Farewell

It could have ended because I was horrible at updating, it could have ended because I offered very little even when I did post, but it's ending because the economy is in a slump and I am no longer a part of the great time that was the H-D.

Anyway, farewell music fans, I will still do the best I can for all of you!

taylor.kuykendall@gmail.com

Pop Music and How You Too Can Ignore the Depression

I don't care about the current state of our economy. I should probably feel sadness, despair or a lack of hope. I just can't do it. Not without a proper soundtrack.

In the 1930s, songs like "Brother Can You Spare A Dime" led a nation of frightened and impoverished Americans through financial hardship. It's dismal lyrics and instrumentation was a stunning portrait of the American populace. America was broke, but we were united in song.

Pop music is popular because we all love to hear the same music. It could be argued that each piece of work has something significant that makes it popular, but with so many musicians out there, the song itself is becoming arbitrary to the modern music industry. Indeed, we don't care about the song, we care about sharing an experience.

The issue is that current popular music is tightly gripping cheesy cliches a that comes with the same thematic elements repeated ad nauseum. Popular songwriters no longer look to current events as source of songwriting. As the economic crunch looms heavier and heavier on our day-to-day lives, we move away from the seemingly frivolous content of such songs. Here are some examples, drawn from today's Billboard Top 10:

10.) Ciara Featuring Justin Timberlake- Love Sex Magic

Selected Lyrics:

Baby, show me, show me
What’s your favorite trick that you wanna use on me
And I’ll volunteer
And I’ll be flowing and going
Till clothing disappears, ain’t nothing but shoes on me
Oh, baby

Why it doesn't relate: The song is overtly sexual. Not a single acknowledgment about a modern day struggles. If this was an exception and not the rule, it may be interesting. This may even be a good time for a good ol' fashion STD scare tactic in the middle of the song. Perhaps I should have sought a job in laying out soundtracks for R-rated high school dance movies, nothing else has been on the radio since the early 2000s.

Why I may have hated it anyway: I think I am missing the appeal of the shoes being left on. Perhaps it would be acceptable in the heat of the moment, but they dedicated a whole line of a verse break to keeping the shoes on! I'd be concerned if someone trying to hook up with you uses an offer to have "nothing but shoes on" as one of their predominant assets.

9.) Lady Gaga featuring Colby O' Donis- Just Dance

Selected Lyrics:

What's going on on the floor?
I love this record baby
But I can’t see straight anymore
Keep it cool, what's the name of this club?
I can't remember but it's alright, alright

Why it doesn't relate: This one isn't too bad. Lady Gaga and crew have obviously devised an ingenious economic stimulus plan: Drink 'til you pass out. Boost alcohol sales, boost bar employees and even stimulate the health care industry. Lady Gaga for President!


Why I may have hated it anyway: I hate dancing and I hate songs about dancing.

"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt.
He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would
fully suffice." -Albert Einstein

8.) Miley Cyrus- The Climb

Selected Lyrics:

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
always gonna be an uphill battle
sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
ain't about how fast I get there
ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
it's a climb

Why it doesn't relate: Sarcasm aside--not bad, Miley. Or more appropriately, not bad songwriters J. Alexander and J. Mabe. The song is about a troubling incident, but I feel as if the song is probably more about personal struggle and identity. I don't think Cyrus is talking about moving mountains of debt or climbing toward peaceful relations with North Korea.

Why I may have hated it anyway: This sounds like every piece of preteen girl pop music that has been released since Disney took over the radio.

7.) Kelly Clarkson- My Life Would Suck Without You

Selected Lyrics:

Guess this means you’re sorry
You’re standing at my door
Guess this means you take back
What you said before
Like how much you wanted
Anyone but me
Said you’d never come back
But here you are again
Cuz we belong together now
Forever united here somehow
You got a piece of me
And honestly
My life would suck without you

Why it doesn't relate: It's another cliche. Man breaks heart. Man sorry. Woman accepts man back. Feel free to rearrange the genders in the story and you have 80 percent of every song written ever. Think about it--someone somewhere in America probably put her album on a credit card. Therein lies the source of our hardship.

Why I may have hated it anyway: I don't feel sorry for men or women who lose someone they're dating, particularly if I don't know them. You're going to have to dig a little deeper for my sympathy. More so, I don't care that they are back together. Come on Clarkson, have a little self-confidence.

6.) The All-American Rejects- Hope It Gives You Hell

Selected Lyrics:

I wake up every evening
With a big smile on my face
And it never feels out of place
And you're still prob'ly workin'
At a 9-to-5 pace
I wonder how bad that tastes

Why it doesn't relate: Let's travel into the minds of the All-American Rejects a moment. "I want to write a song everyone can relate to! Yeah, like that feeling of schadenfreude (pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others) you get when you see a former significant other fail! I know! I'll mock her working conditions in the first verse!"

Thanks for reminding the weakened job market that you are rock stars who are not only fortunate enough to have a job, but a super-sweet one at that.

Why I may have hated it anyway: It's infectiously catchy and sounds like a slightly less cool OK Go song.

5.) Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain- Blame It

Selected Lyrics:

Girl, What ya drinking
Gone let it sink in
Here for the weekend
Thinking, we can
See what we can be if we press fast foward
Just one more round
If you're down, I'm for it
Fill another cup up
Feeling on your butt-What?
You don't even care now
I was unaware
How fine you was before my buzz set in

Why it doesn't relate: Apparently, Foxx is in support of the Lady Gaga political platform. Why are the charts filled with club music? I'm pretty sure 95% of radio listeners are in their cars. I have never seen a dance club crankin' on the FM. For real though, maybe Foxx just wanted to give everyone a scapegoat for our problems. Blame it on the Henny, bro.

Why I may have hated it anyway: I'm simply tired of the mating calls of quasi-thug, bad boys with a taste for expensive liquor passing this booty shaking junk off as music. I said it.

4.) T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake- Dead and Gone

Selected Lyrics:

Now thinking back then what a life I had
Most of that stuff, look back, just laugh
Some stuff still look back get sad
Maybe my homeboy still be around
Had I not hit the sucka in the mouth that time
I won that fight
I lost that war
I can still see my homie walkin' out that door
Who'da thought I'd never see Philant no more?
Got enough dead homies I don't want no more

Why it does relate: Well, it does. Surprisingly, this is a very poignant song. It may not relate to everyone in this world, but it certainly hits home with a lot of people who have grown up in struggle. This song is in a long line of pieces that may just be able to turn hip-hop back into songs of triumph over adversity instead of drinking and promiscuity. It may not relate to major world events, but it's certainly current.

Why I may have hated it anyway: Timberlake's vocals are repetitive and a little tiresome, but really overall, I don't think this is a horrible song.

3.) Soulja Boy Tell 'Em feat. Sammie

Selected Lyrics:

I need you in my life, yeah all day everyday I need ya
And every time I see ya my feelings get deeper
I miss ya, I miss ya, I really wanna kiss you but I can't
Six, seven, eight, triple nine, eight, two, one, two

Baby you know that I miss you, I wanna get with you tonight
But I cannot baby girl and that's the issue
Girl you know I miss you, I just wanna kiss you
But I can't right now so baby kiss me thru the phone, I'll see you later on
Kiss me thru the phone, see you when I get home

Why it doesn't relate: Another round of not so clever, coming-apocalypse-unaware drivel. On the genius side of things, the phone number mentioned above in the lyrics is a number where you can leave Soulja Boy a message. Hooray for the commercialization of what originally began as an art form!

Why I may have hated it anyway: Jealousy. Soulja Boy by far has the highest ratio of success to IQ of anyone on this planet.

2.) Flo Rida- Right Round

Selected Lyrics:

I like my jewelry, that’s always on gold
I know the storm is comin
my pockets keep tellin me it’s gonna shower
Call up my homies that’s home
Then pop in the night cuz it’s meant to be ours
We keep a fade away shot cuz we ballin
it’s platinum patron that be ours

Why it doesn't relate: Flowing cash, money galore and designer brands on everything! Isn't that nice?

Why I may have hated it anyway: You Spin Me Right Round wasn't good in the 80s and remixing it did it no favors. Then there was the whole viral video it was associated with. DO NOT LOOK IT UP (Innappropiate and gross.)


1.) Lady Gaga- Poker Face

Selected Lyrics:

I wanna roll with him a hard pair we will be
A little gambling is fun when you're with me I love it)
Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun
And baby when it's love if its not rough it isn't fun, fun
Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh
I'll get him hot, show him what I've got
Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh,
I'll get him hot, show him what I've got

Can't read my,
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she's got me like nobody)

Why it doesn't relate: I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't.

Why I may have hated it anyway: Could somebody please convince Lady Gaga to quit this inevitable conquering of the charts?

There you have it. Almost zero relationship between current events and pop music. It's all sex. I wonder if Bob Dylan cries about the radio? If Woody Guthrie would have been able to stand it?

So, until someone wakes to the world and sees that music is becoming irrelevant outside the walls of a a few dance clubs, I will not sulk in the coming depression. As far as my radio is concerned, it's not even happening.

Reflections From a Friend of a Son of a Son of a Sailor

Soon, a woman from a small town in Hardy County will give birth to the granddaughter of a West Virginian pirate. A pirate who walked her down the aisle only a few weeks ago before he traded this life for one with more beaches, warmth and daiquiris.

Robbie Taylor, 40 or 10-years-old (depending on how you count the leap year), probably never realized the impact his life made on my own. Some things were temporary, such as making it as difficult as possible to date his daughter in high school. Others would last forever, like his deep effect on my general attitude toward life.

He taught me lessons in a language I truly understood, but few others used to communicate. For example, he could have told me that culture and trends would come and go in passing, instead he ridiculed my love for the White Stripes. He could have said something about how hard it is to grow up and resist impulse, instead he showed me Social Distortion.

His perpetual force-feed of Jimmy Buffett tunes, however, probably did more for my life than he will ever know.

Rob was a man of simplicity and good-times. He loved his dogs, his dirt bikes and his relaxation. He was at his best trading stories and smiles—I still remember the way he tilted his chin back when he really smiled or laughed.

When I met Rob, I was a less-than-relaxed young teen battling the science fair racket. I wanted to be a doctor, and other than casually playing the guitar, I focused on science. The only interest we seemed to share was his daughter, but he definitely didn’t like that. Our families would go to the beach and I would staunchly resist sing-a-longs and a cappella Buffet performances on the car trips.

Eventually the man was able to spearhead a group trip to a Buffett concert. At the time, I was appalled Buffett may be the first concert I ever attended, but I admit I was excited nonetheless. It didn’t happen immediately, but somewhere during that trip, parrot-headedness became slightly appealing.

The cheesy songs about food items in paradise and the fishily cutesy songs about sharks aren’t what I am talking about. Some years down the road, perhaps I will learn Rob had a lesson in these songs as well. It is tracks like “A Pirate Looks at 40” and “Son of a Son of a Sailor” for which I am currently grateful.

I appreciate the slew of relaxing-on-the-beach jams these days as well, but it’s the aforementioned ballads that weigh heavy as I reflect on Rob’s life. He was a man I think would have been content to be rock star or a motocross champion, but he was also a man who was happy refereeing little league games and meeting at the Stray Cat Café to talk about upcoming beach trips.

The atmosphere he brought with us to Ocean Isle, N.C. was probably worth more than anything the beach itself had to offer. He belonged at the beach, he longed for something. I don’t know what he wanted, but I am not sure he did either. I think he wanted to want, and there is something strangely beautiful about that.

I think Rob saw a lot in the potential in the Buffett-lifestyle. Robbie Taylor barely saw past forty; perhaps if Buffett would have written a song entitled “A Pirate Looks at Fifty,” Rob would have held out another decade.

Yes, I am a pirate, two hundred years too late
The cannons don’t thunder, there’s nothing to plunder
I’m an over-forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late

-Jimmy Buffett, “A Pirate Looks at 40”

Rob wasn’t a Wiseman, but he was wise. The amount of knowledge isn’t near as important as the quality of it. Rob knew the most important piece of knowledge about life is to enjoy every bit of it. I’m glad he passed that along to me, because it wasn’t in any of the books I had been reading. I don’t know what his great-grandfather did for a living, but he may as well have been a sailor.

As a dreamer of dreams and a traveling man
I have chalked up many a mile
Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks
And I learned much from both of their styles

-Jimmy Buffett, “Son of a Son of a Sailor”

My last memory of Rob is fuzzy. I think we ran into each other on one of my trips home, but one of us was in a hurry. My last clear memory is sitting on his porch and trying to play “Margaritaville” by guitar tab while he sang along. It was a summer home from school and I’m not sure how I ended up at his place.

Pirates are rarely known for their parenting abilities, but Rob raised a wonderful daughter who married a wonderful man. Both will give birth to a wonderful granddaughter that would have had a wonderful grandfather. I am glad to have had the opportunity to have known him, even if I regret spending such little time with him lately.

I never would have thought he would be gone so soon. I don’t know if he’s riding some super-bike, laying on some beach, commanding some ship or just sipping on pina coladas while he is picking up shells in front of the beach house he picked out for his friends and family. I only hope that right now, Rob is smiling that smile that I will remember forever.

Yes, Rob many have been a pirate, but he wasn’t 200 years too late. Buffett was wrong about this pirate. He arrived in perfect time to touch every life he encountered, even if he had to leave early.

Rob's obituary tells a little more about a man you all should have met.

I have so much more to say about this. Perhaps I will revisit it at some time, but for now I simply can't think about it anymore. If I come back, I would love to tell you about how I think the man helped my father relax as well, how Rob helped me get my first hangover and how for a period of about two years I spent half of my life as his friend and another half scared to death of him. That's for another time, or it's just for me. Every time I hear a Buffett tune, sip on some frozen concoction or find a sea shell in the sand, I'll remember Rob.

Artist Profile: Justin Cron

Justin Cron is probably one of the most unique cover artist in the Tri-State. He is also set to play the Local Musician Showcase 2.

Cron plays modern and classic radio favorites on woodwinds. Each song swaps vocals for soulful instrumental melodies instead. Justin is one many artists playing the showcase on Feb. 21. Support your local scene!

Here is some information about Justin Cron chopped out of a page of the Dave Lavender clip book:

DAVE LAVENDER

The Herald-Dispatch

In his regular gig, Justin Cron, who is getting his degree in computer systems at Marshall University, works as a computer tech for Neighborhood Networks at the J.W. Scott Community Center.

When Cron goes home, he still plays on the computer.

No, he really plays on the computer.

Born in San Diego and raised in Missouri, the Huntington resident has mixed his passion for music and his technical savvy to become one of the biggest Tri-State-based musical stars of YouTube.

Cron's silky smooth saxophone sings on a dizzying array of 32 different pop, rock and rap songs that have garnered the 23-year-old's homemade music videos more than 500,000 views on YouTube, and counting.

Currently, Cron, who plays each Sunday in the Christ Temple Church horn section, is racking up more than 10,000 views a day.

His YouTube connection came last year when he became homesick while doing an internship from January to June in India.

"My first video was just me talking from India," said Cron, who is in his third year at Marshall taking systems networking and systems securities. "It got kind of lonely for a while. I just put one up, and when I did, I started searching YouTube and saw people were just blowing up on YouTube and becoming overnight sensations. When I got back to the U.S., I thought, well people love the tone of my sax and my style of music, but what if I started trying to relate it to songs that you never imagine a sax being played on."

Cron surfed YouTube and hit upon Tay Zonday's quirky hit, "Chocolate Rain," a song that many YouTube viewers were taking and making their own versions of.

Cron went to his bedroom, plugged his microphone into his laptop and, armed with Cool EditPro, put up his own "saxy version" of the original "Chocolate Rain," which has gotten some 33 million views.

"Tay Zonday blew up overnight, and he mentioned my video when YouTube asked what his favorite video was of someone re-doing his song," Cron said. "He said my song. ... When I put my first video on, I don't know, I got a couple thousand views in an hour and that kind of tipped me off. That was amazing. So I started putting them on as quick as I could."

Cron, who outside of Christ Temple does a few rare gigs in the area with fellow Christ Temple musician Sean Pauley, began blowing his sweet horn on a wide range of the latest hip-hop and pop songs including Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back," One Republic's hit "Apologize" that featured Timbaland and several songs by YouTube stars such as Louisville keyboardist and hip-hop artist Ronald Jenkees, whose song "Clutter" has been re-done by a bunch of YouTube viewers.

In fact, in six months, Cron's version of "Clutter" has chalked up more than 127,000 views and counting and has gotten him some great props from Jenkees himself.

"He wants me on his next album," Cron said. "He's been doing a lot. He just got done doing the ESPN theme song and has been working with Papa Roach and Weezer."

Cron said he and Pauley, who just did a gig with Dolly Parton's sister, Stella, are stoked to be introducing younger people to a broader range of what guitar and sax can do.

"When we first started doing it hearing sax and guitar, especially an acoustic piece with no vocals, was unheard of," Cron said. "We thought it would be cool to start experimenting and see what we could come up with in trying to do more 21st century songs that people can relate to like John Legend and John Mayer songs. ... We're just trying to hit on some new styles so we can show people our age that sax and guitar isn't strictly used for jazz or rock or any specific style of music. We're trying to define a new style."

While Cron and Pauley, a Marshall student studying international affairs, hope to make a CD this year, they also hope to play a few more gigs around the city as well.

This past summer, they played the pre-show at Huntington Outdoor Theatre in Ritter Park and set up and played at Empire Books and News in addition to their Sunday worship sessions at Christ Temple.

Even though Cron is letting his sax do the talking (he's not even told many local people about putting up his music videos), the musician who has been playing saxophone since he was 15 and clarinet since he was 12 wouldn't mind doing music full time someday if something good hits his inbox.

"Even five years ago you really needed to be in New York or Hollywood or at least in a bigger state where there's a lot of talent searching going on. Now, you've got all these people who used to travel all over the world chilling at the office and browsing MySpace and YouTube," Cron said. "YouTube and MySpace has opened up the world to musicians who no longer have to wait for a label to pluck them up. As long as you build up a fanbase and have a good amount of views, you can be like Ronald Jenkees, he's not signed to any labels, he's just sitting in his room, putting CDs out and selling them like mad over the Internet. We no longer have to wait for somebody to find you -- just put your stuff out there and start exposing it to the world."

New outlet for local musician CD sales

It wouldn't take very long to list everyone in Huntington that is actively involved in supporting and spreading the local music scene, but Ian Thornton is definitely near the top.

Thornton has been pushing the idea of selling local musician CD's for the past few months, and he has now kicked it off. WVRockScene already did a lengthy interview and profile of this, so here is an abstract and link to their article:

Artist, Ian Thorton, formerly of the Lovecoats, and currently booking for The Shamrock Pub and playing for Whirling Dervish, is selling CD's of local musicians at the Shamrock Pub. In addition, he is only playing local music in the backroom of the Pub. CD's will be about $8. This local champion of the Huntington Music Scene put his own money forward for this project, so make sure you support him!

WVRockScene Article

Local Musician Showcase 2

The Local Musician Showcase is coming back for the month of February. Just like last month, I have a stellar lineup in store for the Tri-State! Here's the basics:

The Gentleman (CelticPunk)
Steve Free (The Folksy Native American)
Signals (Nashville Blues Funk)
The Buttonflies (Punk infused Folk Rock)
Good Ol' Boys and A Girl (Bluegrass)
The Browning Automatics (Raw Rock)
Sir-Boy (Delicious Electronica)
Sly Roosevelt (Alternative Rock)
Ladybird (Folk Rock)
Caitlin Haught (Acoustic Folk)
Justin Cron (YouTube Sensation)

The show is 18 and up.

Date: February 21
Time: about 5 p.m.-Til 3 a.m.
Cost: $8 at the door, $5 Advance
Where: V Club, 8th St. and 6th Avenue, Huntington, WV

Article about The Local Musician Showcase

Here is a little write-up about the Local Musician Showcase from an excellent WV music blog. WVRockScene has been doing an excellent job of covering the local scene in the entire state, especially in Charleston.

Local Song of the Week #5: Attack Flamingo- Burning

This is part of a series where I pick out a song from the Tri-State area and tell you as much as I can or feel like telling you about it. More importantly, I will only post something if I can in some way provide you with the means to hear it.

Attack Flamingo- Burning

Sometime before Attack Flamingo was attacking Dido for copyright infringement on their new CD cover, they recorded a gem of an album called "No Star Could Be as Large," a concept album based around a peculiar journey to space.

The music itself is an electronic Radioheadesque arrangement of instruments and master mixdom underneath vocals that sound like a slightly less green than Billy Corgan. It's electronica that doesn't make you feel guilty--or European.

The truly impressive aspect of Burning is it's dynamic. Rarely do you find an electronic beat that doesn't repeat itself out the window. Burning is a fresh song from a fresh band. The movement of the song is quite impressive.

The secret to Attack Flamingo's ability to be graced by my favor when so many electronic bands have failed? These guys aren't failed musicians relying on computers. They are skilled musicians who use computers.

The problem with Burning is that is not intended to be listened to singularly. Go ahead. I dare you. You'll probably enjoy it, but I also bet you won't have near as much fun with the song alone as you would when the songs are butted together.



Past Song Picks

1.) Paul Callicoat- Mama's Grave
2.) Redding Brothers- Chauvet
3.) Benji Taylor - Subways
4.) Bad Employees- Bad Employees

Artist Review: Steve Free

This is something older I wrote and was published in Graffiti. I'm not recycling for the sake of recycling, I just couldn't find a link to it. It was in my archive and I feel like this is a guy you should know something about.

Steve Free—even the name sounds majestic. Yet, if all that the man had was a name, I would not waste a word of your time. Steve Free is the Appalachian Jimmy Buffet, the Native American Bob Dylan, and the friendliest musician I have ever met. After several coffee shop meetings that unfortunately have been getting too far apart, Steve Free has inspired me—to travel, to meet people, and to get in touch with nature.


The music swings about from folk ballads to island party music across his multiple albums, and the songwriting is unique and genuine. Each song is a reflection of life and love for the people and places that Free has encountered, and his perspective is often very different from many other folk writers.

One of my personal favorites is the “Ballad of Battery L,” a marching thunder of a song that weaves the tale of a Civil War company at Gettysburg. Free once told me he spent hours in the library researching the story, and was later told that even the re-enactors and historians of Battery L were impressed with his accuracy.

Steve Free is nothing short of professional every time he takes the stage. He has won a slew of professional writing and performing awards, but still plays the small venues across the tri-state area. You can usually find him at a local coffee shop, playing his heart out to small, enraptured crowds.

His newest album, “All Points Between,” is a masterpiece and has warranted many repeat listenings from this music fan. Ballads of Mexican border crossers bring a tear to the eye, while jaunting dance folk like the opening Down by the River urges you to your feet. The environmental lament of “When the Trees Are All Gone,” reminds us that our Appalachian friend has roots in Native American culture and songwriting and makes you seriously reconsider your own environmental impact.

The beauty of Steve Free’s music is that he comes from a different angle when he protests. He’s not here to tell you what you are doing is wrong, and he’s not professing perfection himself. He merely states what he sees, but in prose and metaphor that makes the message simultaneously enlightening and entertaining.

“Jamaican Lady” sounds straight out of Margaritaville, and even the most discriminating parrot heads will be drawing comparisons. Yet, if I had to pick out one weak point on the album, I must admit that I do not particularly enjoy the cover of “Homegrown Tomatoes.” “Nothing against,” Free’s personal rendition, I think it just may be the song itself. I may be wrong though, I have a few friends that think it’s the best song on the album.

Steve Free is constantly touring and you can usually find him around the Huntington area, performing his songs and selling his albums the old fashion way. He writes beautiful compositions and plays them with heart. If you find a show, I recommend you check it out, and more importantly try to stay after and talk to the man for a while. He has more stories, adventures, and lessons than what a current album CD has the space to hold.

Browning Automatics at the Shamrock Pub

Rounding the corner of the Shamrock’s bar and into their staging room, I expected something big. I heard the roar of a big blues-rock band and I knew I was in for a treat.

I was quite surprised to find two men on stage. Shane Browning, guitar and vocals, and Justin Carpenter, drums, were laying down some hard hitting blues rock laden with rough rock and bluesy riffs.

The music was much tighter this go-around then their show at the V Club a few weeks ago after they had just formed. The Browning Automatics churned out a fresh and lively sound any band should be proud of, let alone a new group.

Both are formerly of Adam Bienek and the Sound Assassins, but their sound is different. They have a real Black Keys feel with their return to roots rock and two-man lineup. This is a band worth watching as they grow.

Speaking of the Shamrock, Ian (Booking guy) and I have some great ideas in store for the local music scene, so keep checking out the Tri-State Music Scene!

Tri-State Music Scene Calendar

Fake Band Names: Hot Chicken in the Deli

Band names are curious little creatures. There is a story behind each of them. Some of them are meticulously thought out, others are inspired by silly items that caught the eye of a burned out drummer.

This new feature of the blog is going to highlight the things that I see that make me think it should be a band name. It's one of the many futile things I think about incessantly. As a bonus, I will describe what I think the band would sound like and maybe even a little mini-bio.

Fake Band #1: Hot Chicken in the Deli

Bio: Hot Chicken in the Deli was formed by a group of barefoot pickers living on the outskirts of Cabell County. They have been around for nearly a decade and have managed to spin out two full length vinyls and play at bluegrass festivals and family reunions around the Tri-State.

Found in Kroger on 5th Avenue in Huntington, W.Va.

They failed to "make it big" due to being stiffed from a gig payment in 1996 that the band had depended on to purchase gas money for their statewide tour. When Whiskeytooth records denied further sponsorship of the tour due to their inability to make it to a "hog feed" outside of Charleston. The band continues to tour and maintain full-time jobs outside of the band.

The Sound: Their string-fueled take on modern rock singles and gravelly vocals lend several nods to bluegrass and early country music. Often described as "folksy, except original...kind of..." the band loves to serve up all the bluegrassy Hot Chicken you can eat.

SUBMIT YOUR OWN: Send in pictures of things you think would make a great band name and I'll post the best of them up here. Email the picture, your name, and what you think the fake band would sound like to taylor.kuykendall@gmail.com

Photographing Audio: The Art of the Awful Shot

When one takes a photograph, a lot of different things go into composing the shot. Everything has to be perfect. This is a shot that wasn't perfect. I hate the technical aspects of this photo. The lighting was dim, the artist never faced the camera, but technically cameras weren't allowed and the artist was Bob Dylan.

Even though a picture of this quality would be awful if it was by anyone of any less stature, it is one of my favorites. It's hard to appreciate the difficulty of packing yourself into the front row with a DSLR and flash unit that you are supposed to be hiding from the security guard. Just keep that in mind when you judge the following photos.

Local Musician Showcase Tickets on Sale

The tickets for the Local Musician Showcase are on sale now. At, $5 a pop, it's a hard value to beat. 14 bands... that's far less 50 cents a band! Get your tickets here. Here is the show information again:

The Basics

Lineup

Blues Crossing
Paul Callicoat
Cory Jackson
Benji Taylor
Jordan Andrew Jefferson
Extragrump
The Stops!
The Bad Employees
Attack Flamingo
The Red Velvet
The Demon Beat
Sarasota
Time and Distance
Jeff Ellis

Date: January 24
Time: about 5 p.m.-Til 3 a.m.
Cost: $8 at the door, $5 Advance
Where: V Club, 8th St. and 6th Avenue, Huntington, WV

Local Song Pick #5: The Red Velvet- Above the Clouds

This is part of a series where I pick out a song from the Tri-State area and tell you as much as I can or feel like telling you about it. More importantly, I will only post something if I can in some way provide you with the means to hear it.


The Red Velvet are a group of radio-friendly rockers with a sound easily swallowed by a mass audience. However, their tunes are actually quite unique to the area and really stand out against a lot of the typical fare offered in the Tri-State.

"Above the Clouds" doesn't fail the bands typical typeset of driving, harmony based modern rock. The harmonies on "Clouds" though, seem to offer up an almost haunting quality to the vocals on the track.

The instrumentation on the track is perfect for it's genre. It fits neatly into a package and doesn't distract you from really getting into singing the catchy and repeatable line of "get your head above the clouds."

The band doesn't list any influences on their MySpace page, but I think this is something for fans of bands like Breaking Benjamin, with a little more of an indie twist. This song is really the only track that sounds like that, the rest of the album is a little more experimental. This track is definitely not the best of Red Velvet, but it may be the most accessible.

The bottom line on this song is that it is catchy and fun. The song offers a great opportunity to get into a great band, The Red Velvet. I love a lot of bands and the kind of music offered by Velvet is not my favorite, but I feel like they are making music that has a broad appeal with a lot of potential for success. That said, give the song a listen on the new music player, just for so

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