Podcast #142: Roar

Big thanks to Ryan, Brian, and the rest of the guys from Candlelight Red for showing us some hospitality. HORNS UP!Well, the festival season has recently come to an end and Genghis & Ragman closed it out by attending the Uproar Festival, battling through the Texas heat to rock out with the new school.  Join G & R as they give a play-by-play of the festival; from Candlelight Red to Shinedown the boys cover the gamut. First off, the guys cornered lead guitarist Brad Prentice from newcomers Mindset Evolution who discusses the tour as well as their current EP. Next, Genghis & Ragman were cordially invited to hang with the boys from Candlelight Red as vocalist Ryan Hoke and drummer Brian Dugan chewed the fat about touring and recording.

Beers of the Festival: Stella Artois, Shocktop, Ziegenbock

Featured Tracks: Papa Roach - Lifeline; Mindset Evolution - We Are Stars; Staind - Eyes Wide Open; Adelita’s Way - Alive; Godsmack - Cryin' Like a Bitch; Shinedown - Amaryllis; Candlelight Red - Medicated, Demons, Sleeping Awake, and Closer

- Ragman dug the roar, but got bit by the lion...

Podcast #142: Roar

Gypsyhawk - Revelry and Resilience

Damn, them Gypsyhawk boys know how to rock. It's like Motörhead, Thin Lizzy, and KISS all got drunk and did it.I don't know what it is, but I've totally changed my mind on the whole "retro" thing. I know it's nothing new, (and that many artists may be offended at what seems like dismissive pigenholing) but I used to get all bent out of shape about people making music, movies, or whatever kind of media/art that was an obvious homage to - or, in some cases, outright ripoffs of - what has come before. But I was wrong - or at least painting with a broad brush.

There's a distinct difference between someone aping another's art in a desparate cash grab, and those that simply wear their influences proudly on their sleeves. Which isn't to say the latter people don't bring something original to the mix. In fact, that's what really makes it work best. Case in point, Pasadena rockers Gypsyhawk hit the mark with an album of nothing less than classic rock and roll brilliance. Revelry and Resilience, the band's second studio effort, may evoke the sound of bands like [early] KISS and Thin Lizzy, but the music somehow manages to be loose and ballsy while also sounding mature and comfortable in its place; it's all the whiskey-soaked fun of old school rockin' with the tight, technical approach of modern metal. The best example of their abilities is the awesome song Frostwyrm that's got the melodic warmth of something like Badfinger's No Matter What with an Iron Maiden-esque harmonized guitar solo section midway through (courtesy of Andrew Packer & Erik Kluiber) that's like finding bacon in a chocolate bar. Brilliant.

The Bottom Line: Don't make the mistake of dismissing Gypsyhawk as another retro band recycling what's already been done. This is a quartet with an old school sensibility that knows what makes good rock and roll inside and out. So grab a beer, spark up, and crank that fucking music.

Tracks to Make You Throw Away Your Skinny Jeans: Overloaded, Frostwyrm, 1345 & State Lines

- Genghis is working on growing a giant moustache...

Podcast #141: Memories

It's hard to believe that The Genghis & Ragman show has been kicking around for over 6 years now. As they reminisce about the past, present, and future, you may be intrigued - especially as G & R mull over their favorite moments of the past 6 years.  If that ain't enough, you also get a tasty dose of some killer tunes to help complete the celebration. After the boys finished celebrating their big day, they brought in previous sound men/women persons Chaz and Elmo for a recap of their experience behind the knobs. This one will either insult your intelligence or make you laugh out loud (we're betting on both).

1st Beer of the Show: 17 Grand Reserve (Unibroue)
	Appearance: 3.0 Aroma: 3.0 Palate: 3.0 Taste: 3.0 Overall: 3.0	"Like the Genghis & Ragman Show, its full of complex flavors that balance well."

2nd Beer of the Show: Hairy Eyeball Ale (Lagunitas)
	"Decent beer from a decent brewery - but nothing to write home about."

Optical Illusion: Queensryche Live at Rocklahoma

Featured Tracks: Keel - No More Lonely Nights; Bruce Kulick - Ain’t Gonna Die; Rush - The Anarchist; Ritchie Kotzen - Dream a New Day; Michael Schenker - Hanging On; ZZ Top - Mexican Blackbird; Ted Nugent - Tied Up in Love; 3 - Pretty; Dan Reed Network - Slam

Classic of the Show: Kiss - Cold Gin

Genghis Pick of the Week: District 97 - The Actual  Color

Ragman Pick of the Week: Hardline - What’d I Like

- Ragman is feeling sentimental...

Podcast #141: Memories

Aviyn - Aviyn

Aviyn is a new band out of Tulsa, OK with a lot of promise.  The band has just released the self titled debut CD, and is looking to make an impact on the metal market.  The band is very talented, but seems to be a little confused with their musical direction.  The band has an extremely heavy syncopated type edge ala Meshuggah mixed with the metalcore sounds of Atreyu.  On paper it sounds cool, but in reality it didn't quite work for me.  The music gets a little busy and jumbled up.  The songs are interesting, but kind of run together with the exception of, the sticks out like a sore thumb track, Learning to Fly. 

Not quite sure what is actually going on here, but I surmise it maybe due to the production, because for some reason, most of the tunes on this CD turn into a wall of sound.  The clean vocals are drowned out, for the most part, in about every tune.  There was not enough variety for me on this one, because most of the songs just ran together, and left me a little bored.  There is no doubt the band is talented, they just need to get a little more focussed and work harder on the song writing.  They need songs to stand out, not run together.

Bottom Line: A very talented band, in need of help in the songwriting and production department.  Heavy tunes, that get lost in a wall of sound.

Standout Tracks: Illusionist, Red Shield and Learning to Fly.

-Ragman was wondering if his Itouch was working  properly during the this one.

Gillan & Iommi - Who Cares (2 Cd's)

I can't believe a year has passed since Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) and Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) released the Who Cares project, for the music school in Armenia.  If you don't remember, the two rock legends teamed up a year ago for charity, and recorded, the now classic tracks, Holy Water and Out of My Mind.  A year later, the two have compiled a 2 CD set of tunes, to continue their support to Armenia.  The CD set, once again, is titled Who Cares.  The CD is made up of rare tracks as well as the two previously released new tracks.  It is a nice mix of tunes from the two, with the selections weighing a little heavier on the Gillan's works. 

I would have to say my favorite pieces come from the unreleased tracks from Iommi and Glenn Hughes.  I'm guessing these were left overs, from the last Iommi solo record, featuring Hughes.  Also, I dug hearing the lesser know track Anno Mundi from the Sabbath album TYR.  That was a treat.  I have to admit, I was more impressed with the Gillan tracks, than I initially thought I would, which was refreshing.  All in all a very nice addition to the collection.  Two rock icons collaborating and making metal magic.  It don't get much better than that.  If that doesn't sell you, remember this is for charity.  If that ain't enough, get it, because it has a killer Deep Purple jam track called Dick Pimple.  Now that is worth the price of admission.

Bottom Line: 2 instant classics, plus some killer rare and unreleased tunes from two rock icons.

Standout Tracks: Out of My Mind, Anno Mundi, Slip Away and Don't Hold Me Back.

-Ragman if there is anymore Iommi/Hughes material laying around..