Onthepod.net

The Future....

2009-01-14T07:40:00.003-05:00

So you may have noticed that we've been kind of "off line" in the recent, and not so recent, past. Add to that the demise-ish-ness of the Onthepodcast host site over at Podango and things got a bit more complicated. Fear not though...I'm cooking something up that will a little more loose and hopefully a lot more fun. I'll have more info up soon.

Thanks for keeping coming back!

Joe

Hey!

2008-11-30T08:22:00.002-05:00

So, it's been a while. You may have noticed that the Onthepod/Onthepodcast Summer Vacation has been a bit longer than anticipated. Sorry about that. The last few months here at OTP have been rather interesting and have included a layoff, a job switch and a move to a new home base. Well we just finished the moving stuff out part yesterday and once I get things up and running here, there will be some new content popping up Onthepod. I have a couple of musicians lined up to come Onthepodcast and am toying with the idea of a new format, so we'll see what happens.

Talk to you soon...

Joe

Onthepodcast: Summer Vacation - Episode 1

2008-08-02T12:32:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first episode of Onthepodcast's Summer Vacation. This show contains my album, The Sogno Suite, in it's entirety. I wrote it as a soundtrack for a fashion show a few years back. Hope you like it.

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Onthepodcast: Episode 026 - JC Hutchins (pt. 3) and TWiG

2008-07-23T00:09:00.000-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 026 - JC Hutchins (pt. 3) and TWiG

Intro to Onthepodcast: Episode 026

JC Hutchins' 7th Son: Obsidian Promo
http://jchutchins.net/site/category/obsidian/
http://www.jchutchins.net

The Onthepodcast JC Hutchins Interview - Part 3
http://jchutchins.net/site/category/obsidian/
http://www.jchutchins.net

Philippa Ballantine & Tee Morris' Double Trouble Promo:

Philippa Ballantine's Digital Magic
http://www.chasingthebard.com/
http://www.pjballantine.net/

Tee Morris' Billibub Baddings and The Case of the Pitcher's Pendant
http://www.teemorris.com/
http://www.teemorris.com/billipodcast/

http://dragonmoonpress.com/

TWiG and his song 7th Son Project - Alpha
http://www.ilike.com/artist/TWiG+%28the+original%29
http://apps.facebook.com/ilike/artist/TWiG+(the+original)

Mur Laffety's The Takeover Promo
http://www.zombinc.net/

End of Onthepodcast: Episode 025

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Listener Line: 704-900-3560

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Onthepodcast: Episode 025 - JC Hutchins (pt. 2)

2008-07-14T06:42:00.001-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 025 - The JC Hutchins Interview (Part 2)

Intro to Onthepodcast: Episode 025

The Onthepodcast JC Hutchins Interview (Part 2)
http://jchutchins.net/site/category/obsidian/
http://www.jchutchins.net

End of Onthepodcast: Episode 025

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Onthepodcast

2008-07-13T20:08:00.001-04:00

Hi guys,

I just wanted to let you all know that Onthepodcast and the second part of my JC Hutchins interview is going to be posted a little bit later on in the week. I hope you're looking forward to hearing it.

Thanks and have a great week.

Joe

Brave Men Run this Sunday 07/13/08

2008-07-11T08:57:00.002-04:00

Don't forget to pick up Brave Men Run by Matthew Wayne Selznick this Sunday 07/13/08 at Amazon.com. It's his first book release with new publisher Swarm Press and if he does well, more of your favorite podcast authors will have the chance at their own book releases!

Check out Matt's site at http://www.mattselznick.com for some special and original Brave Men Run content this Sunday while you're at it.

Onthepodcast: Episode 024 - The JC Hutchins Interview (Part 1) and Rich Palmer

2008-07-06T09:50:00.001-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 024 - The JC Hutchins Interview (Part 1) and Rich Palmer

Intro to Onthepodcast: Episode 024

JC Hutchins' 7th Son: Obsidian Promo
http://jchutchins.net/site/category/obsidian/
http://www.jchutchins.net

The Onthepodcast JC Hutchins Interview (Part 1)
http://jchutchins.net/site/category/obsidian/
http://www.jchutchins.net

The Astral Audio Experience Promo
http://www.astralaudio.net/

Rich Palmer and his song Another Man
http://www.richpalmer.com/
http://richpalmer.com/podcasts/

Matthew Wayne Selznick's Brave Men Run Promo
http://www.mattselznick.com
http://www.bravemenrun.com

Buy Brave Men Run at Amazon.com on July 13, 2008

End of Onthepodcast: Episode 024

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onthepodcast@gmail.com
Listener Line: 704-900-3560

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Onthepodcast: Episode 023 - Phil Rossi

2008-06-28T15:55:00.001-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 023 - Phil Rossi

Intro to Onthepodcast: Episode 023

Phil Rossi's Notes From The Vault Promo
http://www.crescentstation.net
http://www.philrossi.net

The Onthepodcast Phil Rossi Interview
http://www.crescentstation.net
http://www.philrossi.net

The Movie Mantra Podcast Promo
http://martyndarkly.libsyn.com/

Phil Rossi performs Hurt by Nine Inch Nails
http://www.crescentstation.net
http://www.philrossi.net

http://www.nin.com/

Philippa Ballantine & Tee Morris' Double Trouble Promo:

Philippa Ballantine's Digital Magic
http://www.chasingthebard.com/
http://www.pjballantine.net/

Tee Morris' Billibub Baddings and The Case of the Pitcher's Pendant
http://www.teemorris.com/
http://www.teemorris.com/billipodcast/

http://dragonmoonpress.com/

The End of Onthepodcast: Episode 023 - Phil Rossi

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onthepodcast@gmail.com
Listener Line: 704-900-3560

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Onthepodcast: Episode 022 – Matthew Wayne Selznick

2008-06-23T23:58:00.000-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 022 – Matthew Wayne Selznick
(All Matthew Wayne Selznick…All The Time)

Matthew Wayne Selznick’s Brave Men Run Promo

(Coming July 13, 2008)
http://www.mattselznick.com
http://www.mattselznick.com/writing/fiction/novels/brave-men-run/
http://www.swarmpress.com/

The Matthew Wayne Selznick Interview
http://www.mattselznick.com
http://www.swarmpress.com/

Matthew Wayne Selznick’s Sonitotum Promo
http://www.mattselznick.com
http://www.mattselznick.com/podcasts/sonitotum/

Icarus Wises Up by Matthew Wayne Selznick
http://www.mattselznick.com
http://www.mattselznick.com/music/

The End of Onthepodcast: Episode 022 – Matthew Wayne Selznick

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Onthepodcast is running late again

2008-06-10T22:11:00.003-04:00

Sorry guys, but Onthepodcast is once again running late. I had my Mom & Dad visiting from Connecticut for the past few days so I'm a little behind. I promise you though that I have a great episode waiting for you...I was just working on it actually.

I managed to interview the one and only Matthew Wayne Selznick, author of Brave Men Run, this past weekend and am working on editing the audio now. As I listen to it, I think it went really pretty well and we don't just talk about the book. Matt is a Musician as well as an Author so we hit that and all of his other podcasts too.

It's a nice long interview that will put the show at 45 minutes, give or take, so I promise you it will be worth the wait. Just a few days, I promise.

Thanks for your patience guys.

Joe

Onthepodcast: Episode 021 + 1 - The Wander Radio Nathan Lowell Interview

2008-05-31T07:27:00.001-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 21 + 1

The Wander Radio interview with Nathan Lowell by Jack Hosley

The Wander Radio Website:
http://www.wanderradio.com

Wander Radio: Episode 25 - The Nathan Lowell Interview:
http://wanderradio.com/?p=76

Nathan Lowell's Website:
http://durandus.org/golden/

The Wander Radio Promo:
http://www.wanderradio.com

The End of Onthepodcast: Episodes 20 & 21

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Onthepodcast: Episodes 020 and 021: Across The Universe, The Mod-est Lads, Wonderfalls and Noam Weinstein

2008-05-30T23:19:00.001-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episodes 20 and 21
(The amazing and amazingly short double episode)
(...and it's not entirely safe for work)

Wander Radio Promo
http://wanderradio.com/

Across The Universe
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445922/
http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/acrosstheuniverse/

The Parsec Awards Promo
http://parsecawards.com/

The Mod-est Lads and their song She Could Be In The Beatles
http://www.mod-estlads.com/
http://music.podshow.com/

The Mimecast Promo
http://murverse.com/category/writing/poughkeepsie-writing/
http://murverse.com/

Wonderfalls
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361256/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderfalls
http://www.foxhome.com/wonderfalls/main.html

Mur Lafferty's Zombinc Promo
http://zombinc.net/
http://murverse.com/

Noam Weinstein and his song When I Get My S@#$ Together
http://www.enoam.com/
http://music.podshow.com/

The Scott Sigler & JC Hutchins Parsec Awards Promo
http://parsecawards.com/
http://www.scottsigler.com/
http://jchutchins.net/

The End of Onthepodcast: Episodes 20 & 21

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Sara Bareilles – Little Voice

2008-05-20T16:55:00.003-04:00

Sara Bareilles – Little Voice

Can I just say that Sara Bareilles' latest track, Love Song, is like audio “Crack.” It has to be. That’s the only answer I can come up with for the reason I cannot get that damn song out of my head. I think it took three times before I was hooked. Once in a friends car on a rainy day and twice on the radio at work and I was singing along in my head about how I was not going to write you a love song because you wanted one. Stupid poppy, catchy song with your low piano notes and cool bass sounds. Damn it! I guess I could just chalk it up to a well written pop song. That might be easier on everyone now that I think about it.

Just to give you an idea of the hold this song has on me, I actually went out and bought the CD…at Costco…because it had a bonus disc with a stripped version. I never buy physical albums anymore; unless I have to order them, from say Canada, to get Wailin’ Jennys stuff that’s not out in the States. This debut artist on Epic got me out of my house, away from my computer and into a brick and mortar store to pick up a record like I was fifteen again. I’m not really sure what this is all about. To be perfectly honest I shop at that i-something-or-other music store, and now, Amie Street. But I was so taken with the possibilities of Ms. Bareilles debut album, Little Voice, that I wanted it in my hands.

Do I blame it on the flawless poppiness of Little Voice’s tracks? Do I blame it on the perfect sound of the bass guitar that catches my attention every time I hear it? Could it be the subtle Jazz influence in Sara Bareilles choice of piano chords or just the hint of it in her vocal phrasing? My best guess would be it was all of those things and a few more. Other than being a fantastically talented pianist, Bareilles is also extremely capable writer; drawing from the pop divas of today and the singer songwriters that have come before. Think Carol King meets Christina Aguilera meets Norah Jones and you’re in the right neighborhood.

Little Voice if full of a mix of Rock and Roll, Jazz, Pop and Folk culled from the last four decades of popular music and yet Sara Bareilles manages to keep her own voice. She deftly sidesteps the trap of letting influences become the body of her work instead of just the foundation of it. I for one look forward to seeing where the musical road leads this talented artist.

Oh, and incase you were wondering…the bonus disc was excellent.

Onthepodcast: Special Episode - Raleigh Write 2 Publish Panel with Mur Lafferty and PG Holyfield

2008-05-20T09:20:00.002-04:00

Onthepodcast: Special Episode - Raleigh Write 2 Publish Panel

NC State professor & author Stacey Cochran
moderates the Raleigh Write 2 Publish - Panel Discussion
Podcasting, Blogs, and Self-Publishing:
New Ways to Reach Audiences With Your Book
with authors P.G. Holyfield,
Mur Lafferty, and Elisa Lorello
Saturday, May 17, 6:30 PM

Stacey Cochran:
http://www.staceycochran.com/

P.G. Holyfield:
http://www.pgholyfield.com/maah

Mur Lafferty:
http://www.murverse.com

Elisa Lorello:
http://kairoscalling.blogspot.com/

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Onthepodcast: Episode 019 - Dan Carlin and Kris Delmhorst

2008-05-19T23:23:00.000-04:00

Intro to Onthepodcast: Episode 019

Philippa Ballantine's Chasing The Bard Promo:

http://www.chasingthebard.com/

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History:

http://www.dancarlin.com

J.C. Hutchins' 7th Son: Obsidian Promo:

http://www.jchutchins.net

Chris Delmhorst and her song Galuppi Baldessare:

http://www.signaturesounds.com/onlinestore/category.cfm?Category=36
http://music.podshow.com/

Mark Jeffrey's Max Quick 2: The Two Travelers Promo:

http://www.maxquickseries.com/

The End of Onthepodcast: Episode 019

Please consider donating to help C.A. Sizemore:

http://www.thetribeisone.org

Creative Commons Info and Contact Info:
pseudojoe@gmail.com
Listener Line: 704-900-3560

http://www.thetribeisone.org

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Onthepodcast: Episode 018 - Technorama and George Hrab

2008-05-11T07:54:00.000-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 018 - Technorama and George Hrab

Intro to Onthepodcast: Episode 018

PG Holyfield & Mur Lafferty In-Store on May 17th 2008

PG Holyfield's Website: http://www.pgholyfield.com/maah
Mur Lafferty's Website: http://www.murverse.com

A Send Off To Technorama

The Technorama Website: http://www.chuckchat.com/technorama
Chuck Tomasi's Website: http://www.chuckchat.com/
Kreg Steppe's Website: http://www.spyndle.com/

Goodbye by George Hrab

George Hrab's Music: http://www.geologicrecords.net/
George Hrab's Podcast: http://www.geologicpodcast.com/
George Hrab's Blog: http://www.georgehrab.blogspot.com/
The Podsafe Music Network where I found Goodbye: http://music.podshow.com/

End of Onthepodcast: Episode 018

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Listener Line: 704-900-3560

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Onthepodcast: Episode 017 - Friday Night Live with Monty and WWIII

2008-05-06T22:18:00.004-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 017

PG Holyfield & Mur Lafferty In-Store on May 17th 2008

http://www.pgholyfield.com/maah

http://www.murverse.com

Friday Night Live with Monty

http://www.mpyrradio.com/

http://www.mpyrradio.com/djmonty.htm

http://fridaynightliveshow.podomatic.com/

http://brain-soup.blogspot.com/

The Friday Night Live with Monty Promo

http://www.mpyrradio.com/

http://www.mpyrradio.com/djmonty.htm

http://fridaynightliveshow.podomatic.com/

http://brain-soup.blogspot.com/

WWIII and their song...

Take Off The Tee Shirt

If You Can't Name A Song By The Band That's On It

http://www.myspace.com/wattwhiteiii

http://music.podshow.com/

http://wanderradio.com/

Podsafe Music Network Promo

http://music.podshow.com/

End of Episode 017

Please Consider Donating to the National Marrow Donor Program

http://www.marrow.org/

http://www.debutaunt.com/

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Iron Maiden LIVE Somewhere Back In Time by Erik Remec

2008-05-03T14:59:00.006-04:00

My friend, and occasional guest reviewer, Erik Remec is back with Onthepod.net once again. This time he brings us tales from the wilds of New Jersey and shares his first hand experiences with the triumphant return of metal gods Iron Maiden!

Iron Maiden Somewhere Back in Time Tour:
Meadowlands Arena (Izod Center), New Jersey Friday March 14th, 2008

“Scream for me Meadowlands!”

If you’re a metalhead like myself, well … you know that could mean only one thing. Bruce and the boys from Iron Maiden are back on the road; this time stopping at the Meadowlands in New Jersey on their current world tour.

And what a tour it is. To promote the release of Maiden’s live concert video Live After Death (recorded at Long Beach Arena, CA in 1985) on DVD, the band is on tour with a stage design and setlist that revisits their legendary Powerslave Tour (1984 – 1985).

Entitled the Somewhere Back in Time Tour, the stage design recalls the Ancient Egyptian motif from the Powerslave Tour and the band is playing songs almost exclusively from the albums: Powerslave, Somewhere in Time, and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.

The first leg of this tour is especially ambitious. The band has outfitted a Boeing 757, painted it with the Maiden logo and band mascot “Eddie” (Powerslave era), and loaded all their equipment and crew for a 2 month world jaunt. Starting in Mumbai, India, the band is playing dates in Australia, Japan, South America, and North America. Now here’s the really cool part … the airplane is being piloted by none other than Iron Maiden’s vocalist (and part-time Astraeus Airlines Captain) Bruce Dickinson. Yes, you heard right…the lead singer is personally flying his band and crew to each concert as they make their way around the globe. Let’s all hope Bruce gets enough rest after each gig, huh?!

Now, I guess it’s time for a bit of self disclosure. Iron Maiden was my favorite band growing up and they were the first band I ever saw in concert way back in 1987 at the New Haven Coliseum (New Haven, CT) promoting Somewhere in Time. If you grew up listening to Maiden’s live album Live After Death like I had, having the opportunity to see the band play these songs live and up close (I had a great vantage point in the GA pit at the Meadowlands) was beyond thrilling.

As the intro of the Winston Churchill WWII speech [that starts Live After Death] started to play over the PA there in New Jersey … “We shall fight on the beaches, … we shall fight in the hills, we shall never surrender!” … I got chills. The band then launched into blistering versions of “Aces High” and “Two Minutes to Midnight” from Powerslave and for the next two hours I was in heaven. From “Wasted Years”, to “Revelations” , to “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (all 13 minutes of it!), the band delivered the goods. Watching these guys perform, I was simply in awe. Bruce’s vocals were in top form and he and the band show absolutely no signs of slowing down. Close your eyes and you’re back at Long Beach Arena in 1985. Somewhere Back in Time, indeed.

Now there’s certainly a risk that this could have easily turned into some type of sad nostalgia act. Watching a band struggling to relive their glory days, no matter how enthusiatic the audience, is painful to watch. Fortunately, this is definitely NOT the case with Iron Maiden. They may have not played some of these songs live in over 20 years but at Friday night’s show at the Meadowlands, they played them with a sense of freshness and vitality that did not disappoint. To put it quite simply: the band kicked ass.

There as always been this fun tongue-in-cheek campiness to a Maiden show with the band’s mascot “Eddie” making his inevitable appearance, this time as the Cyborg version from Somewhere in Time. As Friday night’s show drew to a close, they did an encore of a couple classic tracks from Seventh Son and closed the show with a monstrous version of “Hallowed Be Thy Name”.

Iron Maiden may be looking back every now and then but they are certainly looking forward as well. After this tour winds down, the band is moving ahead with a new album and a tour showcasing the new material to follow. They have hinted that this may be the last time that they’ll be playing some of these classic songs live, so you have been warned.

Iron Maiden will be back here in the States this June. See this show.

See you on the road …

Erik
eremec@yahoo.com

PS. Once again, a thousand thanks to Joe for letting me post on his site!

(c) 2008 Erik Remec

Onthepodcast: Episode 016 - Danielle Miraglia, Nicola and Montana Skies

2008-04-26T12:12:00.000-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 016

Chris Lester’s Metamor City Podcast Promo
http://www.metamorcity.com/

Danielle Miraglia and her song Cry

Danielle’s Website:
http://www.daniellem.com/

Danielle’s MySpace Page:
http://www.myspace.com/daniellemiraglia

Nicola and her song Anybody Out There

Nicola’s Website:
http://www.nicolanicola.com/

Nicola’s MySpace Page:
http://www.myspace.com/nicola

Montana Skies and their song Gringo Flamenco

Montana Skies Website:
http://www.montanaskiesmusic.com/

Montana Skies Reverb Nation Page:
http://www.reverbnation.com/montanaskies

Bill DeSmedt’s Singularity Promo
http://www.billdesmedt.com/

End of Episode 016 of Onthepodcast

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Danielle Miraglia: Live at The Evening Muse & my thoughts on Nothing Romantic

2008-04-23T00:36:00.006-04:00

There are some things that you should know about me. I’m a guitar player. I love girls with guitars…you know, the whole singer songwriter thing. I think I’m a closet folkie to a certain extent. With that in mind, is it any wonder that when Danielle Miraglia took the stage of the Evening Muse in Charlotte, NC I was totally blown away?

Miraglia, hailing from Eastern Massachusetts, successfully treads the fine line between folk and blues, dipping equally well into both styles to reward the listener with a sound that is as uniquely current as it is classic. Finger picking her way through traditional progressions, she played a forty-five minute set full of her take on the human condition and of everything that makes the blues real as opposed to just something on an old vinyl disc.

Sufficiently awed by her musicianship and delivery, I picked up a copy of her latest disc and in listening to Danielle Miraglia’s third album, Nothing Romantic, the mixture of acoustic guitar and her amazing voice make me think of better times where things were just a bit slower and somehow more simple. These are American songs that evoke images of the open road and wide open spaces. These are simple songs that are elegantly complex in their arrangements and lyrics. These are, in essence, honest songs.

Danielle Miraglia is a true talent and an amazing find in a world where female musicians seem to only be valued for how they will look on MTV and not whether or not they actually have something to say and can do so musically without sounding like a cat with it’s tail stuck in a car door. The only sad part of listening to her sing and play is the certainty of knowing that because she actually has musical integrity her success as a musician may be limited by it.

Onthepodcast: Episode 15 + 1 - Correction =)

2008-04-23T00:22:00.001-04:00

As I said in my last blog post…

“Uh…well…I…uh kind of made a mistake when I was talking about Philippa Ballantine & Chasing The Bard. In my excitement I mistakenly referred to the character of Puck as Pip…not once, but twice. I humbly beg for forgiveness from you my esteemed listener and from Philippa “Pip” Ballantine, the only Kiwi I know, virtually or otherwise.”

Again…my apologies”

…Well, here’s an audio apology and a voicemail Onthepodcast got about my little screw up. Take a listen and don’t forget to check out Philippa Ballantine & Chasing The Bard at http://www.chasingthebard.com/

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Onthepodcast: Episode 015 - CORRECTION!!!

2008-04-21T13:06:00.001-04:00

Uh…well…I…uh kind of made a mistake when I was talking about Philippa Ballantine & Chasing The Bard. In my excitement I mistakenly referred to the character of Puck as Pip…not once, but twice. I humbly beg for forgiveness from you my esteemed listener and from Philippa “Pip” Ballantine, the only Kiwi I know, virtually or otherwise.

I am working on a correction, but I wanted to make you all aware.

Again…my apologies

Joe from Onthepodcast.

Philippa Ballantine & Chasing The Bard
http://www.chasingthebard.com/

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Onthepodcast: Episode 015 - Philippa Ballantine, Paul Fischer and Babylon Bombs

2008-04-20T23:22:00.000-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 15 – Intro

Philippa Ballantine’s Chasing The Bard Promo
http://www.chasingthebard.com/

Philippa Ballantine & Chasing The Bard
http://www.chasingthebard.com/

Ronnie Blackwell’s Serve It Cold Promo

Ronnie Blackwell's Website:
http://www.ronnieblackwell.com/Wordpress/

Serve It Cold at Podiobooks.com:
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/serve-it-cold

The Dancing Cat Studios Website:
http://dancingcatstudios.com/

My Introduction to Paul Fischer

The A.D.D.cast Website:
http://addcast.net/

The Balticon Podcast Website:
http://balticonpodcast.org/

The Dancing Cat Studios Website:
http://dancingcatstudios.com/

Paul Fischer’s Intro to Hometown Hero by Babylon Bombs

The Babylon Bombs Website:
http://www.babylonbombs.net/

The Podsafe Music Network Website:
http://music.podshow.com/index.php

Mike Bennett’s Hall of Mirrors: Salvation Promo
http://www.oneamongthesleepless.com/hallofmirrors.htm

End of Episode 15 of Onthepodcast

Ann Regentin’s A Foolish World Promo
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/a-foolish-world

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Thanks!!!

2008-04-15T12:00:00.002-04:00

Hi everybody,

I just wanted to drop you a line to say thanks for getting Onthepod.net to over 6000 hits...not to mention the last 1000+ of those have happened since 02/20/08!!! Over a thousand hits in under two months! You guys rock.

Thanks so much and if there's anything you're not seeing or want to see here at Onthepod.net drop me a line at onthepod@gmail.com!

Thanks again,

Joe from Onthepod.net

Nicola: Live at The Evening Muse 04/10/08

2008-04-14T21:42:00.003-04:00

It seems like no matter where I go, I find that one place where things I like keep showing up. In Charlotte that place is NoDa's The Evening Muse, and this time the thing I like happens to be Nicola. Yes, Nicola. One name, kind of like Madonna…if Madonna actually had a vocal range, wrote her own songs and wasn't burdened by that whole blonde ambition thing. Ok, so now that I think about it she's nothing at all like Madonna.

Nicola rolled into Charlotte, and The Evening Muse, to promote the release of her new album Don't Take It Personally. Even though she only played a short acoustic set, accompanied by her longtime musical collaborator Jules Rosaly on bass, all of the energy and vocal prowess of this visiting diva-in-waiting shone through.

Did I mention that Nicola could sing? The Evening Muse is a small, intimate venue and she filled it. Truth be told, she probably could have filled it if the PA suddenly lost power and all the microphones burst into flame. Encompassed in this raven haired New Yorker is a powerfully trained, theatrical voice, which to me seems as if it could be just as at home on a Broadway stage as the Muse's smaller one.

As Nicola progressed through her set of stripped down original songs and the occasional cover, it also became clear that she could more than hold her own on guitar as well. The combination of voice, acoustic guitar and accompanying bass easily filled out the sonic landscape of those same stripped down songs…and they were even helped by a passing siren that had the amazing fortune of being in the right key and at a perfect place in her last song.

Musically, Nicola has her sights set on Pop, but not the bubblegum Brittney pop that currently saturates what passes for radio these days. She takes the classic foundation of a pop song and weaves in elements of jazz and rock along with just a touch of influence from warmer climates further south to make her own music more than just your average run of the mill pop song.

Nicola and Jules are back in New York for gigs around the City culminating in the last stop on her Don't Take It Personally CD release mini-tour at Pianos on May 2nd, where she will take all of the tunes from her Charlotte appearance and flesh them out with her full band. Hopefully after that she can find her way back down to the Queen City again with her full band and treat us all to the full Nicola experience.

You can find Nicola on the web at:

http://www.nicolanicola.com
http://www.myspace.com/nicola
http://www.facebook.com/people/Nicola_V/801030273
http://www.youtube.com/nicolanicola

Onthepodcast: Episode 14 - Mur Lafferty, Dani Cutler and Black Lab

2008-04-12T06:32:00.001-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 14 – Intro

Mur Lafferty’s Heaven: Wasteland Promo

Mur Lafferty’s Website:
http://www.murverse.com

Wasteland at Podiobooks.com
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/heaven-season-4-wasteland

An Interview With Mur Lafferty

Mur Lafferty’s Website:
http://www.murverse.com

Wasteland at Podiobooks.com
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/heaven-season-4-wasteland

The Truth Seekers Podcast Promo

The Truth Seekers Website:
http://audioaddict.libsyn.com/

Dani Cutler Introduces This Week’s Song

The Truth Seekers Website:
http://audioaddict.libsyn.com/

Ecstacy by Black Lab

The Black Lab Website:
http://blacklabworld.com/blw/index.html

Black Lab on the Podsafe Music Network

The Tale Chasing Promo:

The Tale Chasing Website:
http://www.talechasing.com/

Creative Commons Info and Contact Info:
pseudojoe@gmail.com
Listener Line: 704-900-3560

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Emusic and 30 Song Reivews

2008-04-08T20:01:00.005-04:00

My friend and fellow podcaster Nuri, of Candy Corn Studios and the amazing web comic Seeing In Stereo, recently put up the piece that follows on her LiveJournal blog.

It fits what we do her at Onthepod.net so I thought I'd offer her the opportunity to repost it here...and she graciously accepted. Check it out, there's some really great stuff here that I most likely never would have heard about without her.

Sometimes, it's really cool to have friends!

Enjoy...

This is a review of the 30 songs I downloaded from Emusic at the beginning of February. I should have done this for the songs I got the first time around (I had an account for awhile while I was in college, but canceled it to save money), but better late than never. Maybe I'll do some retroactive reviews too. This will help me remember what I'm gotten, what I liked, and maybe give my friends something to check out on Emusic. For the record, the $10/month plan with 30 songs per 30-day-period is plenty enough unless you have HOURS to spend online or are indiscriminate about your music.

* - Wish I hadn't downloaded it
** - It's okay, but nothing special
*** - Lyrics and/or music are pretty good
**** - It's on my frequently played list
**** - Love it, listen to it repetitively, and probably know most of the words

Amy Fox

I originally found one of her songs, House of Thick Skin, on the Artists For Change : The Goddess Within compilation. A Rock-and Roll sound with a hint of Country influence.

Undertow *** : Haunting and ominous-sounding, starts out slow but builds. Reminds me of House of Thick Skin.

Down * : This song isn't BAD...I just don't get anything out of it, or care to listen to it.

Do It Again ***

Human Driftwood **** : I love certain parts of this song, and most of the rest is at least good. Like many of her songs, it varies between a heavy rhythm and light parts.

Keeping Time With The Moon **

Away *** : The sweetest and slowest of her songs I downloaded. It's nice. Vocals with light piano in the background.

Laura Bradley

Honestly, I'd never heard of her before...I probably found her by going through someone's list. Her music and voice remind me of No Doubt, but I've only heard a few of their songs, so it may not be a good comparison. I put it on as background music mostly, except for the songs I really, really like.

Reason *** : Good song with a funky beat and a catchy chorus. Also, not depressing, which is a plus!

Rain **

Storm **

Rockbottom ***

Drive ****

Firegirl ***** : One of my two favorites on this album. I love the lyrics, and the music is unique and memorable. It's got a wavy, cruising feel to it.

Superhero ***** : The other of my two favorites on this album. The song is spacey and uplifting. It's a love song though, so if those make you sick, this one's not for you.

Probably ***** : "Probably it will be okay" is a great way to sum up this song. It's also the first line of the chorus. Stronger rhythm than most of the other songs on this album.

Skin **

Surrender **** : This one's good for the end of the day at work..."That's enough for today; one of us needs a drink."

Choosing You * : No really, I never listen to this song except if it happens to show up in a playlist and I'm too lazy to skip it.

Sword and Stone * : Not sure what the deal is with this song, but it's not even really good background music.

Amy Sky

Found her on someone's list, checked out the album. These were the two that I really liked. Wow, what a voice!

Ordinary Miracles **** : Really sweet, especially if you have kids (that you like...).

Phenomenal Woman ***** : I am a woman, and I am awesome. Nuff said. But I will elaborate; Musical style similar to Aretha's A Natural Woman.

Gilli Moon

I've liked this singer since I found Damaged or Broken on a compilation album. She has a low, clear voice and often her music sounds a little haunting.

Release Me ***

Someone to Love ***** : This song has one of those haunting rhythmic piano melodies. Mmmm!

Ingrid Michaelson

Don't remember if I round her through a list or a related artist link, but she's got some decent stuff. Reminds me a little of Michelle Branch.

Die Alone **** : I was hooked on the way this song started; even if the lyrics had been no so great, I'd have still liked it. But they ARE great!

Breakable **** : Sweet sounding song, more good piano.

Maia Sharp

Great voice, great songs, and wonderful diversity throughout her albums. She has a husky voice, but uses it well, so I don't mind. Picked up this one at the end of my downloads and put the rest on the list for the subsequent month.

Red Dress ***** : I found this song very inspiring. Makes me think of Miss J.R. Blackwell!

Rin'

More trancey than the emusic I typically go for, but it's always good to try new things. I like them, but didn't find anything particularly distinctive to keep me coming back.

New Day Rising **

Shane Nicholson

You may have noticed that I tend towards the female artists on Emusic. That's because they're easier (for me) to sing to. However, I went with an exception here. The songs have low ratings mostly because I just don't listen to 'em as much as I should. His music reminds me of Deas Vail and Jars of Clay, but not so immersed in religiosity.

Safe and Sound ***

Stolen Car **

Tara Maclean

Another one I picked up from someone's list. SO glad I did. Her voice is lovely, and her style is great too.

Wait it Out **** : Optimistic and laid back song, easy to sing to.

Got a Light ***** : I love this song! Especially the line, "It's a natural condition to be drawn to science fiction." Rolling and rhythmic.

Onthepodcast: Episode 13.5 (April Fools Day 2.0)

2008-04-05T22:28:00.001-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 13.5 (April Fools Day 2.0)

Onthepodcast: Episode 13.5 Intro

JC Hutchins SOBcon Promo:
http://www.sobevent.com

Jared Axelrod and The Voice of Free Planet X:

Main Show Site:
http://planetx.libsyn.com/

Episode 81: Amelia Effective, Young Girl Detective
http://planetx.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=315400

Episode 79: The Timeless
http://planetx.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=314452

Link Love:

Onthepodcast:
http://www.onthepodcast.net

Technorama:
http://www.chuckchat.com/technorama

Visit Podcast Junky @ http://www.podcastjunky.com

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I Remember Joe: A 2008 Tribute

2008-04-03T23:23:00.000-04:00

I Remember Joe: A 2008 Tribute

Posted March 31st, 2008 by Tee Morris
Categories: Blogroll, General, Podcast

These are the reflections, the memories, and the considerations of people from across the country and around the world that called Joe Murphy “friend”…

* Chris Lester (Detroit, Michigan)
* Brad Bowyer (Louisville, Ketuckey)
* Valerie Griswold-Ford (Conchord, New Hampshire)
* Kevin Bachelder (Boston, Massachusetts)
* Megan Enloe (Orange County, California)
* Cat a/k/a The SciFi Ranter Girl (Houston, Texas)
* Zac Ricks (Rexburg, Idaho)
* Nathan Lowell (Greeley, Colorado)
* Paul Fischer (Dunn Loring, Virginia)
* Tony Mast (Ofallon, Missouri)
* Just a J0e (Podosphere, The Internet)
* Robin Hudson (Seoul, Korea)
* Philippa Ballantine (Wellington, New Zealand)
* Tee Morris (Manassas, Virginia)
* TD-0013 (Dune Sea, Tattoine)
* Debbie Walker (Mesa, Arizona)
* Jack Mangan (Phoenix, Arizona)
* Sheila Unwin (Chandler, Arizona)
* Evo Terra (Chandler, Arizona)

These are only a few of the lives this one single voice in the podosphere touched. This is a show that may make you laugh, may make you cry, and will give you a look at the soul we all knew for far too brief a time. For those of you contributing to this audio tribute, we at the Joe Murphy Memorial Fund thank you.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
On April 1st, either in place of or in addition to your show if you have one posted on that date, we at the Joe Murphy Memorial Fund ask that you play this special episode. Play no additional promos, just this episode, and please direct show notes for the episode here at joemurphymemorialfund.org. And when you play the Tribute show, feel free to post the title of your show, where in the world you podcast from, and tag it with “((Title of Your Podcast)) Remembers Joe.”

The more people carry this episode, the more people will know about our missing ninja. Thank you all for your time and attention. Tell everyone you know.

Music provided by Beatnik Turtle and George Hrab.

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Onthepodcast: Episode 13 - Tee Morris & George Hrab

2008-04-01T12:22:00.000-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 13 - Tee Morris & George Hrab Intro

Tee Morris' Morevi Remastered Promo:
www.teemorris.com/morevipodcast

Interview with Tee Morris:
www.teemorris.com

Podcasts Tee is listening to:
Technorama @ www.chuckchat.com/technorama
SpyCast @ www.spymuseum.org/programs/spycast.php
Murder at Avedon Hill @ www.pgholyfield.com/maah
Geologic Podcast @ www.geologicpodcast.com
Mur Lafferty @ www.murverse.com
J.C. Hutchins @ www.jchutchins.net
Scott Sigler @ www.scottsigler.com
Crescent by Phil Rossi @ www.crescentstation.net
Whispers at the Edge @ www.whispers.libsyn.com
Stranger Things @ www.strangerthings.tv
Tiki Bar TV @ www.tikibartv.com
Podrunner @ www.djsteveboy.com
Aaron Aviles @ www.aaronaviles.com

The Atomic Suburbia Promo:
www.poddog.ca/surburbia

Think for Yourself by George Hrab:
www.geologicRecords.net
www.geologicpodcast.com

The Buffy Between The Lines Promo:
www.buffybetweenthelines.com

End of Onthepodcast: Episode - April Fools!

Creative Commons Info and Contact Info:
pseudojoe@gmail.com
Listener Line: 704-900-3560

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Onthepodcast: Episode – INFECTED!!!

2008-03-29T16:36:00.003-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode – INFECTED!!! Intro

Scott Sigler’s Infected Promo

The Official Scott Sigler Website:
http://www.scottsigler.com

The Official Infected Website:
http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/infected/

Death, Taxes and Scott Sigler by P.G. Holyfield

The official Murder At Avedon Hill site:
http://www.pgholyfield.com/maah/

Purchase the print edition of Murder At Avedon Hill:
http://www.lulu.com/content/845061

The podcast novel at Podiobooks.com:
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/murder-at-avedon-hill

Scott Sigler at the Drive Thru by Paul Fischer

The A.D.D.cast site:
http://www.addcast.net

The Scott Sigler at the Drive Thru episode

The END? of Onthepodcast: Episode – INFECTED!!!

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pseudojoe@gmail.com
Listener Line: 704-900-3560

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Onthepodcast: Episode 012 - Seth Harwood and Jack Caldwell

2008-03-23T16:46:00.002-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 012 - Seth Harwood and Jack Caldwell

Onthepodcast: Episode 012 – Intro

Seth Harwood’s Jack Palms 3 Promo
http://www.sethharwood.com

The Novels of Seth Harwood

Seth Harwood’s Website:
http://www.sethharwood.com

Buy Jack Wakes Up At Amazon.com:
Buy Jack Here!

The Forgotten Classics Promo
http://hcforgottenclassics.blogspot.com/

Like A Bullet by Jack Caldwell
(from his album The Edge of the Beginning)

Jack Caldwell’s Website:
http://www.jackcaldwell.com

Jack Caldwell’s MySpace Page:
http://www.myspace.com/jackcaldwell

The Friday Night Live with Monty Promo
http://www.mpyrradio.com/djmonty.htm
http://fridaynightliveshow.podomatic.com/

The End of Onthepodcast: Episode 012

Creative Commons Info and Contact Info:
pseudojoe@gmail.com
Listener Line: 704-900-3560

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Sixx AM - The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack

2008-03-19T15:29:00.003-04:00

As I’m usually delightfully late to most parties, Sixx AM is no exception. So while, the companion soundtrack to Nikki Sixx’s The Heroin Diaries has been available for public consumption for quite some time already, I’m only just now getting around to writing about it. There are a couple of reasons for this that involve podcasting and the resetting of iPods and the like, but I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice to say, I recently was reintroduced to Sixx AM in the form of a video for the song Accidents Can Happen that was included with a guitar magazine I bought for the Eddie and Wolfgang Van Halen interview it held in its glossy pages. Little did I know the real jewel of the purchase would be a music video on an otherwise instructional DVD.

I had listened to Sixx AM months before and realized at my first listen just how special the album was. From that point, I was determined to write about it…until I didn’t. That DVD brought The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack back into my awareness with a vengeance and I haven’t stopped listening to it since.

The book that is the jumping off point for the thirteen songs that make up the album, which admittedly I have not yet read (I’m waiting for the paper back as the hardcover is a tad expensive), chronicles Nikki Sixx, bassist and founding member of the rock band Motley Crue, and his decent into the throws of a raging Heroin addiction that led to his near death by overdose several times. The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack provides a musical counterpoint to the words written by the talented musician and former junkie.

Compositionally and musically, the album is dark and full of the imagery of one man’s struggle with the demons of his own creation. There is the constant feeling as the tracks follow the album’s course that Sixx’s struggle could, and most likely will, end badly at any point…and that is even given the fact that we as listeners already know the outcome.

This is not a Motley Crue album, or one that in any way resembles any of the other projects that Sixx has been involved in. For obvious reasons, the material is infinitely more personal and revealing than any lyric on Theater of Pain or Shout at the Devil ever was. No punches are pulled and while the constraints of writing a lyric that fits into a three minute song fundamentally require a measure of gloss to work, that veneer is ultimately exceedingly thin and transparent enough to allow an unencumbered view of the inner workings of what was, at the time, a very dark soul.

The musicianship of The Heroin Diaries is first rate; showcasing not only the bass work of Sixx but also the guitar and vocal abilities of longtime Sixx collaborators DJ Ashba and James Michael respectively. Both Ashba and Michael are talented audio professionals who have worked with a long list of other artists in capturing their visions in the recording studio in various capacities from songwriter to producer. That fact no doubt helped shape the albums more modern and cutting edge sound not to mention the excellent sonic quality of the songs themselves.

A companion album to a print work seems like a risky enough undertaking on its own. However given the subject matter, the frankness of the point of view and the new sonic ground that Nikki Sixx decided to cover in this album; the possibility of it falling flat and in spectacular fashion were almost guaranteed. That doesn’t happen though and it is because of the chances that are taken with Sixx AM as a band. As he did with his life as captured in tabloids, the book and the album, Sixx once again manages to somehow balance himself and his art on the edge of the blade that has so many times cut him. In reaching beyond what was a safe place and pushing the boundaries of his musical abilities Nikki Sixx, along with DJ Ashba and James Michael, have created a piece of art that is honest, engrossing, memorable and well worth a repeated listen.

Acrassicauda: A reprint from Onthepodcast

2008-03-19T10:12:00.008-04:00

Hi everyone, Joe from Onthepod.net here.

I’m sure you’re all amazed that there’s something posted here besides a reprint of the show notes from the latest episode of Onthepodcast over at Onthepodcast.net…wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Regardless, I found a topic that I thought was important enough to not only feature in Episode 11 but to also reprint a loose transcript of below.

It’s about the band Acrassicauda (A-Cras-Si-Cow-Da).

If you haven’t heard Episode 11, they’re billed as Iraq’s only Heavy Metal band. That’s right ladies and gentlemen…that Iraq. Humor me and just think about that for a minute. If you’re from the United States, what are your impressions of Iraq? I ask that to anyone who’s never been there mind you, which I feel safe in believing is still most of us.

If you’re here at Onthepod.net you most likely share an interest in the subjects that we cover so let me ask you something else. Did you ever think that a Heavy Metal band could exist in a Middle East at peace...much less one plunged into unrest and strife? The fact that one band, Acrassicauda, exists in the midst of war and civil war over political and religious ideals is nothing short of mind blowing.

However in a climate of religious intolerance and extremism, at least as viewed from the removed safety of a television screen in America, the concept of freedom speech, much less that of musical expression, seems to have floated away as so much smoke.

Where does that leave the four members of Acrassicauda?

Having fled from Iraq to Syria only to be threatened with the possibility of being forced to return to Iraq, Acrassicauda now finds themselves as refugees in Istanbul, Turkey facing a similar fate.

But…we may be able to help them and that’s why I’ve decided to repost a loose transcript of the piece on them from Episode 11. I say loose because I added things as I was reading but this has the majority of what was said, excluding my stupendous “um”s.

Check it out, see if you think it’s something you would dig or could get behind. If you can go donate a few bucks to keep these four guys were they are.

Thanks and enjoy.

So I woke up this morning, roll out of bed and log on to twitter,like I always do, and I happen to see a post from my twitter friend in Turkey, Melissa Maples with a link that leads back to her website www.melissamaples.com. There, she has a blog post with the title Save Lives, Save Music, Make A Difference.

I read and it’s basically a repost of a blog with
some commentary from Villa Luna at www.villaluna.typepad.com that was called Help Save Our Heavy Metal Friends From An Uncertain Fate In Baghdad.

So I read it because I’m a stupid US citizen and know there’s no Heavy Metal in Iraq…right? Wrong. It turns out that not only is there Heavy Metal in Iraq, it’s also home grown…at least it was.

So what I’d like to read you the piece from Villa Luna that was posted on that blog. I actually believe that is a repost from a blog of a band called Acrassicauda who the post is about. So, check it out:

“HELP SAVE OUR HEAVY METAL FRIENDS FROM AN UNCERTAIN FATE IN BAGHDAD

In November 2007, the Iraqi metal band Acrassicauda was able to get to Turkey through the help of friends who donated money for them to leave Syria. Their visas in Syria were expiring and the government of Syria was threatening to force all Iraqis to return to Iraq.

Now they are in Turkey and their money and options are running out. Life in Turkey is very expensive and very difficult for people waiting to find out if they can officially be resettled by the UNHCR in another country (Turkey does not accept refugees from anywhere other than the West). As it stands now, they may have to return to Baghdad, simply because they can't afford to stay in Turkey much longer. It's impossible to stress just how dangerous this will be for them. It could very likely be a death sentence, and the time in which we can help them is quickly running out.

You can help by making a donation to assist Acrassicauda in surviving while they are stuck waiting in Istanbul. The band has no bank accounts, and Paypal doesn't function in Turkey so the makers of the documentary about them (HEAVY METAL IN BAGHDAD) setup a Paypal account on their behalf. No donation is too small. By giving as little as ten dollars, you can be a part of keeping the heavy metal dreams of four young Iraqi men alive.

Donate Here!

Born out of a basement rehearsal space in Baghdad, Acrassicauda (Latin for "black scorpion") is Iraq's only heavy metal band. Inspired by western bands like Metallica, Slayer and Slipknot, they began writing and playing metal in 2001. Their dream of performing live in Iraq soon became the struggle of their lives.

Due to increased security precautions throughout Iraq, it became difficult to practice-much less get through a show-without literally risking their lives. As the situation worsened in Baghdad they began receiving death threats from insurgents and religious fundamentalists accusing them of Satanism.

(that doesn't sound familiar does it?)

The war has now all but destroyed their dream of living in peace, growing their hair long, banging their heads and shredding as loud as they want. The members of Acrassicauda are currently seeking asylum in Istanbul, Turkey. All of their visa applications to foreign countries have been denied."

So I finish this and I’m fairly stunned by the fact that first of all there’s a metal band in the middle east at all because the thought never even occurred to me that there could be, and second of all that MTV isn’t running this story every twenty minutes instead of my super fabulous sweet sixteen spend fest.

I mean we invaded another country for god’s sake, and made a fine mess of it while we were at it, you would figure that the least we could do besides talking about body counts would be to actually educate ourselves as to the culture we were busy turning on it’s ear…but I digress and a bit politically at that.

Anyway…I went out and did a web search for Acrassicauda and found their MySpace page…because everybody has a MySpace page. There you can find out a little more about Firas, Tony, Marwan and Faisal and actually hear these guys play. There are three tracks from their demo in the player, unfortunately none of them are downloadable so I don’t have anything to play for you from them. But in addition to the bands they mention I hear a lot of classic Iron Maiden influence in them as well as a few other bands.

For a demo, it’s actually pretty good as I’ve heard, and made, a lot worse.

In listening to these tracks, it’s amazing to me just how universal music really is. I mean my experience has been with Eastern music styles flowing into the West, but to know that it also flows the other way is kind of amazing…at least to me. Much less into Iraq, even though I don’t know why it should be. Kids are kids everywhere and the same feelings and emotions that drive western teens to seek out rock and roll don’t suddenly disappear because of some invisible border.

You may have caught in Villa Luna piece the reference to a documentary by the name of Heavy Metal in Baghdad. You can find out at www.heavymetalinbaghdad.com as well as see a trailer of the flick, a couple of video segments with the band and a band blog.

The post there seems to be reprinted along with a few others at Acrassicauda’s MySpace page…and if you take the whole thing out of context, the posts are astoundingly similar to those of any other struggling band out there. In context of course, you get war, insurgency and a relatively low chance of survival if Firas, Tony, Marwan and Faisal have to return to Iraq.

Being a musician and a music lover I just found this whole story fascinating and eye opening. I think, for me at least, my ideas of Iraq and their culture as a whole has been shaped by a lot of second hand fear mongering and could pretty much fit into a pez dispenser.

The fact that Acrassicauda is even out there makes me wonder…actually makes me know that there is so much more going on out there in the world then we are led to believe…and I’m fairly over educated and admittedly have no clue.

My thought is that if we all as Americans heard a bit more about things like Acrassicauda maybe we could afford a bit more time to things we don’t understand instead of jumping to conclusions and making the assumptions that always seem to land us in a mess we didn’t have to be in.

As for Acrassicauda, they’re not just a band, they’re people too and they do kind of need our help. As for me, I kind of feel responsible for their situation a little bit even if I did vote for Gore…which is actually a whole other interesting issue if you’re old enough to remember the PMRC from the 80’s, but I again digress.

Head on over to the Acrassicauda MySpace page and the Heavy Metal In Baghdad page and click on the donate links. Drop them the cost of one day’s latte at Starbucks and see if we cant somehow help four guys, four musicians and four Iraqis (i should have said four fellow human beings) not have to go back to Iraq until we clean up the mess we made there.

We had our go at calling metal “devils music” here in the States but somehow I think they penalties for Acrassicauda would be a little bit worse in Iraq right now.

http://www.myspace.com/wwwacrassicaudas5com

http://www.heavymetalinbaghdad.com/

Donate!

Onthepodcast: Episode 011 - Acrassicauda and Antigone Rising

2008-03-16T23:16:00.002-04:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 11 Intro

Seth Harwood’s Jack Palms III Promo
http://www.sethharwood.com

Acrassicauda: The ONLY Iraqi Metal Band

Acrassicauda’s MySpace Page:
http://www.myspace.com/wwwacrassicaudas5com

The Acrassicauda Documentary: Heavy Metal In Baghdad:
http://www.heavymetalinbaghdad.com/

Jared Axelrod’s The Voice of Free Planet X Promo
http://planetx.libsyn.com/

Antigone Rising and Don’t Look Back
From their album From The Ground Up:

Antigone Rising’s Website:
http://www.antigonerising.com/

Antigone Rising’s MySpace Page:
http://www.myspace.com/antigonerising

Election Coverage of Chuck Tomasi and Kreg Steppe for PodPresident
http://www.podpresident.com/

The End of Onthepodcast: Episode 11

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Listener Line: 704-900-3560

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Please Excuse The Mess

2008-03-10T23:29:00.004-04:00

Fear not faithful reader. We're just blowing off the dust and slapping on a new coat of paint, but we're still the same old Onthepod.net you've come to know and love. We'll have the site ship shape in just a moment or two. Until then, please excuse the mess. By the way, have you checked out our podcast yet? No? Well head on over to www.onthepodcast.net!!!

Onthepodcast: Episode 10.5 - Nine Inch Nails & Ghosts I

2008-03-08T21:26:00.002-05:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 10.5

Ghosts I by Nine Inch Nails
Ghosts 1
Ghosts 2
Ghosts 3
Ghosts 4
Ghosts 5
Ghosts 6
Ghosts 7
Ghosts 8
Ghosts 9

Nine Inch Nails:
http://www.nin.com/

Ghosts by Nine Inch Nails:
http://ghosts.nin.com/

The end of Onthepodcast: Episode 10.5

Creative Commons and Contact info:
Email: onthepod@gmail.com
Listener Line: 704-900-3560

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Onthepodcast: Episode 10 - PG Holyfield Interview (Pt. 2) & Nine Inch Nails

2008-03-08T21:20:00.002-05:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 10 – Intro

PG Holyfield’s Murder At Avedon Hill Promo
The official Murder At Avedon Hill site:
http://www.pgholyfield.com/maah/
Purchase the print edition of Murder At Avedon Hill:
http://www.lulu.com/content/845061
The podcast novel at Podiobooks.com:
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/murder-at-avedon-hill

PG Holyfield Interview
The official Murder At Avedon Hill site:
http://www.pgholyfield.com/maah/
Purchase the print edition of Murder At Avedon Hill:
http://www.lulu.com/content/845061
The podcast novel at Podiobooks.com:
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/murder-at-avedon-hill

Dave Jackson’s School of PodCasting.com Promo
Visit the School of PodCasting at:
http://schoolofpodcasting.com

Ghosts 7 by Nine Inch Nails from Ghosts I
Nine Inch Nails:
http://www.nin.com/
Ghosts by Nine Inch Nails:
http://ghosts.nin.com/

Mur Lafferty’s Heaven: Wasteland Promo
Find out more about Mur at the “Murverse”:
http://www.murverse.com

The end of Onthepodcast: Episode 10

Creative Commons and Contact info:
Email: onthepod@gmail.com
Listener Line: 704-900-3560

Subscribe in a reader

Onthepodcast: Episode 009 - PG Holyfield Interview & That Girl Alley

2008-03-02T20:40:00.003-05:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 009 – Intro

PG Holyfield’s Murder At Avedon Hill Promo
http://www.pgholyfield.com/maah/
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/murder-at-avedon-hill
http://www.lulu.com/content/845061

PG Holyfield Interview
http://www.pgholyfield.com/maah/
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/murder-at-avedon-hill
http://www.lulu.com/content/845061

Philippa Ballantine’s Chasing The Bard Promo
http://www.chasingthebard.com/

Someday Somewhere by That Girl Alley
http://www.myspace.com/thatgirlalley
http://groups.myspace.com/thatgirlalley
http://www.podshow.com/music/?artist_id=4235
http://www.purevolume.com/thatgirlalley
http://www.unsignedartists.com/thatgirlalley

The Truth Seekers Podcast Promo
http://audioaddict.libsyn.com/

End of Onthepodcast: Episode 009

Creative Commons & Contact Info
Email: onthepod@gmail.com
Listener Line: 704-900-3560

March 27 is National Joe Day

2008-02-27T00:00:00.001-05:00

Click my head for a special National Joe Day message from Onthepodcast...and while you're at it, don't forget to resubscribe to the new Onthepodcast feed!

Onthepodcast: Episode 008.5

2008-02-23T20:27:00.000-05:00

Intro to Onthepodcast: Episode 008.5

Virgo Thing by The Great Upsetters
http://davehoganmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/davehoganmusic
http://www.myspace.com/jrug2500

The Last One by The Great Upsetters
http://davehoganmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/davehoganmusic
http://www.myspace.com/jrug2500

Livin’ Without Religion by The Great Upsetters
http://davehoganmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/davehoganmusic
http://www.myspace.com/jrug2500

Lester Bangs by The Great Upsetters
http://davehoganmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/davehoganmusic
http://www.myspace.com/jrug2500

End of Onthepodcast: Episode 008.5

Creative Commons & Contact Info
Email: onthepod@gmail.com

Onthepodcast: Episode 008

2008-02-23T20:23:00.000-05:00

Intro to Onthepodcast: Episode 008

The Secret Lair Promo
http://www.thesecretlair.com/

The Great Upsetters
http://davehoganmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/davehoganmusic
http://www.myspace.com/jrug2500

The Great Upsetters – Livin’ Without Religion
http://davehoganmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/davehoganmusic
http://www.myspace.com/jrug2500

Technorama Promo
http://www.chuckchat.com/technorama/

End of Onthepodcast: Episode 008

The Podcast Junky & Onthepodcast Promo
http://www.podcastjunky.com/

Creative Commons & Contact Info
Email: onthepod@gmail.com

W00T!!! We hit 5k!

2008-02-20T08:42:00.002-05:00

I wanted to memorialize this moment as Onthepod.net just went over the 5000 visitor mark!!!

My deepest thanks to everyone who has visited Onthepod.net over the past few years.

You guys ROCK!!!

Onthepodcast: Episode 007

2008-02-18T21:18:00.001-05:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 006

2008-02-09T15:32:00.002-05:00

Nathan Lowell’s Quarter Share Promo
http://www.durandus.org/golden
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/quarter-share

Nathan Lowell & His Books:
Quarter Share: http://podiobooks.com/title/quarter-share
Half Share: http://podiobooks.com/title/half-share
Full Share: http://podiobooks.com/title/full-share
South Coast: http://podiobooks.com/title/south-coast

Nathan Lowell’s South Coast Promo
http://www.durandus.org/golden
http://podiobooks.com/title/south-coast

9:45 by Mieka Pauley from her album Elijah Drop Your Gun
http://www.mieka.com
http://www.myspace.com/mieka

Mur Lafferty's Heaven/JC Hutchins' 7th Son Promo #1
http://www.murlafferty.com
http://podiobooks.com/podiobooks/book.php?ID=97
http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com
http://www.jchutchins.net

End of Episode 006

Mur Lafferty's Heaven/JC Hutchins' 7th Son Promo #2
http://www.murlafferty.com
http://podiobooks.com/podiobooks/book.php?ID=97
http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com
http://www.jchutchins.net

Onthepodcast Creative Commons and Contact Info
E-Mail: onthepod@gmail.com

Onthepodcast: Episode 005.5 - The Return of the Vanishing Episode

2008-02-08T21:22:00.002-05:00

Onthepodcast: Episode 005

2008-02-03T21:02:00.001-05:00

Onthepodcast: Epidode 005
(aka the “Amazing” episode…trust me, you’ll see)

Onthepodcast Intro

Mur Lafferty’s Playing For Keeps Promo
http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com

The Wailin’ Jennys
http://www.thewailinjennys.com
http://www.myspace.com/thewailinjennys

Nathan Lowell’s Quarter Share Promo
http://www.durandus.org/golden
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/quarter-share

One Voice by The Wailin’ Jennys from their album 40 Days
http://www.thewailinjennys.com
http://www.myspace.com/thewailinjennys

End of Episode 005

Technorama Promo
http://www.chuckchat.com/technorama

Onthepodcast Creative Commons and Contact Info
E-Mail: onthepod@gmail.com

Onthepodcast: Episode 004

2008-01-27T11:00:00.001-05:00

Onthepodcast Intro

Mike Bennett’s Hall of Mirrors Promo
http://www.oneamongthesleepless.com/hallofmirrors.htm
http://www.oneamongthesleepless.com/

Halo Theme (Mjolnir Mix)
Written by Martin O’Donnell & Michael Salvatori
(Clip taken from Halo 2, Vol. 1 Soundtrack)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_2_Original_Soundtrack

Halo: Contact Harvest by Joseph Staten
http://www.tor-forge.com/halocontactharvest

Podcast Junky Non-Promo Promo
http://www.podcastjunky.com/

Andy Timmons Intro

Farmer Sez by the Andy Timmons Band

Resolution by the Andy Timmons Band
From the Andy Timmons Band album Resolution
http://www.andytimmons.com/

Phil Rossi’s Crescent Promo
http://www.crescentstation.net/
http://www.crescentstation.net/vignettes.html

End of Onthepodcast Episode 004

Scott Sigler’s Infected Promo
http://www.scottsigler.com/

Onthepodcast Creative Commons and Contact Info
E-Mail: onthepod@gmail.com

Onthepodcast: Episode 003

2008-01-20T12:47:00.001-05:00

Hey Kids,

Episode 003 of Onthepodcast is live over at Podomatic.

Here are the show notes:

Onthepodcast Intro

Christiana Ellis’ Space Casey Promo

The Motion Picture Once

Falling Slowly from The Motion Picture Once
Written by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova

Ronnie Blackwell’s Serve It Cold Promo

End of Episode 003

Onthepodcast Creative Commons and Contact Info

Onthepodcast: Episode 002

2008-01-13T21:04:00.001-05:00

Hey Kids,

Episode 002 of Onthepodcast is live over at Podomatic.

Here are the show notes:

Onthepodcast Intro

Scott Sigler’s Nocturnal Promo (http://www.scottsigler.com)

Scott Sigler Feature

Scott Sigler’s Infected Promo (http://www.scottsigler.com)

Uncrowned Intro

Uncrowned – Remember Your Ghost (http://www.uncrowned.com)

P.G. Holyfield’s Murder at Avedon Hill Promo (http://pgholyfield.com/maah)

Talking About Podcast Novels and Editing

End of Episode 002

Mike Bennett’s One Among The Sleepless Promo (http://www.oneamongthesleepless.com/)

Onthepodcast Creative Commons and Contact Info

Welcome to Onthepodcast!!!

2008-01-06T16:06:00.001-05:00

It's finally here!!!

Episode 001 of Onthepodcast has just gone live over at www.onthepodcast.net (www.onthepodcast.com).

You can get to it from either of the links above or the links on the sidebar that point you to www.podomatic.com. You can also subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcatcher.

Here are the show notes for our first episode:

Onthepodcast Intro

Welcome to Onthepodcast & Onthepod.net

ADDcast Promo (http://www.addcast.net)

About Me

Playing For Keeps Promo (http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com)

Playing For Keeps

I Should Be Writing Promo (http://www.ishouldbewriting.com)

Fear The State Intro

Fear The State – Losing My Voice (http://www.fearthestate.com)

End of Episode 001

Brave Men Run Promo (http://www.bravemenrun.com)

Onthepodcast Creative Commons and Contact Info

So go check it out, give us lots of feedback and let us know what you think. I'm still toying with the format and the schedule a bit, but it think that for now we'll be releasing ever other week.

Enjoy...

Joe Mieczkowski and Onthepod.net!

Onthepodcast

2008-01-03T22:02:00.000-05:00

ATTENTION!!!

Onthepodcast is coming!

Before you know it, you'll be able to listen to the podcast about what's Onthepod...and you can find it right here at Onthepod.net!

The Space Casey Podcast by Christiana Ellis

2007-12-28T10:12:00.000-05:00

“Some heroines will steal your heart… This one will steal your wallet.”

In my never-ending quest for cool stuff to read and listen to, I’m always on the lookout for something that makes me laugh. There’s just something magical to me about people who can string words together and have them echo with the wit, humor and sarcasm that I like to think exists in my own mind, but rarely actually does. I’m drawn to writers like that and if they can somehow find it in themselves to tickle my inner geek by making me laugh in outer space…I’m a fan for life.

A long time ago, my friend Andie introduced me to Douglas Adams and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Soon there after, I was hooked on all things that had to do with towels, the phrase “Don’t Panic” and the number 42. I just loved the smart and funny voice that Douglas Adams wrote in and when he passed away, I will admit to being selfishly distraught because I would never get to hear that voice again.

All these years later I read, “Some heroines will steal your heart… This one will steal your wallet.” And I laughed. That’s all it took really, one line and I knew I had found something that had the potential to make me a fan. I also knew there was another podcast I had to listen to by the name of Space Casey.

Christiana Ellis, author of the painfully funny Nina Kimberly the Merciless podcast novel, recently began podcasting her latest project, Space Casey at the end of November 2007. Her writing with Casey has that same witty and irreverent feel that initially drew me into Douglas Adams’ work.

Ellis has also continued to hone her already wickedly funny writing, which she first showed off in Nina Kimberly, into a tighter and more polished outer space epic with her latest work. Space Casey is funny and whip smart with a heroine who you want to like, but you’re never quite sure of her motivations. You’re relatively sure there’s more under her roguish space fairing exterior than larceny, piracy and her attempts at one big score but you just can’t prove it…yet

I guess I’ll just have to keep listening to Space Casey, her neurotic spaceship AI with a fashion sense and the splashing sounds of a hyper-excited space spider with a crush to find out what happens. Just like I had to keep reading all those years ago to find out the answer to life the universe and everything. Once again, I’m looking forward to the ride.

7 Things I Will Never Tell You from Tag In The Seam by Leann Mabry

2007-12-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

I listen to my iPod a lot. I’m jacked in all day at work to help me both concentrate on and forget about the work that I do. I listen at the gym. I listen in the car. The fact that my Prius had an iPod/aux in jack was a huge deciding factor in my getting the car…well, that and the astronomical cost of gas these days. That being said, I have a serious need for new content. I used to get all of it from either music or Audible.com, where I would download audiobooks.

Both of those have fallen by the wayside lately with my discovery Podiobooks.com. From Podiobooks.com I found a deep well of great new authors who produce amazing work. The quality of those works pushed me to research the authors and, in turn, led me to their websites and in some cases their other podcasts. Now even that find is bearing fruit, in that those same podcasts are recommending even more people and podcasts I should be listening to.

A combination of all of those circumstances recently led to me download one of the most amazing pieces of audio I have ever heard. I know that people throw terms like “most amazing” around without there being a lot behind them most of the time, but in this case I’m not saying it just to have something to say. I promise you that if you take the time to download Episode 25 of Leann Mabry’s Tag In The Seam podcast, your mind will be blown just like mine was.

Episode 25 of Tag In The Seam was originally released on June 18, 2007. I’m not going to tell you anything about the content of the episode other than its name, which is 7 Things I Will Never Tell You, for two reasons. The first of which is you really should listen to it without any preconceptions of what you’re going to hear. In other words, you should just experience it.

The second of which is I don’t have the words to describe what I heard exactly. I guess I could say that it’s the arual equivalent of a "trip", but I would only be speaking second hand and not doing Leann Mabry’s creation justice. I find myself in an unfamiliar situation akin to trying to describe what the color blue is to some one who was born blind. I just can’t do it.

I know what I heard was powerful and yet compassionate. I know it was personal to the point of being intimate and yet and an altogether isolating experience. It was light and dark, color and black and white. It was all of those things together at the same time.

Try to think about a painting for a minute. When you view it up close, you can see colors and brush strokes and all kinds of little things that don’t really make any sense. When you step back far enough, you can see what all of the parts that were out of context become, but you’re no longer able to see the individual pieces. If 7 Things I Will Never Tell You was a painting, you would be a fixed point in a room while it flew towards you and away from you, constantly changing perspective from one moment to the next; occasionally the whole, occasionally the parts, occasionally both.

That’s the closest I can come to describing it, but the only thing that can truly do Leann Mabry and 7 Things I Will Never Tell You justice is if you go and listen for yourself. So please go listen, you won’t regret it.

More about 7 Things I Will Never Tell You:

It’s not work safe or kid safe so be prepared. Listen in front of your boss or junior at your own risk.

More about Leann Mabry:

Leann is the host of her Tag In The Seam podcast as well as the owner of one of the most amazing voices in audio. If you listen to 7 Things I Will Never Tell You and think she sounds familiar, that’s because she probably is. If you’ve ever listened to a podcast or a podcast novel, odds are you’ve heard her. She has lent her voice to numerous trailers for podcast novels as well as been a voice actor in the podcast novels Morevi: The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana as well as Billibub Baddings and The Case of the Singing Sword both by Tee Morris, Murder at Avedon Hill by P.G. Holyfield and The Metamore City Podcast by Chris Lester just to name a few.

Onthepod.net's LIVE Twitter from The Police live in Charlotte, NC: 11/15/07

2007-11-16T06:39:00.000-05:00

Hello again everyone,

What follows is a transcript of my LIVE Twitter play-by-play from the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, in lovely "Uptown" Charlotte, NC on 11/15/07 where The Police played a show on their 2007 reunion tour. Hope you enjoy it!

At the police show. Opening band was good but can't remember their name. (Fiction Plane - fronted by Joe Sumner, Sting’s son)

22 bucks for a burger BBQ sw (sandwich) fries and a drink. Bobcats arena is anything but cheap.

Cost offset by finding spot on street a few blocks away and not in the $20 lot

Here they come

* Opening with Message In A Bottle

Minimal crap on the stage and they sound amazing

* Stewart had drum problems at start of song two. Synchronicity

Cool screens above stage with video of each member.

Cool bid (vid) effect with red, yellow and blue from album (Synchronicity)

* Walking On The Moon. And I meant video effects.

They’re totally just jamming (on) the bridge of this song.

* Sorry don't know this one

Very cool solo break by Andy. They all look like they’re actually having fun.

* Don’t Stand So Close To Me.

Ripping guitar intro by Andy

* Don't know the song. Driven To Tears? God, as a band they’re so tight.

* They’re on fire as a unit tonight. Sorry don't know this one either.

Into hit the road jack. That was weird. But cool

* Song from the first album

As far as reunion tours go...this one was done right.

The sound quality is outstanding too.

*Every Little Thing

Their sound guy should get a medal. Best sounding arena show I’ve ever been to.

* Wrapped Around Your Finger

Very orchestral airy arrangement for three guys to pull off. Stewarts playing kettle drums

Back on the kit

Back to the perc (percussion) again. Awesome

* Do Do Do

* Invisible sun

Sting and a pan flute

More percussion for Stewart

* Walking In Your Footsteps

Weird dinosaur animation

*Can’t Stand Losing You

That was last song

Cool Ghost In The Machine graphics

Encore

* Roxanne

* King Of Pain

* So Lonely

* Every Breath You Take

They left Andy out there by himself

Encore two

* Next To You

That’s it kids. The Police have left the building.

Great show. Now off to find the car.

The following comments were posted after the show

Overall impressions of the police show. 1) Great show 2) Great crew as lights, video & sound were fantastic 3) Eat before you go

I met Sting a few years back on one of his solo tours and he was very "English"...that doesn't seem to have changed much. ☺

Finally, I get the impression that when sting does his little "a-oooo" thing, Stewart Copeland would like to shove a drumstick up his... (Sorry ran out of characters on my Twitter post…oh well, you get the idea.)

Sponsor Me As I Write My Fingers To Bloody Little Stumps For NaNoWriMo

2007-11-11T01:13:00.000-05:00

Normally I wouldn't do this at Onthepod.net, but it's for charity. Check it out, investigate it and if you're interested, give me a click. I thank you for your support.

Hey, It's your favorite aspiring novelist and podcast host here, and as I'm a bit late to the game with most everything thing else, I figured why not with this too. BUT...there's always a but isn't there? BUT, you can now sponsor me as I type my fingers to bloody little stumps as I reach 50,000 words before November 30, 2007 for NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month. There's good news too (See, there's already good news...): 1) You can actually help out kids who want to write. 2) I'm already past 17000 words as I write this post. 3) Did I mention the bloody stumps part? I mean, I know that only applies if your into that kind of thing of course...but hey who am I to say? Anyway, here's the quote from the sponsor page below and this whole post is one big fat link to the site...so click it!!!

Hi there! Thanks for coming to my fundraising page for the National Novel Writing Month. This fall, I'll be joining 100,000 authors in the challenge of writing a book, from scratch, in November.

It's going to be a busy month! As I write my novel, I'll be raising money for the nonprofit Office of Letters and Light, whose free programs such as National Novel Writing Month have helped spark a lifelong love of writing in kids, teens, and adults around the world.

Thank you so much for your support of my writing and the Office of Letters and Light's literary mission! If you can think of anyone else who might be interested in sponsoring me, please forward this page along to them.

PS: You should think about writing a novel in November too! Find out more at www.NaNoWriMo.org

Thanks for humoring me,

Joe Mieczkowski
(aka: pseuodjoe)
(akaaka: your friendly neighborhood podcaster)

Voices of New Media: Author & Podcaster Matthew Wayne Selznick

2007-10-30T19:57:00.000-04:00

Matthew Wayne Selznick is a firm believer in doing things yourself…and, he practices what he preaches. He’s an author, podcaster, publisher and musician and the end result of all his creative endeavors can be found online at his website, www.mattselznick.com. I was first introduced to Matthew Wayne Selznick through Mur Lafferty’s podcast I Should Be Writing where he was discussing, among other things, his novel “Brave Men Run – A Novel of the Sovereign Era.” That’s where I started, so why don’t we?

“Brave Men Run – A Novel of the Sovereign Era” is, according to Selznick, “The Breakfast Club meets X-Men.” While it doesn’t have capes or Judd Nelson, it does have people with extraordinary powers and a cast of characters who are mostly in their teens. Its also one of the best written fictional accounts of what its like to be different in the biggest popularity contest there is, high school. Thanks to the writing in “Brave Men Run,” the main character, Nate Charters' experiences on the page read like they’re experiences off the page. They breathe and are full of a life spent reflecting on what it means to be different and who you are because of it. Matthew Wayne Selznick has managed to capture the essence of what it means to live an outsiders life just at the point where all of the things that made you different suddenly thrust you into the spotlight for better and for worse.

For “Brave Men Run – A Novel of the Sovereign Era”, Selznick has chosen to independently publish his work in several formats simultaneously and forgo the more traditional author/agent/publisher model. Along with the traditional print form of the novel, “Brave Men Run” was also released as an e-book, an audiobook and as a podcast novel read by the author himself. While the book, audiobook and e-book are for sale at Lulu.com and Payloadz.com respectively, the podcast novel version is available absolutely free of charge through Podiobooks.com…and if you like what you hear, you can always leave a donation for Matt at Podiobooks.com.

Similar to other authors who have chosen a podcast novel as a method to make their work available to a wider audience, Matthew Wayne Selznick has much more on his plate in the realm of podcasting. He’s also the host of Writers Talking, a live podcast where along with other authors, he discusses topics relating to the craft of writing. Even though Selznick is himself an author, he often times will ask the simple question which other interviewers tend to overlook. Through these questions he manages to get useful and oftentimes insightful answers as to the how’s and why’s of writing instead of just what happens after the author has written.

The Writers Talking podcast is hosted at Talkshoe.com, which allows not only the host and authors to take part in the discussion, but also any number of fans and listeners that sign in. After an in-depth interview segment, Selznick opens up the chat room and phone lines to anyone listening in with a question or comment. Talkshoe.com, in addition to hosting the podcast session, also compensates Writers Talking for each live listener and subscriber to the podcast. Matthew has chosen to donate 50% of any proceeds from his Writers Talking podcast, including donations, to 826 National, a group of nonprofit organizations that, in essence, help school age children learn the craft of writing.

In addition to Writers Talking, Matthew Wayne Selznick created and contributed to the first season of Five Minute Memoir. In a concept similar to that of NPR’s StoryCorps without the two party interview, contributors to Five Minute Memoir give listeners a look into the defining moments of their lives by retelling the stories that helped shape them into who they are today. From individual tales of people finding themselves employed as the low man on the totem pole in the vast Regan-era military machine to the very simple lesson of telling someone you love them while you still have the chance, Five Minute Memoir is some of the most compelling, moving and ultimately honest work ever shared with an audience.

If that weren’t enough, there’s also Scribtotum, Selznick’s personal blog, Sonitotum, Scribtotum’s companion podcast, and the DIY Endeavors podcast which features mostly musical tracks from independent artists who are trying to do music and the business of music their own way. On top of all of that, or perhaps because of it, Matthew Wayne Selznick endures a daily commute in excess of eighty miles each way to the offices of Mahalo.com, “the world's first human-powered search engine” where their “goal is to hand-write the top 20,000 search terms” on the internet. So not only does he do it all himself, he works for a company that does too.

Matthew Wayne Selznick is very much about doing it yourself and “DIY” plays a large part in all of his creative outings. At the top of his homepage, just under the welcome message, there’s a section called “Living The DIY Ethic” and if you look off on the sidebar, you can follow a link to what might just be the most telling thing about Matthew Wayne Selznick, his beliefs. As they’re listed, they are:

Purity Of Vision
Principled Expression
Self-Education
All Art Is Valid
We Are All Peers
Trust Your Audience
Serve The Community

Each is followed by a short explanation to put them in context, but the titles are pretty much self-explanatory. So what does it all mean? Judging solely from his work, his words and his actions relating to both, Matthew Wayne Selznick is something of a visionary who doesn’t believe that just because something is the way it is, it has to stay that way. He has taken it upon himself to be one of the first to blaze a trail through the way things have been done to the way things could be done…and for that, we’re all better off.

FYI - If you find yourself interested in Matthew Wayne Selznick, this is really an opportune time to find out more about him. He has recently announced that for the remainder of 2007, he is taking a hiatus from podcasting in order to publish his follow-up to “Brave Men Run – A Novel of the Sovereign Era,” entitled “Pilgrimage - The Dawn of the Sovereign Era.” This will be another multi-format release, but this time with a twist since the podcast novel version of “Pilgrimage” will be a full cast audio drama, a first for Selznick. His hiatus gives you a few solid months to listen to “Brave Men Run – A Novel of the Sovereign Era” and all of the archived episodes of Writers Talking, Five Minute Memoir, Sonitotum and DIY Endeavors. So take your time, listen to a great book, some great interviews and some amazing stories…and by the time you’re done, Matthew Wayne Selznick will be back with “Pilgrimage” and more of his great work

Voices of New Media: J.C. Hutchins - Author of 7th Son

2007-10-13T12:50:00.000-04:00

“The President of the United States is dead. He was murdered in the morning sunlight by a four-year-old boy…”
J.C. Hutchins

…And so begins 7^th Son, one of the most entertaining, action packed and well written series you’ll never find in a book store…at least not yet. 7^th Son is the brainchild of author J.C. Hutchins. The reason you won’t find it in a book store is because the author has decided to release the trilogy as a series of episodic podcasts available through his website, www.jchutchins.net, and through Podiobooks.com. Originally conceived and written as a single story, the author has split the tale into three pieces: Decent, Deceit and Destruction. Each of those pieces is split into several episodes containing a chapter or two of the story as a whole, and what a story it is.

Seven seeming strangers are abducted and forced work together in a beyond top-secret government installation to try and save the world from the evil plans set in motion by the shadowy John Alpha. As the seven begin to work together, they start to realize they may be closer to him than they think, but also that time is running out for them, and the rest of the civilized world. They have to find John Alpha and stop him. The story takes you, as the listener, all over the globe in the search for John Alpha and introduces you to seven of the most similar yet amazingly unique characters an audio drama has ever seen. 7^th Son is full of nonstop action and plot twists from its opening minutes and never lets up through its last episodes. In this work of epic scale, Hutchins manages to bring together the best aspects of the thriller genre and mix it together with a political conspiracy liberally seasoned with mad scientist pulp. If it were in print, it would be a book you simply couldn’t put down.

You may be thinking that since this is a podcast and not a big-budget audio production, how good could it be? Well, as I’ve said before, I love audiobooks and I devour them. I’ve probably listened to hundreds of titles so far and 7^th Son ranks as one of the best I’ve heard. J.C. Hutchins, in addition to writing the work, is the voice talent for the 7^th Son podcast. As the reader, he seems to effortlessly manage the difficult task of giving all his characters their own unique voice and not just reading the words he wrote from the page. The podcast is excellently produced by Shawn Bishop of The Dividing Line Broadcast Network, has musical chapter cues and even features its own theme music written by Celldweller. So that chalks up to being entertaining, well written, well read and sounding great. It doesn’t get much better than that.

The podcast and Podiobook versions of J.C. Hutchins novels have thousands of subscribed listeners, figuratively tuning in to each new episode release. Thanks to its own popularity and the seemingly ceaseless promotion by its creator, 7^th Son has been featured both in print and on the web at venues such as Boing Boing, Mac User and the New Times. While that may be impressive, J.C. Hutchins has not only been covered by several New Media outlets, but also by such Old Media mainstays as The New York Times. In addition to that, the peers of the 7^th Son podcast have given it their own brand of recognition and praise, as it has twice been nominated for a Parsec Award and twice won at the Podcast Peer Awards.

As if all of that weren’t enough, J.C. Hutchins’ 7^th Son has taken on a bit of a life of its own at the author’s website. The podcast novel has spawned both the Ministry of Propaganda and the Beta Clone Army of fans. The Ministry of Propaganda is the equivalent of a Street Team for the novels. In a fun twist on the traditional Street Team, members are issued promotional challenges by Natasha, the voice of the Ministry of Propaganda. By completing these challenges, they then have the opportunity to win actual 7^th Son swag and some have even won the opportunity to appear on the 7^th Son podcast and relate “The Story So Far…” In doing so, they find themselves in rather distinguished company as this feature of the podcast has been read by actors and authors with names like Nathan Fillion, Richard Hatch, Ron Glass, Alan Dean Foster, Nick Sagan and Kevin J. Anderson just to name a few. The Beta Clone Army is made up of fans who have thrown their support behind J.C. Hutchins by pointing their browsers over to Geeklabel.com and purchasing a 7^th Son themed shirt…especially the particularly fashionable Beta Clone # shirt where fans are issued their own unique Beta Clone ID number. The new Beta Clones can then submit a picture of themselves wearing the shirt and have the image posted on the Beta Clone Army webpage, and often times named in the podcast itself.

So that’s 7^th Son, a brilliant little idea that has found a devoted audience through unconventional means. J.C. Hutchins has the amazing gifts of being able to write a great story and find it a market in any way, and in as may ways as possible. If you’re a fan of a great story, I can’t recommend the 7^th Son trilogy enough. The same goes for if you’re looking for a great podcast or just something to take up space on your iPod and kill a half and hour here and there. The series is worth a listen and J.C. Hutchins is worth keeping an eye on because it won’t be long before you’re picking up his next novel in the bookstore of your choice.

PS – If you were wondering how I knew so much about the Beta Clone Army…I’m Beta Clone #185.

Voices of New Media: Author & Podcaster Mur Lafferty

2007-10-11T19:24:00.000-04:00

Mur Lafferty is a force of nature. How else could you characterize a woman who manages to write, host and produce several simultaneous podcasts, write freelance pieces for all manner of publications, write original short stories, write novels of original fiction, hold down a full time job and find the time to be a wife and mother? That list alone is enough to make me tired, much less do it...but Mur Lafferty does all of it, and does it well.

I first found Mur through www.podiobooks.com where I stumbled upon her podcast novel Lessons from a Geek Fu Master. Forty essays later, I felt compelled to look up more information about the person who had just implied that the Food Network’s own Alton Brown was bent on world domination, clued me into to what a “Geekgasm” was and let me listen in on what can best described as the hardest decision a gamer ever had to make…City of Heroes or World of Warcraft. So after a Google search, I managed to find Geek Fu Action Grip, one in what I would soon learn was a veritable plethora of Mur Lafferty related sites on the web. Geek Fu could best be described as Mur’s personal podcast and blog, although in her most recent episodes of what has come to be called the Geek Fu Morning Show, she has been sharing the podcasting duties with one of her best friends and LuLu.TV co-worker Jason Adams. LuLu.TV would be her afore mentioned full time job, where she and Adams also co-host a videocast by the name of This Day In Alternate History. Geek Fu Action Grip was also where the experiment that would become Heaven was initially podcast.

Heaven is another of Mur Lafferty’s several podcasts. It started out as an experimental idea to see if a story she had about the afterlife could be done as a serialized podcast. That idea lasted twelve episodes, turned into a twelve episode second season called Hell, a twelve episode third season called Earth…and there are plans for two additional seasons of which season four is currently being written. Heaven, the series, follows two Earthly friends, Kate and Daniel, in their travels through and adventures in the afterlife. As the series continues, the characters of Kate and Daniel become more and more real through excellent writing and as a listener you are able to easily slip into their universe thanks to the wonderful audio production on Mur’s part. Similar to my experience with Lessons from a Geek Fu Master, I went looking for more by this talented writer and, again, wasn’t disappointed.

Mur Lafferty’s other podcast and blog, yes there’s another one, can be found at www.ishouldbewriting.com and is appropriately enough entitled, I Should Be Writing. It is, according to Mur at the beginning of every podcast, a “Podcast for want to be fiction writers by a want to be fiction writer.” While she is clearly a fiction writer, given the success of the Heaven series, Mur bases her “want to be” status on a professional standard of sales and revenue per word. This podcast has been running since 2005 and has booked over seventy episodes, including special edition daily shows and interviews. With I Should Be Writing, the listener is invited on an all access trip through the issues a writer faces as she tries to write, secure an agent and publish her first novel. Split into three sections, I Should Be Writing first gives us Mur’s personal progress on writing and the other issues she has as a result. The second section of the podcast deals with a topic related to writing, both in general and as a career choice. Topics from villains to query letters are regularly discussed in an easy to understand and un-intimidating way that allows the information offered up to be accessible to the widest possible audience. The third section is set aside for listener questions and comments received via voicemail and email.

With regard to her listeners, Mur Lafferty has taken accessibility to a place to where few people in the public eye dare to go. Anyone familiar with writer, director and actor Kevin Smith knows that his web-presence is nothing short of astounding given his visibility. However, it may very well be dwarfed by Lafferty’s presence on the web. After every podcast of I Should Be Writing, Geek Fu and the Heaven series, not to mention posted everywhere on all of her websites, Mur’s email address, voicemail number and website addresses are freely made available and listeners are encouraged to leave feedback, which they do and which is often addressed on I Should Be Writing itself or via an email from Mur. As a recent, and semi-frequent, submitter of these emails, I can personally vouch for this gifted and patient author’s willingness to help those in need.

While Geek Fu Action Grip, Heaven, Hell, Earth and I Should Be Writing immediately seem as if they would be more than enough to fill anyone’s plate, Mur Lafferty has also found the time for a few other projects. One was to publish a book by the name of Tricks of the Podcasting Masters with Rob Walch that is readily available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. Highlighting “tricks” and methods revealed through several interviews, both Lafferty and Walch convey podcasting professional’s advice to those interested in podcasting. Then there are the submission to no less than nine different publications including Knights of the Dinner Table, PC Gamer and SciFi Magazine. Oh, and even before all that there are the numerous contributions to several roll-playing game titles by Zeitgeist, Hogshead and White Wolf Publishing.

How one person can do so much and stay sane, much less coherent enough to continuously push out new and engaging material is well beyond my ability to comprehend, but Mur Lafferty does…and having listened extensively to all of the podcasts mentioned here, she does so amazingly. From her engrossing fiction in Heaven to her warm and honest advice in I Should Be Writing, Mur Lafferty proves herself as one of the brightest voices in new media today. My sincerest hope is that old media, ala the current print and entertainment powerhouses, can move beyond their current paradigms and recognize a voice that represents the future instead of just being afraid of it. If anyone deserves the recognition, it’s Mur Lafferty.

Podcasting 101 - Why aren't you listening?

2007-10-07T19:05:00.001-04:00

OK kids, as you may or may not know Onthepod.net was originally conceived as a place for music reviews…heck it even says so right underneath the title. If you’ve been visiting for a while, you know that I've occasionally ventured away from my iPod to the Movies or even those barbaric book things. However, as I’m sure you'll be surprised to learn, because Onthepod.net is rather small, record labels don’t send me free music to review. The good news is that I’m a junkie when it comes to anything I consider to be good music but the bad news is that I’ve only got so much disposable income to play with. I will admit to trying to find a more cost effective manner in which to procure new music, but as my willingness to fund the Russian mob’s music download sites has waned and the though of paying the RIAA $222,000 for the privilege of reviewing their artists now seems like less of a perk than it once did, I find myself with less and less new music to listen to and, in turn, review. Not to mention there just hasn’t been a whole lot of new music released lately that I even like.

So with that little diatribe out of the way, I can continue on to the point. As my previous non-Twittered post states, the well ran dry and I was left with not a lot to listen to. As such, I found myself revisiting one of my own older posts that ran along the lines of Podcasting. What is podcasting you ask? Well podcasting is more of an idea than a physical thing. The idea being that if you’ve got something to say, a microphone, a computer and an internet connection you can reach as many people with your words as will listen. It puts the power in the hands of an individual with an idea and takes it away from the major broadcasters who believe that said idea doesn’t fit into their format. Technically, I guess that a podcast is a thing too, in that at the end of the day you have an audio file that you can post and others can download and listen to at their leisure. If you haven’t guessed, I’m a convert…and I’m not the only one.

As a self-admitted liberal geek, I listen to a lot of National Public Radio. As it turns out, NPR has fully embraced the idea of podcasting their broadcast shows in order to have them reach a wider audience. Want an example? Well, you’re going to get one anyway so you might as well just go with it. Lets say you, like myself, like to listen to NPR on Saturdays. You start your mornings with Car Talk and Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and listen all the way through A Prairie Home Companion on Saturday night. Up North, you used to listen to Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know but your new local Charlotte NPR affiliate doesn’t carry it. What do you do? You can now hop online or into iTunes and subscribe to the Whad’Ya Know podcast which will let you download an hour of the show, usually a day after it airs every weekend. Want to know the best part, other than you can now listen to it whenever and wherever you want? It’s FREE, 100% abso-stinking-lutely free! Keep in mind that this example is for a more mainstream show that’s already “out there” in the public consciousness, not to mention that all the other NPR shows I mentioned are also available as free podcasts. So you say NPR is to mainstream, too right or too left leaning for your particular political persuasion? That’s fine, because there’s so much more that’s available if you just look. Political, entertainment, social commentary, educational; it’s all out there just waiting for you to find it.

As I must have mentioned about a million times here at On the pod.net, I love audiobooks. In the past, I’ve always pimped Audible.com as a great source for them…and it is, but it’s a subscription service that you have to pay for. I recently found a link through a post on either Gizmodo or Lifehacker (or both actually) that led me to www.podiobooks.com. Podiobooks.com offers novel length works, and short stories for that matter, by lesser-known or unknown authors in a serialized podcast format. If you find a story you like, you can subscribe to it in iTunes or your own favorite feedcatcher. If the story is new, you’ll get a new podcast episode ever time one is release. If the story you pick has been completed, you can choose to download the entire thing at once or episode by episode. You, again, also have the opportunity to listen at your leisure and it’s completely free.

I just want to go on record as saying, “I Love This Site!”

Podiobooks.com does ask, and quite fairly so I might add, that if you like what you’re hearing you consider making a small monetary donation, though I’m sure a large donation wouldn’t be thrown out of bed. Podiobooks does get something for the trouble of hosting the book on their website, but the author gets the majority of any donation you may make. It’s really a win, win situation in that you don’t have to drop $50.00 on an audio book you may or may not like, and if you do like it you can shoot the author a little something, at the very least an email, to let them know you liked what you heard.

I've managed to gleefully work my way through several of the available titles in recent weeks and can report that just as in music, there are some outstanding undiscovered writers in the literary world. Two names that just scream out to be mentioned are Mur Lafferty and J.C. Hutchins, both of whom have several titles available on www.podiobooks.com. Mur Lafferty has written a continuing series by the name of Heaven. There are three seasons of Heaven out now (Heaven, Hell & Earth) with a fourth on the way. J.C. Hutchins has penned a trilogy entitled 7th Son and is currently in the process of wrapping up his podcast of the final volume, Destruction. His previous two books being Descent and Deceit. I was so impressed with their work that I’m planning a few special pieces in the near future to talk about them specifically, so keep checking back.

So if you’ve been wondering what’s new On the pod, after a bit of searching, it ends up being podcasts and Podiobooks by some really talented writers. I urge you to check out www.podiobooks.com, www.murlafferty.com and www.jchutchins.net just to get a taste of what’s available to you out there. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

On the pod's LIVE Twitter from Van Halen's 2007 World Tour Opening Night in Charlotte, NC

2007-09-28T10:02:00.000-04:00

What follows is a slightly cleaned up version of my live Twitter play by play from the opening night of Van Halen’s 1997 World Tour in Charlotte, NC. Hope you enjoy it:

Getting excited for VH tonight, but secretly hoping for a train wreck so I finally have a good story to tell

At the arena

At the Merch. booth w/ $10 bumper stickers

At the seats and couldn't be higher up in the arena. Marley is on now

There are two rather large VH blimps circling the inside of the arena

Soon

The blimps have left

Lights off here they come

You Really Got Me

Sounds good

I'm The One

Wolfs good but I miss Mike

Gratuitous pause for love

Now Runnin’ With The Devil

Crowd singing Runnin’ With The Devil louder than VH. Crazy. Next up, Dave talking…I can't remember the name but the lyric is “bringing whiskey to the party tonight...” (It was Romeo Delight )

Ed's playing a Peavey not Fender

Dave on harmonica (and or bull horn) Somebody Get Me A Doctor

Beautiful Girls

Dave's strutting but they're basically just standing there

Dance The Night Away

Dave’s humping a top hat

…And there’s pot

Ed and Wolf kiss. Atomic Punk

Wolfs walking the crowd loop

Everybody Wants Some

Ed and Dave in a motorcycle noise contest (Mouth vs. Guitar)

So This Is Love

My phone died, borrowing the wife’s

Mean Streets

Next song...Oh, Pretty Woman

Alex’s drum solo

Pretty good drum solo actually (it was the best one I’ve heard him play to be honest)

Next song...Unchained

I'll Wait...the “mentalotomy” song…sorry inside joke

Dave’s on the loop

Ed’s got a Black and White (VH Striped) Fender with 2007 where 5150 would be

…And The Cradle Will Rock

Ed’s got a new Black and White with some Red (VH Striped) Fender

Smoke On The Water guitar out into Hot For Teacher

I just watched my wife head bang...who is this woman???!!!

Ed’s back to a Peavey

Dave walks the crowd loop again

Little Dreamer

Little Guitars

Ed has “Frankenstein” (most likely a Fender relic copy)

Jamie’s Cryin’

Dave still likes to shake his ass

Dave talks

Dave talks some more

Dave is pickin around on an acoustic talking about an ice cream truck...any ideas?

Yup...

Ice Cream Man

Panama

EVH guitar solo

(Women In Love intro variant) 316 variant

Noodling

There are 8 double headed 5150 III stacks on stage...4 right & 4 left...Eruption variant

Guitar feedback

He went down for a minute…thought he might have broke that hip, but he’s ok :)

Cathedral variant

Eruption tapping variant

The hip thing was a joke by the way

Done and into Ain't Talkin’ ‘Bout Love

Dave does sound good, even this far into the show

Looks like the last song

Ed, Wolf, Dave and Alex bow

1984 & a big ass disco ball

Dave and a big red flag...dunno about that...into Jump

Dave and Eddie hi-five to a keyboard song...ironic don’t ya think?

Dave does swordplay with a mic stand

Dave rides the big inflatable mic into the sunset...confetti and exit stage left

That's all folks

Van Halen’s opening night in Charlotte, NC is now history :)

It’s hot, very hot… and we are never getting out of here by the way

The following was posted after the show:

Sat on a bench with the wife after the show, as we weren't getting out of the garage anytime soon, and dissected the show.

For what it was, she felt it was really good where as I feel it was pretty good. I don't think it could ever have lived up to they hype.

Still, for an opening night and given the circumstances...it was a great show. For the triumphant return of the MIGHTY MIGHTY VAN HALEN…it was a pretty good show.

However, if they make it further on down the tour schedule...it should be awesome, without a doubt. They were still kind of feeling it out tonight.

So…that’s it folks, my live Twitter posted directly from inside the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, NC on 09/27/07…The opening night of Van Halen’s 2007 World Tour.

...We were on a break!!!

2007-08-03T22:50:00.001-04:00

Hi all,

OTP is taking a little break, as if you hadn’t noticed. I’m sure we’ll be back when something comes out that we just have to tell you about, which could be sooner rather than later, but for now…the wells run dry and we’re waiting for the rainy season.

Thanks so much,

Joe from On the pod.net

Mieka Pauley: Live at The Evening Muse 06/15/07

2007-06-21T22:17:00.000-04:00

Mieka Pauley live is an experience, and her recent stop at The Evening Muse in Charlotte, NC was no exception. From coffee houses to theaters and all the bars in between, Mieka Pauley fills all those spaces, floor to ceiling, with her very own and deeply personal “melodies, harmonies, poetry and rhyme” and even after a day that had her driving all the way from New York City, it was definitely a show worth catching. If you somehow managed to miss it, here are a few of my impressions from the evening to get you excited for her return visit to Charlotte and the Muse on August 25^th.

One of the first things that I noticed as Mieka Pauley began her set was just how powerful a performer she truly is. This is no mousy folk singer hiding behind an acoustic guitar. Her voice rings out of her body like a church bell on a quiet morning; both startling and musical. Once you recover from the impact of her voice, you start to notice her words. The lyrical content of Mieka Pauley’s original songs show someone who is in love with language and all its possibilities. She strings together words into lyrics and lyrics into songs that are deep, touching, personal and sometimes even funny…all at the same time. What you’re left with is the impression of an original voice that stands apart from all of the other noise.

In what was probably the best surprise of the evening, Mieka Pauley’s set was liberally peppered with new material from her upcoming release, tentatively due in August…oddly enough the very same month she will be returning to the Muse. Having devoured all of her previous releases and live shows available for download at the Live Music Archive, I can say with absolute certainty that her new material is as good as anything she has written previously . Having heard new songs like All the Same Mistakes, Chicago and The Golden Room, I can honestly say that Mieka Pauley’s new album is one of my most anticipated albums of 2007.

As I mentioned before, Mieka Pauley will be back in Charlotte and once again playing at The Evening Muse on August 25^th. It will be a Saturday night and along with Mieka, other artists will take The Evening Muse stage as part of a benefit show for RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. So, not only do you get the chance to help out a worthy cause simply by letting yourself be entertained, you have another great opportunity to catch Mieka Pauley do what she does best; sing and play and be the performer she was born to be.

*** Special thanks to Lydia Lewallen for use of her photos ***

John 5 - The Devil Knows My Name

2007-06-08T23:48:00.000-04:00

John 5 - The Devil Knows My Name

Two things are evident to anyone who’s ever listened to an album by John 5. The first is that he is just a monster of a guitarist, with the chops and technique to stand with any notable guitarist in recent memory. The second is that he has issues…serious issues. On The Devil Knows My Name, John 5 seems to shift gears between the sonically disturbed and divine without so much as a second thought…it just happens. It’s almost as if he has split personalities, one angel and one devil, both of whom happen to be virtuosic guitarists.

Most of The Devil Knows My Name is simply devastating in terms of an electric guitar instrumental album. Nearly all of John 5’s original compositions are dark, technical and all the more interesting given that he generally plays a telecaster. On 27 Needles, he outwardly flirts with “chicken-pickin,” as he has done on his pervious releases, but then apparently slips it a ruffie, drags it behind the barn and proceeds to have his way with it. I can almost guarantee Fender may have rethought introducing the model if they knew the abuse that would be hurled at it on The Devil Knows My Name.

But…and there’s always a but, early on The Devil Knows My Name offers up what may be the most uncharacteristic and, essentially, sweet piece of music John 5 has ever released. Bella Kiss is a clean electric guitar piece, played on a “B-Bender” if I’m not mistaken, that sounds so simple that it effectively masks its technicality. This is a piece that’s so easy to fall in love with that it almost makes you forget the serial killer nature of the rest of the album…actually, it makes a lot of sense in a John Wayne Gacy kind of way.

Another exception to the welcome and expected aural assault that is The Devil Knows My Name is the Eric Johnson reminiscent track Young Thing near the close of the album. With the clean echoes of country and rockabilly, it is more apparent than ever that should he want, John 5 could play anywhere and in any genre he chose to.

My only problem with the album as a whole is John 5’s cover of Welcome to the Jungle originally by Guns ‘N’ Roses. It’s nothing against this particular instrumental version of a vocal song, technically it’s perfect, it’s all there…I just don’t the idea in general. To me it sounds like something that was either recorded for someone else or as a piece that used to get played at sound check and someone said, “Hey that’s pretty cool, you should record it.” It is cool, and as a novelty, it’s interesting as far as it goes, but when placed up against the more memorable original work on The Devil Knows My Name, it seems to fall a little short. Still, I wouldn’t let that stop me from recommending the album to anyone who would listen.

In the end, it really comes down to this…with each of his releases, John 5 has never come close to disappointing guitar fans and The Devil Knows My Name is no different. While primarily showcasing his blistering prowess as a rock guitarist, and doing it well…amazingly well actually, John 5 and The Devil Knows My Name also continue to show what a versatile composer and musician he really is.

I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle

2007-05-28T00:04:00.000-04:00

Here’s a rarity, as it’s about words as opposed to sound, but I just finished reading what may be the most laugh out loud, funny book I’ve ever managed to devour, and when I say laugh out loud, I actually mean it…I was in public, so there are witnesses.

A few days ago, I was in your local neighborhood literary superstore and happened to stumble across, I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle, a one time writer for The Simpsons, sitting on this amazingly overcrowded table. It had a snazzy orange and white cover with a rather amusing illustration, a weird yet eye catching title and the jacket write up made the book sound like a mix between every John Hughes movie ever made (prior to his preteen phase) and a train wreck you just couldn’t look away from. Needless to say, having watched a certain movie by Mr. Hughes so many times I could recite the dialogue on command, I was sold. So I bought I Love You, Beth Cooper and, for one of the few times ever, a purchase ended up being everything it was billed to be…and more.

From start to finish the book was hysterical, sometimes relentlessly so. It follows uber-geek, Denis Cooverman (”The Coove” to his best, and possibly gay, friend and “Penis” to absolutely everyone else) through his highly unanticipated high school valedictorian speech and all of the repercussions that come with it when he decides to cast off regret and tells everyone who’s listening, “I Love You, Beth Cooper!”

While embarrassingly funny (I don’t recommend reading it in a packed coffee shop if you really don’t like to draw attention to yourself) I Love You, Beth Cooper is not just a lunatic joy ride without any grasp of reality. Denis Cooverman is identifiable, relatable and genuine…unless you’re the knuckle-dragger whose girl he just tried to woo, in which case, I’m actually surprised you can read at all. Along with all the hysterics and insanity of what is, admittedly, an entirely over the top graduation night and next morning, there’s also poignancy, friendship and, well…hot cheerleader types who really wouldn’t have given you the time of day in high school anyway…uh, but I digress.

I Love You, Beth Cooper is a truly funny and brilliant read. It’s quick, witty and never dry. Larry Doyle has crafted a great story that shows its not always about being who you’re expected to be, but who you can be that makes all the difference. Sure, you may say to yourself that there are already classics in this genre and I’d have to say you’re right. Most of them are on film and have names like Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Some Kind of Wonderful and Say Anything. But, there’s always room for another name on that list and I Love You, Beth Cooper fits right in.

The Frames – The Cost

2007-05-17T16:45:00.000-04:00

The Frames – The Cost

The Cost, which happens to be the new album by the Irish band The Frames is absolutely my new favorite album of 2007 so far. That should be enough for you to run right out to iTunes and download a copy, but if my word isn’t quite enough, I can give you one more simple reason…The Cost is so worth buying just to hear its nearly perfect second song, Falling Slowly.

Falling Slowly is rich and delicate, subtle and yet all encompassing. It has a chorus that pulls you in melodically and then you actually hear the words and are all the more captured. It begins simply enough, with just a voice and guitar, but then builds into a piece of music that swirls around the space between your ears until you think you might burst. Lyrically and musically, Falling Slowly gives you the idea of hope and yet holds onto an undercurrent that makes you wonder if things ever do really work out. I really can’t say enough about this song, as if that’s not obvious, but I guess I’m just under its spell in the best possible way...and do you want to know the best part? There are nine other songs on the rest of the album.

As an album, The Cost delivers ten songs of mellow intensity with flawless execution and terrific musicianship. Guitarist and lead vocalist, Glen Hansard is spot on with his delivery, breathing life into The Cost while the other current band members, Joe Doyle on bass, Colm MacConIomaire on violin and keyboards and Rob Bochnik on lead guitar shape the sound of the album into it’s cohesive and complex whole.

One of the many notable things about The Cost is the inclusion of the violin into the mix of sound that is The Frames. As restrained as it is, it not only gives this band another color to paint with aurally but also the ability to not be pigeonholed into the format that rock traditionally is. It gives another dimension to what is already a multi-dimensional band and helps afford them the luxury of being something unto themselves and not just another in a long line of more of the same.

I guess that could be the reason it’s taken me so long to hear about The Frames. Since 1995 they’ve released eight albums, including The Cost and if it weren’t for World Café on NPR this past Saturday night, I’d still be missing out…and that would definitely be my loss.

I wonder if that could be a reflection on the music industry and what passes for talent these days? I guess anythings possible, but that’s another story all together. Go buy this album and introduce yourself to The Frames.

Art Turner – Sonora

2007-05-11T22:51:00.000-04:00

Art Turner – Sonora

So I’m a fan of the Wailin’ Jennys incase you hadn’t noticed. If you go to their website or their MySpace page, you’ll see all of these wonderful photos of them…and if you look, you’ll see they were taken by Art Turner. If you go to the Jennys’ Link page you’ll see the following, “Art Turner: Art is a great friend of ours, a fabulous finger-style guitarist and he is also responsible for our new promo shots.” I read this and thought to myself that, “Hey, I’m a guitar player and a photographer too.” Needless to say, I clicked the link and I’m glad I did.

Aside from the great pictures, as if that weren’t enough, Art Turner is just an outstanding guitar player. While I may be a “Jack-Of-All-Trades and master of none,” Mr. Turner appears to be a master of both. I listened to some of the song samples on his Albums page and was just blown away. Not only is Art Turner amazingly technically proficient, he also has a gifted ear for melody and the ability to craft a full and expressive piece of music using only a single acoustic guitar.

That’s not to say that the tracks on Sonora are only solo acoustic guitar. Guest musicians also add the flavors of other string instruments to the tracks, but if you were to take all of them away, Sonora could still stand as a perfectly beautiful album.

Sonically, Sonora is beautifully simple with nothing getting in the way of the performances, and those performances are wonderfully crafted and simple in an amazingly complicated kind of way.

If you’re a guitar player or just love the guitar, I wouldn’t miss the chance to hear Art Turner play.

Meet Peter Ostroushko

2007-05-11T22:41:00.000-04:00

Coming Down from Red Lodge

Postcards

Meet Peter Ostroushko

Way back on December 23, 2005 as I introduced myself to you in what was to be my first Onthepod.net post, I mentioned that I was listening to Peter Ostroushko and that I would tell you about it later. It’s taken me a while, but I didn’t forget the promise. Ladies and Gentlemen, please meet a master of the Fiddle and Mandolin, Peter Ostroushko…

As a regular listener to Garrison Keillor’s radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, I’ve heard a lot of artists that, in the course of my normal listening habits, I wouldn’t have otherwise. Peter Ostroushko is one of those artists. As a frequent guest of PHC, most of the really cool Mandolin and Fiddle pieces that you may have heard on the show are probably pieces written or played by Peter Ostroushko.

On a Saturday night back in 2002, one of the most beautiful pieces of music I had ever heard came drifting through the speakers of my car. I can still remember the feeling that I had that night. I was so moved when I heard it and that feeling has never left me. I never really knew who had written it at the time, but a few years later, during a listener request show Teelin Bay Waltz by Peter Ostroushko was re-aired. Ever since then, I’ve been a fan.

I don’t mind saying that every time I hear Teelin Bay Waltz, especially as the piece moves into and through its bridge section, my heart just breaks. Aurally, I suppose it’s the interplay between the Fiddle and the Slide Guitar. Musically, I would guess its how everything seems to hit its crescendo, how it peaks then very gracefully begins to slide towards it conclusion. Personally it all just comes together with such emotional force that it moves me in a way that very few pieces of music do.

Teelin Bay Waltz was recorded for Peter’s Coming Down from Red Lodge album, released in 2003 on the Red House label. Since finding that out, I purchased both that album and Peter’s most recent musical offering, 2006’s Postcards. Both are full of wonderful displays of just how much can be accomplished with the Fiddle and Mandolin when in the hands of a master composer and player.

If you haven’t been lucky enough to hear Peter Ostroushko play before, I managed to find a link from the PHC website to the original performance of Teelin Bay Waltz that originally aired on the show way back on March 2, 2002.

http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/20020302/

If you like what your hear…and really how could you not, I highly recommend either Coming Down from Red Lodge or Postcards as a great introduction to Peter Ostroushko and his immense musical talents. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Coming Down from Red Lodge

Postcards

Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Calling

2007-05-10T23:20:00.000-04:00

Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Calling

I fell in love with Mary Chapin Carpenter on her album Stones In The Road. Something about that album and all of it’s songs just connected with me on some level that most music doesn’t often do. Thirteen years and three albums later, Mary Chapin Carpenter has returned with her latest effort, The Calling, and I think that I’m falling in love with her all over again.

On her ninth album, Mary Chapin Carpenter seems to have found that place where her writing, her playing and her singing all come together to build a collection of songs that are bigger than themselves to create an album that is as much full of songs as it is full of feeling and emotion. From gentle ballads to rolling country flavored rockers, The Calling manages to score with every track.

The overall sound of the album is crystal clear with each instrument and vocal performance existing in it’s own space and yet playing perfectly off each other giving the album both texture and space at the same time.

The instrumental performances on The Calling are all top notch, as anyone familiar with Carpenter’s previous albums would expect. Along with a host of other players, Mary Chapin Carpenter again turns to her long time collaborator John Jennings on all manner of stringed instruments as well as one of my favorite pianists, Matt Rollings and his remarkable talents with all things keyed.

For her fans and for anyone who’s not really familiar with her previous work, Mary Chapin Carpenter’s The Calling is a great way to get to know her…or get to know her again.

Jonatha Brooke - Careful What You Wish For

2007-04-04T10:18:00.000-04:00

Jonatha Brooke – Careful What You Wish For

Jonatha Brooke’s seventh release, Careful What You Wish For finds her in a much different place than her earlier recordings. Empowered and supported by her live band, featuring Darren Embry on Bass, Rich Mercurio on Drums and Geoffrey Moore on Guitar, the album is a much more electric offering, both in sound and spirit than any of her previous efforts.

All of the tracks on Careful What You Wish For are strong and full of a frenetic energy that was glimpsed on her recent live album, Live In New York. There are also the quiet moments that Jonatha Brooke does so well, one of which is the beautiful, Je N’peaux Pas Te Plaire. Despite, or perhaps because of, its French vocal, the track is sophisticated and elegant and yet very laid back.

Careful What You Wish For also continues the instrumental eclecticism of her prior albums that is almost a Jonatha Brooke trademark. Along with being eclectic, all of the musical performances are as warm and intimate as they are powerful and driven. Lyrically and melodically, the album finds Jonatha agile as ever, continuing in the tradition set with her very first releases.

Careful What You Wish For again finds Brooke partnered with veteran producer and long time collaborator Bob Clearmountain to handle most of the technical studio requirements as well as some of the instrumental duties. Surprisingly, there are also a few new and seemingly odd faces on Careful What You Wish For, in the guise JC Chasez of N’Sync and Nick Lachey, both of whom share writing credits on the album.

Throughout her two albums with The Story and her previous solo releases, Jonatha Brooke has continued to grow as a writer, musician and most of all as an artist and Careful What You Wish For is no exception. This album is a welcome addition to Jonatha Brooke’s album catalogue…and mine.

PS – If you order Careful What You Wish For from www.jonathabrooke.com it comes signed by Jonatha herself.

New: On the pod

2007-03-30T11:48:00.000-04:00

New: On the pod

Fear the State - Live @ CBGB: OMFUG

Great White – Live At The Marquee (Official Bootleg)

Jonatha Brooke – Careful What You Wish For

Kelly Keagy – I’m Alive

Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Calling

Norah Jones – Not Too Late

Pete Yorn – Musicforthemorningafter

Rocco DeLuca & The Burden – I Trust You To Kill Me

Shaw/Blades – Influence

News: On the pod

We’re Back!!! As you may have noticed, OTP has been on a bit of an extended hiatus lately. It wasn’t really intentional, but as it turns out it was necessary. I found myself in the hospital for a few days and then not doing much for about six weeks. Not to worry though…I’m back into the swing of things for the most part and ready to bring you up to speed on a few great albums I’ve found.

While I was goofing around, I managed to blow through a couple of books:

Halo: Ghosts of Onyx – Eric Nylund

If you dig the Halo video game series, then odds are you’ll dig this book. This is the first book inspired by the game where the usual hero of the series, Master Chief, is not featured. It follows the story arc of a new Spartan program lead by a long thought dead Spartan from the Master Chief’s own team.

Hannibal Rising – Thomas Harris

Thomas Harris managed to score both a new book and a new movie all at the same time with Hannibal Rising. I just read the book though and oddly enough, not as creepy as I thought it would be. However, it does give a look into the life of a young Hannibal Lecter and some reasons for the way he ended up. It was a quick read that I managed to get through it in a day.

Lady Friday (The Keys to the Kingdom) – Garth Nix

Yeah, OK, so I read kids books…well young adult books, but still. Garth Nix is a terrific writer of young adult fiction whose Lady Friday book marks the fifth of seven in his The Keys to the Kingdom series. In this installment we continue to follow the young Arthur Penhaligon, the rightful heir to the Will of the Architect, and his struggle to save his friends, his family and himself from the denizens of the upper house and Lady Friday. The series is really a fun read and with only two installments left…it’s time to get started, don’t you think?

I also picked up my Xbox 360…finally. Of course, as expected, the minute I bought it Microsoft announced the Xbox 360 Elite…Bastards. So, I returned it and will be waiting for the new Xbox 360 Elite. Prior to that, I managed to play:

Dead Rising

You’re a photojournalist stranded in a shopping mall infested with zombies for 72 hours. You have to take outstanding pictures of the horror all around you and…survive by any means necessary. The game play is cool, but this game is meant for a big screen as the on-screen text is very small and hard to read.

Crackdown

You’re a super cop in a city run amuck. It’s very similar in fashion to the Grand Theft Auto series but this time you’re the good guy. The game play is very easy to get used to and as you collect and use your abilities, your powers increase. My only real complaint with this game was that it was really short. Even though you have three different gangs you need to put out of business, I managed to finish this game in less than a week. It’s a big investment for such a short experience, although it is ready for Xbox Live and does come with an invitation to the Halo 3 online beta.

Gears of War

First off, this is a pretty bad-ass game. The story is a familiar one though, you’re a human(oid) and your planet is invaded by aliens. At the start of the game you’re a soldier who’s serving time and you’re broken out only to facedown an alien invasion and your past. The game play is fairly unique in that one of the things you have to do in order to survive the game is take cover…if you don’t, you die. The weapons are fun too, although a chainsaw on the end of a machine gun? Eeh, who’s to say?

Finally, in my down time I’ve been watching a few DVDs. Here’s what I thought:

24: Season 1

I may have been the only person left on the planet Earth who hadn’t watched Jack Bauer save the world. Having watched Season 1…I get it. Good stuff!

Bones: Season 1

Based on characters created by Kathy Reichs, Bones is the story of Dr. Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist played by Emily Deschanel, and her dealings and relationship with FBI agent Seely Booth, played by David Boreanaz. They hate each other, they love each other, they solve cases with each other…but the scripts are well written as well as being supported by great actors. Bones is actually a fun and intelligent alternative to the less fun and intelligent CSI.

I did say finally about the DVDs didn’t I? Oh well, last week was the week of live shows for me. I managed to see:

Indigo Girls @ the Mohegan Sun Cabaret Theater in CT

I’ve seen the Indigo Girls a bunch of time before, but this was hands down the best time yet. They played as an acoustic duo for the evening and just brought the house down. It was great because along with playing the predictable hits and new stuff, they dipped into their seemingly endless song catalogue for some really obscure things I’d never had the pleasure of hearing them play live before.

Shaw-Blades @ BB King’s in NYC

These two guys can sing. This was my second acoustic show for the week and well worth the trip. In a lot of ways, it was a cover show as they played tunes both on and considered for their latest album, Influence. They also played favorites from Damn Yankees, Styx and Night Ranger. With great songs and stories, the show was a great way to spend an evening in Manhattan

Fear the State @ The Space in CT

These guys have to be the hardest working unsigned band around. I have never seen them have a bad show performance wise, much less a show where they didn’t absolutely give 110% on stage. They work it no matter who or how many people are in the crowd and it’s always fun.

Speaking of Fear the State, they’ve released a new EP called Live @ CBGB: OMFUG. It’s half live and half new studio tunes. Fear the State was actually one of the last bands to play the legendary and now defunct CBGBs in NYC. They recorded that show and the best tracks are included on this disc. In many ways, Live @ CBGB: OMFUG is really a historic recording in that it captures the last days of the famous and infamous club. Aside from the cool tunes, it’s worth picking up just for that and if you manage to catch them live, I think you can pick up a copy for free when you buy your long sought after Fear the State merch.

That’s it…I swear. I just want to say thanks for reading and for continually coming back even during the down time. If you come back next wee, you’ll get a look at Jonatha Brooke’s new disc and here are some of the other artists I have coming up: Art Turner, Guy Clark, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Peter Ostroushko.

Thanks again and as always…Keep Listening!

Joe

Shaw-Blades: Influence

2007-03-30T10:39:00.000-04:00

Shaw-Blades: Influence

There seems to have been a glut of cover albums released in the past few years by any number of bands and the latest comes from members of both Styx and Night Ranger. Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades first played together in Damn Yankees and since then have gone on to write songs for the who’s who of the music industry as well as releasing their 1995 album, Hallucination. For the most part, cover albums are generally interesting for the first five minutes and then you realize that you’re listening to mostly uninspired renditions of songs that you never really liked in the first place. Influence isn’t like that…It’s not like that at all. To my great surprise, Influence is actually a really, really good album.

The track listing of Influence is eclectic, encompassing everyone from Simon and Garfunkel through the Mamas and the Papas all the way to Yes. The arrangements also are eclectic, preserving the spirit of the original songs but allowing Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades to make them their own. A very much electric version of the Simon and Garfunkel classic I Am A Rock is a perfect example of this.

An obvious highlight of Influence has to be their outstanding cover of Your Move by Yes. Presented independently from its usual partner, I’ve Seen All Good People, Your Move is an inspired version of the Yes original. The Shaw-Blades version faithfully preserves the vocal harmonies and the musical arrangement of the original while the Tommy Shaw driven vocal performance makes this rendition shine

The simple fact is that most of Influence’s eleven tracks shine. The album is chock full of some great classic rock and roll songs, some more familiar than others but all made current by the talents of Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades. This is one cover album I’ll be listening to for a while…actually, I’m listening to it right now.

Guest Reviewer: Erik Remec & Comedy Steel 2007

2007-01-31T14:11:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone,

My good friend Erik Remec is back with another review this month. He recently met up with the king of all DJ’s, Eddie Trunk and his Comedy Steel 2007 show. Many thanks to Eric for another great job and some fantastic pictures.

(That's Jim Breuer and Mr. Remec himself in case you were wondering)

Enjoy...

Joe from Onthepod.net

Comedy Steel - Nokia Theatre

2007-01-31T13:48:00.000-05:00

Comedy Steel - Nokia Theatre - New York City - January 13, 2007

Welcome to my second concert review for OnThePod.net so let me just say thanks once again to Joe for letting me post on his site. Anyway, on to the review …

In late 2001 NYC Hardrock & Metal Radio DJ Eddie Trunk put on N.Y. Steel, a 9/11 benefit concert which featured hard rock and metal musicians from the New York City area. In addition to getting some great musicians together for a very worthy cause, the concert was the also the impetus for getting the band Twisted Sister back together. Now just over five years later, Trunk decided to put on another event but with a twist: Comedy Steel which would bring together heavy metal musicians and standup comedians in a meeting of minds so to speak with portions of the proceeds going to the charity Cure Autism Now. The show which took place at the Nokia Theatre in the heart of Times Square in New York City, featured comedians Don Jamieson, Jim Florentine, and headliner Jim Breuer. All three comedians are huge fans of metal and have appeared on Trunk’s radio show in the past.

I was lucky enough to get a VIP ticket which did cost twice as much as a normal ticket but it got me into a meet & greet with Jim Breuer before the show. The ticket also came with a complimentary gift pack that included a T-shirt and a signed Breuer concert DVD. After trying to find a good spot in the VIP section of the theatre, I decided I should really be down on the floor and settled near the front of stage left.

The show started with an Ozzy Osbourne impersonator in a wig and athletic jumpsuit (Ozzy’s stage attire as of late) who along with a backing band delivered a spot on version of the song “I Don’t Know” from Ozzy and Randy Rhoad’s live album Tribute.

Comedians Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine from the comedy DVD Meet the Creeps gave enjoyably rude and crude sets. Their material was filled with tons of metal references (especially Jamieson’s) and Florentine sported a vintage Iron Maiden Piece of Mind T-shirt.

In between the comedy sets, came the tunes. The special musical guests included the guitarists Jay Jay French & Eddie Ojeda from Twisted Sister, Bobby Blitz & DD Verni from the band Overkill, and Anthrax bassist Frank Bello. The guys mixed it up taking turns doing cover songs of Twisted Sister, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, and Judas Priest with singer Billy Mira (who also did the Ozzy impersonation) handling all the vocals.

The final act of the almost three hour show was Breuer’s set. Just let me just make something clear here, Jim Breuer is out of his mind. ( And I mean that in a good way of course! ) Backed by a 3 piece heavy metal band, he was clad in full metal regalia : Black leather vest and pants, spikes, and a belt buckle that Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson might have worn during Maiden’s ‘84-‘85 Powerslave Tour. Breuer’s set started with a video that drew us into the story of his childhood indoctrination into heavy metal thanks to the Judas Priest album Screaming for Vengeance. Faced with a choice of listening to a Flock of Seagulls record or Judas Priest, he opted for Priest. After hearing the intro track “The Hellion/Electric Eye”, he was never the same …

A personal highlight for me was the bit that had Breuer doing impressions of James Hetfield, Ozzy & Sharon Osbourne, Brian Johnson, and Angus Young in the merchandise returns line in the department store Sears. He really nailed the accents especially Sharon’s & Ozzy’s. The other highlight for me was “The Wizard” bit. It was about Breuer as a teenager hanging out before a concert in the parking lot of Nassau Coliseum (Long Island) with his friends high on mescaline for the first time. “Whatever you do (the wizard tells him) … Don’t step in the darkness!” Hilarious!!!

To close the show, everyone took the stage for a roaring cover of Twisted Sister’s “We’re not gonna take it” with the comedians handling backup vocals. Twisted Sister was the first band that got me into hard rock and metal when I was a wee lad of 11 years old. It’s been over 20 years for me now and I can also say, I haven’t been the same since …

Everyone involved with the show has a love for this type of music and they really wear that passion on their sleeves. Hard rock & metal usually doesn’t get much respect so it‘s great to have an event where everyone involved is first and for most a fan of the music & they show that affection proudly.

By the way, one more thing about Eddie Trunk. I listen to his weekly Friday night show on NYC’s Q104.3 religiously. He’s one of the last radio DJ’s who still has full artistic control over what he plays on his show and it’s a godsend for any fan of rock music today in this era of radio station consolidation and preprogrammed musical filler. He is a true fan of the music and it shows. Get out & support people like him.

Check out www.eddietrunk.com for more info about listening to his show on the radio or through the internet.

See you on the road,

Erik

eremec@yahoo.com

New: On the pod

2007-01-10T17:31:00.000-05:00

New: On the pod

8mm – Songs to Love and Die By
The Beatles – Love
Brian Kahanek – Real Live
Buckethead – Cuckoo Clocks of Hell
Buckethead – Enter the Chicken
Buckethead – Island of Lost Minds
Buckethead – Population Override
Carbon Leaf – Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat
Corinne Bailey Ray – Corinne Bailey Ray
Danzig – Danzig
Georgia Satellites – Georgia Satellites
Guy Clark – Workbench Songs
Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape
The Hold Steady – Boys & Girls in America
Holly Brook – Like Blood, Like Honey
Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins – Rabbit Fur Coat
Loreena McKennitt – An Ancient Muse
Lynyrd Skynyrd – All Time Greatest Hits
Patty Smyth – Never Enough
Whitesnake – Live…In the Shadow of the Blues
Wolfmother – Wolfmother
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones

News: On the pod

So…it’s been a while. I swear December 2006 was the worst month for new music I have ever seen. I managed to find some stuff since though, as you can see. Most of it is from earlier in 2006 and some of it is even older than that…can you say Danzig?

Four of my New: On the pod artists are a direct link to my coolest Christmas present from this year (or last year now I guess). My wife gave me Guitar Hero II and I haven’t seen her since December 25th. What an awesome game that is…I suck at it mind you, but it’s an awesome game. Anyway, that’s why Brian Kahanek, Buckethead, Danzig and Wolfmother are New: On the pod.

Kahanek’s Gemini is one of the bonus songs you can add to your set list in Guitar Hero II and it’s really cool. A sweet little southern/bluesy intro followed by some rippin’ guitar parts make Gemini fun to play and listen to.

The above video is of Matt Kegermann rockin’ the crap out of Buckethead’s Jordan, another bonus song you can add to your set list. There are four difficulty levels in Guitar Hero II; easy, medium, hard and expert and depending on your performance you can get anywhere between 1 and 5 stars. I was only able to manage 4 stars on medium. 5 stars on expert…Kegermann is sick.

Glenn Danzig and Mother…bad ass tune from a creepy guy.

Wolfmother’s track Woman accompanies Danzig in Guitar Hero II’s Opening Licks section and is, like mother, another bad ass tune. It reminds me a lot of early Aerosmith among others and is a blast to play.

I guess you could call that a glowing thumbs up review for Guitar Hero II. It’s totally worth the cost of the game and the controller. There are other wireless guitar controllers you can buy too, including a red metal flake Flying V and there are even pre-made graphics you can pick up so you can customize your stock SG controller…mine now has Eddie Van Halen like stripes.

God, I’m such a geek.

In Other News:

On the finding new music front, Hear Music on XM is really turning me on to a lot of new people I wouldn’t normally hear. Carbon Leaf, Corinne Bailey Ray and Holly Brook are all finds from that station along with AM from my last review. If you have XM, give it a shot.

Speaking of XM, I also picked up Guy Clark’s Workbench Songs after hearing him on the Bob Edwards Show. It was a very cool interview and the songs that were featured were outstanding, so I’m looking forward to giving that a listen.

As I’ve already admitted to being a geek once, there are no new Audiobooks to report on because I’m still working my way through the Star Wars New Jedi Order books I made using Text-To-Speech and a bunch of EBooks. I just finished #12 plus three short stories, so I only have seven left with one short story and I’m done. It’s actually an interesting idea if you can get past the Star Wars aspect of it. Somebody had a story idea, outlined it and then managed to get a bunch of different authors to write books in the story arc. It’s interesting to see how the vision of what goes on, in what is essentially the same story, changes based on who’s writing at the time. I know...still a geek.

On a side note, if you happen to still rent movies at a store and know what Redbox is, check out www.insideredbox.com. Trust me, it’s worth the visit.

There’s not too much more to tell this time around other than On the pod.net might have a couple of weeks of inactivity starting at the end of January. There’s some stuff I need to take care of that may or may not keep me away from a computer for a few weeks…we’ll see.

Have a great 2007 and, as usual, keep listening!

Joe from On the pod.net

AM – Troubled Times

2006-12-29T12:46:00.000-05:00

AM – Troubled Times

http://www.amsounds.com
http://www.myspace.com/amsounds

So I was on my way into work, or what passes for it these days, and I was listening to XM 75, which happens to be HEAR Music: The Sounds of Starbucks. Say what you may about their painfully overpriced and pretentiously named coffee, but they do occasionally have good taste in music…and a nice Green Tea Latte. Anyway, the point of all this is that I heard a song I hadn’t heard before, which for me really isn’t a surprise as my musical radio time rivals that of my exercise schedule. The song was City Syndrome and the artist was AM. I liked it so much that I called my voicemail and left myself a message to look it up. I did…and here’s what I found.

AM, the guy, is from Oklahoma. He spent his teens in Louisiana, played guitar, went to Loyola and started writing songs in college. He won best Singer / Songwriter in 2005 from the Los Angeles Weekly Music Awards and has had his music placed in quite a few television shows and films. AM, the guy and his band, are now from Los Angeles and feature AM on vocals and acoustic guitar, Mark Getten on the bass, Geoff Pearlman on electric guitar and background vocals, Mike Mangan on keyboards, Bryan Head on the drums and Chris Lovejoy rounding things out on percussion. In 2005, AM released an EP of remixes of their song Mainstay and 2006 saw the release of their full length album, Troubled Times.

As it turns out, Troubled Times, the album containing my morning drive time epiphany, is a really good disc. It’s got a smooth vibe and is full of melody, with catchy hooks and unpretentious lyrics. My overall impression of the album is very clean and very cool. Full of acoustic and clean sounding electric guitars, Troubled Times showcases AM’s vocals in a band setting with dirty electric guitars and keyboards reinforcing the rhythm section, but never overpowering it.

Some of the most interesting things for me about Troubled Times were the recorded tracks themselves. I found little parts of the instrumental tracks to be like aural “Easter Eggs” similar to the hidden features you would find on a DVD. Let me give you a couple of examples. On the album’s opening track, Gone Away, there’s a tambourine doused with echo and buried in the mix that just makes me think of a sixties kind of sound. Another happens on the track So Lonely. One of the guitars plays a quick up-pick that sends me back to pop music in the 80’s. There are more “hidden” parts on the album too, but for me those little things help take good tracks and just give them that much more of a push towards being something remarkable.

As far as Troubled Times is concerned, what you’re left with at the end of the day is a ten song album full of solid songs, solid writing and a name we’ll hopefully be hearing more from in the future.

(By the way, if your searching iTunes for AM, try searching for Troubled Times, it's easier to find.)

Happy Holidays

2006-12-24T07:41:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone!!!

Seasons Greetings from all of us here at On the pod.net

Elizabethtown – Score by Nancy Wilson

2006-12-24T07:36:00.000-05:00

Elizabethtown – Score by Nancy Wilson

The Elizabethtown Score is like a sketchbook into Nancy Wilson’s mind. Some of the sketches are rough and unfinished, some are full of colors, but all of them are full of ideas and the Elizabethtown Score allows the listener to actually hear a musical idea better than anything else I’ve listened to lately. Each composition contained on this album seems to be a small, delicate thing showcasing little vignettes from a life; in this case the life is that of Drew Baylor and comes to us thanks to Cameron Crowe and his film Elizabethtown.

The album itself is primarily an acoustic one, with the occasional electric guitar thrown in for color. The tone of the album is wistful and introspective. A few of the tracks, like Dirty Shirt, are fully involved band pieces; however the majority simply feature acoustic guitar and/or piano with the occasional accompanying instrument.

The music chosen for the disc is really the emotional underpinnings of the film, showcasing the music used to help convey plot and develop emotional resonance. While it may not play like a traditional album, the score delivers outstanding pieces of music that are full of melody and the space they need to bloom into outstanding individual pieces.

Winger - IV

2006-12-07T17:46:00.000-05:00

Winger - IV

When I was in High School, I loved Hairbands…I mean, come on, it was the 80’s after all. One of the bands I would, on occasion, listen to was Winger. They caught a lot of flack for any number of reasons, real or imagined, but guitarist Reb Beach and drummer Rod Morgenstein could both play and Kip Winger was…well, Kip Winger. As the band’s songwriter, bassist, vocalist and namesake, he was a great frontman; unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, he also didn’t look like he had just been hit by a truck…so there was way too much attention paid to the way he and the band looked and not to their musical abilities.

Anyway, after two albums full of hit singles, guitarist and keyboardist Paul Taylor left the band…to end up working on Steve Perry’s comeback album of all things, and Winger released Pull, which went right over my head. After that the band seemed to go away for the most part…that was 1993. In the interim, Kip Winger ended up releasing three solo albums, Reb Beach went on to play with Alice Cooper, replaced George Lynch in Dokken and then filled Steve Vai’s shoes in Whitesnake and Rod Morgenstein went back to playing with the Dixie Dregs and several other side projects.

Now, thirteen years after Pull, Winger, the band, is staging a comeback of sorts with their new album IV. With the addition of John Roth on guitar and Crenk Eroglu on keyboards; Winger, Beach and Morgenstein have released an album stylistically closer to Pull than either of Winger’s first two albums. It’s also a bit more aggressive than the band’s earlier offerings and infinitely more political.

Kip Winger seems to be talking a lot about the ongoing war in Iraq on several of IV’s eleven tracks. The album’s cover illustration even shows a soldier in desert gear encircled by three angels. As opposed to approaching the subject in an outwardly hostile and negative way, the songs on IV tend to come from the point of view of the soldier, not the onlooker or the protester. That’s not to say there aren’t question posed, but they are not quite the incitement of an administration that the songs on say…Neil Young’s Living With War are.

Sonically, IV still has that polished and produced “Winger” sound especially in the vocal department. Basically, it’s good sounds with lots of overdubs. One noticeable addition to IV is the inclusion of acoustic guitar in most of the tracks. That is in no way saying this is an acoustic album. The acoustic exists in addition to all of the electric guitars, they have not been excluded to make room. The acoustic guitar is really there as an addition to IV’s sonic landscape. Speaking of guitars, it was nice to hear Reb Beach again play in the context I was first introduced to him. His leads on IV, while outstanding, seem to better fit into the framework of the songs that hold them as opposed to the spectacle they were on previous Winger tracks.

Overall as an album, IV shows a Winger that’s dialed back from eleven a bit but is, in essence, still the same. There are things on IV that worked better for me than others, but on the whole, it’s an entertaining listen…especially for fans of the decade of big hair.

New: On the pod

2006-11-28T16:40:00.000-05:00

New: On the pod

Andy Timmons – Resolution
Andy Timmons – That Was Then, This Is Now: The Best of Ear X-Tacy
Andy Timmons – And-Thology: The Lost Ear X-Tacy Tapes
The Cardigans – Super Extra Gravity
Chris Botti – December
Dweezil Zappa – Automatic
Dweezil Zappa – My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama
Elizabethtown – The Original Score by Nancy Wilson
Halo – Original Soundtrack
Homeworld – Episode 01 Game Soundtrack
Homeworld – Episode 02 Game Soundtrack
Jack Caldwell – As Sweet As I Remember You
Joe Satriani – Satriani Live
Richard Cheese – Silent Nightclub
Soup’s On – A Benefit For The Shoreline Soup Kitchen

Audiobooks:

Augusten Burroughs – Sellevision

News: On the pod

If you managed to catch my Thanksgiving post about the Shoreline Soup Kitchen, the information below is directly related. I pulled this post from www.shorelineacousticunderground.com!

Soup's On! The Concert

On Friday December 1, 2006 7:30 PM at Andrews Memorial in Clinton CT, The Shoreline Acoustic Underground will present an evening of music to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchen in their ongoing efforts to provide food and fellowship to members of the community in need.

Also on sale at the concert will be the newly released benefit CD "Soup's On!" featuring acts performing at the concert.

The concert will be sponsored by AcousticMusic.org of Guilford, Neri Lutherie of Clinton and Wall Street Gallery of Madison.

All proceeds from the event and CD sales will go to The Shoreline Soup Kitchen.

Appearing will be:

Paul Neri.
Chuck E. Costa
Jack Caldwell
Ebin-Rose
Sandra Lauren Lichter
Kailin Garrity -
Rod Washburn
Ian Charles
Lara Herscovitch
Other Acts Be Confirmed!
Running sound for the evening will be Jeff Stielau.

For information call 203-458-2525 or 860-669-3351.

Refreshments will be offered at intermission.

A minimum donation of $10.00 per adult and $5.00 per child is requested.

Additional donations will be welcome.

Just like the CD, this is for a great cause. Come on out and hear some music and help some people at the same time. It should be a great time.

In other news, I’m still working my way through my homemade Star Wars Audiobooks, so I don’t anticipate getting to Sellevision or any other Audiobooks anytime soon. I apologize for the lack of new Audiobook reviews lately and in the near future.

As far as upcoming music releases, there’s not too much that I’m aware of on the horizon. As it is, the Joe Satriani live disc kind of snuck up on me. I do know that the Wailin’ Jennys were set to record a show or two on this tour. Who knows, maybe a forthcoming live album from them. I did find this link to Billboard’s new release schedule:

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/releases/index.jsp

I’m headed over there now to check out what’s on the way.

Hope your Thanksgivings were excellent and as always, keep listening.

Joe

Andy Timmons Band – Resolution

2006-11-27T15:48:00.000-05:00

Andy Timmons Band – Resolution

When I was in college, I took a semester of guitar lessons with Nick Bagnasco at the University of New Haven. One of the first things he did was ask me which players I liked. After some thought, I answered: Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Morse and Eric Johnson. It’s been a long time since any guitar players have really impressed me to the point I’d include them on my list, the last was John Petrucci from Dream Theater. However, I’m pretty confidant in saying that I think I have a new favorite guitar player.

Not so long ago, I found a video of Andy Timmons on YouTube playing his song Farmer Sez…and I was just blown away. The song itself is a cool little “Chicken-Pickin” piece, but he and his band manage to play it way over the top by accelerating the tune to match how loud the audience gets. I just kept watching this thing, thinking that eventually someone had to screw it up. But no one ever did, it just kept going faster and faster.

I first heard of Andy Timmons in 1989 when he played on Danger Danger’s self-titled debut album, so I was kind of surprised that I had missed out on whatever had gotten him on stage for that performance. As it turns out, Andy Timmons had released several albums by that point, and his most recent, Resolution, was just released on Favored Nations (Steve Vai’s record label). I happened to see Resolution at my usual music spot on the web a few weeks ago, and decided it was about time to check out Andy Timmons a little more closely.

So, what did I think? Like I said, I think I have a new favorite guitar player.

As a player, Andy Timmons manages to take the familiar aspects of the Instrumental Guitar genre and mix it with the structure of a more commercial band setting to actually write songs. His leads are lyrical in their melody, finding both verse and chorus as opposed to one blaring solo track. On Resolution, Timmons’ tone is also outstanding, with a really crunchy and fuzzy voice that manages to still be cutting and clear at the same time.

As a whole, Resolution is an outstanding guitar album with eleven tracks that just rip from start to finish. I, personally, didn’t find one weak track; they were all unique and ranged from the bombastic to the delicate while holding on to their feeling. If guitar acrobatics are your thing, you won’t be disappointed…there is more than enough “Shred” on Resolution to make your technique loving head spin, however I didn’t feel that any of the songs were overplayed. All the lines were tasty and fit the moment they were written for. For the times on Resolution where speed is at a minimum, Timmons shows that he’s more than capable of restraint and a subtle hand.

I found Resolution by the Andy Timmons Band to be a near perfect album for the genre. It’s loaded with feeling, technique and speed; not to mention a great sounding and playing band with cool songs. What more could you want?

Soup’s On: A Benefit for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen

2006-11-23T13:47:00.000-05:00

Soup’s On: A Benefit for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen

http://www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org/
http://www.shorelineacousticunderground.com

Ok, so I’m mere minutes away from putting a serious hurting on ye olde Thanksgiving turkey just like a lot of us are going to do. I actually wanted to say like we’re all going to do, but that wouldn’t exactly be true…and that just goes to how easy it is to forget things you don’t see (or choose not to see) every day. All of that leads me to this…

My friend Jack Caldwell sent me a brand new CD recently. It seems that Jack along with the Shoreline Acoustic Underground and a group of friends and fellow musicians got together to donate their time, talents and resources to recording a benefit album for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen. What/Who/Where is the Shoreline Soup Kitchen you ask? Well, in their own words…

“The Shoreline Soup Kitchens’ mission is to provide food and fellowship to those in need living on the shoreline. Founded in 1989, at the Baptist Church in Essex, Connecticut, the agency continues in its mission to feed the hungry in body and spirit. In 2003, 257,852 meals were distributed to individuals and families during The Shoreline Soup Kitchens programs. This included 243,756 meals from our grocery distribution sites; 5,268 heat-n-eat meals; and 8,828 meals served at area soup kitchens.

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens offer food and fellowship to the communities of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, East Lyme, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Madison, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook. Our family oriented meal sites serving hot, nutritious and delicious food are located in Centerbrook, Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Old Lyme, and Old Saybrook. And, our grocery distribution sites where participants receive enough food for three meals for three days are located in Clinton, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook. Also, provided to those who have limited cooking facilities are frozen heat-n-eat meals that can be picked up at any of our pantries.

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens accomplishes its goals with the help of over 750 volunteers, who provided over 17,600 volunteer hours in 2003. We provide those in need with food and with fellowship, responding to all with humanity and respect.

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens had its origin at a “Vision Day” at The First Baptist Church of Essex, Connecticut. To determine the need, an “experimental” soup kitchen meal was held on the Saturday before Easter, 1989, in the Fellowship Hall of the church to see if anyone would come to such an offering. Nine people came that Saturday and 14 people came the following Saturday. On that basis, it was decided to open on every Saturday thereafter.

Since that time, we have continued to grow. Eight meal sites and four grocery distribution sites throughout the Shoreline and Lower Connecticut River Valley are now provided by The Shoreline Soup Kitchens. Each meal site serves one meal each week. The grocery distribution sites provide families with groceries on a weekly basis for meal preparation at home.”

What about the disc, you ask? Well, the disc features 16 tracks by area musicians that range in styles from folk to hard rock and everything in between. Basically, Soup’s On! has at least one track that everyone can get into. In my case there were several that I found outstanding. With so many artists and styles in one place, it’s kind of hard to characterize the album as a whole, but as far as quality goes Soup’s On is excellent. All of the captured performances are great as is the individual track production which lends to the enjoyment of this varied and worthy listening experience.

So say you happen upon this disc in your retailer of choice and you wonder what would happen if you actually bought it. Well, if you read the back cover of the disc, you would find…

“By buying this CD you are making a ten dollar donation to the Shoreline Soup Kitchen…The need for this service on the shoreline might not enter your field of vision, but it is very real. This eclectic mix of songs, all done by shoreline artists, is sure to appeal to everyone’s musical tastes. 100% of all proceeds raised from the sale of this CD will go directly to The Shoreline Soup Kitchen. All of the artists have donated not only their musical talents, but the money it took to produce this CD you are holding.”

Did I mention that Soup’s On is for a good cause? I did? Well guess what, it’s still for a good cause and with each disc being a ten dollar donation, you get to feel good about yourself while getting to listen to new music to boot. To me, that’s a pretty good way to spend a Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone…now go buy a copy of the disc!

Finer Things Magazine Reviews: Part I

2006-11-16T09:57:00.000-05:00

What follows below was my submission to Finer Things Magazine for their Fall Issue. It's reproduced here for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.

Finer Things Magazine Reviews: Part I

Hi everyone, I’m Joe from On the pod.net and welcome to the first in what I hope to be a long series of music reviews for Finer Things Magazine. For our first time out we’ve got three discs for your listening pleasure. First, we’re going to start off with something a little heavy, Phobia, the new album from Breaking Benjamin. Second, we’re going to find out about “Texican Style” with the sophomore effort from Los Lonely Boys, Sacred. Finally, to cap it all off we’re going to get ready for the new fall TV season with a look back at volume one of the Scrubs soundtrack series…and away we go.

Breaking Benjamin – Phobia
Breaking Benjamin first showed up on my radar when they contributed the song Blow Me Away to the soundtrack for the amazingly successful Xbox game Halo 2 in 2004. Now, two years later they have returned with their third studio album, Phobia. Made up of thirteen songs plus an acoustic version of the albums first vocal track, The Diary of Jane, Phobia is full of heavy guitars playing intricate rhythms, a tight rhythm section and vocals that, as a rule, remain melodic over the alternative metal underpinnings that comprise the sound of Breaking Benjamin. While heavy, the album as a whole hangs in the mid-tempo range with the occasional burst of speed as dictated by the material. If you’re a fan of Breaking Benjamin or the alternative metal genre as a whole, Phobia is definitely worthy of a listen.

Los Lonely Boys – Sacred
If you think you’re not familiar with the work of the Garza brothers, you probably just don’t know who plays that song Heaven you’ve been humming to yourself for the past two years. Sacred, the second album by the San Angelo, Texas trio Los Lonely Boys picks right up where their 2004 self-titled album left off. Stylistically, it’s a seamless blend of Latin inspired rhythms, blues, pop and just a dash of the Spanish language thrown in for flavor. Musically the album is excellent. Henry, JoJo and Ringo Garza (guitar, bass and drums respectively) can, in a word, play. When artists try to blend styles, rarely does it work at all much less work so well. The difference with Los Lonely Boys is that they don’t have to try. They so obviously live the music they make, that they can draw from a seeming endless well of influences to express themselves in what can only be called, as one of the songs on Sacred is so aptly titled…Texican Style.

Scrubs Soundtrack: Volume One
The musical interludes during the sitcom Scrubs were always striking to me for their choice of music, so…I was thinking that since Scrubs is going to be starting its new season soon and they just released the second volume in their soundtrack series it might be fun to go back to where it started for the show musically. The Scrubs Soundtrack: Volume One is led off by the show’s theme, Superman by Lazlo Bane. It’s definitely interesting to hear Superman, the song, in its full and unedited state as opposed to Superman, the Scrubs theme song, in the bits and pieces you hear over and over again each week. The orchestration of Superman is eccentric, containing all the usual instruments you would expect, but topped off by a Banjo and what sounds to be either a Theremin or Tannerin playing those lovely woo-woo-woo-woo-woo sounds you hear in the chorus of the song, ala Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys. You could, if you were so inclined, actually use Superman and its instrumental eccentricities as a good read of the remainder of the soundtrack and, by extension, the show itself. The Scrubs Soundtrack: Volume One album plays home to fourteen other entertaining and very listenable songs from the Eels and The Shins to the Butthole Surfers and Colin Hay, best known for fronting the 80’s band Men At Work. The mix of artists is eclectic, but the material included is all similar enough in feel so as to not be overpowering…just fun.

So there you have it, your first three reviews. I hope you found them helpful and that they gave you a couple of new listening ideas. If you liked them and can’t wait for the next issue of Finer Things Magazine, check out all of my other reviews at www.onthepod.net.

Until next time, have fun and keep listening.

Joe

Finer Things Magazine Reviews: Part II

2006-11-16T09:46:00.000-05:00

What follows below was my submission to Finer Things Magazine for their Winter Issue. It's reproduced here for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.

Finer Things Magazine Reviews: Part II

Hi everyone, it’s Joe from On the pod.net again. Welcome back to Finer Things Magazine music reviews. This month we’re hitting Pop, Folk and Rock for you with three new albums; Ta-Dah! by the Scissor Sisters, Despite Our Differences by the Indigo Girls and The Open Door by Evanescence. Here we go…

Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah!
Ta-Dah! by the Scissor Sisters is like stepping into H.G. Well’s time machine and dialing yourself back to the VIP lounge of Studio 54 in the mid 70’s to go wild for a little over three quarters of an hour. If you’re still having a problem picturing the vibe of this album; think Roller Skates, Afros, The Bee Gees, ELO, Elton John in costume and even a bit of Queen. Ta-Dah! takes the term retro to a whole new level, and in doing so ends up feeling like an entirely authentic album with a funky rhythm section, falsetto vocals and a definite sense of humor.

Indigo Girls – Despite Our Differences
In ten albums and nineteen years, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers have gone from acoustic to electric and back again, covering everything from social issues to the internal dialogue of love. Despite Our Differences marks the Indigo Girls tenth foray into the studio since 1987’s Strange Fire and continues down the well worn path of their career to date. It doesn’t break any new musical ground for the duo, but it does harvest the fruits of their talents in a way that makes the thirteen tracks on Despite Our Differences seem more fresh than rehashed. As always, the lyrics are elegantly crafted and the music follows in similar fashion. While Despite Our Differences wouldn’t be my first choice as an introduction to the Indigo Girls, fans will recognize it for what it is…the continuation of a conversation with an old friend.

Evanescence – The Open Door
Love them or hate them, it’s undeniable that when Evanescence hit the music world with their first album, Fallen, they hit it big. The album’s first single, Bring me to Life was everywhere in a big way. Fallen kept producing a seemingly endless stream of singles, all of which found their way into heavy rotation over the airwaves. Three years later, everyone’s favorite Goth Girl, Amy Lee, is back with Evanescence’s second major label release, The Open Door…it also marks the band’s first album without, Evanescence co-founder and guitarist, Ben Moody. Amy Lee fills The Open Door with her trademark ethereal, operatic vocals on top of the counterpoint of distortion and heavy rhythms…and if this were a debut album, it would be enough. However as a sophomore effort, The Open Door, while staying true to the feel laid down by Fallen, does not move beyond it. That is not to say, however, that The Open Door isn’t a solid album. The opening track, Sweet Sacrifice, and the first single, Call Me When You’re Sober, are both bright spots on the album with the remaining tracks filling the remainder The Open Door nicely. That being said though, I think fans of Evanescence will draw more from The Open Door than the casual listener.

So, there you have three new discs for you to check out this month that should broaden your aural horizons, especially if you’re a fan of the Indigo Girls and Evanescence. If you liked the reviews and can’t wait for the next issue of Finer Things Magazine to decide what else to listen to, check out all of my other reviews at www.onthepod.net.

Until next time, have fun and keep listening.

Joe

Guest Reviewer: Erik Remec & Queensryche

2006-11-08T14:01:00.000-05:00

When I started On the pod.net almost a year ago, I mentioned that I envisioned having “Guest Reviewers” write for the site as well as myself. It’s taken some time, but what follows below is the first in what will hopefully be a long line of Guest Reviews.

The account of Queensryche, live at the Moore Theater in Seattle, Washington and all the accompanying photographs were graciously given to us by my good friend, fellow musician and Heavy Metal connoisseur, Erik Remec.

So without any further delays…