Zig At The Gig podcast

Brad Elvis & Chloe F. Orwell of The Handcuffs

Zig At The Gig interview with Brad Elvis & Chloe F. Orwell of The Handcuffs

 

Led by drummer Brad Elvis (Screams, The Elvis Brothers, Big Hello, The Romantics) and vocalist/guitarist/saxophonist Chloe F. Orwell (Big Hello), Chicago’s The Handcuffs will be releasing their fourth studio album Burn The Rails. The 13-song album was tracked at Kingsize Sound Labs, Chicago with producer/engineer Mike Hagler (Wilco, Neko Case, Billy Bragg, Mavis Staples, My Morning Jacket, The Mekons). Burn The Rails is being released by Pravda Records in June on CD, download and via streaming platforms and later on 12″ vinyl. For the the new album, The Handcuffs found inspiration from the heady, analog days of early 1970s rock & roll, weaving together elements of glam, indie, garage, art and blues rock. Inhabiting some of the same musical turf as T-Rex, Mott The Hoople, Roxy Music, The Raconteurs, P.J. Harvey, Led Zeppelin, and Patti Smith – all filtered through a modern lens – they deliver bold, sexy songs with memorable melodies and unexpected twists. Guest keyboardist Morgan Fisher (Mott The Hoople) demonstrates his synthesizer and piano prowess on a couple of tracks on the new LP. The relationship with Fisher, a musical hero of the band, began after singer Orwell’s rave review of Mott The Hoople’s 2018 reunion tour went viral on social media, attracting the attention of Fisher, who got in contact. From there a creative collaboration was sparked, in-spite of an ocean separating the now real-life friends. Finishing the record during the peak of the pandemic and lockdown, gave several of the songs an inadvertent anthem-for-the-times feel – with themes of love and loss, heartache and hope, and even the great ideological divide that was as omnipresent as the virus. Elvis and Orwell formed The Handcuffs from the ashes of Big Hello, their first band together, which released three indie label records and toured from coast to coast. Elvis’ career also includes a few major label go-arounds, arena tours, and a backstory that will be documented in a new autobiography in the near future. The duo’s eagerness to explore new sonic territory and evolve into an entity that aligned more with their ever-expanding influences and broad range of musical tastes prompted a change. The Handcuffs began as primarily a studio project, in which Elvis and Orwell wrote and recorded an abundance of material. During the process, they realized they missed the live band experience, so The Handcuffs as recording artists and a dynamic live band was born. Completing the line-up are bassist Emily Togni, lead guitarist Jeffrey Kmieciak, and keyboardist Alison Hinderliter, all of whom originate from different parts of the country, but have made Chicago their home.

Handcuff's info

http://thehandcuffs.com

 

AJ & The Woods

Founded on the sweet nostalgia of delta blues, AJ & The Woods elevates roots rock to a new height. Their sultry sound features striking female vocals and intricate guitar melodies which organically blends passionate folk, rock, and blues music. Home grown in Ohio and established in 2015, AJ & The Woods brings you one of the most unique and articulate sounds to date.

 

 

AJ & The woods Info

https://www.ajandthewoods.com

SHOW Info AUG 20TH/2022 

https://www.houseofblues.com/cleveland/EventDetail?tmeventid=vvG1fZ9uhafEtF&offerid=0

 

 

 

Ivan Nahem

Ivan takes center stage on Crawling Through Grass, writing the tunes, playing, engineering the recording sessions and orchestrating the hybrid sound collages integral to the album. His collaborators on this venture include Bielski (Easy Bake Oven), Ivan’s brother Andrew (RitualTension), Norman Westberg (Swans, Heroin Sheiks, solo work), Mark C. (Live Skull, o13), Jon Fried (The Cucumbers, Campfire Flies) and Jadwiga Taba (Nac/Hut Report).

Ivan's Info

www.onaboutnow.com

https://www.facebook.com/ivan.nahem/

https://www.instagram.com/ivan.nahem/

https://www.instagram.com/ritualtension/

https://arguably.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ritualtension/

https://www.facebook.com/Carnival-Crash-616924978817049/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyhxyigWc1QrTdO3RE9KfQA

https://www.onaboutnow.com/home

 

Ben Vaughn

Ben Vaughn On Zig At The Gig

Ben Vaughn grew up in the Philadelphia area on the New Jersey side of the river. At age 6, his uncle gave him a Duane Eddy record and forever changed his life. In 1983, he formed the Ben Vaughn Combo. The band was together five years, releasing two albums and touring the U.S. several times. They received rave reviews in Rolling Stone and People magazine and video airplay on MTV. The attention inspired Marshall Crenshaw to record Ben's "I'm Sorry (But So Is Brenda Lee)" for his "Downtown" album. Ben embarked on a solo career in 1988, recording several critically acclaimed albums, touring extensively in Europe and the U.S. and receiving more MTV exposure. During that period he produced three records for the Elektra Records American Explorer series (Memphis rockabilly legend Charlie Feathers, Muscle Shoals country soul singer Arthur Alexander) and recorded "Cubist Blues," a collaboration with Alan Vega and Alex Chilton. He also scored two films ("Favorite Mopar" and "Wild Girl's Go-Go Rama"), as well as appearing as a frequent guest commentator on nationally syndicated radio shows “Fresh Air” and "World Cafe." In 1995, Ben moved to L.A. and released "Instrumental Stylings," an album of instrumentals in a variety of styles. A guest appearance on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" led directly to being hired as the composer for the hit TV sitcom "3rd Rock From The Sun." "That 70s Show" soon followed, and for the next ten years Ben would provide award-winning music for a dozen other TV shows and pilots ("Men Behaving Badly," "Normal, Ohio," "Grounded For Life"). He also provided scores for several films ("Psycho Beach Party," "The Independent," "Scorpion Spring") and continued producing records (Ween, Los Straitjackets, Mark Olson of the Jayhawks, Nancy Sinatra, and the "Swingers" soundtrack CD). Somehow Ben found time to create the legendary "Rambler '65." Recorded entirely in his car, this much-publicized album (and subsequent short film) is still considered by many to be a classic document of a man and his dream. Since then, Ben has released “Designs In Music," “Vaughn Sings Vaughn Vols. 1-3,” “Texas Road Trip” (recorded in Austin, Texas with Doug Sahm’s band) , "Five By Five" and "Piece de Resistance" by the Ben Vaughn Quintet and the solo acoustic album, “Imitation Wood Grain And Other Folk Songs.” Add to that an Italian dance hit (a DJ re-mix of “Hey Romeo”), airplay of “Jerry Lewis in France” on Bob Dylan’s radio show (complete with Dylan’s recitation of Ben’s resume), and two recent tours in France and you’re looking at what continues to be a very interesting career. Occasionally, Ben takes a break from his syndicated radio show (“The Many Moods of Ben Vaughn”) to perform live in the US and Europe. The dates are randomly planned so catch him while you can!

Ben's Info

http://benvaughn.org

www.facebook.com/benvaughnmusic

www.instagram.com/benvaughnmusic

 

Ov Stars

Ov Stars is a Project/Band featuring Alice Genese (Gut Bank, Sexpod, Candy Ass, Pretty Boys, Psychic TV) and Shaune Pony Heath. Alice and Pony reside near the ocean in New Jersey

 

OV Star's Info

https://ovstarsband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ovstarsband

https://ovstars.bandcamp.com/

 

 

Dusty Grant

Dusty Grant is an independent singer/songwriter based out of Wichita, KS. Grant has been writing, recording, and performing original music in bands and as a solo artist for over 20 years. Drawing influences from metal, rock, grunge, and country Grant delivers his own brand of Dark Rock.  Fans of Alice In Chains, Stone Sour, and Daughtry are certain to love Grant's style.

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In 2017, Grant began touring and playing small clubs as a solo acoustic act. In his short time as a solo artist, Grant kept up a brisk pace releasing 11 of his own original songs and playing 40+ shows per year.

As interest in his music and performances grew across the region, in addition to booking additional solo acoustic gigs, Grant started to get interest from promoters to play larger stages with a full-band accompaniment. It was in 2021 that Grant added friends and fellow musicians Jason Catlett (Lead Guitar), Bwana Villa (Vocals), Shane Harper (Drums) & Chris McNutt (Bass). With a new, full-on rock sound, the band lit the regional scene ablaze opening for national acts like Daughtry, Candlebox, Black Stone Cherry, Danielle Nicole, and Blacktop Mojo.  

       

On April 8th of 2022 Grant released his first full-band single "Oceans" written and produced with friend Jason Catlett. This track was recorded by acclaimed hard rock producer Chris Dawson (SAUL, Any Given Sin, Seasons After). Grant also has plans to continue building his touring and live performance resume with shows already booked and more on the way.  Keep your eyes peeled for new releases and show announcements coming VERY SOON!!!

 

Dusty's Info

https://www.dustygrant.com/

5RxFSfBJvQHid7p4Fw41e5

https://soundcloud.com/dustygrant57

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1H81k552oo

 

Francie Moon

"Francie Moon is, at this point, a New Jersey institution, a force creating balls-out rock n roll that is at turns, psych, garage, and punk, imbuing it with urgency and confidence." -King Pizza Records

Interview with Melissa Lucciola singer-songwriter, Drummer! known as Francie Moon! Her new album What are we really even doing is out now on all streaming platforms!

Francie Moon's Info 

https://franciemoon.com/ 

franciemoonmusic

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6PLszZzCRsnvLsiN3LiImR

https://franciemoon.bandcamp.com

 

The Trypes John, & Toni Baumgartner

The Trypes John, & Toni Baumgartner On Zig At The Gig

Pravda’s March 18 release of “Music for Neighbors” marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of The Trypes in the blue-collar New Jersey town of Haledon, NJ, which was the hometown of The Feelies and later spawned kindred bands Yung Wu, The Willies and Speed The Plough. How Haledon became an incubator for these bands, who went on to spread their sound far and wide, is a matter of speculation. Maybe it was just a place in time in the early 80s when anything seemed possible to a group of suburban friends “Music for Neighbors” brings together all of The Trypes studio recordings, along with many home and live recordings that explore the band’s quirkiest musical inclinations. It also includes three songs from the band’s 1984 showcase at the Bottom Line in New York, as well as two songs recorded by the original Trypes during a 2017 reunion. Gatefold vinyl coming later this year. Stay tuned! CD available now. Playing moody, psychedelic-influenced folk-rock with a distinctive instrumental pallete, the Trypes are often thought of as a side project of the Feelies, due to the participation of several key members of that band. However, the Trypes were a functioning unit before Feelies leaders Glenn Mercer and Bill Million joined the group, and the group's founders would enjoy a long and productive career after Mercer and Million began pursuing other projects. The Trypes were formed in 1982 by John Baumgartner on keyboards, Toni Paruta on woodwinds, Marc Francia on guitar, Brenda Sauter on bass, and Elbrus Kelemet on lead vocals. The Trypes hailed from Haledon, New Jersey, which was also home to Glenn Mercer and Bill Million, who had put the Feelies on hiatus after touring in support of their debut album. Mercer and Million championed the Trypes and began working with the band; they became a six piece with the addition of drummer Stanley Demeski and the departure of vocalist Kelemet. In 1984, the Trypes released a four-song EP, The Explorer's Hold, but later that year, Mercer and Million left the group to launch a new edition of the Feelies, with Demeski and Sauter becoming the band's new rhythm section. Baumgartner, Paruta, and Francia dissolved the Trypes, but then formed a new group, Speed the Plough, who released their debut album (produced by Bill Million) in 1989. In 2012, Acute Records released a Trypes collection, Music for Neighbors, which collected the material from The Explorer's Hold, a rare compilation track, and a number of unreleased demo recordings. https://www.facebook.com/TheTrypesofHaledon

Charming Disaster

Charming Disaster is a goth-folk musical duo based in Brooklyn, NY, formed in 2012 by Ellia Bisker and Jeff Morris. Inspired by the macabre humor of Edward Gorey and Tim Burton, the murder ballads of the Americana tradition, and the dramatic flair of the cabaret, they write songs that tell stories about death, crime, myth, magic, folklore, science, and the occult. Their new album, the Marie Curie-inspired Our Lady of Radium, is out now on vinyl, CD, and all digital platforms.

Charming Disaster's Info

https://www.charmingdisaster.com

https://www.facebook.com/charmingdisa...

https://www.instagram.com/charmingdis...

https://www.youtube.com/user/Charming...

 

Kenny Dubman

Kenny was raised in a house where music played all the time, and it was his mom's Hendrix and Santana records that etched their way into his psyche...he had to know how to make those sounds. By age 9 he had started guitar lessons, and by 12, had begun to unravel the mysteries of real rock guitar playing on his own, courtesy of Ace Frehely on the first Kiss Alive album. Ace was playing the Jimmy Page licks...but he played them slowly and methodically enough for a kid to digest and be able to repeat them, albeit clumsily at first. Over time, the pentatonic scale layout of the neck revealed itself, and he was off to the races, never looking back.

By Kenny's senior year in high school, he had joined a newly minted band called Prophet with a bunch of Jersey guys several years his senior. They busted their asses learning progressive rock covers by Kansas, Yes, Rush, Genesis, Pink Floyd....as well as hard rock like Scorpions, Van Halen, Sabbath and AC/DC. By 1982, Prophet was one of the kings of the NJ club band circuit, playing 5 nights per week to packed houses all over the tri state area. In 1985, Prophet would release the first of their 3 albums; the self-titled "Prophet" (1985), followed by "Cycle Of The Moon" (1988), and "Recycled" (1991). All records met with critical acclaim, yet Prophet would never rise above cult following status...a following which still remains today.
A few original music projects followed in the early 90's, but he was growing weary of the music business and all of it's fickle whims. He lost his passion for creating and trying to forge ahead, and channeled those passions elsewhere.

In 2013, Kenny found himself at an all-time low, having gone through quite a few years of real trauma in his personal life. He had finally shed all his baggage, and was slowly regaining himself and learning to stand again...gradually finding his footing. It was during this period that he stumbled on to an album that would set the course for a whole new musical re-birth for him..."The Whippoorwill" by Blackberry Smoke. Just happened to click on it by chance one day while looking for an album to play while at work. A year later, he was still listening to the whole record every day. A few months after that, song ideas that he thought were worth capturing started to appear for the first time in years. And on July 4th, 2016, Kenny released "Reckless Abandon", his very first 100% solo record. And THAT...is where this awesome journey started for the second time...and he'll never look back again.

 

 

Kenny's Info 

http://www.kennydubman.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ken.dubman

https://www.instagram.com/kennydubman/