Years ago, on what now seems like a whole other planet or universe, I spent time rocking the small all-ages Augusta scene with this skinny, young, long-haired Tommy Lee obsessed drummer named Patrick Turner. Pat would have been perfect drumming in a Motley Crue tribute band but just a few years later led an Atlanta migration of just about everyone in that old band…but me. Over time Turner would rock in several bands including a reunion of that old band (Family Jewels), try his hand as a pro gambler (that’s what I’ve been told), before joining popular Atlanta bands The Hot Rods and The Issues. These days Turner lends his full attention to The Issues, a band with several releases and many accolades, and pushing their new release “It Goes to 11.” I had a chance to hit Pat up with some questions in anticipation of The Issues next Augusta gig – June 17th at the Jessye Norman Ampitheatre opening for Adler’s Appetite.

LL – You recently played the ROCK for PEACE show at the Playground, how did it feel to rock out in hometown Augusta again?

PT – It felt great actually. I had a long conversation with Jonathan Karow shortly after Carley (PEACE) passed and when I got off the phone, there was no doubt in my mind that The Issues would be a part of helping out the Peace family. So after talking to the guys, I called Jon (the benefits’ creator/promoter) the next day and asked to be on the bill. Our band actually implemented a ‘no more benefits’ policy several months ago, because we were being taken advantage of by bogus people putting on essentially fake benefits. Needless to say, we were more than happy to overturn that policy for the Peace family.

LL – It’s kind of funny last time I saw you perform in Augusta you played drums for the Hot Rods at Sky City and The Issues were also on the bill…and now you come back as the drummer for The Issues. How did that change come about?

PT – Well… How many pages do I get to answer that?! I could write a whole chapter on that one. There has always been a partnership and sharing of band members between those two bands, even before I came along. I have had a lot of respect and love for The Issues through the years, so when Wayne called me because he was in a drummer pinch(story of my life) I couldn’t say no, because of the history. Plus, I loved the band since the first time I saw them play and I knew all their songs. Even though I played in both bands for almost a year, I knew from that first rehearsal with The Issues that they were the band for me. As if, someone designed them just for me. But, that transition was quite an emotional roller-coaster ride though.

LL – I gotta ask, because opinions have changed over the years about the state of music in Augusta, what do you think about how much things have changed since you left for Atlanta fifteen plus years ago?

PT – Yeah… Things have changed A LOT! When I left for Atlanta, there was no downtown scene, not even The Soul Bar. I mean, that’s why I left. The music scene at that point was totally dominated by cover bands, with two venues in town to play or hang out at. National bands were unheard of, even though Augusta makes for great routing for people touring in the Southeast. And I literally knew every single musician in town. So given those facts… Yeah, things have changed drastically and for the better.

LL – So The Issues are about to play a second in gig in about as many months in Augusta (June 17th at Jessye Norman Ampitheater with Adler’s Appetite, Science Friction, and a bunch of other bands) does this reflect an effort on the band’s part to build a relationship with music fans in Augusta?

PT – Absolutely! The Issues want to make Augusta shows a priority for this summer. We have a solid campaign laid out to maximize exposure in this area. We believe Augusta is a great place to play music, with fans that can appreciate who we are. We’ve actually made a partnership with Rockbottom Music/Karow Productions for shows here. Jon is doing a lot of great things around town and we are looking forward to working with him this year, he’s a big part of what we want to do here. We won’t stop until every seat in the James Brown Arena is filled!

LL – So tell me about the new CD “It Goes to 11″…had a chance to listen to it and there’s some fun, definitely rock & roll stuff on there.

PT – We think it’s a strong product and we’re very proud of it. To me, yes – It’s a rock and roll Album to the bone! But that’s just me, I helped create it, so I’m too close to it… It only really matters what music fans think of it and I can’t wait to get it into the Augusta market. I really don’t want to brag or hype it, it speaks for itself and I just want people to listen to it and if they like it- buy it. You can stream it for free at theissuesrock.com or our FB page.

LL – So what is the most rock and roll thing about the new CD?

PT – The energy, that’s the key. We were able capture great energetic performances. And when you combine that with excellent song-writing, you have something special and very rock and roll. Plus, it’s just fun and that’s what rock and roll is all about anyway! Come on man, we have a song about Women’s shoes on there!

LL – I guess you can pick one up at shows and online?

PT – Yep, we sell them at the shows and we’re on i-tunes. You can also order a hard-copy from our website and we’ll ship it to you.

LL – If I say nice things about your band can I have a copy for free?

PT – No deal! As my friend and former band-mate, not to mention a member of the press, you get a copy for free anyway. We don’t do the payola thing and don’t care what anyone says about us, as long as they’re not telling lies!

LL – Cool! See you June 17th on the River!

PT – Yeah man, I think that’s going to be a real special night for everyone. I know for me, I get to reconnect with a lot of friends and introduce them to The Issues. Plus, doing a show with Steven (Adler) is really great because he was such a major influence on my playing. I promise you this Augusta Ga, I’m bringing an ‘A’ band on their ‘A’ game and you WON’T be disappointed!

A new double barreled symphony from shotgun opera

To say that 2009 has been a banner year for area music releases would be a vastly gross understatement.  Not only has the amount of product in just the first half of this year already nearly doubled that of all of last year, the quality of releases has been astounding leading many to confidently put these releases up against anything coming out of the state, southeast, and in some cases, even the entire country.

On August 29^th Shotgun Opera, featuring vocalists Mercer and Grizzly, guitarist Samrock, bassist Jo Bone, and drummer Cappy, jump into the 2009 Augusta music CD frenzy when they release their official debut disc “Vanity” at Rock Bottom Music and Sky City.

Created in August 2007 as the brainchild of Grizzly, Shotgun Opera shot quickly out of the gate just a month later and pulled in fans with their duel vocalist setup and melodic meets heavy sound.  By 2008 Bone had entered the mix and the band was holding auditions to replace Grizzly’s original vocal partner.  Enter Mercer and the rest is history.  We recently spoke to Cappy about all this and a bit more.

LL – This is not the first material Shotgun Opera has recorded and put out but would you consider this your sophomore release or first “official” release?

BC – This is definitely our first release. Over the past two years we have done some recordings but were never fully satisfied with the final result so we mostly kept them as practice tools and references to what we can improve on.

LL – Now it wasn’t that long ago that the band had some shakeups in the lineup.  How did that affect the band and did the experience of those changes contribute to the creation of the new disc in any way?

BC – A little over a year ago we had a major lineup change with the arrivals of Jo Bone and Mercer. I’d have to say it affected the band in the most positive way possible. It made playing much less stressful and allowed us to get back to just having fun and I think that comes through on the CD, but even more so in the stage show.

LL – Shotgun Opera has a unique setup featuring two distinct vocalists.  How difficult was it to replace one after you were an established band and how has the switch changed the band dynamic?

BC- At first I didn’t think we were ever going to find someone who could take it and make it into their own since we’d been playing the songs our for about a year, but Mercer walked in and put his own spin on things which we think perfectly meshes into what we were originally going for and seemed to lose in the preceding months.

LL – Tell us a little bit about the recording of the new CD.  Where you recorded it, when, etc.

BC -Well, we were on vacation in the Amazon when we came across a group of gorillas who had built a studio in the trees. Of course we were lost so they took us in and taught us the songs that they’ve been playing for years and let us use their studio to record while it was raining for a month. The song “Razorblade” actually got its name from Jo Bone falling into the Amazon River and surviving a piranha attack. The gorillas liked the story of his bravery and wrote a song about it. It was nice to get home though. We miss the apes though.

LL – What excites the band the most about releasing this disc?

BC – Being able to prove that we’re in a band to girls.

LL – How and why did you guys decide to go with the other bands playing the CD release show?

BC – We’d done a show with Uncrowned a few months back and they were amazing and said that they wanted to play the release so who are we to say no to one of the biggest up and coming bands in the country? Dear Enemy came HIGHLY recommended from numerous bands in the Atlanta area, Uncrowned being one of them, and since they are just getting off of a tour with Taproot and Sevendust, the timing couldn’t be better. All three bands mesh very well and put on high energy shows. If anyone leaves this show and isn’t exhausted then they have no right being at a rock show.

LL – And any particular reason why you chose Sky City to host the event?

BC – Sky City has supported us greatly in the past year and we have an absolute blast every time that we play there. The stage allows us to move around and unleash the emotion of the music and the sound system is tops in the area.

LL – What are your hope for the CD show and the CD itself?

BC – We’re engineering the shows ( all ages acoustic show at Rock Bottom Music starting at 3pm) to be extremely fan oriented since they are the ones who make everything possible. W hope that at the end of the Sky City show that no one will want to leave and we have to do it all over again starting at 2am. As far as the cd goes, we’re hoping that it gets people camped out on our porch in anticipation for the next one which is over halfway written. Who knows, you might hear some new stuff at the show(s).

LL – For those unable to make the show, will it be available online or at future shows?

BC -The cd will be available at EVERY show from the 29th on and will be available online as well shortly after on iTunes.

LL – Cool!  Thanks!

BC – Jo Bone says hey and Mercer says f*#k Jo.

LL – So first off tell us about these two upcoming CD release shows you guys having coming up.

MD – The Sky City show was put together to be as different as possible… to do something to catch people’s attention and hopefully bring the different scenes together to celebrate. When I joined L.i.E., I barely knew anyone on the scene, but had recognized Brian Panowich of 48Volt (who practiced in the same place) from the Coffee Shoppe days on Gordon Hwy in the early 90s. When I visited the 48Volt website, I read what he’d written about the “lines in the dirt” drawn based on what music you listened to and how none of the cliques would intermingle. When I read this to the rest of the band, they all immediately wanted to do a show with 48Volt. So when we were ready to schedule our CD release, they were the first name to come up. We had been playing exclusively with other rock and metal bands and wanted to do something different and have people scratching their heads. Rebel Lion came about because Josh and Brint both worked with Salim, and he was pretty excited about trying to bring rock and rap together again.

TM- It’s all about symphonic connections…unity through music. We’re musicians and like more than just what we play. For the other show, we wanted to stay heavy for the majority of the Sector crowd and asked some of the younger metal bands if they’d like to join us.

LL – Now what was the reason(s) you decided to do both an all-ages show AND an over 21 show?

TM – We think our music is accessible to all crowds that enjoy heavy music. The younger people really like the heavier music we do, and the mainstream fusion is appealing to the bar crowd. We also have a wide age range in this band, and our guitarist has a lot of young friends that can’t see L.i.E. anywhere else except Sector. And we wanted to do a show where we could include some of the younger bands that we knew and wanted to play with us like Blood of an Empire.

MD – My first gig with L.i.E. was at Sector 7G, playing for about 5 people. We didn’t play Sector again for about 6 months when we hopped on the 4th anniversary show with 9 other bands. That night the crowd was much much larger and we got a great response. That lead us to think that we could be successful there if we worked to get the word out, and I’ve been impressed with the response so far. Several individuals have commented to us…”Where did you guys come from? How come I never heard of you?”

LL – Speaking of the CD, you titled your debut disc “Eviction.’ Why such an ominous sounding title?

TM – We were evicted from our rehearsal space with no notice the week we started recording. So we were “homeless” during the recording process.

LL – Now I know you guys sometimes get lumped into the metal category but after listening to the CD I gotta say you guys are definitely not merely a metal band. What exactly is L.i.E. musically?

MD – We are a mixed bag of influences that often do not intertwine but somehow manages to get all of the influences out in the songs. I personally love extreme metal, and symphonic and progressive rock like Yes and ELP but rarely listen to mainstream rock. Josh likes Incubus and Deftones and has been influenced heavily by a lot of local bands such as Thinfin, Estrela, and dieAgnostic. Tony likes Dog Fashion Disco and Mr. Bungle and tends to lean toward experimental music. Jo Bone has played in hippie jam bands and pretty much listens to everything. D.Lo is into heavier music like Protest the Hero and stuff like Tori Amos, Dead Can Dance and Fair to Midland. And Brint won’t commit to telling us anything about his influences. He just waves his arms around and says…”um…well, I don’t really know.” We just try to make each of our songs unique among the others. For writing, we just try to go with whatever idea is presented by whomever and then start adding.

TM – We like being a soundtrack band… producing a bunch of different songs with one overarching idea in mind. We each have our core influence but most of us like to branch out. We also wanted to set up this band so that we could play pretty much whatever we wanted from the start.

LL – The CD has a few, dare I call them this, instrumental sort of segues. Any particular reason for those?

TM – Tracks such as u.r., Before the Fall, and Lollipops and Fishing Lures serve as intros to the songs they precede.

MD – When we decided to record, we totaled up the running time, and it only came to about 50 minutes. Since a CD can take up to 75 minutes before you start having problems with replication, we wanted to give people that were paying for the album as much music as possible for their money. We had extra material that wasn’t part of a live set so we included them for something extra to add a bit of flavor. “Running in a Circle” was something that was posted on the band’s website for a long time as a short 1:20 guitar piece so we looped it and added a meandering orchestral classical arrangement over it.

LL – You also have the song “RE” on there twice, once in “L.i.E.” form and the other as a (cleverly titled) RE-mix done by members of lokal hip hop group Rebel Lion. How’d that come about and what was it like working with those guys?

TM – Our guitarist Josh works with Salim of Rebel Lion and they’d been talking about collaborating on a song for a while.

MD – Along the lines of filling up the album with “bonus” material, I’d suggested we do an electronica version of one of our songs. RE worked well because it was short and lended itself to hiphop verses nicely. Salim, Marco, and their producer Jeff of Bonafyde Beats came over one day at laid the vocals down. They were very organized, well-prepared and professional…and had their verses done in advance and rehearsed.

LL – “Gone Today”, a song written in memory of Augusta artist D.J. Casey. What prompted you guys to create this tribute song?

TM – The story goes… L.i.E. began as Lost which featured L.i.E. guitarist Josh Newman. Casey was DJ for the group. He was involved in a 4-wheeler accident that put him in a coma for a while. Basically, Casey was going to take over lead vocals of Lost but after the accident, Josh asked me to fill in the spot since it was assumed that Casey’s condition would not improve. However, after I joined, Casey came out of his coma but was unable to perform and eventually passed away. The theme of the lyrics was taken from comments on Casey’s mother’s blog while he was in the coma so it actually is not about his death but about the feelings everyone had thinking that he was brain dead while in the coma. It’s all a bit surreal.

JN – Also, Casey was working on an early version of the song, which was of course without a title at the time.

LL – So it has been said that artists are their own worst critics. Let’s let you guys be the rock critic and tell us what you feel are the strongest points on “Eviction.”

TM – For me, Heir to Ruin is my favorite track being that it was a song half-written in the studio and we had no idea how it would turn out. As for the production, I think we were able to capture a unique vibe because the engineer, Chris Osbon, was working out of his element and had no preconceived notion of what we should sound like nor had he ever recorded any harsh, screaming vocals. Overall, I would recommend Control for a general audience because it has a blend of the harsh elements with the melodic and spacey aspect to the band.

MD – EGOMACHINE! That brought in some of my favorite styles…thrash with some of the odd time feels. Focusing on the overall feel, the strongest point to me is that the album varies from start to finish and includes everything from hardcore and thrash to radio friendly alternative rock to classical symphonic and hip hop.

JB – My picture on the back cover (just kidding, Jo isn’t here.)

LL – With so many local bands recording out of town lately, what made you guys decide to stay in Augusta and record with Chris Osbon?

MD – Everyone works full time and we weren’t able to schedule a block of time at say, The Jam Room. We also knew that we weren’t going to be able to do this quickly with some songs requiring several guitar tracks and the vocals alternating between natural and harsh. We needed to take our time, and Chris Osbon had been friends with Josh through a common association with DJ Casey, oddly enough. Since Chris doesn’t operate Factory Studios as a full-time, all-day business, it was easier for us to schedule a couple of days a week in the evenings.

TM – And we knew of his reputation with In Like Flynn.. We knew he was a serious musician and had the means, had the time, and had no idea what to expect from us so it was a bit of an adventure.

LL – Alright, so what can Augusta peeps expect at these upcoming CD release shows?

TM – For the Sky City show… celebration of different musical styles and showing off some of the variety in Augusta music. Nothing from Rebel Lion, L.i.E., or 48 Volt is contrived so people will get an honest, from the heart show..

MD – For the all-ages show at Sector, expect face-crushing metal. We’re going to stick to our heavier material. We’ve got two great young bands in Blood of an Empire and Aralic and some friends from Savannah, Brokn Tyme, who have opened up some gig opportunities for us down there. Not to take anything away from the bands that have good draws at Sector, but we think we can bring something they’re not used to seeing there and hope they latch on.

BL – Me jumping and falling.

LL – And for those who can’t make the shows, is there any way to get a copy online or through you guys?

TM – WWW.DISCOVERTHELIE.COM will link everyone to our website where we have portals to cdbaby.com who carries physical CDs in stock and then the site also has links to iTunes, Amazon.com, Shockhound, Digstation and at least a dozen other online download stores as well for those who do the mp3 thing. We’ll also have CDs and shirts with us at every gig we’re playing in and out of town. If anyone wants a copy but can’t come to a show and doesn’t want to go through the online… we’re even cool with arranging to meet them.

LL – Any last parting shots for the readers out there?

MD – Mainly, I’m just happy to be able to get out now and contribute to the music coming out of Augusta and thank everyone for not only allowing L.i.E. to play but for supporting our efforts.

TM – I’d like to see more people in town that aren’t involved in the scene going out and taking notice of what Augusta has to offer… which is a lot. Our CD release show lineup is just the tip of the iceberg. There are metal bands that will melt your face, experimental music that competes with national artists, and basically, if there a type of music that you like… I guarantee there’s a band in Augusta that will suit your desires. Get out of the Regal Cinemas. Turn off the TV and the video game.

LL – Cool! Thanks guys!

L.i.E. – Thank you indeed.

Check out L.i.E. live

May 14th – acoustic at Hot Topic in Augusta Mall

May 15th – over 21 CD release at Sky City w/ 48Volt and Rebel Lion

May 23rd – all ages CD release at Sector 7G w/ Brokn Tyme, Aralic, and Blood Of An Empire

To hear and find out more visit http://www.discoverthelie.com

In between beer, cigarettes, and calculated maneuvering to avoid sharing any more of the rock & roll funk that has already built up in their 15 passenger rental van, our two Augustanites Fred McNeal (guitar), and Pat Turner (drums) took a moment to let us in on how things are going as they romp across the East coast with fellow Hot Rods, guitarist Vegas Dave, bassist Turbo and frontman Mug.

LL – So I guess first off, hows the tour goin? How are you Southern boys enjoying rockin the Northerners?

FM – NO SWEET TEA! Tour’s goin’ great! People are people, rock fans are universal, and people are cooler in NYC than they’re given credit for.

LL – Now you have a group of wild and crazy rockers teaming up with some hot tattooed chicks on this tour. This has got to have created some memorable onstage moments.

PT – Sure does, video comin soon.

FM – Onstage firebreathing-hell raising-shot drinkin good time. We’ve had blood and chicken gizzards via PsychoCharger onstage, and a lot of…uh…..well you had to be there.

LL – Just who came up with this idea of a “Traveling Rock & Roll and Burlesque Review” and what exactly is it?

FM -Fucking Andrew (thanks), no seriously, great idea, rock n roll and mostly naked girls, how could this miss? We got a couple of THE SUICIDE GIRLS! and Coney Island Sideshow Girls and created this event which is a crazy night of one of the wildest bands from the southeast plus most guys and some girls wet dream, and made a night of it. I guarantee it will be the best show you see this year ( as I’m talking there is a dog licking me inappropriately )

LL – I know for a fact that 95 Rock has been pimping the hell out of the Augusta stop this Saturday. What can Augusta fans expect?

FM -A lotta bang for their buck, we can’t wait to see our friends and family down there (we got 2 Augusta boys in ‘da band), we’ve played there a few times and it’s one of our fave towns to do. PT – Arena energy at a club level.

LL – You guys seem to dig coming to Augusta. Is it only because of Fred and Pat or have we managed to get our claws into you guys?

FM -Augusta has treated us well. When we are there we don’t see as many friends from the old days as we would like to, but we make a lot of new ones

T – Every time there has been a good time

LL – OK…off the tour for a minute…tell us a little bit about this new CD. Hear that you received a nice distribution deal to help get it out to the masses.

FM – Recorded the disc last November with Jonny Hibbert of REM fame, in Atlanta, great studio, one upped ourselves on the writing and playing from the last one. Got it done and back in record time (no pun intended). Then Universal picked us up, and we have digital distribution across the information super-highway!

LL – And how are the masses responding to the new disc?

PT -We won’t know til the first quarterly report!

LL – So this tour is sort of old school in a way…put out a new release…hit the road and smack everyone within earshot with music…gain some new fans and sell some copies. Why this approach when you got a nice following online and at home already?

FM -Cuz nothing compares to doing it live! Instant feedback (and pissing every soundman on the east coast off) is still the best way to gauge what yer doin’.

PT – Nothing has changed, that’s a myth, you still MUST tour to be successful.

LL – After you finish up this East coast romp you got a couple weeks off before heading out to Texas and Califormia. What are you looking most forward to about being back home?

PT –My girl, the lake, and the dog.

FM – My girl, Sundays at Smith’s Olde Bar, DOING LAUNDRY AND SLEEPING (just kidding I’ll be at Smith’s)

T – Miniature roosters.

LL – And what most interests you guys about traveling out West?

FM – Vegas Dave wants to go to Vegas (who didn’t see that coming). I’ve actually never seen the desert, so that’ll be cool, Monument Valley, are you kidding!! After all those John Wayne movies!!!

LL – Alright thanks! We’ll see you guys at The Loft on May 8th!

PT -WE CAN’T WAIT SEE ‘YA THERE!

FM – AMERICA…..FUCK YEAH!!!!!

“The Traveling Rock N’ Roll and Burlesque Review” featuring Atlanta rockers The Hot Rods and The Pretty Things Peep Show with the Suicide Girls will appear at the Loft on Broad Street this Friday May 8th. For more info go to www.95rock.com

LL – It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 5 months since we last spoke to you guys. What have you been up to since then?

LS- Writing, recording, playing chess… the usual.
RG-Writing a lot of new music and having many cold ones, well…except the straight edger over there, Mike…he’s been finding ways to become at least 51% machine so that he and Larry can begin their real life epic P2P battle of good and evil.
ML- It’s been a long process but we wanted to make our music- harder, heavier, fast, and better. We wanted to do something more for our fans and ourselves.

LL – Now last time we spoke you guys were about to release a DVD on Friday June 13th. How’d that go? Were you guys pleased with how the DVD turned out?

ML- The DVD turned out better than we expected and the “drunken commentary” and “behind the leg” stuff was a great time!
RG-I guess it was good, we sold out. Nick Laws from Sector 7G did a great job on it and we are in the process of adding some extra footage to add to it thanks to our robot.
LS – I was pleased with the show. The DVD turned out better than I expected though I have to admit the special features were better than the show!

LL – In June we also talked about the bands love of horror stuff, especially Matt and his ability to find obscure horror stuff. With Halloween and your CD release coming up, I think it would be the perfect time to ask what Matt’s pick for a new horror flick to watch this Halloween.

LS- Here comes something ridiculous. Please do not say “Teeth”…
RG-Matt likes some sick shit
ML- wow, the pressure. I have to pick a new horror flick to watch…hmmm well the Saw movies are always a fun watch for the gore. “Zombie Strippers” comes on DVD on the 28th or if your lucky enough “My Name is Bruce” (a horror comedy about Bruce Campbell) is limited release on the 26th. That would be the newer stuff I would keep an eye on. But of course I’ll be waiting to see how Friday the 13th and Hellraiser are going to be in Feb of next year!

LL – Fun stuff! So like I said, Halloween is coming up which means the Nightmare on Ellis Street show at Sector 7G. A few years ago, if I’m correct Chairleg was part of the Nightmare on Ellis Street show and compilation CD and last year ripped it up at Bloodfest. You guys just live for this spooky stuff don’t you?

LS- Wouldn’t say “live for”… I’d say “prefer”.
RG– Nightmare on Ellis was the brainchild of Lawhorne and Laws and was Chairleg’s first show. I’d like to see the CD portion return…Matt, get on it slacker.
ML-Yeah, yeah, yeah, Its been gone for a little bit and so we figured what better time to bring it back than for Chairleg’s CD release. We hope to make this an annual event from now on. Hopefully even bring back the Compilation CDs again and start a new tradition in Augusta music.

LL – Now this year’s event will also be a CD release show for your latest CD. I gotta ask this, you announced back in June that you were gonna do this but I found out recently that up until just a few days ago you were still finishing up the tracks. You guys procrastinators or just like last minute challenges?

LS- None of the above. We knew it was going to be rough from the get go. We really took our time making sure we did our best. That and it was the only time the Jam Room was available.
RG – We wanted to produce the best product possible. That included writing a few new songs and putting finishing touches on the ones we had ready for the album.
ML-“The early bird may get the worm, but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese”. Honest though we just wanted to make it the best record that we could. We wanted the fans to be as excited as we are about this

LL – Are you guys gonna have this thing ready in time? Why didn’t you knock it out a couple months ago?

RG-Lots of work and money, man! You know how it goes, right? Sometimes things just don’t work out the way you want them to and instead of slapping tape on it we decided to rebuild once or twice.

LL – O.K. I’ll stop giving you guys grief over it. What’s up with the new CD? What can fans expect?

LS- Doesn’t matter what we do to prepare them for it, they’re going to get exactly what they deserve from us. Brutal music played by nerds.
ML-Expect it to be heavier, faster, harder, (funnier), and just a damn good CD. We were told by a close friend that has been there while we were recording that this CD will be putting “Omen, Now” to shame.

LL – So it’s gonna be “bloody” good right?

LS- Nah, I’m giving up all that blood stuff. Well, maybe not completely. Okay yes. Buckets of the shit.
RG – It’ll make you want to punch your mama. Just kidding, but seriously…it will.

LL – Now Brian Allen and I recently discussed the lack of effort of many area bands when it comes to promotion. I was listening to The Radar on 95 Rock recently and I thought I heard Joe Stevenson say that the show was sponsored by Chairleg. Did I hear that right?

LS- You heard correctly. We wanted everyone to know what was happening on Halloween, and we felt 95Rock was a perfect vehicle to get the word out.
RG –We also sponsor the Witching Hour with Troy Bradley on from 12am to 2am every Saturday night.
ML- Yup. Thanks to Brower, we are sponsors of all the Weekend shows on 95 rock Scratch and Sniff, and Hard Drive as well.

LL – What made you decide to sponsor the show and what did it entail?

RG – We feel strongly about promoting all local and metal music, so if the ads help fund Radar and The Witching Hour to carry on, then we are happy to support those programs, and you all should listen to them!
ML-We really want to make this show something special and so we went all out on the promotion. We wanted everyone and their brother to know about this show because we are pulling out all the stops to make this a big event not just a show.

LL – Now last time we talked about horror films and characters. Gonna get a little more Halloween on your asses. What kind of weird things did you guys dress up for on Halloween when you were kids?

RG – I remember when I was in 4th grade I got the liquid latex Freddy Krueger makeup kit and spent 5 hours applying it before school and wore it ALL day and night. Of course there was the time a few years back that I dressed as Michael Myers and walked up and down Broad St scaring the hell out of people all night. I went so far as to make an ID so that when a door person asked for it, I brought that out…that was fun.
LS-The ones that stick out to me are Super Gonzo, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Freddy, Jason x4, and Sub Zero.
ML-Well I have done a lot of different things, I always try to do something different every year, and no, they haven’t always dealt with Horror gene. Haha. I’ve done everything from witches, pumpkins, mummies, Maurice from “little monsters” to even California Raisins (that was crazy me in a trash bag and tights haha)

LL – And favorite Halloween candy?

LS– Nerds.
ML- hmm I always loved DOTS that was a great change from the chocolate that everyone gave out
RG – Candy Corn-Straight up sugar.

LL – Last time I also asked you to compare some Halloween scary guys…let’s try some weapon-wielding dudes this time. Jason seemed to win out last time so…Jason or Leatherface?

ML- Well I’ll still have to go with Jason on this one. Leatherface just like to run around and scream with his Chainsaw not a whole lot of planning. He was great chasing the girls, but Jason really made more of an art out of all the killing and it was always different.
LS- Jason. Leatherface gets hurt. Jason gets people very dead.
RG – Michael Myers is “pure evil”…Jason and Leatherface are a joke. Hell, Voorhees didn’t even have his “big knife” until the 3rd or 4th installment and Leatherface is a fucking retard. Michael has been killing with a butcher knife since age 7.

LL – Alright, before we go…shoot us a little info on the show coming up on Halloween. What bands are playing, cover, time, etc.

LS- Matt?
ML- The show will start at 6:30 with Blood of an Empire followed by Pursuit of Angels, Shotgun Opera, Quickfuse (in their last show ever) and we will be hitting the stage by 10:30. We will be having Costume contest between each band for funniest, scariest, cutest, and most original. Price is $7 or if you’re in a costume its only $5. Come early and stay late, there will be fun and surprises all night long!!

LL – And how about a weird Halloween message for our readers?

RG – If you don’t buy our CDs and shirts, the boogey man WILL get you! Heh
LS- Do not watch “Teeth”! No matter what Matt says! Remember the Blumpkin!

LL – Well thanks once again for the spook-tacular answers!

RG- Thanks for having us.
LS- It was our pleas-tacular-ure.
ML- Thank you kind sir, see you at the show. If you’re not too scared that is. Haha

Stoney – this week you’re celebrating your 10th year online.What’s the biggest difference between LL then and LL now?

SC – Hmmm…biggest difference?  Well we actually have a talented webmaster now!  Seriously!  The website is so much more streamlined and news oriented.  I think that moving to an online format in 1998 has also helped as far as getting the word out to the community.  I think the fact that many of the boundaries seperating different types of music in Augusta being broken down creating a tighter music community has also made a big difference on how Lokal Loudness operates.

Full Disclosure: I’m the webmaster, but I didn’t ask him that question on purpose, and I totally didn’t expect him to say that.

I know that LL was in print before going online in ’98. When did you first start LL and what was that original inception like?

SC – The first “print” issue of Lokal Loudness came out on February 10th, 1992.  That first issue was a culmination of a few years of ideas.  It was huge as far as WE are concerned but the initial impact on lokal music was pretty minimal.

What was your original vision for LL and how has that changed?

SC – The original idea was just to create something to expose a part of the arts community that was, at the time, being virtually ignored by larger Augusta print media.  The idea wasn’t to be THE voice of the music scene but to do our part and hopefully help influence others to do the same.  Nowdays those “other” print guys feature lokal music on a regular basis.  Maybe we’ve helped to influence that maybe not.  Either way it’s cool to be able to pick up a paper and read about cool Augusta artists.

You do a lot of interviews on the site with all sorts of bands and artists connected to Augusta’s music scene. What would you say has been your favorite interview?

SC – WOW!  That’s a tough one because each has been unique.  For those who don’t know, most of our interviews have been done through emails but on the rare occassion I’ve had to sit on the phone and try and keep up while someone’s talking on the other line.  I’ve done a few in person with  a tape recorder and it can be a pain going back through all that tape!  I do remember one year, I believe it was for a print version, I wanted to interview Joe Stevenson when People Who Must were kicking it hard.  Joe refused to do the email thing so I had to bring the tape recorder to Squeaky’s Tip Top and interview Joe and guitarist John Kolbeck.  Going back over that tape was quite the chore!  Chris Hardy did try and spray me down with mustard when I interviewed Nervous Boy!

You also do album reviews when new lokal releases drop. In the past 10 years, what stands out as the best album you’ve reviewed?

SC – Man you’re really trying to get me to think!  There have been so many great releases the past 10 years.  Hmmm?  I don’t know if I can say it was the best but my favorite CD over the past 10 years would probably have to be the SIlver Dash Music CD.  Great songs, superb production, incredible harmonies.  Well…now that I think about it…I listen to former Augusta singer-songwriter Steven Jackson’s second CD at least a few times a week.

This year, you started a new segment on the website called “Reverberations” – essentially an Augusta Music History 101. What was your inspiration for that?

SC – When I got involved with putting together a board for a music museum here in Augusta, which by the way is STILL gonna happen, I started getting interested in the deeper history side of music in Augusta.  What pushed me the rest of the way was seeing an article in Flagpole magazine where they spotlight past bands by interviewing the members, tracing their history all the way up to what the members are doing now.  The hope is to do something like that starting in 2009 and making 101 a seperate thing.  You can actually read the complete Augusta Music 101 in the Verge newspaper every month so hats off to them.

LL went from print to online, had a store for a while, has LoudTV on YouTube… what other venues are in LL’s future?

SC – Well the two most important missions for Lokal Loudness are to expose great music in the CSRA and support community charities through music events.  I cannot express how grateful I am for all the bands who have given of their time and talent to make a difference in the community, not only through Lokal Loudness events, but events such as 12 Bands of Christmas, Rock & Roll Circus, etc.  Coming up it looks like we will be teaming up with Confederation of Noisemakers again, this time for a weekly online talk show.  I’m also working on a 24/7 online programming version of LOUDtv which will feature not just lokal music, but impact sports and high energy music from all over.  The larger empasis will of course be on Augusta music.

What has been your biggest accomplishment with LL in the past 10 years?

SC – Now THAT’S easy!  Still being here and still trying to remain relevant.  I’ve seen other print and online media promoting lokal music come and go and somehow we’re still here.  We’ve been blessed so far.  We almost gave up in 1998 and stumbled across the internet.  Now here we are, thanks to many great folks, 10 years later!  While I’m so proud of how successful the annual awards have become, it’s the voters, musicians, and music lovers in Augusta that have made it what it is.  We just throw it out there, Augusta picks it up and runs with it.

How have you seen the lokal music scene change in these 10 years?

SC – Incredibly consistent growth.  Downtown’s rebirth has played a huge part in that growth.  I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention the unwavering contributions of people like Coco Rubio, Joe Stevenson, and countless others who believe just as stongly as we do.  During our first 10 years covering lokal music bands like People Who Must, Impulse Ride and Snapdragon reached the next level of indie label success and Billionaire, featuring former members of Hundred year Sun, released a pretty big major international album and did some major touring with pretty heavy airplay.  In just the past two years we’ve seen bands from Augusta and bands with people from Augusta do everything from getting signed to indie labels to rocking out on national TV.  The talents always been there.  Some say that the internet makes it easier now but when a million bands are out promoting their music it still takes someone special with the drive to work hard to get to the next level and beyond.

What’s in store for the next 10 years of LL?

SC – Well in 3 1/2 years Lokal Loudness will be celebrating 20 years covering Augusta music.  That’s freaking INSANE!  It seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating 10 years of existence, now we’re celebrating 10 years of being online!  This December we will present our 15th Rocking the Stocking event!  We’ve been planning ahead and we’d like to release a two CD set of Augusta music from 1992-2012 to celebrate 20 years.  It’s really about the music and that’s really what we should celebrate.  I guess sometime in the next 10 years we could be celebrating a quarter century in Augusta.  But that’s still a long way off.  Let’s get through 2008 first!

Thanks, Stoney. As a musician, I truly appreciate Lokal Loudness – the shows, the bringing together of musicians from all different genres, and the comeraderie you help build. I love reading the interviews, the history, and the news from the lokal Augusta music scene. Keep up the good work!

For more about the 10 Years Online Anniversary Party @ The Playground, read Stoney’s post here or check out the lokal music scene calendar at http://lokalloudness.org/calendar/.

As part of several Augusta bands in the late 90’s including the short-lived Rolerboy, guitarist/vocalist Jason Jones sewed his pop oats before heading off to Hot-Lanta in 2000 and forming Southeast touring band Arlington. Now fronting recording/touring band The Drownout, Jones, along with pianist Heather Johnston, drummer Matt Lynch, synth player Matt Baum, and bassist Justin Marchan, are set to release their sophomore album and tour the East Coast.

LL – Now first off, for those in the area that may be out of the loop, The Drownout actually have an Augusta connection. Can you shed a little light on what that connection is?

JJ – Yeah I grew up in Augusta lived there for 17 years in Evans.

LL – So Jason, how long has it been now since you relocated to Atlanta?

JJ – I moved to Atlanta 8 years ago to play in bands and to learn more about recording and making records.

LL – Actually The Drownout isn’t the first touring band you’ve been in since relocating?

JJ – No the first band I started when I relocated was “Arlington” a 3 piece hard rock outfit. We toured the Southeast for a couple years, then went our separate ways just cause we all felt limited with the set up at the time.

LL –So The Drownout was formed in 2005 and in 2007 you released your debut CD “In Flagrante Delicto”. I’ve hear through the grapevine that there’s kind of an interesting story of how you came to not only record the songs, but engineer and produce them as well.

JJ – Yeah I worked in a recording studio in Midtown Atlanta, so I made the record when we weren’t booked. I would work late at night or on days that weren’t booked. Little by little I would work on the record took about 8 months to complete.

LL – Shortly after the CD release you put out the song “Kaleidoscope” as the band’s first single to radio, but you also filmed a video as well. How did you manage to get David Hahn from Turner Broadcasting to produce the video?

JJ – David heard us on myspace and actually contacted us because he was starting a film company. After meeting with him we knew he was the guy for the job, because he had great ideas and a team of people working with him who also had great ideas.

LL –Video is something of a rarity for unsigned bands. What made you decide to go that route and what kind of impact has it made for the band?

JJ – It definitely helped us out in terms of getting it aired on TV. Comcast actually ran a commercial for a while that included a clip of the video. Whenever we were out in the city we’d have people recognizing us all the time.

LL –The band has seen quite a few personnel changes in the short three years you’ve been around. Do you think this current lineup might be the one that sticks together for a while?

JJ – Well yeah we have gone through some recent changes. I always hope that the team sticks together for the long haul, I think relationships among the band members are one of the most important parts of any band, but I guess you never can tell. With 5 different people it’s hard to say, but at this point I think everyone is in it for the long haul.

LL – The Drownout do have quite an interesting sound. Is that why the band has a keyboard player AND a synth player in addition to the classic “guitar-bass-drums-vocals” lineup?

JJ – Yeah it goes back to what we ran into in my old band Arlington. With The Drownout, I wanted more sounds and possibilities to explore rather than your average guitar bass and drums set up. I love keyboards, synths, and weird noises. I try to find new ways to use the guitar when I can incorporating a lot of one string and ambient parts along with heavier riffs and rythmns.

LL –Word on the street is that there will be a follow-up to “In Flagrante Delicto” coming out in the near future. Any word on when that will be and what can fans of the first CD expect from this new release?

JJ – Yeah the new CD is called Paper Trails and Binds and we’re finishing up recording on that now. The sound we’re going for on this record is a little more live and raw sounding but we’re hoping it still contains the raw emotion that the first album does. There are several songs on it that we’re going to take a look at releasing as a single, and we’ve had great live response from them so far.

LL – Now looking at the bands schedule on MySpace it would appear that you guys keep a pretty rigorous touring schedule and will be spending the better part of the next four month touring all over the south as well as Northeast states such as Ohio, Philly and New York. How did you manage to find the time to even record a second CD?

JJ – Little sleep and lots of work. I’ve been doing a lot of the vocals and guitars for the new record through the middle of the night at studios. Crazy thing is I usually have to get up and work the day job the next morning so I don’t sleep much! hah

LL – Aside from the shows, what do you look most forward to on this upcoming tour?

JJ – Well I love traveling to different cities. Its the most exciting when we’re on the road I get so giddy because its so much fun being in a different city every day and meeting new people. I love to meet people who are fans of what we do.

LL – And will you be taking any kind of break from touring when you get back?

JJ – We’re trying to play as much as possible so although there may be a short break, we don’t anticipate taking too much time off.

LL – Man Jason, it really sounds like you’ve been busy since you’ve left Augusta.

JJ –Yeah, I’ve been chasing the dream every since I left, setting goals, and growing little by little. We still play shows in Augusta even though the vibe there is different than what we’re used to. Its fun seeing old friends though.

LL – Well cool man, thanks for taking time to answer these questions!

JJ – No problem, hope to see you guys out next time we come through

You can check out The Drownout at www.thedrownout.com or www.myspace.com/thedrownout.
interview originally published on June 1, 2008

You can check out The Drownout on October 11, 2008 at Sky City.

LL – First off, congratulations getting to the finals of the Chronicle Singer-Songwriter Contest and making the top 3!

DM – Thanks. We had a lot of fun doing that. It’s very cool that Steve Uhles makes that opportunity available to the music community in Augusta.

LL – So tell us a bit about the song “Unidentified” that you guys submitted. How’d the tune come about and what made you decide to submit it?

DM -I wrote the lyrics to that song about ten years ago. I was traveling with my wife and daughter to Atlanta and we saw a man run off the road in front of us. He ran down a culvert into the woods. We were the first to pull over and my wife called 911 while I ran down to check on the driver. He was conscious but pinned in his truck. I sat and talked to him while we waited for the ambulance. He kept asking me for his phone, but I couldn’t find it. When the ambulance got to the scene and got Eddie out of the car he was still awake and thanked me for helping him. When I got back to Augusta I read the Chronicle that he died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. He only told me his first name, Eddie. The chronicle listed him as an unidentified man. Don Rhodes heard us play this song at a showcase last year and when he found out that we were going to enter the song in the contest he did some research and found out who Eddie was. It was a really cool thing for Don to do for us.

LL – What were your expectations as far as the contest?

DM – We really didn’t have any other than for people to hear what we are doing and to possibly get a chance to perform for the finals. There are so many great musicians in our area. Augusta is blessed with a lot of talent. It was nice to able to get some feedback from the judges the good response from the crowd at the show.

LL – Before we go on, who makes up Ship of Fools?

DM – Bill James and Alan Thompson play guitar. John Meyers is our drummer and Scott Guinn plays bass. We originally all met at church. Bill, John and I each had played separately during church services. We decided to get together along with former fools Tom Crosson and Andrew Newton have weekly jam sessions at my place. Some guys have had to drop out and others have joined. Alan and Scott started with us early in the summer and have really added a lot to the band.

LL – Now Ship of Fools is a relatively new band made up of guys pretty much settled into work careers and such. Why the decision to do the band thing in addition to work, families, etc. ?

DM –Well family comes first. We all have day jobs, Scott and I are teachers, Bill and John are engineers and Alan is in sales. You probably won’t see us playing late nights in the clubs very often. It’s hard enough to get in one practice a week. We are not looking for new careers or anything. We are just a group of middle aged guys doing something that we have fun with. It’s more recreation.

LL – In addition to all of that Ship of Fools also plays pretty much all originals?

DM – I have been writing lyrics since college way too long ago. In the past couple of years working with Bill and John we have been able to put some of those together. I am a Christian and a lot of our songs have a Gospel slant to them. The other guys have songs too and we are starting to do some of those as well. My favorite SOF song is “Should Have Listened” which was written by Bill.

LL – Any chance of a CD in the future?

DM – That is definitely a goal of ours. We have messed around recording some rehearsals and shows. Some of those are on our MySpace site. We would like to get someone to help us produce something a little more professionally.

LL – Now I noticed at the Chronicle show that you guys have a lot of vocal harmonies. Was that key factor when you were looking to put the band together?

DM –That’s kind of funny. On the video we did for the Songwriter contest we were real disappointed with the way the vocals came out. Bill and Alan both sing very well and Scott is starting to pick it up as well. We are learning and doing better with it but I think we have a little ways to go to be considered a good harmony band. I think that we did a much better job at the showcase. This whole process has been a learning experience for us.

LL – So I know some of the “Fools” have kids. What do they think of their “rock star” dads?

DM – Scott and I have younger children, who think it’s pretty cool to see their daddies up on the stage. John, Bill and Alan have teenagers who are a little more subdued, but I think they are digging it as well.

LL – Lemme just say thanks for spilling the beans on the band! Can you tell us the band’s My Space address before we wrap up?

DM – Thanks for the opportunity. Here you go:

http://www.myspace.com/davemorganshipoffools

Ship of Fools performs this Friday October 3rd on 11th and Broad Streets as part of the monthly First Friday celebration. Also performing are Allison Foster and NoStar.

LL – So you been at NYC a while, in classic TV fashion, what’s better, Green Acres or Park Avenue?

WM – Singing the theme to Green Acres on Park Avenue? It’s hard to point out but both have their perks for sure.

LL – So the last time we spoke, you had just worked out things to move to the Big Apple. What have you been working on SINCE moving?

WM – I’ve spent a lot of time writing, really working on my guitar playing… from a more rhythmic standpoint, not a “hey, look at me, Wayne’s World… I can wail!” standpoint. I’m really just trying
to find what accents my Augusta background the best. I really stands out on a bill up here.

LL – Now you took a little time off to get adjusted but recently you have been playing up a storm. Hows the feedback been so far?

WM – The break was great! I got to see the city, and get settled into work… find a new job, so Chuck Williams won’t worry about me selling charity babies on the street. I’ve been playing a lot the past month or so, and quickly found a group of folks that just keep asking me to play. It’s been a blessing. I got to do a really small stage of the Make Music New York Festival, but at the heart of it, I feel that was the whole point. Music everywhere, with hopefully as little ego attached as possible. So, far the reactions have been really great! They pick on my southern accent, but seem to get really into the sound, the songs, and the brutally blunt stories behind the songs… they’re more colorful sometimes than others. It’s been fun to try and change a vibe on folks, since no one knew me in the beginning… pull a serious, shhhhhh! set on time, and then get up and dance the next! Everyone wants to be a critic, but with the same token they’ll let you know it when they get into what you’re doing.

LL – Well the move seems to suit you. You’ve been posting new music online with talk of posting more. Has the New York vibe been a motivating factor?

WM – I’ve had a couple of my live sets recorded recently, so I’m really hoping to get a live offering together. It’s low budget, and if it comes across right, your best selling point. I got to thinking about the one time I met G. Love (courtesy of Chuck Lamback) at the Georgia Theatre. He is so laid back, but the man hustles like no one else in the industry. So I’ve been really trying to take that mentality… keep my MySpace updated, got an EPK together, and just working to keep things fresh.

LL – I think many people want to know what you been doing between work and music.

WM – Well delusions aside, I work at least 45 hours a week, for an online wedding planning service… Go ahead and laugh… I’ll give you a moment to swallow that one. It’s a fun place, and the folks I work with are really cool, and have turned me on to some really amazing music like Frightened Rabbit, The Dodos, and JUSTICE. I was actually told that I was hired because I was the only applicant with enough stones to acknowledge that I was passionate about something other than work, so they know I live for music, and seem to love that aspect of my personality. The other perk is my bosses are from the UK and New Zealand, so it’s safe to say we have our fair share of afterwork beverages. After work, I just try and either see or play as much music as possible. I’ve seen some really cool shows… The Bad Plus, P.Groove, Shawn Mullins’ CD Release Party… but the two highlights have really been Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden and watching Dead Confederate just kill some city kids in a little club on the Lower East Side.

LL – Speaking of things to do between all your NY stuff, you will be back here in the AUG in just a few days for a homecoming concert. How’d that come about?

WM – Well I haven’t played in Augusta since February, so I’m really stoked! I’ve really been itching to play with Jacob Beltz. I feel that he pushes me more on stage than anyone, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s my best friend. We had talked about it, so I sent an email to Coco in late March about maybe doing a Soul Bar gig on a Thursday… something small, no pressure. He got back to me and asked if I wanted to make it slightly’ bigger and do SKY CITY and have a few more “Friends” on the bill. The Soul Bar Message Board is a proud addiction of mine, so I’d seen nothing but great things about SKY CITY, and I have been pretty jealous that it came about after I moved.

LL – That’s a long way to play for one show!

WM – Well, I was coming home for a wedding… not mine… and I wanted to play. I wanted to throw a party and see the people who have essentially been an extended family to me for the past 5 years or so. At the end of the day that’s what I hope for this show… A party with some of my best friends, and some great acts that are also amazing friends.

LL – But seriously Will, now that you’ve gotten the whole NY thing out of your system…don’t you think it’s time to go ahead and move back?

WM – I think I’m going to be up here for a while. I’m really pushing the music. I’m seeing some really good things. I met a really amazing lady, who is ironically from South Carolina. Life is great.

LL – I know we’re just a little town compared to NYC but don’t you miss us just a little?

WM – More than you know. Augusta is home and I will always be back.

LL – OK so back at the beginning of the year…when you were just kinda contemplating this whole move thing, you put out a kind of “pre-release” version of a CD with new music. Will you be officially releasing that anytime soon?

WM – I think there are a few songs that will migrate onto the next release, but I think GREENEYES… will sort of stay where it is for now. I’ve enjoyed having something to give away, trade, hawk at will. As soon as I get the live sets mixed, I will be figuring out the next move.

LL – Speaking of new music, catch any “lokal” acts up there that you really dig?

WM – I saw a surprise four hour Dave Chappelle stand up set that I will never forget. He technically counts as “lokal” up here. My favorite songwriter that I’ve gotten to see a lot and really know is Rick Snyder. He has some of the best, quirkiest songs I’ve ever heard. Not to mention, he has something like 20 MySpace accounts, with different names/personalities for his styles. We jam a bit, and then I’ve been playing percussion for Shilo Andrews… imagine British Acoustic Rap. Not quite like The Streets, but it’s got a different sound about it that I’m really into.

LL – So what been your favorite place to play at in NYC so far?

WM – I’ve played some really cool rooms with a lot of history, so far. Kenny’s Castaways, The Sidewalk, The Baggot Inn… you’re talking being on stages that acts like Jeff Buckley, Aerosmith, Springsteen, The Ramones have all been on. It’s pretty intimidating/inspiring at the same time. My favorite, however, has been this thing we call Mic Club. It’s an open mic that has a different featured act, that plays an hour set, each week. Think Eddie’s Attic… no talking, no egos, but in a basement… similar to the Fox’s Lair, but a little bigger. People sitting on the floor, crammed in…just seeing what you’ve got.

LL – And fave place just to hang out?

WM – Saturday afternoons at Banjo Jim’s (9th and Ave C). Really cool open mic community, day drinking… and Adam Levy and Wavy Gravy are big fans of it, as well. Other than that, there is a really great pub called Slainte down on the Bowery. All Irish bartenders, and believe me they are straight off the boat… and they take care of me/pick on me about the same as the Metro crew always has… makes me feel at home!

LL – What’s been the hardest adjustment to make to far?

WM – I miss my family and friends, end of story. It’s hard to be away when there have been Lokal tragedies, and at the same time it’s hard to hear that one of your 2 best friends is getting married… just the feeling of things are happening without you being around.

LL – And you’re sure you’re not moving back?

WM – I think I’m doing what I need to be doing… at least for now.

LL – Alright Will…you know we love you down here in the sticks!

WM – See you soon man!

Will McCranie with Special Guests Jacob Beltz, John Krueger, Billy S & Carey Murdock
9PM, Thursday July 10th at Sky City 1157 Broad Street
www.myspace.com/willmccranie