Q and A With The Bass Player (Daisy Dead) Of The Dead Deads

I recently had the opportunity to conduct a question and answer interview via email with the bass player in the Dead Deads. We joked "who the hell wants to hear what the bass player has to say?"

Being a bass player myself, I do. So if you are interested in what the bass player has to say (and you should be), what follows is my interview with Daisy Dead, bassist for the Dead Deads.

What got you started into this musical journey that you're on? Not necessarily your current band, but what influences did you have that made you want to pick up an instrument and play?
I've been playing music since I got a little Casio keyboard for Christmas when I was 7 or 8 years old, then got into playing piano and then trumpet in the school band. But I grew up listening to the college station in Nashville and all the different stuff they'd play, from local punk bands to industrial to surf guitar to metal to Velvet Underground to house music to 80's pop to 90's alternative to world music. My parents also listened to a lot of pop and rock music, and we'd play it loud and us kids would dance around the house. In the case of the electric bass, Meta told me to pick it up and try to see if I could play it, and lo and behold I could! So just worked on it from there. For me, when you plug in and turn the volume up, rock is just what wants to come out, so I feel as inspired by the gear - bass and amp - as I do by any particular style of music.

Artist Spotlight: Kara Clark

If you like any combination of Saraya, Cinderella, Miranda Lambert, Molly Hatchet, Halestorm, Whiskey Myers, 4 Non Blondes, Lita Ford and Alice Cooper, then I have the artist for you. And if you have to google or youtube any of the artists mentioned, thank me later and you're welcome.

Her name is Kara Clark and she will kick your ass. Musically, that is. And maybe physically. I don't know.

I have known this for a long time, but it's really become apparent while writing this blog: I don't really like a genre of music as much as I like a style of music. It needs to have real instruments played by real people. It needs to be gritty, dirty, swampy; not too slick, not too polished.

There should be more of Kara Clark here. But in the interim, enjoy this from her 2013 self titled album:



You can purchase music, including her new EP at and hear new music at KaraClark.com.

New Single From Jessica Meuse - "Rio Grande"

I have been following the career of Jessica Meuse ever since she was on some season of some music competition show. Enough being coy, Jessica Meuse finished fourth on American Idol and was the only finalist to perform an original song in the finals.

"Rio Grande" is her second single release post Idol following "Done" in the summer of 2015. "Rio Grande" shows another step in the progression of this singer/songwriter. Listen to the song she did on American Idol, "Blue Eyed Lie", and then "Done". Both decent songs and you can hear the growth. Then listen to "Rio Grande". Jessica Meuse is coming into her own as a viable artist.

Lyrically and musically, this is her best effort yet. While "Rio Grande" should fit comfortably into the country genre, it doesn't have near enough EDM beats, pseudo rap sequences, 80's rock guitar or shallow lyrics to be played on country radio.

Here is an acoustic live version. Judge for yourself.



You can get the studio version on itunes here.

Guns N' Roses

Given that Appetite For Destruction is one my favorite albums of all time, the Guns N' Roses "reunion" should excite me much more than it does. But I just get a big feeling of meh.

A little history first.

The first Guns song I heard was "Paradise City" on Z-Rock. This was before Guns N' Roses was a thing. I bought the cassette (yes, the cassette) and took it back to college with me. I played it for everyone I knew. Most didn't get it until......"Sweet Child O' Mine" hit MTV. Then, boom! Guns N' Roses was everywhere.

From start to finish, Appetite is one of the best hard rock albums of all time. You can argue it's placement, but not that is belongs.

The five people that made that record - Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, Izzy Stradlin and Steven Adler - are what Guns N' Roses will always be to me. Those five guys made magic on that album.

Rumors swirl. Who's in, who's out. So far, from what I've heard, it's Axl, Slash and Duff confirmed. Which is great, but I'm just really not interested unless Izzy and Adler are there. And no one else. No offense to Matt Sorum, Gilby Clarke, Dizzy Reed or any of the numerous musicians to play in whatever version of Guns N' Roses Axl chose to put together, but those five are Guns N' Roses.

Personally, I wouldn't want to see a Guns N' Roses all-star cast. It's those five original members or nothing for me.

Anyone who chooses to go to the shows, more power to you. Especially those of you who never knew the original Guns. It will be great. And you'll enjoy it. Just not for me.

Now, if in the next few days/weeks/months it turns out that it is Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy and Adler? I'm all in. But until that is confirmed.......

Now let's enjoy something from Appetite For Destruction:

New Discovery: The Amorettes

The Amorettes are a Scottish three piece rock and roll outfit that has cut out everything extraneous and just plain rocks. Just the basics: guitar, bass, drums and attitude.

Stripped down, raw, loud, no frills rock. They remind me of early 80's Fastway with their second record Game On that came out early in 2015.

The Amorettes are Gill Montgomery on guitar and lead vocals, and sisters Heather and Hannah McKay on bass/backing vocals and drums/backing vocals respectively.

Here is "Fire At Will" from Game On:

New Discovery - Crimson Calamity

Self-described as an Alt Country/Americana duo, Crimson Calamity showed up on my radar late in 2015 despite releasing their debut EP All In The Cards in March of 2015.

Here is "Dead Man's Hand":

2015 Spotify Playlist

Here's a Spotify playlist featuring songs from all of the albums in my Top 10 and Honorable Mentions lists plus a few extras.

Enjoy.