Although Slade says it “took a while” for the group to get good at their instruments, Anarbor was solidified in a real band with big plans. Once high school rolled around, the band found a balance between music and their devotion to completing their education, sometimes skipping school to play shows around the West Coast with bands like My American Heart, The Rocket Summer and The Higher and trekking to Austin for the South by South West Music Festival. “We would unfortunately have to sacrifice some time at school to get to those events, but in the end it was worth it,” Mike says. “It’s amazing some of us made it through school. We were absent a lot.”

But they made it through and instead of stressing over college applications, the members of Anarbor spent their senior year of high school showcasing for record labels. The band began playing shows in LA, attracting the attention of numerous record companies, particularly Hopeless, who signed Anarbor shortly before they were fitted for their cap and gown. And now, as their former classmates pack boxes for college, Anarbor has packed their van and headed out on the road in support of The Natural Way, their new four-song release.

The band recorded the new songs in June with producer Mike Green (Paramore, Good Charlotte, The Higher). Although it’s only four songs the release offers a tantalizing taste of what’s to come when Anarbor settles down to record their debut EP in a few months, revealing a band that hopes to break the musical mold and come at rock songs from a new angle. Their new song “Love Instead” is propulsive and dynamic, combining a large range of musical tastes and influences to create something wholly unique that resonates with the band’s genuine nature, while “Right There With You” is an edgy, memorable track that doesn’t exactly sound like the product of a bunch of recently graduated teenagers. It’s just enough to make you wonder what’s to come.

“We want our music to stand out,” Slade adds. “We’re trying to do it our own way. And we want to show people that you don’t have to fit into the mold of what’s popular at the moment.”

Biography

Good Old War is made up of Keith Goodwin, Daniel Schwartz, and Tim Arnold. The band was started after Days Away (former band of Keith and Tim) went on hiatus; Schwartz previously played in Unlikely Cowboy. They recorded some demos for free in a late night session at a recording studio. They have played with Anthony Green on a short stint of dates along the east coast and also at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Texas, as Anthony’s backing band. They are currently on Sargent House, a label which also serves as a management company whose roster includes: RX Bandits, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, These Arms Are Snakes, Maps & Atlases, Daughters, Love You Moon, Red Sparowes, Tera Melos and Russian Circles. The band recorded their debut album in May 2008 in Los Angeles, with producer Rick Parker who also produced the final EP from Days Away entitled Ear Candy for the Headphone Trippers. Good Old War recorded Anthony Green’s album Avalon with him as his band, and will be performing as his band in addition to playing direct support as Good Old War, with Person L (a project featuring Kenny Vasoli of the Starting Line) for a nationwide headlining tour that begins August 6th through September 14th, 2008. Anthony Green makes a guest vocal appearance on the track “Weak Man”, along with Dave Davison from the band Maps & Atlases who plays a guest guitar solo, also on “Weak Man”.

Members

Keith Goodwin – Guitar/keyboard/ Vocals
Tim Arnold – Drums/keyboard /Vocals
Dan Schwartz – Guitar/ Vocals

“When we formed Smile Smile, we looked at what was missing in the world of folk and pop and then tried to create a sound that was uniquely ours,” says Jencey. “We really wanted our music to be catchy and memorable, but also focusing on the issues that we care about.”

The duo garnered local and national success in 2006 with their debut full-length album Blue Roses. Its full of infectious melodies, dusty blue lyrics whispers, hand-claps and toe-tappable folk songs set to guitar and keys. Smile Smile were nominated for “Best Folk Rock Song (“Sad Song”) at the Los Angeles Independent Music Awards, nominated as “Best USA Act” in the Toronto Independent Music Awards, and have had several tracks from Blue Roses licensed for programming on MTV’s NEXT. Smile Smile was also featured in the film Jack and Jill vs the World starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Tarynn Manning.

Although known for their subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) back and forth jabs onstage, when the pair sing together their voices sound as if they are one. Stripping songs down to the bone and emphasizing the simplicity of beautiful music, is about the only thing the two can agree upon.  Curious about their relationship? The duo will release their sophomore album Truth on Tape on February 9, 2010 which chronicles their lives. Together. And apart. And…?

The innovative genre is called New Crack Swing, a lively twist on an era they were genuinely influenced by, and perhaps only Dua Boakye has the vocals and presence to pull it off. He has that raw Soul that goes back to Sly and the Family Stone, a rare and unstoppable talent; uncanny, as well, when matched with his ability to sing as hard as any rocker today.

The best representation of their sound can be heard on the track, “Stick Up Kids,” which exhibits the vocals reminiscent of the Bobby Brown “My Prerogative” movement, a synth that conjures Morris Day and the Time, and a distinctive hard edge that any fan of high-energy, in-your-face music can enjoy.

As hip hop icon, Slick Rick’s current backup band, the group has developed a taste for extensive touring, and because of their years together in The Eclectic Collective, it’s no surprise they already have a large fan base. Any loyal fan of either group followed Bad Rabbits and appreciated their growth, from their first promos to their unveiling at a Brooklyn venue, as demonstrated by the large crowd that already knew all the words from only Myspace and no official release.

After finalizing their outfit, River City Extension hit the road, establishing a strong following in the Northeast region, making lasting impressions on audiences and promoters alike. The band created an organic element gradually developing them from a small local phenomenon, into a budding national act landing a slot on ARTSCAPE in Baltimore, MD directly supported Cake and Robert Randolph performing in front of 14,000 people as well as opening regionally for such acts as Squeeze and Nicole Atkins.

In late 2009 River City Extension hit the studio to record their first LP named “The Unmistakable Man” . The band along with Eric Sanderson of the Brooklyn based band Pela, spent the next few months working in the studio perfecting each song. The plan was to release an album that would allow the listener to experience a story from start to finish, whatever their interpretation would be. “The Unmistakable Man” delivers immense and precise orchestration, and is reflective of their energetic live show, this music will stand the test of time.

In early 2010 the band inked a deal with XOXO Records (Home to The Gaslight Anthem, Let Me Run, This Charming Man etc…). The band’s new album has already started to get recognition, most recently appearing of the cover and featured in the East Coast Rocker. With the support of their label, friends and family, River City Extension plans to tour diligently across the US and UK.

Everlast

Erik Schrody (born August 18, 1969, in Valley Stream, New York), better known by his stage name Everlast, is an Irish-American rapper and singer-songwriter, best known for his hit “What It’s Like”, and for his unique genre-crossing mix of hip-hop and acoustic-based rock music.

He was the frontman for rap group House of Pain until 1996. In 2000, he won a Grammy for best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal with Latin Rock musician Carlos Santana for “Put Your Lights On.” (see 1999 in music).

Early days & House of Pain

Emerging as a member of the Rhyme Syndicate, Everlast’s first solo album Forever Everlasting (1990), largely made possible by MC Ice T, was a disappointment both critically and commercially. Following the album’s failure, Everlast teamed up with DJ Lethal and high school friend Danny Boy to form House of Pain. The group was signed to Tommy Boy Records, and their eponymous debut album (1992) went multi-platinum, spawning the successful DJ Muggs produced single “Jump Around”. This song was also remixed twice by Pete Rock, one version featuring a verse from him and one without. The album also featured Cypress Hill member, B-Real, on the song “Put Your Head Out”.

Fashioning themselves as rowdy Irish American hooligans (Lethal is actually of Latvian heritage), they toured with various rap and alternative-rock bands after their breakthrough. They participated together with Helmet, along with several other rap acts, on the influential 1993 rock-rap collaborative Judgment Night movie soundtrack. The group eventually disbanded in 1996, and Everlast once again pursued a solo career.

What It’s Like

Everlast’s second solo album Whitey Ford Sings the Blues (1998)– which was released a full eight years after his solo debut and after he had a major heart attack – was both a commercial and critical success (selling more than 3 million copies). Whitey Ford Sings the Blues was hailed for its blend of rap with acoustic and electric guitars, developed by Everlast together with producers Dante Ross and John Gamble (aka SD50). The album’s lead single “What It’s Like” proved to be his most popular and successful song, although the follow up single, “Ends”, also reached the rock top 10.

Everlast followed-up this success by collaborating with Santana on the track “Put Your Lights On” on Santana’s 1999 album Supernatural. It charted at #118 on the pop chart, but did considerably better with rock radio airplay, peaking at #8 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. “Put Your Lights On” won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 2000 Grammy Awards. At the end of the song, Everlast can be heard singing the first part of the Shahadah “La ilaha illa Allah”, the Islamic profession of faith. Everlast is a devout Muslim.

Despite the success of Whitey Ford Sings the Blues and his success with Santana, Everlast’s follow-up album, Eat at Whitey’s (2000), stumbled commercially at first in the United States. However, it was eventually certified gold. The album was also embraced critically, especially by Rolling Stone Magazine which reviewed the album between “good” and “great” and focused on it as that month’s most important release.

The current line up seems to be the strongest and most talented yet. Members Jesse Cottam on Vocals, Will Nutter and Davy Rispoli on Guitar, Greg Strong on Bass and Dango on Drums have a fresh start on a new label and couldn’t be more ready to take on the world. “We’re all really excited to be on Victory. We expect a lot of good and very big things to happen,” says Will Nutter.

Originally known under the name Follow Through, an expired version of the band enjoyed a run of fame when participating in the Vans Warped Tour from 2004-2007 and sharing a string of dates with Matchbook Romance on the Sub City Take action Tour in the spring of 2006. Amber Pacific proved that the “sophomore release curse” was a myth when they challenged it head on, releasing “Truth in Sincerity” in 2007. The title landed itself a deserving number 64 on Billboard’s Top 200 Charts.

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing on the success wave. in February of 2008, lead vocalist Matt Young left Amber Pacific to pursue a career in public education. Luckily, after feverish searching, the remaining members stumbled upon “neighbor – to – the – north” Canadian singer Jesse Cottam. “We set up an audition system via email account,” says Nutter. “There were about 250-300 submissions and out of that, there were only three people who were maybe good enough to do it.” After weeks of frustration, Nutter turned to YouTube, searching for homemade videos of radio hits, in hopes that maybe someone would grab his attention. “I was entertaining the idea of maybe having a girl singer, so i typed in ‘Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl’ and Jesse’s video popped up. At first I wasn’t sure what to expect, but after watching, i immediately reached out to him about flying in for an audition.”

Present day finds Amber Pacific with a breath of fresh air. having added a vocalist that gives the band an extra boost, they’ve written what can be called their best record to date; “Virtues” is available now on Victory Records.

In 1997 the family moved back to Canada and almost immediately, nine year-old LIGHTS got her hands on a guitar. By eleven she’d learned a handful of chords, which she used to write her first song. Then, at thirteen she turned her attention to production. “I had so many more ideas than just the vocals and the guitar. I wanted to put a glockenspiel and strings and a bass and drums in there!”

As a teenager Lights spent much of her time writing songs up in her attic bedroom, which she dubbed Starry Night studios after her favorite Van Gogh painting. By eighteen LIGHTS had moved out of her parents’ house and was living in Toronto with only her pet tarantula Lance to keep her company. In this state of near-isolation LIGHTS finally found her signature sound- a merging of classic pop songwriting with deeply intimate yet universally appealing lyrics. She wrote “February Air,” a poignant ode to the chill of winter love, which became the first of four LIGHTS songs used by Old Navy in the company’s 2008 spring ad campaign.

Though her star was clearly on the rise, it was LIGHTS’ online profile that really solidified her fan base. Between the singer’s MySpace page (which to date has over eight million visits and fifteen million plays,) her personal web site iamlights.com and her passion for web-based fantasy games like World of Warcraft, the artist’s online identity is as evolved as your nerdiest teenage boy’s and this is something she’s very proud of. “There’s an entire world of people out there that play WoW and are talking about science fiction and they feel a little bit outcast, so if you can reach those people that’s sweet! Even my look is inspired by video game characters – it’s a cross between Laura Croft and Wonder Woman.”
In April 2008 LIGHTS released her eponymous EP. It contained six songs including “February Air,” which reached #3 on the MuchMusic countdown in Canada, as well as the epic “Drive My Soul,” which was an even bigger hit; the song was added to radio without being serviced, climbed all the way to #1 on Much Music, and spent over three months in the Top 20 on Hot AC radio. On the strength of her EP alone, LIGHTS won the 2009 Juno (the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy Award) for New Artist of the Year, joining the ranks of Feist and Nelly Furtado.

The singer’s rapidly growing fan base was clamoring for live LIGHTS shows so she hit the road, playing countless sold out gigs in her home country, as well as numerous festival dates in the UK. In addition to touring extensively through the United States, this summer LIGHTS spent five weeks on the 2009 Vans Warped Tour and this fall will join Keane on their Canadian tour.

LIGHTS’ full-length debut, The Listening, will be released this fall. It includes a few songs already familiar to die-hard Lights fans, as well as plenty of new material including the first single, “Saviour,” a propulsive pop ballad that represents the essence of Lights. “My songs are spawned from moments of sadness or intense emotion,” the singer says. “‘Saviour’ is a big example of taking one of those really dark emotional situations and turning it into something positive. I just happened to get hit with a really dark sad night. The melody started coming together and the words started pouring out. I was crying when I wrote the first line of the chorus and it actually sounds kind of like crying. It’s a really, really powerful song for me.”

Their Mercury Records debut, Habits, produced by friend, singer/guitarist Tim Pagnotta, is a refreshing blast of timeless rock energy and spirit that wouldn’t sound out of place at any point from ‘60s garage-rock to 2010 dance rock, with the first single, “Animal,” taking off from a round of weaving, angular guitars into a song equally at home in the arena as on the dance floor, a paean to sexual longing in which singer/front man Tyler Glenn wails, “Take a bite of my heart tonight.,” and you have no reason to doubt his sincerity.

Take hook-happy new wave, add to it the classic-rock story-telling humanity and leaven with other-worldly charisma, and you begin to understand the palette Neon Trees are working from.

“I have this weird, obsessive nature of wanting to be a superhero,” admits Glenn, who cites his two favorite performers as the Boss and the King of Pop. “I just want to help my friends and the people I love by saving them, only to realize they’re really saving me by listening to the music. The songs are all about forgiveness, love and passion, which basically sums up the whole vibe of what we’re about as a band, professionally and spiritually.”

In the opening “Sins of my Youth,” Tyler reminisces about a childhood of trial, error and eventual self-discovery. “I’ve got these habits I cannot break… Call me crazy/I was born to make a mess.” “Your Surrender” takes Roy Orbison’s romantic plaint and sets it up against Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, while “Girls and Boys in School” speaks for itself, with a playground chant over a dark yet sing-along synth-pop chorus. Chris Allen has a quirky, edgy Johnny Marrr-meets-The Edge guitar playing while drummer Elaine Bradley drums with the intensity of John Bonham adding a heartbeat to the sensuality of the songs.

“We’re all about songs which relate the human experience,” says Las Vegas native, bassist Branden Campbell. “The emotion is very important to us. Our logo is a human heart with wings. We try to keep it real, but we’re not afraid to dream, either, work hard and admit we want success.”

“We approach the songs from a classic perspective,” adds guitarist Chris Allen, who formed the initial group in Southern California with neighbor Tyler, who lived around the corner. “Even from the start, it was all about the music for us. We didn’t even talk, just practice.”

“I’ve always tried to keep my feet on the ground with my songwriting,” adds Tyler, a self-taught musician who began composing when he was six. “I try to focus on getting out what I’m thinking and feeling. It’s a tool to help me cope with all the weird things that come into my mind. I’m just happy to have found that outlet.”

When Allen moved to Provo, UT, to attend school, Glenn followed him, knowing he wanted to play music with Allen.

“That was a real awkward trip,” laughs Chris. “We drove all the way out there and hardly said a word to each other. All we knew was we wanted to play music together.”

Once there, they were soon joined by Campbell on bass and drummer Bradley, a Midwestern Led Zeppelin/Depeche Mode fan, a combination that clicked despite the fact the individual members eventually discovered they were all very different people.

“We are all so fascinatingly different,” explains Bradley, who has been playing in bands since she was 14, first as a guitarist then as a drummer. “Tyler’s the quirky serious type who is really a goofball. Branden’s the musical history encyclopedia. Chris is the manual labor. Being in this band is like an arranged marriage where divorce is not an option, and I’m ok with that.”

Being signed to a major label hasn’t changed Neon Trees one bit.

“Our goal and how we play are still the same,” insists Tyler. “We’ve always tried to evoke a larger-than-life feel, even if we’re playing to 10 people in a garage. We’re just trying to keep our feet on the ground and remember why we started doing this in the first place.”

“Music is a sacred act of communion for me, offering hope and love,” says Tyler. “That’s the heart of this band. Just like in life, though, you need to have fun, too, you have to laugh and dance and sing. The songs that last and get people to feel something are the ones they can sing along to and really identify with.”

“There’s so much breath to what we do,” adds Elaine. “Every song represents a different aspect of our sound. We don’t stick to a single formula. And we have the goods to back it up live.”

“Our favorite thing is playing live shows, traveling, seeing new places, meeting new people,” adds Chris. “We just want to share that feeling we got from the bands that inspired us, and then We want to pass the torch.”

With their major label debut, Habits, Neon Trees light the fire.

A highly original and melodic modern rock band, Marcy Playground exploded onto the scene back in 1997 with the insanely irresistible hit single “Sex And Candy,” a song that notched [a then-record] fifteen consecutive weeks at number one on Billboard’s U.S. Modern Rock tracks chart… and a self-titled debut album that went on to sell 1.7 million copies. Subsequent albums Shapeshifter (1999) and Marcy Playground 3 (”MP3”) (2004), while commercially obscure by comparison, showcased two periods of tremendous creative evolution for the group, and have gone on to enjoy something of “cult classic” status among the band’s many loyal fans.

Over the last 10 years, Wozniak has spent a lot of time in the recording studio, on the other side of the microphones, honing his production skills. As owner and operator of famed Vancouver recording studio ‘Mushroom’ from 1999 to 2006, Wozniak recorded and produced Marcy’s third album “MP3”, as well as albums by the likes of Canadian rock bands Stabilo, (including the hit “Everybody”), and The Weekend’s “Beatbox My Heartbeat.” During those years Mushroom also witnessed the birth of hit records from the likes of Mudhoney, Matthew Good, Tegan and Sara, Sam Roberts, Hot Hot Heat, as well as Daniel Powter’s multi-platinum self-titled debut album on Warner Bros., produced by Mitchell Froom and Vancouver producer Jeff Dawson. It was Jeff Dawson’s work at Mushroom, on Powter’s pre-production sessions, which initially attracted Wozniak’s ear, and eventually led to a collaboration on Leaving Wonderland… in a fit of rage. Powter himself contributes a fluent piano track to one of Leaving Wonderland‘s stand-out songs, “Gin And Money”, while such notable Vancouver studio players as Darren Paris, Niko Friesen, Simon Kendall, Mark Wilde and Dave Pickell are also featured.

“I think Jeff is largely responsible for why all these songs work together the way they do” says Wozniak. “Having him in the studio allowed me to focus on the creative elements of the songs, the nuances and the performances, and leave most of the production details up to him. We had a difference of opinion here and there, but it resulted in us putting our heads together to come up with something even better than either of us would have come up with alone. It really helped to have that extra brain and set of ears in the studio.”

Dawson’s technical prowess and the work of mastering maestro Bob Ludwig ensure Leaving Wonderland… maintains a polished sonic consistency while demonstrating a huge dynamic sweep in the style of its material. Eclecticism has always been a Marcy Playground signature, to the point that Wozniak admits that “I honestly don’t know how to describe my music. We don’t have a specific genre, so I just call it all rock n roll.”

The diversity of the Marcy Playground style can perhaps be partially attributed to the nomadic life of its founder. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, John Wozniak attended Marcy Open School (the inspiration for his band’s name). At age 9, his family moved to Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania where, years later, he would record his first solo album, Zog Bogbean-From The Marcy Playground in his bedroom, before spending his college years in the early 90’s in Olympia, Washington. By 1996, record label interest in his work lured him to New York City where he formed Marcy Playground with bass player Dylan Keefe. Stints in Pennsylvania, Vancouver and Toronto have followed, so this is clearly a man who knows something about “leaving wonderland,” or, in his own words, “the myth of new beginnings.”

The sense of a spiritual quest, a personal emotional journey, is evocatively explored on Leaving Wonderland. The haunting and sparse “Irene” and “Memphis” possess an intimate and rootsy feel light years away from the aggressive sound of tunes like “Gin And Money,” “I Burned The Bed,” and “Emperor,” numbers Wozniak laughingly calls “our big rock songs.” His open-hearted and unaffected vocal style shines on the gently affecting ballads “Good Times,” “Thank You” (“you are the reason I’m the man you see today”), and “Blackbird,” a tender homage to his wife, while the catchy and light-hearted feel of “Star Baby” screams out for radio play.

The fact that Marcy Playground have always operated outside the musical fashion of the day has helped give their songs a timeless feel. Their material has been featured on such soundtracks as Cruel Intentions, Simply Irresistible, Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back (the 2004 MP single “Deadly Handsome Man”) and, most recently, Zack And Miri Make A Porno. For the latter film, the now classic “Sex And Candy” proved a perfect choice.

With the release of Leaving Wonderland. Marcy Playground are itching to get back on the road to both reconnect with their loyal audience and attract new fans. Joining Wozniak and bassist Dylan Keefe is new drummer, Shlomi Lavie. Wozniak is also compiling a collection of Marcy Playground B-sides and rarities for release later this year, so 2009 promises to be a banner year for the band.