Holka Rondinelli The Gathering Album Release Show at the Cave, Buffalo, NY June 6

 

Holka Rondinelli The Gathering Album Release Show June 6 at the Cave

Talas - Buffalo, NY

TALAS - March 14th, 2019 Riviera Theatre. North Tonawanda, NY

DAVE PAUL BILLY

BILLY PAUL DAVE back cover of Sink Your Teeth Into That

BILLY PAUL DAVE

I never had the opportunity to see the original Talas lineup live but I witnessed the 2nd revamped version of Talas many, many times when Phil Naro fronted the band. I spent many a teenage night learning to play the bass (and guitar) being influenced and inspired by Billy's awesome performances. I actually met Billy once in Buffalo but I was starstruck into virtual silence...I think I got up the courage to say "Hi" and that was it. I have seen Dave and Paul play together with the Tweeds in the 80's and I had the immense pleasure of sitting in with them a couple of times. I even had the distinct pleasure to open up for Talas at the now defunct Uncle Sam's/Spit nightclub with a band called Charmer (86?) but this was after Billy had left the band...which baffled me because I always thought Billy made Talas what it was...needless to say the Talas version without Billy didn't last long.

Billy's bass playing continues to amaze and influence me after all these years. I enjoy listening to all the bands that Billy has recorded with over the years, especially Niacin. For those of you who aren't aware of Billy Sheehan's style of bass playing, here's a little info. Billy has the ability and the know how to lay back and seemlessly fill a groove when needed. He also has the amazing ability to blow your head off when it comes time to play a bass solo! Remember that the electric bass has only 4 rather thick strings that are tough enough to play...Billy has mastered the ability to play lead bass guitar, a skill he virtually created on his own, I've never seen or heard anyone play the 4-string bass like Billy. He's in a class all his own.

Dave has a couple of solo CD's out which are amazing in their own right. Dave and Paul continue to play the Buffalo club and summer festival music scene. Anybody who is a fan of the Buffalo Music scene needs to see Dave and Paul play live, they helped create and make the Buffalo Music Scene what it is today. I've had the pleasure to meet and talk with both Dave and Paul and they are friendly, approachable, class A guys. If you've never heard them play their musical talent is instantly apparent from the first note you hear either of them sing or play. Stick around long enough and you may hear a Talas classic! Tell 'em Joe Tell sent ya!

The Fell

New Rock Super-Group's First Tour

The Fell

comprised of:

* Billy Sheehan (bassist known for his work with David Lee Roth, Stevie Vai, Mr. Big, Winery Dogs, Talas, etc.) 

* Mike Krompass (former guitarist of Smash Mouth)

* Toby Rand (singer of Supernova) 

* Randy Cooke (drummer of Smash Mouth / also known for his work with Dave Stewart, Ringo Starr, and Ian Gillian)

The Fell – is an exciting new band consisting of rockers Toby Rand (RAND, Juke Kartel and Rock Star: Supernova) on vocals, Guitar player Mike Krompass (multi-platinum music producer and session guitar player), Randy Cooke (notorious session drummer who has recorded/played with greats such as Dave Stewart, Ringo Starr and Ian Gillian) and last, but not least Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, Winery Dogs) on bass, who needs no introduction. 

This is not your typical “classic rock band”. It's a new fresh direction from their other projects, but uses their influences to create a more modern sound, with heavy guitars, powerful riffs, crushing grooves and huge vocals that we have no doubt will leave listeners begging for more!

"The Fell is a collaboration of musicians who hail from rock'n'roll upbringings. We wrote this record with no filter, just the pure experience of playing music around the world. The four us met through rock'n'roll, and that is the language we are projecting in this project. Lyrically, we hope to inspire those in doubt and join those who reap. It’s a new world… a new fight". - The Fell

Website : http://www.TheFellMusic.com

Joe Tell Contact info

Update 9/2/16: As you may or may not know your friendly neighborhood blogger, Joe Tell, is a experienced local musician who has played live gigs since the age of 16 with a multitude of cover and original bands. Initially inspired by the song "Jukebox Hero" I started taking formal guitar lessons from U-Crest music center, riding my bike there every week with acoustic guitar in hand. Eager to learn rock and roll playing styles I gave up lessons and started playing along with the radio and my records. I taught myself how to play bass to join my friends basement band. I have been in and out and all around the local rock and blues club scene for the last 34 years. I know all the up's and down's of playing out every weekend and the phrase "been there, done that" sums up my current attitude in a nutshell. The last few years I have chosen to concentrate on writing and recording original music with a few friends as Forever Green.
Anyway, I have joined Facebook for the sole purpose of promoting my blogs. FB is currently in the top 3 for the most visited websites so I wanted to have a presence on FB to promo my blogs.
I will be playing by my own rules in an attempt to avoid the trolls who live on that site...
Here are links to my 2 of my FB pages...Don't worry, I won't be soliciting for likes out of desperation or a need for attention and I will not hold it against you if you don't like any of the pages.
However you can expect a Thank You from me for liking any of the pages.
Joe Tell's Music Blog https://www.facebook.com/Joe-Tells-Music-Blog-1809871802583152/
Forever Green https://www.facebook.com/Forever-Green-557646644428742/

Update 7/25/16:
Once again I must state a lesson that I learned to live by a long time ago.
I learned that it's really easy to be blatantly disrespectful and overtly negative but it's a lot harder to stay positive and hold your tongue in an attempt to keep the peace. If more people thought this way this world would be a much better place.
I can write childish and immature posts' about things and people I don't agree with but I choose to spend my time writing positive things that help people in an attempt to build them up.

*Always seeking new local music to review on this music blog, if your band is interested in submitting a CD or 2 for review or submitting a show flyer please email: jtellfotos@yahoo.com for more info.
*Currently accepting paid fill-in offers playing bass.
I am a experienced fill-in player and open mic host, having recently filled in for the cover bands Under Arrest and 55 Main learning their rock and roll set-lists' on bass guitar for a performance. As an open mic host I learned how to lay back when I didn't know a song so as not to disrupt a fellow performer or distract an audience. 
If anyone needs to contact me directly I can be reached @ jtellfotos@yahoo.com, thank you.

Music is my passion and every time I go out to see a band the creative energy that builds up inside of me is undeniable and very hard to contain. A fellow musician may know this urgent feeling but anyone who doesn't love to play will never understand. Even if I didn't know the guys in the band I always feel the urge to play. I choose to no longer play in cover bands but when I did I never played it safe and always took chances. I always went into unexplored territory in an attempt to become a better player and performer. It's very easy to "play it safe" (always playing the same chords and notes on the neck while standing still) out of fear of failure. It's much harder to explore the notes on the neck in a creative way while trying to move around in an attempt to entertain fickle, disinterested crowds. If you don't have a desire to become a better player and/or performer you will never understand.
Thanks for providing further inspiration for me to write kid.

Billy Sheehan, Buffalo NY

OK bass players out there, do you want to know how to go from this pic...

to this pic?...

Well first you get your hands a Fender P-bass like this...

customize the pickups, the neck and the electronics of the bass like this...

and then simply plug the bass into this system of effects and amplifiers...

after you've mastered that amp system, play the bass night and day and day and night in a working band. You must continue playing the bass until the entire finish wears off and even wear off part of the upper pickguard and then maybe someday you'll turn out like this...

Do you think you can do it? Not likely. The point I'm trying to make is Billy Sheehan is one of a kind, they'll never be another like him. You really want to learn how to play bass? Listen to any record Billy has played on and learn the notes. Be true to yourself, keep playing and maybe you'll end up on a magazine cover playing your very own custom made guitar, like Billy.

Billy Sheehan magazine covers from my own personal collection.

Niacin was Billy's venture into jazz-fusion that featured Billy, John Novello & Dennis Chambers. Any fan of jazz-fusion, acid-jazz, progressive rock, jazz, rock and Billy's agressive bass playing should enjoy Niacin.

I believe this pic is from Billy's tenure with David Lee Roth's band. David Lee Roth was the original singer from Van Halen.

Jack Bruce and Billy Sheehan.

Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert.

For those of you out there who don't know who Billy Sheehan is, he's from Kenmore, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. Mr. Big scored a #1 hit in 1992 with "To Be With You". Cool double neck bass, Billy!

Jim Crean "Velvet Crush" CD review

Jim Crean "Velvet Crush" CD review

For those of you out there not familiar with Jim Crean he is an award-winning, Buffalo-based hard rock/metal Lead Vocalist who recently released a full-length original music CD called "Velvet Crush" on the Melodic Revolution Records label. Jim was gracious enough and I was thankful to receive a promo copy of the Velvet Crush CD to feature on my blog. Thank You Jim!
Jim also plays music in the greater Buffalo area with Hair Nation, an 80's hair metal tribute band.
Click on www.jimcrean.net to find where The Jim Crean Band and Hair Nation will be performing next and how to get your copy of "Velvet Crush".

"Velvet Crush" is Jim's third solo CD release, he has also appeared on 12 other critically acclaimed CD releases, most notably on KISS, Cheap Trick, Ace Frehley and Enuff Znuff tribute CD releases.
Jim's music can best be described as melodic hard rock with a strong 80's influence. Strong, catchy hooks, layered vocal harmonies and sharp, crisp, melodic guitar solos.
If your into 80's hard rock music like Poison, Great White, Aerosmith and local favorites Talas than you'll love Jim Crean's "Velvet Crush".
"Velvet Crush" is a CD that highlights Jim Crean's clean and melodic vocal stylings. Jim was influenced by Phil Naro, Robin Zander and Steven Tyler. Jim pulls all these great influences together and sings in a unique style of his very own.
Jim's vocals dominate these hard rock tracks and they are out front in the musical mix. Jim and Emmy award winning vocalist Phil Naro collaborated on 10 of the 12 tracks on "Velvet Crush". Phil Naro is a former member of the Buffalo based band Talas and he is a current member of the hard rock band D Drive. All of the musical performances are strong on "Velvet Crush" and the bass guitar has a distorted sound, similar to Billy Sheehan's signature bass guitar sound.
"Velvet Crush" is a unabashed, AOR, commercial rock and roll record.

The opening track "Taste Of Reality" starts off with a groovy, hard rock rhythm track. The lead guitar jumps out of the sonic mix with a cool Hendrix inspired backwards tracked lead guitar solo. The bass has a fuzzy sound which is mixed perfectly as not to over enhance the distorted sound. The vocals, vocal harmonies and guitar solos are sharp, crisp and mixed expertly by Steve Major, who by the way performs most of the guitar, bass and all of the keyboards on "Velvet Crush". Like all the songs on "Velvet Crush" the chorus is catchy and if you listen to the song more than once like I did, you'll probably get this song stuck in your head for awhile.

The 2nd track is a cover of the Mitch Perry penned, early 80's, Talas classic "Crystal Clear". I applaud Jim's choice on covering this song. "Crystal Clear" is a great rockin' song that never hit the mainstream when it was first released way back in '83 on the Talas live concert record "High Speed On Ice". Billy Sheehan, Phil Naro, Mitch Perry and Mark Miller performed on the original version. Jim does an excellent job on the vocals and Steve Major also does a great job on lead bass on Jim's version of "Crystal Clear". But, you must understand that I cut my rock and roll teeth on Talas, I saw and heard Talas perform this song live, dozens of times in Buffalo. Again, I applaud and appreciate Jim's version very much, but I prefer the live Talas version. Hopefully "Crystal Clear" will get the mainstream attention it deserves when the hard rock audience hears it on Jim Crean's "Velvet Crush" CD. (How about a version of "Lone Rock" on the next CD Jim.)  

"Make It (A Fine Line Between Love & Hate)" sounds like a song you could've heard on FM mainstream radio anytime between, hmm, let's say 1978 to around '91. The song has a very top 40ish sound to it, almost like...dare I say...a Richard Marx song. Very polished and well produced. Of course Jim Crean has alot more of a rock edge to his music than Richard Marx ever did, I'm just using that particular name as a reference point to describe the sound and feel of this song. This particular song has the potential for mainstream mass appeal if it's promoted correctly.

The next song on the CD is one of my favorites on this CD. "My Heart Breaks Down" was written by local legend Billy Sheehan. I'm glad Jim included this song on "Velvet Crush" because I've never heard it before. The song has a great, heavy, rock edge to it. Jim's vocal performance on this track is excellent, one of the best on this CD. By covering this song Jim is once again acknowledging his strong Buffalo roots.

"It Couldn't Get Any Better" has a hard driving, rockin' groove. The lyrical content is all about sex. I'm certain the fairer sex will absolutely love this song...in other words, the chicks will dig it.

The 6th track, "Daytime Friends (Nightime Lovers)" is another song about, you guessed it, sex. This song is similar in sound and feel to the 3rd song on this CD. I could be wrong, but the lyrical content and the commercial sound and feel of Jim's music seems to be geared toward the female rock audience.

"She Goes Down" (She Go Down) is a great rockin' track. This is my style of hard rock, of course Jim kicks ass on this song. Once again it's a song about S E X. This song is similar in sound and style to AC/DC and Aerosmith, one of the better songs on "Velvet Crush".

The 8th song "Never Made It Through" has a loose and sleazy rock groove and feel. The verses sound loose and sloppy like a classic Aerosmith song. Almost like it could fall apart at any second but the song never does. This song is my favorite on the CD. The loosely tight verses lead into a great hook. The chorus is very strong and melodic, a perfect counterpart to the laid back rockin' groove during the verses. The bass figure is sweet to listen to. Some of the sounds on this track reminded of the Black Crowes/Stones and Whitesnake. Great Song! I'd love to see this song performed live.

The 10th track, "Redlight", is another hard driving rocker, one of my faves on "Velvet Crush". The drums on this track are very solid and they carry this song along perfectly. I expected to hear a ripping guitar solo but instead a cool, trippy keyboard part goes down instead. The absence of a guitar solo places more emphasis on the keys and the strong vocals Jim belts out on "Redlight". Of course, Jim, once again, sings great on "Redlight". The vocals are aggressive and strong.

The next song, "Colleen" is similar to the 9th track "Melissa", it's another love ballad that is dedicated to Jim's biggest supporter Colleen Mastrocovo. I believe Colleen also plays drums for Hair Nation.

The last song, "Past Tense" is a rockin' acoustic guitar based song. The acoustic guitar track is great. This is another song that could be a hit if it's promoted correctly.

CD Credits:
Produced by Phil Naro and Steve Major.
Jim Crean - Lead Vocals
Phil Naro - All Background Vocals/Guitar
Steve Major - Guitar/Lead Guitar/Piano/Percussion/Keyboards/Bass
Glenn Nash - Drums
Stan Miczek - Bass
Don Mancuso - Lead Guitar
Recorded at Moonraker Studios - Toronto, Backroom Recording Studio - Toronto, Glass Mountain Studio - Toronto, Lady Starlight Studio - Buffalo, DWM Productions - Buffalo and The Porta Plant Studio - Rochester.
Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Steve Major.
Vocal Engineered by Dan Monroe.
CD Art by Ed Unitsky www.edunitsky.com
Management Backstage Productions
Goto www.jimcrean.net to find out more about Jim Crean.

Thank You Jim and Melodic Revolution Records!