Saw*Kick Media

When it comes to contemporary metal, there is a short list of bands who can be trusted to deliver consistent and progressive brutality each time out. Chimaira happens to be near the top of that list. Besides being one of the best metal bands in the country, maybe even the world, we are lucky enough to have Chimaira call Cleveland home. After finishing up a relentless touring schedule for its fourth studio release, Resurrection, the guys have finally made their way back to Cleveland to recharge and write a new record. We were fortunate enough to catch guitarist Rob Arnold, just days after returning home, to talk about the band’s 10th anniversary show, the new record, and his thoughts on Metallica’s Death Magnetic.

S*KM: You recently performed a 10th anniversary show at Peabody’s in Cleveland to celebrate the bands time together. How did the show go and was there any special surprises planned for the monumental occasion?

Rob: It was really cool. People seemed to enjoy it. There wasn’t really anything special other than playing a couple oldies that we rarely play. I felt a little uncomfortable going into it because we hadn’t had much time to rehearse the old ones, or the set in general. But all the time we’ve spent together on the road over the past year and a half kept us glued together nicely.

S*KM: Take us back to the beginning; did anyone expect the band to reach thelevel it has?

Rob: Honestly, I bet we all thought we’d be bigger. All of us grew up dreaming of playing Metallica-sized shows, but time is reality, and we’ve learned to keep our aspirations a little more down to earth. But we certainly are proud of our accomplishments and now see how special a band has to be to even last for five years. We’ve toured with a lot of bands that have come and gone, and we’re fortunate to have lasted this long.

S*KM: Can you remember the first Chimaira show? If so, where and when was it and who played with you?

Rob: Our first show was opening for Napalm Death at a place called The Flying Machine here in Ohio. The only other band I remember was Today Is The Day. The show was fun. There weren’t too many people there when we played, but it was the start of something cool.

S*KM: You held an in-store signing at Sam Ash in Cleveland the day of the anniversary show, whose idea was it and how did the fans react to some quality time with the band?

Rob: Our bassist Jim came up with the idea. He put it in motion, and we played it out from there. Everybody that came out seemed super stoked and grateful. It ended up being a great time, and it’s something we’ll probably do again in the future.

S*KM: I saw you open for Slipknot at the Tower City Amphitheater in ‘04. The crowd was so intense they broke down the barricade to the stage, which temporarily stopped the show. What is your most memorable Chimaira show?

Rob: That show was definitely awesome, but my most memorable Cleveland show was outdoors, at the old Peabody’s, in 2000. It was the first show of our first tour, and the place went nuts. Totally packed, people destroying shit, naked chicks, cool beers, and tasty waves.

S*KM: What is going on with the follow up to Resurrection? We hear tentative plans for a spring 2009 release? How many song ideas do you have floating around; is there a producer lined up, or any other details available?

Rob: Spring ‘09 is the tentative time for the release. We currently have about 7 song skeletons on tape, and we plan to start writing together at our rehearsal spot as a band in mid August. We plan to record from mid November to mid December. As of now, we’re planning on going with the same recording team: Jason Suecof, Andy Sneap, and Ben Schigel.

S*KM: It is rumored you don’t really have time to seek out new music unless it’s highly recommended to you by word of mouth. What are some up-and-coming Cleveland bands you have been hearing about?

Rob: The Ohio Sky and The Years of Fire are two that I’d like to mention. Our bass player Jim manages both bands, and both bands contain good friends of mine. While totally different styles of music, both bands are extremely talented and hard working. Check em’ out.

S*KM: Having gone through a fairly publicized falling out with your former label Roadrunner Records that resulted in your request for release, you then subsequently signed a new deal with Ferret Records. Now that the numbers are in, how pleased are you with the results Ferret produced promoting Resurrection compared to your experience with Roadrunner?

Rob: We’re extremely happy with Ferret. It’s a smaller label, so we’re given a lot more attention, we’re great friends with everyone that works there, and they love our band. Those are the keys to success with any label. Looking back, Roadrunner isn’t the monsters that we made them out to be. We were just small fish in a big pond, and wanted more food all the time. I attribute much of our success to Roadrunner Records.

S*KM: Do you ever see the band exploring more radical business methods due to the uncertain future of the record industry?

Rob: You’ll have to wait and see.

S*KM: You guys have finally finished touring in support of Resurrection and are receiving some well deserved down time, is the band still in as good of a place personally as when you released the album a year and a half ago?

Rob: I’d say that we’re in a better place. We’re better friends, older and wiser, a little more talented, more experienced and humbled. We’re all very excited about the future.

S*KM: Since most of the band members are big gamers and the world of virtual shredding has overtaken the marketplace, how come we haven’t seen Chimaira in Guitar Hero or Rock Band? Is it because the tiny plastic guitars could not handle the brutality?

Rob: Haha- I’d like to say that’s the reason, but the truth is that we’ve never been asked. Maybe you could put in a good word for us??

S*KM: Metallica is allegedly one of your favorite bands; the thrash-metal kings have soured many loyal fans throughout recent years. What are your feelings about the band’s upcoming new album “Death Magnetic”?

Rob: I’m honestly not excited at all. St. Anger ruined it for me. Now if I keep my hopes low, perhaps I’ll be surprised..And that’s where I stand.

S*KM: Being from Cleveland, it’s hard not to be a rabid sports fan. I hear your favorite NBA team is the Cavaliers; do the rest of your sports rooting interests fall in line with the home town teams?

Rob: Yes- my first love is the NBA, and of course the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lebron James has done a lot for Cleveland. I used to drive to Akron to see him play in High School. He was awesome then, and he’s awesome now. Of course I love the Browns and am excited to see what happens this year. While I’m not much of a baseball fan, I still root for the Indians, and occasionally catch a game here or there.

S*KM: You said in an interview recently conducted with Pegasusnews.com that one of the bands “fantasies” is to play Quicken Loans Area, can S*KM be the first to start the Chimaira at the Q campaign?

Rob: Please do.

S*KM: We would like to thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, as a reward we would like to give you a little face time to tell the city of Cleveland and the rest of the Chimaira brotherhood what to expect from the band down the road.

Rob: I’d say to expect another crushing record, relentless touring, maybe another DVD, and some great quotes from Jim. I wish I could give you more, and with more enthusiasm, but I honestly returned home only two days ago, after six straight months of touring and all my brain can do is say, “Home! Home at last. Enjoy it while you can because the next cycle is right around the corner!” But like I said before, I’m excited about the future. I look at each record as “another chance”.. Another chance to get to that level where we’re doing the Metallica-sized shows.

I’ll keep dreaming.

If you haven’t already, you can check out Chimaira for yourself at www.myspace.com/chimaira and will have to wait for the bands next tour to catch them live.

Rossella’s quintet rock attack has taken Cleveland by storm. Its catchy and potent brand of rock has attracted attention from local heavy weights inside the industry. The bands 2006 debut album, Seasons, received considerable radio play on some of the areas better known rock and college stations. The steady air play allowed them opportunities to up for such national acts like O.A.R., Black Light Burns, and Ghost Machine. We nabbed the gentleman to talk about their upcoming gig with Paramore, the progress of new material, and the bands production skills.

S*KM: You have a pretty active schedule booked throughout the rest of summer, but stated your show schedule was slowing down. How often do you play out when you are going full speed?

Rosella: Full speed for us is probably about 10-15 shows a month.

S*KM: How do you think live music in the area compares today as opposed to 5-10 years ago? Do you have a hard time drawing people away from their computers to experience music in the real world?

Rosella: Overall I’d say it is harder than it used to be, which I think is due to a lot of different things like: The shear abundance of music out there and the economy. But in our experience, it really depends on where you’re playing, every city is different.

S*KM: You are going to be opening up for Paramore at the Time Warner Amphitheatre on August 24. How did you get on that bill?

Rosella: Our friend Ray Leonardi at the Free Times hooked us up with that, he is a big supporter of us, and has thrown us quite a few quality opportunities. Plus, being voted “Free Times Best Rock band in Cleveland” helped a little too.

S*KM: How well do you feel your sound will go over for thousands of 15 year old girls in skinny jeans?

Rosella: Haha. Well, I guess we’ll find out. We’re not concerned though. We’re happy to have the exposure.

S*KM: It’s been about a year and a half since the release of your debut album Seasons, when can fans expect new Rosella material?

Rosella: We’re working on new stuff right now actually. But we aren’t putting any time constraints on ourselves at this point. When we feel we’ve got the best group of songs we can possibly put out recorded, that’ll be when we release another album.

S*KM: In your last blog post to the fans you said you were “honing your sound even more” what direction is that taking the music in this time around?

Rosella: Well as any band should, in my opinion, we’re trying to challenge ourselves to do things we haven’t personally done before and grow as musicians. One thing that is always important to us is dynamics. We want our heaviest song to be just as strong as our slowest. So we plan to explore the peaks and valleys of our writing skills a little more. Our potential has only begun to be realized.

S*KM: You recorded and produced Seasons at drummer Chris Urminski’s Subtracked Studios. What advice would you give to bands who are thinking about handling the recording process themselves?

Rosella: Don’t be afraid to screw up. Read everything. Be patient. It’s a lot of work but will be the most rewarding.

S*KM: Do you think some bands underestimate the importance of extensive recording knowledge?

Rosella: Either that or just lack the actual recording experience to understand that capturing sound is an art form all itself. An art form every musician should be constantly learning about.

S*KM: You won the Free Times “Rock Band of the Year” award back in March, who else were you up against and how did it feel to take home the gold?

Rosella: Lunavelis, The Jack Fords, Redwater Rojo and The Doctor Teeth. It’s a good feeling to know that people pay attention and appreciate what you’re doing. It was a great accomplishment for our band and we hope that it won’t be the last.

S*KM: Other then Myspace what do you think is an unsigned bands greatest aid in its quest for musical domination?

Rosella: Their own drive will do more for them than any website.

S*KM: Say you were playing a show on the Titanic as it went down (ignoring the discrepancy that electric instruments had not been invented) and you had time to play one song as people plummeted to their death, what would it be?

Rosella: We’ve got a new song we’ve been playing live and, are working on recording, that I think I’d like to hear as my ears fill with freezing water. It was inspired by someone I love very much and I think, under the circumstances, that it would be a very comforting song to die to. It’s called Sweet.

S*KM: What else is in store for Rosella in the coming months?

Rosella: We’re going to be playing a couple great festivals throughout Ohio like: Clay’s Park Rock N Resort Festival in North Lawrence, VEX FEST 5 in Youngstown and the Mid Point Music Festival in Cincinnati as well as some sweet club dates. In-between all that we’re going to continue writing and recording new material for our next release. We’ll eventually start focusing a little more on recording as winter approaches.

You can sample Rosella for yourself at www.myspace.com/rosellaband and catch them live next on Friday, August 8 at Royal Oaks Bar and Grill in Youngstown, Ohio.

Jessica Lea Mayfield’s haunting and soulful vat of country, folk, and rock is tasty enough to have attracted the attention of local big wigs like Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. The Kent native has toured with nationally know acts such as The Avett Brothers, Cake, and Auerbach’s Black Keys. At the ripe young age of 18 Jessica has already released an EP titled White Lies and is currently finishing up work on a follow up. We tracked her down to talk about her fateful roller-coaster ride, working with The Black Keys, and i-chatting with boys.

S*KM: In the song “All I Do Is Cry” you sing “I’m fifteen and I hit rock bottom.” Are you referring to yourself? If so what could have caused you to hit rock bottom at such a young age?

Jessica: Well, if you refer to the next line of the song it’s because at the time, I couldn’t write about anything but my falling out with one person. I was very depressed and yes, had felt like I hit rock bottom.

S*KM: As legend has it, The Black Keys lead singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach’s dad introduced your music to the bearded blues rocker. Which then prompted Auerbach to contact you and subsequently begin recording together. It also led to you performing a guest vocal spot on the bands track “Things ain’t like they used to be” from the duo’s new album Attack and Release. How fulfilling has it been working with such talented musicians and do you feel blessed for the fateful meeting?

Jessica: I’m very grateful for meeting Dan Auerbach. Now the other guy Pat…. whatever. He doesn’t impress me much. The real story isn’t how I met Dan but rather how I met his father. I sat next to him on a roller-coaster at Six Flags. He seemed very nervous and told me that he hadn’t ridden one in years. Well about half way through the ride I could see him turning red and suddenly he began to vomit. Spraying what looked like it might have been a falafel sandwich earlier in the day, all over me. After the ride he apologized profusely and offered to by me a new shirt. We walked over to the gift shop and he bought me a six flags shirt. We began to talk and I told him I was a song writer. He said “My boy Danny is a songwriter too” A few weeks later I got a Myspace message that simply said “Hi my name is Dan, and I play in a band called The Black Keys” we started recording the day we met.

S*KM: Is Dan Auerbach’s beard as impressive in person as it looks in photos?

Jessica: Well, a lot of people don’t know this, but Dan was horribly burned in the face from a terrible fire breathing accident a couple years ago. He tried to grow a beard to cover his mutilation but was unable to. The hair we see on his face today was actually transplanted from his back

S*KM: You recently won the Free Times Vocalist of the Year award, what was it like taking home the brass and beating out the best Cleveland had to offer?

Jessica: I wasn’t able to physically take it home, because I was on tour with an awesome band called the Avett Brothers during the awards ceremony, but I sent my Mom & Dad, who I think bribed them with cold hard cash.

S*KM: Do you ever feel overwhelmed at times having accomplished so much so early in your music career?

Jessica: Nope.

S*KM: Not many kids have the opportunity to grow up in a musical household and play in a family band like you did, is that something you are grateful for and do you feel it has helped you furnish a sound that is well beyond your 18 years of age?

Jessica: well, I guess so. I don’t think of myself like that so much. I do think that I wouldn’t even play music at all if it wasn’t such an important thing in my house. No one ever pressured me to play, but it was always around. You had to move an instrument if you wanted to sit down, each room of the house had someone either playing music themselves or listening to music.

S*KM: On the surface a lot of your songs seem simple in structure yet manage to create a massive world of illusion around each one, do you feel some artists get lost overdoing things and forget about what’s important for a good song?

Jessica: I think what might be a good song to one person, might be a terrible song to someone else. Who am I to express my opinions on what a good song is? I don’t even know, or think that there are, “keys” to writing good songs. I write my songs for me, and if I think there cool, then that’s all that matters.

S*KM: What has been the most surprising experience of your time in the music business thus far?

Jessica: Everyday is something different and new. I guess nothing has been a surprise, I’ve been doing this since I was 8 years old…this has always been my life, so I guess I’m used to it.

S*KM: With the warm Ohio summer weather upon us, what is your perfect night out on the town?

Jessica: I don’t ever really go out…I prefer to spend my nights surfing the internet on my mac book and i-chatting with boys.

S*KM: If you could pick one song from any other artist that you wish you could have written, what would it be?

Jessica: Honestly, one that made a lot of money. Because then I could buy a car that didn’t stall out on I-76 west, and I could put that money into my career. Right now things are really hard and touring is almost impossible, but I’m out there doing it. I’ve never had a day job, and with the way my schedule is looking I can’t apply for one anytime soon.

You can listen to Jessica for yourself at www.myspace.com/jlmayfield and catch her live on Saturday, July 19 at The Clubhouse in Tempe, Arizona

Cleveland’s Hot Ham & Cheese released its debut full length album Revolution & Revelations on Jib Machine Records in April of this year. Since then they have embarked on the nationwide Churn n’ Burn tour and received a considerable amount of favorable press for the effort. This tasty lunch time treat has attracted a solid following by creating an ambitious brand of modern hard rock. We sat down with the guys to talk about their personal revolutions and revaluations, some of the bands favorite gear, and ridding the world of no talent, weasel fucks.

S*KM: You guys have been laying low since you finished the Churn n’ Burn tour and CD release show, what has been going on in the HH&C camp?

HH&C: We’ve actually been planning our fall schedule as well as recuperating. We’ve had some family and health issues that we had to deal with, so it’s good that we’ve had a little bit of down time.

S*KM: The title of the new album is Revolution & Revelations, what kind of revolutions and revelations would you like to see happen?

HH&C: Revolution - We’d like to see the American people take charge of our country again. The Bush Administration consists of a bunch of renegades who abused the Constitution for the past 8 years and used 9/11 as an excuse to carry out a false war. Revelation - We’d like to see the masses figure out that religion is BS and the root of most of the world’s problems.

S*KM: Along with a review here at S*KM you were also recently reviewed by Cleveland Scene magazine. How has the new album been received and has it opened any new doors for the band?

HH&C: The new album has been received really well. It’s sold better than expected thus far and the reviews have been mostly positive. No new doors have opened yet…at least that we know of, but the disc has only been out for a little over two months so we’ll see what happens.

S*KM: With a name as zany as Hot Ham & Cheese I can’t help but ask how the name came to fruition?

HH&C: Well, the story really isn’t that exciting. When Charlie and Robby jammed together for the first time, it was apparent that we had something. After the session, Robby jokingly said, “I always wanted to be in a band called Hot Ham & Cheese,” and Charlie replied, “okay, then that’s what we’re called.” The rest is history.

S*KM: Other then your label, who or what from the Cleveland area has provided the most support for bands like yourself to help gain exposure?

HH&C: Scrub Radio, Track_Six_Recording, Cleveland Free Times/Cleveland Scene, Toxic Entertainment, Cleveland Rock Network. We also had sponsorships from Budweiser & Vitamin Water for our tour, which was really cool.

S*KM: How has your label, Jib Machine Records, helped give you an edge over the slew of unsigned bands patrolling the area?

HH&C: It mainly helps because you’re taken more seriously when you’re on a label. But, it also helps because we’re able to partner up with other bands on our label to cut costs for things like promotion, merchandise and even touring. Plus, our label has its own radio show (JibNation on Scrub Radio…every Tuesday night from 10pm - 1am EST) that really helps to get the word out in the underground.

S*KM: Let’s get technical, name some choice gear featured in a HH&C rig?

HH&C: Charlie uses a Mesa Single Rectifier, Custom Mesa Cab, Gibson SG Gothic with custom pick-ups, Washburn Dime V, BOSS pedals. Louie uses an Ampeg SVT 4 Pro, Ampeg 8×10 cab, Schecter Studio 5, Fender Jaguar, Ernie Ball Strings. Robby uses a 97′ mapex 7 piece mars pro series with maple shells, DW5002 double pedal, zildjian hi hats, zildjian, sabian and paiste cymbals, all sorts of hardware and Nova 5A nylon tip sticks.

S*KM: Take a band vote, what is your favorite song in the HH&C catalog?

HH&C: “Gias”…track 10 from Revolution & Revelations.

S*KM: Some of your lyrics harbor political overtones stating, “I’m not a nephew of Sam” and “Just gonna go and get Saddam” Why do you think it is important for musicians to keep the government in check every now and then?

HH&C: We don’t think it’s important for musicians to keep the government in check…it’s not our job. But, we do believe that through our music we can help open other people’s eyes to the lies, manipulation and corruption that permeates our government…especially today. If we can make just one person not accept things at face value and/or seek out “the truth” whatever that is, then we’ve done our job.

S*KM: With that being said, what party is most inline with your political views?

HH&C: The one with the hot chics and free drugs.

S*KM: If you had the power, what is one thing you would change about the current state of the music industry?

HH&C: To rid it of all the no talent, weasel fucks that make a living by taking advantage of young bands with a dream and screwing them into signing their lives away. Along those lines, we also wish that rock n’ roll could once again become more relevant to the youth of today as the majority are brainwashed with mainstream rap and other crap like that.

You can check out Hot Ham & Cheese for yourself at www.myspace.com/hothamcheese and catch them live next on Saturday, August 16 at Fat Jimmy’s in Kent, Ohio.

Winslow is a six piece smooth funk-fest hailing from the Cleveland and Kent area. The bands blend of soulful vocals, jazzy guitar, and grooving rhythm section creates an accessible sound that manages to retain both its substance and style. The gentlemen have amassed quite a following in its brief stint together, with a national tour and a couple of battle of the band victories already in the bag, it sounds like the guys are just getting started. We caught up with lead singer Maurice Martin, bassist Brian Robertson, and drummer Justin Hofmann to talk about the bands extensive formal training, its roots as a cover band, and some of their favorite local flavor.

S*KM: You just finished up a national tour of sorts, what are some different things you enjoy about performing out of state?

Maurice: It was just nice to see that our music went over well everywhere we played. We all embrace the chance to share our music with people all over the country. That is obviously the first of many tours for us, but we were able to look around at the end and say “OK, cool. We really can do this.”

Brian: It was nice to see our music carry over from state to state. We haven’t gotten a chance to see how we come off to others outside of Ohio and people that don’t know us, I think it went really well.

Justin: Your guaranteed no one has seen you before, therefore you get to give it your all. Plus they don’t know you have a useless job back home and that your not almost famous.

S*KM: Five of the six members in the band hold music degrees, what drew each of you to such rigorous formal training, when the do-it-yourself approach seems to be most common with bands today?

Maurice: Actually only 3 guys graduated. I never finished and Neal is still in school. When I personally first went to school, my plan was to be a music teacher. When I decided I wanted to perform, I wanted to learn as much as physically possible so that I could be the most well rounded singer possible. There are never any guarantees in this business, so I wanted to gain the most knowledge I could possibly get so that I could give myself the best shot. There were frustrating moments for all of us. When you study music, there are times when it just starts to suck and is not fun. I think we are all much better musicians because of it though.

Brian: I personally didn’t come from any real hard formal music training with theory as my other band mates have. We all came in with a relative idea and feel that we wanted. We all have been such music fans that when we play, it all kinda fits. I know that I want to be a master at my instrument and I think we all have that same mentality. Keep it simple but with a great deal of musicality.

Justin: I think everyone just wanted to be great at playing music so we just sort of fell into that degree program. Personally a percussion performance degree doesn’t exactly prepare you for a career in rock music, I did that on my own outside of school.

S*KM: Does the bands extremely large pool of music knowledge ever flood the songwriting process with excessive theory?

Maurice: No, I don’t think so. Most of us don’t really rely on theory during the writing process. We don’t want our music to come off as formulaic. Can you groove to it? Can you sing along? Is it the sound we want to go for? If so, then we’ve done our jobs. That is what we focus on, the theory comes later when we go back through to analyze exactly what we have written.

Brian: I think it makes it easier since some of us don’t really know what we are doing (me). We can whip out songs fairly easy, but we don’t want to move on until the song that we are working on is completely finished to a tee. We all listen to so much music that we can get ideas fast when we see what other members are playing or singing and then build around each other. I’m glad that only a few tunes we have now are tunes that we have written as a band.

Justin: Not really, we all play by ear so we just use our theory knowledge after things are written.

S*KM: How well do you feel formally educated players mix with self taught players, or is it something better off kept separate?

Maurice: I don’t think it is a problem at all. Brian has no formal training and he is every bit as quick as the rest of us. A lot of people who are formally educated are just people who were self taught and then tried to go a little farther. Lets face it, this is pop music. We want to play with people who know how to rock out on their instruments and write quality material. We aren’t music snobs, just kids who had the same dreams as a lot of other people and chose to take a different path to get there.

Brian: Well being a self taught player can sometimes put me at a disadvantage but the amount of time I have behind my bass makes me able to keep up with the more formally trained. Having a good creative approach to a song or a part in a song will not matter if you had formal training or not. Don’t play all the notes, play the good ones.

Justin: If a musician has good instincts, and good ears, than that counts for a lot. I know a ton of people with music degrees who can’t play for shit, but our bass player Brian has no formal training at all and I wouldn’t be in a band without him.

S*KM: You originally started out as a cover band under the name 1959, at what point did you get tired of playing other peoples songs and want to start writing your own original material?

Maurice: I personally was writing well before 1959, but when we formed the band it was just to have a good time playing for our friends. Honestly, I think part of it for me was the fear that people would think my music sucked haha. Once we started working on originals and playing them out, they got great responses. When people started singing a long we felt like we had something special. Deep down, we all were just looking for the right project to throw ourselves in to and try to make our dreams come true. When the music started to form the way it did, we felt like this was the project to go for it. At that point, it was time to give ourselves a new identity, make the best recordings we could, and really go for it.

Brian: I joined the band at the end of the 1959 thing. I don’t mind playing covers. I see the point in playing them, but playing originals and getting people to listen and groove is more satisfying to me.

Justin: At some point we realized that the songs we had written were good, and people really seemed to like our songs too. Why not take a stab at it.

S*KM: Who are some individual musicians that have heavily influenced you in the development of your respective instruments.

Maurice: Some of my greatest influences are Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, and Marvin Gaye.

Brian: I learned to play bass by listening to rancid then moving on to Chilli Peppers, 311, Primus, Jaco and Tool. I started to listen to other bands and bassist but stopped learning the songs and tried to just play lines that sounded like that band or that person. I didn’t want to get sucked into just the bass lines in music. They are only a part of a song, I wanted to listen to the whole of the song and get whole picture. I still try to do that but I have to say my biggest influence on technique and style would have to be Les Claypool.

Justin: For me: Jon Theodore, Stanton Moore, John Bonham, Josh Freese, DJ Shadow…

S*KM: You won the 2006 Kent State Battle of the Bands and most recently the 2007 Molson Battle of the Bands, besides playing good music what has helped you attract the most attention?

Maurice: It is definitely our live show. We all love to be on stage and I think that comes across to people who watch us. We want our fans to walk away thinking “man that was a good time.” We focus on the total package…a tight musical set that is entertaining.

Brian: Our live shows. the way we see it, this might be the only time you see us. We have to sell our performance to separate us from any other no name band. We want you to remember our show. So far it has worked. The more times we play an area I start to see familiar faces, I guess which means we are doing something right.

Justin: We strive to have an entertaining stage show that fits the music, yes that includes dressing up a bit for our shows.

S*KM: You are signed to FTF records, which is based in Stow, Ohio. What has the process been like working with a local label, do you feel they have provided invaluable services you would have otherwise been unable to handle yourselves?

Maurice: No doubt. Every young band is just looking for a team of people who will rally behind them. FTF does that for us. Jeff Gargas and the rest of the team truly believe in us and throw themselves into helping us get to the next level. We owe a lot of the growth we’ve had and increase in visibility to the hard work of our photographer, publicist, and Jeff.

Brian: Oh definitely! I try to stay out of the whole process as much as possible but do know that the stuff Jeff and FTF records have done have helped a lot. They have one thing that makes being a label one less thing to worry about, money. But as a band you have to earn your keep which is one thing I think we do well. We know that without FTF we wouldn’t have some of the things we do.

Justin: Working with FTF is really personal, I mean the founder Jeff is in my phone and he is at about half of our shows. FTF has been really supportive of everything we have done and there aren’t many labels that just throw out money to let someone record at their leisure.

S*KM: You also recently picked up a well known national booking agent, can we expect you guys to play Madison Square Garden soon?

Maurice: Well that would be pretty bad ass but I think we still have some dues to pay first! Sometimes when people hear us, they think we have been around a lot longer than we have. We have been really putting everything we have into our original music and I know we are on the right track, but this stuff takes time. I would say we’ve made a lot of progress in a short period of time between the albums we’ve sold, the loyal fans we’ve made, and some of the great press we have received. Having said that, we need to just keep trucking and pay our dues before Madison Square Garden comes knocking. We feel like we have the formula for something special, but part of that formula is never taking anything for granted and keeping our noses to the grindstone.

Brian: Touring is fun, but hard, and we all have to make a choice to go and tour and tour and tour or work a day job that will let us. I Don’t see us playing anywhere huge soon. I know we have to pay our dues and I think we have gotten pretty far for how young we are as a band. The more we play with bigger acts we find out they are four, five, six, years in. I think it takes away, but then again who knows.

Justin: No, if we blow up that fast we definitely did something sleazy

S*KM: When you guys aren’t crafting your own sexy neo-soul funk sound it is rumored you enjoy checking out other live shows, what bands and venues do you frequent most?

Maurice: I love to support the local Kent scene. Acts like Sean Benjamin, David Ullman, The Speedbumps, and Amplexus are some of my favorites. I also am really starting to love Youngstown musicians like the Zou as well. In the end, I think I’m just big into supporting local music. Hopefully many of us will be the national acts of tomorrow, so I try to support the cause the best I can.

Brian: I live on the Eastside of Cleveland so I go to different venues then the other guys in the band, but I really like the Beachland its gotta cool vibe. As far as local bands I really like: Return of Simple, If These Trees Could Talk, mr. Gnome, and Poetic Republic. If you have not check out any of these bands you need to.

Justin: Whatever we have time to check out, especially if our other friends are playing. I love going to the Grog. I love going to see This is Exploding, Junior Revolution, Pete Nischt, and The Dr. Teeth.

S*KM: You have a healthy list of shows booked throughout Northeast Ohio this summer, which one are you looking forward to the most?

Maurice: Honestly, we just look forward to every chance we have to share our music. We will be touring a lot of colleges over the next few months, and we will be hitting up several big cities in the next few months. In the end, its just about playing in front of as many people as possible and having as much fun as possible. Where do we want to play? Everywhere that people enjoy us and we can further the name. One gig at a time, one new fan at a time. We are at the beginning of the ride and we are looking forward to it.

Brian: Which ever one has the singer from Maroon 5 there and he says he wants us to open for them.

Justin: Anything with a crowd.

You can listen to Winslow for yourself at www.myspace.com/winslowsoul and catch them live next on Friday, July, 18 at Around The Corner in Lakewood, Ohio.

As the temperature raises so does the fever everyone gets to escapee on the perfect mid summer get-away. With road trip season in full swing, I though what better time to put together a top 20 that will help you get through that 13 hour car ride with your little cousin screaming in the back seat. This list was carefully engineered to server as both an internal and external playlist for the whole family to enjoy. When crafting a generation bridging musical experience it is vital never to underestimate the musical taste of the person(s) commanding your road trip. They are the gatekeepers of headphone-free music throughout your journey.

1. Against Me – New Wave – “New Wave”
Off an album that most heralded as one of the best 2007 had to offer, this title track from these indie punk rockers sets the perfect stage for a marathon of tune-age on the open road. Tom Gabel’s gravely yet smooth vocal delivery gives this track the ideal balance for any music fan to enjoy.

2. Clutch – From Beale Street to Oblivion – “Electric Worry”
Do you really need to justify a Clutch song showing up anywhere in life? I think not. Just in case you haven’t heard this song I will elaborate slightly. In my opinion “Electric Worry” is one of, if not the bands most accessible jam. It is stuffed with enough blues, funk, and rock to have even the most stanch disbelievers saying Amen.

3. Cake – Fashion Nugget – “The Distance”
I was this close to throwing the obscure “Jolene” off the bands debut Motorcades Of Generosity in this spot, however cooler heads prevailed and I realized I could not do that to “The Distance.” If Cake isn’t a first ballot Rock Hall induction the streets of Cleveland should burn. “Reluctantly crouched at the starting line / engines humping and thumping in time / the green light flashes the flags go up / churning and burning they yearn for the cup.” If you aren’t ready to go after that you might want to consider talking to your doctor about a Cialis prescription.

4. Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run – “Born to Run”
If “The Boss” doesn’t show up somewhere on your vacation soundtrack your dad is sure to become more disgruntled then he already was when your mom needed three bathroom stops two hours into the trip. This will more then likely set his tolerance threshold at dangerous levels, prompting at some point the go to dad line, “what is this crap.” That is why Bruce and the E Street Band is an absolute must, not just to keep the old man happy, but because no one can do it better.

5. Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape – “Hey, Johnny Park!”
This is, in my opinion, the best song the Foo’s have ever written, and no one ever talks about it! This song is so good, if I was putting together a top 20 of jazz and easy listening standards it would be included in that as well. I could put this on any top 20 I come up with from here on out and feel completely justified. Also the Foo Fighters have universal appeal that moms, dads and even sisters can get down with.

6. Frank Sinatra – Sinatra Reprise: The Very Good Years – “Luck Be a Lady”
Just like Mr. Springsteen, Frank is an absolute must for swagger and machismo. Snap your fingers and tap your foot to this swinging Sinatra classic as you curse down the highway. If you can’t find a small place in your musical world to appreciate Ol’ blue eyes then you minds well just become a country music fan.

7. Oasis – Definitely Maybe – “Married With Children”
Most of the songs on this list are high profile hits from each band’s respective catalog; however this deep cut from the bands debut album is well worth the obscurity. A bouncy acoustic guitar, killer electric lead and strong vocal performance are the only elements needed to craft the forgotten oasis jam.

8. Pearl Jam – Lost Dogs – “Last Kiss”
If you asked a person unfamiliar with Pearl Jam to name you a song chances are “Last Kiss” will come to mind. The bands cover of Wayne Cochran’s tale of highway tragedy lends an interesting contrast to the upbeat and bright musical accompaniment. On second thought a song about a fatal highway crash might not be the best karma grabber for your pilgrimage. Include at your own risk.

9. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Californication – “Road Trippin”
The title track for this top 20 list is either an absolute must and would be viewed as a glaring omission, or is a cheesy pick that is embarrassingly obvious. For arguments sake we are going to stick with reasoning number one. Even if you are in the cheesy camp, since when is a mellow finger picking acoustic ballad with a strolling bass line from the Chili Peppers a bad time?

10. Steve Miller Band – The Joker – “The Joker”
Just fantastic! Pure musical ecstasy crammed into 3:38 of time. Roll down the windows and do the wavy motion thing with your hand. As we cross over the half way point on the list it is once again imperative to hit a classic jam for your road trip guides to enjoy. If the higher ups ridding shotgun haven’t heard enough music to suit their tastes at this point you’re liable to get the plug pulled.

11. Zwan – Mary Star of The Sea – “Yeah!”
The post-Pumpkins happy music featured on Zwan’s one and only album never really seemed to please the faithful Corgan following. Having not fully listened to the album till a few years after it was released; I was pleasantly surprised with my level of enjoyment from top to bottom on this album.

12. Staind – Dysfunction – “Home”
Alright so this song doesn’t ooze with obvious road trip juice. However with Clutch’s “Electric Worry” being the only other song with substantial testosterone on the list thus far, its about time you treated yourself to a mid tempo head bang. If anyone is down on this song or album because of what Staind has since gone on to accomplish or not accomplish in music should be taken into interrogation with Jack Bauer.

13. Sponge – Wax Ecstatic – “Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina)”
No one can embody the over-saturated grunge boom of the nineties quite like Sponge. I am pretty confidante in saying that only five people know of this bands existence. Three of the five are on the S*KM staff, the forth is a former band mate of mine, and the fifth remains at large and has to be out there somewhere. I bought this album second had at CD Warehouse for $2 and it remains the best value purchase in my collection.

14. Jamie Cullum – Catching Tales – “Get Your Way”
This funky fresh jazz grove has more attitude then Axl Rose backstage circa 1991. Prancing piano and a hypnotically dirty brass section elevate this song beyond the jazz genre transcending it to harbor universal appeal.

15. Elton John – Madman Across the Water – “Tinny Dancer”
It’s time for your own personal “Almost Famous” moment, start a car-wide sing-a-long to this epic ballad. The first 2 min and 30 seconds of the song serve as musical foreplay building up to the perfect blend of chorus glory. All together now, “Hold me closer tiny dancer / Count the headlights on the highway.”

16. Billy Joel – Glass Houses – “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”
The mid tempo thump of palm muted guitar and kick drum create an irresistible intro. Like “The Boss,” Sinatra, Steve Miller Band, and even Elton John, Billy Joel is on this list for not only his dad factor, but his timeless music and fantastic song writing ability. But you don’t need me to tell you that, just listen and enjoy.

17. Eagles – Desperado – “Out of Control”
Solid rock grove from the kings of 70’s rock, this song could be consider thrash metal in comparison to the rest of the bands catalog. At the very least it sounds more like an Eagles of Death Metal tune then the “Doolin’ Dalton” Eagles we are accustom to. Note: This marks the end of parental appeasement for the remainder of the list.

18. Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power – “Walk”
After the last three songs you should have banked enough good will and sedated the audience adequately to get away with this one. Start a mosh pit in the backseat and take no prisoners, its five more hours till the next rest stop, better get it out now.

19. Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight – “Money Maker”
You might think this an odd choice to fallow up the brutality that just ensued, however it is only the calm before the storm. The murky funk that takes place on this track is seductive and unsuspectingly aggressive. Not to mention Jenny Lewis is a well put together member of the female gender.

20. Rollins Band – Nice – “Your Number Is One”
Other passengers be damned, it’s time for hardcore legend Henry Rollins to send this top 20 out with a bang. Don’t feel bad if you catch your grandma with a forearm during this track, she has all week to heal up. A wicked bass line and Rollins’ bark seem like the perfect way to depart our Road Trippin’ Top 20. Hope you enjoyed it while it lasted, this 1 hour and 20 minuets of music only consumed 60-70 miles of your 700 mile expedition. Happy trails.

Above This Fire knows how to do hardcore right. The Cleveland lads have taken the best elements of the genre and super glued it to some fine metal riffing. This unlikely adhesion has created a rejuvenated tasty treat for the city that rocks to call its own. Even though it seems the gentleman may have forgotten where the closest recording studio is, 2005’s In Perspective being its last album. Fear not, Above This Fire have buried the hatchet with its recording qualms and are back in the studio. We sat down with guitarists Aaron Salo and LT Magnotto along with bassist Oliver Barrett to talk about the new record, Steven Segal, and the perfect evening of live music.

S*KM: Let’s talk about the current music scene in Cleveland, are you guys encouraged with what you have heard from other bands or does it sound like they are all starting to run together?

LT: We’ve been at this thing for a pretty long time and we have seen a lot of bands come and go. There are a lot of new young bands popping up, and whats cool is a lot of these kids are working pretty hard to make things happen for themselves. It’s cool to see a new band out of Cleveland surviving on the road!

S*KM: Back in February you announced guitars Rick Sans would be leaving the band and replacing him would be Aaron Salo. What kind of impact has it had on the band, especially the songwriting process for the new album?

LT: Getting Aaron in the band has been such a great thing, for the past few years I had been doing all of the writing ( as far as riffs are concerned ) and now the process is much less stressful having someone that I can jam with and bounce ideas off of like Aaron. He is a mega motivated cat, and it really gets us all pumped to do things!

S*KM: Keeping with the new material, what can be expected from the new album? Are there any surprises in the direction of the bands sound this time out?

OB: Not to sound cliché, but this new album has more mature songwriting. It’s a good progression from the last record as it should be. It’s taken three years to get this thing done. As far as the actual material goes, you’ll just have to listen to it when the record comes out. It’s different, in a good way. It’s a pretty fun album, and we’re proud of it.

S*KM: What kind of details can we squeeze out about the new album, recording plans, title, track list etc.?

OB: We started last Friday. The album is currently untitled. It contains the three demo songs that were on our myspace, and seven others. We’ve played a few of them live recently. I’d say the release will probably be in late September, but don’t quote me on that.

S*KM: Here at S*KM we have dubbed 2008 the year of live music, do you think there is a large gap between the live and recorded listening experiences?

OB: Depends on the band. If the bands you listen to do a lot of extra stuff in the studio that they can’t do live, then obviously there’s a big gap there. I know it sucks when you go see a band, and you ask to hear your favorite song only to find out it’s a “studio track.” In general, I wouldn’t say there’s too big of a gap in this genre.

S*KM: If you could only pick one medium for fans to experience your music for the rest of your careers, either playing live shows or putting out studio albums, which would it be?

OB: Tough question. We have a lot of fun playing out, but we don’t tour extensively. So, ideally, it would be playing out.

AS: Live shows for sure. I love going into the studio and recording, but I’d go crazy if I couldn’t play live. The connection you get with fans, especially at our shows, is amazing. When you see someone that sings along with all the words to every song, nothing beats that.

S*KM: Which actor would best embody all that is Above This Fire?

ATF: Steven Segal and “Back to the Future” era Michael J Fox’s child

S*KM: Which super power would you rather have, flight or invisibility?

AS: Definitely flight. Have you seen Iron Man?! I always love flying in planes, so that fits perfect for me. I’m not the “stalking Sally in her shower” type.

OB: Aaron wants to fly like Harry Potter.

S*KM: Describe the components that make up Above This Fire’s favorite summer back yard BBQ?

LT: Backyard? Above This Fire parties at the beach. Were talking chicken fights, marco polo, and jet skiing. You’ll always find a grill packed to the edge with: Hot Dogs, Beer Brats, Burgers, BBQ Chicken, Corn on the cob, and steaks.

S*KM: If you guys could organize the perfect evening of live music, who would play?

LT: Man, well Above This Fire would have to open, and than I’d say The Fucking Champs would play, than maybe Minus The Bear, probably followed by Fu Manchu, and than Lebron James would introduce Iron Maiden circa its “Somewhere in Time” album.

AS: That’s a tough one. I know we’d probably have Minus The Bear there, who we’re all huge fans of. Just to be the chill band of the night. I’d also have Terror play so I can get my dose of hardcore inspiration from Scott Vogel.

OB: At the Drive-In would open it up. Then David Ruffin would magically come back to life and the Temptations would headline with Chuck Mangione playing his flugelhorn between sets.

You can check out Above This Fire for yourself at www.myspace.com/abovethisfire.