Clutch - Neil Fallon

“I suppose anything, whether you like it or not, is an influence,” begins Clutch front man and vocalist Neil Fallon when queried about where the band’s inspiration comes from. “We try to be wide open to many different types of music. I think we find non-rock music the most interesting. After all, one can only do so much with drums, bass, guitar, and vocals. Most music in the world doesn’t use that setup and for us, those are the most interesting musics.  But of course, Led Zeppelin never fails.”

So how about the style of music then? Why has Clutch chosen play the style of music that they play? “Because we are the products of our time and environment,” replies Fallon matter of factly.

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Cameron McGill And What Army

Cameron McGill is a pop-fectionist. What should be needless to say, is that this has nothing to do with aesthetic, marketing or sales. Be it McGill solo or with his Chicago-based band What Army, the music doesn’t just take center stage, it’s the only thing meaningful thing on the stage.

McGill’s music is the new smooth voice of the Midwest. People like Bright Eyes, Devandra Banhart, Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, Jentri Colello and Madison’s whole alt-country scene plus so many more have started or taken on this quest of giving our green plains an audible, distinct, interesting and unique musical pulse. McGill’s place in this line up is on the radio.

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Children 18:3

Children 18:3 are a dream come true for nearly any general fan of music. The music is easy to swallow but exciting and stands up listen after listen. They are, however, a critic’s nightmare.

This Minnesotan three piece shamelessly (and rightfully so) defines themselves with elements of pop, punk, rock and aesthetics that can be so polarizing it’s kind of a wonder they have the massive fan base they do.

If a Children 18:3 newbie doesn’t run when they hear “Christian Rock” they might when they see the band’s long haired, greasy, mascara’ed front man. Or, if they don’t turn the other cheek when comparisons to Alkaline Trio turn up they might turn the page when they hear this trio is a band of siblings.

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Canned Heat

They were the Scotch-and-Marlboro Blues voice of the Summer Of Love. Canned Heat’s story endures with their cross-generational appeal as the dynamic blues band that played the theme song to Woodstock and backed up John Lee Hooker. From Woodstock and the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival to Hell’s Angels club tours to festivals and bike rallies, drummer and founding member Adolfo “Fito” De La Parra has re-formed Canned Heat a dozen times with reoccurring members, blues legends, and new faces. He has been touring constantly and releasing new records for 37 years, and is currently promoting the new album Friends In The Can. Fito spoke with Maximum Ink about the new line up, his autobiography Living The Blues, and pushing forward in the mission of delivering boogie music to people who will listen.

In 1969, Canned Heat manager Skip Taylor was booking the band nightly on opposite coasts. “We were [sleeping] in the cargo area of the planes between gigs,” said Fito, “I was sleeping on the floor of the airplane hangar while the helicopters were taking off.” They had to commandeer a helicopter from a news crew to get to the festival. “Fuck you, we’re going to MAKE the news!!” Bear was quoted in Living The Blues. He then hurled the reporter through the door, “We are The Canned Heat. It is more important that we get there than you, so we’re taking this helicopter!” When finally in the air, Taylor shot off a random photo of the crowd as they flew onto the grounds. Later, it became the cover of Ravi Shankar’s Woodstock album. The roadies made it through the sea of people and met the band with their gear as they landed. Later while on LSD, Taylor negotiated an on-site contract for royalties and film rights, and stole a limo for their gig in Atlantic City the next night. Going Up The Country was forever after the theme song for Woodstock. “We’re more infamous than famous,” said Fito, “But we really don’t care.”

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Domenico Mimmo Capuano

Domenico Mimmo Capuano is an Italian musician, composer, and producer who won three platinum record awards in the US, 14 gold records in the UK, and from various other countries. He collaborated with several international artists such as Toni Braxton, Kool and the Gang, S Club 7, and more. Previously, he studied at the G. Verdi Conservatory of Music in Turin, Italy. To date, Domenico’s work appears on 33 albums.

Editor’s Note: Domenico’s native language is Italian; however, the interview was conducted in English. His choice of words and phrases were charming and honest, so much so that to share this experience of really meeting “MeeMo,” as he likes to be called, his answers are in the way he spoke them.

MaximumInk: Were you born and raised in Turin? How would you describe Italy to those of us who have never seen it?
Domenico Mimmo Capuano: First of all, Hello to all the person reading my interview, and I’ m sorry for my English. I was born in Italy in Turin, one of the most amazing city in Italy, the citizen of Turin was calling her “The Little Paris.” I love my country and also my city. Italy is the place where born the cultures, there was Rome Imperium, there is the Pope and Vatican. In Italy there is the sun and the snow. There are many awesome views: Tuscany with medieval Castile and Church, Venezia the city on the water, you know, I could stay here for hours to talk about my country, but Italy is the place where everything is possible, like USA, yes. I’ m proud to be Italian.

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Carbellion

Sometimes I don’t think people realize how lucky we are to live in the state of Wisconsin. Sure we have some of the worst winter weather in the world, but we also have the Packers, the Badgers, tons of recreational sports, and probably some of the nicest people in the world that live in our great state. But there’s also a diamond in the rough that Wisconsin is also known for, that not many people hear about or ever talk about. That diamond is our local music. I’ve heard music from all over the world, and everything from the worst to the best and it never fails to amaze me that time and time again, local bands from Wisconsin are some of the most musically sound and talented bands in the world.

This was no different when I came across a band out of Sheboygan called Carbellion. Founded in late 2004, this band has enjoyed increasing popularity and exposure in the rock scene ever since. And all it takes is one listen to their music to know why. They aren’t one of those commercial bands with the backing of millions of dollars and a major record label. Simply, they just know how to play real, 110% American rock n’ roll. To sit here and try and describe their music to you or compare it to another band just wouldn’t be right. Their music is coined “American heavy rock,” but there are elements of funk and groove laced throughout each song. One song you’ll be sitting there just jamming and grooving along and the next, you’ll be banging your head. Their music is very eclectic but always hangs onto that Carbellion sound.

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The Cervical Rock 2011

New Cervical cancer diagnoses occur in the United States over twelve thousand times a year and almost four thousand women die from the disease. Yet, it’s one of the most preventable cancers and death rates are declining due to ladies getting earlier and more regular testing. On Wednesday, August 3rd, the High Noon in Madison will host The Cervical Rock 2011, a benefit to make a difference someone personally affected by this disease. Featuring an all-star lineup of Madison hard rock, metal, punk, and indie bands, we talked to the benefit’s creator, Elicia Rocker of Extremely Rockin’ Photography about why she was inspired to get this thing going.

MI:What about your friends’ situation made you decide that you needed to help?

A: We have known each other our whole lives and she is one of the sweetest people I know and if it were me who ended up in this situation she would do the same thing. She is only 25 and works at a retail store where she does have insurance but it hasn’t covered much of her bills. She is very far in debt and scrapping by. When she came to me and told me about the bills in collections and needed some extra money to help get her car repaired, I decided enough is enough, you can’t heal when you are stressed about money or stressed at all. So I did what anyone in my position would do, I started putting together a benefit show.

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