Rockwired Radio Profiles #635 - Love And A .38

When I lived in a Los Angeles years ago I couldn't find four musically inclined guys who weren't concerned with trends and obscure sub genres of music. Now that I'm far away from the City of Angels I've now become acquainted with LOVE AND A .38 - four guys who are all about keeping this rock n roll thing pure, simple and direct. In this day and age doing so almost comes off as a trailblazing effort and it's one that folks will get lost in when they play the band's new release NOMAD. The album is a testament to the staying power of rock n roll. We would've said anthemic rock n roll but that would've been a sub genre. Kind of. More importantly the album showcases LOVE AND A .38 as a leading force in what could very be the re-emergence of the very music and attitude that got us through the Cold War. The songs OH MY GOD and I WON'T WAIT crackle with the very urgency that made music of this kind "dangerous" when we was kids and the haunting ABRE LOS OJOS is the only thing close to a ballad on NOMAD but the track is guaranteed to hit home for just about anyone who longs for the days when ballads had balls. Over the years we've seen so many take on the mantle of bring rock n roll back to the forefront. Here's hoping that these lads can stay the course. 

CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles635.mp3

Rockwired Radio Profiles #634 - Conquest

It's always great to welcome back a band that has been featured on the pages and the sound waves of ROCKWIRED and to see and hear what changes (if any) have taken place since the last time we got them on the phone. In the Spring of 2014 CONQUEST has just released their album THE WAR WE RAGE and had shown that after twenty six years of rocking out the band fronted by DERRICK BRUMLEY, the band showed no signs of middling or slowing down. Once rock n roll gets into the bloodstream it apparently sticks around. Two years later, the band is back with a brand new album but this time original compositions are put aside in favor of covers and do these guys have some covers for you! The aptly dubbed new album UNDER THE INFLUENCE is a band giving it up for the heavy metal architects that  gave DERRICK and the gang a baseline to work with back when CONQUEST was forming in 1988 and while the interpretations of anthems from the likes of JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, MOTORHEAD and BON JOVI (Yes, BON JOVI with a smoldering rendition of WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE) are performed with due reverence don't expect the proceedings to be all stuffy as it's only rock n roll. UNDER THE INFLUENCE is an unrelenting party to be turned up at full blast. In a time when rockers past a certain age look to the American Songbook for inspiration, it's great to see a band opening peoples eyes and ears to metal music's own deep well of classic performances. Nothing more inspired than that.

CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles634.mp3

Rockwired Radio Profiles #633 - Stewart Franke

I will first address the fact that BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN himself makes an appearance on the opening track of STEWART FRANCKE's self-titled EP. The song is SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YOU HEAR ME) and if no one could imagine THE BOSS himself making some magic out of this gloriously stomping rocker on life on the pointlessness of war than I don't know what I can say to convince you but SPRINGSTEEN isn't the point. It's STEWART FRANCKE's lyrical narrative and parched delivery that anchor this SPRINGSTEEN-esque tale.  FRANCKE's self-titled EP is an eight song collection that truly tells a story of the Detroit singer songwriters own musical journey over the years. An informal greatest hits if you will where the FRANCKE and company sway with balladry, stomp with rockers such as KISS KISS BANG BANG and rolling to an R&B groove like he does on the HALL AND OATES-ish splendor of SAM COOKE'S ON THE RADIO.

CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles633.mp3

Rockwired Radio Profiles #633 - Stewart Francke

I will first address the fact that BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN himself makes an appearance on the opening track of STEWART FRANCKE's self-titled EP. The song is SUMMER SOLDIER (HOLLER IF YOU HEAR ME) and if no one could imagine THE BOSS himself making some magic out of this gloriously stomping rocker on life on the pointlessness of war than I don't know what I can say to convince you but SPRINGSTEEN isn't the point. It's STEWART FRANCKE's lyrical narrative and parched delivery that anchor this SPRINGSTEEN-esque tale.  FRANCKE's self-titled EP is an eight song collection that truly tells a story of the Detroit singer songwriters own musical journey over the years. An informal greatest hits if you will where the FRANCKE and company sway with balladry, stomp with rockers such as KISS KISS BANG BANG and rolling to an R&B groove like he does on the HALL AND OATES-ish splendor of SAM COOKE'S ON THE RADIO. 

CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles633.mp3