Archive for October, 2009
Getting Stronger: How to Maximize Profits in Existing Markets
by admin on Oct.31, 2009, under Uncategorized
Carl Cullotta asked:
One of the most common challenges for marketers is delivering profitable growth from existing markets. Often, corporate initiatives for this purpose meet with inconsistent success at best. Then the tendency is to try to “overpower” the initiatives with resources, resulting in growth at the expense of profit.
Smart Business asked Carl Cullotta, vice president and principal of Frank Lynn & Associates Inc., to address the issue of profitable growth in existing markets.
Why do manufacturers find profitable growth so difficult to attain in existing markets?
Growth in existing markets is difficult because it usually comes down to a market share game. Market share gains are not easy to come by when there are established competitors with known value propositions and market legacies.
To overcome this market inertia, manufacturers often try to implement initiatives to change the game. True game-changers, by their nature, will appeal to a specific market segment or niche. Therefore, the key to delivering growth rests in aligning the appropriate initiatives with the proper target customer sets. We have found a compelling framework that assures this discipline in doing so; the “customer decision map.”
What is a customer decision map?
The customer decision map is a ranking of the factors customers use to make brand and source decisions. It is built on an actionable understanding of customer buying processes, needs and priorities. The decision map is designed to prioritize the decision factors based on the weight customers place on differences between suppliers. Here is how the map is organized:
“Importance” is on the horizontal axis. This scale measures the relative importance of the factors customers consider in their decisions. Usually, these factors are weighted on a 10-point scale. (As you would suspect, price and availability are often rated extremely high in importance.)
“Value” is on the vertical axis. It measures the relative weight the customer places on differences between suppliers. For some variables, there is a minimum expectation and little value is placed by the customer if you exceed that minimum.
Every customer, however, has a limited set of decision factors for which high value is placed on the supplier who exceeds industry performance standards. These variables are often the key to saving the customer money and/or reducing risk associated with the purchase. If you can find and deliver on these high-value items, you will have a competitive advantage in addressing that customer.
Based on the importance and value ratings of the customer’s decision factors, you may classify those factors into three groups:
“Antes”: factors that fall into this band can be considered basic requirements. Alone, these antes are unlikely to win you the business.
“Raises”: as the name implies, factors that map in this band offer the opportunity to create competitive advantage. Recognizing the variables that fall here and gearing your value proposition to exceed competition affords the customer a defendable reason to pay more for your offering and/or select you from among equals.
“IBI”: this last band identifies variables that are “interesting but irrelevant,” to the customer’s decision process. The customer has enough variables to consider before introducing these unimportant ones. Reallocate these resources to raises and you will realize share gains.
How can the marketer complete the decision map?
Populating the map with objective customer data can only be done by asking the customer. We have found several technologies, particularly when used in combination, effective:
Qualitative interviews: multiple decision-makers/influencers within the customer’s organization are interviewed. They are asked to describe the brand/source selection process and identify/rank all factors that the organization considered. Respondents are asked to describe in detail the last purchase decision made as a reality check on the decision map.
Focus groups: groups of buyers from similar customer segment are brought together and presented with a hypothetical purchase decision. The group is asked to come to a brand/source decision and explain their reasons behind it. Moderators observe and document the decision tradeoffs that are made.
Internet research: often to support one of the above techniques, an Internet survey is conducted with a cross-section of decision makers from a target customer set. These buyers are presented with a hypothetical purchase decision and asked to rate factors that determine brand and source selection.
One of the most common challenges for marketers is delivering profitable growth from existing markets. Often, corporate initiatives for this purpose meet with inconsistent success at best. Then the tendency is to try to “overpower” the initiatives with resources, resulting in growth at the expense of profit.
Smart Business asked Carl Cullotta, vice president and principal of Frank Lynn & Associates Inc., to address the issue of profitable growth in existing markets.
Why do manufacturers find profitable growth so difficult to attain in existing markets?
Growth in existing markets is difficult because it usually comes down to a market share game. Market share gains are not easy to come by when there are established competitors with known value propositions and market legacies.
To overcome this market inertia, manufacturers often try to implement initiatives to change the game. True game-changers, by their nature, will appeal to a specific market segment or niche. Therefore, the key to delivering growth rests in aligning the appropriate initiatives with the proper target customer sets. We have found a compelling framework that assures this discipline in doing so; the “customer decision map.”
What is a customer decision map?
The customer decision map is a ranking of the factors customers use to make brand and source decisions. It is built on an actionable understanding of customer buying processes, needs and priorities. The decision map is designed to prioritize the decision factors based on the weight customers place on differences between suppliers. Here is how the map is organized:
“Importance” is on the horizontal axis. This scale measures the relative importance of the factors customers consider in their decisions. Usually, these factors are weighted on a 10-point scale. (As you would suspect, price and availability are often rated extremely high in importance.)
“Value” is on the vertical axis. It measures the relative weight the customer places on differences between suppliers. For some variables, there is a minimum expectation and little value is placed by the customer if you exceed that minimum.
Every customer, however, has a limited set of decision factors for which high value is placed on the supplier who exceeds industry performance standards. These variables are often the key to saving the customer money and/or reducing risk associated with the purchase. If you can find and deliver on these high-value items, you will have a competitive advantage in addressing that customer.
Based on the importance and value ratings of the customer’s decision factors, you may classify those factors into three groups:
“Antes”: factors that fall into this band can be considered basic requirements. Alone, these antes are unlikely to win you the business.
“Raises”: as the name implies, factors that map in this band offer the opportunity to create competitive advantage. Recognizing the variables that fall here and gearing your value proposition to exceed competition affords the customer a defendable reason to pay more for your offering and/or select you from among equals.
“IBI”: this last band identifies variables that are “interesting but irrelevant,” to the customer’s decision process. The customer has enough variables to consider before introducing these unimportant ones. Reallocate these resources to raises and you will realize share gains.
How can the marketer complete the decision map?
Populating the map with objective customer data can only be done by asking the customer. We have found several technologies, particularly when used in combination, effective:
Qualitative interviews: multiple decision-makers/influencers within the customer’s organization are interviewed. They are asked to describe the brand/source selection process and identify/rank all factors that the organization considered. Respondents are asked to describe in detail the last purchase decision made as a reality check on the decision map.
Focus groups: groups of buyers from similar customer segment are brought together and presented with a hypothetical purchase decision. The group is asked to come to a brand/source decision and explain their reasons behind it. Moderators observe and document the decision tradeoffs that are made.
Internet research: often to support one of the above techniques, an Internet survey is conducted with a cross-section of decision makers from a target customer set. These buyers are presented with a hypothetical purchase decision and asked to rate factors that determine brand and source selection.
I’d Rather Fail Big Than Live Small- Rule #1
by admin on Oct.30, 2009, under Uncategorized
Pat O’bryan asked:
I just got back from driving through the hill country and listening to Dan Kennedy interview Gene Landrum. As a “gold” member of Dan Kennedy’s mentoring service, I get CDs every few weeks of Dan, or his partner Bill Glazer, interviewing a mega-successful entrepreneur.
Lundrum gave Dan a delightful interview full of amazing stories taken from his books. And he made me feel like I belonged to a group, which is a feeling I don’t get much- even when I’m hanging out with musicians. You’d be amazed at how many artists and musicians are just sitting around waiting to be discovered while they continue to do the same thing all the other musicians and artists are doing.
Losers, losing by following losers. Not much of a plan, but it’s pretty popular.
Until I discovered the internet marketing world, I felt like the only square peg in a world of round holes. Listening to Dan’s interviews makes me realize that I’m actually in good company- I’m a member of a group of entrepreneurs who follow Sam Walton’s Rule #1.
Do you know Sam’s “Rule #1?” He used it to build the most successful retail business in history.
Do you want to know the secret that he used to make WalMart unstoppable?
Keep reading.
His “rule #1″ has been my credo all my life, and I’ve caught a great deal of shit for it- it turns out that Ayn Rand, Thomas Edison, Frank Lloyd Wright, Henry Ford, H. Ross Perot, Donald Trump, Richard Branson, and most of my other heroes had the same credo.
Want to hear a story?
Due to a bizarre and surreal series of circumstances, I found myself living the life of a high-school drop-out street hippie in 1973. I’d tell you the story, but you wouldn’t believe me.
Kafka’s an amateur compared to East Texas wingnuts- and I got on the wrong side of a town full of East Texas wingnuts and had to quit high-school at 17.
My best option at the time was to move in with a house full of hippie musicians in the Montrose area of Houston. It was shelter, and we usually could scrounge food- Anderson Fair, a spaghetti restaurant that featured folk music, would feed us in return for a few hours of music, but only the zucchini spaghetti.
You can live on zucchini spaghetti if you have to.
We played strip clubs and gay bars. We played for peanuts- literally.
After a year or so of this, on a hot and humid night, I accidentally drank a quart of mysterious tea, which caused me to take a psychic time-out. When I came back from visiting the red queen, I realized I needed to go to college.
So, I walked, in the early morning hours, through the darkest, most dangerous part of Houston, to the bus station and took the bus home. I walked into the house as my father was drinking his morning coffee and announced that I was ready to go to college.
Skeptical, he suggested I get a job. After a year or so of manual labor, I finally made my way to North Texas University- on the strength of a good SAT score and a better audition with the piano faculty.
After a year of cutting down trees, I was probably the “buffest” piano major on the campus. While I was there, I designed and -with the help of a physics major buddy of mine- created the first laser light show in the southwest. We had a running engagement at the Fort-Worth Museum of Science and History.
After three years at NTSU, I sent an audition tape to the University of Texas, and got accepted in their graduate composition program.
I still hadn’t gotten my high-school diploma, technically, I was a high-school drop-out going to grad school.
I loved college. I ended up with music and English minors, but that only tells part of the story. I was a photography major, studying under Gary Winnogrand. I studied journalism. I took art classes. I was in heaven. My degree plan was to not worry about getting a degree. I was getting an education.
After a few years, I got a glimpse of the naked under-belly of the modern classical music world and didn’t like what I saw. A showdown with a famous composer during a seminar was the final straw.
He accused me of prostituting my art by making money writing commercials. What a crock! This was the same guy who financed his studio by doing sound-effects for shampoo commercials. And some of the other ways he prostituted didn’t have anything to do with his art.
I bailed on college, and joined a rock band.
Wouldn’t you?
A short time later, we were touring with Cheap Trick, Heart, ZZ Top, The Climax Blues Band- it was a wonderful, exhausting, amazing experience.
At this point in my life, I was probably the best educated high-school dropout rock star on the planet.
What’s this got to do with internet marketing, writing e-books, and running an international online business?
EVERYTHING!!!
I think the most valuable benefit of my internet marketing lifestyle is the people I get to hang out with. After years of being a loner, I’ve got a “peer group!”
I get to hang out with Joe Vitale, who broke all the rules in the book publishing business, and went to number one twice on the national best-seller charts- while the authors who played by the rules sat around and complained.
I get to hang out with Cindy Cashman, who made a million bucks by “writing” and promoting a blank book with a great title.
I get to hang out with Craig Perrine, who has achieved amazing success by breaking the rules in the internet list-building business.
And there are many others- the internet marketing is world populated with wild, intelligent, brave, and interesting people.
These are the mavericks- the square pegs- I’m honored to know them.
All my life, I’ve heard “get a REAL job!”
The miserable, gray people- the ones trapped in the job they hate (which, according to Dan Kennedy’s research, is at least 2/3 of the population) wanted me to join them in their misery.
Parents. Teachers. Unsuccessful musicians. Bosses (musicians have lots of bosses- because we keep a day-job just long enough to book gigs, then we move on).
Television- Trump and Branson have TV shows, and that’s a good start… but they’re about hiring employees! The winners get a JOB!
You can bet your momma’s egg money that Donald Trump doesn’t want a job. Richard Branson doesn’t want a job. They didn’t get where they are by working for someone else.
I think they should award prize money to the contestant that tells Donald Trump to take a flying f**k at the moon, and starts his own business.
The education factories- imagine what would happen if schools taught entrepreneurship instead of wage-slavery? Our whole education system sucks lemons because it’s based on a 19th century model, and designed to turn out workers- for jobs that haven’t been available in decades! Factories that turn out waves of miserable, gray people- suffering through the week and living for the weekend.
What would happen if they taught people how to think, instead?
Family- here’s the big one. Anytime my family gets together, I get to hear about how I’m the one who’s always “coloring outside the lines” from one of my relatives- he thinks he’s insulting me!
That’s the thing I’m proudest of, and the key to my success. Nobody ever accomplished anything important, or grand, or OUTRAGEOUS by coloring inside the lines.
Following the rules is for losers.
Did you notice the list of heroes I put at the top of this article? They have a lot of things in common:
1. They didn’t wait for permission to be great- they just went ahead and did it.
2. They didn’t worry about credentials or diplomas. Richard Branson has an eighth grade education. Frank Lloyd Wright had about three months of formal schooling. All educated successful people, regardless of how much “schooling” they have, are self-educated. You can’t trust the educators to educate you.
3. They were OUTRAGEOUS! Branson and his hot-air balloons, and now space flights. Thomas Edison announcing the light bulb long before he actually had created one. Everybody on that list listened to sage advice from the gray people and called bullshit on it. Then they went on to create a better world.
4. They made their own rules. And then broke them.
5. They had grand failures, followed by grand successes.
I tell my clients at the Your Portable Empire University, and I’ll tell you- there ain’t no such thing as failure. It’s all data. To succeed BIG you may have to fail big. It’s just a stretch of highway- you may have to go through some bad road to get where you’re going.
The odds that we will be as successful as Thomas Edison or Richard Branson are small, even if we try… but if we don’t try, there’s no chance at all.
I’d rather fail big than live small, wouldn’t you? Especially knowing that “failing big” is just a stop on the way to “living large.”
And what was Sam’s “Rule #1?”
Here it is: “Break the rules.”
I just got back from driving through the hill country and listening to Dan Kennedy interview Gene Landrum. As a “gold” member of Dan Kennedy’s mentoring service, I get CDs every few weeks of Dan, or his partner Bill Glazer, interviewing a mega-successful entrepreneur.
Lundrum gave Dan a delightful interview full of amazing stories taken from his books. And he made me feel like I belonged to a group, which is a feeling I don’t get much- even when I’m hanging out with musicians. You’d be amazed at how many artists and musicians are just sitting around waiting to be discovered while they continue to do the same thing all the other musicians and artists are doing.
Losers, losing by following losers. Not much of a plan, but it’s pretty popular.
Until I discovered the internet marketing world, I felt like the only square peg in a world of round holes. Listening to Dan’s interviews makes me realize that I’m actually in good company- I’m a member of a group of entrepreneurs who follow Sam Walton’s Rule #1.
Do you know Sam’s “Rule #1?” He used it to build the most successful retail business in history.
Do you want to know the secret that he used to make WalMart unstoppable?
Keep reading.
His “rule #1″ has been my credo all my life, and I’ve caught a great deal of shit for it- it turns out that Ayn Rand, Thomas Edison, Frank Lloyd Wright, Henry Ford, H. Ross Perot, Donald Trump, Richard Branson, and most of my other heroes had the same credo.
Want to hear a story?
Due to a bizarre and surreal series of circumstances, I found myself living the life of a high-school drop-out street hippie in 1973. I’d tell you the story, but you wouldn’t believe me.
Kafka’s an amateur compared to East Texas wingnuts- and I got on the wrong side of a town full of East Texas wingnuts and had to quit high-school at 17.
My best option at the time was to move in with a house full of hippie musicians in the Montrose area of Houston. It was shelter, and we usually could scrounge food- Anderson Fair, a spaghetti restaurant that featured folk music, would feed us in return for a few hours of music, but only the zucchini spaghetti.
You can live on zucchini spaghetti if you have to.
We played strip clubs and gay bars. We played for peanuts- literally.
After a year or so of this, on a hot and humid night, I accidentally drank a quart of mysterious tea, which caused me to take a psychic time-out. When I came back from visiting the red queen, I realized I needed to go to college.
So, I walked, in the early morning hours, through the darkest, most dangerous part of Houston, to the bus station and took the bus home. I walked into the house as my father was drinking his morning coffee and announced that I was ready to go to college.
Skeptical, he suggested I get a job. After a year or so of manual labor, I finally made my way to North Texas University- on the strength of a good SAT score and a better audition with the piano faculty.
After a year of cutting down trees, I was probably the “buffest” piano major on the campus. While I was there, I designed and -with the help of a physics major buddy of mine- created the first laser light show in the southwest. We had a running engagement at the Fort-Worth Museum of Science and History.
After three years at NTSU, I sent an audition tape to the University of Texas, and got accepted in their graduate composition program.
I still hadn’t gotten my high-school diploma, technically, I was a high-school drop-out going to grad school.
I loved college. I ended up with music and English minors, but that only tells part of the story. I was a photography major, studying under Gary Winnogrand. I studied journalism. I took art classes. I was in heaven. My degree plan was to not worry about getting a degree. I was getting an education.
After a few years, I got a glimpse of the naked under-belly of the modern classical music world and didn’t like what I saw. A showdown with a famous composer during a seminar was the final straw.
He accused me of prostituting my art by making money writing commercials. What a crock! This was the same guy who financed his studio by doing sound-effects for shampoo commercials. And some of the other ways he prostituted didn’t have anything to do with his art.
I bailed on college, and joined a rock band.
Wouldn’t you?
A short time later, we were touring with Cheap Trick, Heart, ZZ Top, The Climax Blues Band- it was a wonderful, exhausting, amazing experience.
At this point in my life, I was probably the best educated high-school dropout rock star on the planet.
What’s this got to do with internet marketing, writing e-books, and running an international online business?
EVERYTHING!!!
I think the most valuable benefit of my internet marketing lifestyle is the people I get to hang out with. After years of being a loner, I’ve got a “peer group!”
I get to hang out with Joe Vitale, who broke all the rules in the book publishing business, and went to number one twice on the national best-seller charts- while the authors who played by the rules sat around and complained.
I get to hang out with Cindy Cashman, who made a million bucks by “writing” and promoting a blank book with a great title.
I get to hang out with Craig Perrine, who has achieved amazing success by breaking the rules in the internet list-building business.
And there are many others- the internet marketing is world populated with wild, intelligent, brave, and interesting people.
These are the mavericks- the square pegs- I’m honored to know them.
All my life, I’ve heard “get a REAL job!”
The miserable, gray people- the ones trapped in the job they hate (which, according to Dan Kennedy’s research, is at least 2/3 of the population) wanted me to join them in their misery.
Parents. Teachers. Unsuccessful musicians. Bosses (musicians have lots of bosses- because we keep a day-job just long enough to book gigs, then we move on).
Television- Trump and Branson have TV shows, and that’s a good start… but they’re about hiring employees! The winners get a JOB!
You can bet your momma’s egg money that Donald Trump doesn’t want a job. Richard Branson doesn’t want a job. They didn’t get where they are by working for someone else.
I think they should award prize money to the contestant that tells Donald Trump to take a flying f**k at the moon, and starts his own business.
The education factories- imagine what would happen if schools taught entrepreneurship instead of wage-slavery? Our whole education system sucks lemons because it’s based on a 19th century model, and designed to turn out workers- for jobs that haven’t been available in decades! Factories that turn out waves of miserable, gray people- suffering through the week and living for the weekend.
What would happen if they taught people how to think, instead?
Family- here’s the big one. Anytime my family gets together, I get to hear about how I’m the one who’s always “coloring outside the lines” from one of my relatives- he thinks he’s insulting me!
That’s the thing I’m proudest of, and the key to my success. Nobody ever accomplished anything important, or grand, or OUTRAGEOUS by coloring inside the lines.
Following the rules is for losers.
Did you notice the list of heroes I put at the top of this article? They have a lot of things in common:
1. They didn’t wait for permission to be great- they just went ahead and did it.
2. They didn’t worry about credentials or diplomas. Richard Branson has an eighth grade education. Frank Lloyd Wright had about three months of formal schooling. All educated successful people, regardless of how much “schooling” they have, are self-educated. You can’t trust the educators to educate you.
3. They were OUTRAGEOUS! Branson and his hot-air balloons, and now space flights. Thomas Edison announcing the light bulb long before he actually had created one. Everybody on that list listened to sage advice from the gray people and called bullshit on it. Then they went on to create a better world.
4. They made their own rules. And then broke them.
5. They had grand failures, followed by grand successes.
I tell my clients at the Your Portable Empire University, and I’ll tell you- there ain’t no such thing as failure. It’s all data. To succeed BIG you may have to fail big. It’s just a stretch of highway- you may have to go through some bad road to get where you’re going.
The odds that we will be as successful as Thomas Edison or Richard Branson are small, even if we try… but if we don’t try, there’s no chance at all.
I’d rather fail big than live small, wouldn’t you? Especially knowing that “failing big” is just a stop on the way to “living large.”
And what was Sam’s “Rule #1?”
Here it is: “Break the rules.”
Chatting With Christopher Barran
by admin on Oct.28, 2009, under Music
Karen Magill asked:
On Monday November 27, 2006 I was able to speak with Christopher Barran while he was at his mother’s home in Calgary, Alberta. The previous evening he had performed for the hometown crowd. Unfortunately, the inclement weather there had prevented many from attending yet he had still been pleased with the evening.
“People were mouthing the words to the songs, even those that weren’t as popular.” It was great experience for Barran and a natural high that he was still on.
I have known Barran for about fifteen years. I used to be Administrative Assistant for a mall in Calgary where Christopher’s father owned the pharmacy. I walked in one day and saw a young man behind the counter wearing a POISON t-shirt. I reminded him of that and he says it was a good thing he had gone to the concert. I also reminded him of his music then; how I enjoyed the excitement I felt listening to him rock and then the difference I feel listening to his debut CD ‘Song of The Angels’. So I asked him how he felt the music has changed.
Barran feels that he is now more mature. Whereas before his music was all about chasing women and getting Ferraris (he and a partner actually had a clause in a contract that they would get a Ferrari if they sold so many albums) now he is more spiritual.
When you visit www.christopherbarran.com – and I urge you to do so – you will see that The Agape International Spiritual Centre is something that means a lot to Christopher. So I asked him how he came to be associated with them.
“When I arrived in Los Angeles people kept telling me I had to go to the Agape Church, about how much they loved my music there. So I went and saw this amazing minister, Dr. Michael Beckwith.” Barran goes on to speak of Beckwith in glowing terms and with reverence. He describes the man as a spiritual force to be reckoned with and it sounds as if Dr. Beckwith could convert anyone. You can find a link to The Agape International Spiritual Centre through the links page on Christopher’s site.
Christopher comes across more settled, more spiritual than when I knew him previously. I asked him if this change was an epiphany or a more gradual one. At first he said gradual but later in the interview he amended that with a heart-wrenching story.
While visiting a hospital for children with polio in Pune, India, Christopher looked into a room and saw several children in various degrees of pain. He asked one of the workers what had happened and it was explained that these children had had surgery that day. The hospital was too poor to supply anesthesia or pain killers. One of the nurses suggested that Barran sing so he did. It was like magic as the children lost themselves to the music, forgetting their pain for the moment. Christopher realized that day how powerful his gift was and just how much good he could do with it. As he rode back to the hotel in the van, he cried. The trappings of music stardom aren’t worth a lot unless he can do something meaningful with it. And that is now his goal. To attain a level of stardom and to use the power associated with that level to help those in need.
Christopher has traveled to many countries, spreading hope through his music. Philippines, Nepal, India, Costa Rica, Kenya and Peru are just a few of the place that have been blessed by the sounds of Christopher Barran. Although I have never been honored to hear Christopher perform live (the one opportunity I did have we had car trouble and arrived just as the show had ended) Christopher says it is an experience that surpasses the CD. So if you have the chance, take it.
But we almost didn’t get to hear Christopher’s gift. He was determined to be an athlete, to compete in the Olympics in downhill ski racing when a near fatal accident ended that dream. After he healed, a friend talked the young Barran into singing with his band and the friend’s mother, an opera trained singer, overheard Christopher. She trained Christopher for a while then turned his training over to her vocal coach. The rest, as they say, is history and the Olympics loss was music’s very worthy gain.
But our conversation wasn’t all serious and spiritual in nature. If you go to his website and look at the photos, there is one with Christopher and a llama. Christopher is just beaming and it says ‘The love of my life, Peru.’ I thought he meant that Peru was the love of his life so I asked him why.
“No, the llama,” he says. “That’s my girlfriend. She’s got great legs.” Kind of hairy though, don’t you think?
And then I asked him about the fact that he was born in South America, I met in Calgary and he now lives in Los Angeles. Where would he consider himself to be a citizen of?
“An earthling.” Was his immediate answer. I chuckled.
“I was betting you were going to say a citizen of the world.” I remarked. This time it was Christopher’s turn to laugh.
“I was thinking that.”
It was great having the chance to speak with Christopher Barran again and catch up on what’s been happening. He’s grown and matured but I expected that after all this time. Yet he is still charming and amusing. I look forward to keeping in touch with him, watching his career take off. I look forward to one day being able to say – I knew him when!
Visit his site at www.christopherbarran.com and take a look around. Listen to samples of his debut CD, ‘Song of The Angels’, learn how to order it, learn more about Christopher. You won’t be sorry you did.
On Monday November 27, 2006 I was able to speak with Christopher Barran while he was at his mother’s home in Calgary, Alberta. The previous evening he had performed for the hometown crowd. Unfortunately, the inclement weather there had prevented many from attending yet he had still been pleased with the evening.
“People were mouthing the words to the songs, even those that weren’t as popular.” It was great experience for Barran and a natural high that he was still on.
I have known Barran for about fifteen years. I used to be Administrative Assistant for a mall in Calgary where Christopher’s father owned the pharmacy. I walked in one day and saw a young man behind the counter wearing a POISON t-shirt. I reminded him of that and he says it was a good thing he had gone to the concert. I also reminded him of his music then; how I enjoyed the excitement I felt listening to him rock and then the difference I feel listening to his debut CD ‘Song of The Angels’. So I asked him how he felt the music has changed.
Barran feels that he is now more mature. Whereas before his music was all about chasing women and getting Ferraris (he and a partner actually had a clause in a contract that they would get a Ferrari if they sold so many albums) now he is more spiritual.
When you visit www.christopherbarran.com – and I urge you to do so – you will see that The Agape International Spiritual Centre is something that means a lot to Christopher. So I asked him how he came to be associated with them.
“When I arrived in Los Angeles people kept telling me I had to go to the Agape Church, about how much they loved my music there. So I went and saw this amazing minister, Dr. Michael Beckwith.” Barran goes on to speak of Beckwith in glowing terms and with reverence. He describes the man as a spiritual force to be reckoned with and it sounds as if Dr. Beckwith could convert anyone. You can find a link to The Agape International Spiritual Centre through the links page on Christopher’s site.
Christopher comes across more settled, more spiritual than when I knew him previously. I asked him if this change was an epiphany or a more gradual one. At first he said gradual but later in the interview he amended that with a heart-wrenching story.
While visiting a hospital for children with polio in Pune, India, Christopher looked into a room and saw several children in various degrees of pain. He asked one of the workers what had happened and it was explained that these children had had surgery that day. The hospital was too poor to supply anesthesia or pain killers. One of the nurses suggested that Barran sing so he did. It was like magic as the children lost themselves to the music, forgetting their pain for the moment. Christopher realized that day how powerful his gift was and just how much good he could do with it. As he rode back to the hotel in the van, he cried. The trappings of music stardom aren’t worth a lot unless he can do something meaningful with it. And that is now his goal. To attain a level of stardom and to use the power associated with that level to help those in need.
Christopher has traveled to many countries, spreading hope through his music. Philippines, Nepal, India, Costa Rica, Kenya and Peru are just a few of the place that have been blessed by the sounds of Christopher Barran. Although I have never been honored to hear Christopher perform live (the one opportunity I did have we had car trouble and arrived just as the show had ended) Christopher says it is an experience that surpasses the CD. So if you have the chance, take it.
But we almost didn’t get to hear Christopher’s gift. He was determined to be an athlete, to compete in the Olympics in downhill ski racing when a near fatal accident ended that dream. After he healed, a friend talked the young Barran into singing with his band and the friend’s mother, an opera trained singer, overheard Christopher. She trained Christopher for a while then turned his training over to her vocal coach. The rest, as they say, is history and the Olympics loss was music’s very worthy gain.
But our conversation wasn’t all serious and spiritual in nature. If you go to his website and look at the photos, there is one with Christopher and a llama. Christopher is just beaming and it says ‘The love of my life, Peru.’ I thought he meant that Peru was the love of his life so I asked him why.
“No, the llama,” he says. “That’s my girlfriend. She’s got great legs.” Kind of hairy though, don’t you think?
And then I asked him about the fact that he was born in South America, I met in Calgary and he now lives in Los Angeles. Where would he consider himself to be a citizen of?
“An earthling.” Was his immediate answer. I chuckled.
“I was betting you were going to say a citizen of the world.” I remarked. This time it was Christopher’s turn to laugh.
“I was thinking that.”
It was great having the chance to speak with Christopher Barran again and catch up on what’s been happening. He’s grown and matured but I expected that after all this time. Yet he is still charming and amusing. I look forward to keeping in touch with him, watching his career take off. I look forward to one day being able to say – I knew him when!
Visit his site at www.christopherbarran.com and take a look around. Listen to samples of his debut CD, ‘Song of The Angels’, learn how to order it, learn more about Christopher. You won’t be sorry you did.
Fall Out Boy Tickets – Setting Some Kind of Record
by admin on Oct.24, 2009, under Art And Entertainment
Meaghan Clark asked:
Of recent days, the name Fall Out Boy has coincided more with tabloid magazine cover spreads rather than their recognizable hardcore punk sound. The group seemingly all about the underground has become pawns in the mainstream thanks to bassist Pete Wentz. As longtime fans of Fall Out Boy, which really only stretch to the early ’00s, know, the face of the punk band originally came in the form of vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump mostly in part because of their first hit single, “Sugar, We’re Going Down.” Suddenly Wentz appeared, with a clothing line, a bar, film production work, a record label, and a hot wife. Just as confused as the rest of us? Keep up with boys with Fall Out Boy tickets from http://www.stubhub.com/fall-out-boy-tickets/.
Wentz’s life has commanded the punk band so much so that Fall Out Boy’s latest record, Folie a Deux, is set to premiere only after Wentz’s pop star wife, Ashlee Simpson, has their child. According to the Herald Sun, the rest of the members of Fall Out Boy have allowed for this family occasion. “Fall Out Boy’s new record has been designed to work around [the birth]. I have a nomadic life. That allows your child and family to see the world’s culture, so that will be a great thing,” Wentz told the paper.
Originally set to premiere Election Day, the Deux bump to December 16 was not only due to Wentz’s baby momma’s bump but also the fact that this November’s election is such an important one. “I perceived it as a gimmick, a cute thing,” Wentz told the Herald Sun, ”we were going to make ‘Vote for Fall Out Boy’ T-shirts. But that seemed a bit cheap. So we decided to push it back. Our label wanted it out next year, we wanted it out this year, so now it’s out two weeks before Christmas. We’ll see how it goes. The election is more important than our record. If our record suffers for that, that’s OK.”
Appeasing fans and their record company, Fall Out Boy has set another kind of record. Instead of searching for the number one sales spot this November, they instead set their sights on a Guinness World Record. The idea to break a World Record is not their first, incidentally. Earlier this year they hoped to put their names on a different page in the Guinness book by performing live on all seven continents within nine months. But when Antarctica’s weather proved to be a problem, they set their sights on something a little more feasible – “Most Interviews on Radio In a 24 Hour Period By a Pair of Two.” The two geniuses who performed the acts were none other than Wentz and Stump, who conducted 72 interviews on Halloween. Though the interviews still need to be confirmed by Guinness, they boys shattered the previous record, which held the mark at 57 and was set in May.
But for Wentz and his band mates, this is not the only record they hope to set even as 2009 looms nearer and nearer. With a pushed released of their fifth studio album and an instrumental presidential election on its way, Fall Out Boy plans on “clubbing” it in promotion of their new album. Beginning November 6th in Allston, MA, the punk rockers will continue on this record setting mindset as they limitedly promote an album yet to be released. What else could happen with Wentz and his crew? Only time will tell as Fall Out Boy continues to shock the nation with their outlandish desires.
Of recent days, the name Fall Out Boy has coincided more with tabloid magazine cover spreads rather than their recognizable hardcore punk sound. The group seemingly all about the underground has become pawns in the mainstream thanks to bassist Pete Wentz. As longtime fans of Fall Out Boy, which really only stretch to the early ’00s, know, the face of the punk band originally came in the form of vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump mostly in part because of their first hit single, “Sugar, We’re Going Down.” Suddenly Wentz appeared, with a clothing line, a bar, film production work, a record label, and a hot wife. Just as confused as the rest of us? Keep up with boys with Fall Out Boy tickets from http://www.stubhub.com/fall-out-boy-tickets/.
Wentz’s life has commanded the punk band so much so that Fall Out Boy’s latest record, Folie a Deux, is set to premiere only after Wentz’s pop star wife, Ashlee Simpson, has their child. According to the Herald Sun, the rest of the members of Fall Out Boy have allowed for this family occasion. “Fall Out Boy’s new record has been designed to work around [the birth]. I have a nomadic life. That allows your child and family to see the world’s culture, so that will be a great thing,” Wentz told the paper.
Originally set to premiere Election Day, the Deux bump to December 16 was not only due to Wentz’s baby momma’s bump but also the fact that this November’s election is such an important one. “I perceived it as a gimmick, a cute thing,” Wentz told the Herald Sun, ”we were going to make ‘Vote for Fall Out Boy’ T-shirts. But that seemed a bit cheap. So we decided to push it back. Our label wanted it out next year, we wanted it out this year, so now it’s out two weeks before Christmas. We’ll see how it goes. The election is more important than our record. If our record suffers for that, that’s OK.”
Appeasing fans and their record company, Fall Out Boy has set another kind of record. Instead of searching for the number one sales spot this November, they instead set their sights on a Guinness World Record. The idea to break a World Record is not their first, incidentally. Earlier this year they hoped to put their names on a different page in the Guinness book by performing live on all seven continents within nine months. But when Antarctica’s weather proved to be a problem, they set their sights on something a little more feasible – “Most Interviews on Radio In a 24 Hour Period By a Pair of Two.” The two geniuses who performed the acts were none other than Wentz and Stump, who conducted 72 interviews on Halloween. Though the interviews still need to be confirmed by Guinness, they boys shattered the previous record, which held the mark at 57 and was set in May.
But for Wentz and his band mates, this is not the only record they hope to set even as 2009 looms nearer and nearer. With a pushed released of their fifth studio album and an instrumental presidential election on its way, Fall Out Boy plans on “clubbing” it in promotion of their new album. Beginning November 6th in Allston, MA, the punk rockers will continue on this record setting mindset as they limitedly promote an album yet to be released. What else could happen with Wentz and his crew? Only time will tell as Fall Out Boy continues to shock the nation with their outlandish desires.
Turning Back the Clock
by admin on Oct.23, 2009, under Music
Mike Greenhaus asked:
n and Randall Marsh—two of the original members of Mudcrutch alongside Tom Petty, Mike Campbell and later Benmont Trench—the band’s reunion has been nothing short of a dream. And while the other three members have notched countless sold-out amphitheaters and arenas under their belts, not to mention this past Super Bowl halftime show, as The Heartbreakers, it’s clear Mudcrutch has been revitalizing. We caught up with Campbell, Leadon and Marsh to hear how it was going half way through their first tour in over 30 years.
What was it like hearing the idea of the Mudcrutch reunion not from Tom Petty but from Peter Bogdanovich?
Tom Leadon: Peter had come to Brentwood, TN where I teach music to interview me [for the documentary Runnin’ Down a Dream]. He asked me if I had any Mudcrutch pictures, so I took him into my room and he was saying, “Aww, we’ve seen all these already. You know, Tom mentioned to me the other day that he was thinking of having a Mudcrutch reunion.” I have to say that his words shot through me like a bolt of lightening. … I’ve been practicing everyday for years because I’m a musician but I always had faith that some day I could do something and get my music out there. I told Peter to tell Tom I was up for it. It was about another seven or eight months before I heard from Tom. I’m still just living a dream here. I feel better than if I won the lottery.
Randall Marsh: I was dumbfounded. I just presumed they’d been working on the movie and maybe had a few beers and Peter misconstrued some nostalgic idea. So I didn’t take it that seriously.
Leadon: When he called me, I was driving home from the supermarket and he said, “Hey, this is your old pal Tom Petty,” and I was like, “No… really?” I thought it was one of my friends jerking my chain. He said it again and I said again, “No… really?” I couldn’t hear him very well so I pulled my truck over to the side of the road and we talked for about an hour and it was just great.
I didn’t know that we’d do a whole record, I don’t think any of us did. Tom said he had an equipment warehouse and he’d set up some tape recording equipment and I thought, “Well, maybe we’ll make some demos and maybe something down the line will come out of it.” I was still really excited. I thought we’d get together for two or three days and just have fun, play a little music and then go home. As I got subsequent calls from Tom over the next few months, I found out that he was blocking out two weeks of time, that he had one of the best engineers in the business, and I’m thinking this is starting to sound really good. I was asking him about airline expenses and he said, “Ah, there’ll probably be a record deal somewhere down the line.” And I’m thinking to myself, record deal! And we hadn’t even played a note.
Did you ever expect, after this long—three decades—that this might happen?
Mike Campbell: It was out of the blue. I was pleasantly surprised when he called me and asked me what I thought. I thought, “That’d be really fun to do.” I was also surprised that with The Heartbreakers and all the other activities we’ve got going on—we’d just done the Super Bowl and we were setting up a summer tour—and I was impressed that Tom was so keen to do it, that he wanted to find time to squeeze this in. Obviously Tom didn’t have to do this project; this is something he really wanted to do.
It seems like Mudcrutch offers all of you an opportunity to be free of expectations, both from fans and label executives.
Campbell: It’s so liberating to do a project that has no baggage with it, no expectations. On some level it’s compared to The Heartbreakers but it’s a completely separate band, separate style of music. It’s still the same songwriter and singer but in this band Tom plays bass and that creates a whole different feel and different concept of how the music is going to flow. It’s really exciting to walk out onstage and not play any hits—for me, Ben [Benmont Trench] and Tom, that’s a real revelation. And to still have it go over as well as it has—the audiences are just going nuts—it’s real eye opener for the three of us that we can go out onstage with our original band, play songs they’ve never heard before and have it really work.
What was the first reunion show like in Malibu?
Campbell: It was a different type of pressure than, say, the Super Bowl or some big arena concert because they are right up in front of you and you’re presenting music they’ve never heard before. It was a real nice challenge and it was—and still is—very exciting to get up and play with our old friends. We were pleasantly surprised that people really seemed to respond to the chemistry and honesty of what we were presenting.
Leadon: I had the jitters a little bit. I remember driving over there in the car with Tom and Randall and it was just a magical thing, driving along the water to the gig and having the place sold-out. I just felt like at my age, here I am 55 years old, played guitar for 45 of them and played in a lot bands—and this was the most special band I was ever in, these were the guys I grew up with—so in a sense it was my coming-out party. It just felt like it was time.
Marsh: I kept telling myself, you take away the fame and celebrity, it’s just another gig, just another band. But before we went on, I was about to wet my pants. [laughs] These guys are so good, such pros, I didn’t want to let anybody down.
“Crystal River” seems to be something special, something a bit different than the rest of the tunes.
Campbell: That song was from the first day we got together and Tom had just barely written it. He just showed us the chords. We were getting use to the room and getting used to playing together again, so it did stretch on a bit because we were just discovering our sound. When we play that song live, it is one of the high points of the show. It seems like the audience is in on the joke—that these guys are really enjoying this and it’s fresh. And even though I haven’t heard this song before, there’s something magical going on that they really connect with. Every night it does that have element of “We’re going to go off in this direction and see where it lands.” It’s very exciting because The Heartbreakers don’t do that much.
The song represents all the elements that were Mudcrutch. Mudcrutch had two worlds that were coming together. One world was Tom Leadon and Tom Petty, who were deeply engrossed in country rock like Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds’ country stuff or The Flying Burrito Brothers. Randall and I were really versed in long improvisations, Grateful Deadish-type feel. Those two worlds are well represented in that song. It’s got a bit of country swing and feel in the verses but the instrumental part tends to take a few liberties, stretch out and come back to that. Those two worlds together is basically what the Mudcrutch sound is.
Does this band sound like the original Mudcrutch?
Campbell: The key here is it’s very true to the original Mudcrutch. The Mudcrutch that got signed to Shelter records and put out a few singles was a different Mudcrutch: Tom Leadon had left, Randall Marsh had left and a few other guys had come in and we’d gotten a little away from that original sound. This band is the original lineup and inspiration of what that band was all about. It sounds just like we did back in the day. When we recorded the album, we made a point of recording it live with no headphones, live vocals, live solos. It’s very, very true.
Leadon: What’s different, though, is that 30 some years later, we’ve all been playing, some of us famously, some of us not so famously. We’ve all been progressing with our music and I feel like we’re all much better players, singers and writers than we were then. When we started Mudcrutch, I wasn’t even 18 yet and by the time I was 20, I’d left the band. We had something special, it just never had a chance to fully develop. That’s something that’s so satisfying with his project. To me it feels like a chance to see what might have been.
Did you go back and listen to the original material when you were all together?
Campbell: That’s another thing that’s interesting: Even though we have the same sound and chemistry that we had back in the day, maybe 80 percent of the songs are freshly written.
Has there been any thought to revisit it or are you letting it lie?
Campbell: We like to leave that alone and move on with newer songs. We did a few covers on the record that were older, that we used to do back in the day, like “Six Days on the Road” and “Lover on the Bayou.” There’s one song on the album that we brought back from the old days that we actually never recorded but used to play at our shows that Tom Leadon wrote, “Queen of the Go Go Girls.”
Leadon: Now that we’re much more mature, better players—and Tom was always a good writer but now he’s a great writer—we come in and do the best song we have at the moment and it’s not going to be a song we wrote 35 years ago. Most of the others are brand-new songs and that’s because Tom is writing better now than he did then. He thought about some of the old songs, he thought, “Nah, that’s the sound of guys learning to play and write.”
One of the bands that Mudcrutch gets compared to a lot is Flying Burrito Brothers and Gram Parsons. I’m curious to hear your respective takes on Parsons.
Campbell: I’ve always thought he was a genius, brilliant and very soulful singer and I always loved his records. It was actually Tom Leadon and Tom Petty who turned me on to him. I just loved his whole trip.
Leadon: Tom and I first heard him, like many people, on Sweetheart of the Rodeo and we were really into that and we actually used to cover some of the tunes he did, like “Empty Bottle, Broken Heart.” We were hip to the fact that he and Chris Hillman started The Flying Brothers. Hillman was someone who my older brother Bernie had been in a band with as teenagers in San Diego before The Byrds, called Scottsville Squirrel Barkers. Chris was the main guy that inspired my brother to move to L.A. to try and make it. So we started listening to the first Flying Burrito album and we just loved it. We were doing Flying Burritos covers and nobody in Florida was doing anything like that. They didn’t understand why these longhaired rock musicians would be playing this truck-stop country music. We just loved it. Gram, for me, was the one that inspired me to sing other than just a few harmony parts I used to do. … So really, the reason Tom Petty and I got into country was my brother’s influence. We’d get these records from the West Coast and the public in general didn’t know about it and then [my brother] joined The Flying Burrito Brothers, which was our favorite band. I was just thrilled. He made a couple of records with them.
When I moved to LA in ‘73—I was the first to leave Mudcrutch and I was living with my brother—I met Gram there at some nightclubs with Clarence White and people like that. He was just my hero. Bernie played on his last album, Grievous Angel, and took me to the sessions so I got to hang out with Gram and I got to meet Emmylou [Harris] and they became close friends. It was just such a tragedy when he died. I saw the destructive side of him as well. I hung out with him enough to see that. I felt that he was a genius but a flawed genius. He was a wonderful person. … Ultimately he didn’t take care of himself, he destroyed himself and… it’s not a good thing he did there. We could still have Gram today if he didn’t do that… I just don’t understand why people do things like that to themselves but we’re lucky we had him when we did. His vision of putting together rock, country, gospel and R&B for this cosmic American music that he talked about, it really affected a lot of the music that came after that.
Mike, what is it like playing with Tom on bass after so long and working with the other Tom on guitar? Do you sense that it might make the Heartbreakers’ dynamic fresh in some ways?
Campbell: Tom played bass back in the day with Mudcrutch—when I met him, he was the bass player and he was always great at the bass. All the years with The Heartbreakers, he’s played guitar, which he’s also great on. He writes his songs on the guitar. I know Tom was really keen to play the bass again and I know he practiced it really hard for this project because he wanted to make sure he could carry his end. I think playing the bass and making this record live, I think it was an eye-opener for Tom to sing live and play the bass, it really connected him with how he started out in bands. I think it’s liberated him and made him enjoy music in a way that he hasn’t in many years. I am hopeful that some of that energy and awakening will spillover into stuff we do in the future.
What does the future hold for Mudcrutch?
Campbell: The whole project started as a whim and then it became a record and now it’s become some gigs. Every step along the way it’s been so enjoyable and so positive and received so well, I can’t see any reason for it not to continue. It’s just a matter of finding time to do it. We’re as happy as a musician can be playing these gigs. Something this fun you couldn’t just put it down and not keeping going.
n and Randall Marsh—two of the original members of Mudcrutch alongside Tom Petty, Mike Campbell and later Benmont Trench—the band’s reunion has been nothing short of a dream. And while the other three members have notched countless sold-out amphitheaters and arenas under their belts, not to mention this past Super Bowl halftime show, as The Heartbreakers, it’s clear Mudcrutch has been revitalizing. We caught up with Campbell, Leadon and Marsh to hear how it was going half way through their first tour in over 30 years.
What was it like hearing the idea of the Mudcrutch reunion not from Tom Petty but from Peter Bogdanovich?
Tom Leadon: Peter had come to Brentwood, TN where I teach music to interview me [for the documentary Runnin’ Down a Dream]. He asked me if I had any Mudcrutch pictures, so I took him into my room and he was saying, “Aww, we’ve seen all these already. You know, Tom mentioned to me the other day that he was thinking of having a Mudcrutch reunion.” I have to say that his words shot through me like a bolt of lightening. … I’ve been practicing everyday for years because I’m a musician but I always had faith that some day I could do something and get my music out there. I told Peter to tell Tom I was up for it. It was about another seven or eight months before I heard from Tom. I’m still just living a dream here. I feel better than if I won the lottery.
Randall Marsh: I was dumbfounded. I just presumed they’d been working on the movie and maybe had a few beers and Peter misconstrued some nostalgic idea. So I didn’t take it that seriously.
Leadon: When he called me, I was driving home from the supermarket and he said, “Hey, this is your old pal Tom Petty,” and I was like, “No… really?” I thought it was one of my friends jerking my chain. He said it again and I said again, “No… really?” I couldn’t hear him very well so I pulled my truck over to the side of the road and we talked for about an hour and it was just great.
I didn’t know that we’d do a whole record, I don’t think any of us did. Tom said he had an equipment warehouse and he’d set up some tape recording equipment and I thought, “Well, maybe we’ll make some demos and maybe something down the line will come out of it.” I was still really excited. I thought we’d get together for two or three days and just have fun, play a little music and then go home. As I got subsequent calls from Tom over the next few months, I found out that he was blocking out two weeks of time, that he had one of the best engineers in the business, and I’m thinking this is starting to sound really good. I was asking him about airline expenses and he said, “Ah, there’ll probably be a record deal somewhere down the line.” And I’m thinking to myself, record deal! And we hadn’t even played a note.
Did you ever expect, after this long—three decades—that this might happen?
Mike Campbell: It was out of the blue. I was pleasantly surprised when he called me and asked me what I thought. I thought, “That’d be really fun to do.” I was also surprised that with The Heartbreakers and all the other activities we’ve got going on—we’d just done the Super Bowl and we were setting up a summer tour—and I was impressed that Tom was so keen to do it, that he wanted to find time to squeeze this in. Obviously Tom didn’t have to do this project; this is something he really wanted to do.
It seems like Mudcrutch offers all of you an opportunity to be free of expectations, both from fans and label executives.
Campbell: It’s so liberating to do a project that has no baggage with it, no expectations. On some level it’s compared to The Heartbreakers but it’s a completely separate band, separate style of music. It’s still the same songwriter and singer but in this band Tom plays bass and that creates a whole different feel and different concept of how the music is going to flow. It’s really exciting to walk out onstage and not play any hits—for me, Ben [Benmont Trench] and Tom, that’s a real revelation. And to still have it go over as well as it has—the audiences are just going nuts—it’s real eye opener for the three of us that we can go out onstage with our original band, play songs they’ve never heard before and have it really work.
What was the first reunion show like in Malibu?
Campbell: It was a different type of pressure than, say, the Super Bowl or some big arena concert because they are right up in front of you and you’re presenting music they’ve never heard before. It was a real nice challenge and it was—and still is—very exciting to get up and play with our old friends. We were pleasantly surprised that people really seemed to respond to the chemistry and honesty of what we were presenting.
Leadon: I had the jitters a little bit. I remember driving over there in the car with Tom and Randall and it was just a magical thing, driving along the water to the gig and having the place sold-out. I just felt like at my age, here I am 55 years old, played guitar for 45 of them and played in a lot bands—and this was the most special band I was ever in, these were the guys I grew up with—so in a sense it was my coming-out party. It just felt like it was time.
Marsh: I kept telling myself, you take away the fame and celebrity, it’s just another gig, just another band. But before we went on, I was about to wet my pants. [laughs] These guys are so good, such pros, I didn’t want to let anybody down.
“Crystal River” seems to be something special, something a bit different than the rest of the tunes.
Campbell: That song was from the first day we got together and Tom had just barely written it. He just showed us the chords. We were getting use to the room and getting used to playing together again, so it did stretch on a bit because we were just discovering our sound. When we play that song live, it is one of the high points of the show. It seems like the audience is in on the joke—that these guys are really enjoying this and it’s fresh. And even though I haven’t heard this song before, there’s something magical going on that they really connect with. Every night it does that have element of “We’re going to go off in this direction and see where it lands.” It’s very exciting because The Heartbreakers don’t do that much.
The song represents all the elements that were Mudcrutch. Mudcrutch had two worlds that were coming together. One world was Tom Leadon and Tom Petty, who were deeply engrossed in country rock like Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds’ country stuff or The Flying Burrito Brothers. Randall and I were really versed in long improvisations, Grateful Deadish-type feel. Those two worlds are well represented in that song. It’s got a bit of country swing and feel in the verses but the instrumental part tends to take a few liberties, stretch out and come back to that. Those two worlds together is basically what the Mudcrutch sound is.
Does this band sound like the original Mudcrutch?
Campbell: The key here is it’s very true to the original Mudcrutch. The Mudcrutch that got signed to Shelter records and put out a few singles was a different Mudcrutch: Tom Leadon had left, Randall Marsh had left and a few other guys had come in and we’d gotten a little away from that original sound. This band is the original lineup and inspiration of what that band was all about. It sounds just like we did back in the day. When we recorded the album, we made a point of recording it live with no headphones, live vocals, live solos. It’s very, very true.
Leadon: What’s different, though, is that 30 some years later, we’ve all been playing, some of us famously, some of us not so famously. We’ve all been progressing with our music and I feel like we’re all much better players, singers and writers than we were then. When we started Mudcrutch, I wasn’t even 18 yet and by the time I was 20, I’d left the band. We had something special, it just never had a chance to fully develop. That’s something that’s so satisfying with his project. To me it feels like a chance to see what might have been.
Did you go back and listen to the original material when you were all together?
Campbell: That’s another thing that’s interesting: Even though we have the same sound and chemistry that we had back in the day, maybe 80 percent of the songs are freshly written.
Has there been any thought to revisit it or are you letting it lie?
Campbell: We like to leave that alone and move on with newer songs. We did a few covers on the record that were older, that we used to do back in the day, like “Six Days on the Road” and “Lover on the Bayou.” There’s one song on the album that we brought back from the old days that we actually never recorded but used to play at our shows that Tom Leadon wrote, “Queen of the Go Go Girls.”
Leadon: Now that we’re much more mature, better players—and Tom was always a good writer but now he’s a great writer—we come in and do the best song we have at the moment and it’s not going to be a song we wrote 35 years ago. Most of the others are brand-new songs and that’s because Tom is writing better now than he did then. He thought about some of the old songs, he thought, “Nah, that’s the sound of guys learning to play and write.”
One of the bands that Mudcrutch gets compared to a lot is Flying Burrito Brothers and Gram Parsons. I’m curious to hear your respective takes on Parsons.
Campbell: I’ve always thought he was a genius, brilliant and very soulful singer and I always loved his records. It was actually Tom Leadon and Tom Petty who turned me on to him. I just loved his whole trip.
Leadon: Tom and I first heard him, like many people, on Sweetheart of the Rodeo and we were really into that and we actually used to cover some of the tunes he did, like “Empty Bottle, Broken Heart.” We were hip to the fact that he and Chris Hillman started The Flying Brothers. Hillman was someone who my older brother Bernie had been in a band with as teenagers in San Diego before The Byrds, called Scottsville Squirrel Barkers. Chris was the main guy that inspired my brother to move to L.A. to try and make it. So we started listening to the first Flying Burrito album and we just loved it. We were doing Flying Burritos covers and nobody in Florida was doing anything like that. They didn’t understand why these longhaired rock musicians would be playing this truck-stop country music. We just loved it. Gram, for me, was the one that inspired me to sing other than just a few harmony parts I used to do. … So really, the reason Tom Petty and I got into country was my brother’s influence. We’d get these records from the West Coast and the public in general didn’t know about it and then [my brother] joined The Flying Burrito Brothers, which was our favorite band. I was just thrilled. He made a couple of records with them.
When I moved to LA in ‘73—I was the first to leave Mudcrutch and I was living with my brother—I met Gram there at some nightclubs with Clarence White and people like that. He was just my hero. Bernie played on his last album, Grievous Angel, and took me to the sessions so I got to hang out with Gram and I got to meet Emmylou [Harris] and they became close friends. It was just such a tragedy when he died. I saw the destructive side of him as well. I hung out with him enough to see that. I felt that he was a genius but a flawed genius. He was a wonderful person. … Ultimately he didn’t take care of himself, he destroyed himself and… it’s not a good thing he did there. We could still have Gram today if he didn’t do that… I just don’t understand why people do things like that to themselves but we’re lucky we had him when we did. His vision of putting together rock, country, gospel and R&B for this cosmic American music that he talked about, it really affected a lot of the music that came after that.
Mike, what is it like playing with Tom on bass after so long and working with the other Tom on guitar? Do you sense that it might make the Heartbreakers’ dynamic fresh in some ways?
Campbell: Tom played bass back in the day with Mudcrutch—when I met him, he was the bass player and he was always great at the bass. All the years with The Heartbreakers, he’s played guitar, which he’s also great on. He writes his songs on the guitar. I know Tom was really keen to play the bass again and I know he practiced it really hard for this project because he wanted to make sure he could carry his end. I think playing the bass and making this record live, I think it was an eye-opener for Tom to sing live and play the bass, it really connected him with how he started out in bands. I think it’s liberated him and made him enjoy music in a way that he hasn’t in many years. I am hopeful that some of that energy and awakening will spillover into stuff we do in the future.
What does the future hold for Mudcrutch?
Campbell: The whole project started as a whim and then it became a record and now it’s become some gigs. Every step along the way it’s been so enjoyable and so positive and received so well, I can’t see any reason for it not to continue. It’s just a matter of finding time to do it. We’re as happy as a musician can be playing these gigs. Something this fun you couldn’t just put it down and not keeping going.
Trepanning the Light Fantastic: Cevin Soling Gives you a Hole in the Head
by admin on Oct.22, 2009, under Uncategorized
Mark Kirby asked:
If you’re like most people, you probably think that you need a mind-expanding experience like you need a hole in the head. There are others – artists, intrepid explorers of the mind – who would say the opposite, that you need a hole in the head in order to have drug-free, altered states of consciousness and to experience the clarity and exhilaration of perception that one did as a child.
The act of boring a hole in the skull for such purposes is called trepanation. This subject is thoroughly explored in the documentary film A Hole In The Head, directed by Eli Kabillio and conceived and produced by Cevin Soling, leader of the post everything rock band The Love Kills Theory. Inspired by an offhand comment and following a trail of rumors, Mr. Soling discovered a group of people, trepanauts if you will, who practice this form of surgery that had been prevalent in ancient civilizations found in Africa, South America and the Far East. This surgery is thought to increase blood flow to the brain thus making it function the way it does before the skull completely forms and hardens with age.
In this film we hear comments from those who have had trepanation by choice – and one who had it by accident – and swear by its benefits, as well as those in the scientific community who think it is a bogus and dangerous practice used by wackos who are just after the next high. It is a fascinating film that does what documentaries are meant to do: bore through the flesh and bone of a topic and explore its nooks and crannies in the pursuit of truth.
http://www.holeintheheadmovie.com
http://www.myspace.com/trepanation
http://www.youtube.com/trepanned
[Mark Kirby] Why did you produce this movie?
[Cevin Soling] I had read an interview with Paul McCartney in Musician magazine where he talked about having dinner with John Lennon, who suggested that they both get trepanned. Lennon was always on the look out for all sorts of ways to “expand consciousness” and exorcize demons while McCartney, who was also curious, tended to be more skeptical, as he was in this instance. Generally, interviewers always asked the same questions to the Beatles, and hence, gotten the same answers, so this reference to trepanation was fascinating for being an aberration in addition to its content.
The subject reappeared for me when I saw Donna Kossy’s book, Kooks, where she seemed to indicate that while the practice is extremely unconventional, there might actually be some benefit from it. That was the part that intrigued me since I am not interested in pathology or freak shows, but am fascinated by intellectual potential. After doing further research, I learned that skulls have been found all over the world with holes cut into them dating back as far as 10,000 years, and that these holes were made while the people were alive and most lived many years with a hole. There are theories as to why it was done, but it still persists as an anthropological riddle in the situations where it wasn’t done in response to head trauma. In addition, there weren’t any conclusive studies on the effects of trepanation on brain function and I wanted to see if there was a correlation and if, perhaps, this might have been a reason for prehistoric trepanation.
Spoiler alert: in this film you will see a lot of skulls with holes. Some are damn big, too. And there will be blood, so this film is not for those who are particularly squeamish. But the filmmaking style is so academic and unassuming, while still being entertaining, that you feel like you’re watching a BBC documentary and not some reality T.V. show. One never gets the sense that there is a filmmaker smirking at or mocking the people interviewed. This should be normal in a documentary but with FOX news, CNN and the advocacy style of Michael Moore (“Fahrenheit 911,” “Sicko”) lowering or raising the bar, depending on one’s point of view, this fairness stands out, and refreshingly so.
[Mark Kirby] Tell me about the director, Eli Kabillio. How did he become involved in your project?
[Cevin Soling] Eli was a friend of a friend who I hired to do the camera, lighting and sound. I had the idea, and tracked down all the people and set up and conducted all of the interviews and did all the research. Once we completed filming, I had no idea what you were supposed to do next because I had no film background at that time. Eli was so intrigued by the project that he ran with it without any expectations for payment and oversaw the editing, including tracking down stock footage. Eli got the director credit even though the project was mine because of the post production work he did where he gave the movie its form. He also is responsible for getting it sold to Discovery, so I am very appreciative for that, too.
After that project, Eli and I became partners and friends. I don’t think I have ever met anyone with his work ethic. He hardly ever sleeps. We worked together on a few more projects and then focused on our own things independently. In addition to the many films he directed and produced, he handled all the company business and has a family. Recently, we amicably went our separate ways and I formed Spectacle Films.
[Mark Kirby] How does this film project relate to your philosophical interests, especially Situationism?
[Cevin Soling] I think the goal of philosophy, or any intellectual discipline, is to improve the human condition. I see the Situationist movement as an attempt to raise awareness so people can improve the quality of their lives and trepanation is also an earnest attempt to find a way to improve one’s state.
[Mark Kirby] The people who have had the surgery in the movie are such characters. How did you find them?
[Cevin Soling] Those people were the pioneers. They were the first to study the practice and perform the procedure on themselves. Their names were easy to find since their efforts have been documented, it just took a bit of detective work to track them all down and persistence to get them to agree to talk on camera after they had been treated so unfairly by the press.
[Mark Kirby] The people who were interviewed seem sane and intelligent. How were they off-camera?
[Cevin Soling] Without exception, they were all incredibly friendly, generous, and enthusiastic about their lives in general. They are sane, intelligent, and warmhearted people. Some were initially guarded about discussing trepanation due to brutal press they had received in the past, and I was proud to present their positions without bias.
[Mark Kirby] How would a person who wants to find a doctor or hospital who is willing to do – or knows about – this procedure?
[Cevin Soling] Generally, they can’t and that is a big issue for the people who advocate this procedure. There was a doctor in Mexico who performed this on demand, but his practice got shut down as a result.
[Mark Kirby] Do you feel that the skepticism toward trepanation is rooted in actual science or is it part of our culture’s mistrust and disdain for consciousness raising and exploration?
[Cevin Soling] That is an excellent question. I think it is both. First, the science isn’t there because it hasn’t been something most researchers have had the inclination to study. This does not mean that science won’t someday prove (or disprove) the efficacy of the procedure. In fact, one of the people who had the procedure done has been spearheading research with a prominent Russian physician that has been yielding some promising results. Even if that research leads to an article published in JAMA, I don’t think there would be a response to make the practice available.
There are several reasons for this: one is due to what Thomas Kuhn described as the need for a paradigm shift with regards to scientific revolutions, and the other is that doctors are only trained to repair something that is not functioning properly. The notion of performing a procedure that provides enhancement is typically seen as taboo. Whether that harkens back to a response to Nazi medical experimentation or fear over opening a can of worms with regards to biological eugenics, there are certainly reasons for concern.
The argument levied against that by the trepanned is that the procedure is a corrective restoration of consciousness to the time before the sutures on our skull sealed around the age of eighteen. In general, though, consciousness is not seen to fall within the domain of the medical profession beyond whether you are conscious or unconscious. For politicians, the only socially acceptable way to alter ones consciousness is through religion.
[Mark Kirby] The subjects in the film and the filmmakers themselves specifically request that you don’t try this at home. It could be dangerous and is probably not covered by health insurance. Does it work? Check out the film and hear what the people who have done it have to say and judge for yourself. And remember this: medical science, at various times over the years has stated with complete assuredness the following concepts: black people have smaller skulls and brains than people of European descent, Puerto Ricans are a mongrel race with degenerate genes, women are emotionally unstable and depressed because they lack a penis, and insanity is caused by demons. Okay, that last one might be true.
A Hole In The head is now available on DVD, visit http://www.holeintheheadmovie.com
If you’re like most people, you probably think that you need a mind-expanding experience like you need a hole in the head. There are others – artists, intrepid explorers of the mind – who would say the opposite, that you need a hole in the head in order to have drug-free, altered states of consciousness and to experience the clarity and exhilaration of perception that one did as a child.
The act of boring a hole in the skull for such purposes is called trepanation. This subject is thoroughly explored in the documentary film A Hole In The Head, directed by Eli Kabillio and conceived and produced by Cevin Soling, leader of the post everything rock band The Love Kills Theory. Inspired by an offhand comment and following a trail of rumors, Mr. Soling discovered a group of people, trepanauts if you will, who practice this form of surgery that had been prevalent in ancient civilizations found in Africa, South America and the Far East. This surgery is thought to increase blood flow to the brain thus making it function the way it does before the skull completely forms and hardens with age.
In this film we hear comments from those who have had trepanation by choice – and one who had it by accident – and swear by its benefits, as well as those in the scientific community who think it is a bogus and dangerous practice used by wackos who are just after the next high. It is a fascinating film that does what documentaries are meant to do: bore through the flesh and bone of a topic and explore its nooks and crannies in the pursuit of truth.
http://www.holeintheheadmovie.com
http://www.myspace.com/trepanation
http://www.youtube.com/trepanned
[Mark Kirby] Why did you produce this movie?
[Cevin Soling] I had read an interview with Paul McCartney in Musician magazine where he talked about having dinner with John Lennon, who suggested that they both get trepanned. Lennon was always on the look out for all sorts of ways to “expand consciousness” and exorcize demons while McCartney, who was also curious, tended to be more skeptical, as he was in this instance. Generally, interviewers always asked the same questions to the Beatles, and hence, gotten the same answers, so this reference to trepanation was fascinating for being an aberration in addition to its content.
The subject reappeared for me when I saw Donna Kossy’s book, Kooks, where she seemed to indicate that while the practice is extremely unconventional, there might actually be some benefit from it. That was the part that intrigued me since I am not interested in pathology or freak shows, but am fascinated by intellectual potential. After doing further research, I learned that skulls have been found all over the world with holes cut into them dating back as far as 10,000 years, and that these holes were made while the people were alive and most lived many years with a hole. There are theories as to why it was done, but it still persists as an anthropological riddle in the situations where it wasn’t done in response to head trauma. In addition, there weren’t any conclusive studies on the effects of trepanation on brain function and I wanted to see if there was a correlation and if, perhaps, this might have been a reason for prehistoric trepanation.
Spoiler alert: in this film you will see a lot of skulls with holes. Some are damn big, too. And there will be blood, so this film is not for those who are particularly squeamish. But the filmmaking style is so academic and unassuming, while still being entertaining, that you feel like you’re watching a BBC documentary and not some reality T.V. show. One never gets the sense that there is a filmmaker smirking at or mocking the people interviewed. This should be normal in a documentary but with FOX news, CNN and the advocacy style of Michael Moore (“Fahrenheit 911,” “Sicko”) lowering or raising the bar, depending on one’s point of view, this fairness stands out, and refreshingly so.
[Mark Kirby] Tell me about the director, Eli Kabillio. How did he become involved in your project?
[Cevin Soling] Eli was a friend of a friend who I hired to do the camera, lighting and sound. I had the idea, and tracked down all the people and set up and conducted all of the interviews and did all the research. Once we completed filming, I had no idea what you were supposed to do next because I had no film background at that time. Eli was so intrigued by the project that he ran with it without any expectations for payment and oversaw the editing, including tracking down stock footage. Eli got the director credit even though the project was mine because of the post production work he did where he gave the movie its form. He also is responsible for getting it sold to Discovery, so I am very appreciative for that, too.
After that project, Eli and I became partners and friends. I don’t think I have ever met anyone with his work ethic. He hardly ever sleeps. We worked together on a few more projects and then focused on our own things independently. In addition to the many films he directed and produced, he handled all the company business and has a family. Recently, we amicably went our separate ways and I formed Spectacle Films.
[Mark Kirby] How does this film project relate to your philosophical interests, especially Situationism?
[Cevin Soling] I think the goal of philosophy, or any intellectual discipline, is to improve the human condition. I see the Situationist movement as an attempt to raise awareness so people can improve the quality of their lives and trepanation is also an earnest attempt to find a way to improve one’s state.
[Mark Kirby] The people who have had the surgery in the movie are such characters. How did you find them?
[Cevin Soling] Those people were the pioneers. They were the first to study the practice and perform the procedure on themselves. Their names were easy to find since their efforts have been documented, it just took a bit of detective work to track them all down and persistence to get them to agree to talk on camera after they had been treated so unfairly by the press.
[Mark Kirby] The people who were interviewed seem sane and intelligent. How were they off-camera?
[Cevin Soling] Without exception, they were all incredibly friendly, generous, and enthusiastic about their lives in general. They are sane, intelligent, and warmhearted people. Some were initially guarded about discussing trepanation due to brutal press they had received in the past, and I was proud to present their positions without bias.
[Mark Kirby] How would a person who wants to find a doctor or hospital who is willing to do – or knows about – this procedure?
[Cevin Soling] Generally, they can’t and that is a big issue for the people who advocate this procedure. There was a doctor in Mexico who performed this on demand, but his practice got shut down as a result.
[Mark Kirby] Do you feel that the skepticism toward trepanation is rooted in actual science or is it part of our culture’s mistrust and disdain for consciousness raising and exploration?
[Cevin Soling] That is an excellent question. I think it is both. First, the science isn’t there because it hasn’t been something most researchers have had the inclination to study. This does not mean that science won’t someday prove (or disprove) the efficacy of the procedure. In fact, one of the people who had the procedure done has been spearheading research with a prominent Russian physician that has been yielding some promising results. Even if that research leads to an article published in JAMA, I don’t think there would be a response to make the practice available.
There are several reasons for this: one is due to what Thomas Kuhn described as the need for a paradigm shift with regards to scientific revolutions, and the other is that doctors are only trained to repair something that is not functioning properly. The notion of performing a procedure that provides enhancement is typically seen as taboo. Whether that harkens back to a response to Nazi medical experimentation or fear over opening a can of worms with regards to biological eugenics, there are certainly reasons for concern.
The argument levied against that by the trepanned is that the procedure is a corrective restoration of consciousness to the time before the sutures on our skull sealed around the age of eighteen. In general, though, consciousness is not seen to fall within the domain of the medical profession beyond whether you are conscious or unconscious. For politicians, the only socially acceptable way to alter ones consciousness is through religion.
[Mark Kirby] The subjects in the film and the filmmakers themselves specifically request that you don’t try this at home. It could be dangerous and is probably not covered by health insurance. Does it work? Check out the film and hear what the people who have done it have to say and judge for yourself. And remember this: medical science, at various times over the years has stated with complete assuredness the following concepts: black people have smaller skulls and brains than people of European descent, Puerto Ricans are a mongrel race with degenerate genes, women are emotionally unstable and depressed because they lack a penis, and insanity is caused by demons. Okay, that last one might be true.
A Hole In The head is now available on DVD, visit http://www.holeintheheadmovie.com
Money Talks
by admin on Oct.19, 2009, under Interviews
Lynne O\’Connor asked:
How do I handle questions on salary expectations in job search?
A small question with a big payoff that is high on the list for people in job search mode is quite simply, “How do I handle questions on my salary expectations?” The right approach can put money in your pocket. Make a mistake and it can cost you — not just a higher salary but perhaps even the job offer itself.
This is tricky territory. You want to know the employer is paying top dollar for your skills. They want the best value possible for every new hire they make. Hello, negotiation.
Most of us negotiate finances infrequently so it’s understandable that it’s unfamiliar and uncomfortable. It’s also true that a lack of confidence works against you in most endeavors and negotiating is no exception. So if you find even the thought of discussing a starting salary, raise, or bonus makes you apprehensive, consider yourself in good company. As a source of career anxiety, talking about money is near the top of the list.
It is not easy to learn how to put a price tag on yourself — and to do it with style. A good career coach can make a difference by turning salary negotiations into core skills you can count on. With help, you can learn to translate your value to meet the needs of your new employer and deliver the message with conviction. Then the issue of how much you cost can become secondary to how much you are going to deliver.
Work with a coach who has the perspective you need to get your strategy right and build what’s called your “value proposition.” Use your coach to practice challenging negotiation scenarios and review possible objections. Develop flexible, collaborative language and maintain a relaxed approach. Learn how to look for points of agreements, when to pause the conversation and when to offer alternatives.
Sometimes the salary question is asked right in the job posting – “Reply stating salary expectations.” Why do they do that? They haven’t met you yet. How can they possibly know how much you are worth? It could be the employer is marketing-testing their proposed salary range. Perhaps they want to limit interviews to a narrow band in their price range (provided they can get qualified candidates at the lower end).
As one strategy, you can choose to ignore the request and trust your qualifications will be compelling enough to generate a call. Or, you could cooperate and name a salary range that you’ve researched. Many Internet job boards have salary research information. Recruiters and placement agencies you are working with can be good sources of salary information. Your network of contacts may also offer some input on current marketplace rates. Another option is to add a statement to your cover letter indicating you will be happy to discuss salary in person once you have more information on the job responsibilities. Is there a perfect response? Not every time, but you can try a few different approaches to see what creates the best results.
Once you are in the door you’ll want to be alert on the salary question. Many job seekers inadvertently stumble when asked and offer a quick lowball number. Unfortunately, this answer may get etched in stone and make later negotiating tougher. After all, they’ve literally got your number.
The main rule of thumb – The one who goes first loses. So delay as long as possible without becoming aggravating. Defer the question politely, “Could we come back to that when I understand more about the job? Bounce it back to them “Is there a range set for this role?” Another alternative is to outline the research you’ve done on comparable salaries in the industry. Whenever you do mention a number ask for feedback on it, “Is that the range you had in mind?” If you are off the mark, be sure to mention your flexibility.
One exception to discussing salary upfront occurs when working with recruiters. Generally speaking they work on a need-to-know basis and may expect disclosure before representing you to a potential employer.
Overall, the earlier in the hiring process the salary question is asked, the more likely it’s designed to screen you out. Salary gains are made higher up in the food chain, not at the HR level. It is the boss’s boss who gets to make the exception and approve the increase, especially for someone with exceptional talent like you.
In any selection process two key factors need to line up for you to achieve your optimum negotiating position. When you have built relationships and mutual respect at higher levels in an organization and when they have decided you are the outstanding candidate for the job. Then, of course, you’ll want the offer in writing while you consider it.
Checking in with your coach once you have the offer is a smart move. Too often job seekers focus solely on the salary figure without taking into account other negotiable factors such as vacation, professional development, flex time, educational level, title and more. You can work with your coach to find the right approach and phrasing to address your key points. On the other hand, there are times where the better choice may be not to negotiate at all and accept the offer as it stands. A coach who understands your search priorities can help you discover what may be right for you.
Of course, all of this takes confidence, marketing and strategy. Your goal is to convince the interviewers in every meeting that you are an exceptional applicant. You want to be seen not as a cost, but as an investment. And the very best time to negotiate? When you have that written offer in your hand and they need you in the job tomorrow.
How do I handle questions on salary expectations in job search?
A small question with a big payoff that is high on the list for people in job search mode is quite simply, “How do I handle questions on my salary expectations?” The right approach can put money in your pocket. Make a mistake and it can cost you — not just a higher salary but perhaps even the job offer itself.
This is tricky territory. You want to know the employer is paying top dollar for your skills. They want the best value possible for every new hire they make. Hello, negotiation.
Most of us negotiate finances infrequently so it’s understandable that it’s unfamiliar and uncomfortable. It’s also true that a lack of confidence works against you in most endeavors and negotiating is no exception. So if you find even the thought of discussing a starting salary, raise, or bonus makes you apprehensive, consider yourself in good company. As a source of career anxiety, talking about money is near the top of the list.
It is not easy to learn how to put a price tag on yourself — and to do it with style. A good career coach can make a difference by turning salary negotiations into core skills you can count on. With help, you can learn to translate your value to meet the needs of your new employer and deliver the message with conviction. Then the issue of how much you cost can become secondary to how much you are going to deliver.
Work with a coach who has the perspective you need to get your strategy right and build what’s called your “value proposition.” Use your coach to practice challenging negotiation scenarios and review possible objections. Develop flexible, collaborative language and maintain a relaxed approach. Learn how to look for points of agreements, when to pause the conversation and when to offer alternatives.
Sometimes the salary question is asked right in the job posting – “Reply stating salary expectations.” Why do they do that? They haven’t met you yet. How can they possibly know how much you are worth? It could be the employer is marketing-testing their proposed salary range. Perhaps they want to limit interviews to a narrow band in their price range (provided they can get qualified candidates at the lower end).
As one strategy, you can choose to ignore the request and trust your qualifications will be compelling enough to generate a call. Or, you could cooperate and name a salary range that you’ve researched. Many Internet job boards have salary research information. Recruiters and placement agencies you are working with can be good sources of salary information. Your network of contacts may also offer some input on current marketplace rates. Another option is to add a statement to your cover letter indicating you will be happy to discuss salary in person once you have more information on the job responsibilities. Is there a perfect response? Not every time, but you can try a few different approaches to see what creates the best results.
Once you are in the door you’ll want to be alert on the salary question. Many job seekers inadvertently stumble when asked and offer a quick lowball number. Unfortunately, this answer may get etched in stone and make later negotiating tougher. After all, they’ve literally got your number.
The main rule of thumb – The one who goes first loses. So delay as long as possible without becoming aggravating. Defer the question politely, “Could we come back to that when I understand more about the job? Bounce it back to them “Is there a range set for this role?” Another alternative is to outline the research you’ve done on comparable salaries in the industry. Whenever you do mention a number ask for feedback on it, “Is that the range you had in mind?” If you are off the mark, be sure to mention your flexibility.
One exception to discussing salary upfront occurs when working with recruiters. Generally speaking they work on a need-to-know basis and may expect disclosure before representing you to a potential employer.
Overall, the earlier in the hiring process the salary question is asked, the more likely it’s designed to screen you out. Salary gains are made higher up in the food chain, not at the HR level. It is the boss’s boss who gets to make the exception and approve the increase, especially for someone with exceptional talent like you.
In any selection process two key factors need to line up for you to achieve your optimum negotiating position. When you have built relationships and mutual respect at higher levels in an organization and when they have decided you are the outstanding candidate for the job. Then, of course, you’ll want the offer in writing while you consider it.
Checking in with your coach once you have the offer is a smart move. Too often job seekers focus solely on the salary figure without taking into account other negotiable factors such as vacation, professional development, flex time, educational level, title and more. You can work with your coach to find the right approach and phrasing to address your key points. On the other hand, there are times where the better choice may be not to negotiate at all and accept the offer as it stands. A coach who understands your search priorities can help you discover what may be right for you.
Of course, all of this takes confidence, marketing and strategy. Your goal is to convince the interviewers in every meeting that you are an exceptional applicant. You want to be seen not as a cost, but as an investment. And the very best time to negotiate? When you have that written offer in your hand and they need you in the job tomorrow.
Tim Young, Bringing New York Rock’n'roll Back to Its Roots
by admin on Oct.15, 2009, under Music
Eric de Fontenay asked:
Rocker Tim Young is a veteran to the New York music scene. Influenced over the years by artists of all styles from Marvin Gaye to Jefferson Airplane to Elvis Presley, Young has been writing music for nearly two decades now. He started releasing albums in 2002 with No Stranger, a collection of nine original instrumentals that were self-produced and recorded at his home studio. His 2005 album, Red, was his debut as a singer/songwriter, and now in 2008 he has released his newest album, The Cost, that is a straight up rock ‘n roll record. MusicDish had the chance to speak with Tim in this exclusive interview about his new album, his influences, his future and other related topics.
[MusicDish] When did you begin creating music, and when did you begin to seriously pursue a music career?
[Tim Young] I was a junior at Mansfield State University in Mansfield, PA. Actually, I had accordion lessons when I was a kid from eleven years to fifteen. But at Mansfield I began to write my own songs. Then I was nineteen. Peter, Paul and Mary were the easy ones to pick up then and everybody loved them.
Once I put my first band together, which was the early 80′s, I became serious about my music. My first band, just for the record, was named Signals. Unfortunately there are no recordings of this music. Or maybe that’s a good thing. I did always think I’ve got a bunch of hits in me.
[MusicDish] What were your earliest musical influences?
[Tim Young] Probably Elvis and Elvis clones like Fabian and Bobby Rydell. There was also this guy Buddy Knox who had this record, ‘Party Doll’, which I loved. The Beatles hit when I was fourteen and that was the heyday of great AM radio which was always on the instant I stepped foot into the family car. After I earned my driver’s license and could drive on my own, I would drive as fast as the music would take me and turn it way up. I remember Tommy James’s ‘Hanky Panky’ and Arthur Connolly’s ‘Sweet Soul Music’ being particularly great to drive fast to.
[MusicDish] Do you find that songwriting or lyric writing comes most naturally to you?
[Tim Young] I think they both come naturally to me but both are difficult to get right. I began writing some poetry in high school but I didn’t play guitar then. However, I was encouraged by a few fellow students to go on with my writing. I guess melodies did come kind of easy for me once I had mastered a few chords. It was and still is so fascinating to see and hear the words take on a new life in the context of the music. Plus I had memorized every lyric and melody nuance to every Beatles song that was released. I poured that stuff into my head. I know that helped me in many ways.
The late 60′s and early 70′s brought the counterculture to a head. I mean there was a lot in the air then that one could take to support the habit of writing music and putting words to it. It seemed there was always something that needed to be said. And for me the longer I kept writing the better I became.
[MusicDish] What music do you currently listen to?
[Tim Young] Mostly my own stuff. When I’ve completed a new project I get so much satisfaction in hearing it. It’s like food. I need it to sustain myself. I also listen to artists I find on MySpace and other places I stumble onto on the web. I should probably branch out more with my listening but mostly I’m just disappointed. However, right now I am also pretty hot on Patti Smith after just seeing the brand new doc on her life, which was an excellent film.
[MusicDish] As I listen to ‘The Cost,’ I am clearly reminded of the twangy blues of Elvis, combined with the overwhelming vibe of heartbreak, mastered by Johnny Cash. Would you consider your music to be modeled after them?
[Tim Young] Not consciously. But Johnny Cash is someone I look up to because he was more of a writer than Elvis, and in the past few years before his death, Cash was really reborn again. It’s no secret. Just listen to those last few albums. Stellar performances, in my opinion. And even though he did cover a lot of songs, if you didn’t know you would probably think that Johnny wrote them. That’s the kind of artist I can aspire to. It seems to me that his music was not a part of his life but was his life and in that respect I guess you could say I have modeled myself after Johnny Cash. I also dig the wearing of the black.
[MusicDish] What do you feel is the overall message of your album? Do the themes of pain and loss correspond with personal experiences, and do you feel that the album can serve as therapy for those who also experience similar situations?
[Tim Young] I don’t know if there is a message, but it seems to me as the good stuff and bad stuff comes along it’s better to deal with it somehow rather than sweeping it under the rug. If you lose someone dear to you then howl about it. When things get ugly, move away from them. The individual is responsible for him(her)self. It’s too easy to blame somebody else. When things are great, celebrate. It’s so much more wise, I think, to roll with the punches. Have fun. Not having fun? Get drunk.
I’d have to say that almost all my songs are pretty personal. They all trigger a personal response in me that no one else would know about. I think that happens to everyone – an individual response that lives in the mind. On the other hand, there can be a more shared response between people and that’s what makes a song resonate and become popular. The sharing of the emotions the music allows to come through. There is real power in those kinds of emotional reactions.
I’m certainly no therapist, but I know from experience that the right song at the right moment is capable of lifting spirits and/or putting you in a mood that may somehow alleviate or bring into focus whatever situation one might be going through. I can say without any hesitation or trepidation that this record, ‘The Cost’, makes me feel great, and a big part of that reason is I think it touches on a lot of shared inner emotions.
[MusicDish] Which track is the most meaningful to you? And which do you think will be your biggest hit?
[Tim Young] I go back and forth on this but today I’d have to say the title track, ‘The Cost’, is the most meaningful. I could not have written this song without the amazing relationship I share with my girlfriend. ‘The Cost’ is the worst case scenario. What if things all fell apart? Disaster. I would never want to face that, but what if? Nobody knows.
If ‘The Cost’ was to be the biggest hit… Wow. I could see that. (I think the sleeper hit could be ‘Wishing.’)
[MusicDish] On ‘Drifting Cowboy,’ can you offer some insight as to whether the cowboy is a fictional character, or if he is autobiographical at all?
[Tim Young] I suppose a combination. That word ‘cowboy’ pops up in my songs sometimes. I dig that word because it represents freedom to me. Someone with no ties; whose only possessions are a horse and whatever is in the saddle bags – the ability to just split without notice. Maybe because I’m a city dweller part of me yearns for the openness of what the West used to be – what it meant to head West.
I took the title from the name of Hank Williams’ band, The Drifting Cowboys. By the way, the details listed in the song are facts about Hank: born in Alabama, quit school in Montgomery, played in bars and on the radio, made it big in Nashville.
[MusicDish] How do you feel about the current state of the music industry? Do today’s artists compare with the legends of the past, like Elvis or Johnny? Do you have hope for the future generations of American music?
[Tim Young] I think generally the industry is healthy because there are more artists than ever working and creating new music. I believe the consensus is that the internet has leveled the playing field some. The major labels no longer have the stranglehold on the business they used to.
I still think it’s very difficult to have people pay attention to new artists and part of this is because there are more artists than ever and it’s very difficult to get through most of the muck to find something of value. This has probably always been true, but with the internet it has become so much more obvious.
Great artists are rare. I know there are some out there but I don’t want to be told who they are. Supposedly greatness rises to the surface and if that’s true then I’ll see them when they appear. Today it’s too much of what I call the ‘toothpaste effect’: one brand today, a different brand tomorrow. The music doesn’t stick; it just washes down the drain. Spit out.
Hope doesn’t cost a dime.
[MusicDish] What is the next step in your music career going to be? What can fans expect?
[Tim Young] More music! I’ve never done any kind of major touring and I would like to do that. I want to put out one album a year. Right now I’m in the middle of writing songs for the next record. I want ‘The Cost’ to make a difference in my career so that I can accomplish some of these goals more easily.
My fans can always expect the kind of emotional no holds barred shows that I always deliver, and new songs and ideas are always a part of that. Performing is a high priority.
[MusicDish] Can you speak a bit about your current performance schedule? Where can fans see you live?
[Tim Young] This is an area I need to improve. I don’t have a satisfactory performance line up. Right now I have a solo gig at the Vintage Bar, which is located on the corner of 51st Street and 9th Avenue. I perform there once a month, in about the middle of the month. The dates always change but I always post them on my site and on MySpace. Vintage is a great intimate setting and I love playing there.
My band, which is a duo, with Sand Edwards on drums, is on the lookout for gigs. I wear a lot of hats running this project and sometimes the booking agent hat has a tendency to fall off, but like all the others I pick it right up again.
http://www.timrocksweb.com
http://www.myspace.com/timnycyoung
Rocker Tim Young is a veteran to the New York music scene. Influenced over the years by artists of all styles from Marvin Gaye to Jefferson Airplane to Elvis Presley, Young has been writing music for nearly two decades now. He started releasing albums in 2002 with No Stranger, a collection of nine original instrumentals that were self-produced and recorded at his home studio. His 2005 album, Red, was his debut as a singer/songwriter, and now in 2008 he has released his newest album, The Cost, that is a straight up rock ‘n roll record. MusicDish had the chance to speak with Tim in this exclusive interview about his new album, his influences, his future and other related topics.
[MusicDish] When did you begin creating music, and when did you begin to seriously pursue a music career?
[Tim Young] I was a junior at Mansfield State University in Mansfield, PA. Actually, I had accordion lessons when I was a kid from eleven years to fifteen. But at Mansfield I began to write my own songs. Then I was nineteen. Peter, Paul and Mary were the easy ones to pick up then and everybody loved them.
Once I put my first band together, which was the early 80′s, I became serious about my music. My first band, just for the record, was named Signals. Unfortunately there are no recordings of this music. Or maybe that’s a good thing. I did always think I’ve got a bunch of hits in me.
[MusicDish] What were your earliest musical influences?
[Tim Young] Probably Elvis and Elvis clones like Fabian and Bobby Rydell. There was also this guy Buddy Knox who had this record, ‘Party Doll’, which I loved. The Beatles hit when I was fourteen and that was the heyday of great AM radio which was always on the instant I stepped foot into the family car. After I earned my driver’s license and could drive on my own, I would drive as fast as the music would take me and turn it way up. I remember Tommy James’s ‘Hanky Panky’ and Arthur Connolly’s ‘Sweet Soul Music’ being particularly great to drive fast to.
[MusicDish] Do you find that songwriting or lyric writing comes most naturally to you?
[Tim Young] I think they both come naturally to me but both are difficult to get right. I began writing some poetry in high school but I didn’t play guitar then. However, I was encouraged by a few fellow students to go on with my writing. I guess melodies did come kind of easy for me once I had mastered a few chords. It was and still is so fascinating to see and hear the words take on a new life in the context of the music. Plus I had memorized every lyric and melody nuance to every Beatles song that was released. I poured that stuff into my head. I know that helped me in many ways.
The late 60′s and early 70′s brought the counterculture to a head. I mean there was a lot in the air then that one could take to support the habit of writing music and putting words to it. It seemed there was always something that needed to be said. And for me the longer I kept writing the better I became.
[MusicDish] What music do you currently listen to?
[Tim Young] Mostly my own stuff. When I’ve completed a new project I get so much satisfaction in hearing it. It’s like food. I need it to sustain myself. I also listen to artists I find on MySpace and other places I stumble onto on the web. I should probably branch out more with my listening but mostly I’m just disappointed. However, right now I am also pretty hot on Patti Smith after just seeing the brand new doc on her life, which was an excellent film.
[MusicDish] As I listen to ‘The Cost,’ I am clearly reminded of the twangy blues of Elvis, combined with the overwhelming vibe of heartbreak, mastered by Johnny Cash. Would you consider your music to be modeled after them?
[Tim Young] Not consciously. But Johnny Cash is someone I look up to because he was more of a writer than Elvis, and in the past few years before his death, Cash was really reborn again. It’s no secret. Just listen to those last few albums. Stellar performances, in my opinion. And even though he did cover a lot of songs, if you didn’t know you would probably think that Johnny wrote them. That’s the kind of artist I can aspire to. It seems to me that his music was not a part of his life but was his life and in that respect I guess you could say I have modeled myself after Johnny Cash. I also dig the wearing of the black.
[MusicDish] What do you feel is the overall message of your album? Do the themes of pain and loss correspond with personal experiences, and do you feel that the album can serve as therapy for those who also experience similar situations?
[Tim Young] I don’t know if there is a message, but it seems to me as the good stuff and bad stuff comes along it’s better to deal with it somehow rather than sweeping it under the rug. If you lose someone dear to you then howl about it. When things get ugly, move away from them. The individual is responsible for him(her)self. It’s too easy to blame somebody else. When things are great, celebrate. It’s so much more wise, I think, to roll with the punches. Have fun. Not having fun? Get drunk.
I’d have to say that almost all my songs are pretty personal. They all trigger a personal response in me that no one else would know about. I think that happens to everyone – an individual response that lives in the mind. On the other hand, there can be a more shared response between people and that’s what makes a song resonate and become popular. The sharing of the emotions the music allows to come through. There is real power in those kinds of emotional reactions.
I’m certainly no therapist, but I know from experience that the right song at the right moment is capable of lifting spirits and/or putting you in a mood that may somehow alleviate or bring into focus whatever situation one might be going through. I can say without any hesitation or trepidation that this record, ‘The Cost’, makes me feel great, and a big part of that reason is I think it touches on a lot of shared inner emotions.
[MusicDish] Which track is the most meaningful to you? And which do you think will be your biggest hit?
[Tim Young] I go back and forth on this but today I’d have to say the title track, ‘The Cost’, is the most meaningful. I could not have written this song without the amazing relationship I share with my girlfriend. ‘The Cost’ is the worst case scenario. What if things all fell apart? Disaster. I would never want to face that, but what if? Nobody knows.
If ‘The Cost’ was to be the biggest hit… Wow. I could see that. (I think the sleeper hit could be ‘Wishing.’)
[MusicDish] On ‘Drifting Cowboy,’ can you offer some insight as to whether the cowboy is a fictional character, or if he is autobiographical at all?
[Tim Young] I suppose a combination. That word ‘cowboy’ pops up in my songs sometimes. I dig that word because it represents freedom to me. Someone with no ties; whose only possessions are a horse and whatever is in the saddle bags – the ability to just split without notice. Maybe because I’m a city dweller part of me yearns for the openness of what the West used to be – what it meant to head West.
I took the title from the name of Hank Williams’ band, The Drifting Cowboys. By the way, the details listed in the song are facts about Hank: born in Alabama, quit school in Montgomery, played in bars and on the radio, made it big in Nashville.
[MusicDish] How do you feel about the current state of the music industry? Do today’s artists compare with the legends of the past, like Elvis or Johnny? Do you have hope for the future generations of American music?
[Tim Young] I think generally the industry is healthy because there are more artists than ever working and creating new music. I believe the consensus is that the internet has leveled the playing field some. The major labels no longer have the stranglehold on the business they used to.
I still think it’s very difficult to have people pay attention to new artists and part of this is because there are more artists than ever and it’s very difficult to get through most of the muck to find something of value. This has probably always been true, but with the internet it has become so much more obvious.
Great artists are rare. I know there are some out there but I don’t want to be told who they are. Supposedly greatness rises to the surface and if that’s true then I’ll see them when they appear. Today it’s too much of what I call the ‘toothpaste effect’: one brand today, a different brand tomorrow. The music doesn’t stick; it just washes down the drain. Spit out.
Hope doesn’t cost a dime.
[MusicDish] What is the next step in your music career going to be? What can fans expect?
[Tim Young] More music! I’ve never done any kind of major touring and I would like to do that. I want to put out one album a year. Right now I’m in the middle of writing songs for the next record. I want ‘The Cost’ to make a difference in my career so that I can accomplish some of these goals more easily.
My fans can always expect the kind of emotional no holds barred shows that I always deliver, and new songs and ideas are always a part of that. Performing is a high priority.
[MusicDish] Can you speak a bit about your current performance schedule? Where can fans see you live?
[Tim Young] This is an area I need to improve. I don’t have a satisfactory performance line up. Right now I have a solo gig at the Vintage Bar, which is located on the corner of 51st Street and 9th Avenue. I perform there once a month, in about the middle of the month. The dates always change but I always post them on my site and on MySpace. Vintage is a great intimate setting and I love playing there.
My band, which is a duo, with Sand Edwards on drums, is on the lookout for gigs. I wear a lot of hats running this project and sometimes the booking agent hat has a tendency to fall off, but like all the others I pick it right up again.
http://www.timrocksweb.com
http://www.myspace.com/timnycyoung
Behind The Scenes With Mr. Completely-Canadian Rockers Share Their Thoughts
by admin on Oct.07, 2009, under Art And Entertainment
Robert Benson asked:
Hailing from the blue-collar town of Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada, is a working man’s rock and roll outfit called Mr. Completely. Their critically acclaimed self-released debut CD entitled “Twice on Sundays” has been well received by audiences who love the group’s blend of classic rock, blues rock and emotional pop.
In an interview with Jamie Robertson, the energetic lead singer, we detail many of the elements that make Mr. Completely the dynamic rock and roll band that they have become.
“Our band was originally called “Month of Sundays,” but there was already a band that called themselves “A Month of Sundays,” so out of respect for those musicians, we decided a new name was in order,” explained Jamie. “So we asked our fans to vote on several alternative band names including “Sideline Poets,” “Ten Beer Pretty” and “Stingray,” among others. The online votes were tabulated and the name Mr. Completely was born.”
But what are the origins of the name and why that name? Jamie explained:
“We have added integral pieces to the band, in the form of personnel (in fact Jamie is the only original member of Month of Sundays) including guitarist extraordinaire Richard Spencer, “Hot Rod” Campbell on the drums and our anchorman George Milutinovic on bass guitar. So we completed our line up. So the name depicts the image that we are a complete band, we are family and have been together for some time now. In fact, the special bond we share even extends to our families, we are lifetime friends and even if the band were to fold, we would still hang out.”
“Our song writing is also a group effort. I may bring in a main idea or concept and we all have our distinct area of expertise and we incorporate all of our ideas to form the finished product. We get together once a week to practice, but our collaborative efforts go way beyond that. So our music and our CD reflect this union of the minds.”
When asked what specific band members do outside of the group, Jamie replied:
“We are all hard-working family men. I worked on the B.C. ferry for many years and I have left that employment to concentrate on our family sawmill business. Richard and Rod are both expert carpenters and George works in a pulp mill.”
Another question that was asked is about the specific order of the songs on their debut CD.
“Being an independent band, we decide the order of the cuts and we try to get the best flow, what fits where and the best way to shape the music so every song can be highlighted in its own way.”
As far as being termed an “indie” band, Jamie explained the elements that he feels make up the term:
“We certainly use different distribution methods, we like the control that we have; we wear all the hats, management, production, promotion as well as being the musicians. And we are ready to record another CD, but we definitely need some financial backing, so in respect we are totally “indie.” We don’t have the resources or record label as of yet, but would welcome the opportunity to be signed.”
“We have signed on with A & R Select out of Hollywood and hopefully they can find us some work on a movie soundtrack or television series. This saves the band a lot of “door knocking” and frees us up to concentrate on our music and families. But that does not mean that we don’t do our part to promote ourselves, on the contrary, my wife (Mrs. Completely) works very hard organizing our gigs, recording schedules, designing and maintaining our websites and My Space page and much more. We would not be where we are at without her hard work, she is very dedicated to making sure we are successful,” related Jamie.
Another important question is about the songs that they write and some of the influences and experiences of playing in a band and playing a live show.
“As soon as we are done writing a particular song and everyone is satisfied with their input, we ‘test drive’ it and play it live to gage the audience’s reaction and to see if we have created the song to the best of our ability. Then there is the thrill and personal satisfaction of performing in front of a large crowd, to get the emotional reaction to the song. We feel we are offering a service to our fans; we love to play our music as much as they enjoy hearing it. Music helps us through the hard times and can enhance the times that are already good. You can touch people’s lives with music on so many levels.”
“This may sound a bit strange, but some of our best shows are the many benefit shows that we do locally. So it isn’t all about the money. We take great pleasure in our live sets and feed off the energy of our audience. Plus, meeting new people and playing for these enthusiastic crowds inspires us. I love meeting fans and hearing from them how much they love our songs or hearing someone is using our song at their wedding for the first dance makes me feel that what I am doing is making a difference in people’s lives. We have also had the opportunity to open and share the stage with some of our favorite musicians including Nazareth, Trooper and Honeymoon Suite, which just makes the experience so much more pleasurable and gratifying.”
Jamie also detailed some of the musical influences that the band has as well as what to expect to hear when they play live:
“We will certainly play our singles off of “Twice on Sundays” including “Walk Away” and our beautiful ballad “Before Too Long.” We also do covers of some of our favorite artists, so you could hear “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” or “Green River” by CCR, our cover of “House Of The Rising Sun” as well as a few numbers by the Knack. We also have a great time playing “Ballroom Blitz” by Sweet, which is an incredible live song for the band.”
So what is in store for the band, what does the future hold for this hard-working band from north of the border?
“Besides touring Canada, we would like to tour the United States. I feel that our musical predecessors have made it easier for Canadian bands to be welcome by America and Americans have opened their arms to Canadian artists.”
So as the interview closed, it is apparent that Jamie and his band mates not only sincerely love what they do, but would like many more music lovers to experience their talents, their love for the music that they play and the joy and sheer pleasure that comes with being a complete, cohesive rock and roll band; appropriately named Mr. Completely.
Hailing from the blue-collar town of Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada, is a working man’s rock and roll outfit called Mr. Completely. Their critically acclaimed self-released debut CD entitled “Twice on Sundays” has been well received by audiences who love the group’s blend of classic rock, blues rock and emotional pop.
In an interview with Jamie Robertson, the energetic lead singer, we detail many of the elements that make Mr. Completely the dynamic rock and roll band that they have become.
“Our band was originally called “Month of Sundays,” but there was already a band that called themselves “A Month of Sundays,” so out of respect for those musicians, we decided a new name was in order,” explained Jamie. “So we asked our fans to vote on several alternative band names including “Sideline Poets,” “Ten Beer Pretty” and “Stingray,” among others. The online votes were tabulated and the name Mr. Completely was born.”
But what are the origins of the name and why that name? Jamie explained:
“We have added integral pieces to the band, in the form of personnel (in fact Jamie is the only original member of Month of Sundays) including guitarist extraordinaire Richard Spencer, “Hot Rod” Campbell on the drums and our anchorman George Milutinovic on bass guitar. So we completed our line up. So the name depicts the image that we are a complete band, we are family and have been together for some time now. In fact, the special bond we share even extends to our families, we are lifetime friends and even if the band were to fold, we would still hang out.”
“Our song writing is also a group effort. I may bring in a main idea or concept and we all have our distinct area of expertise and we incorporate all of our ideas to form the finished product. We get together once a week to practice, but our collaborative efforts go way beyond that. So our music and our CD reflect this union of the minds.”
When asked what specific band members do outside of the group, Jamie replied:
“We are all hard-working family men. I worked on the B.C. ferry for many years and I have left that employment to concentrate on our family sawmill business. Richard and Rod are both expert carpenters and George works in a pulp mill.”
Another question that was asked is about the specific order of the songs on their debut CD.
“Being an independent band, we decide the order of the cuts and we try to get the best flow, what fits where and the best way to shape the music so every song can be highlighted in its own way.”
As far as being termed an “indie” band, Jamie explained the elements that he feels make up the term:
“We certainly use different distribution methods, we like the control that we have; we wear all the hats, management, production, promotion as well as being the musicians. And we are ready to record another CD, but we definitely need some financial backing, so in respect we are totally “indie.” We don’t have the resources or record label as of yet, but would welcome the opportunity to be signed.”
“We have signed on with A & R Select out of Hollywood and hopefully they can find us some work on a movie soundtrack or television series. This saves the band a lot of “door knocking” and frees us up to concentrate on our music and families. But that does not mean that we don’t do our part to promote ourselves, on the contrary, my wife (Mrs. Completely) works very hard organizing our gigs, recording schedules, designing and maintaining our websites and My Space page and much more. We would not be where we are at without her hard work, she is very dedicated to making sure we are successful,” related Jamie.
Another important question is about the songs that they write and some of the influences and experiences of playing in a band and playing a live show.
“As soon as we are done writing a particular song and everyone is satisfied with their input, we ‘test drive’ it and play it live to gage the audience’s reaction and to see if we have created the song to the best of our ability. Then there is the thrill and personal satisfaction of performing in front of a large crowd, to get the emotional reaction to the song. We feel we are offering a service to our fans; we love to play our music as much as they enjoy hearing it. Music helps us through the hard times and can enhance the times that are already good. You can touch people’s lives with music on so many levels.”
“This may sound a bit strange, but some of our best shows are the many benefit shows that we do locally. So it isn’t all about the money. We take great pleasure in our live sets and feed off the energy of our audience. Plus, meeting new people and playing for these enthusiastic crowds inspires us. I love meeting fans and hearing from them how much they love our songs or hearing someone is using our song at their wedding for the first dance makes me feel that what I am doing is making a difference in people’s lives. We have also had the opportunity to open and share the stage with some of our favorite musicians including Nazareth, Trooper and Honeymoon Suite, which just makes the experience so much more pleasurable and gratifying.”
Jamie also detailed some of the musical influences that the band has as well as what to expect to hear when they play live:
“We will certainly play our singles off of “Twice on Sundays” including “Walk Away” and our beautiful ballad “Before Too Long.” We also do covers of some of our favorite artists, so you could hear “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” or “Green River” by CCR, our cover of “House Of The Rising Sun” as well as a few numbers by the Knack. We also have a great time playing “Ballroom Blitz” by Sweet, which is an incredible live song for the band.”
So what is in store for the band, what does the future hold for this hard-working band from north of the border?
“Besides touring Canada, we would like to tour the United States. I feel that our musical predecessors have made it easier for Canadian bands to be welcome by America and Americans have opened their arms to Canadian artists.”
So as the interview closed, it is apparent that Jamie and his band mates not only sincerely love what they do, but would like many more music lovers to experience their talents, their love for the music that they play and the joy and sheer pleasure that comes with being a complete, cohesive rock and roll band; appropriately named Mr. Completely.
Tyr – the Ultimate Folk Metal Band
by admin on Oct.02, 2009, under Music
Liam Hayman asked:
Tyr – The Folk metal band
Genres;
Viking metal
Folk metal
Progressive metal
Members;
Heri Joensen – vocals, guitar
Terji Skibenæs – guitar
Gunnar H. Thomsen – bass guitar
Kári Streymoy – drums
Ex-Members;
Jón Joensen – guitar, vocals
Pól Arni Holm – vocals
Allan Streymoy – vocals
Ottó P. Arnarson – guitar
The one-armed God of War – the bravest of all – ‘Tyr’.
Tyr are a band originating from the Faroe Islands, touring in countries such as Iceland, Denmark, Russia, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Finland, Russia,
Germany, and of course, the Faroe Islands.
Their album ‘Eric the Red’ went on to become the best sold album in the Faroe Islands and earned them recognition from Australian record company,
‘Napalm Records’.
Almost every song is based on Faroese or Nordic lore, generally through the genre of Folk Metal. In 2006, Tyr started work on the album ‘Ragnarok’, -
a personal favourite of mine – according to the Tyr website, “Ragnarok emerges as a masterpiece within the true Viking Metal genre!”.
Tyr have a good discography;
TÝR DEMO
2000
HOW FAR TO ASGAARD
2002
ÓLAVUR RIDDARARÓS
2002
ERIC THE RED
2003
ERIC THE RED
2006
RAGNAROK
2006
LAND
2008
You can visit their main site [url=http://www.tyr.net/]here[/url].
Upcoming tours dates 2008/2009
Tyr will be on the mainstage for Metalhammer’s new festival ‘Hammerfest’.
PAGAN KNIGHTS TOUR 2009 + ALESTORM, SUIDAKRA
2/28/09 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
3/1/09 Orlando, FL @ The Backbooth
3/2/09 Tallahassee, FL @ The Engine Room
3/4/09 Houston, TX @ Walter’s on Washington
3/5/09 Austin, TX @ Red 7
3/6/09 Dallas, TX @ Ridglea Theater
3/7/09 Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee
3/9/09 Albuquerque, NM @ The Launchpad
3/10/09 Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse
3/11/09 San Marcos, CA @ The Jumping Turtle
3/12/09 Hollywood, CA @ Knitting Factory
3/13/09 San Francisco, CA @ Thee Parkside
3/14/09 Portland, OR @ Satyricon
3/15/09 Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
3/16/09 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
3/17/09 Denver, CO @ Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
3/18/09 Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
3/19/09 St Paul, MN @ Station 4
3/20/09 Mokena, IL @ The Pearl Room / Capone’s
3/21/09 Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s
3/22/09 Detroit, MI @ Blondie’s
3/23/09 Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
3/24/09 Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
3/25/09 Rochester, NY @ The Penny Arcade
3/26/09 Pittsburgh, PA @ 31st St Pub
3/27/09 Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
3/28/09 Allentown, PA @ The Sterling Hotel
3/29/09 New York, NY @ High Line Ballroom
3/30/09 Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11
24/1 – DK – Odense, Badstuen – Týr Concert
25/1 – D – Lübeck, Treibsand – Týr Concert
26/1 – D – Osnabrück, N8 Winternoise – N8 WINTERNOISE Festival
2/4 – D – Bremen, Tivoli – PAGANFEST
3/4 – NL – Tilburg, O 13 – PAGANFEST
4/4 – BE – Antwerp, Hof Ter Loo – PAGANFEST
5/4 – D – Essen, Funbox Amalie – PAGANFEST
6/4 – UK – London, Koko – PAGANFEST
7/4 – UK – Leeds, Rio – PAGANFEST
8/4 – UK – Dudley, JBs – PAGANFEST
9/4 – F – Paris, Locomotive – PAGANFEST
10/4 – CH – Pratteln, Z 7 – PAGANFEST
11/4 – A – Linz, Posthof – PAGANFEST
12/4 – A – Vienna, Planet Music – PAGANFEST
13/4 – CZ – Zlin, Masters Of Rock Cafe – PAGANFEST
14/4 – HU – Budapest, Petoefi Hall – PAGANFEST
15/4 – A – Innsbruck, Hafen – PAGANFEST
16/4 – D – Ludwigsburg, Rockfabrik – PAGANFEST
17/4 – D – Berlin, SO 36 – PAGANFEST
18/4 – D – Leipzig, Hellraiser – PAGANFEST
19/4 – D – München, Backstage – PAGANFEST
20/4 – A – Graz, Orpheum – PAGANFEST
21/4 – D – Saarbrücken, Garage – PAGANFEST
22/4 – D – Frankfurt, Batschkapp – PAGANFEST
25/4 – CA – Toronto, ON, Opera House – PAGANFEST
26/4 – CA – Montreal, QC, Medley – PAGANFEST
27/4 – US – Worcester, MA, Palladium – NEW ENGLAND METAL FEST
28/4 – US – Springfield, VA, Jaxx – PAGANFEST
29/4 – US – Cleveland, OH, Peabody’s Down Under – PAGANFEST
30/4 – US – Detroit, MI, Harpo’s Concert Theater – PAGANFEST
1/5 – US – Chicago, IL, The Pearl Room – CHICAGO POWER FEST
2/5 – US – St. Paul, MI, Station 4 – PAGANFEST
3/5 – US – Denver, CO, Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom – PAGANFEST
5/5 – US – Seattle, WA, Studio Seven – PAGANFEST
6/5 – US – Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theater – PAGANFEST
7/5 – US – Orangevale, CA, The Boardwalk – PAGANFEST
8/5 – US – Hollywood, CA, House Of Blues – PAGANFEST
9/5 – US – Santa Clara, CA, The Avalon – PAGANFEST
10/5 – US – Long Beach, CA, The Vault 350 – CALIFORNIA METALFEST
11/5 – US – Phoenix, AZ, The Cell Block – PAGANFEST
12/5 – US – El Paso, TX, Club 101 – PAGANFEST
13/5 – US – Alburquerque, NM, The Launchpad – PAGANFEST
14/5 – US – Tulsa, OH, Crush Lounge – PAGANFEST
15/5 – US – Dallas, TX, Ridglea Theater – PAGANFEST
16/5 – US – San Antonio, TX, The White Rabbit – PAGANFEST
17/5 – US – Houston, TX, Java Jazz – PAGANFEST
19/5 – US – Atlanta, GA, The Masquerade – PAGANFEST
20/5 – US – Raleigh, NC, Volume 11 – PAGANFEST
21/5 – US – Allentown, PE, Crocodile Rock Cafe – PAGANFEST
22/5 – US – New York, NY, BB King’s Blues Club – PAGANFEST
5/6 – D – Lübeck, Treibsand – WITH SVARTSOT
6/6 – D – TBA, TBA – Interregnum Festival
POWER DRAKKAR TOUR
9/6 – WROCLAW, Alibi [Týr + At The Lake + InDespair]
10/6 – KRAKOW, Zascianek [Týr + At The Lake + Witchking]
12/6 – RZESZOW, Pod Palma [Týr + Totentanz + Krusher]
13/6 – ZABRZE, CK Wiatrak [Týr + Horrorscope + Coda]
14/6 – WARSZAWA, Progresja: SUMMER JAGORFEST [Týr + Dragon's Eye + Vidock + At The Lake + Hyperion]
15/6 – LUBLIN, Graffiti [Týr + Totentanz + At the Lake]
17/6 – LEGNICA, Rock Pub Spiz [Týr + InDespair + Orchard]
18/6 – POZNAN, U Bazyla [Týr + Ghost Brigade (FIN) + Harpia (ex-Miecz Wikinga)]
19/6 – CZESTOCHOWA, Galeria Teatr From Poland [Týr + Totentanz + Witchking]
20/6 – WYSZKOW, Hutnik [Týr + Experience + Siepacz]
21/6 – BYDGOSZCZ, Estrada [Týr + Scavenge (GER) + Disgrace Within]
22/6 – SZCZECIN, Stara Cynkownia [Týr + Black Diamonds + Headbanger]
27/6 – D – Balingen, Bang Your Head – BANG YOUR HEAD Festival
29/6 – FI – Helsinki, Tuska – TUSKA Festival
2/7 – YU – TBA, Castle Festival – CASTLE FESTIVAL
4/7 – D – Hamburg, Hörnerfest – HÖRNERFEST
9/7 – DK – Copenhagen, Bryggen – Týr Concert
12/7 – LV – Blome, Metalshow.lv Festival – METALSHOW.LV FESTIVAL
18/7 – D – Osterode/Harz, Rockharz Open Air – ROCKHARZ OPEN AIR
19/7 – Switzerland – Zurich, Werk21 – TBA
26/7 – D – Urbach, Zabbaduschder Festival – ZABBADUSCHDER FESTIVAL
27/7 – NL – Zaandam, De Kade
8/8 – D – Bad Berka, Party San Open Air – PARTY SAN OPEN AIR
14/8 – D – Dinkelsbühl, Summer Breeze Open Air – SUMMER BREEZE OPEN AIR
15/8 – N – Lillehammer, Metal Heart Festival – METAL HEART FESTIVAL
16/8 – UK – Derby, Bloodstock Festival – BLOODSTOCK FESTIVAL
22/8 – FAROES – Mentanarhúsið,, Fuglafjørður
23/8 – FAROES – Mjús Festival, Sandur
3/10 – IS – Akureyri @ Græni Hatturinn
4/10 – IS – Reykjavík @ Nasa
5/10 – IS – Reykjavík @ Hellirinn í TÞM
Ragnarök’s Aaskereia Festival Tour 2008 presented by METAL HAMMER, ORKUS
TÝR with special guests HOLLENTHON, ALESTORM, SVARTSOT
Visit the website: www.ragnaroek-festival.com
8/10 – DK -Copenhagen @ The Rock
9/10 – DE – Hamburg @ Markthalle
10/10 – NL – Leeuwarden @ Romein
11/10 – DE- Oberhausen @ Helvete
12/10 – BE- Vosselaar @ Biebob
14/10 – CH – Pratteln @ Z7
15/10 – IT – Milan @ Musicdrome
16/10 – DE – München @ Backstage
17/10 – AT – Wien @ Szene
18/10 – DE – Passau @ X-Point Halle – METAL INVASION FESTIVAL
19/10 – CZ – Zlin @ Masters of Rock Cafe
20/10 – HU – Budapest @ Ship A38
21/10 – AT – Graz @ Postgarage
22/10 – DE – Ludwigsburg @ Rockfabrik
23/10 – DE – Frankfurt @ Batschkapp
24/10 – DE – Losheim @ Eisenbahnhalle
25/10 – DE – Lichtenfels @ Stadthalle – HELLFLAME FESTIVAL
26/10 – NL – Arnhem @ Luxorlive
On my website, Morbidskies I have an interview the band. (http://www.morbidskies.com/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=230)
They speak of their future as a band, to read the full article, follow the above link. (‘interview’)!
For a quick info pack on ‘Tyr’, visit this page;
http://www.morbidskies.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=219
Tyr – The Folk metal band
Genres;
Viking metal
Folk metal
Progressive metal
Members;
Heri Joensen – vocals, guitar
Terji Skibenæs – guitar
Gunnar H. Thomsen – bass guitar
Kári Streymoy – drums
Ex-Members;
Jón Joensen – guitar, vocals
Pól Arni Holm – vocals
Allan Streymoy – vocals
Ottó P. Arnarson – guitar
The one-armed God of War – the bravest of all – ‘Tyr’.
Tyr are a band originating from the Faroe Islands, touring in countries such as Iceland, Denmark, Russia, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Finland, Russia,
Germany, and of course, the Faroe Islands.
Their album ‘Eric the Red’ went on to become the best sold album in the Faroe Islands and earned them recognition from Australian record company,
‘Napalm Records’.
Almost every song is based on Faroese or Nordic lore, generally through the genre of Folk Metal. In 2006, Tyr started work on the album ‘Ragnarok’, -
a personal favourite of mine – according to the Tyr website, “Ragnarok emerges as a masterpiece within the true Viking Metal genre!”.
Tyr have a good discography;
TÝR DEMO
2000
HOW FAR TO ASGAARD
2002
ÓLAVUR RIDDARARÓS
2002
ERIC THE RED
2003
ERIC THE RED
2006
RAGNAROK
2006
LAND
2008
You can visit their main site [url=http://www.tyr.net/]here[/url].
Upcoming tours dates 2008/2009
Tyr will be on the mainstage for Metalhammer’s new festival ‘Hammerfest’.
PAGAN KNIGHTS TOUR 2009 + ALESTORM, SUIDAKRA
2/28/09 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
3/1/09 Orlando, FL @ The Backbooth
3/2/09 Tallahassee, FL @ The Engine Room
3/4/09 Houston, TX @ Walter’s on Washington
3/5/09 Austin, TX @ Red 7
3/6/09 Dallas, TX @ Ridglea Theater
3/7/09 Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee
3/9/09 Albuquerque, NM @ The Launchpad
3/10/09 Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse
3/11/09 San Marcos, CA @ The Jumping Turtle
3/12/09 Hollywood, CA @ Knitting Factory
3/13/09 San Francisco, CA @ Thee Parkside
3/14/09 Portland, OR @ Satyricon
3/15/09 Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
3/16/09 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
3/17/09 Denver, CO @ Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
3/18/09 Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
3/19/09 St Paul, MN @ Station 4
3/20/09 Mokena, IL @ The Pearl Room / Capone’s
3/21/09 Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s
3/22/09 Detroit, MI @ Blondie’s
3/23/09 Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
3/24/09 Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
3/25/09 Rochester, NY @ The Penny Arcade
3/26/09 Pittsburgh, PA @ 31st St Pub
3/27/09 Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
3/28/09 Allentown, PA @ The Sterling Hotel
3/29/09 New York, NY @ High Line Ballroom
3/30/09 Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11
24/1 – DK – Odense, Badstuen – Týr Concert
25/1 – D – Lübeck, Treibsand – Týr Concert
26/1 – D – Osnabrück, N8 Winternoise – N8 WINTERNOISE Festival
2/4 – D – Bremen, Tivoli – PAGANFEST
3/4 – NL – Tilburg, O 13 – PAGANFEST
4/4 – BE – Antwerp, Hof Ter Loo – PAGANFEST
5/4 – D – Essen, Funbox Amalie – PAGANFEST
6/4 – UK – London, Koko – PAGANFEST
7/4 – UK – Leeds, Rio – PAGANFEST
8/4 – UK – Dudley, JBs – PAGANFEST
9/4 – F – Paris, Locomotive – PAGANFEST
10/4 – CH – Pratteln, Z 7 – PAGANFEST
11/4 – A – Linz, Posthof – PAGANFEST
12/4 – A – Vienna, Planet Music – PAGANFEST
13/4 – CZ – Zlin, Masters Of Rock Cafe – PAGANFEST
14/4 – HU – Budapest, Petoefi Hall – PAGANFEST
15/4 – A – Innsbruck, Hafen – PAGANFEST
16/4 – D – Ludwigsburg, Rockfabrik – PAGANFEST
17/4 – D – Berlin, SO 36 – PAGANFEST
18/4 – D – Leipzig, Hellraiser – PAGANFEST
19/4 – D – München, Backstage – PAGANFEST
20/4 – A – Graz, Orpheum – PAGANFEST
21/4 – D – Saarbrücken, Garage – PAGANFEST
22/4 – D – Frankfurt, Batschkapp – PAGANFEST
25/4 – CA – Toronto, ON, Opera House – PAGANFEST
26/4 – CA – Montreal, QC, Medley – PAGANFEST
27/4 – US – Worcester, MA, Palladium – NEW ENGLAND METAL FEST
28/4 – US – Springfield, VA, Jaxx – PAGANFEST
29/4 – US – Cleveland, OH, Peabody’s Down Under – PAGANFEST
30/4 – US – Detroit, MI, Harpo’s Concert Theater – PAGANFEST
1/5 – US – Chicago, IL, The Pearl Room – CHICAGO POWER FEST
2/5 – US – St. Paul, MI, Station 4 – PAGANFEST
3/5 – US – Denver, CO, Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom – PAGANFEST
5/5 – US – Seattle, WA, Studio Seven – PAGANFEST
6/5 – US – Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theater – PAGANFEST
7/5 – US – Orangevale, CA, The Boardwalk – PAGANFEST
8/5 – US – Hollywood, CA, House Of Blues – PAGANFEST
9/5 – US – Santa Clara, CA, The Avalon – PAGANFEST
10/5 – US – Long Beach, CA, The Vault 350 – CALIFORNIA METALFEST
11/5 – US – Phoenix, AZ, The Cell Block – PAGANFEST
12/5 – US – El Paso, TX, Club 101 – PAGANFEST
13/5 – US – Alburquerque, NM, The Launchpad – PAGANFEST
14/5 – US – Tulsa, OH, Crush Lounge – PAGANFEST
15/5 – US – Dallas, TX, Ridglea Theater – PAGANFEST
16/5 – US – San Antonio, TX, The White Rabbit – PAGANFEST
17/5 – US – Houston, TX, Java Jazz – PAGANFEST
19/5 – US – Atlanta, GA, The Masquerade – PAGANFEST
20/5 – US – Raleigh, NC, Volume 11 – PAGANFEST
21/5 – US – Allentown, PE, Crocodile Rock Cafe – PAGANFEST
22/5 – US – New York, NY, BB King’s Blues Club – PAGANFEST
5/6 – D – Lübeck, Treibsand – WITH SVARTSOT
6/6 – D – TBA, TBA – Interregnum Festival
POWER DRAKKAR TOUR
9/6 – WROCLAW, Alibi [Týr + At The Lake + InDespair]
10/6 – KRAKOW, Zascianek [Týr + At The Lake + Witchking]
12/6 – RZESZOW, Pod Palma [Týr + Totentanz + Krusher]
13/6 – ZABRZE, CK Wiatrak [Týr + Horrorscope + Coda]
14/6 – WARSZAWA, Progresja: SUMMER JAGORFEST [Týr + Dragon's Eye + Vidock + At The Lake + Hyperion]
15/6 – LUBLIN, Graffiti [Týr + Totentanz + At the Lake]
17/6 – LEGNICA, Rock Pub Spiz [Týr + InDespair + Orchard]
18/6 – POZNAN, U Bazyla [Týr + Ghost Brigade (FIN) + Harpia (ex-Miecz Wikinga)]
19/6 – CZESTOCHOWA, Galeria Teatr From Poland [Týr + Totentanz + Witchking]
20/6 – WYSZKOW, Hutnik [Týr + Experience + Siepacz]
21/6 – BYDGOSZCZ, Estrada [Týr + Scavenge (GER) + Disgrace Within]
22/6 – SZCZECIN, Stara Cynkownia [Týr + Black Diamonds + Headbanger]
27/6 – D – Balingen, Bang Your Head – BANG YOUR HEAD Festival
29/6 – FI – Helsinki, Tuska – TUSKA Festival
2/7 – YU – TBA, Castle Festival – CASTLE FESTIVAL
4/7 – D – Hamburg, Hörnerfest – HÖRNERFEST
9/7 – DK – Copenhagen, Bryggen – Týr Concert
12/7 – LV – Blome, Metalshow.lv Festival – METALSHOW.LV FESTIVAL
18/7 – D – Osterode/Harz, Rockharz Open Air – ROCKHARZ OPEN AIR
19/7 – Switzerland – Zurich, Werk21 – TBA
26/7 – D – Urbach, Zabbaduschder Festival – ZABBADUSCHDER FESTIVAL
27/7 – NL – Zaandam, De Kade
8/8 – D – Bad Berka, Party San Open Air – PARTY SAN OPEN AIR
14/8 – D – Dinkelsbühl, Summer Breeze Open Air – SUMMER BREEZE OPEN AIR
15/8 – N – Lillehammer, Metal Heart Festival – METAL HEART FESTIVAL
16/8 – UK – Derby, Bloodstock Festival – BLOODSTOCK FESTIVAL
22/8 – FAROES – Mentanarhúsið,, Fuglafjørður
23/8 – FAROES – Mjús Festival, Sandur
3/10 – IS – Akureyri @ Græni Hatturinn
4/10 – IS – Reykjavík @ Nasa
5/10 – IS – Reykjavík @ Hellirinn í TÞM
Ragnarök’s Aaskereia Festival Tour 2008 presented by METAL HAMMER, ORKUS
TÝR with special guests HOLLENTHON, ALESTORM, SVARTSOT
Visit the website: www.ragnaroek-festival.com
8/10 – DK -Copenhagen @ The Rock
9/10 – DE – Hamburg @ Markthalle
10/10 – NL – Leeuwarden @ Romein
11/10 – DE- Oberhausen @ Helvete
12/10 – BE- Vosselaar @ Biebob
14/10 – CH – Pratteln @ Z7
15/10 – IT – Milan @ Musicdrome
16/10 – DE – München @ Backstage
17/10 – AT – Wien @ Szene
18/10 – DE – Passau @ X-Point Halle – METAL INVASION FESTIVAL
19/10 – CZ – Zlin @ Masters of Rock Cafe
20/10 – HU – Budapest @ Ship A38
21/10 – AT – Graz @ Postgarage
22/10 – DE – Ludwigsburg @ Rockfabrik
23/10 – DE – Frankfurt @ Batschkapp
24/10 – DE – Losheim @ Eisenbahnhalle
25/10 – DE – Lichtenfels @ Stadthalle – HELLFLAME FESTIVAL
26/10 – NL – Arnhem @ Luxorlive
On my website, Morbidskies I have an interview the band. (http://www.morbidskies.com/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=230)
They speak of their future as a band, to read the full article, follow the above link. (‘interview’)!
For a quick info pack on ‘Tyr’, visit this page;
http://www.morbidskies.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=219
