rock

It’s not every day that I get to write about an artist I feel like I actually know personally – so I take some real pleasure in introducing you to Mr. Chris Steele. We’ve hung out with Chris a few times, first when he played with Trevor Hall at Ram’s Head Live in Baltimore, followed by a video shoot with the group at Sound Garden in Fell’s Point, as well as more musical reviews at Sonar and 8x10.

Certainly a first for PEV, Chatmonchy boasts an all-girl rock outfit, fresh from the mainstream of Japan (and for those of you as ignorant as me – Chatmonchy actually doesn’t mean a damn thing). Mainstream isn’t exactly the best word to describe the success of Eriko, Akiko and Kumiko – just read this insane timeline. They hit the scene in 2004, and by 2005 Sony Music Japan had gotten a hold of them, releasing their debut EP, “Chatmonchy has Come” through Sony's Ki/oon Records.

Personally, at times I can struggle to write a good commentary once a month (sometimes the words just don’t come!). But writer’s block is basically a non-issue to Gary Reynolds – the Seattle-based singer/songwriter and owner of Electrokitty Studios. The guy is more than ambitious: he plans on releasing a new song every Monday for the duration of 2010 and a new album every month! He’s already well underway, releasing "Off of My Mind" on January 4th, "Be Your Man" on January 11th and “Yeah!” on January 18th.

Trust me – I know we make “kind of” a big deal when we feature bands and artists from the PEV backyard of Baltimore-Washington. We’re not playing favorites – we just really like it here! And while we’ve had our fair share of home-grown talent, our latest installment of XXQ’s comes from a band that’s REALLY native to the PEV home base; DC-minded rock outfit Hotspur.

Keeping in line with the southern rock theme we currently have going on this week – PEV brings you Oakley (a bit different from the sunglasses I used to rock, but a name memorable nonetheless). Oakley has been doing his thing for a while, self-producing records in an ongoing love affair with music – specifically country, southern rock, and what he calls “kick’n country”.

Maxwell Russell is a preservationist southern rock artist – the kind of guitar slinger that’s loyal to the classic styling while bringing a modern flare to it that his fans more than appreciate. He talks about the roots of his craft: “Southern rock was started by Charlie Daniels, Lynard Skynard, Marshall Tucker Band and the Allman Brothers...

I have these two good friends across the pond – Lance and Mark – they live in London, you see. Sometimes… I tell ya, I wish I had joined them over there (and there’s more to it than the obvious party we’d constantly be having). Seems like the United Kingdom has a music landscape to drool all over, and it’s no secret that PEV would relish the opportunity to the take the scene on a test drive.

You and What Army (YAWA) are having a damn good time taking their breed of sound to the street – about as much as fun as any band we’ve talked to (just read their answers below – the more they feed of one another, the more the party ensues). Fortunately, their music is pretty badass too; a complex assortment of sonic vibes that they can claim as completely original. Indeed, Zak, Kieran, Jamie and Dave are bound for big things, on both sides of the pond.

This band is involved with so many things PEV loves - namely the label Fueled by Ramen and a tour we're very familiar with - The Take Action Tour! A Rocket to the Moon (ARTTM) is an example of a band that blended together from what was at first "a project". However, when your band comes together as a unit on something like The Warped Tour... you may be onto something.