2023

Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew headline Napa NYE show as Remain In Light

Eddie December 19, 2023 No Comments

Far from a tribute band, Remain In Light is ready to headline a special New Year’s Eve show in Napa, December 31.

Original Talking Heads member Jerry Harrison and touring member Adrian Belew have been gigging incessantly in 2023 playing as Remain In Light, a show in celebration of the band’s iconic record of the same name released in 1980.

Not only was Talking Heads’ album ‘Remain In Light’ a commercial success, it also served as a conveyance for the entire band to delve deep into both world and electronic music. Just when their fans thought it was David Byrne who was doing all the heavy lifting, members Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz proved to outside critics it was the sum of all their efforts that made the band what it was.

For those not privy, this was also the entry point for the now 73-year old guitarist, Adrian Belew, as a contributing force on the actual record and, again, onstage as part of Talking Heads’ now larger, nine-piece live troupe. To say his contributions were enormous was a great understatement, as his live playing brought a wholly different dimension to the band. As an aside, he also ended up playing on Harrison’s first solo release, “The Red and the Black,” in addition to David Byrne’s “The Catherine Wheel” soundtrack, an addendum to the Twyla Tharp dance piece. Those wishing to see Belew’s live contributions with Talking Heads can check out the band’s “Live In Roma” DVD as well as the live album, “The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads.”

The Bohemian caught up with Talking Heads’ always magnanimous keyboardist and guitarist, the now 74-year old Jerry Harrison, in anticipation of their four-date West Coast run which includes a show at Napa’s own JaM Cellars.

Bohemian: Talking Heads have released eight albums. What about “Remain In Light” did you feel deserved such a proper live treatment?

Jerry Harrison: “Remain In Light” was a turning point in Talking Heads albums as well as music in general. The inclusion of many more instruments, singers, and percussion as well as the influence of African pop music and Fela (Kuti) in particular made the album very different. The touring band that I put together for that tour was incredibly special particularly because Adrian Belew is such an original and unique player. Both Adrian and I found the YouTube video of our concert in Rome in 1980 to be quite special and we decided that we should use that concert footage as a blueprint for our tour.

Bohemian: Adrian Belew is such a talented singer and guitarist as well as a live toour-de-force. Besides playing live together, are you and he closer now?

Jerry Harrison: Adrian and I have remained friends since we first met. I grew up in Milwaukee and started splitting my time between New York and Milwaukee so I could take care of my mother. Since I was spending so much time there, I looked for the best recording studios to pursue my solo albums and productions. One of the studios was Royal Recorders which had been the Playboy Records recording studio at the Playboy Resort in Lake Geneva,
Wisconsin. The resort fell on hard times, but Ron Fajerstein, a diamond dealer from Chicago, bought the studio and equipped it with more equipment than any single studio in the world.
It was the world’s largest SSL (Solid State Logic) board and had four multi-track records in one studio. Adrian moved up to Lake Geneva to use the studio and his engineer became one of the house engineers. We would hang out together and he would play on many of the projects that I brought to Royal. We both later moved away, but continued to get together if we were in the same town at the same time. This tour has let us spend months together rather than evenings, so we are now fast friends.

Bohemian: You’re quite the ambidextrous player and skilled at keyboards, guitar, and piano. Did your parents believe in your musical endeavors?

Jerry Harrison: My parents were generally supportive. My mother was a painter and my father had been a musician when he was in college. They understood the pull and the call of the arts.

Bohemian: There’s only a handful of Remain In Light shows left this year. Do you plan on more in 2024?

Jerry Harrison: We will have played close to 50 shows in 2023. We have shows booked in 2024, but I don’t know how extensive it will be. We would like to bring this show to other continents. Hopefully we can make that happen in 2024.

Bohemian: You produced a lot a great records including Ireland’s own Fatima Mansions. What do you remember about working with them?

Jerry Harrison: Gary Kurfirst, Talking Heads manager and the founder of Radioactive Records, asked me to go work with the Mansions. I was only supposed to do a few songs, but when I got to London, I realized that they wouldn’t have enough songs for an album if I only did a few. They were a bit dispirited. I remember our rehearsals in a drafty rehearsal room in East London where we kept having to put in shillings to run the heater. They were great players and we worked quickly and were able to record enough songs to complete the record. I think “The Loyalizer” is just an amazingly powerful and hard hitting song.

Bohemian: How were your experiences producing other highly revered bands like The Verve Pipe, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Creeper Lagoon, and The Bogmen?

Jerry Harrison: Each of these bands is its own story.

Regarding The Verve Pipe, their previous albums had been quite lush with complicated vocal harmonies. Brian (Vander Ark) had written some wonderful songs that brought them into the “alternative” category. To a degree, I had to protect the simplicity and directness of the songs from too many layers and overdubs. I know it was a bit disappointing to many of the band members because they were full of ideas, but it was a success so I think I was right in my approach.

As for Kenny Wayne Shepherd, he had heard the version of “Boom Boom” that I had produced for Big Head Todd and the Monsters. We’ve made at least six records together, but the first one, ‘Trouble Is,’ remains the most successful as it included his biggest hit, “Blue On Black.”

I wish I had been able to produce the whole Creeper Lagoon record. A fantastic band with great songs. I think it’s a masterpiece still yet to be discovered.

The Bogmen were another fantastic band that didn’t fit with their label’s expectations. It’s
well documented in Lonn Friend’s upcoming book.

Too many stories to tell.

Bohemian: Who are the current members of Remain In Light?

Jerry Harrison: Most of the musicians who have joined Adrian and me were in the band Turkuaz, who I produced. The band is Shira Elias (vocals), Sammi Garrett (vocals), Craig Brodhead (guitar and keyboards), Chris Brouwer (trumpet and keyboards), Greg Sanderson (tenor sax), Michael Corubba (drums), Josh Schwartz (vocals and baritone sax). Julie Slick from Adrian’s trio (bass guitar), and Yohuba Garcia-Torres (percussion).

Bohemian: ‘Naked’ was the band’s last record and, in my opinion, the best Talking Heads release. The amount of guest musicians was staggering. Did you know when you started that this could be your last?

Jerry Harrison: I don’t believe “Naked” ever got the attention it deserved. It would have been amazing to have brought all those musicians on a tour. It was really fun to record in Paris and to be surrounded by so many wonderful West African musicians who we had been inspired by.

As for did I know it would be the last album, no. That said, without touring, it seemed inevitable that we might drift apart. I think we could have continued to have make wonderful records together after ‘Naked.’ Everyone in Talking Heads is very creative and as cool as our solo work is, there is something very special when all four of us work together.

Remain In Light play Sunday, December 31st at JaM Cellars Ballroom located at 1030 Main Street in Napa. Punk rock legends X open the show. Doors open at 8pm and the show kicks off at 9pm. Tickets range from $89 to $199 advance and can be purchased at www.jamcellarsballroom.com. Ages 8 and over are welcome.

(North Bay Bohemian)

BURNING WITCHES, an all-female- power metal band from Switzerland, to play a special show at Old Roseville’s Goldfield Trading Post. December 17.

Eddie December 13, 2023 No Comments

Although there are only 10 dates on Burning Witches’ abbreviated US tour, the buzz created by their latest album on Napalm Records, ‘The Dark Tower,’ is undeniable. Roseville is one of the last shows on the docket and, more than likely, the only chance Sacramentans will be able to see them for the foreseeable future.

For the better part of 8 years, these metal maidens have flown the flag for DIY heavy metal bands by releasing their debut self-titled record in 2017 through crowd-funding efforts on Pledge Music. Even without the help of a reputable label, the band managed to land at #73 on the Swiss charts. Their hard work would soon pay off and land them a coveted record deal with Nuclear Blast where they released 3 full-lengths and two extended plays.

For those lucky enough to catch the band in 2022 on their first US tour with the all-female Iron Maiden tribute, The Iron Maidens, the upcoming show seems like the perfect bookend for 2023.

Musically the band has drawn comparisons to such disparate heritage acts as Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Judas Priest and Accept. Upon further inspection, it seems there are many other heavy metal acts that could be referenced on ‘The Dark Tower’ such as Warlock and W.A.S.P. (the band even included “I Wanna Be Somebody on its latest). Standout tracks from the 2023 release include “Arrow Of Time,” “Heart Of Ice,” and the furiously-paced “Unleash The Beast.”

Since forming in 2015, they’ve amassed quite the following both at home and abroad. Today the band is anchored by original members Romana Kalkuhl (guitars), Jeanine Grob (bass), Lala Frischknecht (drums), and rounded out by mainstays Laura Goldemond (lead vocals) and Larissa Ernst (guitars).

Burning Witches play this coming Sunday, December 17th. Also on this heavily stacked all-ages bill are locals Cemetery Legacy and Black. Doors open at 7pm and the show kicks off promptly at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased at goldfieldtradingpost.com for $22.50 advance or take your chances at the door. Goldfield Trading Post is located at 238 Vernon Street in Roseville.

Burning Witches also play Saturday, December 16th at Virginia Street Brewhouse in Reno, Nevada with support from Judas Thieves (Judas Priest tribute). 21 and over only. Tickets at renobrewhouse.com

(Capital Chaos TV)

Black Sabbath, Ozzy tribute ‘Sweet Leaf’ performs Christmas shows

Eddie December 4, 2023 No Comments

Sweet Leaf features a veritable who’s who of the local metal scene. 

Singer Lance Ozanix still leads Skitzo, one of the first thrash metal acts in the world—the band was formed in 1981—and the very first from Sonoma County. 

Guitarist Steve Smyth plays in the recently reunited Forbidden. He has done countless national and international tours, playing with the likes of Testament, Nevermore, Vicious Rumors, Forbidden, One Machine and Dragonlord. He also teaches guitar to budding students across the globe. 

Drummer Chris Newman played with Intense, one of the largest drawing speed/thrash metal bands in Sonoma County during the late ’80s. The ultra-talented bassist, Steven Hoffman, from the defunct Esseness Project, rounded out the group. Longtime bassist Dave D’Elicio will play their Sacramento Christmas show one week later.

Bohemian: How many years has Sweet Leaf been around, and how did the project get started?

Lance Ozanix: Sweet Leaf started in 1989 with the idea of being a Black Sabbath tribute. People would say I look like Ozzy, and we tried doing a few Sabbath songs, and it fit well. There were no tribute bands around at that time. In 1992, we had our first tribute show at Uncle Charlie’s (now defunct club in Corte Madera) with Long Gone Bon (AC/DC tribute), and the show went over very well. By 1994, my current band members just left and did their own thing, so I brought the idea to Steve Smyth and Steve Hoffman (who was already involved), and the team meshed pretty well. The rest is history.

Bohemian: Aside from the Santa Rosa show, how many total Christmas shows this year?

Ozanix: Just one in Sacramento at On The Y. I think that’s it. Ha! We are a once-in-awhile band.

Bohemian: Do you like playing Ozzy Osbourne or Black Sabbath songs more than the others?

Ozanix: I love the Jake E. Lee era and songs off Diary of a Madman. As for Black Sabbath songs, “War Pigs” is a fan fave, and the audience gets to sing long and loud.

Bohemian: What are your favorite Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne albums?

Ozanix: My top three records for Black Sabbath are Born Again, Master Of Reality and Never Say Die. As for Ozzy, it would be Diary of a Madman, Bark At The Moon and No More Tears.

Bohemian: How many practices do you need to shake off the cobwebs?

Ozanix: Very little. Check this out. When the pandemic hit, we stopped playing for like three years. At our very first rehearsal three years later, just a little over a month ago, we played an hour and a half without any hiccups. Amazing.

Sharing the bill with Sweet Leaf is Head Rush (a tribute to Rush) and Age Against the Machine (a tribute to Rage Against The Machine). Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 8pm. Saturday, Dec. 9, at  Barrel Proof Lounge, 501 Mendocino Ave. in Santa Rosa. 21 and over only. 

Tickets are $15 advance and $20 day of show and can be purchased at bit.ly/sweetleaf-23. 

There will also be a raffle with music gear prizes from BC Rich, EMG, Dunlop and Ernie Ball, with proceeds benefiting the Strides For Life Colon Cancer Foundation and American Cancer Society. For more information, visit BarrelProofLounge.com. 

(North Bay Bohemian)

The Freak Accident plays Cafe Colonial in Sacramento on Dec. 9, SN&R talks to singer ahead of show

Eddie December 4, 2023 No Comments

Experimental punk rock band The Freak Accident returns to the Cafe Colonial for another round of absurdity, inside jokes and not-so-light listening. Fans of punk, jazz, surf, power pop, and even world music will appreciate the multiple directions any given release takes them.

Led by Victims Family guitarist and singer Ralph Spight, the collective has added yet another new release to its growing catalog, “Outer Space is Boring.’ It is the band’s fourth full-length recording, available directly at https://thefreakaccident.bandcamp.com.

As evidenced by tracks like “I Hate Myself,” even though Spight and the current band take their music seriously, they continue to have themes that border on the utterly silly. Some tracks are always good for a hearty laugh.

Rounding out the upcoming bill at Café Colonial is Alternative Tentacles recording artist The Darts, as well as The Contraptions. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $17 at www.cafecolonial916.com. Cafe Colonial is located at 3520 Stockton Blvd. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts promptly at 8 p.m.

Given that The Freak Accident is still making hilariously fun records and performing them live, SN&R recently caught up with Spight for an interview.

SN&R: The Freak Accident has featured several different line-ups in the past. Was incorporating new members any harder as you got older?

Ralph Spight: No, I don’t think so. The Freak Accident just started with me writing and recording songs in my bedroom on a minimal Pro Tools rig. As I kept working on it I realized I’d need live drums so I recruited a few different drummers to lay down tracks and then several other instrumentalists to do solos, textures, etc., but for the most part I played and sang almost everything, so from the beginning it was more of a solo effort. I’d played in a band with a more or less rotating line-up in Plainfield, which was more like the jazz mentality of whoever can play the gig is in the band that night and a lot of the songs from that first record sort of lent themselves to that sort of approach.

So, the first couple of line-ups were pretty flexible and there was a bit of improv. As time went on, we sort of morphed into the first trio line-up that was some two other Plainfield members; Kimo Ball on bass and Mike Branum on drums. So the second album “Tissue Sample” sounded way more like a punk/indie band and as that line-up progressed though we also branched out into improv territory somewhat (witness the 12-minute Cheech and Chong meets Zappa jam on “Irony Man” from the “Octopus Head” EP) while also playing punk, thrash and power pop textures. After Kimo and I got drafted into Guantanamo School of Medicine we were just simply too busy to pay much attention to the Freak Accident but in 2014 I started working on new Freak songs with a new line-up of Abel Mouton on bass, who’d played in the original live line-ups and helped in the production of the first album and Eric Strand on drums, who I had played with in both Victims Family and Moto-Stillbirth previously.

This line-up made the “Tropical Depression ” EP of surf covers of Joy Division songs and the “Misfortune Teller” album. Abel left and was replaced by Henry Austin Lannan who’d I’d also known for sometime and then when Eric left we auditioned two drummers, the first guy was some dude from Craigslist who didn’t work out and the second one was Stark Raving Brad, who I’d known for years already. So really, I’ve managed to just continue to work with people I’ve already played music with in other projects for the most part.

SN&R: How long did it take to write and record ‘Outer Space Is Boring’ as opposed to earlier records?

Spight: Well, “Beautiful/Ugly” and “Self-Destruct” were songs that I started working on with Abel and Eric as early as 2017 which had made it into the live set already. After Abel left, Austin and Eric and I started working on new songs and there were quite a few riffs, songs, etc that were being bounced around that haven’t seen the light of day yet. “Outer Space Is Boring” came about around that time and some of the other songs were being worked on.

Then COVID hit and we didn’t rehearse much or really stay in touch for a whole year, and as soon as I was ready to pick it up again, Eric decided to leave the band. When Brad came in, we had the outlines of the new record but really started honing-in on the rest of the tunes and playing as many shows as we could to raise money for recording. We recorded basic tracks in late 2021 and I began doing overdubs and vocals after that in our rehearsal room, which took most of the next year and played more shows to afford mixing and mastering costs, then more of the same to afford the pressing. So really about a year and a half for the production but it had started taking shape pretty soon after “Misfortune Teller” was recorded. I usually find that I’ll write a lot after releasing a record, so at the moment we’re working on about seven new songs, so it seems like a good chunk of the next record is coming together and we’re already playing a couple of those songs live. This next set of songs seems to be more punk, more direct and very much sounds like this line-up. I’m pretty excited to see how we can get this one out a lot quicker.

SN&R: You play Sacramento semi-regularly. How did this bill with The Darts come about?

Spight: Chris (Lemos) at Cafe Colonial has been super supportive of The Freak Accident. We’ve played on some cool, unusual bills there, so I stay in touch with him pretty regularly. I was actually trying to book some other dates when the Darts thing came up and I’m pretty stoked for that, what with the Alternative Tentacles connection with them, I think it’ll be a cool show.

SN&R: What advice would you give younger musicians about starting a new, original band in today’s musical climate?

Spight: I don’t know. I think it’s really an interesting time to be in bands. It’s like the DIY model of being in a band is the way the music industry works now. The best advice I can give anyone is to stay focused on creating good music. Think about the music. Right now, The Freak Accident feels to me like being in a band with my friends like it did in my 20s, because that’s what it is. Everyone is really engaged, has ideas and is contributing and putting action into it and we’re having a great time. If I start to think about how long I’ve been doing this and thinking I should be somewhere else now, I’d just get bummed out. But we’re putting out records ourselves and every time we get airplay or get some good press or sell some records or play a good show it feels like a little victory. Little by little more people are becoming aware of us. I think the problem of doing this for a long time is that people think they have you all figured out by the time you make your second record and you never get to move beyond their expectations of what they think you should be. That’s why I keep this band going. People never know what they are going to get when we play. Which version are we going to be tonight?

(SN&R)

Death metal legends POSSESSED to play a rare headlining show in San Francisco as part of their 2023 Oblivion West Coast tour. December 18.

Eddie December 1, 2023 No Comments

Ever since the release of the band’s debut album on Combat Records, ‘Seven Churches,’ Possessed have often been credited with creating the death metal genre. Along with the other huge names in the genre, namely the sadly defunct Death and Necrophagia, their catalog has stood the test of time and still turns up on Top 10 death metal lists all across the globe.

Their second album, ‘Beyond The Gates,’ was also well received, but was marred by murky production problems. The band’s final release in 1987, the Joe Satriani-produced ‘Eyes Of Horror’ EP, would signal the band’s imminent demise until the ‘Revelations of Oblivion’ full-length on Nuclear Blast records some 32 years later.

And while the core line-up of Jeff Becerra (bass, vocals), Mike Torrao (guitar), Larry LaLonde (guitar), and Mike Sus (drums) disbanded in 1987, it’s Jeff that’s been carrying the flag ever since the band’s triumphant return in 2007 at Germany’s Wacken festival in front of 70,000 metal heads.

At present, the band is rounded out by some of the fiercest players in death metal including mainstays Daniel Gonzalez (guitar), Claudeous Creamer (guitar), Robert Cardenas (bass), and the relatively new Chris Aguirre (drums).

Capital Chaos TV caught up with Jeff as he was preparing for the start of their Oblivion West Coast tour.

Capital Chaos TV: ‘Revelations Of Oblivion’ was released four years ago and was a fine return to form recalling the band’s glory days in the mid-’80s when Possessed was playing all over the globe. How many of those songs were written years before?

Jeff Becerra: I wrote ‘The Word’ between ‘80 and ‘81 musically and the lyrics I wrote just before recording the album. It was actually a song that I was working on in my old band Blizzard that carried over. Dan (Gonzalez) and I just reworked it. The ‘Graven’ lyrics were used in another song called ‘The Crimson Spike’ which we no longer played, so I cannibalized the lyrics. A lot of ideas were thrown around by sending audio riffs back and forth via e-mail. We would just pick the best ones that fit the best and sort of Frankenstein them together.

Capital Chaos TV: I first saw Possessed at the Petaluma Vets Hall with Exodus and remember later buying your demo cassette at The Record Vault in San Francisco. They were sold out, but I was told to wait 15 minutes and I would get a copy. Minutes later, that same employee came back with a freshly recorded one. What was it like having all that buzz with just a demo?

Jeff Becerra: That demo lit up like wildfire and traveled vast distances in a very, very short time. Within weeks, it was already in Europe and Asia. And even before that our live concert dubs were found pretty regularly on the underground tape-trading circuit which was prevalent in the early ‘80s. This was before the internet was really a thing or CDs even existed. Fortunately, the extreme underground scene had small pockets that really took to the band and we gained a lot of traction through that circuit. Possessed is still, at its core, an underground band and never hit the big time. However, this is my lot in life and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Capital Chaos TV: Do you plan on doing more US shows next year?

Jeff Becerra: As of right now, the only thing we have planned in the states is the Milwaukee Metal Fest, but I’m trying to get as many shows as possible booked in 2024 because I’m ready to work. If it were up to me, I would never stop touring. I love playing live shows and like hanging out with the people that support Possessed.

Capital Chaos TV: What do you do with yourself during the downtime between shows? Any hobbies?

Jeff Becerra: I’m in the process of writing the new album which should have came out already, but the pandemic held us up as it did everybody else. I’m just finishing up the lyrics now and then we should record in 2024. As far as hobbies go, not so much. Ha! I just play my bass, write music & lyrics, and watch horror movies.

Capital Chaos TV: Debbie Abono (RIP) was a force who managed some of the best Bay Area bands such as Exodus, Vio-lence, and Forbidden. What was your experience like working with her at such a young age?

Jeff Becerra: Debbie was cool. She started managing my first band Blizzard. After starting Possessed, I went back and got Larry LaLonde from Blizzard to join me. For the most part, Debbie started managing us as a favor to her daughter who was dating Larry at the time. Everybody today thinks of her as old, but she was my current age at that time. We never saw her as older. We just saw her as one of us. We partied and hung out at her house, practiced at her house, and were pretty much there all the time just enjoying our youth.

Capital Chaos TV: Did you ever approach Larry LaLonde about playing together again?

Jeff Becerra: Definitely. I text and talk to Larry all the time we’re still good friends. Larry’s the same good fella he’s always been. We have discussed him getting up on stage with us which I’m sure will happen sometime. We were supposed to do it in Los Angeles, but scheduling conflicts prevented it at the last moment. Still, Larry has told me that he’s very interested in coming up and jamming with us for a song or two. Larry and I have been friends since we were children. We started our first band, Marauder, back in 1979 and we’ve been the best of friends ever since.

Capital Chaos TV: Your former backing band, Sadistic Intent, did a wonderful job playing live with Possessed. Do you still talk with the Rick, Bay, Emilio and Ernesto? Why the band change?

Jeff Becerra: For sure. Sadistic Intent are an amazing band. Originally, we were just gonna do two shows after recording “The Exorcist” for a tribute album. We decided to do more shows and it kind of turned into a revelation and brought about Possessed’s return. We were playing in B-flat rather than 440 E standard. Technically, the songs were a lot different. The guys in Sadistic Intent soon wanted to focus more on their own band and I took that as my opportunity to really fine tune Possessed back into the 440 technically savvy band that we are now. Possessed is very important to me and playing at a high-level is crucial. I want us not only to maintain our signature sound, but to constantly progress. I went on the hunt for the best musicians I could find and now I’ve found them. I’ve been through a lot of different players and finally found what I think is the perfect combination. I got us back together in late 2006 and, in my opinion, this is the finest line-up I’ve ever played with. However, I still consider all of the artists I’ve played with as my brothers and each of them, in their own way, has been an integral part of my life and career.

Capital Chaos TV: How long after your unfortunate attack in 1989 did it take for you to fully realize Possessed needed to come back?

Jeff Becerra: In 1989, I got shot twice. The 9mm shot is still stuck in my spine and the .22 caliber one shot my right ring finger off. The doctors had to bolt it back on. It took me five years just to stabilize my mind, soul, and body. I wasn’t ready mentally then to bring the band back as my confidence was so low. Instead, I decided to attend college. During college I met a woman named Sheila and we got engaged. We also had two, beautiful children. I worked at a hospital, bought a house, and we were very happy for a decade or so. We later split amicably and this freed me up to really concentrate all my efforts on the band. It took 17 years for me to get back on track. I’m not gonna lie, it’s been a very long and hard road. Since 2006, I have essentially spent 13 years bedridden due to terrible bed sores and I’ve almost died a few times. A few years ago, I had a life-saving skin flap surgery and now I feel like this is the beginning of everything for the band. I’m really gonna try to put Possessed back on the map.

Capital Chaos TV: When do you see the next Possessed record coming out?

Jeff Becerra: I was speaking to Jaap Waagemaker from Nuclear Blast and we have decided to record in 2024. I’ve also been working with Kragen Lum from Nuclear Blast and the band Heathen. I plan to set the recording date as soon as possible. Of course, you never know what’s gonna happen so it’s best to strike while the iron is hot. So far, this new album is very different. I hope that people will enjoy it in a different way than each of the previous albums. Of course, I’m no stranger to doing anything differently.

Bay Area Interthrashional presents Possessed with Nunslaughter, The Black Moriah, and Laceration on Monday, December 18th. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $30 at https://gamh.com. A limited VIP option is also available for $50. The Great American Music Hall is located at 859 O’Farrell Street in San Francisco. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts promptly at 8pm. All ages are welcome.

(Capital Chaos TV)

ZAKK WYLDE returns to his favorite Sacramento haunt, Ace Of Spades, for a night of Black Sabbath classics.

Eddie November 27, 2023 No Comments

Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde has been busy touring with Pantera as both a headliner and main support for Metallica this past year.

As luck would have it, his alter-ego Black Sabbath tribute band is playing the area yet again. Zakk Sabbath also features bassist Blasko (Rob Zombie, Ozzy Osbourne) and drummer Joey Castillo (Danzig, Queens Of The Stone) and they will be supporting the new single “Fairies Wear Boots.”

Said Zakk Wylde about his favorite side-project, “I was playing these songs when I was fifteen at keg parties back in the day in Jackson, New Jersey. Now I’m 56 years old, and I’m still playing Black Sabbath songs. Except there are a couple more people, and there are more kegs.”

No stranger to the Sacramento valley and its neighboring cities, Black Label Society fans will remember he played a sold out show at Ace Of Spades with Florida’s Obituary and New York’s own Prong back in October 2021. Additionally, Zakk Sabbath played back in August 2018 with the same results.

The band’s latest 7” single of Black Sabbath’s “Fairies Wear Boots” will be sold in an exclusive tour edition starting with the tour’s first show here in Sacramento. A retail edition is also available on limited edition electric green vinyl. “The music you listen to when you were a teenager pretty much sticks with you the rest of your life. It’s because you have amazing memories with certain songs that just bring you back exactly where you were” said Wylde.

Opening the show is Native Howl. Tickets are $45 advance can be purchased at aceofspades.com. Doors open at 6pm and the show starts at 7pm. Ace Of Spades is located at 1417 R Street in downtown Sacramento. All ages are welcome.

NOTE: The band also plays two area shows at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe South Shore Room in Stateline, Nevada (December 8th) and The Senator Theatre in Chico (December 9th).

Order the single here.

(Capital Chaos TV)

Bruce Cockburn headlines special evening at The Crest Theatre on Nov. 30

Eddie November 25, 2023 No Comments

Bruce Cockburn will be wrapping up his ambitious North American tour with a return to his favorite Sacramento haunt, the Crest Theatre. The 78-year-old is supporting his recently released 38th record, ‘O Sun O Moon,’ as well as playing selections from his storied catalogue.

While it’s been 53 years since Cockburn’s debut self-titled record came out, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Famer shows little sign of slowing down. Additionally, this winner of multiple Juno awards continues to have a style that varies from album to album, always showcasing his ability to play folk, jazz, rock and world influences.

About the first record that started his long and amazing musical journey, Cockburn has said, “In 1969, when I was feeling the need to record an album of the songs I’d been writing, I had no concept of what that might lead to. Not unusual for a young person, I guess. In some organic way it felt like it was time. The future wasn’t really an issue. It still isn’t. For each of us, there’s a future or there isn’t. But looking back over the arc of fifty (plus) years of recording, performing, and travel, not to mention relationships and personal challenges, I can only shake my head and mutter a word of thanks for all of it. Even if I’d been a planner by nature, I doubt I could have predicted how things have gone. And they’re still going!”

Cockburn will play a solo acoustic set this Thursday night. His shows usually feature material that covers a vast array of the human experience, including pain, fear and joy. Judging from the set lists at recent shows, the upcoming concert is sure to please, replete with encore featuring fan favorites.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8pm. Tickets start at $36.50, and go up to $74.50 for the Platinum Reserved Seating option. Tickets can be purchased at www.crestsacramento.com. The Crest Theatre is located at 1013 K Street in Sacramento.

(SN&R)

So, you wanna be a Sacramento sound engineer?

Eddie November 17, 2023 No Comments

Rebecca Sleeth runs sound for the Powerhouse Pub in Folsom. (Photo by Eliza Tootle)

How audio masters keep the beat for the city’s live entertainment 

Jeremy Ayala, an audio engineer who runs the sound boards at Hard Rock Live Sacramento, caught his first break in the industry when an audio engineer quit unexpectedly during the set-up of a blues show at Musikfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. That was back in 1995. 

“The owner [of a local sound company] hired me to mix a couple sets each afternoon so the front of house guy there could get a proper meal break,” Ayala said. “It was a perfect situation to get my feet wet.”

While being an audio engineer can be one of the higher paying jobs in the entertainment industry, it can also be a thankless and trying vocation — often with a steep learning curve. It’s the sound engineer’s job to deal with any myriad of problems that come with live shows as well as hear critiques by concertgoers who, for the most part, have little insight into handling a live mix.  

Getting Through the Door 

One important element to becoming an audio professional is where and how one learns the craft. Ayala got his start locally. Taking inspiration from a high school class taught by the late Larry Shumate — dubbed the patriarch of Sacramento State University’s theater department — Ayala said he went on to spend the next couple of years in Sacramento City College’s theater arts program learning the ins and outs of stagecraft.  

Some sound professionals get their training through hands-on experience. Rebeca Sleeth, who has handled audio duties at the Powerhouse Pub in Folsom since 2018, recalls that her own initiation into sound engineering was much different. 

“My formal training was more like an immersive mentorship under the guidance of my then-boyfriend, now-husband,” she said, adding that he was an audio tech for the Sacramento Kings at the time and helped coach her through an entry role at Powerhouse Pub.

Sleeth said the duo soon realized the demand for sound engineers — possibly in part to the return of programming after pandemic shutdowns — after getting inundated with last-minute calls from various Sacramento venues in need of sound people. Now, they are in the early stages of developing their own sound engineering business, Sacramento Sound Solutions.

John Taylor, who keeps the shows sounding pristine at Harlow’s main room in Sacramento, had a completely different point of entry: He was self-taught. He had also been a drummer for several years before turning to a sound job in 1991. “Being in these cover bands, you had to have your own PA system,” he said.

Ayala notes there’s an array of options to learn the trade, particularly becoming an intern in a working studio or opting to work an entry role at a sound company. “You’ll learn the nuts and bolts of how the systems go together,” he said. 

Sleeth thinks fear about getting into the business is normal. “If you’re first starting out, those huge bands with gear you’ve never mic’d or worked with or long input lists and stage plots can be intimidating,” she admitted. “You have to take it one step at a time.

For Harlow’s longtime soundman, Taylor, it’s as simple as stepping forward and raising your hand. “I would say go to your local club and offer yourself as an intern to start,” he said. “You could also go to a band and offer yourself. Both will work. This industry always needs fill-in engineers. And I could always use a break.”

Sounding Off

For many sound engineers, the first time running sound in a live situation can be daunting. 

“I do recall the fear of mixing a gig alone when the time finally came,” Sleeth said of her first gig. “There’s a level of behind-the-stage fright, which most people don’t understand. If the engineer doesn’t show up, the show doesn’t happen.”

Part of the sound engineer’s job also means adapting to newer equipment, sometimes at a moment’s notice. Ayala points out that “digital boards are all about learning the navigation” of what a particular manufacturer has done to essentially allow the same commands. Essentially, all mixing boards require some adaptation.  

Sleeth agrees, though notes there are generally workarounds one learns to take advantage of. “As long as you have a wi-fi connection, the Mixing Station app will transform your phone or tablet into a user interface that stays constant across various brands,” she said. Apps like one Sleeth uses help make the job easier — employing familiarity to command a sound board, regardless of the make or model.  

Taylor prefers doing sound the old-school way, by having simple verbal communication with the house employees. “If you are on tour and they have a house sound guy, you just pump him for as much information as you can,” Taylor said. “Because many of the things at the club might not be working correctly.” 

Most sound engineers, once they have a homebase, opt to stay local for personal and financial reasons. Ayala currently has no plans to tour until his children are out of high school, still a handful of years away. 

For Sleeth, the negative side of touring keeps her away from the road. “I see touring engineers for small bands come through constantly,” she said. “They’re using house gear, sometimes hating their jobs because they have to figure out different systems each night.”

And there are some sound professionals who just like staying put for different reasons. In Taylor’s case, an unabashed cat lover, his large feline brood keeps him local.

This story is part of the Solving Sacramento journalism collaborative. Solving Sacramento is supported by funding from the James Irvine Foundation and Solutions Journalism Network. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, Capital Public Radio, Outword, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review, Sacramento Observer and Univision 19.

(SN&R)

Y&T, one of the Bay Area’s longest-running hard rock acts, return for another mayhem-filled weekend at their favorite Petaluma haunt.

Eddie November 13, 2023 No Comments

While many argue which classic hard rock band still sounds and performs like their heyday, few argue that Y & T would certainly either top the list or be a front-runner. What started in Oakland, California, in 1972 eventually bloomed into a veritable headliner seemingly overnight, with its core line-up intact by 1974 and its first record in 1976. 

First conceived as Yesterday & Today, that moniker would only last for two albums before settling on Y&T for good with the release of ‘Earthshaker’ in 1981. And while many much larger acts opened for Y&T before achieving superstardom, there was little doubt who got the hard rock ball rolling in California. 

Although the band may not have been as prolific as its fans would have liked, they still managed to release 12 full-lengths in addition to several live and compilation records. In that time, they’ve also managed to sell over 4 million albums and have never relinquished their headliner status except when opening arena dates for Rush and Dio, as well as high placement on massive festivals on US soil and abroad. 

Led by original and founding member Dave Meniketti (lead guitar/lead vocals), the band today is rounded out by longtime mainstays John Nymann (guitar/vocals), Aaron Leigh (bass/vocals), and Mike Vanderhule (drums/vocals). 

We caught up with Dave Meniketti before their upcoming Petaluma gigs and let him remind us why he and the band are standing tall an astounding 49 years later. 

Bohemian: Y&T lost its core members (Joey Alves, Phil Kennemore, and Leonard Haze) many years ago yet the current line-up is still drawing sell-out numbers virtually everywhere. What do you attribute the band’s staying power to aside from the songs?

Meniketti: It’s numerous things. The performances and the commitment— the band gives their all at every show. When the fans come to a Y&T show, they know the band will bring it. 

Year after year, decade after decade, no matter the members, there is an enthusiasm the band has that can’t be faked. It’s contagious, and the fans pick up on this and know they will get more than their money’s worth. 

Bohemian: Your last studio album was 2010’s “Facemelter.” Do you think it’s plausible there will be a new album in 2024?

Meniketti: Always a possibility for a new record. Whether that is a full album or even 3 or 4 new songs. No time frame for when that will happen as of yet.

Bohemian: Do you have any anniversary shows planned in 2024 for “In Rock We Trust,” which was released in 1984?

Meniketti: Being that 2024 is the band’s 50^th anniversary, that will likely take precedence over working up an entire album to play live. Though we’ve not committed yet to any specifics, I believe the basic idea will be to play tunes from every studio record we’ve ever recorded.

Bohemian: Has the band done any full album shows celebrating ‘Earthshaker’ or ‘ Black Tiger’ in recent years?

Meniketti: Yes, over the last few decades, we’ve done shows where we played albums in their entirety within the set. We’ve had occasions where we have done either one or two entire albums at a show or tour. The records we’ve done that for are ‘Mean Streak,’ ‘Black Tiger,’ ‘In Rock We Trust,’ and ‘Earthshaker.’

Bohemian: The band seems to play mainly West Coast shows these days. Any plans to do a longer run of shows?

Meniketti: Though the band is well known in our hometown Bay Area, Y&T has been one of the hardest-working bands since the 1970’s, touring the free world for a lot of our career. The US, Canada, Japan, Europe, and the UK have been seeing the band for decades. Y&T toured the entire US in the 70’s and 80’s, and then again, yearly from 2010 through 2020, including many years with partial tours in various markets. The band has been touring Europe, the UK, and Japan since 1982, playing major tours, & festivals with bands such as AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, etc. And after a break away from touring in the ’90s, the band has been back to headlining overseas tours yearly from 2003 through 2019. Next year, we’ll be in Japan in January and then touring Europe & the UK in the Fall of 2024.
   
Bohemian: The outpouring of love and good blessings during your semi-recent health scare was overwhelming. That must have been really emotional.

Meniketti: Yes, it was very emotional and inspirational to hear such a positive outpouring from the fans when I announced my prostate cancer diagnosis. You could feel the love and support that was so important to me and my family, as well as my close friends to experience. Luckily, I was on top of it, diagnosed early, and after all the treatments, the result was a complete success. My cancer has been gone for about a year now, and is looking to likely be a non-issue going forward. Luckily prostate cancer, if found early enough and treated correctly, is a totally survivable cancer. I’m thankful to have been diligent with keeping up on my health most of my life. It’s helped make a difference.

Bohemian: The band plays regularly every year at The Mystic Theater in addition to other South Bay haunts. Do you remember your shows at The Cotati Cabaret? As a fan, those were some of your craziest shows. What do you remember about the Sonoma County venue?

Meniketti: Cotati Cabaret was a unique place, and one of the fun “different” venues we frequented over the years. One of those up close and personal venues I’ll always remember. Especially all the wood inside the venue, which you don’t always see, plus the great enthusiastic crowds in the North Bay that have continued to be with us going forward. And of course, the Mystic Theatre weekend in November every year for since 2002, except 2020 because of the pandemic. This has been a special weekend for fans and band members alike. There’s something about the Mystic & Y&T that just can’t be easily described in a short and concise way, except to say it’s magic! Because of the talk online over the years about these performances, it’s taken on a life of its own. Y&T fans have been coming out to get the vibe from the “Y&T Mystic Weekend” experience from all over the world, making this quite the happening. We hope to keep this up for a long time to come, no matter where it may land on the calendar.

Bohemian: During your days signed to A&M, do you feel like the label took care of in all departments (marketing, sales, radio, etc)?

Meniketti: A&M Europe and Japan did a much better job than the US company in understanding and marketing the band correctly. Though we have had classic recordings those days in the early to late ’80s, I would say it was a struggle to get the attention we had hoped to get from a major label. If there was one of those “What would you have done differently?” questions posed, one thing would have been to wait out for a more complimentary label for us in the ’80s. Be that as it may, we had amazing times during 1981 through 1985 and regardless of the milling support we received from them in the US, we made things happen during that time that have allowed us through to today. We are certainly not unique in that, as many bands have had similar experiences with their labels. I moved on decades ago and just look at all the positives we’ve had since we started in 1974, and there have been a ton.

Bohemian: Do you have any plans to stop playing live and retire or is the current pace of playing a handful of shows the perfect balance?

Meniketti: Have no plans to retire at this time, and the pacing will likely change from year to year as we transition back into a fairly heavier touring schedule next year, since the pandemic repercussions slowed everyone down for a few years. We will take stock after the 2024 shows and look to find the perfect balance of shows we will feel comfortable playing each year going forward. It’s in the blood, we’re lifetime musicians and stopping seems highly unlikely as long as the band can continue to play at its current capacity. Stay tuned.

Y&T plays two nights at The Mystic Theatre: Friday, November 17, with support from Aaron Leigh, and Saturday, November 18 with support from John Nymann. 

Doors open at 7 pm and the show kicks off at 8 pm. Tickets range from $42 to $55 and are largely sold out, but a few may be released day of show at mystictheatre.com. The Mystic Theatre is located at 23 Petaluma Blvd. North in downtown Petaluma. 21 and over only.

(North Bay Bohemian)

Prog rock guitar giant, STEVE HACKETT, to return to the Bay Area for one night only. November 14.

Eddie November 4, 2023 No Comments

Since October 3rd in Montreal, Steve Hackett and his band have been touring the US and its neighboring country of Canada.

Photo credit to Lee Millward

For those not in the know, he’s dubbed the current US run ‘Genesis Revisited: Foxtrot and Fifty + Hackett Highlights Tour’ which features Genesis’ heralded 1972 release, ‘Foxtrot,’ in its entirety. And while the tour ends on November 18th in Los Angeles, Bay Area fans will be treated to a show at one of the city’s finest venues, The Palace Of Fine Arts.

Although Hackett’s time with Genesis was short-lived (only six years), his body of work can also be heard on such records as ‘Nursery Cryme’ (1971), ‘Wind And Wuthering’ (1977), and fan favorites ‘The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway’ (1974) and ‘Selling England By The Pound’ (1973).

To say that Rock Hall Of Fame inductee Mr. Hackett has been prolific since his exit from Genesis would be a gross understatement. With over 30 records (studio and live included), his fans are never at a loss for new solo music or newer takes of his former band’s storied catalog.

Drawing from multiple genres including (but not limited to) blues, classical, world music, and jazz, it would seem no music style is off limits. Once more, Hackett benefited from the downtime during COVID to record and release two records, the classical ‘Under A Mediterranean Sky’ (2021) and ‘Surrender of Silence’ (2021).

Capital Chaos TV caught up with Steve during his current tour and got the lowdown on the band’s current tour and more.

Capital Chaos TV: You’ve toured all over the world. Any countries you’ve encountered over-enthusiastic fans? Favorites?

Steve Hackett: Fans all over the world are wonderful! USA crowds at every show so far have been wildly enthusiastic which is phenomenal for both the band and me. It gives us a great buzz and helps the show to totally take off like a rocket!

Capital Chaos TV: The current tour features yet another important Genesis album as well as your solo cuts and other odds and ends. How do you go about making a set list? Does it ever change on tour?

Steve Hackett: I choose the best material in the first place, and I add both solo and Genesis favorites. I also insure there are numbers in there that people haven’t heard for a while, including hidden gems. If we play more than one show at any particular venue, then we change the set a little so those who come twice get something different each time.

Capital Chaos TV: Who are your sponsors and how long have you been with them?

Steve Hackett: The sponsors are the fans and also agents and promoters, many of whom I have known for several years.

Capital Chaos TV: Your band really delivers live. I actually booked the band in Sacramento at the Crest on the 2019 run. How did you come to choosing the line-up we see and hear today?

Steve Hackett: I’m glad you loved the show! I always choose the best musicians. But it’s also important that they work together as a great team. The line up I have now is fantastic in every sense!

Capital Chaos TV: Surrender Of Silence’ was your last record. Do you have songs that didn’t make the record or a batch of new ones for a follow-up?

Steve Hackett: All the songs I recorded at that time did make the record which I was really proud of, but since then I have recorded a whole load of tracks for a new album, which will be released very soon!

Very limited tickets are available for $49.50 with closer tiers topping out at $89.50 and can be purchased at https://palaceoffinearts.com. A small handful of tickets also may be released day of show. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm. All ages are welcome. The Palace Of Fine Arts is located at 3601 Lyon Street in San Francisco.

(Capital Chaos TV)