Editing by Elizabeth

July 26, 2008

The Beach House by James Patterson & Peter De Jonge

e Beach House by James Patterson & Peter De Jonge When police in his hometown dismiss Jack Mullen’s brother’s drowning death as either an accident or suicide Jack knows something is wrong. His brother was an expert swimmer who knew the local waters well, and the police seem to be going out of their way not to investigate. Jack’s own investigation uncovers a life he never knew his bother had… one that some very prominent locals don’t want exposed.

A wonderful combination of mystery and legal thriller, the “courtroom” showdown that ends this book is one of the most gripping, and clever, I’ve read in a while.

June 09, 2008

Freezer Burn by Joe R. Lansdale

Freezer Burn by Joe R. Lansdale If you are easily offended by graphic descriptions of sex & violence, copious profanity, and/or circus freaks then this book is definitely not for you.

However, if you’ve ever read any of Lansdale’s work, especially his wonderful Hap & Leonard series, then you’ll appreciate this as classic Lansdale at his rude, crude, politically incorrect, boundary pushing best.

October 02, 2007

TOOL: Live In Jacksonville – Concert Review

Earlier this year when TOOL released their tour schedule and my husband and I saw Jacksonville was listed as one of the tour stops we were beyond ecstatic! We have been to Jacksonville to see Godsmack (twice), Disturbed and KISS and have never been disappointed.

Though TOOL has been around for a while, we only really got into their music right before the release of their previous album “Lateralus” in 2001. Since then we have picked up the rest of their catalog, including their latest release “10,000 Days” (2006), and felt that this was one band we would really love to see live someday and hoped that we would get that chance. Easier said than done because the band does not tour often, primarily because they don’t crank out albums every year and they only tour when they have a new album to support.

In this case, it has been 5 years since the last album and tour (2001-2002). Needless to say, we were very excited that TOOL was finally back on tour and that they were coming near enough for us to be able to go see them. The show was in Jacksonville on Saturday, June 2, 2007. Below is our review of the concert and some information about the band if you are not too familiar with their work.

Unfortunately the opening band, Melt Banana (yes, you read that right), was quite possibly the worst thing we’ve ever had the misfortune to hear. They are a band from Japan that is categorized as “noise rock” (that’s an official term actually). Well, it was definitely noise. Rock? Not so much. They were the loudest thing we’ve ever heard, and we’re hard rock fans, but this was literally a painful level of sound. Imagine a very bad B-movie with a post-apocalyptic setting. Now imagine a run down bar in the middle of that post-apocalyptic wasteland. Melt Banana would be the “house band” in that run down bar. And to be clear, that is not a good thing. But hey, they’re somebody’s cup of tea… they’ve released 8 albums. Anyway, on to TOOL. →

May 22, 2000

West of Eight by Tod Howarth – CD Review

It turns out that Tod Howarth’s previous two solo releases, Silhouette and Cobalt Parlor, while both very impressive and enjoyable, were only the tip of the musical iceberg Tod had in store for us all. With his newest release, West of Eight, Tod serves up a sonic assault of an iceberg big enough to sink the Titanic!

Clocking in at slightly over an hour, the fifteen music tracks (plus a spoken “liner note” track called “Thanks,” which is exactly that) assembled here represent some of the most complete, satisfying musicianship that I’ve had the pleasure to experience in recent memory. Well written and well presented, every track has a clear theme, purpose, evolution and satisfying conclusion – no endlessly looped fade outs here.

Tod, an extremely accomplished musician, handles all lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards (used sparingly and to great effect – don’t get scared!), acoustic, baritone and bass guitars. Whew! He does leave the drumming in the hands (and feet) of the very able Dave Aaron, and the lightening fingered Jamie Eden steps up to the plate for both lead and rhythm guitar work on eight of the album’s tracks.

Put all that together, simmer for two to three years to make sure all components are aged to perfection, serve LOUD, and you have the musical masterpiece otherwise known as West of Eight. I am not exaggerating when I say West of Eight has not left my cd changer since I received it. Read on for my review of some of the album highlights (I have to leave you some surprises).

West of Eight: “I’m finally home/I’ve traveled far but here I am/West of eight,” sings Tod on this kick ass album opener in which he extols the virtues of his home, San Diego. However, the song avoids being a maudlin “tribute” to home sweet home by allowing for the listener to come away with their own impression of whether or not the song is actually signing the praises of the familiar – home is where the heart is? – or referencing home as a sanctuary (retreat?) from the brutal surroundings of the “outside” world. Either way, there’s definitely a “secret” revealed. The secret? Well, “Dorothy had the secret all along/seldom should you venture from your home.” This track rocks along relentlessly, instilling a feel of urgency in the need to return “home”, with Jamie Eden weighing in with the first of several extremely impressive guitar performances, whetting your appetite for what’s to come.

Tod With Red Baritone Valley of Artifice: What an absolutely awesome showcasing of Tod’s vocal abilities! From the velvety purr of the verses to the desperate wail of the choruses Tod gives the pipes a true workout on this saga, which recounts the experience (hopefully fiction!) of being broken down in the hot desert of the “valley of artifice.” The crunching rhythm guitar chords

May 06, 2000

Voodooland by Karl Cochran – CD Review

Former Ace Frehley Band member and “Into the Void” co-writer Karl Cochran has a new band, Voodooland. If you liked ESP, which also featured Karl’s impressive musical talents, you’ll love Voodooland. The band’s self-titled seven song EP, which reflects a heavy blues-rock influenced sound, is the 70’s rock sound at its best. Along with special guests Ace Frehley (1 track only) and Eric Singer, Voodooland is comprised of Karl on guitars, bass and vocals, Bruce Terkildsen on bass and vocals, Billy Orrico and Dave Halprin on drums, and Tommy Lamb on harp. Every track on the disc rocks hard, and below is just a sample of the treat in store for those who are smart enough to grab a copy of this awesome debut CD.

Freedom: Every great album has a kick ass opener, and Voodooland is certainly no exception. The driving guitar – which screams off into a nasty solo midway that takes on a life of its own through the rest of the track – nicely mirrors the lyrics, which urge people not to be followers who need rules; you don’t need ’em…. scream Freedom! This is no bullshit, straight ahead GUITAR ROCK at its best.

Caroline: The guitar work on this track, both rhythm and lead, are what really stood out to me. This song has the catchiest rhythm guitar hook I’ve heard in a long time, and it’s complimented very nicely by a throbbing, grooving bass line. The lead guitar swirls seamlessly around the hook throughout the track, which also features really nice vocal harmonies during the chorus. “Caroline” strikes the perfect musical balance in its presentation; it’s a love song, but with a little bite.

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November 15, 1999

Mark St. John – The KISS Asylum Interview

©Elizabeth A. White – Please do not reproduce without express written permission.

Are you ready for a treat KISS fans, because KISS ASYLUM is happy to deliver a big one for you! We were fortunate enough recently to be able to conduct an in-depth interview with the one and only elusive Mark St. John. Though Mark has been slowly venturing back out into the world of KISS fandom recently from his self-imposed seclusion by attending a couple of KISS Expos, we were aware that most fans would not get the benefit of attending those Expos to see Mark in person. Therefore, we made arrangements to conduct a phone interview with Mark so that all the online fans would be able to read what Mark has to say after his 15 long years away.

Mark was very gracious, laid back, open, and a real pleasure to talk with during the interview. He never shied away from any topic, instead seeming more than ready — almost relieved at times — to address all issues head-on. Mark seems to be genuinely enjoying getting back in touch with the fans, and had a great time during our interview relaying all kinds of stories about himself, both in and out of KISS. Don’t be surprised to see more of Mark in the coming months and years in interviews, at Expos, and musically because Mark is back and he’ll tell you so! Of course, there were so many possible areas to cover with Mark that there’s no way we were going to be able to cover them all.

However, we’re confident you’ll find Mark’s perspective on a variety of topics very interesting, including: memories of Eric Carr (“The best musician in the band. He was just always solid, he always played it right and he never really made any mistakes as I remember.”); why he says his time in KISS was actually “the worst time” of his life (“Everyday was lies and deceit, all kinds of little weird things. Everyday was like a little test or mind games.”); the interesting story of the Animalize album back cover photo (“Oh, it is a total cut and paste job!”); what he thinks the real reason is he developed arthritis (“I never had arthritis in anywhere in my family. I was playing violin concertos on the guitar before KISS, you know? I think it was just the stress of the whole thing.”); his feelings on being replaced by Bruce (“I’m thinking that Bruce is just helping, but which turned out to be that it was another plan in the big picture.”); how his KISS experience affected his music life (“Paul and Gene kind of wrecked music for me for the longest time, and it made me not like the whole thing anymore because of what I went through.”); working with Peter Criss (“We finally did the big recording and all that stuff and we sent the

October 06, 1999

Tod Howarth – The KISS Asylum Interview

Former Frehley’s Comet singer, song writer and guitarist Tod Howarth has graciously taken time out of his incredibly busy schedule to do an interview with KISS ASYLUM. In addition to discussing Frehley’s Comet (including his take on the “revolving drummer” situation and Anton’s Letterman gig), Tod also talks about his experiences with 707, Ted Nugent and Cheap Trick (including the recent 25 Year Cheap Trick Celebration).

Tod also discusses his solo career, including his first two albums Silhouette and Cobalt Parlor, as well as his forthcoming album, West of Eight. From the internet and his website, to his opinion on Gordon Gebert’s KISS ‘N Tell books, to the story of him and Ace and “Superdog,” this is certainly an interview you won’t want to miss!

KA: Why don’t you begin by telling everyone a little bit more about your website, Camp Todd, and you venturing out into the online world.

TH: Well, I had figured for a long time that I was going to be falling into the computer world a little bit late because not only are my hands, my plate as it were, completely full, I just didn’t want to take the time to learn another medium. Let’s put it this way, it was tough as it was writing and recording songs, trying to put a band together, playing in another band (Cheap Trick), I just didn’t have the desire to do the website thing. But about half a year ago I decided to get a computer so I bought one, had it custom made to my desires, and I spent probably a solid month every night going through the books, figuring out some shortcuts and exactly how to build a website. Clumsily, I did build one, and I think it came out alright. →

September 07, 1999

Karl Cochran – The KISS Asylum Interview

Karl Cochran recently took some time out of his very busy schedule to do an interview for Kissasylum.com and all of his online fans. Exposed to a wide range of musical styles and influences by his D.J. father, Karl has attained a varied and accomplished career in the music business.

Whether it be his 15 years studying Jazz to touring with Nuclear Assault, over the course of his illustrious career Karl has been involved in many notable bands and projects, including, of course, Frehley’s Comet and ESP.

In this interview Karl discusses all his past influences and accomplishments, as well as what the future holds for him, including a solo album and possible Frehley’s Comet “reunion” with Ace.

KA: Thanks for taking the time for this Karl. We definitely wanted to hook up with you because you were obviously very involved in the ESP album, which is an awesome album.

KC: Oh, cool. Thanks, I appreciate it.

KA: I guess one of the first points is something that came up from Eric, he said that you have the left over track “Some Kind of Wonderful” floating around somewhere. Is that the only one that is still out there that didn’t make it on any of the other three versions?

KC: Yeah, I have that one. He’s right. We originally did that stuff in my studio before I ended up changing over the format, doing a bigger, full blown studio. I ended up getting a bigger machine, same kind of machine that we used at Curt Cuomo’s where we recorded the record. It just so happens that Curt and I have the identical machine. So, it worked out.

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August 17, 1999

The Essential Eric Singer Interview

Eric recently took some time out of his very busy schedule to talk with KISS ASYLUM and complete an in depth interview for all the online fans, including answering some questions which were submitted via email by fans specifically for this interview.

As you will see, Eric really covered the bases in this one on such varied topics as: the meaning of his tattoos; thoughts on hip-hop and “sampling;” his upcoming tour with Alice Cooper; his infamous watch collection; Gene as business man; drumming gear and technique tips; Russian women; his brutally honest “tell it like it is” walk through the nuts and bolts of how the music business really works; and, of course, ESP and his other musical endeavors. Read on for the “Essential Eric Singer Interview.”

KA: Everybody knows the work you’ve done with artists like Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath and KISS, but how were things when you first started and were trying to make a name for yourself. Particularly why did you play with the bands Drive and Stream?

ES: Well, the band Drive was like a heavy metal band, kind of influenced similar to like an Iron Maiden-ish, Queen type band. I was just hired as a studio drummer. I mean, even now, I still do studio work. It’s the same type of thing with a band called Stream I played for recently. When you do studio work that means you play virtually almost any type of style of music and you have to be not only capable of being a chameleon and adapting to the situation, but you have to realize that a lot of times you may do things that maybe aren’t of your personal musical taste. For example, that band Drive. Those guys were really good at what they did, but that’s not particularly the kind of band that I personally would want to play in. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t still go in and do a good job and enjoy myself and have a good time. The bottom line is that I’m a drummer for a living. I am a musician for a living. I play drums and I look at myself as a professional drummer; I make a living by playing music. →

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