brought along an old keyboard he bought on Ebay to work with during the writing session not expecting it to end up on the album. However, the sounds of the vintage ArP were so right for the new songs that they found their way into the atmospheric washes of the track, “Skeletons,” the disco wiggles of “Heads Will Roll,” and New Wave, “Soft Shock.” Obviously, synths have been in rock music forever”, Zinner says. “But to us if feels new, which is all we really care about-that excitement.” The whole record has a new feeling of space and atmosphere, a new sonic dimension, if you will.

The first single, “Zero”, is a huge, electronic dance floor anthem of a song. Nothing out there now feels like this right now. “We’ve got a death grip on the adolescent way of feeling things,” says Karen O, touching on the track’s euphoric abandon. This song deals with someone that is a nothing…truly a zero. It pumps and grinds taking you to a crescendo delivering you to euphoria with reckless abandon. Some obvious comparisons have been made between Karen O and vocalist Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders. Both are strong and dominant vocalists having commanding live performances and dynamic stage presence. They both speak to their generations.  “It’s Blitz”, is already No.1 at indie retail stores around the country and has earned four stars from Rolling Stone and has been called “the alternative pop album of the decade,” by Spin magazine. “Zero”, has stormed the Top 40 at Alternative Radio with no signs of slowing down.

The trio is touring in support of their latest album. Catch Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’s live where they promise to “shake it like a ladder to the sun.” The band promises to strut both rock-disco explosions and ballsy ballads that cut both sides of your emotional heart. Don’t miss them on the road they deliver the goods and rock the house. For all things Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’s find them on www.yeahyeahyeahs.com or www.myspace.com/yeahyeahyeahs.

Fresh off their triumphant stint at the Coachella Valley Music Festival the compelling New York City trio Yeah Yeah Yeah’s has released their electrifying CD, “It’s Blitz,” on DGC/Interscope Records.

San Diego resident and American Idol forerunner Adam Lambert (27) is perhaps one of the best contestants that the American Idol franchise has ever had…this guy is the consummate entertainer. He is now poised to take the crown of American Idol. Lambert possesses all the ingredients that a mega star needs to be successful in the music business…originality, purpose, craft, individuality and pure talent. His awesome genius is something that Simon Cowell and his fans would recognize as the “It” factor. Something that is undeniably unique and pure. He has left the other contestants Danny Gokey, and Kris Allen floundering in the proverbial dust as he plays to the camera with his eye lined eyes and rock‘n roll swagger. He knows exactly who he is and he comfortable in his own skin.

Lambert’s vocal acrobatics revel those of established artists such as Axl Rose, Janis Joplin, and Steven Tyler who he played tribute on last Tuesday night on Idol by singing his version of “Crying”. His experience in musical theater has served him well with his comfortable stance on the Idol stage transferring over to filling arenas and other venues. Lambert definitely lives up to the hype emotionally crooning passionate songs like U2’s “One” and singing the legendary rocker by Led Zeppelin “Whole Lotta Love” both Lambertized. From his first appearance on Idols auditions it was Lambert that stood out from the crowd but his sincerity with the judges and overwhelming response with his fans he has sealed his place within the music business community.

Adam Lambert onstage on American Idol.

Lambert humble beginnings can be traced to musical theater where he played the slave Joshua in the 2004 multi-million-dollar flop, “The Ten Commandments,” with the movie star Val Kilmer in the lead. He also was a “Wicked” cast member and this Idol standout spent many an evening crooning songs in that expressive voice of his on the Upright Cabaret stage.

Lambert’s unique style creates a new sound to a song and can be instantly recognized as distinctively his own. Much like Frank Sinatra who could take each phrase of a song and create a specific mood or feeling that would evoke passion and also use his voice as an instrument Adam evokes similar disposition. His swagger has been compared to that of Elvis and justifiably so. Great artists all have genius. The genius doesn’t always come through in everything they do, but when they are “on” you know you have heard genius and Lambert embodies genius wholeheartedly.

The Season Finale airs Tuesday & Wednesday, 8/7c on FOX.

The Expo, held in the plush and luxurious ballrooms of the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, is the premier conference for producers, songwriters, and composers and included priceless, informative and creative business-focused panels, workshops, keynotes, One-on-One feedback sessions, networking events, master classes, incisive song critiquing, special performances, and music technology demonstrations featuring sponsors such as Cakewalk, a computerized audio production console. Heavy-hitters in the music industry such as Johnta Austin, the 2005 Grammy award-winning songwriter for Mariah Carey’s hit song “We Belong Together”, Natasha Bedingfield, Ann and Nancy Wilson of the platinum selling rock group “Heart”, Wyclef Jean, Ron Fair, Pete Rock, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, Drumma Boy, the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, and Warryn Campbell were just a few of the big names who graciously shared their knowledge and expertise on topics relevant to music creators. It was truly the perfect event for an artist to build up a professional network, hone their craft, and start paving the way for their road to superstardom.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Music Publishers: A View from the Top:

This highly anticipated assemblage of the minds of Irwin Z. Robinson, Chairman of Paramount Allegra Music, Martin Bandier, Chairman & CEO of Sony/ ATV Music Publishing, Roger Faxon, Chairman & CEO of EMI Music Publishing, David H. Johnson, Chairman & CEO of Warner Music Group, and David Renzer, Chairman & CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, was one of the most eye-opening panels of the Expo and provided it’s eclectic audience with a much needed reality check on the state of music publishing and the newly emerging challenges presented by media manipulation and exploitation in today’s modern world. The polished and white haired Martin Bandier opened up the discussion by responding to a question posed by Irwin Robinson regarding how the publishing industry had changed from 1999 to 2009. “In ’99, a significant amount of revenue came from record sales. It was the heart of the ‘record boom era’ and there was no competition from free music or piracy. Now those mechanism revenues have fallen from about 65% to 35%, it’s a significant difference”. Then, David Renzer, seated three chairs down and decked out in an all brown suit, added his opinion on the question by stating, “Nowadays new artists are discovered off of Myspace and YouTube. There is a new business model. Artists are putting out their own albums, making the industry more challenging but also more empowering for new talent”. Next, the most important question of the session was proposed… “Due to the increase of internet singles sales and the decline of physical albums, what do you feel is in the immediate future of the publishing business?”. Suddenly, the entire room fell into a hush as the soft hum of buzzing voices who had just seconds before been whispering their agreements with the panelists and “Uh huhs” with their neighbors abruptly died down. Roger Faxon shifted in his chair, took a deep breath and bravely answered, “ In the past, people bought albums based on hits. Now we are in a position to transition back into that dual market of individual songs versus full albums. The new strategy is to invest in a songwriter or unique talent that will capture a large audience. Having a song on an album is no longer enough; we are looking for that radio hit. We are currently moving away from the album formula and moving into a new business model of releasing one and two track packages”. As the audience sat in a stunned silence, digesting the information that most knew would eventually come to pass, David Renzer calmly added, “Three to five years from now, there will only be 6 track albums or a series of releases across the year”. Say goodbye to the 16 track album, folks.

Spanning the Genres: Johnta Austin and Warryn Campbell:

This special panel brought Grammy Award-winning songwriter and recording artist, Johnta Austin and super songwriter/ producer, Warryn Campbell together for an honest and fascinating discussion on how to create popular music, as seen through the perspectives of two individuals who truly understand how to achieve success in the music industry. Warryn Campbell, who has amassed major commercial hits for artists such as Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Mos Def, Missy Elliot, and Musiq Soulchild, opened up the discussion with a brief bio on himself, starting with his industry origins at Death Row Records. Interestingly enough, Campbell had the unique opportunity to work with Rap legend, Tupac, when he got his first big break composing the piano melody for “I ain’t mad at cha”, one of Tupac’s most famous songs. Jonta on the other hand, got his start when he gave a song he originally wrote for himself to R&B crooner, Tyrese. That song was “Sweet Lady” and it significantly helped propel the Watt’s born Tyrese into superstardom. Throughout the panel Jonta continuously urged the crowd to simply focus on creating great songs and not to worry about “being the hottest because hot gets cold. Instead, focus on consistency”. In a funny yet memorable metaphor, Austin suggested that songwriters “be like the flavors strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate because they are always in the ice cream shop. Rocky road and butter pecan chocolate chip are good, but they might not always be there. You need to be the songwriter that is always right there on point”. Meanwhile, Campbell advised the audience to “never write a song with money on your mind because it will never flow. It’s too much pressure and music does not like pressure”. Both industry vets encouraged the crowd to never rush a song because creating music is an art and therefore it not subject to the same rules that you may apply to more conventional jobs. As the panel ended, Campbell both surprised and pleased the crowd when he announced that he was currently working on a new project with both Amerie and Estelle, while Austin surprisingly admitted that he was headed to Nashville after the conference to meet and work with Carrie Underwood on an upcoming project. Go figure!

What Management Means: Presented by Billboard:

One of the most important decisions an artist may ever make is choosing whom they should sign with as a manager. Therefore ASCAP composed a powerful panel of management teams including Tim Blacksmith and Danny Poku of Stargate (Rihanna, Neyo), Ron Laffitte of Red Light Management (OneRepublic, Good Charlotte, Sum 41), Ann Donahue, Senior Editor of “Billboard” Magazine, and Mark Stewart of RedZone Entertainment (The Dream, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart), to help advise future artists on how to locate good management and how to know when and if you even need management. When asked on how they spot talent, Danny Oku of Stargate simply said it’s “about feeling”, while his partner Tim Blacksmith said, “It’s important to keep an open mind. Music is global and though they may not be big in America, an artist may be big in Europe. You have to believe in your client’s material”. Ron Laffitte followed up by saying, “It’s about three simple things. Do they have the look, work ethic, and focus?”. However, when Mark Stewart stated that “it’s good for artists to have that business drive and push”, Danny Poku countered with the argument that sometimes an artist’s business sense could be a hindrance if the artist thinks they know more than the manager. As the panel ended, Laffitte blessed the audience with a few helpful tips to propel their career to the next level: “Although “radio is still the most powerful tool to get music out, it isn’t the only tool. Expand your audience, make use of the Internet. But the most, most important thing to do is to get music on TV, especially in promos for shows”. P.S. And get good management!

Overall, the conference was a great source for the budding artist to get information from industry insiders on how to really make themselves blossom and standout amongst the masses. There were over 30 panels and showcases throughout the duration of the ASCAP Expo and each one focused on a different aspect of music creation of breaking into the industry, allowing the artist to pick and choose from a wide variety of seminars to take and further cultivate their craft. The musical performances were only icing on the cake. For a serious artist that is truly dedicated to pursuing a career in music, the ASCAP Expo is one event that should never be missed!

ASCAP is first and leading United States Performing Rights Organization and represents the world’s largest repertory of over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works, with over 350,000 songwriter, music publisher, and composer members. ASCAP is represented in almost all of the countries where copyright law exists and is dedicated to protecting the rights of its members. ASCAP distributes royalties based upon surveyed performances due to the licensing of public performances of its copyrighted works. It is the only American performing rights organization that is both owned and controlled by its writer and publisher members.

www.ascap.com

Good food, good music, and good will converged on a night to remember hosted by Deborah Gibson and The Gibson Girl Foundation on Tuesday, April 28. Hollywood’s hottest celebrities flocked to the Café La Boheme in West Hollywood for a sold-out benefit event for the Gibson Girl Foundation, a charity that awards scholarships to young performers in need. The Pop & Broadway star, Gibson herself, took the stage at the event, along with Ryan Black’s 88’s Cabaret, Jersey Boy’s John Lloyd Young, Wicked’s Eden Espinosa and Savannah Robinson and the kids of Electric Youth.

Jersey Boy’s John Lloyd Young, Wicked’s Eden Espinosa (Photo by Bob Merrick)

In addition to the outstanding musical performances, guests enjoyed a lavish dinner and an exquisite live and silent auction including unique items from a number of favorite celebrities such as The Fray, the Jonas Brothers, New Kids on the Block, Pierce Brosnon, Donny and Marie and Paris Hilton. Among the wonderful items offered, fabulous travel packages, tickets and backstage passes to top Vegas shows and an intimate musical evening with Deborah Gibson, were especially coveted.

Vivica A. Fox, comedian Ross Mathews (photos by Grover Yancey)

For the past twenty years, Gibson, “the Original Pop Princess”, has proven her musical prowess as a truly talented singer, songwriter, and Broadway starlet. Though she had already staked her place in the Guiness Book of World Records by the ripe age of sixteen as the youngest writer, producer and performer of a number one single, Gibson continued to impress audiences with her innovative approach to the entertainment world.

Deborah Gibson - From pop princess to philanthropist (photo by Grover Yancey)

Phenomenal and philanthropic, Gibson set out to pass on her expertise and cultivate musical ability in younger generations with the creation of a charity, the Gibson Girl Foundation, and a series of summer camps known as “Deborah Gibson’s Electric Youth”. The Gibson Girl Foundation raises money and distributes scholarships to aspiring young performers, enabling them to attend them to attend the Los Angeles Summer Camp of “Deborah Gibson’s Electric Youth” as well as song-writing intensives, recording boot camps, and the New York City Winter Camp of “Deborah Gibson’s Electric Youth”.

Electric Youth performers. (Photo by Bob Merrick)

The Foundation provided $75,000 in scholarships to children in need in 2008 alone.

For only $25, guests were able to attend this special event and witness the extraordinary talents of the musical performers, while $100 provided guests with dinner and main floor seating as well. VIP tickets were also available for $250 and included VIP preferred seating, VIP menu selection, performance, a photo with Deborah Gibson, a VIP Gift Bag, One Hope Wine and cocktails and a private post-performance meet-and-greet with Electric Youth Performers and Celebrities attending the event.

Dick Van Patten, Deborah Gibson, Jimmy Van Patten (photo: Grover Yancey)

Such stars included Shannon Elizabeth, Jonathan Knight, Vivica A. Fox, Nolan Gerard Funk, Samantha Droke, John Lloyd Young, Dick Van Patten, Sally Kirkland, Jimmy Van Patten, Jerry Mathers, Greg Fellows, Eden Espinosa, Bridgit Mendler (J.O.N.A.S), Zoe Myers, The Clique Girlz, Lisa FOXX, Brandon Molale, Savvy & Mandy (Radio Disney), Adam Gaynor (Matchbox 20), Brittany Curran, Chris Ashworth, Keana, Lauren Storm, Mishavonna Henson, and more.

Deborah Gibson with Jerry Mathers (Photo by Bob Merrick)

For more information on The Gibson Girl Foundation and “Deborah Gibson’s Electric Youth” please visit www.deborahgibsonselectricyouthcom.

Play That Damn Guitar showcases Jay Jessie Johnson on guitar and vocals, Steve Shore on bass and Joe Aparo on drums. Produced by Jay Jessie Johnson himself, this CD has eleven blues/rock songs that show a man with a true blues feeling but with an aggressive monster guitar crunch that very few could play like. Steve Shore and Joe Aparo lay down a picture perfect foundation for Johnson’s vocals and brutal guitar attack.

Some of the killer tracks on this CD are Bad Blood, Hear No Evil, Shine On, Rattlesnake Stomp and a tribute to Jimi Hendrix called Six String Angel. With an obvious influence of Hendrix, Jay Jessie Johnson has gone above and beyond Hendrix on this CD as each patented lick is pure. Jimi Hendrix put out brilliant guitar work but added, at times, a careless touch to his recordings. Jay Jessie Johnson smokes so hard on this CD I am sure many guitar players will give it up and switch instruments. This CD, Play That Damn Guitar, is a must for blues/rock fans and guitar players who wish to hear how the six string guitar should really be played.

Play That Damn Guitar is available through Groove Yard Records and receives a five-star recommendation.

To check it out, go to: www.jayjessejohnson.com, www.grooveyardrecords.com.

BritWeek2009 Events at a Glance

Thursday, April 16 The Race for Green held in the margins of the Long Beach Grand Prix

Tuesday, April 21 Formal start of BritWeek. Tony Blair Gala Dinner Benefiting Malaria No More

April 21-22 Jeff Beck Live at the El Rey Theatre

Thursday, April 23 The Organic Pharmacy / Smythson celebration in Beverly Hills

Thursday, April 23 Red-carpet Champagne Launch Reception hosted by the British Consul
General

Thursday, April 23 Joss Stone Live at Club Nokia

Thursday, April 23 UB40 Live at the House of Blues, Sunset Strip

April 23 – 30 UK Features at the Newport Beach Film Festival

Friday, April 24 Filmmaker’s Forum: Over There 

Saturday, April 25 Karen Millen In-store Event

Saturday, April 25 Music Industry Reception

Sunday, April 26 Sunday Roast at Palihouse

April 26-29 MUSEXPO 2009 Conference

Monday, April 27 British Astrophysicists Lecture at Griffith Observatory

Monday, April 27 Book signing by Oscar-winning film producer Michael Deeley

Tuesday, April 28 Poetry is in the Streets: Stunning wall art from around the world

April 28 & 30 Pub Darts Tournaments

April 29 – May 13 Alan Aldridge Opening Reception and Exhibition

Thursday, April 30 Sweet Live at the House of Blues

Friday, May 1 Emma Ferreira Gallery Artist’s Reception

Saturday, May 2 BritNight with the LA Galaxy Celebrity Soccer: Britain vs. the Rest of the World 

Saturday, May 2 Genlux Magazine Event

Sunday, May 3 British American Business Council, Orange County Garden Party

Sunday, May 3 Katie Melua Live at Hotel Cafe

Wednesday, May 6 Cool Britannia: From Classic to Contemporary, the BABC LA/BritWeek Party
at the Petersen Automotive Museum

Thursday, May 7 BABC OC Golf Tournament at Tustin Ranch Golf Club 

Thursday, May 7 Keith Emerson Live at the House of Blues

Friday, May 8 BAFTA/LA British Comedy Festival

Saturday, May 9 Cricket: Britain vs. Australia 

May 14-16 Classical Mystery Tour / Music of the Beatles

Steve Hackett, singer, songwriter and legendary guitarist from early Genesis, continues to record and tour the world with new material and promote his new website, www.Hackettsongs.com.

With more than fifty years of music experience, Steve Hackett is both an expert electric and acoustic guitarist. Taking music to its extreme limits, Steve Hackett has toured the world with many band line-ups and recorded multiple solo CD’s.

With a world-wide fan base, Steve Hackett continues on his musical quest with a new tour and a new CD in the works. LAsThePlace.com caught up with the best guitarist Europe has ever produced for an exclusive online interview.

LA’s The Place:  How do you feel about your new Web site, HackettSongs.com, and does it infuse some new energy into your career?

Steve Hackett:  Absolutely! I’m thrilled with the look of it. We’re coming up with new ideas that we’d like to implement… there’s all sorts of stuff in the pipeline. It’s great to feel free enough to be the editor in chief of your own ‘virtual newspaper’ and a lot more besides. It’s wonderful to feel a closer connection with everyone out there.

LATP:  With the Internet connecting the world electronically, how do you use the power of the Internet to expand your fan base?

SH:  Even the Pope has to show up at the Vatican window from time to time! The great thing about the Internet is it’s a window on the world but it’s also a two way mirror where people can peer into my workshop ahead of time to see what I’m up to.

LATP:  What is your opinion of the current online video craze which enables raw footage, of one of your shows for example, to be uploaded and broadcast within minutes after your performance?

Steve Hackett

SH:  Having  just returned from Italy where shows were being filmed on mobiles, it’s both thrilling and disconcerting at the same time on You Tube! But then rather than hold back the technological tide, I feel it’s better to embrace it.

LATP:  What was it like performing with Nuno Bettencourt and Paul Gilbert and do you see any Guitar Wars in your future?

SH:  It was great working together. We had lots of laughs and played a lot of notes between us. They’re great guys, fantastic guitarists and singers, plus I loved working with the rest of the team. As to the future, who knows? It’s always possible.

LATP:  What is your current relationship with your old band mates in Genesis?

SH:  Yes, we’re all still mates and hold a lot of affection for each other.

LATP:  Selling England by the Pound is not only a progressive masterpiece but it showcased your excellent guitar work and Phil Collins excellent drum work. How do you compare your and Phil’s work from thirty-five years ago to modern progressive artists?

SH:  It depends on your definition of what’s progressive. There are lots of talented newcomers out there and I’m thrilled at the way the current music scene, especially in America, throws up energetic young geniuses. When Phil and I worked together we were just starting out and when we were working in our own adventure playground we had no idea that it was going to become the museum of ‘prog’ that it eventually became! Having said that, we knew we were doing great stuff together and I still think that Selling England is the band’s finest hour.

LATP:  You Tube has displayed an endless amount of cover versions, electric and acoustic, of your work as well as early Genesis. Some in particular are brilliant classical guitar Genesis renditions and a little kid playing Spectral Mornings. Do you ever watch these performances and do you have any raw footage you plan to upload for your fans?

SH:  I think the kid you’re referring is James Macpherson, who also played an incredible version of Valley of the Kings. I think he was only nine years old at the time and not only did I feel so proud that he got his fingers around it, but he stood there so confidently doing it. As I’m a self confessed workaholic it’s difficult to keep tabs on all the tributes, but I do watch some of the performances and I am planning to upload various bits of footage on the website soon!

LATP:  I saw you play a couple times in Redondo Beach, California several years ago with an all electric band. I believe the last time you played the states was with an acoustic line up. Was this a cost effective way of playing in the U.S. or was it just something new you wanted to try?

SH:  There have been two parallel paths with my music for a long time now, my electric and acoustic passions. Equal gods that deserve to be honored! But currently I’m touring with an explosive electric band.

LATP:  You seem to be extremely busy these days. What does 2009 and beyond have in store for Steve Hackett?

SH:  I’m often up at 6am writing, ready to work with Roger King by 11am. I have my own stuff and also a work in progress project with Chris Squire. I’m also working on band material with Nick Beggs, Roger King, Gary O’Toole, Rob Townsend, plus with Gary Husband recently, who manages to drum for Level 42 and plays keyboards with John McGlaughlin… and I always enjoy working with my Hungarian friends Djabe. I’m planning on a solo album release in the autumn and with my electric band I’ll be touring in Europe and the UK at that time. I hope to come to the States next year.

LATP:  Some of your early commercial videos such as The Show, How Can I and Cell 151 have made it on You Tube. Fans in the United States in particular have probably never seen these. Any previous videos yet to be broadcast on the world-wide-web?

SH:  I have to be careful for legal reasons. It’s not possible to go jaywalking here at this point!

LATP:  With so many things on your plate, what do you like to do outside the music business and do you have any plans to strap on a hang glider and jump off a cliff in Brazil again?

SH:  I’ve tried hang gliding, scuba diving, riding horses and powering speed boats, but right now I’m enjoying extremely dangerous guitar work! I love exploring. The Mojave Desert is one of the most beautiful natural gardens on Earth. I love visiting exotic places such as Sarajevo with its two hundred minarets, Penang Island’s extraordinary Buddhist temples… Standing right next to the Sphinx in Egypt inspired me to write a whole new guitar tune there and then on the spot. Time traveling is a must for the musical imagination, and don’t underestimate the power of walking, even in LA!

To see what Steve Hackett is up to go to his site: www.hackettsongs.com

Atlanta’s Manchester Orchestra second album, “Mean Everything to Nothing,” on Columbia Records is everything you want a rock record to be: raw, urgent, emotional, and 100 percent authentic. “There’s nothing fake about this record,” says frontman and lyricist Andy Hull. “There’s not one fake sound on it. We recorded it live because we wanted it to sound like a band and I think it does: live and loud.” But their name is problematic for they are neither from Manchester and are definitely not an orchestra. Still their album has much merit.

Inspired by the pounding, primal assault of Weezer’s “Pinkerton”, Nirvana’s “In Urero,” and the Foo Fighters, “The Colour and the Shape,” this young band has created it’s own version of what a classic rock album should sound like, complete with fiercely beautiful melodies, shifting guitar and keyboard textures, loud/soft dynamics, and an urgency in each band member’s performances, especially Hull’s cathartic vocals.

The drama is magnified by the fact that the album’s first six songs bleed into on another without stopping. The blistering opener, “The Only One,” immediately gives way to the propulsive “Shake It Out,” and the torrential first single, “I’ve Got Friends,” followed by the anguished, “Pride,” and the menacing, “In My Teeth,” before slowing down on the darkly funny, “100 Dollars.” Then the album pauses and down-shifts into less relentless yet equally gripping territory songs from, “I Can Feel A Hot One,”(which was featured on Gossip Girl last September), to the ruminative closer, “The River.”

The breakneck pace is both exhilarating and exhausting, which Hull says was intentional. “I like the fact that there isn’t a chance during the first six songs to say anything if you’re listening to it with somebody. It’s seamless. We did that to emphasize that there are two halves to the album.” The first half is a brooding tale of teenage angst and anger – the confusion and disillusionment of growing up and becoming an adult. The second half is about redemption and an overall re-evaluation of the self. It’s about Hull beginning to realize his own words, “that things are not ok, and there’s a beauty in that – a calming, a forgiveness,” he says.

“It’s all been great,” Hull says. “but I have to say the best thing about the past year has been developing the brotherhood the five of us have. This band has been through hard times and have come out stronger that ever before. That’s what makes it worth it.” For all things Manchester Orchestra go to www.themanchesterorchestra.com or www.myspace.com/manchesterorchestra.

Deborah Gibson

Pop & Broadway Star Deborah Gibson and Ryan Black’s 88’s Cabaret want to invite you for a fun evening to benefit the Gibson Girl Foundation, with live performances, silent auction and dinner, to benefit the Gibson Girl Foundation awards scholarships to young performers.

Stars from television, stage and film will be there to share in the fun and support. In 2008 alone, Gibson Girl Foundation provided more than $75,000 in scholarships to kids in need allowing them to attend the LA Summer Camp of “Deborah Gibson’s Electric Youth” as well as songwriting intensives, recording boot camps, and the NYC Winter Camp of “Deborah Gibson’s Electric Youth”.

The silent auction will include one of a kind items from The Fray, the Jonas Brothers, New Kids on the Block, Donny and Marie, Paris Hilton and more of your favorite celebrities as well as fabulous travel packages, tickets and backstage passes to top Vegas shows, an intimate musical evening with Deborah Gibson, and more.

Tuesday, April 28th

Location:  Café La Boheme

8400 Santa Monica Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90069

Tickets on sale at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/61508, www.DeborahGibsonsElectricYouth.com and www.Deborah-Gibson.com.
 
Tickets are:

 $25 for General Admission, includes performance

$100 for Premiere, includes dinner and performance with main floor seating

$250 for VIP, includes VIP Seating, VIP Menu Selection, Performance, Private Post-Performance Meet-and-Greet with Celebrities & Electric Youth Performers, a picture with Deborah Gibson, VIP Gift Bag, & cocktails.