Valley Jams

We've relocated

2007-04-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

We've moved into the 21st century and have moved the Valley Jams blog from Blogspot to our own server. Check it out here.

All the previous band profiles are there, along with daily updates from the Fox Valley entertainment scene.

On the Sly

2007-03-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

This week's profile is on Sly Joe & the Smooth Operators. “Earthy soul with a funky stroll.” That’s how Sly Joe describes his music. He wrote much of music for this band while touring internationally and holding down musical residencies in Thailand and San Francisco over the last four years. All Smooth Operators either are or have been part of some of the most popular groups in the Fox Valley.

The band’s latest EP is “Your Lively Love,” which was recorded at Rock Garden Studio in Appleton and mastered by Michael Hateley (Madonna, Green Day, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Spongebob Squarepants) at Warner Bros. Music in Burbank, Calif.

Read more.

Cerebral with Slate

2007-03-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Mr. Slate has been making music for about six and a half years. Demaskie is the most recent addition, having been with the band for about a year and a half. Mike (Cookie) Karraker was the original drummer.

There’s no doubt that Mr. Slate rocks hard, but the band is not limited to the constant chugga-chugga-chugga riffing that constrains a lot of metal bands. Posselt said the most important governing philosophy behind the band’s music is unbridled diversity. If a song calls for a waltz intro, then the band will play it.

Read more.

A true work of Fiction

2007-03-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

American Fiction, that is.

The heart of American Fiction is Ethan Cook, who was in many bands playing saxophone and guitar. He started teaching himself guitar in late 2001 but didn’t take it seriously until, during a song trade-off session at a friend’s house, he also found he could sing. He began composing songs, concentrating on lyrics and his voice, and soon began playing at venues such as the Appleton Public Library, Copper Rock Coffee and Harmony Cafe.

In the beginning, Cook played cover songs as he struggled to find his sound, but he discovered it when he wrote the first song from his new EP, “Lawyers (And Their Virility).” Coincidentally, he wrote the song about the same time he got into Otis Redding, Bright Eyes and Bob Dylan.

The five-song EP is titled “Devil’s Casino,” with the title track about manipulative card-playing devils. Other songs are about a miner’s wife cheating on her husband with a postal worker and other folky topics. Cook said some of the tunes have an underlying message that he hopes the listener will interpret hours after the songs are played.

Read more.

Blues you can use

2007-03-07T14:50:00.000-08:00

Bobby Evans needs no introduction to followers of the Fox Valley music scene. The band has been playing for more than 28 years; Bobby and brother Evil have played together since 1976. The band has played everywhere from Summerfest to funerals (twice).

“We have had 47 drummers since then,” Bobby said. “Go figure.”

Read more.

Check out Chelsea Z

2007-02-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

Chelsea Z is a solo singer/songwriter who made her first public performance in September at an open mic at Harmony Cafe in Appleton. She’s been playing guitar seriously for about two years and writing lyrics since she was young.

Though she’s been playing guitar for a relatively short time, the bug bit her early.

“In my second grade class at Little Chute Elementary, they had a guest folk guitarist come in and from that day I decided that I wanted to play acoustic guitar and that desire always stuck with me,” she said.

Read more.

The conglomerate that is Patchwork

2007-02-21T13:40:00.000-08:00

This week's profile is on Patchwork, the rotating lineup of musicians surrounding songwriter Jeremiah Nelson. The group is about to release a six-song EP titled “Work and Worry,” which, according to a press sheet, “showcases the group’s finest tunes to date.

“Patchwork combines poignant folk insight, catchy grooves and indie braininess to form an affecting portrait of the human condition. Adventurous songwriting and jazz-tinged arrangements complement Nelson's point-blank vocals and Shawn Drake’s classical-meets-country wizardry.”

Read more.

When push comes to Pudge

2007-02-14T14:47:00.000-08:00

You might remember Pudge from the mid-1990s when they played at the now-defunct Fun Luvin' Productions in Appleton with like-minded bands Sunday Flood and Anti-Freeze.

Pudge spent most of 2006 quietly shaking the rust off in anticipation of picking up where they left off. The band is in the studio finishing up four new songs that they hope to release early this year.

“We get a lot of our inspiration from both current and past relationships we have been in,” bassist/vocalist Tony McNamara said. “We try not to get caught up in trends and feel that we are pretty true to ourselves.”

Read more.

A drive with EngenDriver

2007-02-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

Jam meisters the EngenDriver Band formed their current lineup in 1999. They hosted open jams and played small clubs doing music they liked. The band has recorded two albums, one in 2001 at Mongo Tracks and the second at Rock Garden Studio in 2004. EngenDriver plans to go back in the studio this year and tour the Midwest. Look for the new album to feature the band’s special blend of pop-rock-jam-progressive-blues-punk-roots-fun music.

The EngenDriver Band has opened for groups including Chris Aaron, Short Stuff and Luxx.

Read more here.

Download a podcast here.

Excellent Exner

2007-02-01T07:45:00.000-08:00

Helen Exner is a Fox Valley jazz singer/songwriter, although that description only begins to capture her sound. She often performs solo, playing piano and singing. “But I also play a lot with Oshkosh-based musicians, like the Jazz Orgy and Playtime,” she says. “On occasion I’ll also put together my own band, like when I had my CD-release party in March at the Appleton Art Center.”

Exner started piano lessons in kindergarten, and by middle school she was winning prizes for her piano compositions. She started college at Lawrence University as a piano and composition major. Although her degree is actually in history, she continued to study jazz piano privately after graduating, with Matt Turner and John Harmon. She developed her jazz skills at jams and by gigging.

“I began writing songs in 2003 after not writing for a few years,” she says. “I typically write a new song at least once a month. I love collaborating with other musicians, especially singers. I’ve always had a love of a cappella vocal music, and I love creating textures with layers of voices."

Read more.

And check out our podcast with Exner here.

Catching up with Copper Box

2007-01-25T12:12:00.000-08:00

Sick of guitar bands? Oshkosh’s Copper Box might be for you. Copper Box exploits the untapped rock potential of the accordion, making it the lead instrument on originals and wacky classic rock covers such as Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb.” The group is led by the husband and wife team of Danny and Michelle Jerabek.

The band is getting ready to release its new album, “Backyard Party,” an appropriate name given the party vibe the band is known for. For now, you can get a copy at the band’s gigs, but look for it in wider release in the near future.

Read more.

Scaring up some sounds

2007-01-19T14:18:00.000-08:00

Name: Little Ghosts

Hometown: Pulaski

Lineup: Kevin Cropper, guitar/synthesizer; Cassidy David-Weber, vocals/harmonica/
trombone; Jamie Yanda, guitar; Eric Hansen, bass; Adam LeGrave, drums
First, a little background: According to David-Weber, “Formed out of the ashes of the Tugboats in November 2005, the Little Ghosts emerged as a supergroup unlike any you’ve ever heard before, playing in a bitter cold garage, honing our chops in a wood shop."

Read more.

A Wolff blows into town

2006-12-27T14:06:00.000-08:00

Though the Hannah Wolff Band hails from Oklahoma City, Okla., Wolff’s family lives in Appleton and she says she’s “three days shy of being Appleton-born.” Wolff formed the band about a year ago via word of mouth and online music forums. Previously, she performed mostly solo, working sporadically with various musicians until she met her current band. The group has recorded two albums and is steadily building a national following.

“I really owe the rapid success of the band to these guys and our live performances; they are incredibly talented and innovative,” Wolff says. “I write the songs and the boys bring them to life.”

Wolff says her band’s most recent album, “One Afternoon,” is inspired by a failed relationship with a married man. Ouch. But while the album leans toward a chill vibe with its songs of heartbreak, “live, we totally find ways to rock out,” Wolff says.

Read more.

Go for the Gator

2006-12-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

GatorArm is a band of seriously hard-rockin' dudes from Neenah, but they actually began a couple years ago as a joke among three lifelong friends. Not knowing what to do following Packers season, the guys decided to start a band. The original lineup featured Schneider on guitar, Tony Kuhr on drums, Tom Kuhr on guitar and a bass player. After their debut album, “Light to Dark,” GatorArm fired its bass player and the lineup took its current form. Now solidified, the band is ready to blaze a trail of scorched tire marks across the Fox Valley music scene.

Here's a quote from the band’s bio information: “Generally fueled by life’s ups and downs, our songs speak of personal matters gone good and bad. All in all we are a simple group of working-class 30-somethings, with a penchant for straight-up rock and roll. We are very humble, however, very serious when it comes to delivering the goods.”

Read more.

Valley Jams for Dec. 14

2006-12-14T06:38:00.000-08:00

Marc Golde and his band members were in talks about a year ago and recently were pushed together by an irresistible opportunity — the “WAPL X-Mas Bash: Yule Hog Holiday” Friday at Waverly Beach in Menasha.

Golde needs no introduction among followers of the Fox Valley music scene. He has recorded some of the best bands in the scene at his Rock Garden Studio. After six years of working on other people’s music, Golde decided that playing on the sidelines no longer would satisfy his musical itch. He’s played with other bands, put out an album (“Pet Rock” in 1997) and has umpteen years of experience.

About a year ago, he started talking about starting something up again. “My original plan was, I was going to work on a record first, then go out and play,” Golde said. “Then this WAPL thing came up, so we set a deadline together.”

Read more.

Valley Jams for Dec. 7

2006-12-06T14:02:00.000-08:00

This week, we're catching up with The Wandering Sons, who we first profiled back in 2005. In case you haven't heard, the band is about to release its highly anticipated album, "Little Bird." The album was recorded with a pretty stellar list of supporting musicians, and no doubt expectations are high among fans and the band members themselves.

You can get a copy of "Little Bird" when The Sons perform a CD release show Dec. 16 in the Kimberly-Clark Theater at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. You'll want to be there because that will be your only chance to get the album until it goes into full release sometime after the new year.

Our updated Valley Jams profile has links to a couple of songs from "Little Bird," as well as a classic Wandering Sons track.

Read more.

Valley Jams for Nov. 30

2006-11-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

Marvin's Garden puts a new spin on the term “Midwest rock.” It has created an original sound with a hybrid of funk, folk, rock and rhythm, blended with a generous helping of wit.

The guys met and jammed together for the first time in September 2005. “We readily agreed that this was a combination of talents that couldn’t be passed up,” bassist Tim Peeters said. Within a month, Marvin’s Garden was gigging and in June began to record an album.

Read more.

Valley Jams for Nov. 16

2006-11-15T14:23:00.000-08:00

Singing has been part of Rosanna Fiorazo’s life since she was very young. She cut her teeth by singing at weddings (“lots of Italian receptions,” she said) and a bit in bars. In the 1990s, she moved to California and became a singer in Bobby Kimball’s band (Kimball is Toto’s lead vocalist).

Fiorazo said she turned her life around with God in 1996 and became a Christian. She sang on Integrity Music artist Tommy Walker’s worship team in the late 1990s. In 2003, she recorded her first CD. Her latest album is “Haven’t You Heard …” and was recorded in Nashville. The project features band members from Brooks & Dunn and Faith Hill.

Read more.

Valley Jams for Nov. 9

2006-11-08T13:39:00.000-08:00

If you're into the Foo Fighters, check out Green Bay rock band Interstate. The group is made up of a trio of college-educated musicians who studied music, so they actually know how to, you know, read notation. The band is also well-versed in genres beyond rock, including jazz.

Interstate is at work recording a full length album at the Chicago Recording Company, a respected studio whose clients include everyone from Incubus to Jay-Z.

Read more.

Valley Jams for Nov. 2

2006-11-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

Chad Hell, a one-man band, is a classic case of triumph over adversity. He has played guitar and written his own music for more than a decade despite being born without one hand. During his shows, he shares a bit of his story, with a powerful message that, “it’s just about not letting circumstances in our life hold us down,” he said.

Religion is a dominant force in his life and music. He got more serious about music about 12 years ago, after he became a Christian.

“In the past I’ve always tried to learn an instrument; it just never stuck with me till that point,” Hell said.

Read more.

Valley Jams Rewind: Rob Anthony

2006-10-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Rob Anthony just released his third album, “Inside you and Inside Me.” Many of the songs hold a deep, personal meaning. “I brought it back home to where I grew up,” Anthony says during an interview with “The Beat” at www.postcrescent.com. “I really got naked and stripped down a lot of stuff that I’ve been through over the years and put it all into this music.” He’s speaking metaphorically, of course.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for Oct. 6

2006-10-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

The Obsolete Machines formed in 2002 when Shanna Teresinski came across Adam DeHaven performing alone at a piano at New Moon Coffee Co. in Oshkosh. Impressed by what she heard, Teresinski asked if she could sing with him and, like that, this synth-pop duo was born. The group moved to Seattle and got started playing shows there, eventually working its way back to northeastern Wisconsin. Marrying DeHaven’s earnest songwriting with Teresinski’s icy beats, the Obsolete Machines’ arty pop-rock goes over well at (no surprise) local art festivals like Oshkosh Gallery Walk, where the band usually sells out CDs. Catch the band Friday at Ravens Lounge in Appleton.

Read more.

Valley Jams for Oct. 5

2006-10-05T06:15:00.000-07:00

Rock ’n’ roll runs in the Smith family. Papa Jeffrey Smith and sons Jeremiah and Joseph have played together as the jam band Brok’n Arrow since 1995. Because Jeffrey is in a wheelchair, the band is locked out of most clubs. But that hasn’t kept Brok’n Arrow from rocking music fans. The trio records songs, albums and even ringtones and distributes them on the Web. According to Jeffrey, the band’s music has received more than 40,000 plays in the past four months alone. Check them out at www.myspace.com/broknarrow2.

Read more.

Valley Jams for Sept. 21

2006-09-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

Anneliese M. DeDiemar and Luke Brown met up in 1998 at Lawrence University during freshmen orientation week, launching an ongoing musical collaboration that culminated with the formation of Love, Claire last year. The folk/pop group has been gigging since April, playing coffeehouses and other folk-friendly venues. Love, Claire mostly plays original songs, with lyrics by DeDiemar and music by DeDiemar and Brown. The group also does the occasional cover, including an irreverent stab at Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back.” Be sure to yell out for the song Friday when Love, Claire plays Lawrence’s Underground Coffeehouse.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for Sept. 14

2006-09-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

The .357 String Band’s punk rock bluegrass has a wide reach. According to guitarist Derek Dunn, the band “might play a show one night where we look out onto a sea of Mohawks, tattoos and piercings, and the next night play for 700 old people and their grandkids, sitting in lawn chairs at a county park.”

Read more here.

Valley Jams for Sept. 7

2006-09-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

If Freshwater Collins broke up tomorrow, the band members could say their adventures in rock ’n’ roll lead to hanging out with Robert Plant and Wayne Coyne from Flaming Lips. But this Milwaukee quartet is in the rock game for the long haul. Formed in 1997, the current lineup has been together since 2003. The guys must like each other because they spend a lot of time on the road, averaging at least 150 shows a year. In 2005 it was more than 200. Freshwater Collins is playing fewer shows this year as it records its latest album, “So Much For Livin,’” the follow-up to 2005’s “These Days Lately.” Freshwater Collins plans to tour extensively in 2007.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for Aug. 31

2006-08-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

Throwback country band The Honky Tonk Twisters formed in 2002, though the nucleus of the group has been playing live since the 1970s. Brothers Bruce, Kevin, Richard and Tim Lohrenz grew up and still reside in the Hortonville area, and have made music together most of their lives. Inspired by the music of Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and other old-school honky tonkers, the Lohrenz brothers fired up the Telecasters and banged out a collection of classic-sounding songs in the basement for a debut CD called “High Octwang,” which was recorded during the winter of 2004-05. The album is available online at www.honkytonktwisters.com.

Read more here .

Valley Jams for Aug. 24

2006-08-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

The Snowbirds are an all-star band of Fox Valley music luminaries. Gary White was the guitarist for Fetchin’ Bones, a band signed to Capitol Records that toured as an opening act for R.E.M. back in the mid to late 1980s. Jeff Berken was the vocalist/songwriter for the popular Green Bay punk band Vacuum Scam. Jason Berken has played with Jason Falkner (Jellyfish) and toured as a guitar tech for Alanis Morrissette and Dashboard Confessional. Timm Buechler was the founder/singer/bassist of Rebel Waltz and also plays in the totally awesome garage rock band The Tantrums. The Snowbirds formed in May and won’t play their first show until October, but four sparkling songs currently are available for download at www.myspace.com/thesnowbirds.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for Aug. 17

2006-08-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

Paul Molitor might have left Milwaukee behind many years ago, but emo band Molitor has filled the void by rocking Brew City since it formed in August 2000. Originally featuring Dushan (no last names for these guys) on bass, current bassist Erv was added last year to complete the present Molitor lineup. Boasting a collection of original songs that match earnest sentiment with polished songcraft, Molitor has shared the stage with likeminded national acts such as All-American Rejects, Down By Law and Rx Bandits. The band’s new EP was recorded at Smart Studios in Madison with Justin Perkins of Neenah band the Obsoletes, and was mixed by Ed Rose, producer for the Get Up Kids and Motion City Soundtrack.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for Aug. 10

2006-08-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

The Smack is a classic rock inspired band that formed last year and gigs often around the Fox Valley. Each member is a trained musician: Drummer Nick Kraus is a graduate of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music, and bassist Vander Wielen and singer/guitarist Adam Kraus are music majors at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. But don’t expect to hear any of that classical music stuff here. Cheap Trick and AC/DC is about as classical as The Smack gets. The band’s Web site says The Smack aims to bring back old-school rock to a scene “that has more or less lost its swagger.” With labels already starting to sniff around the band, this power trio just might keep its promise.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for Aug. 3

2006-08-02T15:31:00.000-07:00

Born in Jerusalem, rapper Arabe (real name Kamel Khatib) was 8 years old when he moved to Appleton. His uncle was going to school here, and his father felt Appleton was a good place to raise a family as war erupted in the family’s village. Now 21, Arabe has been involved in the music business for four years, picking up enough entrepreneurial know-how to start his own label, Arabe Records, and clothing line, Arabe Wear. At the beginning of the year, Arabe hooked up with a producer in Rockford, Ill. and within eight hours made his first song and video. A self-described “contro rapper” (as in controversial), Arabe is out to dispel negative Middle Eastern stereotypes. His first CD is due out Sept. 9.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for July 27

2006-07-27T06:13:00.000-07:00

Neenah native Robby Schiller formed Blueheels a year and a half ago after returning from a five-year stint in New Mexico. He recruited friends and local music veterans, including Brett Jannusch from the Retodds, Justin Bricco from The New Kentucky Quarter and Thin Red Line and Rebecca Krafft, the former owner of Blue Moon Coffee Company in Neenah, once a premier venue for all-ages shows. Bricco’s TNKQ bandmate Cargin later replaced original drummer Tim Schweiger. Blueheels took Schiller’s earnestly heartrending songs and beefed them up with some genuine rock ’n’ roll power. The band’s trademark mix of laidback country and chunky riffs has made it a rising star in the local music scene. The group just recorded its first CD at Madison’s famed Smart Studios, and hopes to release the record later this year.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for July 20

2006-07-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

Life Without It is a pop-rock band that was formed by high school students Matt Dorschner and Ryan La Barre in January. After going through a series of bassists and drummers, the current lineup came into place with the additions of Tony Gagnon and Andrew Aronson. The group drew initial inspiration from the popular pop-punk band Fall Out Boy, but Life Without It’s piano-based songs actually sound more like Something Corporate or a younger brother of Ben Folds Five. The band is busy writing and recording songs for an upcoming EP, “First Dates and Mix Tapes,” that will be available for free download. You can also hear Life Without It on “AKA: Insomnia,” a compilation CD that is being sold at every Warped Tour stop this summer.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for July 13

2006-07-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

After the Floods is an emo punk band that formed in February. Wilson and Hill hail from Appleton, Stevens from Menasha and Hoffman from Port Washington. With only 10 shows under its belt, including a battle of the bands gig for Snapdragon Records at the Miramar Theatre in Milwaukee, the band hasn’t played out much yet. But After the Floods looks to get some seasoning with a tour that begins Sunday and runs through July 25. Among the upcoming shows is a concert Tuesday at Undercover Skatepark in Kimberly with Pittsburgh punk band The SpacePimps. (Also on the bill is We Were Heroes.)

Read more here.

Valley Jams for July 6

2006-07-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

Noah Lekas has been playing in bands since he was 13, and playing shows since 14. In high school Lekas liked the usual bands any high schooler likes, but older artists like Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash struck a deeper chord. It also influenced his music, which has a strong late ’50s/early ’60s folk/country feel. Lekas has released two albums, “Day Of The Trumpet And Alarm” in 2003 and “A Threefold Chord” in 2006. Upon completion of his last record he formed the Revival with Peck and Vollmer.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for June 29

2006-06-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

Fear of Water is the brainchild of drummer Dave Perry, the creative force behind most of the Milwaukee band’s music. Perry worked on music for several years and recorded most of it by himself on his computer. About three years ago he decided to form a band with brother Chris, also an accomplished songwriter and musician. The current lineup of Fear of Water has been together for about a year, with guitarists Brent Conrad and Steve Butler and bassist Phil Belongia rounding out the band. With a sound that recalls the glory years of 1990s grunge, Fear of Water has ventured into the Fox Valley for gigs in Oshkosh, but mostly the band plays around the Milwaukee area. Last year the guys released an EP called “Fear of Water 2005” that was recorded at Axis Studios in Milwaukee and mastered a by Grammy-winning engineer Trevor Sadler.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for June 22

2006-06-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

The Saltshakers formed in fall 2002 and, like a lot of rock ’n’ roll bands, started out as a group of friends just looking for something fun to do. Since then the power-poppers have found fun by gigging regularly throughout the Midwest, playing major cities like Minneapolis, Detroit, Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee, and all points in between. The Saltshakers also have released a demo and an EP called “A Beautiful Mess,” which was recorded at Green Bay’s Simple Studios with the ubiquitous Justin Perkins. According to the band’s MySpace page, the EP “deals with issues of dissonance, disappointment and isolation while still maintaining an upbeat and rocking sonic landscape.” Well, OK then. The Saltshakers hope to record a full-length album later this year or early next year.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for June 15

2006-06-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

Do you like pretty melodies? Do you like danceable songs that make you feel good about being alive? Do you like sunsets and walks on the beach? If the answer is yes, do yourself a favor and don’t check out Appleton death metal band Throne of Sparta. Otherwise, if you dig the dark stuff, take a dip in the pitch-black waters where these disturbed young men lurk. Formed last year, the band went by colorful monikers such as The Blood Splattered Bride and The Dying before settling on Throne of Sparta, a name derived from Greek myth.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for June 8

2006-06-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

Jeffrey Caissie has been doing his folk-punk thing since 2001, starting out in Green Bay before moving to the state capital. His first album, “I’m Just Trying Not to Lose My Mind” came out in 2002. For a year Caissie had a backup band called The Beatrats that included Tim Schweiger and Justin Perkins of Neenah rock gods Yesterday’s Kids and the Obsoletes. He later formed the Jeffrey Caissie Group with Capelle, Ryan Adams, Andy Harris and Luke Hollister. Now the band has been pared down to Caissie and Capelle doing “a much more mellow/stripped down version” of the group, Caissie said. The singer/songwriter is working on a new album called “You Can’t Replace What You Already Have.” It should be out in late 2006/early 2007.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for June 1

2006-06-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

As one of the brightest stars in the Milwaukee indie rock constellation, Decibully has been a touring and recording force for the past five years. Decibully tours the United States and Europe regularly, and can be found playing some club somewhere five months of the year. The band members also have helped out other groups in need of extra musicians on tour, including the Promise Ring and The Snake, The Cross, The Crown. Decibully released two records on noted indie label Polyvinyl Records, “City of Festivals” (2003) and “Sing Out America” (2004). The band currently is at work on its third album and playing select shows in the Midwest.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for May 25

2006-05-25T05:59:00.000-07:00

Rapper Clinton Kingston has lived in Appleton since coming here to attend Lawrence University more than 10 years ago. Born in Madrid, Spain, he grew up just outside of Phoenix in a culturally diverse household. His dad is Jamaican and his mother Irish. Drawing inspiration from artists outside the hip-hop such as Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and classic Motown, Kingston dabbles in both party jams and political commentary on his self-titled debut album, which was just released this month. Among those offering assistance is Fox Valley producer and rapper KMC of Lost Voice Records.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for May 18

2006-05-18T06:14:00.000-07:00

The Starrs began as a side project for Tyler, known to local music fans as the singer, songwriter and guitarist for Appleton pop-punk band Antifreeze, which toured with superstar bands such as Fall Out Boy, AFI and Sum 41. After Antifreeze broke up, the emo-tinged Starrs became Tyler’s top priority. Rounding out the band is ex-Antifreeze drummer Derek Rice and bassist Ryan Matthias, who got his start selling Antifreeze merch at shows. Now signed to Milwaukee indie label Snapdragon Records, the Starrs are poised to pick up where Antifreeze left off. The band is doing an east coast tour this month and a couple of other tours this summer. The band’s debut CD, “Silhouette,” will be released July 11 and can currently be purchased at shows.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for May 11

2006-05-11T06:51:00.001-07:00

“Coltrane on steroids” is how Ticket 251 describes its cross of bop and rock. So long as Ticket 251 doesn’t threaten Hank Aaron’s home run record, people should dig their concert Friday at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton with the Wandering Sons and the Robins. The show takes place in the Kimberly-Clark Theater. (If you can’t make the PAC show, check out Ticket 251 at Ravens May 19.) The quartet plays out almost every weekend, and the schedule is expected to pick up during the summer months. Keep your eyes peeled for a live CD (recorded at Friday’s PAC show) due in July or August.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for May 4

2006-05-04T06:39:00.000-07:00

Something To Do is one of Wisconsin’s most respected ska bands. The Waukesha-based group is nominated for a WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) award in the best ska band category for the second straight year. (Something To Do also was nominated for band of the year in 2005.) The band has been together since 2001 and plays a couple of shows every month. The guys are in the midst of writing material for a new album they hope to release before the end of the year.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for April 27

2006-04-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

After playing together informally for a year and a half, the Ian Olvera Trio (actually a quartet if you count Olvera) solidified its lineup a few months ago and has been playing out four or five times a month with local and regional acts such as Windsor Drive, Obvious Man Hands, Patterns In Static, Relativity and Jonathan Delehanty. The group is a regular at the Eagles Club in Green Bay and Copper Rock Coffee in Appleton, which hosts the next area show by these roots rockers June 2. Look for an EP by the end of the year. In the meantime, the Ian Olvera Trio has four songs for free download at www.myspace.com/ianolvera.

Read more here.

Valley jams for April 20

2006-04-20T07:08:00.000-07:00

The Lights Band formed in 2001 while the members were students at Neenah High School. They first played together in school jazz ensembles and combos, and that experience helped lay the groundwork for the laidback jams the Lights Band specializes in. Now attending school at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the Lights guys expect to play between 35 and 50 shows this summer. One of the coolest gigs the Lights Band plays is in August at Paper City Pub in Neenah where it covers a classic album in its entirety. In past years the band has tackled The Beatles’ “Abbey Road,” Nirvana’s “Nevermind” and The Allman Brothers’ “Eat a Peach.” The Lights Band just released its own album, “Simple Places,” a 14-track collection recorded in Minneapolis.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for April 13

2006-04-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

Look for big things from Ivory, a catchy emo rock band from Appleton. Ivory recently signed with Carbon Copy Media, a label started by Hawthorne Heights singer/guitarist J.T. Woodruff that is a subsidiary of Victory Records. Next month the band will head to Smart Studios in Madison to record its first full-length album, the follow-up to a self-titled EP, set to be released by Carbon Copy in fall. Locally, you might have seen Ivory at Christian music festivals such as Lifest in Oshkosh and Power of One in Ashwaubenon, though the band doesn’t consider itself a Christian act, according to piano player/lead singer Nathaniel Swokowski.

Read more here.

Buzzworthy for April 6: Elvis Costello is coming here!

2006-04-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

Oneida Casino in Green Bay hasn’t announced its summer Pavilion Nights schedule yet, but details are starting to leak out and, man, am I pumped.

The most exciting act I have heard so far is Elvis Costello. Costello has a June 10 concert at the casino listed on his Web site.

Let me say that again: Elvis freaking Costello. In our backyard. Playing some of the greatest songs ever written. This is so lkajfal;dfulka. Sorry about that. I got a little excited and lost the ability to type for a moment.

Read more here.

Exclusive Company turns 50

2006-04-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

Say it with us: The Exclusive Company turns 50 this month.

Wisconsin’s best record store survived national chains, the Internet and every music trend from The Twist to techno on the way to the half-century mark. Even in middle age, it’s still the coolest place to shop for music.

“In Wisconsin, the Exclusive Company is kind of an institution,” general manager Stephanie Huff said. “I think any true music lover knows that’s where to get music.”

What makes the Exclusive Company so special? Well, the fact that it’s still here, for starters. Hundreds of independent record stores have closed in recent years as music consumers head to corporate chains staffed by khaki-donning clerks who confuse Van Morrison with Van Wilder.

Despite making music buying as much fun as shopping for toasters, Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy now account for half of all major-label music sales, according to the Almighty Institute of Music Retail, a market research firm based in Studio City, Calif.

In the past three years alone, nearly 1,400 music stores have closed nationwide, most of them independents, says the Almighty Institute. And yet, the Exclusive Company continues to do well in a market that otherwise offers few alternatives to the corporate behemoths.

How do they do it? By doing it better.

Read more here.

Valley Jams for April 6

2006-04-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

“Well, don’t blame me. I voted for Kodos,” said Homer Simpson in an episode of “The Simpsons,” giving inspiration to this nifty pop-punk outfit from Madison. Starting out with a heavy ska influence, I Voted for Kodos has since introduced a more rocking, Weezer-friendly sound to its music. The band is constantly on the road, playing 150 shows last year. I Voted for Kodos is on tour to promote its latest album “My New Obsession,” which was recorded a year ago with Sean O’Keefe (Fall Out Boy, Motion City Soundtrack, Less Than Jake) and Manny Sanchez (Smashing Pumpkins, Incubus, Umphrey’s McGee). The CD was released by Milwaukee indie label Snapdragon Records. Read more here.

Valley Jams for March 30: Clear Blue Betty

2006-03-30T08:16:00.000-08:00

Clear Blue Betty is a catchy Midwestern rock ’n’ roll band featuring singer Beth Kille’s powerful vocals and rootsy songwriting. The band is among the most respected in the Madison music scene, taking home the 2005 Madison Area Music Award for best rock album for “Never Been a Rebel.” Not bad for a band made up of a computer programmer, security systems business owner, otolayrngologist, physical therapist and massage therapist.

Valley Jams for March 23: Rob Anthony

2006-03-22T15:46:00.000-08:00

Rob Anthony grew up in northeast Wisconsin and played in several bands before landing a record deal with the alternative rock band Acrophet. After several years of touring, Anthony returned to the Midwest and started writing songs for a solo project. Hooking up with Milwaukee producer Espinoza and the rhythm section of Baumann and Jaeger, Anthony won over regional audiences with constant touring. In 2004 and 2005 he was voted the Wisconsin Area Music Industry’s People’s Choice Artist, and this year he is nominated for the pop group/artist of the year WAMI award. Anthony is at work on his third CD, “Inside You and Inside Me,” with producer Marc Golde at Rock Garden Studio in Appleton.

Read the complete profile here.

Five songs in search of a soundtrack

2006-03-17T11:46:00.000-08:00

It's a great moment for a music geek. You're watching a movie, and all of a sudden some obscure song you love comes on and works like gangbusters in a scene.

Maybe it's "Monkey Man" by the Rolling Stones in "Goodfellas." Or "Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears in "Donnie Darko." Or "Life on Mars?" by David Bowie in "The Life Aquatic."
These moments not only make a movie better, they transform the songs and give them whole new meanings. (Raise you hand, "Stuck in the Middle With You.")

Sometimes you find your own songs that would work perfectly in a movie. I know I do. I'm playing music supervisor for any director that wants to use me. Here are five (or so) songs in search of a soundtrack, and proposed scenes to stick them in.

Read more here.

What songs would you like to see in a movie? Let us know!

Buzzworthy for March 16

2006-03-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, but it’s time to talk summer music festivals.

Tickets went on sale Wednesday for the 12th annual Vans Warped Tour, which comes June 17 to the Marcus Amphitheater in Milwaukee.As usual, the popular punk rock tour has scores of notable bands on board, including: AFI, NOFX, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Buzzcocks, The Germs, The Academy Is, Underoath, Senses Fail and Rise Against.

Tickets are available now at warpedtour.com via an Internet-only pre-sale. Buy a ticket now and get a copy of the two-disc Warped Tour compilation at a discounted price.

The other long-running summer rock festival that always comes to Wisconsin, Ozzfest, is slated to swing by Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy on July 22. Tickets go on sale at noon Sunday for $37.50 to $97.50, plus fees, through Ticketmaster at 920-731-5000, http://www.ticketmaster.com/, Marshall Field’s in the Fox River Mall and Piggly Wiggly store on Northland Avenue.

Before rushing off to buy tickets, you might want to know who is playing this year: System of a Down, Disturbed, Hatebreed, Lacuna Coil, Black Label Society, Atreyu, Unearth, Bleeding Through and many more.

Read more Buzzworthy here.

Valley Jams for March 16: Adam Douglas and the Deacons

2006-03-16T07:32:00.000-08:00

The Deacons is “a side project gone mad” for Adam Douglas, an Oklahoma City native who has fronted regional R&B masters the Groove Hogs since 2003. The Deacons came together last fall at the Reptile Palace bar in Oshkosh when Douglas recruited Thiel and Velpel to be his rhythm section for a regular Sunday night gig. The trio gelled instantly, and eventually decided to become an actual band and record.

Read the full profile

Valley Jams for March 9: Supa Ranks and his Rock Stone High Power

2006-03-10T06:40:00.000-08:00

Costa Rican born Supa Ranks began his singing career at the age of 12, drawing on reggae, hip-hop and dancehall acts like Buju Banton, Shabba Ranks, and Black Uhuru for inspiration. After coming to the United States, he performed with bands such as Natty Nation, Proverb Sound System, International Connection, The Crest and the Infantry Rockers. Then he recruited the power trio backup of Rock Stone High Power, and recorded a CD, “4:20 Sessions.”

Read the full profile here.

Buzzworthy for March 2

2006-03-03T10:58:00.000-08:00

After four years of serving up mind-bending doses of roots rock psychedelia with the Philadelphia band National Eye, Appleton North High School alum Rick Flom still hasn't played a show in his hometown.

The 27-year-old singer/multi-instrumentalist hopes to change that later this year when National Eye tours the Midwest in support of its new album, "Roomful of Lions." I hope he changes it, too. I'll even beg. Hey, local venues, please book National Eye. It is one splendidly strange band, not to mention strangely splendid, and "A Roomful of Lions" is manna from heaven for fans of Wilco, Flaming Lips and "Smile" era Beach Boys.

Read more here.

Ravens shakes things up with electronic music

2006-03-03T10:52:00.000-08:00

You can feel what's going on at Ravens Lounge in Appleton long before you step inside the club.
"People come in from a block away," co-owner Donna Bradley said, "and say, 'We came in because we followed it.'"

At first, you might mistake "it" for a Tyrannosaurus Rex stomping from bar to bar on College Avenue. Eventually you realize the massive pounding comes from something only slightly less difficult to find in the Fox Cities than dinosaurs: electronic music.

While most of the area's live music venues cater to bands playing those old fashioned stringed-instrument things, Ravens has emerged as a local hot spot for DJs creating complex, hypnotic and, above all, danceable music with nothing but two turntables and a microphone. Trance, drum 'n' bass, techno, house, dub, hip-hop, you can hear it all here.

Read more here.

MySpace for bands, fans

2006-03-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Look for our very own myspace.com page.

Bands, fans, you are going to want to get on the friends list to get the latest gig updates from throughout the valley.

Here it is: Valley Jams

Valley Jams for March 2: The Box Social

2006-03-02T06:07:00.000-08:00

The Box Social are serious road dogs, playing about 150 shows up and down the east coast over the past few years. The band has toured with, among other notable bands, the Redwalls, June, the Poster Children and Tim Kinsella. A trek out west toward California is in the works for this summer. The Box Social also has been busy in the studio, turning out a series of EPs including 2005's rockin' "Blown to Bits."

Read more about the band here.

Tom's Garage: a place for music, a place for prayer

2006-02-23T09:02:00.000-08:00

Tom's Garage in downtown Appleton serves up cocktails and some of the Fox Valley's best live music seven nights a week. Sunday mornings, however, are reserved for the Lord.

"It doesn't matter what happened the night before because something happens when we're here," said Greg Sampson, pastor of San Damiano church, which formed and has been meeting at the bar since mid-September. "It is a warm place. And it is a place of healing and help and hope and all that. People, I think, feel warm. They feel at home."

On any given Sunday morning, nearly 175 people file into Tom's Garage for coffee, friendship and a spiritual connection many thought was impossible to find.

Read more about the spiritual side of Tom's Garage here.

Hot List for Feb. 23

2006-02-23T08:36:00.000-08:00

Goodbye, "Wild 99.7." Radio diversity in the Fox Valley took a hit when R&B/hip-hop station WLYD-FM 99.7 (known as "Wild 99.7") changed formats in favor of "guaranteed music variety" from artists such as Sheryl Crow and matchbox twenty. I guess that means the new definition of variety is "the same as everything else." I know radio's a business like any other business, but c'mon, folks. We don't need another light rock/classic rock station. And broadcasters wonder why people would pay for satellite radio.

Read more of The Hot List here.

Buzzworthy for Feb. 23

2006-02-23T08:32:00.000-08:00

For many bands, opening up for Green Day in front of thousands of screaming fans would be a dream come true. But for Appleton's Number One Fan, it was the beginning of the end.

"It was an awesome experience playing in front of that many people, but musically it wasn't where I wanted to be," singer/guitarist Nick Ziemann said of the band's pair of shows with the pop-punk legends last October. So Ziemann and the rest of Number One Fan —bassist Mike Ziemann, guitarist Matt Reetz and drummer Jon Fries — decided to make a change.

Read more about Number One Fan's new incarnation, The Robins, here.

Also in Buzzworthy: Ashlee Simpson is coming to the Resch Center ... Hairy "American Idol" dude Bo Bice is at the Meyer Theatre ... Tom's Garage is doing a hip-hop open mike night every Tuesday.

Valley Jams for Feb. 23: Verona Grove

2006-02-23T06:53:00.000-08:00

Verona Grove has been together for about six years and plays regularly around the Fox Valley, with occasional gigs in Chicago and Minneapolis. Recently the band recorded the single "Smalltown Celebrity" at famed Smart Studios in Madison and are writing and compiling songs for an album the band plans on recording at Smart and releasing this summer. The band is up for a Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) award for rock group or artist of the year.

Read more about the band here.

Avoid singing the cover charge blues

2006-02-23T06:49:00.000-08:00

The Fox Valley has a reputation for being averse to paying a measly five bucks to check out a band, unless that band plays songs everyone knows. Of course, that doesn't make any sense since a cover band is never as good as the original, but I digress.

If that $5 really is keeping you from walking through the door, think of the ways that you can recover that cover charge. Here are five ideas to get you started:

From the archives: Covers vs. originals

2006-02-20T08:26:00.000-08:00

This story about the struggle for original bands to get booked in local venues originally ran in The Post-Crescent on Aug. 14, 2003. Thankfully, a lot has changed since this story ran, with original bands like Wandering Sons, Cool Waters Band, Boxkar and Andy's Automatics playing downtown clubs and drawing as well as cover acts. But it always will be tougher to make a go of doing your own thing vs. playing "Mustang Sally."

Not that there's anything wrong with playing "Mustang Sally." Cover bands often feel slighted and scorned in their scene despite the fact that many paying customers prefer seeing them. This story isn't meant to rip cover bands. It's about creating a balance between originals and covers.

Local bands finding more outlets for original music
by Steven Hyden

The Obsoletes are one of the Fox Valley's best new rock 'n' roll bands. Their songs are hard-edged and melodic, kind of like Tom Petty with cranked-up amplifiers, and they put on a great live show.

Too bad you might not get to see them at your favorite local music venue.

Area bars and clubs have long preferred cover bands over local and national acts that write and perform their own music, and the result has been a live music scene that has discouraged the creative impulses of its most talented musicians and instead asked them to hack out "Mustang Sally" umpteen times.

"People want to hear songs they know already and they want to hear them the way they know them," Obsoletes bassist Justin Perkins said.

"I think I'd get real bored doing the same thing every gig," he said.

There's nothing wrong with checking out a cover band at the local watering hole on a Saturday night, it's just that the Fox Valley always has lacked any kind of balance with original music. Until recently it was almost impossible to find anyone doing anything different at local venues.
If you weren't interested in hearing "Brown-Eyed Girl" for the 2,345th time, you were out of luck.

The original music freeze-out finally appears to be thawing a bit. Downtown Appleton bars such as Mill Creek Blues Cafe and the Apple Pub have embraced original acts, and new Appleton venues like Wilber's Blackened Blues and the upcoming Tom's Garage have promised to do the same. Many bars also host open mike nights for professional and unproven musicians alike.

"I think as the area expands we're getting to be more of a metro area. As that happens original music is getting to be more accepted," said promoter Lance Shellman, who has booked original bands from the area such as the Cool Waters Band and Breathing Machine at Mill Creek Blues Cafe.

"We don't do a lot of cover bands," Mill Creek co-owner Jim Miron said. "That's one of the unique things about this place; bands come in and play original music.
Apple Pub owner Joel Hinze said live music audiences "definitely are starving for local entertainment."

"If we tried doing this eight to 10 years ago we wouldn't get the reaction we do now," Hinze said. "I think we have some of the most talented young artists up here."

"I think people appreciate bands that play their own music," Miron said. "It's a business decision as well as a decision we make as people who love live music."

A limit to originality

Not every kind of original band is welcome at downtown bars, however. The occasional swing band or Irish rock combo aside, downtown clubs typically stick to blues and roots rock. Fans of music on the periphery of the mainstream -- including punk, indie rock and metal -- often have to travel to venues on the outskirts of the Fox Valley, including Ryan's Ballroom in Combined Locks, Studio Hall in Oshkosh and Somethin' to Do in Shawano.

A coffee shop that used to be a bowling alley, Somethin' to Do is one of the few regular all-ages live music venues in the region. It regularly provides a stage for some of the hardest-rocking bands in northeastern Wisconsin and around 100 people, mostly teen-agers, come out for shows there every weekend.

Owners Sabrina Koon and Dawn Washkuhn took over ownership of the venue after booking shows there for a year and a half. They treat Somethin' to Do more like a labor of love than a business venture because they know how unique it is.

"Someone isn't going to put forth the capital for this kind of thing because you won't make money," Koon said. "We don't do this to make money."

At venues where making money is much higher on the totem pole, bands usually have to do at least some cover material to get gigs, according to Neenah booking agent Jon St. John, who works with popular cover bands Vic Ferrari and Boogie and the Yo-Yoz.

"To go on stage and just play originals, it's very difficult to find audiences that will accept that," St. John said. "Most of the time the public wants to go out and party to good, recognizable party tunes. You throw new things at them and they usually don't want to hear it."

St. John clients that do play their own material, like R&B rockers the Groove Hogs, are able to put those songs over by sandwiching them between the familiar hits.

"If people love your band for whatever reason, when you do your own thing the audience will accept it," St. John said.

Artist vs. entertainer

It's pretty much a given that an original band will have to work harder and be willing to travel farther distances in order to make it. If playing covers is more profitable and less taxing, what's the point?

"It's always been self-motivated," Cool Waters Band guitarist Greg Waters said. "It's something I believe in. When I first starting playing music that's what came naturally, writing songs rather than playing other people's songs."

Playing more covers still is tempting, "especially when I'm broke," Waters said.

"By no means am I saying I won't play in a cover band. At this point in my life, this seems like what I should be doing," he said.

The members of Oshkosh band Myopic Son, one of several area rock acts playing the annual Local Edgefest Saturday in Green Bay, have talked about starting a cover band side project to help fund their original music efforts. Drummer Spencer Smith looks at this as a necessary evil.
"We're trying to create something and sell something that's our own," he said. "Rather than be entertainers, we'd like to be artists."

Of course, for John Q. Music Fan looking for good beer-drinking music on the weekend, the artist vs. entertainer question is a no-brainer. They want to rock, pure and simple. And in that respect, chops and showmanship matter a great deal.

When it comes to rocking music fans, Shellman thinks both original and cover bands have their place.

"No matter if they're an original band or a cover band, they're all playing music and that's the bottom line."

Buzzworthy for Feb. 16

2006-02-16T21:20:00.000-08:00

It looks like the big city boys down south finally are giving the Fox Valley scene some respect. At least that's the indication we get from the recently announced WAMI award nominations. Fox Valley bands, including the Wandering Sons (pictured here) cleaned up this year. Read more here.

Other topics covered in this week's Buzzworthy include:

-- Jada Pinkett Smith's band Wicked Wisdom played the Checkered Flag Sports Bar in Appleton last weekend with Sevendust. Yep, we're talking about Mrs. Fresh Prince. Didn't know she could rock? Well, judging by what we heard from those in attendance, she doesn't.

-- A new Guitar Center is opening up in Appleton. That means ridiculous deals for local rockers.

-- Oshkosh music fans will be able to buy tickets to Resch Center shows a whole lot easier thanks to some help from Oneida Casino Ticket Star.

Have any ideas for Buzzworthy? Feel free to post a comment.

Local buzz building for Blueheels

2006-02-16T21:15:00.000-08:00

Neenah band Blueheels is a cool classicist country rock band that's been one of the area's most talked-about local groups in recent months. Read more about them here.

If they sound like a band you might like, you can hear three Blueheels tracks here. We recommend "Red Pajamas."

What do you think of Blueheels? Feel free to post a comment. We would love to hear what you have to say.

Valley Jams for Feb. 16: Fuse

2006-02-16T20:27:00.000-08:00

Fuse is a New London band that played more than 100 shows last year, and plans to double that number in 2006. To read more about Fuse, go here.