Black Eyed Peas

I have to tell you all that if it hadn’t been for Will.i.am punching out Perez Hilton I might not have even taken a closer look at the Black Eyed Peas. After all while I will tell you that no genre is off limits here on Simple Man Music, it would be a little out of the ordinary for me to be checking out the Black Eyed Peas unless I heard a track that was off the chain.

The Peas fifth album THE E.N.D. has a couple of interesting tracks on it though. In addition to the albums lead single “Boom Boom Pow” there is also a tune called “I Gotta Feelin” that has a great vibe too. However I have to tell you that the “I Gotta Feelin” video is not exactly kid friendly, so check it out while the kids are at school.

The Black Eyed Peas got their start 1992 after the death of Eazy-E and the end of their contract with Ruthless Records as the duo Atban Klann. (William Adams and Allan Pineda) They recruited Jaime Luis Gomez and the Peas are born and performing around Los Angeles in the Hip Hop scene. In 1998 they recruit back up singer Kim Hill and become a quartet.

Since their humble beginnings they have wrote and performed many different musical styles. The have also gotten the better part of the deal when Kim hill left the band and they managed to get Stacy Ferguson aka Fergie in the line up. Since then Will.i.am and Fergie have both released successful solo records.

The new album The E.N.D. stands for “The End Never Dies”, and I think the only thing that the Peas need is for Will.i.am to bitch slap Perez Hilton one more time ;-) That’s it for now kiddies but I will bring ya something else again soon on Simple Man Music, CIAO4NOW!!!!!

P.S, Check out this weird video.

Seether: The New Album and "Careless Whisper".....

Do you want to talk about something scary, because I do? I was out cruising around yesterday taking care of business and listening to the radio and I heard the Wham tune “Careless Whisper” come on the radio. That by itself was not scary but the sound and vocals were definitely not George Michael it was Shaun Morgan and Seether, which was scary.

Seether has recorded covers from several different bands such as Neil Young’s “Needle and the Damage Done”. As you would expect in the Seether fashion they have rocked out those covers, but seriously Wham? I will tell ya one thing though they certainly gave “Careless Whisper” the hard edged Seether sound that they are famous for, and it sounded good too.

Seether got its start as a post-grunge band from Johannesburg, South Africa in 1999. They were originally known as Saron Gas and were signed to Musketeer records in South Africa. In 2002 they changed their name to Seether, which coincided with the release of their 2nd album as well as their major labor debut.

The bands current album Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces with their label Wind-Up is selling like crazy and their tour is selling out everywhere they play. Negative Spaces is the brainchild of Shaun Morgan, drummer john Humphrey, and bassist Dale Stewart. While the record is still as Seether hard as ever the band certainly paid attention to writing more melodic tunes.

Some of the songs on the new record you might want to check out are “Fallen, “No Jesus Christ”, and “Rise Above This”. Negative Spaces is definitely the culmination of all of Seether’s hard work and shows this awesome bands growth and maturity musically. I highly recommend that all of you check out this latest compilation of fantastic Seether tunes.

That’s it for today my friends, but I will be back with more great stuff on Simple Man Music soon. Have a great day and enjoy the videos CIAO4NOW!!!!!

Siversun Pickups.....

Welcome to the Friday installment of Simple Man Music. As you all know today is the day that we preview the most requested artist or performer from the past weeks requests. As I am also sure that you all are aware Joy wrote about our interest in Indie Music and Musicians. Well today’s post is not only a reader request but an interest in an Indie band named Silversun Pickups. Luckily for us this band has been on our radar for some time and we are happy to finally feature them.

The Indie rock band Silversun Pickups is from L.A. California. The members of this band all knew each other and were friends. They had performed with each other in other friend’s bands as well as together on previous occasions and were originally known as A Couple of Couples. Since their formation Silversun Pickups has released EP’s called Pikul, Remixes, Live Session, and The Tripwire Session. They have also released two full length albums called Carnavas and Swoon.

These releases have given birth to some great singles too. “Lazy Eye” and “Well Thought Out Twinkles” came off of the Carnavas album, while “Panic Switch” is the first single released off the album Swoon and there’s No Secrets This Year is the follow up single. These singles as well as all of the tracks on both albums showcase a diverse group of musical influences that make up this bands musical style. Some of their influences are The Smashing Pumpkins, Velvet Underground, and Sonic Youth.

Silversun Pickups has also toured with Australian band Wolfmother, Snow Patrol, and OK Go. In addition to that they have played the Coachella Music Festival in Indio California with Morrissey. Silversun Pickups has toured Ireland and the UK as well where they opened for the Foo Fighters in Edinburgh and Dublin. On their European tour they opened for Kaiser Chiefs. All the while they have gone about the business of creating great music and perfecting their craft.

The current line up for Silversun Pickups is as follows:
1) Brian Aubert on guitar and vocals
2) Nikki Monninger on bass and vocals
3) Joe Lester on keyboards
4) Christopher Guanlao on drums
5) Former member Llama Kennedy on rhythm guitar is featured on some of the bands tracks.

I would really recommend that you all give this band a listen to they have some great stuff. I for one also look forward to seeing and hearing more from these great musicians in the future, because I honestly feel that they have a future. After all with their great sound and songwriting skills I am sure they will only get better with time. I hope you all enjoy these videos.

That’s all for today, but Simple Man Music will be back next week, so have a great weekend CIAO4NOW!!!!!

Indie Music - Why We Love it and Plan to Highlight It

As Tim has mentioned here in his opening post on Simple Man Music, no genre is off limits. We plan on dealing with all kinds of music on this blog, and we really want to highlight some of the Indie music out there. Many people are not totally familiar with Indie music and what it is all about, so I'd like to talk to you a bit about this music, why we love it, and why we plan to highlight if often.

"Indie" is the term that basically is an abbreviation for Independent music. It's not a specific genre of music (which many people seem to think) but basically encompasses all types of music distributed by independent labels instead of by major labels. It can also refer to music that is recorded and distributed by the artists themselves. Some of the big names in music today have first started in Indie music and have gone on to sign with mainstream labels. Sadly, some of the bands that have done this have compromised their unique sound when signing with major labels - caving to the pressure of a major label to go mainstream. For this reason many musicians choose to go independent. This way they are able to thrive, play the music they love, and improve the realm of music without being stifled or pressured by mainstream music labels.

Because of the independent that musicians have in Indie music, you'll find that Indie music includes many sounds, styles, and subjects. The musicians don't worry about trying to make their music appealing, but the music comes from their heart…from their passion. This means that Indie bands don't always appeal to the masses, although there are some exceptions. In fact, today more and more people are becoming fond of the Indie sounds being put out. Some people feel that this allows them to get their music on an "organic" level.

Today with all the technology out there, Indie music has risen even more in popularity. Artists can easily record their own music at home and use the internet to get it out to thousands. Some popular Indie musicians have started out this way, using YouTube and MySpace as venues to get their music out to the public. Many have gone on to be very successful.

"Indie" music is not a style of music. It is actually a mindset. This mindset that musicians have to preserve their music the way they want it - essentially preserving their musical footprint on the sands of time. It is this mindset that is the reason that we love Indie music. Here we are all about the heart and soul of music, no matter the genre. You'll find Indie musicians in every genre of music and we plan to highlight some of them in the following weeks.

Just a few of the Indie bands that we have discovered in our own musical journey and search include groups like Black Gold, LIGHTS, Silversun Pickups, and Band of Horses. Of course these are just a few of the many Indie bands out there. We plan to introduce some of them to you over the next few weeks, so stay tuned for some great Indie bands coming your way.

P.S. Don't forget to get your requests into us for Friday's reader's choice day. You can do this by emailing, leaving a comment, or IM'ing one of us.

Lady Antebellum.....

As you all know last week saw the kickoff to this blog – Simple Man Music. We started out with a couple of pretty hot bands in the Rock and Roll genre, so today we are going in a different direction. Today we are going to take a look at some rising stars from the world of Country Music, and I am here to tell you they are the real deal.

Today we are going to take a good look at the band known as Lady Antebellum, or Lady A as they are affectionately called by their hardcore fans. This great band, with a very unique sound and diverse influences, first met and starting writing together in 2006. All during that summer in a little house near Nashville they collaborated, and when they were done Lady Antebellum was born.

The people that make up Lady A are singers Hillary Scott and Charles Kelly and multi instrumentalist and harmony vocalist Dave Haywood. Hillary Scott has a beautiful and sultry alto voice, while Charles Kelly sports a gritty tenor. These two opposing voices play well both up front and in harmony with each other. When you add to that sound Dave Haywood’s harmony vocals then you get the genuine and cutting edge sound that has made this trio the next big thing.

Since the incarnation of Lady Antebellum these three have performed with many different established country acts including Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, and Alan Jackson just to name a few. They are also regulars on country music video channels like CMT and GAC. Even publications such as the Boston Globe, Billboard, and Country Weekly have said the Lady Antebellum is “among their annual shortlists of artists to watch in 2008”.

There is even a little Grammy Award winning blood in this trio too. Hillary’s parents are Grammy winning country artist and mother Linda Davis, and her father Lang Scott, who is an accomplished musician as well. By the way the little house in Nashville where Lady Antebellum started was owned by none other than singer-songwriter Josh Kelly who is Charles’s brother. Apparently there is a lot of history in country music within this bands roots.

I really hope that all of you out there give this trio a chance, and listen to their material; it is really very good. I hope you all enjoy the videos too. I know I could have probably written about a more established country act, but I like to give the new guys and the Indies a shot when I find the good ones. I hope ya’ll have a great day and I will see you again soon, CIAO4NOW!!!!!

CHICKENFOOT: A Weird Name But A great Band.....

Well I must say that I, a person who is into all things musical, got blindsided by this one. A good friend of mine, you know the kind of friend I am talking about, one of those you can count on the fingers of one hand; well he is the index finger for me. This friend of mine whose name is Frank said to me, "hey dude check out CHICKENFOOT", and I’m like who????? Anyway long story short I did and they blew me away. What a killer vibe this quartet has going on.

The line up for this band is extraordinary as well. Sammy (The Red Rocker) Hagar fronts this musical concoction of talents. Joe (Satch) Satriani is the guitar virtuoso extraordinaire. Michael Anthony of that fabled party band known as Van Halen grounds this band on bass. Last but not least Chad Smith drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers rounds out the rhythm section and is the pump behind the bands sound.

Since this band is a recent incarnation they only have one album to their credit at this point. Their self titled debut “CHICKENFOOT” is an awesome rockin mix of tracks. With tunes like “Oh Yeah” and “Avenida Revolution”, which really gives this bands sound an edgy gritty feel. The chick dedicated tunes like “Sexy Little Thing” “Soap On A Rope” and “my Kinda Girl”, which are obvious dedications to those rock and roll road toys that Sammy has always been fond of really gives this album a real rock and roll party feel. There is absolutely no way this album can fail and is a great foundation for them to build upon and create something even more extraordinary.

On a more personal note, I have already joined their fan club and become a premium member. I absolutely cannot wait 'til they get to my neck of the woods because I will definitely be there for that show. I will not say that they are better than Van Halen or Van Hagar just yet, but if they have the same longevity as Van Halen/Van Hagar I am sure I will be changing my opinion then.

I hope you all have an awesome weekend and I look forward to next weeks requested artist or band. I hope you all enjoy the video. See ya l8r g8r’s CIAO4NOW!!!!!

SHINEDOWN: This One Is For You Kory.....

Well my friends welcome to the first official blog post for Simple Man Music. I have had a lot of requests prior to creating this blog on what artists, bands, and music people wanted me to write about. I have had constantly repeated requests for me to write about one band in particular and I am going to write about them today and get it out of the way. This one is for all of you and especially for you Kory because todays featured band is SHINEDOWN.

SHINEDOWN hails from Jacksonville, Florida, which is also the home of the legendary band known as Lynyrd Skynyrd. SHINEDOWN has been active in the music industry for a little more than seven years now and have produced three very good albums. SHINEDOWNS lineup is as follows…..

1) Eric Bass: Bass, Piano, and Vocals
2) Brent Smith: Vocals
3) Zach Myers: Guitar
4) Barry Kerch: Drums

The first album 03’s platinum seller LEAVE A WHISPER and 05’s US AND THEM, are a great springboard from which to launch their 08 creation THE SOUND OF MADNESS. This album promises to be every bit as in your face as its previously released brethren, which were responsible for spawning top five alternative and rock radio hits including their cover of Skynyrds Simple Man.

While this band may be young when compared to the longevity of the legends that are still out there kickin ass and rockin every night SHINEDOWN appears to have the Midas touch at this stage in their career. Not only is SHINEDOWN an obvious creative force in the studio they are an awesome live band that definitely craves the connection with their fans that being on the road gives them.

SHINEDOWNS THE SOUND OF MADNESS has given birth to one awesome single and video in the form of “SECOND CHANCE”, as well as an entire album of great tunes such as SOUND OF MADNESS, CYANIDE SWEET TOOTH, and SIN WITH A GRIN, which is my personal favorite on the album. They also have a DVD Live from the Inside and a single JUNKIES FOR FAME, which if you are a fan you should check them both out.

To the artists that make up SHINEDOWN:

With any luck this obviously awesome quartet of musicians that make up SHINEDOWN will not trip and fall into the ruin and destruction that the music industry so often contributes to a great bands demise. With fame and fortune comes responsibility and not only to the label you record for, but to your fans, your music, and the brothers in arms that have helped to make you the successful driving force that is able to go out there and do your thing day in and day out both on stage and off.

That is all I have for this installment of Simple Man Music, but I will be back again very soon with more good stuff for you all to enjoy. Have a good one and enjoy the video, CIAO4NOW!!!!!

Welcome to the Machine.....

Well I am here to tell that this music blog has been a long time coming to fruition, but it is now time for it to be born. As you know I write several blogs on everything from politics, which is one of my passions, to entertainment, and even parenting. However this blog is about another one of my passions, which is music. Until now those bands that I have written about were done so on Simple Man Entertainment, but now they will have their own forum at Simple Man Music.

I will tell you all right now that when it comes to music, I and others that may co-write for me here, are colorblind. This means that all genres are open to critique, review, and discussion. It does not matter to me whether we are talking about rock and roll, blues, jazz, r&b, country, bluegrass, hip hop, or even rap, if the music and the artist are worth listening to then they are worth mentioning. This also means that we will not only give credit where credit is due, but we will also give criticism when it is warranted.

I promise you that this blog will cover all the established, well known, and timeless acts that are out there doing their thing night after night entertaining you and creating great music. However this blog and it’s writers will also pay attention to those artists who are up and coming in the industry, whether they are with a major label or in the indie music scene.

What this means exactly is that every artist and genre will get its due recognition and equal time. That also means that your opinions/comments will be allowed to be seen by the other readers as long as they pertain to the post and are not hateful or nasty. This also means that we will look at these acts and try to judge them fairly and give an honest review. You should know though that this blogs writers are writing from their point of view so their opinions will be prevalent within these posts so you should feel free to disagree with them if you really do.

One last thing before I finish this introduction to Simple Man Music and that is the idea I have for making Friday the readers choice day. What this means basically is that whatever artist is requested the most by the readership in a week will be the topic of the blogs Friday post. Requests for each Friday will run from Saturday to Thursday and that Friday the most requested artist will be that days subject so all of you let me know who you want to hear about.

That’s about all for now and I hope you all enjoy this new blog I am creating for you and I and we will start posting regularly real soon. I hope you all have a marvelous day my friends CIAO4NOW!!!!!