Post from: Nashville Music Scene

And Peter Frampton, how cool was that. I am dating myself here, but I can remember getting 1975’s Frampton from my uncle. I was in the 5th grade, and went to sleep with that on my turntable every night. Thanks, Mitch! He sounded great, vocally and of course he hasn’t lost his chops at all over the years. He had a great band, featuring none other than Nashville’s own Audley Freed (who’s played with the likes of the Black Crowes, Dixie Chicks, and Gov’t Mule). They played several instrumental tracks of the Grammy-winning Fingerprints album, as well as classics, “Show Me the Way”, “Do You Feel (Like I Do)”, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”, and “Baby I Love Your Way”. Former Nashvillian himself, Frampton’s set was both a trip down memory lane, and a look at some of the best instrumental work today.

Post from: Nashville Music Scene

Post from: Nashville Music Scene

Post from: Nashville Music Scene

As I was recuperating from all the NextBigNashville festivities and rounds of shows, shots, and not much sleep, just maxing and relaxing with the tv, BANG!!! Actually, American Bang blasting out on a Verizon commercial!! It was so cool hearing our very own homegrown Nashville rockers on a national tv spot, it just put a big smile on my face! Lots of big time great stuff is happening for them these days, they’ve recently upgraded their name to American Bang (formerly Bang Bang Bang, but since there are apparently quite a few bands using this moniker out and about–they’ve changed the name to avoid any potential legal wranglings), and have a new EP titled Move to the Music scheduled to drop October 23rd on Maverick/Reprise after being signed by Warner Brothers in 2006. The EP, as well as the full-length album they are currently finishing up, was produced by multi-platinum producer James Michael, who has worked with artists ranging from Motley Crue, the Scorpions, and Saliva to Alanis Morissette, Meat Loaf, the Exies, and Hillary Duff. The title cut is the tune featured on the Verizon ad–displayed oh so nicely on the new Motorola MOTO Q. The EP will be available at Best Buy, Walmart, your favorite local Indie record store (GRIMEY’S here in Nashville), and on iTunes (iTunes currently has Move to the Music listed as an EP for $2.99, with “Good as Gold”, “All Night Long”, and “American Ride”, but “Move to the Music” isn’t showing up yet). The band has been in LA (seems like more and more Nashville bands are in LA these days–instead of the way it was a few years back, when there was a mass exodus from LA to Nashville–remember the “last one to leave LA, turn the lights off” days?) recording a full-length album scheduled to be released in early 2008. They’re currently on tour opening for The Donnas (sweet!), and are also scheduled to play with Lynyrd Skynyrd on the “Simple Man Cruise” in mid-January.

The band consists of Jaren Johnston’s bluesy, ballsy vocals, Ben Brown’s blistering guitar, Kelby Ray’ stompin’, thrompin’ bass, and rounding out with Neil Mason’s pounding percussion. The four are high-school friends who developed a rabid following here in Nashville, recording and releasing their debut album I Shot the King themselves in 2005, and after packing the clubs to SRO crowds with fellow Nashville bands Be Your Own Pet, AutoVaughn, and The Pink Spiders, they went on in 2006 to open for Lynryd Skynyrd, .38 Special, and (you know I love them) the Black Crowes. This year, they played THE summer gig–Bonnaroo, as well as Lollapalooza and Summerfest, and did some dates with road warriors and blues-rock, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers–that little ol’ band from Texas, ZZ Top.

Be sure to either pick up the EP, or download it from iTunes, and for more on the band, and a full listing of their tour dates, check out their websites: myspace.com/bangrock or www.americanbangrock.com.

Post from: Nashville Music Scene

Post from: Nashville Music Scene

Post from: Nashville Music Scene

Post from: Nashville Music Scene

Boy, it’s been a rough few days for a couple of country singers–Mark Collie was arrested and charged with DUI here in Nashville on Thursday night (7/19), and Mindy McCready, who has been in enough trouble over the past few years to last three lifetimes, was arrested in Ft. Myers, Florida yesterday and charged with battery and resisting arrest.

Mark Collie, country singer-songwriter who was signed to MCA Nashville from 1990 through 1994, was found slumped over the steering wheel of a car with the engine running near 21st Avenue and Scarritt Place (in the Vanderbilt University/Music Row/Hillsboro Village area) by Vanderbilt University police officer Jeremy Douglas Baker. The 51-year-old Collie had the keys in the ignition, but wasn’t driving at the time of the arrest. Someone had apparently called in, and Office Baker found Collie when he went to investigate. According to an affidavit by Officer Baker, he woke up Collie, and and asked him if he was ok. Collie responded by by stating “he had drunk a beer”, per the affidavit, and was emanating a strong odor of alcohol and had bloodshot, watery eyes (as evidenced by the mug shot). He then agreed to take a field sobriety test, which he failed, but refused to allow his blood to be drawn for alcohol testing unless his personal physician was present–which resulted in him being charged with implied consent. Collie was booked into Metro jail at 10:26 Thursday night, and after posting a $1,500 bond, he was released Friday morning at 2:12 a.m.

Mark Collie was born in Waynesboro, TN, and joined his first band at age 12. He earned a strong local following through regular performances at Douglas Corner Cage, and was eventually signed to MCA. Although his debut album, Hardin County Line, garnered him critical success, it wasn’t until 1993’s Mark Collie that he really broke out, returned to debut’s rockin’, rowdy style. That album brought him his first two top 10 hits, “Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin’” and “Born to Love You.”. Collie parted ways with MCA in 1994 to pair up with longtime friend and uber-producer James Stroud (Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, Willie Nelson, Tracy Lawrence, and Clint Black just to name a few people he’s worked with) to record and co-produce his Giant Records debut–Tennessee Plates. He’s also been involved with film and television work since 1998, beginning with his film debut in Steven Seagall’s Fire Down Below , much of which was shot locally, and featured several country artists, including Kris Kristofferson (LEGEND!), Randy Travis (still one of the best voices in the business, IMHO), Marty Stuart, and Travis Tritt.

Collie was diagnosed with diabetes as a teenager, and has been a major advocate for diabetes research, founding the Mark Collie Foundation–which provides financial support for diabetes and diabetes research to the American Diabetic Association, The Vanderbilt Diabetes Center, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. He started the Mark Collie Celebrity Race for Diabetes Cure in 1994, and has raised over $2.5 million since doing so (I remember seeing everyone from ZZ Top to Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, John Hiatt, and Sterling Marlin running in this time!). Collie was also voted Tennessean of the Year in 1995.

You may wonder why I elaborated on the bio, and brought up his foundation, charity work, and the Tennessean of the Year award when he just got busted for DUI…..it’s because I don’t know what the situation and circumstances leading up to this were, and the man a) has talent, and b) has done an awful lot of good to help an awful lot of people. Looks like he made a mistake, but I’m praying for him tonight, and damn it all–PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE people–whether you’re country singers, rock-n-rollers, or just folks–call a cab, call a friend, or at least turn the car off, and take your keys out of the ignition.

In other “What Was I Thinking” news–Mindy McCready was arrested and jailed Friday (7/20) in Pinellas County, Florida. McCready is accused of violating her probation on a drug conviction, and, as this is her second violation, she is expected to have to do jail time and can’t post bail. According to the arrest warrant, McCready left Tennessee without first getting permission from her probation office, and then didn’t report to said probation office during the month of July. She was released on $1, 000 bond Saturday, and has a court appearance scheduled for August 14.

McCready had a big hit in 1996 with “Boys Do It All the Time”, and was engaged to Dean Cain, of Lois and Clark fame, from 1997-98. Over the past two years, she’s been in the news for everything for prescription fraud, DUI, suicide attempt, drug overdose, her boyfriend/fiance’/whatever tried to kill her, and the list goes on. Again, she obviously needs help, in a major way, and I’ll be praying that someone can get her turned around (although not necessarily back in the music bid’ness, as I think that would be like taking a match to gasoline.

Post from: Nashville Music Scene

Post from: Nashville Music Scene