CVWW March 2015 by CV WorldWide Magazine

FEBRUARY 2014

THE Lifestyle Magazine for Custom Vehicle & Music Enthusiasts

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Saints of Rebellion

From Grosse Pointe to Rob Zombie’s right hand, John5 has cemented his spot in the pantheon of guitar masters in music. Talk with the man behind the music, take a walk with CV WorldWide on the journey of a man created to play guitar... p. 4

From Laurel, MD to headlining in Suriname, SoR has been melting faces and blowing minds from venue to venue, bringing their personal brand of Rock n Roll to fans both young and old. CV WorldWide gets cerebral with the gang... p. 26

P. 14

Contents... NAMM Perspective (from Kathleen Clarkson)

NAMM NAMM Product: iZotope RX3

NAMM Product: Evelyn Microphone

NAMM Product: BAZOOKA Overdrive Pedal

NAMM Product: ESP Guitars

News You Can Use - Cars: 10 Things Dealers Don’t Tell U

Gear the Pros Use: Jay Hitaffer, Saints of Rebellion

Gear the Pros Use: Anthony Hitaffer, Saints of Rebellion

Order in the Chaos: Brien DeChristopher’s Music Blog

News You Can Use - Motorcycle: Insane Things...pt 2

Jamie Paullus Jamie Paullus and Kathleen Carlson offer us a view into and perspective of THE 2 shows from NAMM: the NAMM Jam and Metal Allegiance concerts. Page 44

Sherry Keith Mystic Photography, out and about as always, brings her keen eye to NAMM and offers us HardCore Superstar. Page 24

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PureSin @ NAMM

The annual winter NAMM 2015 was again at the Anaheim Convention Center in gorgeous Anaheim, CA. Yamaha presented, NAMM grand opening performance with the world famous Disneyland Band. Anaheim convention center is 3 levels that showcased over 1500 different companies from all over the world all having something to do within the music industry. NAMM brought in all the wellknown music industry favorites just to name a few was Bigsby, Epiphone, ESP Guitars, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch Co., Schecter Guitar, Vic Firth Co., Ludwig Drum Company, and Rock-n-Roll GangStar Inc. They were also over 350 new vendors at this year‟s NAMM; Wornstar clothing, Chronos Drums, CMG Guitars ErgoSonic Percussions, LLC , Golden Age Audio, Gravity Guitar Picks, Headhunters Drumsticks, House Of Blues Music Forward Foundation and Morgan Amps are only a few of the vendors the made there debut appearance this year. My favorite vendor was Mighty Mite with Jeff Kylloe; they have been around since 1970 supplying guitar quality guitar parts. There are also many various string instruments as well as brass instruments, actually 100‟s of them, some types I have never seen in my life. There was even a gorgeous saxophone that had cubic zirconia all over it, priced well into the thousand dollar range. So many types of instruments and anything else that deals within the music industry, it was all here. NAMM recognized OME Banjo with an award for their 55 years of service in the music industry. The award set next to a beautifully crafted banjo that had 55 engraved in it surrounded by a yellowish orange flower. It certainly was a beautiful piece of wood work. Many vendors would have various artists signings set up at certain times throughout the 4 day conventions which were a great opportunity to meet some amazing artist. Ludwig had Brian Tichy, Dave Lombardo, Corey Miller, Matt Starr, Alan White, Bryan Hitt, Jason Sutter, and Jeff Friedl as these were just

some. Framous and Warwick had several artists, I can‟t list them all, but some were William Duvall, Emma Anzai, Devin Townsend, Phil X, Steve Bailey, Kyle Sanders, and Mike Inez. Every corner your turned was another signing with a very long line sometimes you were not even able to tell who was signing due to the fact there were so many people around. By the third day there was around 30,000 people in attendance, it was slow moving but no one was in a hurry to get anywhere everyone was taking their time enjoying looking at the merchandise, mingling, and catching up with friends. While walking around inside you would never know who you might run into; we got the opportunity to talk with the amazing bass player Phil Chen. He was very so kind. Jamie showed him the pictures he took of him the previous night at The OX and The Loon Phil loved them, we must have talked with him for 20 minutes and he was kind enough to take pictured with us. We also got to see Steve Wonder, Vinnie Paul of Hell Yeah, a couple of the guys from GWAR, and watch Ray Parker Jr sing „Ghostbusters‟. Outside of NAMM there were 4 stages set up The Venue Stage, Center Stage, Hilton Anaheim, Lobby Stage, and Anaheim Marriott, Lobby Stage they played bands on these through the day into the evening some of the bands that performed were. The Paul Cannon Band, Lucas Carpenter, The New Division, Shawn Michael Perry, Cole Marcus Trio, Judas Priestess, The Killer Queens, Maxwell Hughes, Jessica Lynn, and Alex Skolnick and Planetary Coalition. This year‟s NAMM was filled with so much to see and do it was hard getting in as much as we did but it was a great adventure and I look forward to next years. Feel free to browse our impressions and coverage of the musical fare from 2015 NAMM, starting on page 44. Kathleen Clarkson

<CV WorldWide> Let’s go back to the beginning - growing up in Grosse Pointe, MI…tell us about the “early days”. <John5> It was an amazing upbringing - such an incredible childhood everything was perfect…it was just wonderful. <CVWW> Regular middle class? <J5> Actually, I‘d say upper class.

<CVWW> Quite a bit different than what you play now. <J5> Sure. Back then I saw this little boy playing guitar on Hee Haw well, he was playing banjo, actually and I was so inspired by him that I thought ―wow, I want to do something like that‖ but I want to play guitar, I want to play electric guitar. I saw these guys on Hee Haw playing electric guitar, and they were playing Telecasters, and I thought that was the only shape of a guitar available, I didn‘t think there were any other shapes or brands; and you know, it was really cool, and I was like ―okay, I like this, I want to play guitar, and I want to play that kind of guitar, a guitar that looked just like that‖. I think that‘s why I play Telecasters today well, I KNOW that‘s why I play Telecasters even now.

<CVWW> Really? <J5> And it was just a beautiful place to grow up, great environment, the schools are incredible, I have such fond memories…look, I know it would make for a great story if I said I had a terrible upbringing or something like that, but it was really a great, great childhood. You know, like normal kids I was into universal monsters, and playing guitar, and watching TV like any other kid. And <CVWW> Did you have any other it‘s funny, all these years later, noth- hobbies growing up, or once you had the ing has really changed that much. bug it was “all guitar all the time”? <J5> All music all the time - I was <CVWW> And of all things, you got pretty much obsessed with the guitar, attracted to guitar by watching Hee actually. As a matter of fact, I was so Haw? obsessed with guitar that, being a <J5> Yeah, I loved Hee Haw, it‘s just young boy playing and practicing so a great show, and it was a lot of fun much, my left hand actually grew watching, and that‘s what inspired larger than my right hand - it‘s not the me to play guitar. fingers but the palm that stretched - so

at 2 in the morning and have to wake up; but I would get up for school, which is why I‘d be able to play clubs around Detroit throughout high school. <CVWW> How critical do you think that parental support was at that time? <J5> It was imperative to my early development, as you can imagine. <CVWW> Did you start with face painting that early, or did it start later? You know playing tough clubs, needing that tough look… <J5> I was with a band called ―Vampirella‖, and I started with those things early on, but also, my heroes were bands like KISS and those types, so the ―look‖ was a lot of fun back then, and honestly, it was entertainment too; and I know that people want my left hand it oddly larger than to be entertained. my right. <CVWW> Leaving Grosse Pointe <CVWW> That make it easier to - what was the catalyst behind that decision, tell us about the process play? that led you to pack your bags and <J5> Yes, oh yes. head to California. <CVWW> Tell us about the music <J5> Well, I know even from a scene in Grosse Point… very young age that I loved CA <J5> It was a very safe, seclud- we were going to and visiting CA ed, protected area - so to play, I quite a bit when I was a boy, would go into Detroit, which was we‘d go to Palm Springs because the bad part of town, and I‘d play my grandparents lived there, and shows there. Well, I was so I knew I wanted to live out there. young, I would play with these When I turned 18, I decided to long haired guys who lived on move to CA, no regrets or second the wrong side of the tracks, so to thoughts. When I first got to CA, I speak, but they wanted to play with me because, well, I could stayed in this office with these play very well, so I would get to other dudes, and on the first day play these nightclubs in the worst all my money was stolen and I areas you can imagine. But my remember thinking to myself mom said, ―if you can get up for ―wow, how am I going to live school in the morning, you can here?‖ But luckily, I knew one play at night‖.vI would get home other person there, and was able

to go and live with him to at least have someplace to stay. At that point, even just starting, I knew that this was the place to be - I love CA, always have since I was a kid, and it was something I‘d see on TV as a kid and just know that it was where I wanted to be; I knew all the musicians were there, everyone involved in the industry was out there, so even at a young age I knew ―that‘s it, yup, there where I want and need to be‖, so I went to CA and never looked back. But remember, it wasn‘t that I had a bad childhood, it was beautiful, I was just so dedicated, I knew, I basically had blinders on, I wanted to live in CA and make a living being a session guy. As time went along, I slowly started to work, I lived in a place where there was no window, no sink, no bathroom, I just stayed there and played, it was Hollywood, and it was amazing. I got to meet people, it was really some of the best years of my life, and I really grew up during that time - chronologically, emotion-

musician, what kinds of things do you take away from working with Marlette, what helped you mature and develop from knowing him? <J5> I think Bob has taught me so much about writing and recording, and even the industry itself; I‘m still close with him (he produced one of the Rob Zombie albums), he taught me so much, I cherish his friendship even after all these years knowing each other.

ally, as a musician in Hollywood - and there is where you make your mark, your decisions, and you mature and grow in that environment. It‘s a progression of moving forward in your life and music.

and it‘s a lot of blood…then he notices it and hollers ―guitar solo‖ and runs off stage. Of course, Rudy thinks it‘s all part of the show, all planned, and he‘s jacked and thinks it‘s awesome, and that‘s how I met Rudy. Rudy Sarzo introduces me to a number of people in the industry, some of whom I still work with today; so he is definitely an important figure in my career and life.

<CVWW> Let’s talk about the major break - at a show, some guy named “Rudy Sarzo”, a musician of some fame I guess, was in the audience…tell us what happened there. <J5> I was playing these places, <CVWW> Rudy also introduced and there was nobody there; but you to Bob Marlette; as a young around town folks were still saying ―you need to go see this guy he can really play‖; this was about the time that Whitesnake was huge and on top of the world. I remember that night there was nobody in the crowd, but said ―let‘s just go out there and play, this is experience for us‖. Well, we‘d come out and play this musical segue for the singer to come out, and when our singer came out, he bumped his head on something in the dark, and now he‘s singing and there is blood coming out of his head,

<CVWW> The opportunity to work with several different people comes along the next period of time, but of significance is the fact that you did not get a gig with Marilyn Manson the “first time around”… <J5> Yes. I remember that - you know, I loved Marilyn Manson‘s music, I really got it, I was into it big time, I heard that they were looking for a guitar player, and, well, I just called. I called the studio where they were and basically said ―I hear you‘re looking for a guitar player‖ and they just said ―oh, we found somebody‖ and hung up the phone. And that was it. LOL But you know, it wasn‘t the right time yet, and that‘s just

the way it went.

time - I was very fortunate and very lucky, and really had a <CVWW> But from that phone chance to think ―okay, there is call to working with Rob Halford! something happening, something And, produced by Trent Reznor to it working here, I think good things are in store for me‖. boot! <J5> Well, Trent Reznor produced only 1 song on that record <CVWW> But, then, you actually (my favorite song called ―I am a DO get the gig with Marilyn Manpig‖) but the main thing is that it son, and he’s the one who actually was such a great experience - and coined your name “John5”… it‘s just one of the many great ex- <J5> That is correct - I went to periences in life, what a life it has lunch with him, met him, and he been just here thinking about it… pretty much gave me the name right then and there. <CVWW> I’m thinking that qualified as an “acceptable alternative”, <CVWW> Did he say why? <J5> Yeah, he said he wanted to no? <J5> Absolutely! And of course, do everything with numbers, just the opportunity to work with Da- focus on things involving numvid Lee Roth happened too, so I bers. So he said ―your name is can say it was just an incredible going to be John5‖, and that was

that. <CVWW> Any significance around the number “5” then? <J5> It is of religious significance, a biblical story; and it was great because I was a huge fan, I loved Manson, and it was an exciting time. The funniest thing about that is I remember going home after that lunch, and learning how to sign my name; so I basically figured out how and practiced signing my name for autographs. <CVWW> All this happens around the time of the horrible massacre at Columbine HS in Colorado - all of a sudden you feel a huge social backlash against Manson and his music - do think this

they are the pinnacle of equipment, and you know I played Fender when I was a child, and the Telecaster was my instrument of choice, and when they gave me my own model, it was unbelievable, it was such a proud moment, a true crowning moment, to have my own signature model, I still can‘t get over it. I VERY happy, I feel very fortunate, very lucky to have my own signature model, it‘s crazy.

was proper, was it warranted? <J5> Well, no, Manson had nothing to do with any of that he was a poster boy of blame, they just needed someone to pin the blame on for that, it was just something that happened that was horrible, but they said Manson was responsible, he was just a nice convenient target on which to throw blame, which was totally wrong. It was silly, he was blamed for everything bad back then - you know, someone got into a car accident and they blamed Manson; you know, that person was listening to Manson‘s music, that sort of stuff.

<CVWW> It is a legacy that will endure long beyond the time we leave this earth. <J5> Yes.

<CVWW> And then, to cement the growing legend and legacy of John5, Fender produces a signature model guitar, the “John Lowery Signature Fender Telecaster”. What does it say about your standing to have a guitar made with YOUR name? <J5> And especially Fender, because Fender is the Mercedes Benz of guitars in my opinion,

<CVWW> And then, Manson and John5 part ways, mutually amicable and basically time to move on, now you start on a solo career. Do you feel a different pressure when you produce music as a solo artist as opposed to being in a band? <J5> I don‘t know if I feel ―pressure‖; the truth is that I started doing instrumental records for myself and some of my

close friends, never for anything more than that - someone came to me and said ―hey, you want to make a record, you can do anything you want‖, and you know, I said ―sure, I‘m going to put out an instrumental record, not sure if anyone knew I could play anything besides those prior shows but let‘s go with it.‖ So, I put out this record called ―Vertigo‖, it was an instrumental record, it had some bluegrass, some crazy shredding on it, and it did SO well, shockingly well, it was crazy. They put me on the cover of Guitar Magazine, and it was all over the place, and so, I‘ve been making instrumental records ever since, and it‘s wild that people have been flocking to that music. At that time, we already has a Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, and I thought that I had to do something different from those established players, there were already so many imitators (rightly so), but I knew I had to go away from that mold and do something different.

And I did. I put a lot of country stuff in there, and all this other influence and style, and I think that‘s what set me apart from those guys, from people who were my guitar heroes. <CVWW> Those guys used to be your heroes, now they are your friends and colleagues…how interesting is that? <J5> Well, they still ARE my heroes. That‘ll never go away. But now they are my friends as well; I‘ll see Yngwie at a restaurant and say ―hello‖ and chat a bit, but even though they are my friends they will always be my really going to want to hear this?‖, then you look out from heroes. the stage and people are coming <CVWW> Now, on your solo tour, out in droves to see you play, it‘s CV WorldWide saw you at Vamp’d so awesome and makes you feel (you met my partner and photogra- so good, their love is from the pher Sherry)… heart, and it makes you just want <J5> Yes, and it was such a great to go out all the time and play for show, Vamp‘d is a great place to them. People are really digging it, play. I mean, let me be honest, and I‘m so happy for that. what you‘re seeing out there, it‘s so crazy; all these notes, all these <CVWW> As far as motivation, is different and crazy songs, all this that what keeps you going? You’ve stuff, I think to myself ―is anyone clearly established yourself one of the greats in music today, as much as you’ve accomplished could it be time for you to kick up your feel on a warm beach with a cold beer? You’ve certainly earned it. <J5> Yeah, but I‘m doing this for the love of guitar and doing these instrumental shows is so much fun, it‘s the best, there is no reason to do anything else. <CVWW> After so many years in music, so many years at the top of the guitar world, what do you think you do better now than a younger John5? <J5> I kinda learn something new on the guitar every single day, I push myself to improve, to

reach that pinnacle in different ways with different types of music and which is so much fun for me of course; also being smart business wise, being careful with what I‘m doing from that standpoint - not making a quick decision, I really try to sit and ponder the things I do from a business perspective, which is very important. All along the way, you live and learn, and improve, that‘s the best way of saying it.

will. <CVWW> Interesting perspective… <J5> Words of wisdom, I guess. But it‘s a truth we need to recognize.

<CVWW> Do you have any advice you might give to a younger John5 if you ever had the chance to go back in time? <J5> I would just say ―learn what you love to play‖ because doing that will make you never want to put down your instrument; learn what you love, have the passion, and by the way, if you don‘t do it, someone else

<CVWW> Let’s talk about social media and the music industry. Back when *I* was a kid, CD’s, vinyl, I even remember 8-tracks…but music distribution has fundamentally changed, how do you see that change in relation to the music industry, do you see it as a good change, or just something you’re going to have to adapt to? <J5> Well, there‘s good and bad. Let‘s go with ―the glass is half full‖ first… There are things like Facebook and Instagram, and you can really connect and show people what you are doing. And anybody anywhere can look and see what you are doing; let‘s think about what you‘d have to do before all this…and that‘s race to a magazine stand and try to find a magazine that has information about the band you are interested in hearing about. Hopefully they had a magazine with that information too - the right magazine with information about the specific band. But now, you can look for any artist you might want to find and see what is going on, where they are playing, and a ton of other information - while before, you had to go to a magazine, not a website, but a magazine, or even a newspaper, and find this stuff out, and that also if you‘re lucky enough to have them being advertised in those mediums, or have heard it from a friend who heard it from 50 other people - but social media and this

immediate information, that‘s a plus. Another plus is YouTube. With YouTube, and the reason it‘s great, is that you can see a band there; you can say ―hey, I‘m interested in this group, I want to see them, maybe I want to see them play a show, and you can go onto YouTube and see a video, you can read comments

and reviews, and think ―wow, these guys are great, I‘m going to go see ‗em‖. But before, you‘d have NO idea about them unless you knew someone who had heard them play or seen them, and would have to rely on that person for this type of information. So, that‘s another plus. The minus is, well, you know, there‘s all this piracy of music, and no one‘s getting paid and truly, no one is - the record industry has fallen, and I mean fallen, there‘s nothing left, everyone is gone, everything is going, all my friends in the industry are going or they are gone; because there‘s so much piracy and stealing music. But it‘s just how it is right now, and I don‘t think it‘ll ever go back to what it was in the days past. Wait, I‘ll guarantee you - it‘ll never go back to what it was; something different or new will come along and it will change, but it will never go back. And even in collections, when you collect on royalties and the like, that‘s even going bad, because the record companies are hurting, and trying to squeeze every penny of profit, and so it‘s really hard to get paid. That is the seriously bad part of it.

is made of, the different influences. That‘s the greatest thing for me, the diversity of the crowd - there are country pickers out there, Zombie fans, guitar shredder fans, guys and girls, it‘s such a diverse crowd and I have to say, I LOVE that. I‘ll be somewhere, and some 50+ fan will come to me and say ―hey, can I get a picture‖ then some kid who‘s 12 will come to me with the same request for a picture and I mean, that‘s what I love. It‘s about the music, and music has no age boundaries, no limits, no rules about who can enjoy it; whoever you are, you can like the music and see the show. <CVWW> How does it feel when a young person meets you and says “I play guitar because of you”? <J5> Well, it‘s great, I know what that child is thinking, I‘ve said that myself to musicians; it‘s a wonderful feeling to inspire someone, and even better because I know what that feeling is like, to talk to your guitar hero and express that to him/her.

<CVWW> How long do you see yourself playing, do you even see an end to your life as a musician? <J5> Oh no, I‘ll always be play<CVWW> Thank you for that ing music, it‘s me, it‘s what I do. honesty. There really isn‘t much else to <J5> It‘s just reality. say, music is me, it‘s why I‘m here, it‘s what I do. I don‘t see <CVWW> Having looked at the stopping that anytime soon, or crowd at your shows, it spans the anytime at all. range of every demographic you can imagine - male/female, young/old, <CVWW> What is coming up in there is a huge diversity of people 2015 for John5? You’ve got a few who enjoy your music and attend more solo shows, right? Then some your shows. What do you think is time on tour with Zombie? the key to your universal appeal to <J5> Yeah, we are going to finthis variety of people? ish up this tour, there‘s a live <J5> I think it‘s what my music Zombie record coming out on the

24th, there are some Zombie shows coming up, I‘m going to be scoring Zombie‘s new film ―31‖, and then we have a new Zombie studio record coming out as well, so there‘s a lot going on this year. <CVWW> Well it sounds you’re a busy guy. <J5> It‘s the life, and I couldn‘t be happier. <CVWW> Well, as much as it hurts, I know our time is up. John5, It's been it's been an honor and a pleasure speaking you for the last thirty minutes or so. I don't know how to express my gratitude to you for taking the time out to speak with us. Keep doing what you do, it’s fantastic, everyone loves the work you do, and I wish you nothing but the best this year and in the coming years. <J5> Thank you very much I appreciate it Chris.

COVER STORY

THE 2015 NAMM SHOW AT THE ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER An Annual Global Gathering of the Music Products Industry THE NAMM SHOW â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) presents the NAMM Show, an industry-only global music product trade show annually drawing nearly 100,000 music industry leaders to Anaheim. The NAMM Show is the world's largest trade-only event for the music products industry. The show features 5,000+ music instrument, product and technology brands, including guitars, drums, pianos, synthesizers, band and orchestra instruments, pro audio equipment, DJ gear and more. Additional visual and reporting opportunities include day and evening concerts, interactive demos, artist appearances and onsite interview opportunities with industry leaders, speaking to industry trends and new products. NAMM is a trade-only business show catering to domestic and international dealers and distributors. The product exhibits are an integral part of the show, allowing the dealers and distributors to see what's new, negotiate deals and plan their purchasing for the next 6 to 12 months: since its inception, NAMM has evolved from a national retail association into an international association whose members now include commercial companies, distributors, affiliates and manufacturers. About NAMM Foundation The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 9,200 members around the world. The NAMM Foundation works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.

NAMM GEAR

iZotope RX 3 Wins NAMM TEC Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement iZotope's RX 3 Audio Repair Suite has won the top award for Outstanding Technical Achievement in the category Signal Processing Software at the 30th Annual NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards. The award ceremony was held on Saturday, January 24 during the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA. "We are honored to be the recipient of yet another TEC Award, and we would like to thank the voters for their support," said Rob D'Amico, iZotope's Product Management Director. "Customer feedback is the most important consideration in our product development. We continuously strive to develop tools that make audio professionals' work faster, easier, and sound better. The TEC Award tells us that we're on the right track." RX is used by musicians, post production professionals, audio engineers, and video editors alike to transform previously unusable audio into pristine material for their productions by removing noises, distortion, reverb, and other common audio problems. RX 3 was nominated for the award by a panel of pro audio and music industry professionals who carefully review products in each category. iZotope also received the coveted TEC award in 2009 for Ozone, their complete mastering system, and in 2014 for Insight, their essential metering suite. The NAMM TEC Awards are the professional audio and music production industry's most prestigious awards honoring excellence in sound technology and creativity. About iZotope, Inc. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, iZotope has spent over a decade developing award-winning products and audio technologies for professionals and hobbyists alike. Used by millions of people in over 50 countries, iZotope products are a core component of GRAMMYwinning music studios, Oscar and Emmy-winning film and TV post production studios, and prominent radio studios.

For more information on iZotope products, please visit www.izotope.com.

COVER STORY

Ear Trumpet Labs, based in Portland, OR, has announced the release of a new stereo microphone, Evelyn. Evelyn is a stereo mic consisting of two closely matched medium-large diaphragm capsules mounted in individually pivoting head baskets spaced at the correct distance for the ORTF stereo recording technique. Both the capsules and the JFET transistors for each side of the stereo pair are exactingly hand-matched for perfect stereo imaging. The electronics are hand-wired using the finest components, and the result is spectacularly natural stereo sound. Evelyn is adept for many applications beyond standard stereo micing as well. Evelyn makes an ideal live micing solution for acoustic ensembles from traditional bluegrass bands to string quartets, with great feedback control and off-pattern rejection. Of course the striking design of Evelyn complements the stunning sound; everyone will be pleased to work with her, and on a live stage she looks distinctive and gorgeous. Our solid designs are hand made from copper plumbing pipe and fixtures, electrical flanges, brass, and stainless steel. About Ear Trumpet Labs Founded in Portland, Oregon in 2011, Ear Trumpet Labs is a craft builder of unique microphones for adventurous musicians and recordists. Combining technical expertise, the highest-grade hand-selected electrical components, and a sculptural craft aesthetic, the company is committed to bringing the best of visual and sonic creativity to musicians around the world.

The BAZOOKA Over Drive Pedal from David Allen Pickups is a low to medium gain overdrive with very responsive dynamics and brown face fender type sag and midrange while pushing into Marshall territory. The gain structure is chewy with a great tube rectifier sag. It pushes not just the mids but the highs and lows as well so it has a wide tonal influence that gives you smooth buttery mids without loss of the highs. Controls: Elevation = Volume Chatter = Gain Range = Tone LOAD SWITCH: FAT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NORMAL - LARD The three way switch in the middle most position will have the OD at its brightest setting, as you move left you add more Mids and to the Right adds Mids and Lows while retaining Highs. Hand wired True Bypass Socketed OpAmp Through hole component board 9v DC negative tip power supply or battery

NAMM 2015: ESP's Best Show Ever It was a little bit like guitar and bass heaven in the ESP booth at NAMM. We displayed more instruments than we‘d ever done at NAMM or any event in our history. In addition to the entire lineup of ESP Original, ESP USA, ESP E-II, LTD, and Tombstone guitars, we also had another 80+ ―Exhibition Limited‖ guitars from our custom shop in Japan. These are one-of-a-kind guitars that show the incredible craftsmanship of our expert luthiers, and were pretty much the talk of the show. There was never a single moment over the four days of NAMM that a crowd of people didn‘t gather in front of these supremely amazing instruments, taking pictures and marveling over the special inlays, woods, and components on each hand-crafted guitar and bass. The reaction to our new models was extremely positive. In particular, we had a lot of people checking out our new baritone and 7- and 8-string guitars in the LTD Series. The newly-available Arrow shape (in both LTD and ESP E-II versions) was definitely a hit, as was the new LTD M-1000SE and FRX models. Another highlight was the amount of attention people paid to our brand new Tombstone acoustic guitars, which were making their debut at NAMM. Also, our new and updated artist Signature Series guitars and basses from players like Gary Holt (Exodus/Slayer), Javier Reyes (Animals As Leaders/Mestis), Frank Bello (Anthrax), and many more got some great attention. At every other NAMM Show previous to 2015, most of our artist-related activities had to do with signing sessions. Look, there‘s nothing wrong with waiting in line for an hour and then spend a few seconds meeting and greeting with your favorite ESP artists, but we felt it was time to step up the experience for our NAMM booth visitors. After all, what would you rather do than hear some of the world‘s best guitarists play live a few feet in front of you? That‘s why this year, we stuck to a series of live performances throughout the entire show. During NAMM, we had some heavy hitters playing at our booth, included George Lynch (KXM)

Frank Bello (Anthrax)

Syu (Galneryus).

All were amazing in their own way. We pretty much allow our artists to do whatever they want in their time slot, and different people take different approaches. Frank, perhaps the world‘s most happy man in front of a crowd of people, told hilarious stories, played various well-known bass lines from Anthrax and others, and even invited members of the crowd to come up and try out his signature basses. George and Syu took a more traditional approach: they just blew everyone‘s collective heads off with their incredible playing. All in all, ESP is proud of our guitars, artists, and our presence in the music industry.

10 THINGS CAR DEALERS WON’T TELL YOU MSN Autos

1) WELCOME TO MCDEALER Americans are buying new vehicles again in a big way. Sales in 2014 sales were expected to reach at least 16.5 million units, the highest level since 2006. And the sales fervor is expected to continue this year: Cars.com projects 2015 sales will reach 17.1 million units, and sales surged in January, typically a slower month for the industry. But the buying boom dovetails with another key development in the industry — namely, a shift in where Americans buy their cars and trucks. For decades, Americans shopped at independently owned dealers — family-run places that typically bore the owner‘s name and were often seen as fixtures in their communities. But in recent years, a new kind of dealer has started to take root — a corporate-driven one with dozens of locations, sometimes spread across many states. It‘s all part of a post-Great Recession consolidation — since 2007, the number of new-car dealers in the U.S. has fallen from 21,200 to 17,665, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) — as the industry looks for ways to become leaner and more effective. By having several dealer locations, a company can easily reduce back-office expenses per location. (Another contributing factor to the dealer-count decline: the fact many car brands that were around at the turn of the century — from Oldsmobile to Saturn — no longer exist.) How big is the corporate-dealer trend becoming? Big enough that Warren Buffett is joining the bandwagon. In October 2014, he announced that his Berkshire Hathaway company would acquire the Van Tuyl Group, a dealer group with more than 75 locations nationwide. (The purchase price was not disclosed.) Some industry insiders and analysts question whether corporate-driven dealers will be as ingrained in their communities as independently

owned ones — meaning they might not be as supportive of local charities and volunteer efforts. Moreover, they say car buyers might not be able to negotiate as good a deal with a dealer that‘s part of a larger group. ―There‘s often no way around a fee that may come from the top down,‖ says Melinda Crump of Sageworks, a financial analysis and information company that tracks car dealers and other industries. 2) THOSE DEALS IN OUR ADS MAY REALLY BE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

You know those dealer advertisements that tout deals that seem too good to be true? It turns out that‘s often the case, warns the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It advises consumers to be wary when it comes to ads that promise an incredibly low price (―What may be missing: The low price is after a down payment,‖ the FTC says) or that promise very low interest rates. (―What may be missing: The low advertised annual percentage rate…may apply only to loans up to a certain amount,‖ the FTC says.) The FTC pursues plenty of cases against dealers that practice such deceptive advertising. In early 2014, for example, it announced a 10-dealer

―sweep,‖ spread across six states, involving everything from a dealer that advertised contest prizes that failed to materialize to a dealer that hid ―substantial fees‖ in its lease promotions. Is it any wonder that new car dealers ranked among the top five businesses to have complaints filed against them with the Better Business Bureau? Many dealers maintain that they adhere to the highest ethical standards and that the industry has cleaned up its act considerably in recent years. Duane Paddock, owner of Paddock Chevrolet in Buffalo, N.Y., says it‘s a ―night and day‖ change since he entered the business more than 30 years ago, adding that ―99% of dealers operate honestly…You can‘t afford not to.‖ NADA ―strongly condemns false advertising and the harm it can cause consumers,‖ says Paul Metrey, chief regulatory counsel for the association. 3) THE BEST DEALS AREN’T IN OUR SHOWROOM Over the years, car buyers have been accustomed to getting a better price by haggling in the showroom. But these days, that‘s not necessarily the surest way to score a great deal. Increasingly, consumers are finding success by working through a middleman of sorts. A case in point: TrueCar, which negotiates discounts with a network of more than 9,000 dealers and says car buyers save an average of $3,221 off the manufacturer suggested retail price by shopping through its service. Buyers can also find success dealing directly with a dealer‘s Internet sales department. Increasingly, dealers are positioning sales staff to work with consumers online or by phone (or even text message) and they‘re offering some of their best pricing to buyers who go this route. The incentive for the dealer? Working with consumers this way is often quicker and easier, since there‘s none of the proverbial, time-consuming kicking of the tires. 4) WE’RE SELLING YOU A CAR SO WE CAN SELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE Americans may be happily buying new vehicles, but that doesn‘t mean dealers are profiting greatly from those transactions. In fact, the average dealer profit per vehicle in 2013 amounted to a mere $69, according to NADA — and that‘s before commissions are paid out to sales staff. (The situation was even worse in 2006-2010, when dealers

actually lost money per vehicle, according to NADA.) The profit margins have gotten so low in large part because of the Internet and the growing transparency in pricing — consumers are able to drive a better bargain because they know what everyone is charging. But with such low margins, how can dealers make money? Increasingly they‘re looking to just about every other department in the dealership — especially their service and parts department — to drive revenue. The strategy seems to be working: In 2013, service and parts revenue was up 6.8% over the previous year, according to NADA. And as NADA pointed out in its most recent annual report: ―During 2003-2013, net profit in the service and parts department has been higher than in the new- and used-vehicle departments.‖ In other words, car sales are becoming something of a loss leader in the industry. Of course, car buyers should probably know that as much as dealers are depending on them to return for service, dealers might not be the cheapest game in town. Independent mechanics typically charge less for repairs and maintenance: A survey by AutoMD, a site that provides information about car repairs, found that car owners who go to independents save roughly $300 a year. Still, dealers maintain that they‘re the best source for service because of the manufacturer-specific knowledge and experience they bring to the table (er, service bay). 5) WE’D MUCH RATHER STEER YOU TO OUR USED-CAR LOT Don‘t be surprised if a dealer is a little more enthusiastic when talking to you about used cars. The reason is simple: There‘s more money in them.

10 THINGS CAR DEALERS WON’T TELL YOU (CONT) MSN Autos

NADA reports an average dealer profit of $254 per used vehicle — or more than three times the profit on a new vehicle. That‘s because used cars are very different animals: Buyers can‘t really comparison shop from one dealer to the next in the same way as with new cars because each used car is a unique case, with its own mileage, condition and history. That gives the dealer — and the dealer‘s sales staff — a better pathway to profit. To quote one car salesman‘s take: ―Honestly, used cars are really where the money is made. I earned more on a used car with 95,000 miles than I did on many brand-new ones.‖ The catch for car buyers, of course, is that dealers aren‘t necessarily the best place to shop for a used car — at least from a price perspective. Consider that a well-maintained 2012 Honda Accord is likely to sell for around $16,300 at a dealership, according to the Kelley Blue Book car buying guide. But that same car is likely to sell for around $2,000 less through a private party. Still, Jack Nerad, executive editorial director for Kelley Blue Book, notes there are advantages to going through a dealer — namely, dealers typically inspect used cars thoroughly, fix any major problems and offer some kind of warranty on top of that. By contrast, if you buy a used car privately, ―You‘re buying as is and have no recourse‖ in case of problems, says Nerad. NADA points out that dealers also offer the option of buying a certified used vehicle, which typically comes with greater warranty protection and special financing offers.

6) WE PUSH OPTIONS YOU MAY NOT NEED

Dealers don‘t just try to sell you a car. They try to sell you options — and plenty of them. Think rust protection (yes, the classic undercoating), fabric protection and extended warranties. They may even offer to fill your tires with nitrogen. The cost for such services isn‘t cheap — an extended warranty (typically providing three to five years of coverage) can add an average of $1,214 to the purchase price, says Consumer Reports. But experts say these options may not be necessary — or can be found cheaper outside the dealership. Edmunds, another car buying guide, points out that a $279 ―appearance package‖ that one dealer charged amounted to nothing more than basic pinstriping. And as Edmunds adds: ―We found that you can buy rolls of pinstriping tape for between $2 and $10 and have the project done by a professional for between $50 and $100.‖ As for extended warranties, Consumer Reports says they rarely pay off, since they save car buyers only an average of $837 on repairs. ―Based on a $1,214 average initial cost, that works out to a net loss of more than $375,‖ Consumer Reports says. 7) YOUR FINAL PRICE IS NOT ALWAYS SO FINAL Many car buyers assume the deal is done when they‘ve settled on a make and model and negotiated a final price. Imagine their surprise when they

get the bill and sometimes see a hefty extra charge — a ―dealer fee‖ or ―doc fee‖ that‘s intended to compensate the dealer for the time and effort involved in processing the purchase. In some cases, the fee can go as high as $2,000, according to Earl Stewart, owner of Earl Stewart Toyota in Lake Park, Fla., and a staunch critic of the practice (he calls the fee nothing more than ―disguised profit‖). In a survey, TrueCar found that the average fee varied greatly from state to state — in Iowa, it‘s $146; in Florida, it‘s $610 — but it and other fees still amounted to something that ―can really inflate your ‗out the door‘ price.‖ Many dealers say the dealer (or doc) fee is legitimate because of the complex nature of the business and the paperwork that must be filed on behalf of consumers. (That said, the fee has nothing to do with the costs of registration and title charges themselves, which are determined by the state.) Either way, consumer watchdogs suggest the best way to deal with the dealer fee is to ask about it upfront and then factor it into the out-thedoor price when price shopping from one showroom to the next. It‘s also worth noting that some states place a cap on the dealer fee. 8) OUR ‘VETERANS’ AROUND THAT LONG

HAVEN’T

say the feast-or-famine nature of sales commissions and the sheer demands of the job (for example, having to work weekend shifts) can lead to dissatisfaction and the parting of ways. ―The professional salesperson who‘s going to sell for 20 or 30 years is a pretty rare thing,‖ says Nerad of Kelley Blue Book. Still, as dissatisfied as some salespeople may be, it‘s car shoppers who often pay the real price for the turnover, experts say, since they can‘t build a continuing relationship with a salesperson. And in some instances, they may be dealing with beginners who are not as knowledgeable about model features and accessories as a veteran might be. Dealers and others connected to the industry say they are working to reduce turnover. They also say that regardless of a salesperson‘s years of experience (or lack thereof), dealer staff is prepared to help customers. ―Dealers spend time and money ensuring salespeople are trained on the vehicles being offered in their shop,‖ says Tony Argiz, chief executive of MBAF, an accounting firm that specializes in the automotive industry. As NADA points out, while turnover is an issue, it isn‘t one unique to the dealer industry. For example, the turnover rate for part-time retail workers in 2013 reached 74.9%, according to Hay BEEN Group, a management consultant.

If it seems like every time you‘ve shopped for a car at a particular dealer, a whole new staff greets you, it‘s probably not your imagination. The turnover rate for salespeople at new-car dealers in 2013 was 66%, according to NADA. That means a dealer with 15 salespeople parted ways with and likely replaced 10 during the year, NADA says. Why the constant revolving door? Experts

9) PARDON OUR DUST Car dealership or construction zone? These days, it‘s sometimes hard to tell the difference. That‘s because dealers have been on a remodeling kick of late. AutoNation estimates it‘s put $350 million into facilities nationwide over the last four years. Individual dealers are tackling overhauls that cost anywhere from $600,000 to several million, according to one published report. The drive to renovate is partly driven by dealers‘ desire to stay current, especially in a retail environment that puts a premium on a sleek, contemporary design (think Apple stores). But it‘s also coming from the auto manufacturers themselves — in some instances, they are pushing dealers to do the costly upgrades, which can include such amenities as coffee bars and gift shops, to give their brands a consistent look. (And in some instances, manufacturers do help pay for the remodeling work.) In the short term, all this renovating and upgrading may mean the consumer is slightly incon-

10 THINGS CAR DEALERS WON’T TELL YOU (CONT) MSN Autos

venienced. But in the long term, it could mean the car shopper winds up paying more. ―These costs are passed on,‖ says Mike Wickenden, founder of CarComplaints.com, a consumer-oriented site. Dealers counter that it‘s the consumer who benefits from newer and upgraded facilities, especially since some of the improvements are also aimed at speeding up transaction times. ―It‘s absolutely about the customers,‖ says Cannon of AutoNation. Cannon also insists that AutoNation does not increase prices to cover remodeling expenses. And NADA says if dealers want to stay competitive price-wise, they simply can‘t risk passing on such expenses. ―Just because you invest millions of dollars in a facility doesn‘t mean you can charge more,‖ says NADA chief economist Steven Szakaly. 10) TESLA IS CHALLENGING OUR WAY OF DOING BUSINESS Tesla has gotten plenty of attention in the auto industry for its pioneering electric cars. But in the dealer world, it‘s gotten just as much attention for its sales model — which involves selling direct to consumers with no dealer involved. Tesla found-

er Elon Musk says the old-school dealer network is not up to the task of selling a car driven — literally — by such new technology. He also balks at the dealer model of selling service on top of selling cars. ―It does not seem right to me that companies try to make a profit off customers when their product breaks,‖ he has written. The Tesla model is naturally appealing to many consumers since, by cutting out the middleman, it could potentially spell lower prices (and less haggling). And Tesla is not alone in considering a more direct sales model — GM has talked it up of late as well, albeit in a way that would still keep dealers in the loop. To some extent, dealers have little reason to fear Tesla and others touting direct sales, since state laws generally protect their business model and require that auto makers sell through a third party. Still, the Tesla situation clearly has dealers concerned. In fact, NADA has issued a position paper defending their franchise sales model. To quote NADA, franchised dealers ―provide top sales and service experiences, allowing auto manufacturers to concentrate their capital in their core areas: designing, building and marketing vehicles.‖

2015 Hit Like A Girl Contest Kicks Off World's Only Global Online Event Promoting Female Drumming Hit Like A Girl is a global, online contest for female drummers that drew competitors from 45 countries in 2014. Now in its fourth year, the 2015 event is shaping up to be the biggest yet. New Sponsors Join Program The 2015 Hit Like A Girl Contest features several returning sponsors as well as some new ones. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s presenting sponsors are Zildjian, Evans, and DW Drums. Additional sponsors include: Sabian Cymbals, Mapex Drums, Yamaha and Yamaha DTX Drums, Alfred Music, Musicians Institute, Innovative Percussion, Vater, Promark, Puresound, SKB, TRX, Vic Firth, Audix, and Cympad. Media Sponsors Media sponsors from around the world have been enlisted to help support the contest, including: the Percussive Arts Society, Drum Channel, Hudson Music, Drum Guru, Alternative Press, DRUM! Magazine, Tom Tom Magazine and the Enter Music Network and Online Drummer as well as Drumhead (US), Music Radar/ Rhythm Magazine (UK), Drums & Percussion (Germany) and DrumScene (Australia). Judges Joining 2015 event spokesperson Didi Negron (Cirque du Soleil, right) as celebrity judges are Sheila E, Hannah Ford-Welton (Prince), Venzella Joy (BeyoncĂŠ), Debbie Knox-Hewson (Charli XCX), Kate Schellenbach (Luscious Jackson), Jess Bowen (The Summer Set), Alicia Warrington (Kate Nash), Cherisse Ofusu-Osei (Bryan Ferry) and Nia Lovelis (Cherri Bomb). The judging panel also includes leading YouTube artists Meytal Cohen, Anika Nilles, Motown legend Bobbye Hall, and Lux Drummerette, as well as 2014 HLAG Champions Riesha Fayson and Kanade Sato. Schedule of Events. 2015 Hit Like A Girl Contest opens for online video entries at 12:01 AM PST on March 1, 2015. Two pair of Weekly Winners will be chosen by celebrity/industry judging teams and announced March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9 with the entry period closing on April 8. Fan Voting Open April 10 and closes April 22. The Top Twenty Weekly and fan-selected finalists in both the over and under 18 age divisions will be announced on April 23 followed by celebrity judging from April 24 and May 4. The final winners will be chosen during an online event on May 7. International Ambassadors HLAG Ambassadors represent nearly 2 dozen countries around the world and are responsible for expanding the awareness of drumming and increasing participation in the contest by organizing promotional activities through their local and social media contacts. Where To Find Out More Web site: http://www.hitlikeagirlcontest.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HitLikeAGirlContest Twitter: @hlagcontest

Heads up America; the boys in Saints of Rebellion are thundering their way through the US and the world with their personal brand of Rock n Roll. Soulful, bluesy vocals combined with power-driven instrumentals unite to create a sound that excites a wide-range of audiences, appealing to fans of arena rock and heavy metal. CV WorldWide Magazine is honored to introduce our readers to a new heavyweight in

<CV WorldWide> alright, first things first - who is in the band and what is their role? Coby DeShazo on vocals John Adams on guitar Jay Hitaffer on bass guitar Anthony Hitaffer on drums.

last year as the drummer? <ANTHONY>: That is true. My official first show was an outdoor festival in sunny Florida (John's home state). I flew down to Florida from Maryland, we practiced twice in a studio owned by Stet Howland (the drummer of WASP), and we played the show two days later. In a way it was kind of my trial by fire. At that point I either came into the studio knowing all the material inside and out & got the thumbs up from everyone in the band or I was going home. Lucky me I am pretty good at handling pressure. <JAY>: Yes! Anthony is my youngest brother. I've been playing music with him all of his life. Once Ryche decided to move on to his next project, it was perfectly clear to me who would be taking his place. Anthony was present during our Maryland writing sessions and was Ryche's understudy from the start.

<CV WorldWide> tell us how the band came together "MaryFLARkansas" is a long way away from each other... <JAY>: In October of 2013, I was approached by HighVol Music Label owner, Bill Chavis. I had worked with Bill on a previous project and we always joked about starting something from scratch. He paired up Ryche Green (Bullet Boys and Modern Superstar Drummer) and I and the search for the remaining members began! We went through a few musicians prior to landing the current line up. Once John Quincy Adams 13th walked in the door, I knew that this was going to be something awesome. It was like finding a long lost <CV WorldWide> Any special story about the name? brother! <JAY>: The name was created <CV WorldWide> Did I read right by HighVol Music owner, Bill that Anthony was just added mid Chavis.

<CV WorldWide> What is it about THIS combination of musicians that you think works so well? <JOHN>: Maturity that comes from having been in business for a long time. Mutual respect for one anotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s strengths <ANTHONY>: In my opinion, it works so well because we each bring to the table something unique. None of us are identical in any way, especially when it comes to our taste in music and our musical inspirations. For example, I have had my hand in many different types of cookie jars when it comes to my personal taste in music, such as: rock, metal, punk, rap, jazz, blues, funk, and even classical (but those are just the main ones). I do not feel compelled to stick to liking only one style of music like some people choose to do. When you research a topic for your own personal interest, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t just utilize only one type of resource, right? No, you dive in head first into the research and search for information through all the different channels you can get your

hands on. Well, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s how I do it anyway. <JAY>: I feel that it is our dedication to the music that makes this combination work. John Quincy Adams 13th is the main writer in the band. And as you can hear, he can write some great music. Anthony and I are huge fans of his writing style. It challenges us enough to keep us from being bored on stage. I also feel that having a good attitude comes into play here. I've been in several bands where I'd rather kick in a fellow band memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s teeth than play music with them. When you get to that point, it's time to find a more professional group of people to jam with! I love playing with these guys. I look forward to it! <CV WorldWide> Did any of you have other interests while growing up? <JOHN>: Star Wars, lifting weights, wrestling (not the TV kind), females. <JAY>: I wanted to be a Police Officer when I was a kid! So, I served for over 10 years. I've been playing bass professionally since I

was 10 years old. My parents met in the music industry and played music overseas. So, for me it was only second nature to have an instrument in my hands all the time. By the time I was in High School, I was playing out 3-4 nights a week <ANTHONY>: My first interest is one I still hold dear to my heart and still practice everyday, and that is my love for writing and drawing comic books. I was putting pencil to paper way before I was banging skins with drumsticks. In fact, I am currently working on my web comic titled Hair Trigger, which you can read at awhitaffer.weebly.com. My second interest growing up was martial arts. I was always either watching a movie or reading books about all of the many different types of martial arts from around the world. It was not until I graduated high school that I actually enrolled in a school and earned a degree (although I was being taught a more crude style of martial art/street fighting from my older brothers as I grew up). Now I am currently in training with my grandmaster to become

a master within the next year. I did not get bit by the rock star bug until freshman year in high school. <CV WorldWide> When you first came together, what were your initial expectations? <ANTHONY>: I knew it was going to be work. Jay and John wanted to be sure I knew what I was getting myself into because they both are very honest and respectable men. There was no wool being draped over my eyes that was for sure. <JAY>: The label wanted a Motley Crue with John Corabi sound. I didn't know who John Corabi was. Hell, I didn't know Vince Neil ever left Motley Crue! LOL I definitely wanted something a bit more challenging than Motley Crue. No offense to Nikki Sixx. He's a great bassist! I just wanted something more substantial than another remake of another 80's band. Here in Baltimore, MD you can't throw a rock

without hitting one! I just really and worked in the studio. To be wanted something more original. honest, I was a big fan of the Nothing like the last bands I had band even before I joined it. been in. <CV WorldWide> Who do you <CV WorldWide> Of course every guys count as your musical influband wants to be successful, were ences? you mentally prepared to explode <JOHN>: SABBATH, ZAKK like you have? WY L DE , S LA S H, RI CH <JAY>: Once I heard the album, WARD, SKYNYRD, MAIDEN, I knew we were onto something OZZY, PRIEST, SOIL, TEXAS special. I really dug the tunes! I HIPPIE COALITION, just to never thought it would take off name a few. I could go on for like this! It's really a dream come daysâ&#x20AC;Ś. true to be on the cusp of some- <JAY>: When it comes to plaything amazing like this. It's hum- ing bass, I like the guys who have bling, frightening, and exciting all mastered more than just playing along with songs. Like, Billy at the same time. <ANTHONY>: I knew this al- Sheehan, Flea, Les Claypool, bum had immense potential even Victor Wooten, Steve Harris, before I joined the band and be- John Paul Jones, Stanley Clarke, came its drummer and part of its and Jaco Pastorius. When it rhythm section. I had the honor comes to stage performance, I of hearing these songs, as they like the guys who entertain the were being worked and worked audience. I'm not big into any

band that just stands there in their blue jeans and t-shirts. Anybody can do that! I like the musicians that work hard on stage, have originality in their attire, and play like the gods! <ANTHONY>: That is a very substantial list. I have so many musical influences that I tend to forget to mention some of them when this question pops up. Here goes, they are: KISS, Queen, Aerosmith, Poison, Stryper, Foo Fighters, Springsteen, Radiohead, Ben Folds, Yoko Kano (Seatbelts), Beatles, The Monkees, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Mega Death, Metallica, Motley Crue, Phil Collins, Green Day, The Clash, Sex Pistols, The Ramones, The Rolling Stones, CCR, David Bowie, and on and on. <CV WorldWide> What or who

stage setting.

do you guys listen to in your own downtime? <ANTHONY>: It depends on what I‘m in the mood for, and honestly that can change from day to day. I love music that not only makes you move or feel, but it makes you think as well. Some types of music narrate everything the creators want you to hear, while some music just gives you the bare minimum and lets your own senses fill in the rest. <JAY>: I like all genres of music except Gangster Rap. <JOHN>: Mostly newer bands: Soil, Texas Hippie Coalition, Machine Head, BLS, Slipknot, etc. as well as a healthy dose of classic real metal: Sabbath, Ozzy, Priest, Maiden, Metallica, Anthrax, etc. <CV WorldWide> What can fans expect to see at a show? <JOHN>: Always giving it our all <JAY>: We bring our arena style rock show to any venue. You will see a refined professional kick ass performance no matter what venue or bar we play! <ANTHONY>: High energy, raw emotion, and four guys doing what they love most on a

man. <JOHN>: Many of them are <CV WorldWide> Is there any quite personal to me. I always "message" to your music? What, if write from life experience vs. creanything, do you want to accom- ated scenarios. plish through your songs? <JOHN>: Some of the songs <CV WorldWide> What motivates have a clear message, some are you guys to keep improving, to keep more ambiguous, open to one‘s expanding your horizons as musiown interpretation. There IS a cians and a band? recurring theme of rising above <JOHN>: Many of my favorite adversity, fighting the odds, and bands; Priest , Sabbath, Anthrax, individualism. Machine Head continue to put out new music, after many years <CV WorldWide> Do any of your and albums in business, that are songs speak to you on a deep per- as good as anything in their ―classic‖ catalogs . One should sonal level? <JAY >: ― New Amer ic an never stop evolving and get too Dream‖ hits home with me. Our comfortable with the status quo. music video for it was based up- Evolution is the key to life on images that connect us to that <JAY>: The greatest part about song. So, when you see that vid- being in SOR is that we have yet eo, you‘re seeing multiple views to conform to one specific genre of inspiration that come together of music. It can be extremely to become one specific meaning. challenging to write songs that are so different from each other, I love it! <ANTHONY>: The song ―Rise‖ yet alike enough to be on the really speaks to me on a personal same album without turning level because it reminds me of some one away. The album needsomething my father used to tell ed to be like a perfect mix tape. us, his sons, when we were feel- Once you start listening, you ing beaten up or defeated. He don't stop until it's over! used to say that, ―everyone falls <ANTHONY>: Personally, it is off their horse, but real champi- my desire to be the best I can be ons dust themselves off and climb in every facet of my life. Physiback on.‖ He was a very wise cally, mentally, emotionally, and

sic, they smile and say, man those guys were good, they were really something special, they inspired me to go after my dreams and never give up…ever. <CV WorldWide> Your sound has been compared to none other than Black Label Society...is that a fair comparison? Are you intimidated by living up to that? <ANTHONY>: Personally, I am honored to be compared to Black Label Society and I know John is absolutely flattered by it as well because he is a huge fan of theirs. There is no intimidation, just respect. spiritually, I want to have a firm grasp on all things that have the potential to control my life. As a band, I think that it is our mutual respect for each other and for music that motivates us to keep expanding our horizons. We all want to have the skills and tools necessary to help each other express ourselves through our music and stage shows. <CV WorldWide> In the end, when it's all said and done, do you have any specific legacy you'd like to leave behind? <JOHN>: To be remembered as have been genuine. <JAY>: I always hope that what we do will inspire someone to express themselves artistically. You don't have to be a musician with a mohawk, but find your artistic niche and celebrate it. For me, that person was Gene Simmons of KISS. He's why I picked up the bass in the first place. And why question #38 hurt so much to answer. <ANTHONY>: I just want that when everyone listens to our mu-

<JAY>: John is a disciple of the great Zakk Wylde. And that sound is recognizable to anyone who knows BLS. It's an honor to be compared to that greatness. <JOHN>: Yes and no. It‘s quite a compliment. Anyone who knows me, knows that Zakk is a HUGE influence on me. I don‘t really hear too much BLS in our music, but given the nature of my guitar playing, the comparisons are inevitable . To be compared to one of the greats (even though,

I truly don‘t feel worthy of such praise) is quite a compliment. <CV WorldWide> What is it about your music and sound that you think appeals to fans? <JOHN>: Strait up, no bullshit, rock music will always have an audience, regardless of what trends the sheep are buying into any particular year. I don‘t write ―fair weather‖, trend dependent songs. Its all genuine, no frills rock. Considering that there are a couple songs on the record that date as far back as 14 years, validates the timeless nature of the music. Kirk Hammett said it best; when recording Metallica‘s ―St. Anger‖, he was told NOT to play guitar solos, as it would make the album sound dated. His response was ―quite the contrary, not playing solos, dates the album to this particular time period‖, being 2003. I think he hit the nail on the head. <JAY>: Originality without being too eclectic. We took the soul of Rock & Roll and the heart of Metal and ended up with what you hear. <ANTHONY>: I think that it is

our musicâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s old-school feel that appeals to our fans. Sure we are a modern band playing in modern times, and we do have a newer and improved sound like a lot of the bands out right now, but there is this ghostly, almost haunting, old-style feel to our songs that to me parallels the classic rock of the seventies. <CV WorldWide> Having played all over the globe, do you have a favorite place to gig? <ANTHONY>: I would have to say right now its Baltimore; my hometown because one, we always have a huge turn out of our awesome fans there and two, there is nothing like playing a venue in your own back yard and seeing your friends and family in the crowd. <JAY>: Every venue in every state has provided an amazing original experience. I have loved them all! <CV WorldWide> Tell us about an incident/show that made all the blood, sweat, & tears really worthwhile... <JAY>: Our first tour set up by our old management company was on the "Rock Rage Radio Tour". We hadn't received any contracts for any shows up until we were leaving for the tour. So we had no idea what we were making, who we were playing with, and what time to be there. Basically, our Tour Manager was calling the venues while we were enroute to see if we really had a show, and what time to be there. It turned out that every show was 300 miles apart and paid $100. The only way we could've broken even was if we could teleport to every gig. Even though we had

no contracts, we all agreed to do the shows. We are men of our words, and we went to every show and paid to play. The response was extraordinary! And, we made some amazing industry contacts as well as made friends with some pretty amazing bands. <ANTHONY>: Again, it was our last Baltimore show. We played the largest venue in the city and had a big turn out of fans and supporters. Like most bands in our position at that time, we

had our share of less than exciting shows. We had to work our way back to the east coast to get to Baltimore after a string of shows in the mid-west and did not know what to expect when we got home. When we finally got to the venue in Baltimore and were shown to the staging area, it made me smile to see the look on John and Cobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s faces. It was by far one of the biggest and nicest venues that either of them had ever played, and in my opinion a long time coming. Jay and my-

self had played that venue a few times before in our previous band, so to see John and Coby on that stage that night giving it there all really made that moment for me. <CV WorldWide> now tell us about something that made you think "is this really worth it?" <JAY>: We were direct support for a show with Black & Blue. Sometimes, as direct support you have to set up in front of the headliners drum risers...and some of the stages are pretty small, but you do what you have to do. Now this venue had an amazing sound system, so everything should've sounded great, but it didn't. It sounded horrible. I came off stage many times and couldn't figure out why things sounded like shit. After the set, I saw the sound guy turn on the

power amps to the full PA system. We had been throttled! I went to kick the sound guys teeth in and he stated that it was in Black & Blues contract that we only receive half the PA System that they did. I couldn't believe it! Such unprofessional BS at this level? I kept asking myself, why would any band want the bands before them to sound like shit? Especially when half of that audience was there to see us. I still haven't figured it out, but it's now in our contract that we will never be throttled again. <CV WorldWide> You are currently based on Baltimore - is that home, or is there a solid rock music scene there? (I'm actually in the DC area, man I'd love to come see you guys - my nephew also goes to Loyola of MD) <JAY>: Right in between Balti-

more and Washington DC, and the label is from North Baltimore (Forest Hill). We do rehearse here when we can, but we actually rehearse more in sunny Florida then here in MD. We usually head down there for a few months out of the year to write and rehearse. We rehearse at Stet Howland's (Drummer of WASP, Lita Ford, 10,000 Views, and Four by Fate) Studio in Ft. Myers. Stet is an inspiration to everyone he meets! As for Baltimore's Rock scene; it finally seems to be getting on its feet again. It would be nice to see more originality and less 80's remake bands (way less). It's extremely difficult to get people out of their houses to come to a show here. And even when you do, even when you bring 100 people out, you barely make any money ($3-$5 per person). That doesn't cover produc-

tion costs. So, you start to get these bare bones rock shows with shitty sound and pissed off musicians...because they're all PAYING TO PLAY. It's all backwards! <JOHN>: I‘m in SW Fla. We have a GREAT scene with many new, original, bands. <CV WorldWide> K-Rock from MidAtlantic calls you "one of the big breakout bands to watch in 2015" - does that put any pressure on you? <ANTHONY>: Pressure comes with the territory in this business. Every show should have some amount of pressure behind it. I know it does for me because every show is going to be the best show I have ever played. Once an artist allows mediocrity to become an every night occurrence, they are done and should hang up their spurs. <JAY>: K-Rock and Sheila from Mid-Atlantic Rock Review have been with us since before our inception. We love them, and are thankful for all the faith and support they have given us over the years! I trust their opinions and

am honored they feel that way. No pressure here! LOL We'll just keep doing what we do, and let the music take us where it wants to go. <JOHN>: No, not really. I didn‘t come in to this with any preconceived notions that people would love what we do. It‘s a pleasant surprise that people do, but it won‘t sway the way I write songs or what I write about. I‘m a bit set my ways and who I am, so it‘s nice that other people also seem to relate to that. Not to sound arrogant, or cocky, but I write music that I like, first and foremost. I won‘t play music that I‘m not into, which is why I don‘t play in cover bands. <CV WorldWide> how do you think the music industry has changed from the old days? <JOHN>: 1 - There will be very few bands and songs that will regarded in the same light as the great music from the 60‘s and 70‘s. There is no such thing as artist development any more, where bands were given label support and multiple album deals. Some of the greatest songs

in rock history didn‘t come to fruition until a band‘s 3rd or 4th album. These days, even if you‘re on a major label, which VERY FEW bands actually are, if you don‘t have a ― hit ― right off the bat, you are over before you ever get started. Bands these days are regarded as disposable commodities, largely having to do with the internet generation. Many people don‘t care about the ―album experience‖ anymore. I always loved albums that took me on a ride, where each song was part of a larger picture. Most newer music consumers have about enough attention span to give a song about 10 seconds before moving on to the next. 2 - There is little money to be made by selling music. Rock bands HAVE to get out and play live to generate any income or fan base, which can be tough at times, considering that most labels don‘t provide any tour support any more. 3 - Most modern rock radio stations are corporate controlled and will play music from new bands unless they are given large sums of money to do so, which is why you don‘t hear much new music from new bands played on terrestrial radio. <JAY>: The music industry has changed some, but the big dogs are still holding the cards. Yes, the internet has created another form of marketing that gives the little guy a chance to spread their word. But, you still need the support of "big money" if you want to get big fast (money talks!). That's where the focus of our struggle is. We would love to be spun on big radio, and we're working our butts off to get that break. That's why we tour. We're

hoping that we break into a major market by playing big shows around the country. In turn, getting the attention that the music deserves. Everyone is out there just waiting for their big break. That's the part of the industry that hasn't changed. SOR just chooses to make it happen instead of waiting for someone to make it happen. We don't believe in waiting for good luck to happen. We make our own luck. <ANTHONY>: Two wordsâ&#x20AC;Ś Social Media. He/she who can navigate the sea that is social media can accomplish a lot in this business. Lucky for us we have Jay and Taylor who steer the helm of our ship like Odysseus in the Odyssey; no monster, nor god, nor demigod can stand in our way. <CV WorldWide> So, in the end, what is your opinion of social media, critical tool or necessary evil? <JAY>: Social media is 100% of the way we got where we are today. Our Publicist/Manager, Taylor Lee Hitaffer, busted her butt to put SOR on the map. Without her and it, we would have to depend on big radio. And that is just unaffordable. Taylor

has gotten SOR in rotation on over 150 Terrestrial and Internet Radio Stations worldwide. Not to mention the hundreds of interviews and printed publications that she has made happen to keep SOR relevant. We wouldn't be here without her and social media. <ANTHONY>: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s definitely a critical tool, but like most things in life can be used to cause evil. Social media needs to be used cautiously or it will definitely bite the hand that feeds it. <CV WorldWide> Has the advent of distribution models like iTunes or others made it harder or easier to sell your music? <JOHN>: These days, its one of the ONLY ways to sell new music. <JAY>: Easier! People were able to download our album the same day it came out! No delivery, no waiting. Boom! It's an excellent tool for musicians and music lovers. <CV WorldWide> Okay, tell us about "Show Your Soft Side"...how did that come about? <JAY>: Show Your Soft Side ( www.ShowYourSoftSide.com )

was originally an Anti Abuse Campaign for animals that targeted the inner city youth of Baltimore, MD. It was created by Sande Riesett, a Maryland resident and owner of a marketing firm. Along with amazing photographer and co-worker, Leo Lebow, SYSS uses the popularity of Rock Stars, Professional Athletes, Professional Grand Prix Drivers, and even Police Officers to spread their message, "Only a Punk would hurt a cat or dog!" They make posters and billboards, with these models holding and loving an animal (some of the animals belong to the models and some are rescues from the Baltimore Animal Rescue Center-BARCS). Its focus is to educate by example. There's nothing like seeing a big tough guy loving on his furry baby! The Campaign was so successful that it went global. We are honored to be a part of this Campaign and stand by SYSS 100%. I have spent many an hour defending the use of the word "Punk" in their message. So let me explain now what I have many times before. Here, in Baltimore, the term "Punk" (not to be mistaken with "Punk Rocker") is one of the

most derogatory things you can call someone from the inner city. I was a Police Officer in Baltimore for 5 years and got to see this first hand. SYSS used the wording that mostly impacts their audience. Other Punk and Rock Stars in the campaign are Henry Rollins (Black Flag, and Rollins Band), Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Steve Whiteman (KIX and Funny Money), John Allen (Charm City Devils, SR-71, and Childs Play), and Saints of Rebellion (we're the only Band in the campaign!). How it happened? My Mother-In-Law, Kathy Miller, trains dogs and their trainers for National Dog Agility Trials (not the kind where you walk the dog in a circle and make them look all pretty, but the kind where you teach dogs to do a timed obstacle course that you and I would kill ourselves on). Well, she is a great animal lover, supporter and educator (not just in the ring but online as well). And one day on the Facebook, I saw that she had shared a SYSS Poster of Henry Rollins. I was blown

away by the intelligence of this campaign, and contacted Sande immediately to see how we could support them! The rest is history! I have been with SYSS through 3 bands and have had my poster on a bus. Last year we helped to raise over $45,000 in one event (The SYSS PAWject RunwayNext one is on May 11, 2015 at the Baltimore Arena-Tickets are on sale now!)! <CV WorldWide> any personal stories that sparked interest or enthusiasm, or just a love of animals? <JAY>: These guys just love animals! John has 2 Shepherds, 5 cats, and 2 turtles. We have 2 Porkies, 2 cats, and a 26-year-old turtle! We figure that it's our jobs in life to take care of these little guys. No one should ever harm them out of malice. If they have no respect for these little guys then they truly have no respect for humanity, and in turn should be removed from society. <ANTHONY>: For me it was just my love of animals. There are no bad animals. Every animal on this planet has a specific purpose for which it was born to do until the day it dies. Even the ―bad ones‖ have their place in the hierarchy of animal importance and we as humans need to respect that. Its funny, but we as a species love to think that we are at the top of the food chain, that we are above all other life forms in this world, but take a man/ woman and strip them of their warm clothes and shoes, take away their iPods and smart phones, and place them out of their natural comfort zone. What do you get? Dinner for the lesser inhabitants of this planet. <JOHN>: For me, love of ani-

mals is a passion. <CV WorldWide> "New American Dream" was recorded starting in Jan 2014 - what it harder or easier than you expected? <JAY>: It was easier than expected. We were well rehearsed and the environment was super professional. <JOHN>: Tt was pretty painless. Most of these songs had a pretty clear destination point, and it wasn‘t as if we had no idea how they would come out. Having been a songwriter for MANY years, I typically have a pretty clear idea for what I think a song should sound like when its finished. Sometimes I‘m wrong, but not often. It‘s kind of like a painter who can visualize a finished piece when inception occurs. However, when a song surpasses the original vision, as a result of collaboration or thru the opinions of others, that is truly a rewarding experience. <CV WorldWide> How did you guys hook up with Ty Sims in Con-

way (by the way, I used to live in Little Rock) to record the album? <JAY>: Our label had used the Recovery Room on a previous project and the quality was amazing. I wanted that same quality on this album, so we made it happen! <CV WorldWide> You released it in July, it's been out for several months, how does it feel to hold your own musical endeavor in the palm of your hand? <JAY>: It feels amazing! I pop it in at parties, and wait to hear people say, "Who is this???" The biggest sense of pride is being able to say "That's my album!" <JOHN>: Yes, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s also like a time capsule for me. It was great for what it was. A first offering. To me, its time to move on to the next batch of songs. <CV WorldWide> We have to ask Jay if he gets any *cough* odd looks given the mohawk... :) <ANTHONY>: Is the Pope a Catholic? Does a bear crap in the woods? I have lost count of how

many times people have come up and asked him if his hair was real. F.Y.I., it is ladies and gentlemen. No male pattern baldness in this family. Ha! <JAY>: The looks are odd, yes! But I don't blame them! It's a tad bit different than your regular run of the day mohawk. HaHa! But it's me in a nutshell. As I stated earlier, I was a cop. I was a cop for over a decade. I ended my career with Baltimore Police Department due to an injury. I worked my ass off to be a cop again, and six years after my Baltimore career ended, I was back in the academy again. I spent 5 years working in the town of La Plata, MD as a Police Officer. Then all of a sudden that career was ended by another major "Line of Duty" injury. This time I cut my Lateral Femoral Nerve in half and had to retire. Well, while I was recuperating from the injury I told my wife, "If I make it out of this alive, I'm going to have a mohawk!" I received my retirement letter on Christmas Eve a year later, and the mohawk was born!

performed with and opened for a who's who of rock/metal heavy hitters...what do you take away from standing side by side with the likes of Misfits, KIX, Dokken, and the others? <JAY>: Performing with those amazing acts has instilled the idea that THIS career is a possibility. We walked out on stage to an audience of their fans, and not only entertained them, but we impressed them as well. There's nothing like coming off stage and talking to the awesome people afterwards. Bands that run backstage and hide are missing out on the best part of this business! <ANTHONY>: There are two possible outcomes when it comes to meeting your childhood heroes; they are either just as cool and awesome as you had always dreamed they would be, or they are complete head cases that hold themselves on self-proclaimed pedestals. Luckily enough for me, they have mostly been really down to earth guys who remember what it was like to be in our shoes. What I take from the experience of standing side by side with them is that we deserve to <CV WorldWide> You guys have be on that stage just as much as

and Metal Venue -pPossibly the only one!) while he was on the MotorHead Cruise. After Jerry checked out SOR, he asked if we were interested in doing the show. <ANTHONY>: That is all thanks to our multitalented guitarist John Adams. He was our hookup on that one. <JOHN>: Networking, promoting, making friends, and treating people with respect. <CV WorldWide> South America can be an intimidating place...are you guys at all nervous about playing there? <JOHN>: No, South America has some of the most devoted rock fans on the planet. I‘m looking forward to the experience. <JAY>: No, Taylor and I plan on retiring in Ecuador. The dollar is worth more there and everything is cheaper! We've been researching Suriname and it's a very safe place to visit. <ANTHONY>: Not at all. My only fear is that we don‘t give the people of Suriname the best show of their lives as well as ours so far. I want everyone to have the best night of their lives. they do and I am not afraid to say that. <JOHN>: It‘s always cool to play shows with veterans and watch what they do. Even though, for most, their 15 minutes came and went in a cloud of lipstick and hairspray 20 some years ago, the bands that wrote truly great songs AND know how to treat their fan base are quite cool to play shows with. However, there are quite a few out there that still seem to think

<CV WorldWide> After Unkie's, any other international dates or plans? <JAY>: We want to do Japan (where Anthony and I have family) and Europe in the near future. <CV WorldWide> Alright, you Hopefully we'll work some magic guys are going to headline Junkie’s and make that happen. Open Air Rockfest in...SURINAME?! How does that <CV WorldWide> You've been detype of opportunity come about? scribed as "here to save rock and <JAY>: John Quincy Adams roll" - is that a big task in today's 13th was approached by Jerry music industry? Orie of Paramaribo's - Unker <JOHN>: INDEED! Bunker Terras (Suriname's Rock <JAY>: I think so, especially afit‘s 1989 and are a little cocky for my tastes. That is always a let down, I don‘t handle ―rock star‖ attitudes very well…

ter the comments made by Gene Simmons of KISS. Morons like him don't realize how much that hurts the little guys who are struggling everyday to get their foot in a door...any door. People can believe what they hear, and Gene has an extremely large, undeserved, soapbox that he can stand on and destroy the sanctity of Rock & Roll. The way I feel about it is, Rock & Roll is inside of each and every one of us. It's the spirit for the love of letting go, cutting loose, and feeling alive. It took the world from the missionary position to doggie style, and there's no way that I'm giving up on doggie style! <ANTHONY>: Big task…yes, but not impossible. I also believe it is a task that one cannot force to happen, it has to come naturally. Just like all of the legendary bands that came before us and helped to pave the way for rock and roll, you cannot force something to happen if it is not meant to happen. In my humble opinion, all those great bands that came before us never really sought out to change the face of rock and roll; there was no plan of action, no map, no schematic; they just didn‘t try to force or

confine what was happening naturally through them at that time. Please don‘t take this as my way of putting down those great bands of previous generations because in fact I am trying to do the total opposite. I believe they were geniuses because they knew what not to do with the magic they possessed as well what to do with it. To move a mountain sometimes all one has to do is take a step back.

everyone. The bands need to find their originality, promote themselves, stop overplaying their hometowns and venture out into the real world, and make great music. The promoters need to promote and pay their bands. The venues need to promote and pay their bands. Festivals and Ticket Sales Organizations need to lower their fees, so that we can afford to go to shows again. And the fans/audience members need to get off of YouTube and go see a live show. They're missing the best part of rock! <ANTHONY>: Keep writing, recording, and performing great music. Do not settle for less than what makes you happy as an artist.

<CV WorldWide> Today is the time of Cyrus, auto-tuned One Direction, Katy Perry (although she does have talent), is rock "on the outside looking in"? <ANTHONY>: I would not say rock is totally lost in the radio <CV WorldWide> How do you feel waves right now, but it definitely you (or we in general) can bring needs to check its compass. It rerock back to the forefront? ally depends on where you live. <JAY>: This task will involve Some areas in the United States

and other countries of the world still love rock as much now as America did in the past couple of decades. Plus, rock music changes shape with each decade it endures. Each generation wants to shape and mold their daddy‘s rock music into something of their own. It‘s just the natural order of things to come. <JAY>: No. Pop Music feeds their specific genre, just like metal does. I like Katy Perry and the message that she tries to fill her music with, plus I love to dance. You can't dance to metal very well! When it comes to music, to each his own. We don't feel that everyone is going to like our tunes. We just hope that you get out and celebrate what you do like and in turn support the live music scene. <JOHN>: Yes, but one of the reasons I gravitated to metal (real metal, not the hair band crap) was the outsider quality it possessed. I was NEVER one of the ―cool kids‖. I still am not today. I ALWAYS marched to the beat of my own drum. Still do, for better or worse. I tend to prefer things that are not spoon fed to me or created for the sheep.

<CV WorldWide> Ok, obviously, Junkie’s in April/May, what else is coming down the pike in 2015 for SoR? <JAY>: We're working hard to get shows that are going to make a difference in our career. So we've been concentrating on the festival circuit. There are a lot of great ones in the US and we want to be on them. The biggest issue we've run into is that our music is still very new and despite all the stations that have us in rotation, we are still breaking into the Mid Level. That being said, some of these festivals want $1000 plus (called a "buy on") to play a side stage at noon. That can lead to a great spot next year, but coming up with $20,000 to play 20 festivals is basically impossible. Yes, we've thought of doing a KickStarter and such, but none of us feel right asking for a handout to do what we love doing. Not to mention, that we still have to pay for all the costs associated with getting there. Touring can be a money pit. So, with the help of our booking agents, Brad Krempel and Taylor Lee Hitaffer, we strategically plan our tours to work financially so that we can

break even or better. I don't know what we would do with those two! <CV WorldWide> Where do you see the band in 3-5 years? <ANTHONY>: Hopefully playing all over the world. I would really love to tour as many other countries as possible. I believe this band has a lot to give to the world and cannot wait to do my part to do so. <JAY>: Hopefully the Talent Buyers will be calling us, instead of us having to call them! LOL! I would be happy with being a known act that does 3-4 tours a year around the festival circuit <CV WorldWide> Any final words you would like to convey to our readers here or your fans? <JOHN>: Be true to yourself. Never give up, never relent, and never surrender. <JAY>: I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the readers for taking the time to get to know us! We would love to meet you at a show sometime. You can always find us at our merchandise booth with Taylor after a performance. Please come by and say Hi! As for our fans, you know we love you guys! Thank you for the endless support over the past year and a half. We wouldn't be where we are with out you. I can't wait to hug you all again on tour!! <ANTHONY>: I would like to thank all of our fans that have been supporting us this past year. We are nothing without you and we know it. We promise to keep doing our best so please keep having faith in us. We want to make you as proud of us as we are of you.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SAINTS OF REBELLION Recruits Former JETBOY and THE BEAUTIFULLY DEMOLISHED Singer as New Band Frontman Saints of Rebellion is thrilled to announce the signing of D.K. Revelle as the band's newest frontman. Revelle will be replacing former Saints of Rebellion vocalist, Coby DeShazo, who is on indefinite hiatus due to health issues. "We are disappointed that Coby will not be able to continue with Saints of Rebellion," says bassist Jay Hitaffer. "Knowing he was leaving forced the band into action, and we immediately began the search for his replacement." After conducting several try-outs, the decision was finalized after a three-day audition process in the band's hometown of Baltimore, MD. "D.K. is an excellent frontman! When we began to jam together, it was evident that he would be a good fit for SOR. He brings the talent and energy that our fans have come to expect, but more importantly, he brings a new level of professionalism to the table. We are very excited about the possibilities with this new line up!" Revelle bring with him expansive knowledge of the rock music scene, having spent years touring all over the globe through various projects. Most recently, Revelle fronted the Los Angeles based hard-rock band The Beautifully Demolished (2011-2014), recording a self-titled album that is distributed through Demon Doll Records. Prior to that, Revelle fronted veteran glamrock band Jetboy during their European tour in 2010. He has since been seen at such high-profile music events such as Maryland's M-3 Festival (2011). D.K. Revelle will be joining Saints of Rebellion on stage officially for the third annual Mid-Atlantic Rock Review Rocks MDA benefit at Hard Times Cafe & Cue this April.

Gear the Pros Use! When it comes to gear, in my own opinion, there are two types of musicians: the ones who buy specific gear because they want the sound it comes with, and the musicians who get their gear and modifies it to create the sound they want. I've always been the second type. I am endorsed by Spector Bass and have an artist endorsement for Markbass through Guitar Center. So I basically picked out my gear without playing it first...and the combination was exceptional! I have loved the look and sound of Spector Basses since the early 80's! They were the sports cars of the bass guitar world. My bass instructor, Jeff Reid (of SR-71) played one, and I got to fiddle around with it at lessons. I was so ecstatic when I finally got my Spector Endorsement!

Bass Guitars: I have 2 Spector Legend 4X, and a Spector Rex4 (Rex Brown from Pantera's model). The 2 4X's are set up to be in drop C tuning, and the Rex4 is in Standard. To carry the tremendous low end that Drop C deserves, I run through a MarkBass SD-1200 (1200 watts), a 104R (Markbass' rear ported 4x10), and 151R (Markbass' rear ported 1x15). The sound of the Spector Bass through the Markbass gear was great for playing big venues with PA's that had subs. I got a lot of compliments! But when we played smaller venues with no subs, I noticed that the low end lacked. When I turned up the lows on the amp, I found myself messing with it too much between songs looking for the right tone. My father-in-law, Bill Craig (of The Raz, The Nightmen, Jr. Cline and the Recliners) saw the trouble I was having, and he got me the BBE Sonic Maximizer Pedal for Christmas. When that Sonic Maximizer pedal was added to my rig, it finally became the monster I wanted all my career! Round, full, monstrous lows partnered with clear, rich, awesome mids/highs. Perfect for bass chords, and transitioning into some slap without having to change your settings. And best of all, I no longer had a need for a subwoofer in the PA! To complete my bass rig, I use the Line 6 G90 Digital Wireless System. I've tried pretty much all the wireless systems, and think this one is amazing. There's no way I'm gonna be tethered by a chord! I'm endorsed by Clayton Custom Picks and use a 1mm Derlin Pick.

My Keyboard rig consists of a Korg Triton LE, Kurtzweil SP76 (weighted keys), and a Roland PK5a Midi Footpedal Controller. Been using Korg for over 20 years now. Love em! The Getty Lee-Roland Foot pedal was recently added for Saints of Rebellion. That way I could play the keys with my feet while I'm playing the bass. It really completes our sound and fills our bottom end perfectly. Vocally I use a TC Helicon Vocal pedal. I use the Octave setting that gives me a low octave and a high octave to fill the back up vocals real nicely. By it's self it sounds like I'm singing with Barry White and a munchkin from OZ, but add the music and it fills perfectly without having to cheat with an auto tuner.

Gear the Pros Use! Kit: Yamaha Power V I play a 5 piece Yamaha Power V drum kit. I have been playing on a Yamaha since I first started to learn to drum back in my high school days. Yamaha’s high quality designs and rich, full sound has kept me loyal to the company ever since. I have tried playing on other kits, and as a touring drummer you never know whose drum kit you are going to be using each night (depending on venue and tour); but no matter what type of kit I play, I always love the feel and sound of my Yamaha Power V. However, I must stress that as a touring drummer or a drummer in general, you must be able to play any drum kit that is thrown your way. Remember, the drum kit only has the potential to make sound and music; it is you the drummer who has to turn its potential into something substantial. Toms: 12x11‖ 13x12‖ 16x17‖

I like to have multiple sized toms on my drum kit not only to create different sounds when I play, but to also allow me to create a different physical feeling for each of the songs as I play them. Let me explain. When I create a drum roll or any measure of a song that we have written, I not only create it so that it sounds good with the guitar, bass guitar, and vocals, but I also create it so that it feels fun to play. This is how you get those certain songs that are just fun as hell to play live in concert. To me, the ability to feel a song as you play

Kick: 22x18‖

I use a 22 inch kick drum because I feel it creates a low enough tone required for our style of music while leaving enough space below its tone for my brother Jay to occupy. In our rhythm section, Jay is the lowest tone.

Snare: 14x7.5‖ Pearl Masters Series SST

I like this snare a lot because it has a really mean attack (like a machine gun) and a great sounding tone that really cuts the intervals of each rhythm very sharply.

Cymbals: 14‖ Zildjian New Beat A-Series High Hats 21‖ Zildjian A-Series Mega Bell Ride 16‖ Oriental China ―Trash‖ 16‖ Zildjian Z3 Rock Crash 16‖ Zildjian A-Series Rock Crash 8‖ Zildjian A-Series Splash

I use all Zildjian cymbals because honestly, they are all I have ever known The quality of Zildjian cymbals always astounds me every time I play them. Not to mention the enormous selection of different types and series of cymbals they provide is amazing. When it comes to set up, I always want a multitude of different sounding cymbals to allow me to play with the dynamics of each song. In my opinion, a heavier sounding cymbal strike here and a medium sounding cymbal strike there can really change the dynamics of a song beyond simply

Pedal: Tama Speed Cobra – This is a super nice kick pedal by Tama that really tries its hardest to assist your footwork in any way possible. From adjustable spring loaded footboards to completely adjustable beaters, this kick pedal is the most technologically advanced pedal I have ever worked with. Throne: Rock-N-Soc – Soft, durable, and comfortable; a great seat to have and the best seat in the house baby.

PureSin @ NAMM

NAMM JAM Featuring Steel Panther Hardcore Superstars Otherwise Nick Colionne Kathleen Clarkson Devle Texas presents NAMM JAM 2015 again at the alluring Grove in Anaheim, CA. This year‟s lineup was one to satisfy many different palates. Nick Colionne started it off in perfect debonair style, wearing a red suit, complementary red shoes and a white fedora with a black band. Nick was playing a gorgeous Epiphone ES-175, and great at engaging the crowd. During his song „I‟m Super Bad” a younger long haired rocked guy was completely getting into it, hair was flying and an older African American gentleman next to him turned looked at with him with a bit of a surprised look on his face then he started getting into the music too. It was awesome to see a distinctive older man and a long hair rocker guy grooving together. Nick Colionne came out into the audience singing „What About You‟, getting anyone and everyone to start grooving with a groove train going through the audience. It seemed everyone had a little soul in them, even the hardest metal heads; feet were tapping, heads were nodding and fingers were snapping - all were having a great time. Jose Mangin from Sirius Radio introduced Otherwise. Otherwise, from Las Vegas, NV, are

Adrian Patrick- lead vocals; Ryan Patrick - guitar; Corky Gainsford - drums; Andrew Pugh - guitar; Tony Carboney – bass, they played an eight song set, giving it everything they had. They started the set off with „Love and War‟ with the lead singer putting it all out and the simplest way to put it is that he has a true voice. They continued the set with „Fate Is Your Enemy‟, „Meet Me in the Dark‟, „Full Circle‟, and one of the big hits „Darker Side of the Moon‟. By this time the crowd was in full motion rocking out with the band. The audience kept this going as the band played „Soldiers‟, a tribute to the Armed Forces. They ended their set with „Coming for the Throne‟. Having seen Otherwise several times before I have to say this was the best set I have seen them play, full of energy and completely electric. Hardcore Superstar, from Sweden, played a set of 6 songs consisting of „Moonshine‟, „Dreamin' in a Casket‟, „Above the Law‟, „Run to Your Mama‟, „Last Call for Alcohol‟, „We Don't Celebrate Sundays‟. The lead singer Jocke Bege was all over the stage hardly staying still at all. This was the first time they have been in the US in 10 years; it was a great treat for all who attended NAMM JAM. Jonny Coffin‟s fashion show had his beautiful models this year showcasing Afflictions tshirts. There were several different style and looks from punk rock, rock chic, to elegant classic look. These girls all wore the Afflictions shirts well with the right amount of sex appeal. The last two girls put on a bit of a dominatrix teaser to stir up the crowd. The entire fashion show was chore-

PureSin @ NAMM

ographed well and done nicely. Steel Panther was quite the hit. I have never seen them before so I was not sure what exactly to expect. I was certainly in for a surprise. Lexi Foxx was by far my favorite, having a background as a makeup artist. I loved it when he pulled out his pink hand held vanity mirror bedazzled with his name and applying iridescent pink gloss. He was wearing pink panther print spandex that matched his pink Kramer bass and a leather vest that had his last name on them, and on the back of the vest was an image of a mirror hair and spray bottle with a heart around it. To the side of the stage he had a stand up professional traveling makeup kit that he would go to check himself out and fix his hair spraying it with what I‟m certain was Aqua Net hair spray. The lead singer Michael Starr was all glammed out in black spandex with panther print inlays, a leather vest, and a pink scarf wrapped around his forehead. Satchel the guitar player has the biggest hair on a guy I think I have ever seen. He was in all black with tight leather pants, a blue zebra printed scarf

hanging off his belt, and some serious kick ass black cowboy boots. His guitar covered his shirt so I was unable to read the entire quote I could only get “Big Guns Big” but we can all assume the rest. He played a blue panther printed Kramer guitar. They only played 9 songs but they filled up the rest of the time with some crazy antics. The first song of the set was „Pussywhipped‟ oddly enough many of the women in the audience even knew the lyrics to this obviously classic hit. In between each song a lot of joking teasing and audience participation occurred. The drummer Zadinia would occasionally place the drumsticks in his mouth as if he was a walrus. They continued with „Party Like Tomorrow is the End of the World‟, and brought out Marty Friedman for „Asian Hooker‟. About this time they brought up some lady that was a little lit, stumbling around on stage taking off her shirt. She sat up there while they played „Just like Tiger Woods‟. The hit of the night was „I Love it Loud‟ with Tommy Thayer, he continued to play with them to „Gang Bang at the Old Folks Home‟. They kept up with

PureSin @ NAMM

girls in the audience included in their jokes, and everyone seemingly enjoying the show. They finished their set „Community Property‟, „If I Was the King‟, „Gloryhole‟, and „Death to All But Metal‟. So as everyone has told me, and as I am telling you, you have to see Steel Panther, at least once just for the entertainment value or to at least say you have seen them.

NAMM JAM 2015 was a great line up, yet again. I look forward to seeing what Delve Texas has in store for us for future years. They bring in quality entertainment, quality bands and at a venue that is of class and eloquence. Be certain to plan on attending next year‟s NAMM JAM as I‟m sure it will be a spectacular event as well.

PureSin @ NAMM

Metal Allegiance House Of Blues Kathleen Clarkson

The House of Blues in Anaheim, CA hosted this year‟s Metal Allegiance with Scott Ian as the Master of Ceremonies, and what a master he was. Scott started the show with a bit of his own “I‟m The Man” stories. He has a very unique way of telling his stories, engaging the audience, and getting a good laugh out of everyone. He is obviously an intelligent man with a witty sense of humor. A hardcore metal head showing he has a different side, a normal everyday run of the mill man, which can entertain us all. Jose Mangin from Sirius Radio co-hosted the show giving introduction and humbly setting the tone of the show. In the beginning of the show he asked how many kids were in the audience and the age of the youngest, which was about 8 years old. Jose left the stage and then came back a few

minutes later presenting the child with a guitar signed by all the members of Metal Allegiance, since the child spoke Spanish us non Spanish speaking people had no clue what they were saying but, his smile said it all. Metal Allegiance was a showcase of star studded super heroes; Scott Ian started the set off with playing the guitar with Mastodon‟s Bass/ Vocals player Troy Sanders, Anthrax members Bass Player Frankie Bello and Drummer Charlie Benante playing „March of The SOD/SGT D & The SOD‟. The song was the first of a 27 song setlist, the beginning of some hardcore thrashing and hardcore people being thrown around all enjoying every minute of it. The setlist included „Freddy Krueger‟, „Rapid Fire‟, „Victim of Change‟, „Fast As A Shark‟, „Balls to The Wall‟, „Into The Void‟, and „Heaven And Hell‟. The remaining all stars of Metal Allegiance were Mark Osegueda Death Angel, Andreas Kisser Sepultura, Rex Brown Kill Devil Hill/Pantera, Gary Holt Exodus/Slayer, John Tempesta The Cult, Chris Broderick Megadeth, Chuck Billy Testament, David Ellefson Megadeth, Mike Portnoy Winery Dogs/Dream Theater, Alex Skolnick Testament, Steve Souza Exodus, Jimmy Bain Rainbow/Dio, and Kyle Sanders Hell Yeah. Brothers Troy Sanders and Kyle Sanders played together in „Running with the Devil‟, „You Really Got Me‟ and „Atomic Punk‟. Alex Skolnick did an amazing rendition of „Eruption‟ with David Ellefson and Mike Portnoy which lit the HOB up. The last 3 songs “Cold Gin‟, „Love It Loud‟ and „Highway

PureSin @ NAMM

To Hellâ&#x20AC;&#x; were performed by everyone who performed that night, it certainly was a spectacular sight for all serious metal head. The stage was set up with 3 drum sets and at one point was Tom Hunting Exodus drummer, John Tempesta The Cult, Charlie Benante, all

playing together, now that was a serious head banging, with a heart pounding sensation. Metal Allegiance is an annual event, but you donâ&#x20AC;&#x;t have to go to NAMM to enjoy the great experience of it, just go to Metal Allegiance that is enough to soothe the soul of all serious musicians.

Order in the Chaos Helpful Band Tip #6 - Clean Up Your Pedalboard Late 80's - Boss DS-1 Distortion, Boss GE-7 EQ, Dunlop Crybaby Wah, Radio Shack Reverb (Marshall Mkll 100watt into a Sunn 4x12 with Fender Speakers) Early 90's- Boss OD-1 Overdrive, MXR Flanger, Boss GE-7 EQ, Dunlop Crybaby Wah (Marshall JCM800 100watt Head into a Sunn 4x12 with Fender Speakers) Mid 90's - Digitech GFX7, Alesis Almost without MidiVerb4, Morley PWV Wah/ fail..somebody approaches me Volume (Footswitched with after a show and comments on ADA Ultrafoot, Digitech Power my pedal board. And, I must ad- Stereo Amp into Marshall 4x12 mit, I am flattered... it serves me cabinet) well. And no Viagra needed. Late 90's - Boss OD-2 Overdrive, Through the years as a gui- Boss CH-2 Chorus, Boss BF-2 tarist in quite a select few bands Flanger, Morley Wah-SP (Mesa/ (because I tend to stick with them Boogie Quad Pre-amp, Mesa/ to see what might happen -- and Boogie Simul-Class 295 Stereo am excruciatingly particular on Power Amp into twin Mesa Halfwhom I will bleed with), my rig back 4x12 cabs loaded 2- EV x 2has gone through many emana- Celestion speakers in each) tions. Most notably has been my Early 2000's - Boss OD-2 Overpursuit of streamlined efficiency drive, Boss CH-2 Chorus, Boss of my floor pedals, effects, BF-2 Flanger, Morley Wah-SP switching, etc. Here are just a few setups I have used up until now: Early 80's - Holmes Overdrive, Aria Chorus, Aria Compressor, D'Armand Wah-Wah, Radio Shack Reverb (Lab Series L-5 4x10 Combo) Mid 80's - Boss DS-1 Distortion, Boss GE-7 EQ, Aria Chorus, Aria Compressor, Dunlop Crybaby Wah (Roland Jazz Chorus 120)

(Mesa/Boogie Triaxis System into a Mesa 2:90 Stereo Power Amp into matching Carvin 4x12 Cabinets loaded with Celestion G12T-75 speakers - Where I first fell in love with them and have used them ever since) Present - TC Electronic Polytune, Boss OD-2 Overdrive, Boss CS-3 Compressor, Dunlop Zakk Wylde Wah, Boss BF-2 Flanger, Boss PH-2 Phaser, Ernie Ball Volume Pedal, MXR Carbon Copy Delay, MXR ZW-38 Stereo Chorus (Into twin highly modified Marshall JCM2000 DSL100 heads that are switched simultaneously via a custom head switcher I had built. The cabs are either matching Marshall 1960 4x12 Cabs or 1936 2x12 Cabs depending on venue. All speakers are Celestion G12T-75) As you can see, over time my pedalboard got a little more sophisticated and demanding of power outlets (laughs). But that is

easily remedied with the usage of a Dunlop Powerblock or a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2. When running 8 powered pedals on your pedalboard like I do, you need to knock all that power down to one supply, not only for saving wall outlets, but reducing line noise too - because the electricity coursing through your pedalboard causes noise in your signal path. Sadly. Some players prefer to use batteries only. And if you don't mind taking your pedalboard apart every other night to replace batteries, cool. But, batteries also do not supply a steady stream of electricity to your pedals, yet, in a case of not having access to power outlets...batteries would definitely come in handy...but, I don't know for what, because your amp shouldn't work then either. Kidding aside, another problem with using so many pedals is signal loss when switching pedals on or off. Naturally, whenever you interrupt a natural flow-through of a signal, you will inevitably get a loss. But what I'm going to mention to you is another type of loss...that of "conflicting intent on a pedal" level. That's right... you notice those knobs on all those pedals? Well, some of them color your signal, add saturation to an effect, modulation, pitch, curve, etc. in regards to the specific pedal the knobs are on. But there is most often one knob that is present indiscriminately on most of your pedals...VOLUME. Guess what? Yep, it is a volume of your ENTIRE signal path from the guitar all the way up to the point of the

variable volume setting on that pedal. A way you can defeat some of the problem is to not make them fight each other and "tune" them to each other. How do you do that? Easy and simple, even a guitarist can do it... Each pedal that gets turned on in your chain that has a volume knob decreases or increases your signal exponentially...and that ain't good, right? Ahhh...but it is - because it allows you to "tune" your pedals to each other. Plug in your guitar, turn all pedals off, and turn on your amp. Make sure the volume on the guitar is at ZERO. Then go to the very first pedal and turn it on. Did you hear a hiss that is now louder than before? That is because the volume knob on THAT pedal is louder than your line level...turn it down a bit, turn off the pedal and see if the level went down, if so repeat the procedure until you no longer notice a discernable difference of volume. Then move on to the next pedal and repeat. If the volume goes DOWN when you turn a pedal on, you need to RAISE the volume on that pedal. Common sense, I know. The key is to make the on volume match the off volume, unless the pedal is used for a solo boost. Then, set it reasonably louder than your line level...usually +6 DB. You want your pedals to work in harmony with each oth-

er, not against YOU. Doing this will not only clean up your signal path a bit, will also improve your TONE, trust me. Not to mention that you will sound more PRO at your next gig by not freaking out the soundman by your line level spiking +16 Db when you turn on your Chorus. Another signal loss prevention is to ditch all those .99 cables in between those pedals. I always use Monster ROCK series patch cables as short as I can get away with. Every extra inch in that signal chain leeches just a little bit more tone and signal, so shorter is always better. So, now that you gone through the article above, and painstakingly worked out your pedalboard issues...sit back, jam a little, and give me a slight nod for helping you clean up your tone, your sound, and your PEDALBOARD!

Brien DeChristopher is the guitarist and primary songwriter for Seattle Seale-based hard rock band "Agents Of Chaos". He has logged countless hours on stage in live performance, and studio recording time. You can see this and other Pearls of Wisdom at http:// www.blogster.com/briendechristopher/

4 Insane Things Nobody Tells You About Riding a Motorcycle (pt 2)

By Robert Brockway

#2. Wearing Protective Gear I'd always heard that riding gear consisted of a leather jacket, jeans and a helmet. And I didn't question it, because damn near every motorcycle rider I saw was wearing a leather jacket, jeans and a helmet. Go figure. Sure, the occasional sport-bike rider would speed by in an elaborate strappy number with jagged stripes, brand names and patches everywhere, but I thought it was mostly a style thing. Hey, some dudes wear Tapout shirts on purpose; there's just no accounting for taste. Then, doing the research, I learned that you're supposed to have actual riding gear designed for that purpose. And I can tell you firsthand that it is all just as uncomfortable, constricting and awkward-looking as you'd expect. And that it's also totally badass. Motorcycle protective gear

is, by definition, insanely durable. Jackets, pants, bags and damn near every other type of clothing is made out of the toughest fabrics on the planet: Kevlar, Cordura, ballistic nylon -- this is shit that, when layered properly, stops bullets and knives. That's not to mention the thick, padded gauntlets with carbon fiber knuckles meant to withstand crashes at highway speeds and impenetrable leather boots with oil-resistant non-slip soles. And beyond all that, there are pads, inserts and plates hidden all throughout the fabric to protect your major joints and body parts. For the more nerdily inclined among you, you're probably already getting it: It's not "safety gear," it's f**king armor. Riding gear is a full suit of armor that is socially acceptable to wear in public. You walk into a Starbucks wearing your period authentic replica half-plate, and

at best you're going to get some impolite stares; at worst, you're going to get a news piece with the headline "Police Fell Local Knight with Bear Mace, Mocking Laughter." But you walk in there in motorcycle gear and, depending on how much the other customers want to piss off their father, you're either a responsible commuter or a naughty rebellion just waiting for a sexy coup. I have no idea why I didn't know this -- why every motorcycle rider wasn't constantly daring me to hit them (seriously, hit me, guys, it's awesome!) and laughing as my blows rain off of their helmets. I have no idea why zombie movies even exist anymore, because they sell full suits of biteproof armor in your local auto parts store. The drama would probably be somewhat diminished if every episode of â&#x20AC;&#x2022;The Walking Deadâ&#x20AC;&#x2013; was just a smugly grinning Rick wading unharmed through the undead horde. Even though a lot of riding gear is designed to resemble ordinary clothing as much as possible, you're still leaving the house with hardened knuckles, slipresistant boots, knife-proof fabric and impact pads. That's like, half a super power.

So, while you LOOK like this: #1. It's Like Riding a Bicycle ... You also control the throttle with your hand instead of foot, and That Hates You have not one but two brakes -One of the first things the using either of which at the instructor at the Motorcycle Safe- wrong time will hurl you off the ty Foundation course said to us bike like a meat trebuchet. The clutch is going to be was "It's a lot like riding a bicyfamiliar to you if you've driven a cle." And she was right; she just stick shift before, true, but now you have to do it backward, and didn't finish the sentence. I'm sure what she meant to upside down. You'll get the concept, but the motions are just forsay was "It's a lot like riding a bieign enough to require an all-new cycle ... off a cliff." learning curve. Oh, and you have The basic principle is the to practice in live traffic -- traffic same, sure, but if you've ridden a which, again, has admitted to trybicycle and are therefore count- ing to murder you in the name of ing on already possessing the skill ill-informed justice. The end reset needed to ride a motorcycle, sult is you attempting to master you are in for a terrifying, bloody an only half-familiar skill (that is, disappointment. Some of the very if you've actually driven stick bebasic maneuvers will feel familiar fore. If you haven't, it's a totally -- most of the time you steer, take unfamiliar skill to you and oh, off and stop using the same mo- God, what are you doing?! That's tions -- but there's so much more. first gear; go up, no -- up, man, For instance, for reasons that are brake! Shit! Tree!) with an entireentirely beyond me, motorcycles ly different layout, and all while have the clutch on the handlebar careening down the road at and the gear shifter at your foot, speeds that made your greatforcing me to assume that Bill grandfather's monocle pop out in Motorcycle, the inventor of the astonishment. motorcycle, was either medically So yeah, sure, it's just like dyslexic or some sort of drunken riding a bicycle ... while playing acrobat who exclusively rode Moonlight Sonata, on a glockenbikes while doing headstands.

So, you FEEL like this: spiel, and sprinting full bore through a psych ward full of murderers. In short: It's awesome. You should get a bike right now, and a full set of armor that's like blood red, and you can start zipping around like those forest speeder things from Jedi and you'll be like "WHOOOAAAA" and your bike will be like "VROOOOOO-" Robert Brockway