BrianLushRockwired2

Modern music is full of self-professed doctors or "docs". But in the case DOCFELL & CO, the title is more than mere clever moniker. You seem the band's front man JOHN FELL is a real doctor - a general practitioner based where Cherokee country meets the Ozark mountains in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Given his locale, it's hardly surprising the he and his band have taken up the pursuit of music which combines the rustic charms of Americana, Country and blues yet manages to sound contemporary as opposed to quaint. The band's latest EP DUST BOWL HEART is fueled by the very emptiness, loneliness and heartache that makes music of this sort resonate. LONESOMEVILLE opens like a depression era country-gospel recording yet finds it's footing as a country stomper that exhibits all of the lyrical characteristics of country music when you play it either forwards or backwards. In our humble opinion THE LESS I KNOW is the sort of thing that ought to be topping the Country music charts instead of whoever is at the top of it now. If you can get a bunch of active rock fans like us rooting for an outfit like DOCFELL & CO, then you've really done something.

CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles691.mp3

During my talk with hip hop artists CHINO XL and rocker RAMA DUKE, I got to thinking about the shaky relationship between rock n roll and hip hop and how we don't hear much of the cross pollination of the two genres of music anymore. Therefore it's been a delight to hear both CHINO and RAMA come together and generate some serious sparks with their take on the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS mainstay UNDER THE BRIDGE. It's hard for me to believe that it was 25 years ago that ANTHONY and FLEA and the rest of the CHILI PEPPERS dropped the somber ditty about alienation and finding one's sense of self in a world that has gone mad. Inspired by KIEDIS' battle with heroin addiction, UNDER THE BRIDGE has managed to stroke a broader meaning with listeners over the years and now CHINO and RAMA with the assist of GRAMMY winning producer JARED LEE GOSSELIN have molded this classic into a hard rocking, hip hop tour de force. Yes, new life has been blown into a classic that has hardly grown tiresome or trite with age but the real story for us is the coming together of these two formidable musical forces. In our interview with both CHINO and RAMA we were excited to learned that the chemistry between the two of them is still there. In fact the two of them, along with producer GOSSELIN, are currently working on a additional material for a new joint project called A BAD DAY FOR SORRY. In a time where rock and hip hop need each other more than ever, we've got to hand it to this dynamic duo for taking a stab at unity and putting out  a positive message. Not even our current president can claim that. 

CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles690.mp3

ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE is pleased to announce the second edition of THE ROCKWIRED MIXTAPE SHOW featuring new music that has come out way from artists and bands from throughout North America. This edition features music from:

EDGE OF PARADISE - ALIVE

MIKE HORNBUCKLE - BABY ROCK
LUCID FLY - VISIONS OF GRANDEUR

CONSTANT HARMONY - EAT THE RICH
MAYVE - CRUEL INTENTIONS

DISTRICT AVENUE - REVIVAL

DAPHNE WILLIS - FREAKS LIKE ME 

RACE TO NEPTUNE - IRON SATIRE

BLOOD OF ANGELS - ODIN'S WRATH
MAMMOTH SEED - YEAH MAMA
SIGNALS OF BEDLAM - MASS APPEAL

REMADA - A BETTER TOMORROW

http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/mixtape2.mp3

Indianapolis-based singer-songwriter JASON ANDREW BROWN has just released his self-titled debut EP and it's a fantastic introduction to both the man and the artist but you must understand that this guy comes with one hell of a musical background. His tenure as a solo artist was begun in a coffee shop back in 2014 but before that he proved to be a formidable front man in the band PUSH DOWN & TURN in which he toured the country relentlessly and shared stages with the likes of COUNTING CROWS, BUSH, WIDESPREAD PANIC and THE BO DEANS. The band even had the opportunity to play on the H.O.R.D.E TOUR. When BROWN had gotten his fill of nonstop touring he turned his attention to forming his own band with fellow songwriter JAMES WESTON. That band was SEDNA and they carried on with BROWN int he command seat until 2014 where the fateful decision to do a solo set was made.  JASON ANDREW BROWN - the songwriter and performer both come to life on this shimmering debut EP where BROWN proves that he deft at conveying unbridled joy and abandoned without getting all sugary on the EP's opener SHINE SUN SHINE. At another turn he can paint a sorrowful, moving picture as he does on EMPTINESS IS FOREVER which deals with a friends suicide and on the final track ICARUS he gives us the chill off a lifetime as the song explores the last moments of a man jumping from the World Trade Center on 9/11. 

http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles689.mp3

All of the action of late seems to happening due North of where we are

in Albuquerque.  Clearly when a State legalizes the use of recreational

marijuana fin and exciting things happen. RACE TO NEPTUNE is not the

first band from the Centennial State that we've profiled since the new

year began which gives us reason to believe that there is something

other than pot smoking going on just North of us. Of course our fondness

for the band is due to the release of their gritty debut opus  OH

CONTRAIRE and coming from folk who favor big riffs, interesting chord

changes and  rhythms that change at a moments notice, we can safely say

this is one of our favorite releases in this turbulent new year. It's

hard to believe that this is only a debut and that speaks volumes of

the musicality of this band. Whether they are re-living the alternative

rock guitar glory days of bands like SMASHING PUMPKINS (IRON SATIRE),

riding the killer wave of a surf rock riff (CONSTANT COLLAPSE) or

kicking out the sort of souped up reggae-fied jams that made THE POLICE

famous (CIGARS AND CELEBRATIONS), this band has it all covered.

CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles688.mp3

The title track of singer-songwriter DAPHNE WILLIS' forthcoming EP FREAK LIKES ME is built on a steady and confident soulful groove and WILLIS' vocal strut above the groove playfully and knowingly. Not only is  this song effortlessly catchy, it  serves as almost a response to the political upheaval that has taken place since you-know-who has assumed the highest of this Nation. It's practically a rallying call for those living on the outskirts who either go unnoticed or don't get noticed enough. Of course this is only a guess on our part. It could mean something else entirely but our interpretation has led us to believe that WILLIS' FREAKS LIKE ME is one of the most satisfying listens that we've come across so far this year. A professional songwriter based in Nashville, there's no doubt that WILLIS knows what it takes to create a song that will stand out but when you combine that sort of know-how with a need to express inner turmoil, then you've really got something and WILLIS has tons to say despite this newest effort being an EP. In addition, the songs DOPAMINE (about a different kind of drug entirely) and the haunting SOMEBODY'S SOMEONE are bound to find that wider audience. CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT: http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles687.mp3

THE EDGE OF PARADISE is one of those bands where we can truly say "we knew them when". We've always had a soft spot for this band as they were one of the first bands to make the cover and the contents of the premiere issue of ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE back in May of 2012. Founded by guitarist DAVE BATES, the band made no secret of their desire to go big or go home with their Wagnerian debut album MASK featuring dynamic range and vocal prowess of the band's lead singer MARGARITA MONET. Since that time EDGE OF PARADISE has taken their larger-than-life sound to the internet and the road and lead singer MONET has come into her own as a captivating front woman with vocal know-how and stage presence to spare. Now the band is on the eve of releasing a brand new album titled ALIVE (due out March 10) and it finds these metal torchbearers taking on a more industrial sound as one can hear and feel on their brand new single. Knowing these guys as well as we do we've got a feeling this this bold new direction will pay off big time.  CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT: http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles686.mp3

The music industry is full of makeovers. The practice is all too often necessary for that band or artist that needs to prove to the world that they are a brand to be taken seriously. From my own perspective the band formerly known as KICKIN KROTCH was a band I always took seriously due tot heir embrace of the kind of balls-to-the-wall rock n roll onslaught that gets pushed aside for plaintive indie rock or the bragadociousness of today's hip hop. Yes, there was no thinking on our end that these guys lacked sincerity even if the band's moniker sounded like a bad case of epididymitis but what's in a name? Apparently quite a bit if this band of merry Maliseet rockers felt the need to change it and perhaps that was was the smart thing to do in these image conscious times. The new name DISTRICT AVENUE rolls off the tongue effortlessly with out the need to guard your groin area but more importantly this band is back with an exciting new album and an even more exciting single and music video. Their new album EPOCH is a thick slice of active rock heaven recorded at IGUANA STUDIOS and produced by VICTOR BRANCO. The albums first single - the aptly titled REVIVAL - sums up the band's musical agenda - blistering rock n roll with a sense of uplift. And don't get us started on the single's amazing CGI music video painstakingly directed by JAY MARKS.  CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT: http://www.rockwired.com/rockisred/rockisred28.mp3

Funny that ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE should be singing the praises of another industry awards proceeding so soon after we wrapped up the proceedings for our reader's poll  but MANITO AHBEE's annual INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS means something to us as a publication. For years, the INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS (formerly known as the ABORIGINAL PEOPLE'S CHOICE MUSIC AWARDS)  has done it up proper in terms of celebrating indigenous music makers on both sides of the Canadian border and this year it returns after a one year absence. In the latest edition of the ROCK IS RED podcast we speak with JACQUIE BLACK  of the INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS and spin some tunes from first nations rockers DISTRICT AVENUE and RELIC KINGS but we would also like to use this opportunity to give American Indian and First Nations music artists the opportunity to submit their work for the chance to be nominated in the 2017 INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS which will be taking place MAY 19, 2017. All one has to do is click the link below and start submitting their work. Submissions will close FEBRUARY 16, 2017 so act fast.  CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:http://www.rockwired.com/rockisred/rockisred27.mp3

Just check out any music video from the 1980's on YOUTUBE and if you turn your attention to the comments section you will find raw, unrestrained and unrequited longing for the music that made the REAGAN era such over-the-top fun despite IRAN-CONTRA and trickle down economics. Hell, we've even got youngsters longing for a time that was "simpler" even though I doubt they could function in a time and space without the internet or i-phones. The Long Island, New York based band MAYVE brandish a sophisticated synth pop sound reminiscent of the new romantic fair that was all the rage in the early eighties from such acts as SPANDAU BALLET, DURAN DURAN and ROXY MUSIC's glossier output. In my interview with MAYVE's front man NICK MICHELINE, I probably should've asked what the draw was for him to create this melodic synth sound that brings to mind a giddy sense of familiarity for a guy my age but why look a gift horse in the mouth? MAYVE's new EP MOTION proudly shows what these electro-pop torch-bearers are capable of in the studio with such ambitious tracks as 1924 and the pulsating CRUEL INTENTIONS. With all of the embrace of synths and guitars, don't expect mere nostalgia on this fine release.  CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT: http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles685.mp3