by Ted Lyons I first saw The Doughboys in 1965. I just finished a Friday night rehearsal with the Plainfield, NJ St. Mary’s Boys Choir and was making my way up from the basement when I heard The Yardbirds “For Your Love” coming out of the gym/assembly hall. WHAT??? I’d spent the last seven years in that school with the Sisters of (no) Mercy and … [Read more...]
TonePros Founder Dwight Devereaux
Sound maximizer for guitars Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Dwight Devereaux, “founder emeritus” of TonePros, who is up on what makes guitars sound great and privy to the new and important innovations at TonePros. I also spoke with Gil Vasquez, self-professed guitar geek and TonePros operations manager about the products that maximize … [Read more...]
Lacuna Coil
Nothing stands in our wayAndrea Ferro (male vocalist) and Marco Coti Zelati (bassist) did not have Lacuna Coil in mind when they were skateboarders back in the 90s. They made a pact to play songs from their favorite records and eventually formed a band in 1994, Sleep of Right.When asked about the birth of the Italian gothic metal band from … [Read more...]
TROY – The Reality Of Yourself
TROY is no Greek tragedy – they’re on a musical odyssey of their own. TROY is a Midwestern rock band that formed in the small town of Pleasant Hope, Missouri in 2004, and has played with some of today’s top hard rock and metal artists, such as KORN, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd, Smile Empty Soul, Trapt, 12 Stones, … [Read more...]
30 Seconds to Seal the Deal
Three types of winning pitches One of the most important tools in your marketing kit is your 30-second pitch. By the time you finish a ride on an elevator, you should have sealed the deal. Here are three types of winning pitches and ways to woo potential fans, managers, agents, labels and other artists.1. The comparison pitchThis is the most … [Read more...]
Trade Dress
Product or packaging design protectionMost of you are familiar with standard trademark forms — namely, words, slogans and phrases, and logos. These typical forms of indicia help you (or any other consumer) separate different goods and services from the individuals and companies that offer them to you.However, trademarks can take less … [Read more...]
Hank Williams Jr.
A sound all his ownGrowing up as a kid you have your heroes — whether fictional or real — heroes nonetheless. One of my heroes has been a household name for decades and has created some of the greatest songs ever brought to the music world, in my opinion. Recently, I had the opportunity to ask Hank Williams Jr. a few questions.Bill Doty: … [Read more...]
Brand Basics
Avoiding the identity crisisRecently, I saw St. Vincent on “Saturday Night Live” and was captivated. During “Digital Witness,” the band was lit with a wash of deep purple and blue against a background grid, and the lead singer and keyboardist moved like futuristic mannequins — every head position, hand gesture and full body movement was … [Read more...]
Joe Bonsall
The long road from Philly to Nashville It all starts with a conversation. As a music journalist, it’s hard not to be star-struck over some of the people whom I’ve had conversations with — Toby Wright immediately comes to mind, because I admire his prolific and prodigious work in the field of rock-and-roll music production and engineering. Another … [Read more...]
