Jessica Martin-Cate

I recently caught up with my old friend Ryan McKay, formerly of the Quincy area band Stoner/McKay.  As some of you know, that band ended around 1996 or so.  He now lives in the Phoenix, Arizona, area. He has a band out there that I think is very interesting, so I decided to do a profile of them.  The name of the band is Crash Street Kids.  Ryan is the lead singer and guitarist.  He is joined by Ricky Serrano on guitar, Deuce Gregory on bass (and a lead vocal from time to time), and the legendary A.D. Adams on drums.  They have released four studio albums to date:  “Let’s Rock and Roll Tonight,” “Chemical Dogs,” “Transatlantic Suicide,” and “Sweet Creatures.”  They have also released a live album, “Live From the Waist Down.”  All are available on iTunes and good record stores everywhere.  I asked Ryan a few questions about the band and their sound:

Van Dyke

DVD:  Where did you get the concept for the first three records?
RM:  The first record’s idea was simply to make it sound like a 1970s rock concert.  Admittedly, it was very loose.  It wasn’t until the second album, “Chemical Dogs,” that we decided to make the whole album part of one concept.  We thought we would explore who was the person who performed this concert from the ‘70s, what was going on behind the scenes.  From there the ideas really started coming in left and right.

DVD:  Was it planned to do concept records or did it just happen that way?
RM:  In my mind, yes! I don’t think the other guys knew it was happening until midway through the second album!  I love concept records, good and bad.  I think it creates an interesting listening experience.  I always enjoy taking records in as a whole instead of picking singles. Not a fan of ‘greatest hits” compilations and the like.  I love seeing where an artist’s head was at in any given year.

DVD:  How did you get into so-called ‘glam rock?’
RM:  My brother Kevin and my cousin Kory were responsible for bringing a KISS record into my house.  I was probably about 6 years old.  I was shocked, scared, but ultimately fascinated by the look and sound.  I also around that time got a handful of Alice Cooper records, so you can imagine my psyche was wrecked! I discovered Bowie much later and even later still drummer A.D. told me about other great bands like Mott the Hoople, T. Rex, Sweet, Slade, etc.  It’s important that I make the distinction between ‘70s glam and ‘80s.  The ‘80s variety doesn’t interest me even though I grew up during it.  I prefer the original.  It took great British bands like Beatles, the Move, Idle Race, and incorporated that sophistication to the music.

DVD:  Your newest record has a song called ‘Bang, Bang, You’re Beautiful.’ I am surprised that the local venue with a similar name has not approached you to do a show there.  Have you given any thought to playing in Quincy again?
RM:  Yes, we’d love to come play in Quincy. I had a blast last summer when I came to visit.  I still have a lot of close friends and great memories there.  We’ve been talking about tour possibilities and so much of it is still up in the air.  Unfortunately, money is so tight and gas is so high that it makes it increasingly difficult to tour for great distances.  Hopefully we can make it to Quincy. That place is a great club. I love the view.

DVD:  It seems like guitars are really in your face on most acoustic songs that are on rock radio these days (it’s bad enough that they all suck).  The acoustic guitars actually sound like acoustic guitars on your records.  Is there anything in particular you did to get that sound or is it just the guitar that was used?
RM:  Thanks!  Ricky Serrano (guitarist) and I are big on vintage guitar tones; Les Pauls and old Marshalls. We also use amps handmade by our good friend Gary at Glaswerks Amps.  He’s great at catering to our tonal desires.  The main acoustic guitar is a 1971 Gibson J-45 that sounds amazing no matter what mic you put in front of it.  I also have a Fender 12-string acoustic that I’ve used quite a bit.  That one sounds good too.  The most important thing about guitars on record is don’t over-think it.  Don’t over EQ it. And PLEASE, don’t go layering eight guitars on top of one another! If Jimmy Page didn’t have to, then you don’t either.

DVD:  What are the band’s plans for the future?
RM:   I love this question because I can channel my inner Gene Simmons.  Alright, belt in, here comes my used car salesman routine! We have a new record called “Sweet Creatures” that is available at your local record store and itunes.  We also have a new video for the second single called “Sad Julia.”  You can see that on YouTube or our website (www.crashstreetkids.com). I can’t stress to you enough how you are really missing out if you don’t see this video because of the beautiful Mysti Moon. Our video guru Nick Orciuolo is in the edit bay now working on a second video for “Mary, Queen of the Rock.” We have some plans to start work on a new album this spring and get out and play as much as possible.  I’m sure there will be more drunken adventures down at our studio (Shabbey Road) that may or may not land one of us in jail.

Here are some links to explore the world of Crash Street Kids.

Sad Julia video – http://youtu.be/2S2v1Go0bg8
website – www.crashstreetkids.com
YouTube channel – http://www.youtube.com/user/crashstreetkids/videos
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crash-Street-Kids/75511868391
Twitter – @CRASHSTREETKIDS

Don Van Dyke

Zeke Cernea (acoustic)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday
WHERE: Cellar 21, 121 N. Fourth St.

Krazy Caucasionz, P. Assassin, and F.O.E. (hip-hop)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday
WHERE: The Cougar’s Den, 509 S. Ninth St.

ShowBaby, Harlot, PimpKatz, Nocebo (rock)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Turner Hall, 926 Hampshire St.

Cheeks McGee and Rick Ryder (acoustic)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday
WHERE: The Blind Pig, 900 N. 12th St.
Steven Woolley (blues)
WHEN: 9 p.m. Friday
WHERE: One Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire

Kathy Brink & Mike Coultas (acoustic)
WHEN: 1 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Collver Family Winery, Barry

Raised on Radio (rock/blues)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Steak Fry at Keokuk Yacht Club

13 Stitches (classic rock)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Johnny Bang Bang’s, 138 N. Front

Wrecking Ball (classic rock)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Adams Trading Post, Liberty

Ticket 2 Ride (rock)
WHEN: 9 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: One Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire
ShowBaby and Harlot (rock)
WHEN: 9 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: River City Billiards, Hannibal, Mo.

Diamonds In-the-Rough (acoustic)
WHEN: 6 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: One Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire

More details on upcoming shows are available on the calendar page at www.thelocalq.com.

Cheeks McGee and Keith Franx (blues/jazz/rock)
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Johnny Bang Bang’s, 138 N. Front

Phil Stendek (loop artist)
WHEN: 9 p.m. Friday
WHERE: One Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire

Blues on the Bluff featuring Keith Franx (acoustic blues)
WHEN: 1 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Spirit Knob Winery, Ursa

Crossroad Country Opry
WHEN: 6 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Unity High School, Mendon
COST: $7.50 advance, $8 at the door

Big Daddy and the All Star Gypsy’s (rock)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: The Blind Pig, 900 N. 12th

Nova 6 (classic rock)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: The Village Vineyard and Winery, Camp Point

Raised On Radio (blues/rock)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Driftwood 13, Keokuk, Iowa

Well Hungarians (country)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Johnny Bang Bang’s, 138 N. Front
Cosmic Cow (cover)
WHEN: 9 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: One Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire

Big River Swing Machine
WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: One Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire

More details on upcoming shows are available on the calendar page at www.thelocalq.com.

For information on bands and concert venues, go to the music page at www.thelocalq.com.

Submit details for upcoming shows at www.thelocalq.com/node/1767.

Since their inception, motion pictures have had a very close relationship with music.  Usually, it is orchestral music and it is usually kept in the background.  Sometimes the music is almost the entire reason for the movie being made.  It is these movies I want to talk about.  Movies turned me on to a lot of music that I otherwise may not have heard.  Sometimes the results of this are not as great as originally hoped, and that just adds to the experience for me.  So in this post I will go over some of my favorite movies that are about music; well, they contain a lot of music anyway.  These are a few of my guilty pleasures, along with some recommended favorites.  I am only going to talk about movies I have seen, so it is far from a complete list.

Van Dyke

The first movie I remember going to was “Grease.”  If you do not know what that is, it is a musical starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.  It takes place at and around a 1959 high school.  It is filled with ’50s style rock-and-roll and a little bit of comedy.  I do not really have a favorite part or song from this movie. I just remember that it got me digging into my parents’ albums to see what kind of ’50s stuff they might have.  At that time, I did not think music existed before the Beatles (I am still not 100 percent convinced that it did).   Whenever this is on TV, I usually have trouble turning the channel.

Around the same time, I became a huge fan of the band Kiss.  I was very excited when I heard they were going to make a movie and show it on television.  Then, I watched it.  Even at my young age, I knew immediately that this movie was terrible.  I was a fan, so I enjoyed the music, even though it was all songs that I already had on records. The story is too dumb to even be mentioned, and the acting is awful.  Every time I see this movie, it is funnier.  Yes, I have it on DVD.  Don’t you?

Just when I thought I had seen the absolute worst movie ever made, I stumbled upon the movie “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” It was billed as a celebration of the Beatles, starring Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees.  The plot is basically parts of Beatle songs sewn together into a story with character names taken from some of their biggest hits.  The movie is just plain bad.  But, I still will watch it when it is on if I have time.  This movie had Alice Cooper and Aerosmith in it, too, so it kind of got me interested in them and I bought some of their albums.  I suggest you do the same.

Another movie my cousin and I discovered on HBO way back when was “Eddie and the Cruisers.”  This movie follows the career of a band whose singer just disappeared and is presumed to be dead.  It has some good ’50s and ’60s tunes in it and it actually had a bit of a story that was interesting.  I would recommend seeing it, but do not expect it to be great, just OK.  They made a sequel to it but do not punish yourself with it.  It belongs in the same trash bin as “Grease 2″ and “Caddyshack II.”

Probably my biggest guilty pleasure is a movie from 1980 about the life of Loretta Lynn called “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”  It is filled with the songs of Mrs. Lynn, along with a few Patsy Cline hits all sung by the actors very well.  It stars Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn, and Tommy Lee Jones, who gives one of his best-ever performances, as her husband.  It follows her career from 13 or 14 up to her present age at the time, which was 45.  It is a very good movie.

Now that you know some of the movies I cannot keep myself from watching, here are some movies that I recommend for any music lover:

“The Blues Brothers” — my grandfather took my brother and me to see this in the theater.  Not only is it one of the funniest movies ever made, it has Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and many other legends performing in it.  I consider this a must-see movie.

“The Decline of Western Civilization Part II:  The Metal Years” —  If you were (or are) into hair bands and ’80s metal, you have to watch this documentary about the Los Angeles music scene.

“Walk the Line” — If you do not own any Johnny Cash music, buy some instead of the soundtrack to this movie.  It is a good movie and the actors sing pretty well, but there was only one Johnny Cash.  This is kind of based on his autobiography, which is fantastic.

“Monterey Pop” — Jimi Hendrix, a Fender Stratocaster, and fire.  Enough said.

“Woodstock” — A very interesting, very long look at  the 1969 festival.  Lots of great music in there among other things…

Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” along with Tommy and Quadrophenia from the Who are all based on concept albums of the same name.  If you found the meaning hard to follow on any of these albums, the films get you no closer to understanding.  Great songs on all three all over the place.

“Some Kind of Monster” — this Metallica documentary shows way more about the band than they ever imagined it would.  It is a good look into what being in a huge band can be like.  The album it documents the making of is just not good, though.  Watch this.  Do not listen to that.

“Anvil” — The Story of Anvil.  This is a great story.  It is sad, funny, uplifting and discouraging all at once.

I could go on, but I think this is a good start.  Happy watching!  Please reply with any of your favorites either on Facebook or here on the Local Q site.  Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions about the movies I listed above or anything else I have posted about.

Don Van Dyke

When I have found myself watching TV lately, there have been two shows in particular that are always on. One is a program where they hunt for ghosts. They go to supposedly haunted places and hang around until they see or hear something and try to capture it on video or audio tape. The other, is a show where they travel across the country looking for Bigfoot, also known as sasquatch. They go to places that are hotspots for sightings of the creature. It is usually along the lines of “Aunt Netty saw him peekin’ in people’s windows around Cranberry Woods.”

Van Dyke

Both of these shows fascinate me, and I am unsure why. I figured I would find a way to relate it to music and write a blog to perhaps figure out what it is that I find so interesting. It did not take long to start piecing it together.

I was reminded of a lot of musicians that I have known through the years, mainly guitar players. Just as the people on those shows are looking for something, most guitarists that I have known are in search of something just as elusive as any ghost or hairy manbeast. TONE!

Like the ghost guys, who have these devices that somehow pick up energy and convert it into English words along with all kinds of sensors and gauges, most guitar players have a dizzying array of gadgetry and multiple guitars and amps that help them find that perfect sound. Like the Bigfoot hunters will camp out in the forest waiting to catch a glimpse of a ‘squatch, guitarists will camp out in music stores across the country waiting to finally plug into that sound they hear in their head. It is truly difficult, because most musicians are always evolving, always discovering new sounds and always experimenting.

I have noticed that there are really just two schools of thought among serious guitar players. The traditionalist who keeps the effects and processing to a minimum, and the gear head who has every effect and new component available, usually on a pedal board the size of New Hampshire. There really is no middle ground. Those in the middle usually just do not have thousands of dollars to buy the stuff or they would have it. There are tremendous players in both camps. Both are similar in that they still are not satisfied with their sound.

Here are a couple of examples of players with remarkable tone:

The Edge – A gearhead, putting it lightly. He uses the Clark Griswold approach when it comes to equipment. Just as Clark had every Christmas light known to man, the Edge has every sound shaping device produced on the planet. His guitar rig is more complicated that the federal tax code. I bet he gets more revenue out of his device, though. He has created some great sounds over the years. “The Joshua Tree” and “Achtung Baby” are the albums I think show most of the best tones he has used.

David Gilmour – My personal favorite tone-master. More of an experimenter than a gearhead, the sound he pulls out of his guitars are flawless. I believe it was the producer the legendary producer Bob Ezrin who said that Dave could make a broken ukulele sound like a Stradivarius. Check out his work on the albums “Animals,” “The Wall,” well most Pink Floyd albums are full of great guitar work.

I am limiting myself to two or I will profile 79 guitarists. I chose these two in particular because they illustrate what most guitarists strive to be able to do, which is have flawless tone at all times. But, if you have read any interviews with these guys, they still are looking for new sounds. These may not be their perfect tones at all, they may just be content with them until they can get what they really want.

So what is it that I am saying? What is the point? Well, just think about how uncool it would be if they actually found Bigfoot or verified without a doubt that ghosts and spirits roam the earth. Just like a certain writer I know always illustrates in his work, it is not about the end. It is about the journey. So do not give up on finding your sound. It is out there. Maybe you just need a parametric EQ or something…

Once again, please support your local bands and establishments that feature live music. Let me know if you need me to recommend any…

Don Van Dyke