Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Independent Rocker's Hit The Mark

As I continue my band reviews for the independent online radio station www.ilike2rock.net, I wanted to share a great band that really knows their stuff and plays music with a hard-rockin' style:

Vonzeles

By Robert Benson


With their new CD called “The Next One,” the hard-rocking quartet Vonzeles is making musical waves with their unique melding of precision power rock that is making the music industry stand up and take notice.

Their CD is full of raw intensity, indescribable power and is a rare collection of fresh rock melodies. This rocking band from Tolleson, Arizona hits the mark hard with cuts like the arena-ready rocker “New Existence,” the Candlebox-like, slow tempo sounds of the cut “Feel Good” and the acid-flavored funk and heavy bass lines of the song “Sex Machine.”

But Vonzeles brings down the house with cuts like “I Remember,” an affectionate ballad with Zeppelin-like acoustic guitar that explodes lyrically and musically (ala 3 Doors Down) into a song that people can relate to. The instrumental "This One," with more inspiring acoustics, appropriately serves as an introduction and compliment to "This Is Me," with rough-edged confessional lyrics and rapid-fire, high voltage guitar work adroitly reflecting the song's rage and bitterness.

“Useless Woman,” with its bold lyrics, is another heavy rocker with a fantastic lead guitar that meshes perfectly with the spitefully sung husky growl of Carl, the lead singer. Other cuts like “Cocked & Loaded,” full of fuzz guitar, heavy bass lines has the listener thinking Metallica is playing along with the band. The cuts “End Of Days,” “Half Of It” and “Next One” are all full of grungy guitar rock and all would be right at home on any heavy metal radio station play list.

All in all, “The Next One” is by far Vonzeles breakthrough CD, full of slashing riffs, explosive vocals and straight-up rock and roll. One can actually feel the music, something that every band or artist strives to achieve. Vonzeles has captured this element perfectly and does not let their listeners down.


Visit the band:

http://www.ilike2rock.net/Vonzeles

Alkaline Trio Reissue

Goddamnit, has it been 10 years already? Chicago punks Alkaline Trio reissued their debut album, Goddamnit, today via Asian Man Records. The reissue features the original album completely remixed and remastered, as well as four bonus tracks, new artwork and an in-depth documentary that features interviews with all of the group's original members. On March 25, Asian Man will issue a vinyl version of the re-release.

Vinyl Records Top 5 eBay Sales

Week Ending 02/09/2008

Top 5 List:

1) LP - Bob Dylan "Blood On The Tracks" Vinyl Test Pressing - $4,999.99

2) 45rpm - Soul Brothers Inc "Teardrops" / "Salem" - $4,494.44

3) 78rpm - Bix Beiderbecke test pressing "Thou Swell" - $3,000.00

4) 78rpm - Robert Johnson test pressing Vocalion DAL 402-1 - $2,550.00

5. 78rpm - Ramblin' Thomas "So Lonesome" / "Lock And Key Blues" Paramount 12637 - $2,481.78

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Vinyl Records Top 5 eBay Sales

Week Ending 02/02/2008

Top 5 List:

1) 45rpm - Elvis Presley "That's All Right Mama" / "Blue Moon Of Kentuck" Sun Sample - $2,026.00

2) 45rpm - Vikki Styles "The Tears Won't Stop Falling" / "If I Didn't Love You" ODEX - $1,999.99

3) 45rpm - Beatles "Noregian Wood" Greeny Vinyl 45 - $1,530.00

4) 45rpm - Anthony Ellis Blank 7" Reggae Ska Instrumental - $1,501.00 Start:

5) LP - Beatles "Yesterday & Today" Butcher Cover LP - $1,499.99

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Vinyl Records Top 5 eBay Sales

Week Ending 01/26/2008

Top 5 List:

1) 45rpm - The Misfits "Horror Business" (Signed) - $14,301.38

2) 45rpm - Ray Pollard "This Time (I'm Gonna Be True)" / "No More Like Me" Shrine 103 - $3,060.00

3) LP - Bob Dylan "Vol. 4" Japan White Label Promo w/ OBI - $2,799.99

4) 45rpm - Willie Wright "Right On Darkness" - $2,716.00

5. LP - Vashti "Bunyan" - $2,300.00

This Day In Music History- March 12

Pink Floyd's David Gilmour topped the U.K. album charts with "On An Island" in 2006.

In 2003, callers to Nashville radio station WKDF demand a boycott of Texan trio the Dixie Chicks' music after singer Natalie Maines says, "We're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."

In 1971, John Lennon released his solo single "Power to the People," having recorded it a mere four days before.

Guitarist Graham Coxon of Blur was born in 1969.

It was a dark day for jazz in 1955 as Charlie "Bird" Parker died at the age of 34. A master saxophonist, he was also a musical innovator, helping to birth the animated style of swing called bebop. The hard-living Parker's postmortem suggests he may have died from pneumonia, a heart attack, burst stomach ulcers, or cirrhosis of the liver.

Liza "with a Z" Minnelli was born in Hollywood in 1946.

In 1946, Jefferson Airplane's Paul Kantner was born in San Francisco. The guitarist is a free-thinker who helped create the West Cost psychedelic sound in the 1960’s.

The late Leonard Chess was born in Motol, Poland in 1917. His Chicago-based Chess label documented the seminal blues and rock 'n roll of Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, and Howlin' Wolf.

James Taylor ("Your Smiling Face") turns 60.

Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman in 1969 (none of his band mates attended).

George Harrison was arrested for possession of marijuana in 1969 (maybe that’s why he wasn’t at the wedding)

John Lennon and Harry Nilsson were thrown out of the Troubador nightclub in Los Angeles for heckling the Smothers Brothers, who were performing there in 1974. This period becomes known as Lennon’s “Lost Weekend.”

In 1965, The Beatles wrapped up their location shooting of Help! in the Bahamas. In an interview with The New York Times, Beatles manager Brian Epstein predicts that the band will still be popular in 10 years and declares the Rolling Stones "a fine group."

1996 - The album "Unplugged" was released by KISS.

2003 - The Chinese government ordered the Rolling Stones to eliminate four songs from their upcoming performances in Shanghai and Beijing. The banned songs were "Brown Sugar," "Honky Tonk Women," "Beast of Burden," and "Let's Spend the Night Together."

In 1959, an American Bandstand viewer's pole lists 15 year old Fabian Forte as the Most Promising New Talent. The young man is currently enjoying success with "Turn Me Loose", which will crack the US Top 10 in April.

In 1966, The Levi Strauss Company began selling bell-bottom blue jeans in the US. (far out man!)

A poll conducted by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2001, music fans voted Judy Garland's "Over The Rainbow" as the Song Of The Century. The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" came in at #16 and The Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was #26.

The Mamas and the Papas' debut single, "California Dreamin'," reached #4 in 1966. Over time, it becomes the Mamas and the Papas' signature song.

Steve Harris was born in London in 1956. He works as an architectural draftsman but quits his day job after launching Iron Maiden in '75. The bassist also serves as the group’s principal composer and lyricist.