As things are slowly opening up in Los Angeles a lot of the acts that we keep tabs on are posting the results of their lock down-enforced creativity. All the acts really do deserve a round of applause for hanging in there and keeping their creative juices flowing and sharing their progress with their fans. For the LA Music Scene, it’s been fun watching the creativity flow in a new direction other than live gigs. We are embarking on a post-Covid music Renaissance.
Many acts have turned to live streaming on Facebook, Instagram, Zoom or YouTube which was the “venue” that aired the #savethestages fundraiser for all of the independent venues across the United States.
The LA Music Scene watched the fundraiser for The Foo Fighters and Miley Cyrus. Cyrus really blew our mind with her version of the Cranberry’s “Zombie” which is one of the best covers of that song that’s been performed.
Among the acts that have made a success of streaming their performances is Ricky Warwick who has done very well with his shows as well as using his down time to write some kick ass songs.
The LA Music Scene has really been impressed with his output and his recent release “When Life Was Hard and Fast” which was collaborated with Keith Nelson formerly of Buck Cherry.
Warwick’s metal pedigree is quite impressive and includes Black Star Riders and Thin Lizzy. Among the Irish metaler’s influences are Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Thin Lizzy and Stiff Little Fingers. Warwick used Joshua Tree as a backdrop to his “Fighting Heart” video. The photo for Warwick in this column is from there. It was taken on August 27, 2020 and is said to be his favorite photo. Our BFF from Facebook Michele Coombe took the photo while assisting with production at the Joshua Tree filming for “Fighting Heart.”
Metal Maven Vicky Hamilton’s acts are all keeping busy writing material and showcasing it online as well as working on videos and recording. Veteran rock manager Hamilton’s act Lovely World has recently released the critically acclaimed “You Know Darlin” via Dark Spark Music. Lovely World hails from South Carolina where clubs are beginning to open up.
There’s a line from “You Know Darlin’” that goes “When life gives you hell, I’ll be waiting holding all that fell” that demonstrates Lovely World’s continued success. They have the goods and are getting ready to break hard if their numbers are to be believed…through the roof.
A mutual friend of Hamilton and the LA Music Scene is Julian Shah Tayler who is supplementing his income by doing original music shows with songs and stories. Tayler also does David Bowie covers. Between the shows and tips he is holding his own. First heard Tayler at a Los Angeles Music Network (LAMN) LAMN Jam at Skinny’s Lounge in NoHo. We were impressed by his stylings and presentation. Turns out that Tayler is a professional musician that scores movies. We’ve mentioned him more than once in our columns. It was obvious right away that Tayler was greatly influenced by Bowie in his original shows.
Tayler could have been seen regularly at the Standard on Sunset, but the venue has closed it’s doors and it appears that he has found a new home at the Bourbon Room on Hollywood Blvd. which would be a great place to view Tayler’s gift of composition and performance.
Hamilton has said that she sees a huge Renaissance occurring as things begin to open up more and more. LA Music Scene agrees with Hamilton as we are sure most live music fans are chomping at the bit to attend a live gig. Many bands are raring to go, but won’t return to live shows until the fall.
The SoFi Stadium just staged an event that featured J-LO with his highness Prince Harry putting in an appearance as well as President Biden using the media to pop in and give a warm message to the exuberant crowd. Selena Gomez hosted the event and featured Eddie Vedder, Foo fighters and HER. This event is to celebrate the US vaccination campaign to “reunite the world” and was sponsored by Global Citizen.
Greta Van Fleet has released their new LP “The Battle At Garden’s Gate” which is ferocious in its musical tenacity. They’ve also released news of booking a gig in Berlin, Germany with The Foo Fighters for June 8, 2022. The logo on the cover of “The Battle At Garden’s Gate” is very similar to that of Mini Mansions logo from their 2019 release of “A Guy Walks Into A Bar” album cover. In July 2019, Hamilton and LA Music Scene went to see them at the Teragram Ballroom and purchased the pin to the album cover. In October 2018, Hamilton and the LA Music Scene met for the first time at the Hollywood Bowl where Mini Mansions opened for our favorite Alt Rock/Indie Rock band the Arctic Monkeys.
Dirty Honey have released their self-titled debut album which has some great Guns N’ Roses chops in “California Dreamin’” and “The Wire” which really rocks up any place it’s played.
Their signed debut album sold out on their website incredibly fast. LA Music scene is really impressed with this band’s pushing through their disappointment when their trip to Australia to write and record had to be cancelled because of Covid-19. “California Dreamin” will knock your socks off with it’s thrusting guitar work and lead singer Marc Labelle’s gritty almost whiskey voice. This song is nothing like The Mamas and Papas “California Dreaming” and if that is what you are expecting you will be stunned by the amazing Rock N’ Roll take on a “California Classic.”
We love the “Magic Door” prop that Dirty Honey dreamed up for “California Dreamin” and enticed fans with on KLOS radio 95.5 with the lure of finding the place where the “Magic Door” was left on location while filming “California Dreamin.”
Among the cutting-edge music Dirty Honey provided for their fans is a song titled “Gypsy” which has some great guitar work and sexy lyrics. Also releasing a “gypsy” song are newcomers Griffin Tucker and the Real Rock Revolution with “Gypsy Woman” which is different from the Dirty Honey song, but just as musically noteworthy. Lots of great hooks and lyrics, do check them out on YouTube. Thus far, the best “gypsy” song we’ve ever heard is “Pretty Gypsy” by Rude Awakening which is a hard hitting, kick you in the gut song about a guy’s love affair with a “gypsy” woman. In all fairness, just how much can be said about a “Gypsy Woman” that hasn’t been said before? Um, guys when she’s done with you she is done so move along and try a “Witchy Woman” instead…LOL!
The sultry chanteuse Paris Jackson has teamed up with fun rockers The Struts for a song titled “Low Key In Love” which sizzles when Jackson pairs up with the British band’s lead singer Luke Spiller.
Entertainment mogul Irving Azoff has purchased the catalogs of The Beach Boys, David Crosby and Linda Ronstadt. Other industry music groups have also purchased music rights to other notables such as Bob Dylan, Glenn Tipton, Mick Fleetwood, KT Tunstall, Lindsey Buckingham, Neil Young, The Killers, Stevie Nicks, Tom Delonge and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to name a few.
It’s a shame that so much of the music industry’s talent are hurting from the effects of Covid-19’s world-wide lockdown which means no live gigs where the real money is these days. Not much to be made from streaming with micro-pennies in play.
LA Music Scene is thinking that Hamilton’s anticipated Music Renaissance cannot arrive soon enough. Lots of new releases and live gigs to attend with merchandise sales going through the roof. Sorry, but releasing boxed sets of already written and recorded material is a big yawn with little effort on the part of the talent releasing it.
Also, keeping busy is Jampol Artist Management, which is pulling together an APP for The Doors’ fans and future fans. Yours truly had some input into that which speaks about those days and nights growing up on the Sunset Strip back when The Doors were coming up with some help from local band LOVE. the APP should be out by this summer.
As the Music Renaissance unfolds it will be interesting to see if the fans of live music gigs and musicians will come bursting into their chosen venue crying real tears of joy and ecstasy as they enter into the Kingdom of rock ‘n roll much like fans did when Disneyland reopened and the fans cried to be back at the “Magic Kingdom.”