Spiryt the Tattoo Poet - 2015

I haven't done anything with my site in 7 years so I don't even know if blogging is still a thing, mainly because I hate staring at a computer after having stared at one for hours during the day, but the time feels right to update this now.  The last time I interviewed anyone was on July 25th 2015, I know this because I was also getting a tattoo done at the same time.  And yes it looks just as good now as it does then....all I said with this one was that I wanted an owl with an old timey looking clock.  The rest was all Spirit.

                       (this is an unedited, crappy cell phone pic, from July 25th 2015)

My write up can be found in the Fall 2015 edition of Revamp , which to my knowledge was the last one.  I also took all of the pictures on my real camera and they are all pretty unedited, no Lightroom or anything like that.(I have to note that TATTOO is spelled incorrectly, yes it has always bothered me, and no I was not responsible for that). I also took the photos of Soda City Cirque and shared them with the lovely mind behind that before including them, so I am sure I had intentions on interviewing her for a future article that never happened.

                                        

(OK so yes I just played around with this one in Lightroom and had to put it here because really, is that what the average person thinks of when they think of South Carolina)?

My intro to this article is: "Spiryt first considered becoming a tattoo artist while living in New York City in the early 2000's.  He is originally from South Carolina and has also been active in Columbia's poetry scene since the Bayou, a space the predates the infamous Red Tub.  Many of the artists that used to gather at State Street's old haunt have shaped Columbia's emergence as the South's new hot spot". 

This process and final result is 2nd only the interview I got to do with Piggy D of Rob Zombie 5 years prior, not only in how pleased I am with the result, but in the amount of time I spent researching, developing questions, transcribing, turning and interview into something that reads like an article which I struggled with, and then returning to take pictures.

I will never forget how jumpy this lady getting tattooed was.  She worked in construction so  I was talking to her about how bada** I thought that was and how my job of inspecting fire extinguishers and what not was not something many females did.  I was mainly just trying to distract her hoping the ink would wind up where it was supposed to.

The end of my article mentions The Session Live, which Spiryt hosted and where I saw one of my all time favorite live musicians, Royce Lovett , who went on to be on a very recent season of The Voice. 

                                                   "Write It On The Wall"

Spirit has since won the Best Tattoo Artist in Columbia, SC by readers of The Free Times in 2018.

And can be contacted at Tattoos by Spirit : Custom Tattoo Artist and on Instagram at tattoosbyspirit .

***It has seemed like an eternity since July 2015, when the Confederate Flag was removed from the statehouse grounds in Columbia, SC, on July 10th to be exact.  I feel like I am living in a bad dream, that one day I hope everyone wakes up from.  I still remember some of the other things we talked about while I was getting this tattoo, how I thought someone was smart enough to know that if he said something outlandish it would keep his name in the news cycle and sadly that would be enough for the average person to remember.  However, I truly felt that change was just around the corner, that history would finally be taught differently.  Other states were starting to remove symbols and I just couldn't see how hateful rhetoric would get far after the Charleston Church Shooting.  Now much of what should have never happened, but was starting to be reversed then is happening now.  Maybe like everyone that has been reserving their energy for the past 4 years, just hoping to be get thru these years are finally saying enough is enough. I know I moved home to PA because I could not shake the feeling that things were going to get worse before they got better.  I do fear that the rhetoric is indeed worse this time and the minions are more loyal.***  

My other article for Revamp was on the Music Farm Columbia but it is only partial for some reason.  I did forget about Trae Judy talking about his experience with James Brown and that he has South Carolina roots.  Mr. Judy invited me to show and I selected a solo show by Gill Landry of Old Crow Medicine Show who is probably best known for the single,"Wagon Wheel", which Darius Rucker, also of South Carolina and Hootie and the Blowfish fame, later covered as a country artist.

* My original intent with mentioning this is because Gill Landry has been giving some good lessons on what it should mean to be a white man in America on his Instagram page.  

BRidging THE Disconnect

I was asked to write something about Bridging THE Disconnect, however I wasn't really feeling it since it was my idea.  But, the other night, I watched the movie "Get Him to the Greek".  Now, I have wanted to put an idea together for a show for some time and I wound up trusting a musician who was on the Sunset Strip back when Guns N' Roses was coming up to get a graffiti inspired artist (who was doing live painting) to where I was at ON TIME.  Well, on time is a relative term when they were coming from an opening night of a solo art exhibit at SC State which is an hour or so away that ended at 8 and "start time" was 8.

 

THE Dubber

Simeon Twitty

Live Painting by: Cedric Umoja

Merch booth by Boom City: "unique graphic t-shirts for men and women". 

The university had changed the date after I had the date of March 21st for my idea, so I am thankful that everyone involved still went through with it.  I however did have Rich Owensby's song lyrics in my head that go something like, "everything that can go wrong will go wrong....".  Which reminds me that it never crossed my mind that while doing live painting, while having other things going on, that someone may need an easel.

Unfinished work by Cedric Umoja.  March 21st 2013.

 Since I have had time to sort this out in my head, it is not so much the other things as it is the equivalent to a place that calls themselves a concert venue that does not have a pa and such equipment for bands.   Apparently, a few people had already thought of Ms. Jeanne Bourque, currently undergoing chemo for breast cancer. We all decided not to ask her, but if she knew I'm pretty sure she would have wound up there in high spirits beside her other half, lugging the easel up the steps by herself.

• Donations can be sent online through Paypal at artsails@aol.com
• And mailed to Jeanne Borque- PO Box 4478- West Columbia, SC 29171

Now I know people think my interests have changed, but they really haven't.  In an area that lacks rockstars, Cedric Umoja is one and he doesn't even play music.  Yet, he reminds me of all my favorite rockstars from elsewhere.  He didn't like the show flyers because he was just painting and his picture was just as big.  So, I am sure he really liked the article that made it into the SOUND BITES section of Free Times.

For those of you reading this here is a short comparison. Cedric Umoja is to art what Jeff Shields (Stereoside, Stone Rider) is to ROCK music.  I have already done a write-up on THE Dubber.  He was just  unsettling into Columbia, SC about 5 years ago.  He is a visionary, comparable to Master Evan R. Saffer (Fixer, Evan Russell Saffer, part owner of Kave in NYC).  

THE Dubber's listening party by Kayode Photography.
March 21st 2013
Used with permission.

You see, I sold my soul to Evan and Stephen Bazzel (Uncrowned, Ghost Radio) in an empty parking lot behind what used to be called Headliners and prior to that was a hospital.  I personally don't think it was a coincidence that Cedric was at the last show Uncrowned played (with Stephen on vocals) in Columbia a couple months ago.  And I might still have my soul if there were more people than band members that night many moons ago.  You see Master Evan and Stephen have each also dabbled in poetry.  Thankfully, my soul is scattered throughout the nation instead of being sucked up in a place where many dreamers leave or give up.

I wish Simeon Twitty the best of luck in his future endeavors that include voice over school, in I do believe Utah.  There are some things all successful ARTists learn over time: there is too much business and you respect who makes the "ART".

I would also like to thank everyone that came out to the first BRidging THE Disconnect.  There were about 40 people throughout the night, including Preach Jacobs from Free Times. 40 people is a lot when you used to help a promoter and have seen all your favorite touring bands and then some play in front of less than that, shows combined.  

Boom City actually made money, which was what I was most concerned about.  Angel Lopez, the designer, who is also in at least 3 bands as well as an visual artist used to bartend at Headliners.  Somehow we never crossed paths until working in the kitchen of the Garden Deli, the old location of the stage and bathroom of Red Tub, previously a very unwritten about brothel.

Thanks to: 

• John, Missy, Bill, Reece, Ross, Mike, the one and only Stephanie Christie, Kelly, nICK, Brian, Mikki, Lindsey Martin, Mommafox, Mat, Heather, Jack, Brandon, Crystal, Eric, Hannah, Devin, Mike, Morgan, Super Squirrel, Anthony (RIP), Piggy D, and more I am sure.

• Northstar, who hosted, recorded the event, and also tried finding an art easel.

• Kayode Photography for showing up.  He is on another level. 

• Al Black, host of Mind Gravy, for scattering seeds.

• Mustafa of Izms of Art for making the show flyers.

Mustafa and Cedric Umoja's Live Art Wall at Love, Peace, Hip Hop.
Main St. Columbia, SC. April 13th 2013.

• THE Dubber who already knows.

• Mark, who first told me about Boom City and now lives in Austin, TX. The poems still hurt.  I hope you stay away from too much whiskey.

• Spiryt.......

  

THE Dubber

     I think I vaguely recall an issue of The Free Times with THE Dubber on the front.  This may have been ground breaking but then again Columbia's Free Weekly has never been my music guide.  This past spring I was indeed flipping through the publication to find something to do and came across a walking tour of  Main Street.  I had recently heard about Columbia Alternacirque but missed their performance at the Riverwalk Amphitheater in West Columbia, so as one can imagine I was stoked to see fire breathers, that I did not know existed here.

     My sweetness and I happened to wonder into The Free Times physical address and there sat THE Dubber.  At first I was thinking, yeah this is The Free Times so this is going to be some of that artsy fartsy stuff they refer to as ROCK music.  But then he started playing.    I'm not sure what to classify it as, other than it rocks.  It may not be ROCK music, but he does something that all of my favorite musicians would appreciate.  It has feeling, it has a beat.  It isn't something I envision hearing at a coffee shop.  It doesn't make me want to fall to sleep.  “Orginal Rockstar Baby!”, just has this little hop.  

            Friday night, THE Dubber, along with some special friends, played Conundrum Music Hall.  It is this cool little place that looks like it belongs in West Columbia, complete with a little side patio with odds and ends chairs and hanging flower plants (it used to be a flower shop).  The inside is like a clean concert hall with seating.  The crowd consisted of mostly middle aged adults, so I decided to sit in the front row.  To make me feel a little bit more uncomfortable, it occurred to me that I was probably sitting where the lady with the SC Philharmonic should have been so she could have easy access to the stage.  She was there to play violin on stage with THE Dubber, which in itself is a cool story, that I am glad I witnessed for the first time. 

            Since I was so close to the stage, I decided to think like Sharon Osbourne.  The first dude needs to become more comfortable with himself on stage and stop chewing gum while singing.  I am definitely a new fan of Brodie Porterfield.  Along with technical difficulties, which actually made the performance more entertaining, he pulls the bearded look off quite well.  He also should have been nervous because I was awkwardly sitting front and center across the way from THE Dubber.  Actually I felt like I was at a wedding, yeah, those are the same type of chairs in a small concert hall.  Following THE Dubber was a not full blown version of Alien Carnival, which I realized about halfway through that the opinionated Bentz Kirby (bocelts on Twitter) is a part of.  Since I am speaking as if I am Sharon Osbourne on America's Got Talent, I would have to say that I really did not get the Mrs. Clause outfit his bandmate was wearing.  It took more away from the performance than what it offered.  Or maybe it is because I am not a native southerner or old enough to get it.  THE Dubber is just THE Dubber.  As Bentz Kirby says, 'he's the real deal'. 

            He is also preparing to go on tour and then head overseas.

http://www.reverbnation.com/thedubberrockstar
http://www.thedubber.com/
http://www.myspace.com/thedubberrockstar
http://twitter.com/thedubber

           

     Prior to THE Dubber taking the stage, who I will not refer to by his real name since he insists on calling me MsBrandy and I know way too many artists by nicknames alone, there was somewhat of a history lesson.  I'm going to venture out on a limb and say this could only happen a stones throw away from Sherman's bridge burning.  It dated back to the time period of the Civil War.  The song 'Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore' actually was written by slaves in Charleston. 

            THE Dubber, himself, is somewhat political.  He summarized the 3 page article in Sunday's The State entitled “The Civil War 150 Years Later: Old Battles Still Echo in S.C. Politics” in two or three sentences between songs.  I stopped reading this article about a third of the way through because it is the 'Same Ol' Situation'.  So on this 22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, I, MsBrandyRock, have this idea that has been brewing.  And that would be a special edition of Pub Politics.  Guests would include THE Dubber, Bentz Kirby, Doug Kendall, Eric Flemming, and any other worthy local musicians with political flair.  I just have no idea how to make this happen, but if it does, I would like to request that Otis Taylor (The State) be present and write about it.  Then of course a music collaboration would follow.

            In other words, THE Dubber should have never told me to pull up a chair and told me we were going to make something happen.  I tried explaining, while wearing some pink feather earrings that one of my customers went and bought for me at a hair store on North Main, that I have ADD when it comes to music so I'm not exactly sure what something is.  He also made me feel better about my job and life in general so, that's what's up!

~Positive Mental Attitude ~MsBrandyRock

"The Global Warning" CD @ http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/global-warning/id370761429

"In the Temple of..." CD @ http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-the-temple-of.../id194467218

Dub Nation
P.O. Box 48245
Washington, DC 20002
USA

Devin Holiday of Dirtbag Love Affair

“Nasty Blues Based Punk Rock from the Southeast”

If memory serves me Dirtbag Love Affair found me on myspace back in the days when it was a useful site. They left a comment on my page telling me I had a good taste in music and I should check them out sometime. I don't really know anyone in Charlotte, NC but felt confident I would see them playing with Sex Slaves in the future. I had no way of knowing at the time that a local “promoter” would wind up asking me for Sex Slaves contact info and promise a guarantee in the middle of them preparing for one of those lengthy tours they are known for.

As the story goes, as it got down to business the “promoter” did not respond and the Slaves were left with a gap in their schedule. I had already given Sex Slaves Rockshowbooking's contact info in Augusta, GA, knowing they had never played there and that people would make the drive from Atlanta and that Rockshowbooking is very passionate about what he does! Anyways, I sold pieces of myself to find out the best way to book a show at New Brookland Tavern. I wound up with a local band, who wound up breaking up the night before the show and not informing anyone, Dirtbag Love Affair, and Sex Slaves. It was a dark outside, the box was out, jambalya was at the bar, and the one and only Johnny Moon was present.

What I did not know was that Devin Holiday of Dirtbag Love Affiar had every reason to be a pretentious ass and could have very easily not agreed to play a show an hour and a half or two away on what would wind up being a Sunday night, for a door deal. This is the part in the story where the music starts playing and I call upon people I know will be reading this ( i.e. Big Troy of Augusta's 95 Rock). I ask you to pick up Murderdolls' “Women and Children Last” CD and read Wednesday13's thank-yous.

My favorite memory from seeing Dirtbag Love Affair for the first time was sitting at the bar of New Brookland Tavern with Angel, the rockbox, Crystal, and Sasha, and Devin walking up to Angel and getting him to play guitar mid-song. Angel's new project Durty Rockstar can be found at www.facebook.com/durtyrnfr and www.myspace.com/durtyrnfr.

MsBrandyRock: Have you ever toured the midwest before this past spring?

Devin Holiday:  This was our first time in every city that was on our midwest schedule.  And I must shout out to Tulsa and Stillwater Oklahoma for being two amazing cities on our route!!

MsBrandyRock: Out of all the crazy setbacks on the road, which is the most memorable?

Devin Holiday: We began having trouble with our transmission with about 8 days left.  Somehow we kept motoring through.  We got home at 5 AM after a brutal drive from Kansas City.  I'm talking like 20 hours thanks to interstates being closed because of tanker trucks wrecking. Anyway we got home and left our gear in the trailer. The next day we go to unload it at our rehearsal room and our van won't come out of first gear!!   We are so thankful it got us to where we were though.

MsBrandyRock: Has anyone mailed the Dirtbag Love Affair banner back?

Devin Holiday: No we have not seen the banner.  Funny story though with that too... Our singer had a childhood friend in Austin ( shout out to Matt for housing us).  He came to the show and wound up catching the eye of the bartender at the club we played. And even after going on a date with her and having her scour the club neither Matt nor the bartender or anyone at the club could find our banner.  It was one of the more hostile clubs we played.  Even amongst bands we were the outsiders. So we have our theories that the other bands didn't give a shit if they found our banner or not.

MsBrandyRock: You were near my hometown in October. I have never heard of The Smiling Moose in Pittsburgh, PA. Should I tell me parents to check it out?

Devin Holiday: It was simply the only club open to having a band on a Monday night in Pittsburgh. And we were there so briefly we can't give it an honest review.  An ex of mine who used to live in Pittsburgh always mentioned it. So I think it's a cool watering hole for the locals mainly.

MsBrandyRock: Your next show is June 18^th at The Money in Rock Hill, SC. Any more future dates in the works or anything you want to say about that show?

Devin Holiday: The show on the 18th is a benefit for cancer research.  Everyone has been affected by cancer it seems but for us it hit very close. Davies Dirt's little sis lost her battle while only 18.
And yes we are beginning to focus on some regional shows for the end of summer.

MsBrandyRock: Where can fans who have not been to a live show purchase “Wakin Up in My Chucks”?

Devin Holiday: We are of course on iTunes and amazon, napster,  and all such digital download sites. As far as getting a physical copy come to a show, hit up CDBaby.com, or our website.

MsBrandyRock: What is up with the bubbles?

Devin Holiday: Hahaha.  That is everyone's favorite line!
We recorded our second live show ever just to get some music out to the public.  The club we were playing at had great lighting and smoke and other things. One of those things was a bubble machine that we did not know of until halfway thru the set. What you hear on CD is our exact reaction when we got showered in bubbles.

MsBrandyRock: What does an unhealthy obsession with music entail?

Devin Holiday: Ruining everything else in your life just to pursue music.  Ha
Seriously though I am known for rambling and could go on with an answer for this for an hour!
I've sacrificed, given up on, and turned down many good things in life just to pursue this dream of playing rock n roll for a living. And let's just say that wasn't always the smartest choice for me.

MsBrandyRock: What bathroom was the picture in the About Us section of the website taken in?

Devin Holiday: Mine was taken in the Trash Bar bathroom in Brooklyn NY. I think Davie Dirt's was in Wonderland in Richmond VA tho I could be wrong.  It's become a ritual for us. We take a pic of someone in the band on the toilet in ever club we play when we go on tour now.

MsBrandyRock: So I am somewhat curious, what other career choices did you flirt with in the past?

Devin Holiday: None!  I went to school for music business at James Madison University and considered something on the suit and tie side of music but couldnt do it!  I had to be on stage and create.

MsBrandyRock: Why didn't you go on tour with Wednesday13 when asked? What project was it for?

Devin Holiday: Many people don't understand my reasoning behind this and it is no disrespect to Wednesday at all!!!  But joining his band would be the same to me as being in a tribute band or cover band because I'd be playing someone else's songs. And they are great songs. I've always loved the whole mentality that Motley Crüe had where the band was a gang and not just a band. So I am very die hard about playing in a band I helped create and mold from day one  Wednesday once told me that if he hadn't met Piggy D I was next on his call list for his first album after the Murderdolls.  If I'm not mistaken though I believe he asked me about playing bass for the Fang Bang album and again later on that tour he offered the guitarist spot when he was considering a lineup change. I think I was also offered a role in Gunfire 76 but that was a hazy period.

MsBrandyRock: What is the NoDa?

Devin Holiday: NoDa is the bands neighborhood in Charlotte. It is centered on North Davidson St. It is the arts district and the coolest little tight knit community in the world!  Every member of the band lives here. Three of us live in the same building even!

MsBrandyRock: Ok so I have this bag of random questions. And yes it is actually random. Would you sell you soul to the devil?

Devin Holiday:  It all depends on what I get in return. 

Dirtbag Love Affair's Official Site can be found at http://www.dirtbagloveaffair.com/

Upcoming shows include:

Friday July 8th: The Chop Shop, Charlotte, NC

Friday August 5th: The Chop Shop, Charlotte, NC

Thursday November 3rd: Dirtbag Love Affair with Wednesday13 Tremont Music Hall/The Casbah, Charlotte, NC


Twitter: @drtbgloveaffair

ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/dirtbagloveaffair

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dirtbagloveaffair

Myspace: www.myspace.com/dirtbagloveaffair



All pictures found on Dirtbag Love Affair websites.

Doug Kendall of Downcount (Part 1)

MsBrandyRock: I am here with Doug Kendall of the band Downcount. How did you come up with the story behind the name Downcount?

Doug: That was actually Eric’s idea. He had had that name for a while.

MsBrandyRock: And Eric plays guitar in the band right?

Doug: Yes. We had actually weeded everything down to two names. One that I liked and one that Eric liked. And we flipped a coin to see which one we were going to use and I actually won the toss, so we were going to call the band something else. But then I thought about it and said look man your name is probably better from a commercial stand point. I have it written down somewhere but, I actually forgot what it is, but I might resurrect it one of these days. To me the name Downcount has a lot of things you can take from it. We are a very pro freedom band, very in your face about our passion for freedom and getting Uncle Sam out of our lives.

MsBrandyRock: So you are counting down to when Americans will actually have their freedom?

Doug: hahaha we’re counting down to the REVOLUTION! We may be down but you can never count us out!

MsBrandyRock: That could be a good slogan for a shirt or a show or something. Speaking of shirts….”collectivists I resist meaning”. What is a collectivist?

Doug: Yes, that’s one of our song lyrics. Collectivists are the people that want us all to be one kind of collective world. One kind of group think, go with the flow, and I am not that way. I believe in individuality, I believe in being yourself, being true to who you are. And I don’t believe in following any kind of group think just because some group or political party or persuasion thinks I should go this way or I am nuts. I just don’t buy into that. I am who I am and that’s what this band is about. Being yourself and standing up for what you believe in. Fight for your freedom, fight for your individuality and don’t let anyone push you or bully you into doing something you really don’t feel is true to who you are.

MsBrandyRock: And a lot of who you are comes out in the fact that you had your own political talk radio show, so you are used to talking about it. How long did that last?

Doug: I was in radio for about five years and I was on three different AM stations in the Columbia area. I had a blast with that and we were one of the top rated shows in our market and had listeners all over the world on the internet. It was wonderful, it was great, and we would have people calling in from the Netherlands. We would beat politicians like rugs, I mean, somebody here in South Carolina made a mistake…..

MsBrandyRock: Well that’s what I was going to say, how a lot of politics are in South Carolina….that you actually had local politicians calling in willing to speak to you?

Doug: Oh yeah

MsBrandyRock: And them knowing what the show was about and actually listening to it before hand?

Doug: Absolutely. I interviewed the governor a couple of times, Mark Sanford. And Jake Knotts came on the show.

MsBrandyRock: Really what was that like?

Doug: I beat him up and he wouldn’t come back on again, so that was a one time deal. Joe Wilson would never come on the show, his handlers kept on canceling on me and I finally….

MsBrandyRock: His handlers? Sounds like a circus.

Doug: Yeah pretty much. It got to the point one time that I called his office back and said look I will clear my schedule for Joe Wilson, you just tell me when he can make it and I don’t care if I have the Pope coming on. And they never got back to me, I just knew they were not going to let him come on my show.

MsBrandyRock: Give my one sentence definition of what true freedom is to you.

Doug: Not being under submission to a dominating force. That’s about as pure as it gets. When you have to go out and buy a license before you can start your own business or you have to get a permit before you can add onto your house or put a swimming pool in your backyard…………

MsBrandyRock: So your idea of true freedom does that go into the idea of Downcount’s CD title, “Soundtrack of a Revolution”?

Doug: If that’s what it takes, so be it….in some places like Florida they have neighborhood codes where you can only paint your house according to certain color schemes. Even here in the Columbia area, with the zoning in Richland County they want you to have certain vegetation and you can’t put a satellite dish where its visible from the road because someone might look at it and say oh that doesn’t look good. I mean we’re talking freedom here and if I can’t put a satellite dish on my house we don’t have freedom in America. That’s one of the things we are fighting against. If someone comes at me and they are going to use force against me either harm my person or take my will because I didn’t get my permission from them, that kind of thing, I’m prepared to fight. That’s called self defense. Fighting against the government is not terrorism. Self defense is not terrorism.

MsBrandyRock: Yeah terrorism is completely different than freedom of speech and freedom of life. You’re a voluntarist. What is that? I went to school to be a political science teacher and I have never heard that before.

Doug: A voluntarist believes that all things should be done by choice. All relationships should be voluntary. If there is force involved, if you initiate force in a relationship it’s not a voluntary relationship. It’s immoral, unacceptable, and that’s basically what the government has with us. They tell us how we can live, where we can live, where we can build, what we can eat, what we can say, what kind of jobs we can do….

MsBrandyRock: Don’t you think it could be a whole lot worse though?

Doug: It’s going to get worse, I believe before it gets better….There are a lot of people online that are realizing this and there are a lot of networks building, across this country, across the world with people who realize that things are not the way they are supposed to be. And if it comes to it we are going to fight. But I don’t ever want to see that happen.

MsBrandyRock: People call you “Chug” as a nickname. Does that come from all this political stuff?

Doug: haha no that comes from Eric. This originally started out as my solo project, but we turned it into collaboration, a partnership, a band project. I had told him when I first approached him to play guitar that I wanted to bring chug rock back. Nobody really chugs it out anymore, its all dual leads, and thrash and fast and speed. You don’t really here people just ch ch ch chugging it out, that low string just chugging on it, chugging it out. So instead of Doug he started calling me Chug.

MsBrandyRock: “Soundtrack of a Revolution” is that a full length CD or is that an EP?

Doug: Full length, 12 songs.

MsBrandyRock: What is your goal with that? Are you signed to an indie label right now or what is your ultimate goal as far as the CD goes?

Doug: Actually Eric and I are business partners. And we own the record label, Tensided Records.

MsBrandyRock: Are there other bands signed to that in Columbia, SC?

Doug: No, mainly for us, I wouldn’t be opposed to working with other bands. I’m all about the message; of course I would love to be successful. To live comfortably would be nice. Do that full time and just be able to concentrate on the creative process and spreading the message. That’s what I got into music for was the message and that’s what I got into radio for.

MsBrandyRock: Yeah people who get into bands just to be “rockstars” and want to get played on the radio; those are the ones that aren’t successful because that happens like one in a million.

Doug: Airplay is great because that is how you spread your message, so we try to promote ourselves, network and that kind of thing, so we can help get the message out to people. I’m not opposed to working with a major label, but that is not necessarily an end goal. There is a lot of crazy crap going on with the music industry right now.

MsBrandyRock: And chances are as political as your lyrics are there probably wouldn’t be a major label that wanted you.

Doug: And you know what I could care less. The contract would have to be good anyways and most of the times they are not.

http://www.downcountband.com/

***********************************************************************************

I would like to toot my own horn and say that I found the above picture I took while preparing for this interview on Downcount's website, this interview was never intended to be transcribed, but I have decided to post it since I do have it.

Jack Andrad (Uncrowned) & Random Questions

MsBrandyRock: I found out a lot of ‘things’ about Uncrowned that I did not know while doing some research. Songs have been featured on MTV’s The Real World. Do ya’ll think this helps gain fans or people just hear a song and that’s that?

Jack Andrad: I think it helps, people hear the song and look it up on line, it definitely doesn't hurt

MsBrandyRock: Like subliminal messaging?

Jack Andrad: Sure, whatever helps get the word out, ha ha

 Photo by Mikki Stacks (Sunday's Dreams) taken in Columbia, SC

MsBrandyRock: What is in the glass in the picture on Uncrowned’s website? www.uncrowned.com

Jack Andrad: Ahh yes, that would be Vodka and cranberry

(Random Question out of my bag ha ha) (Tuna) Do you believe in love? No

MsBrandyRock: One thing that caught my eye is how the band got its name. So how did the name come about?

Jack Andrad: The name came from one of Charles Bukowski's poems about a fighter, it seem to fit so we embraced it.

MsBrandyRock: I looked up definition of uncrowned and it said “having the power or influence of a monarch or other prominent figure but not the title”. I personally think that is fitting.

Jack Andrad: I actually had not heard that definition, I like it!

MsBrandyRock: What was it like traveling 70,000 miles and playing 120 shows in 2007?

Jack Andrad: Well, we're still doing it, we actually have increased the miles and the shows since. We love being on the road, if you are a serious band, you're either on the road, writing music or recording.

MsBrandyRock: Did this have an impact on becoming the 14th most requested band overall at Sirius Octane for the 1st half of 2008.

Jack Andrad: I think touring has a tremendous impact with the fans, if you put on a great live show, it doen't go un-noticed, spread the love, is what I say.

MsBrandyRock: Did ya’ll put out the EP on your own? And can fans online still purchase the EP?

Jack Andrad: We did, fans can come to shows or purchase online from our website.

(Random Question 2): (Scott) What are you plans for tonight?

I'm going to hang out and check out Morgan Rose's (Sevendust) new drum kit, he's recording next door to us.

MsBrandyRock: Is Uncrowned now officially signed to Bieler Brothers or is it some sort of distribution deal?

Jack Andrad: We are officially signed to Bieler Bros.

MsBrandyRock: Since people are asking, I feel I know why, but what is taking so long to release ‘Last Bit of Good and Evil’?

Jack Andrad: Well, being green as far as a record deal is concerned, we ran into some misunderstandings with the label, also we wanted to increase the amount of songs, and give the fans premium quality.

 Photo used with Jack's permission.

(Random Question 3): (Jack) What’s your favorite album/CD?

I think it would probably have to be The Verses by Slipknot.

MsBrandyRock: Uncrowned is defined as modern edge. How is this self titled and did you come up with it?

Jack Anrad: Modern Edge Metal is a moniker I came up with while trying to describe our sound to people, everyone always asks the dreaded question "So, what do you guys sound like?" That was my answer.

MsBrandyRock:Where ya’ll actually mentioned during The American Music Award’s broadcast on TV as being one of the 10 Hottest unsigned bands as chosen by CMJ and Dick Clark?

Jack Andrad: Indeed we were.

MsBrandyRock: Whose instrument is on display in Hard Rock Cafe’s memorabilia collection? Do you know who the only other unsigned band is/was?

Jack Andrad: One of the Gibson Les Pauls from my collection.

(Random Question 4) (Stephen) What is your shoe size? 9 1/2

MsBrandyRock: I remember the first time I drove to Atlanta after seeing ya’ll live, in the Spring of 2009, and I was so excited because I had the radio on and “Remember Your Ghost” came on. Is it a huge deal to bands from Atlanta to get radio play in Atlanta?

Jack Andrad: It really is a big deal, Atlanta is in the top 10 radio markets in the country, it's very though nowadays for a (Then Unsigned) band to get that kind of radio play.

MsBrandyRock: What do you wish would happen with regular radio?

Jack Andrad: I wish they would quit being pussies and take some chances, break new bands, introduce new music to the masses, in my opinion that is why radio came to be anyway.

MsBrandyRock: What was it like recently playing Uproar Fest with Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Sour, Hell Yeah, Halestorm….?

Jack Andrad: That was an awesome concert, thousands of people. The part that sticks in my mind was cooking steaks and hotdogs with Vinnie Paul from Hell Yeah after the show, that dude is RAD!

(Random Question 5) (Stu) What were you in a past life?

Lol, mmmhh I don't have any clue, probably a fly on the wall of the dressing room in which the thong was invented ha ha

MsBrandyRock: If Uncrowned could pick the perfect line up for the perfect tour what three bands would they be and why?

Jack Andrad: Ohh tough question, I think we would love to play with very successful bands that we love, while maintaining sonic sense. My choices would be, Slipknot, Avenged Sevenfold and Bullet for my Valentine.


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Special thanks to Jack for making me realize no one has ever taken me on a picnic.

Crushing Juliet "Press Release"

Crushing Juliet Adds Second Guitarist, Rounds out Five Piece Lineup

We're excited to announce that Mike Lovelace Jr. is the final piece of Crushing Juliet's fresh and on target sound. 

Mike brings past experice from time spent writing and album with Egpyt Central, as well as experience on the road touring with Joan Red.  We invite fans of these previous endeavors to take a listen to Crushing Juliet. 

Sunset Records/Interscope Artist, Crushing Juliet can be found at http://www.crushingjuliet.com/ , as well as on iTunes, Reverbnation, myspace, facebook and twitter.  Please mail inquiries to media@crushingjuliet.com.

~Edited by MsBrandyRock