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The Joys "Unfold"
By Dani Oliva
The Joys have recently embarked on a tour to promote their new CD "Unfold", which started in late February, consisting of an appearance on A Channel morning show in London, hitting SXSW among Canadian heavy-hitters, a gig at the legendary Cat Club in Los Angeles and forward on to the Midwest.
Do they ever take time to breathe? Clearly not, as the band recently signed with Koch Entertainment to help promote the new album, a whole new facet to their team.
What does the album sound like? The Joys signature classic rock sound, full of great classic riffs and the occasional ballad with vocals that will kick you in the teeth. A lot of the songs have that catchy, timeless structure that The Joys are so well known for. The difference between The Joys and most other bands out there? Their live show is absolutely phenomenal and I mean it is truly a rock 'n' roll performance that can rival some of the legendary bands in their genre.
Lead singer Sara Smith is indefinitely dynamic, vocally and emotionally; with the ability to connect with everyone from your mom, the big dudes at the biker bar and the tween music lover.
With an endless list of accolades, among them a TIMA 2007 nomination for "Best Female-Fronted", and extensive press coverage, it was inevitable that The Joys were to hit Gold record status with their single "Storm". The experience has boosted them into the spot light and has made them push even harder to gain cross-national appeal.
On a stop in Los Angeles at Cat Club in West Hollywood, guitarist Mike McKyes took some time to answer a quick Q & A with us:
Q. The Joys were recently picked up by Koch Entertainment, how has the label helped? Has it become easier to manage the various components, Booking, Touring, Writing, Publishing, Management, etc?
A. Koch has a been a great door opener for us, and a great addition to our growing team. They have definitely made it easier by helping us with their expertise, efforts and contacts and put our album in stores nationwide.
Q. You were selected among some great company to represent Canada at SXSW, Bedouin Soundclash, Magneta Lane, Arkells etc. What was your experience like?
A. Aside from the fact that we were surrounded by thousands of people in downtown Austin and all the streets were closed off, I really felt like we treated it as another show... I mean, we were accepted to participate because of who we are just like all the other great acts that performed with us. I'm honored that we got to experience SXSW, thank you!
Q. You released a brand new video for "Storm" off your latest album nationally in February, what have the responses been like?
A. Our fans love it, and it's funny how perceptions change when it was released. I still wake up in the morning and brush my teeth the same way and people think that we're famous now! I like it, because it makes me smile.
Q. The Joys have been touring since February; do you have any funny stories from the road?
A. Yes, Kevin made a homeless guy a peanut butter sandwich at a rest stop somewhere between El Paso and Hollywood yesterday. I don't know why that's funny... it just is to me.
Q. It doesn't look like you guys are stopping anytime soon, especially with the release of your recent CD, what's next? Will you be coming back to California anytime soon?
A. It's a never ending process of playing live and promoting our music, and trying to balance that with writing new material, recording it and introducing it into our live musical repertoire. Oh ya, and finding some time to sleep in there.
Want to see how their tour is going? Check out their tour blog on http://www.thejoys.ca and keep up with the latest videos, reviews and pics from along the way!
Check out their new music video for their single, "Storm":
Les Claypool: Fungi and the Freak Show
By Krista Carlson
While Les Claypool is best known for his role as the mastermind and phenomenal bass player of Primus, Claypool is easily one of rock's greatest musicians. Following Primus, Claypool continued to explore new frontiers with a slough of talented musicians in the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade and Oysterhead, including Trey Anastasio, Henry Rollins and Tom Waits, to just name a few. His first album since 2006, Of Fungi and Foe, again stands as testament to Claypool's enduring creative ability. The album was inspired by his work developing music for the video game Mushroom Men and the film Pig Hunt. One of the highlights of the album is Claypool's collaboration with Gogol Bordello front-man Eugene Hütz on the track "Bite Out of Life."
Claypool took some time out from his current tour, "The Oddity Faire: A Mutated Mini Fest," (a full-on sensory feast) to discuss his new album and the freak show he's currently touring across the country with.
Valley Scene Magazine: Since this album was inspired by some soundtrack projects, how different was the creative process from some of your previous works?
Les Claypool: Having other people's imagery to draw from is always interesting. The sounds are set to go with some fairly dark and somewhat twisted imagery.
VSM: Have you noticed a different kind of audience, or audience reaction, on this tour?
LC: We've only had one show so I can't really tell. Last night was our first night, in San Diego, and it was a great show. It's an evening of not just audio candy but visual candy as well. I'm watching the show myself, even as I perform. The first show was amazing.
VSM: What's your favorite song on the Fungi and Foe album?
LC: I've never been one for favorites, but there's a couple that stand out for me. "Red Snake Girl" is a good one, "Booneville Stomp" is also. "What Would Sir George Martin Do" is about an interesting night I had in London recently. They all hold a place in my heart.
VSM: You moved your L.A. show to the Wiltern, why do you favor that venue?
LC: Most people favor the Wiltern, it's just a fabulous venue. I was interested in seeing what the Palladium was going to be like, since I heard they had new management and made some changes, but I was very happy to hear that we were playing at the Wiltern. I've played at the Palladium numerous times; I love it. I've played at the Wiltern too. The Wiltern is a great venue, and it just works out better for the theatrical elements of the show; The Palladium has a low ceiling that would have made it tough for some aspects of the show.
VSM: What inspired the theme of the Oddity Tour, and how would you say it compliments the music?
LC: I think more than anything it's just getting a bunch of eclectic individuals together.
It's a slice of burning and maker's fair and a slice of a traveling carnival all put together. It's something I've never seen put forth, so I wanted to do it; that was the impetus you could say. I've been thinking about it ever since I did Lollapalooza in '93. I'm the festival whore, and so I wanted to create something by the oddballs for the oddballs.
VSM: What are some of the highlights of the visual aspects of this tour?
LC: Well there's sword swallowing, I've heard rumors of fire every now and then, I've seen an old man transform into a young man, there's cellists and vibraphonists playing…I don't know how else to explain it; it's just a freak show. I guarantee it's an evening of things that people have never seen before.
VSM: You're playing with a pretty eclectic bunch of bands on this tour, how did you choose artists like Devotchka and Saul Williams?
LC: I've always wanted to a package show with bands that sort of fall into the abstract irregular categories. I've sort of danced on this outer fringe for a long time; I'm known as the eclectic guy, and that's putting it lightly. Years ago if I could've seen Laurie Anderson and Beefheart in the same night, it would have been a great night for me. The notion of getting these sort bands together for a tour, it's something I've wanted to do for a long time.
Club Sixty 25
By Jonathan Weichsel
Club Sixty 25 in Tarzana is celebrating its one year anniversary Friday and Saturday April 3rd and 4th with a weekend long bash featuring Ronny and the Classics on Friday and The Donald Dean Band on Saturday, two of the many bands that play regularly at the club.
Club Sixty 25 has everything. It is a nightclub, with live music and dancing starting at 9 PM, it's a sports bar that shows every major sporting event on TV, from baseball, to basketball, to football, even college sports, and it's a popular date night and hang-out spot. It is a classy joint, with pictures of Marilyn Monroe, The Rat Pack, The Godfather, and The Sopranos gracing its walls. The crowd is mostly thirty-five and older. On weekends there is a dress code, so you won't see any baseball caps, tank tops, or t-shirts. The rest of the week anything goes.
When you first enter the club you are greeted at the door by Johnny with a hello, a handshake, and a hug. Then Bob LeVine, one of the owners, greets you and seats you if you have a reservation. If you don't have one, he will still help you get comfortable at an unreserved table where one of the friendly and knowledgeable cocktail servers will take your order, or he will seat you at the Club's giant bar, which is one of the largest bars in the valley, and seats thirty-five. If you sit at the bar, make sure to chat with the other owner of Club Sixty 25, bartender Peter LaMonica. Peter has been a bartender since 1975 and he loves to talk and always gives everybody a lot of attention.
If you have a group of ten or more you can reserve one of the VIP booths with an optional bottle service that comes with all the mixes. If you call ahead and it is your birthday, you get a special cake free of charge and everybody sings happy birthday to you.
The band that played the night I was there was another regular band at the Club called The Company Band. They played a nice combination of old time rock and roll, original songs, and even some salsa.
Couples got up and made their way to the dance floor the moment the band started playing. First one couple, then two, and before you knew it the dance floor was full. Some of the couples could really dance. There was slow dancing as well fast dancing. They danced to rock, salsa, ballads, you name it. The place is definitely a good date night for an over thirty-five, upscale crowd, and it was just great to see so many people having such a good time.
As the night progressed, the club just became more and more packed. The dance floor was completely full, there were people at all the tables and couches, and the bar was just buzzing. There were a lot of singles around the bar, and every once in awhile you saw two strangers meet, chat, and head over to the dance floor.
The club features a menu of bar food prepared by Chef Richard Fab, a valley resident for over twenty years. Nothing is deep fried at Club Sixty 25. Everything is baked and healthy. I had the crab cake sandwich with fries. The sandwich was light and fluffy, and I found it the perfect companion to my J & B.
Friday April 3rd and Saturday April 4th will be the one year anniversary party for Club Sixty 25 and a great time for you to check them out. The last Sunday of the month they hold their Meatballs of Comedy night which features Italian American comedians performing in a two hour show. For ten dollars and a two beverage minimum you get to enjoy the show, and a pasta dinner with meatballs, salad, garlic bread, and fresh cannolli's. Also, every Wednesday night the club hosts one of the best blues jams in the Valley.
Club Sixty 25 is located at 6025 Reseda Blvd in Tarzana, their phone number is 818-881-4311 and they're on the web at www.clubsixty25.com.