Showing posts with label CA Marshall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CA Marshall. Show all posts

Friday, 8 December 2017

ATLANTIC RECORDS LIFTS CURTAIN ON “THE GREATEST SHOWMAN – ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK”

Hugh Jackman is P.T. Barnum in The#GreatestShowman🎩, in theaters this Christmas.

FEATURES ORIGINAL SONGS PERFORMED BY HUGH JACKMAN, ZAC EFRON AND ZENDAYA AMONGST OTHERS
SONGS WRITTEN BY ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING AND GRAMMY® NOMINATED TEAM OF BENJ PASEK AND JUSTIN PAUL (LA LA LAND, DEAR EVAN HANSEN)
“THE GREATEST SHOWMAN – ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK”
AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE NOW
20TH CENTURY FOX’S THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
OPENS IN THEATRES ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20th 





Warner Music Canada Press Release

Atlantic Records has announced today’s release of “THEGREATEST SHOWMAN – ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK” the official companion to 20th Century Fox’s hugely anticipated new musical film. The album is available now at all music retailers and streaming services; THE GREATESTSHOWMAN opens in theatres on Wednesday, December 20th.

“THE GREATEST SHOWMAN – ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK” features original songs by Oscar and Tony® Award winning and GRAMMY®-nominated duo Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (LA LA LAND, DEAR EVAN HANSEN), including “This Is Me” (performed by Keala Settle; (Listen Here), “The Greatest Show” (performed by Hugh Jackman, Keala Settle, Zendaya, Zac Efron, and ensemble; (listen here on major platforms), and “Rewrite The Stars” (performed by Zac Efron and Zendaya; (Listen Here). The collection was recently named to Oprah’s Favorite Things List 2017, which declared the soundtrack to be “a celebration of imagination,” noting “’This Is Me’ should be everyone’s theme song.”

Tomorrow night, Saturday, December 9th, will see the film honored in New York City with a very special Empire State Building Tower Lighting, the ceremony to be highlighted by a live performance of “This Is Me” from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN co-star Keala Settle.

“THE GREATEST SHOWMAN – ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK” has been overseen at Atlantic Records by GRAMMY® Award winner (five time nominee) and recently appointed Atlantic Records West Coast President Kevin Weaver (FURIOUS 7, SUICIDE SQUAD, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS) and Atlantic Records President, A&R Pete Ganbarg (HAMILTON ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDING, DEAR EVAN HANSEN ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDING, TWENTY ONE PILOTS).

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is a bold and original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and the sense of wonder we feel when dreams come to life. Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, THE GREATEST SHOWMAN tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is directed by exciting new filmmaker Michael Gracey, with songs by Academy Award winners Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (LA LA LAND) and starring Academy Award nominee Hugh Jackman. Jackman is joined by Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams, Zendaya, Zac Efron, and Rebecca Ferguson.



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For more information, please visit www.foxmovies.com/movies/the-greatest-showman

Wednesday, 26 April 2017

The Fontaines | New Music Review of ‘Vacant’ single – get your ‘Flirt’ on!


by Candice Anne Marshall

Band members: Hank Fontaine, Charlotte Fontaine, Daniel Zuker, and Chrystian Kaplan

It doesn’t surprise me that this should happen….my favorite band, Los Angeles based The Fontaines have released yet another fabulous single on April 4th, 2017 titled ‘Vacant’ and is already being played on radio in Japan and Los Angeles. The single was followed by their outstanding performance at SXSW 2017. ‘Vacant’ is yet another fantastic addition next to its predecessor ‘Evaporate’ (released February 8th, 2017) which had us super excited for more. Looks like the wait is not much longer as they have already begun amping up for a full-length album following the successful launch of last Junes ‘ii’ EP and we can’t wait to get our ears on it!

If there are any woman out there wanting to give a heads up (to other gal pals) about a sneaky and manipulative ex-boyfriend’s (or any man for that matter) ‘womanizing’ behaviors, ‘Vacant’ is the song to play. The pop-infused single is wickedly clever in its lyrics and is delivered with sexy, sultry, lilting and humorous (‘hand up every dress’….’vacant little lies you keep on playing’) vocals by Charlotte Fontaine, the bands iconic front woman. Can't say that there has ever been a song I don't like from this band - and Charlotte is definitely the cherry on this delicious Ice Cream float. The sound is a true throwback to the singles you can find in the bands early recordings like ‘Blue Eyed Baby’. The instrumentation throughout is super catchy, oozing with that fabulously rich ‘du-wop’ vibe I love, making it a groovy little tune. I am certain it will be played on repeat everywhere.


The Fontaines music always remain in my top 25 most-played songs and if you are looking for a great new sound that gives you a feel-good vibe, you’ll want to bookmark this band now! Have a listen to the new single below and watch for the announcement of their next full-length album (in the works) by subscribing to all their social media links below. The band often releases their singles as a surprise with no actual over-hyped lead up promo (they are that cool - they don't have to!) so if you want to be in the know, DO subscribe. Personally, I find this approach defines this band in a unique way – they continuously challenge the borders of conformity and never follow the pack. After all, they ARE The Fontaines. Well done! 


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The Fontaines Social Media Links (click to view):


Friday, 10 February 2017

'HEART' of Alberta Band: THISTLE Launches NEW ALBUM 'Blood and Bone' | Album Review by CA Marshall



By CA Marshall

There something about that local band vibe that always connects me to my Folk Music roots and Alberta, Canada-based band THISTLE appeals to that very nature. I grew up in a home with Musicians for parents, and there was always the sound of an acoustic guitar playing at family holidays, or just because. I believe that THISTLE has this authentic, home-grown, infused Folk Rock sound throughout their new album ‘Blood and Bone’. Wicked guitar riffs throughout and intentionally nostalgic ‘Folk Rock’ lyrics pull this band together as a well-oiled unit.

The first single off the album titled ‘Big Sky Alberta’ is the kind of song you would hear on a warm summers eve at a busy outdoor festival. The guitar riffs in this are incredible and the energy of the song itself elicits that feel-good vibe only Albertans come to know as ‘home’. You don’t have to actually visit Alberta – you just have to listen to this song to know that it’s the happiest place on earth.

Going further into the album, the song ‘When It’s Gone’ catches your breath through heart pounding vocals for a 3 minute and three second whirlwind adventure comparative to something you’d hear The Road Hammers play. Its’ lyrics are fast, fun, and very catchy! Following suit is ‘Cause I Know’, a song about infidelity that is fierce in it’s presentation: this person knows they’ve been lied to and is about to give his ‘sweet angel’ a piece of his mind. Great concept in lyrics, the instrumentation is strong and back up vocals are brilliant on this one.

Transitioning further into the album, ‘Tonight’ is a song rich in Folk Rock sound and is probably one of my personal favorites off this album. Then I heard ‘Field of Heroes’, and my decision on a favorite became tough. ‘Field of Heroes’ is the kind of song that one might have heard at Woodstock 1969. This is a very powerful song that carries the heart-wrenching theme of young men and women (soldiers) ‘laid to rest’ with instrumentation that is supportive in it’s vintage Folk sound.



The sixth track is the albums’ title ‘Blood And Bone’ and is a MUST in terms of radio play. This is a song that needs to be on radio, and soon! I feel that this is a contagious and catchy summer song that listeners will gravitate to quickly. if any DJ’s are reading this now, they must know that I have been reviewing music for several years now and I am seasoned in knowing what listeners want to hear, and this song is it. In fact, one of my first album reviews was of Clayton Bellamy’s album ‘Five Crow Silver’ and this song compares in terms of having what it takes. It’s catchy, quick, and should be listened to at loud decibels. This great track is followed quickly with the song ‘First Bit Of Snow’, a great follow-up to ‘Blood And Bone’ in terms of keeping the vibe going and should follow suit to radio immediately. The beat in this one is what caught my attention right away and if we’re talking about a song that gets a crowd up and dancing, ‘First Bit Of Snow’ is that song.

Rounding up this fabulous set is ‘Last Dance’, a slower paced ballad that winds down the high energy as heard in the previous tracks. While this one isn’t my personal favorite, it is strong in it’s lyrics and instrumentation and is a nice compliment to the rest of this great album. The final song, ‘What Did I Do’ is absolutely brilliant in it’s sound, composition and instrumentation. You know how they always say, save the best for last? Well, that’s just what THISTLE did here. Well done!

This is an album you will want to plug into right away for some great weekend listening! Have a listen below to 'First Bit Of Snow'.






THISTLE is comprised of band members:
Trevor Henson - Bass and Vocals
Steve Findlay - Guitars and Vocals
Jason Frey - Drums
Kevin Frey - Guitar and Vocals
Tania Scott – Vocals

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To connect with the band, check out all their social media platforms below and be sure to hit ‘like’ or ‘follow’ on each!




Reverbnation

Friday, 20 January 2017

Audrey Hepburn | SMC Editor's Personal Tribute


Custom Artwork by Candice Anne Marshall for Starlight Music Chronicles

by CAMarshall

The first  few seconds of hearing ‘Moon River’ always takes me back to a very deeply emotional and personal moment in time: to the first moment I watched on television with my Mother, a tiny elvish waif in a Givenchy gown and tiara standing in front of a shop in the middle of New York eating her croissant.This woman embodied everything that I have centered my own life around from that moment until this day: poise, grace, beauty, kindness, adventure, and above all, the ability to remain distinctly unique. This woman I speak of is Audrey Hepburn and the movie was Breakfast at Tiffany’s (a brilliant film released in 1961 based off of the  book by Author Truman Capote), which remains an iconic film to this day.

It has been 24 years today since Audrey passed (cancer, again, cancer!), yet, through film,images, and music (see Moon River Spotify below), I remember her for everything that she contributed to this world in her lifetime and especially what she contributed to me in mine.

Historical Timeline

Audrey Kathleen Ruston, born in Brussels, Belgium, was an Actress, Model, Dancer and Humanitarian whose work near the end of her lifetime with Unicef as Goodwill Ambassador was exemplary. Recognized as a film and fashion icon, Hepburn was most active during Hollywood's Golden Age. To this day, she is idolized as a‘Lady’ whose timeless beauty and effortless grace both on the silver screen and in her lifetime, has been something that everyone in Hollywood has tried tore-create. But – there will only ever be one Audrey for me.

The same woman who escaped the Nazi’s in World War II, survived death after becoming severely malnourished shortly after, went on to star in countless films such as My Fair Lady, Sabrina, Funny Face, and Roman Holiday (to name a few), was voted People Magazines’ most beautiful person of all time, win countless Academy Awards, and was the muse to Fashion Designer Hubert De Givenchy (who would design countless gowns for her roles on screen and off). In 2000, Actress Jennifer Love Hewett portrayed her in ‘The Audrey Hepburn Story’.

Editor's Personal Tribute

I could write for weeks, the list of accomplishments that Audrey made in her lifetime even beyond the silver screen. They were beyond what many of us can even imagine accomplishing, but that’s who Audrey was: she worked tirelessly to ensure that the people in her sphere knew they were loved and this included people she didn’t even know such was displayed in her work in third world countries for Unicef. She remains a role model for me to this day of how the plight of others who need help is something very dear to my heart – I will often ask myself, ‘What would Audrey do?’. She would help in any way she could.

In terms of fashion sense, Audrey inspired me to want to be a Fashion Designer at a very young age. I first watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s with my mom when I was about 10 years old, about the same time that I would spend countless hours drawing in my room the images of the human form. Audrey’s thin frame could carry of many looks that Designers would take a chance with: she was the first to don a pair of capris, cut her long locks to a short pixie, and make the ‘Little Black Dress’ a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. Think of it, as soon as someone says‘Little Black Dress’, you envision Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

The impact Audrey left in her very short 63 years on this earth for me is this

There isn’t a day that goes by where I will not think about how I can help others, act and dress like a Lady, be courteous and kind to all you meet, and leave a legacy for your children to be proud of.

Thank you,Audrey. X

Candice Anne  Marshall
CEO &Editor, Starlight Music Chronicles



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Filmography

The following are a complete list of all the films Audrey accomplished in her lifetime and remain, to this day, staples in every classic movie collectors’ library. I know they are in mine.


Roman Holiday (1953), Sabrina (1954) , Producers' Showcase (1954), War and Peace (1956), Funny Face (19570, The Nun's Story (1959)  , The Unforgiven (1962), Breakfast at Tiffany's (19610, My Fair Lady (1964), How to Steal a Million (1966), Two for the Road (1967), Wait Until Dark (1967), Robin and Marian (19760, Bloodline (19790, and Always (1989)

Friday, 6 January 2017

Ed Sheeran's Epic Return



by CA Marshall

I'm listening right now while typing this review and I feel I can't type this fast enough! The world needs to know just how magnificent these somgs are! I am talking about 'Castle On The Hill' and 'Shape Of You', the newest singles by UK born Singer-Songwriter Ed Sheeran. They are already on my iPhone and are most definitely on repeat. 

This is one Musician whose art will always stay current, dynamic, and completely addicting. As he has done previously in + and x, his two new singles follow suit in terms of intense lyrics that hold personal depth and meaning. let's face it, Ed knows how to extract the human emotion by pulling at the heartstrings and he never ever misses his mark.

'Castle On The Hill' is an ode to the fondest memories we can all relate to: no matter how long you are away, there's no place like home. The instrumentation here is upbeat, fresh, and completely addictive. This is a personal song I feel, where he's sharing how he was missing friends and family for so long while on tour. This is a song that gives us true insight of this Artist who is always in touch with his emotions. If you've ever treasured a friendship dearly, this is the song you need to have in your 'favorites' playlist. On repeat.



If 'Castle On The Hill' is addictive, then 'Shape Of You' is the obsession. This song is completely divergent from 'Castle On The Hill' and yet, is signature 'Ed style\ in lyrical and vocal presentation.



After a year of silence (intentional), Sheeran made the public statement that he needed to 'go back to his roots and connect with his family and friends'. He has emerged like the old friend you lose touch with but spend ten minutes getting reacquainted and it feels as though no time has passed: this was a seamless re-entry back into the spotlight. Ed Sheeran s clearly ready for the next phase of his life and is prepared to 'bring it'.

When he made his last tweet in 2015, he promised to come back with \something great'. Only days ago, the 'Popsicle colored blue' branding began sprouting up on all of his social media platforms. Indeed a year had passed and it was go time. Only 5 days ago, he made the public announcement that he was going to release the golden nugget we've all been waiting so long to hear. Folks, the wait is finally over: Ed Sheeran is back, and he continues to bring us something magical. 


Welcome back Ed!

Sunday, 27 November 2016

SMITHRADIO | Gilmore Girls Actor and SMITHRADIO frontman Scott Patterson debuts 'HA HA' and its a NUMBER ONE hit!

SMITHRADIO frontman and Actor Scott Patterson behind the scenes on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon November 22, 2016
By CA Marshall

When he isn’t ‘Luke Danes’ from the epic new original Netflix series Gilmore Girls (GG), Los Angeles, California Based Actor Scott Patterson is the frontman for his own band, SMITHRADIO, (previously GORDON), a band he formed in June 2016 who have been blazing a trail of success ever since. Following their live benefit concert performances in West Virginia and New Jersey, the band headed back to LA anxious to begin recording tracks for what will be their upcoming debut album. Since, there’s been a pandemic among SMITHRADIO fans clamoring to hear even the tiniest sneak peek and their wait is over with the recent launch of HA HA, the band's debut single.

Before we get into the review, let’s back up a little and look at the chronological timeline of how this has all unfolded:

At the time of our last interview in September, Patterson was meeting only a few days later with the producer for the album. A few weeks later, a photo emerged on the SMITHRADIO facebook page featuring the frontman with Composer and Music Director Michael Nomad Ripoll (known for his work with Kenny Babyface Edmonds - “Playlist”, Celine Dion - “Loved Me Back to Life”, Justin Bieber - “Believe”, Colbie Caillat - “Gypsy Heart”, Barbra Streisand - “Partners”, and Aretha Franklin - “Sings the Great Diva Classics”) and Steve Ferrone, Drummer for the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Ferrone is a former member of the Average White Band and has recorded and performed with Duran Duran, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Slash, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, Bee Gees, Scritti Politti, and Johnny Cash). The quote on the photo simply read:

“With #SteveFerrone and #MichaelNomadRipoll Recording EP! #Epic! #RockBand #RockAlbum #Nomad #ScottPatterson #DebutAlbum #Pumped”
Then, on October 20th, Patterson again posted a second studio photo of himself with Producer Rich Mouser at ‘The Mouse House’ Studio in LA. This time the message read:

"Zoux Magic! Trax Magic! @nomadsplace @RichMouserMusic @zouxmusic Scott-Patterson-lbhj.squarespace.com/shop/ #RockAlbum #GilmoreGirls #ScottPatterson"

Mouser’s client credentials include: Robert Trujillo (Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne); Chris Vrenna (Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, Tweaker); Joe Holmes (Ozzy Osbourne); Tears for Fears; Chris Cornell; Dream Theater; Transatlantic; Oleander; Weezer; and Spocks Beard. It is clear that Patterson has carefully chosen to align SMITHRADIO with some of the industries finest for the world debut of HA HA.  

Following the recording photo posts on social media, Patterson announced that SMITHRADIO’s debut single HA HA would drop on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon November 23rd, 2016, only two days before the world release of Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life on Netflix sending fans into a frenzy. On November 22nd, Patterson appeared on The TonightShow with Jimmy Fallon alongside his GG alumni, Sean Gunn and Liza Wiel. Along with discussion about the new original Netflix series, Fallon also took the liberty of expressing his keen interest in the new single. (see below).


The timing of the HA HA song release (by Patterson’s newly formed label ‘Blind Horse Records’) in conjunction with the Thanksgiving holiday and GG Netflix release was brilliant planning on his part, because it currently sits at number one on the iTunes Indie Rock Song Top 100 Chart making it the best selling single for 2016 on iTunes in that genre. This has been much-anticipated from the band’s fans on a global scale. In fact, during a recent interview with Patterson (for our Spotlight series - see here: GORDON No. 1 and GORDON No. 2), he admits that the band’s international fan base response has been incredible.

Upon listening to HA HA for the first time, I could immediately identify with Patterson’s writing style: he admits that Musician Patti Smith is a muse for his compositions and the classic Punk Rock vocals and instrumentation you hear in HA HA is reflective of this fact. This is an extremely heart-pumping raw number infused with creativity unheard of in today’s music industry and I must say, it’s about time! This is the kind of sound reminiscent of the early 80’s Punk Rock scene with an original twist of its own. Patterson is very serious about demonstrating his ability to bring his years of collective artistic creation (he’s been writing since third grade!), vision, and passion for Punk Rock music into fruition and he has achieved that in the form of HA HA.

When interviewing Patterson last, he mentioned that HA HA 'wasn’t like anything anyone has ever heard before', and he is correct in this claim. This is a song that enters with drums pounding at mach speed followed by intense guitar riffs that will blow your mind! The lyrics, a mix of emphatic anger and excitement, are something you can easily imagine on the CBGB stage back in it’s hey day. 

HA HA is the perfect song to debut SMITHRADIO because it shows exactly how far this band is willing to stretch conventional ‘debut’ boundaries both lyrically and instrumentally onto the indie music scene. I find that often, bands will come in with something a little more timid and cautious and this finds them often overlooked when it comes to serious radio play. HA HA breaks this mold: it is a song that breaks out of the barn gates kicking, screaming, and waking up the neighbors. To be perfectly honest, it wouldn’t surprise me if it were picked up by every major radio station on an international level. HA HA is a crash-course for GG fans who more than likely wouldn’t expect something like this from the seemingly reserved, introverted, and grumpy ‘diner owner’ in Stars Hollow. In fact, I could easily envision Patterson performing HA HA at full on intensity then dropping his mic, walking off the stage elated, dripping in sweat, and leaving his audience jumping up and down shouting for more.

Now that SMITHRADIO has spread its wings with the ‘HA HA’ debut, we are looking forward to seeing how high the rest of the album can soar. There's already tour talk slated for early 2017 and an appearance on the TODAY show November 29th. We are confident that we are witnessing the beginning successes from a band that will absolutely go the whole distance. 



SMITHRADIO, you are bookmarked and in our top ten and your fans are ready for more – now, BRING IT! 

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SMITHRADIO Social Media Links:

Saturday, 26 November 2016

Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life - SMC Editor-in-Chief's ode to Writer/Producer Amy Sherman-Palladino


by Editor in Chief: Candice Anne Marshall

Fans of the original Gilmore Girls (GG) series know now that the writing and production of American born Director/Producer/Writer Amy Sherman-Palladino as of late has come full circle with the recent launch of the new original Netflix series 'Gilmore Girls, A Year In The Life' (November 25th, 2016). I can speak from experience when I say that we writers create our best work from our most emotive state and our best writing comes not only from a place of passion for the subject, but also from a place of feeling connected to that subject as well. I knew that after watching these series I would be writing the review from an emotive state because that’s just how Sherman-Palladino managed tore-connect to fans after the shows abrupt end in 2007. (A decision that the writer clearly has stated in countless interviews wasn’t one she was involved in making) I am certain that she achieved satisfied victory in the hearts of all GG fans when she created this four-part series titled: Winter, Spring,Summer, and Fall focusing on the lives of three beloved women/icons they have all come to know and love: Emily, Lorelai, and Rory Gilmore. Sherman-Palladino went beyond our expectations and extracted the very essence of life by touching on matters of the heart, sarcastic humor, real-life situations, and our own purpose here on earth through these characters. She writes with absolute intention knowing full well that the execution of the Gilmore Girls story will ultimately connect true fans, friends, family and lovers of the show to one another for life.

How?

**STOP HERE IF YOU DON’T WANT SPOILERS!*

The Cast of Gilmore Girls at the Netflix Premiere of 'Winter' last week

Well, let's stop for a moment to talk about our beloved Richard Gilmore, a magnificent and powerful presence in the series regardless of his physical absence in the show. Indeed, fans of the late Actor Edward Hermann  mourned greatly upon his passing on December 31st, 2014, less than a year shy of the filming of these new episodes. There isn't a fan on earth who knew his importance throughout series as the powerful patriarch of the Gilmore family. We mourn again in 2016 via the cleverly written script (balanced evenly throughout each episode) lending a true ode to just how deeply Hermann  is honored not just among fans, but also the cast and crew. There is no doubt that the 'acting' and references of how profound his absence is missed comes from an honest place in the hearts of Kelly Bishop, Lauren Graham, and Alexis Bledel, who knew him as husband, father, and grandfather both on screen and off. Their tears in these episodes were real, as are ours.

But let's remember just how long it's really been.....

Our beloved characters have aged (very gracefully!) and circumstances in their lives have changed as a result of father time.Sherman-Palladino has respectfully picked up at present day by not dismissing these important details: Rory is no longer the young woman venturing out into the world we remember and Lorelai is no longer the feisty young mom with a side of 'hip and happening'. These actors have come into their own so to speak: Rory is 32, has come to a crossroads in her life by making the decision to become a serious writer, and is on the precipice of motherhood herself. Lorelai is now settled and at peace with her decision to (finally!) marry Luke and settle into a more secure place in life by understanding her own mortality after the loss of her father. All are a little wiser to the uncertainties that life brings and they embrace these inevitable changes with grace, openness, sarcastic humor(why should that ever change? That is Gilmore after all!), and dignity.


I would be amiss if I didn't also touch on the final and most anticipated scene of this new series: the wedding. of course it was going to be Luke and Lorelai! This has been a moment that fans have been waiting for since the series ended abruptly in 2007 and there is no doubt in my mind that the long standing on again, off again deep friendship of Luke and Lorelai should end in marriage. Again, this demonstrates Sherman-Palladino's understanding of just what closure true Gilmore Girls fans deserved eight years ago by solidifying this matter of the heart and Actors Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson executed this seamlessly. Sherman-Palladino went a step further demonstrating the true character of the rebellious Lorelai we have come to know and love by having she and Luke elope in a deeply moving, magically infused,private, and spontaneous ceremony on the eve of their actual wedding day. This was better than we could ever imagine (seeing Lorelai walk down the aisle in a formal ceremony would have been very un-Gilmore-like. After all, she did runaway from home being 16 and pregnant in the beginning....). Although the scene lasted no more than ten minutes, it was all that GG fans needed to feel completely at peace with the ending of this magnificent series. The moment was made even more intimate by having Sam Philips' song 'Reflecting Light'resurface once again for this special occasion. True GG fans will remember that this song was played during the first intimate moment that Luke and Lorelei shared way back in season four of the series during the dance at Liz and TJ's wedding (reference: 'Luke can waltz!'). There is no doubt that these best of friends were meant to finally unite one day and that day is now. (see below)


Appearances throughout the four-part series by all cast members were perfectly placed throughout the show and as quickly as they entered, they exited, reminding us of our own truths in life: people come and go. Some stay and are in our lives forever. Some are only there for a reason, a season, or a lesson. What Sherman-Palladino achieved through the final execution of this Gilmore Girls story is truth: we honor the people in our lives and our memories of/with them by holding them in the deepest recesses of our hearts always.

I couldn't write this review without also giving ode to the dear people in my own life who have come to mean so much to me during the same time that this series began in 2000 to its final famous 'last four words'(don't worry, I won't spoil it in here, you'll have to watch!). It would be a disservice to this exceptional writer and the actors in this series to focus solely on the fiction of their characters; I believe the intention of this series is for all of us to remember, honor, respect, and connect to what is REAL in our own lives and the similarities in circumstances. There isn't one part of this show that any one of us couldn't relate to: there will always be deep joys and sorrows we come to experience in this lifetime. My hat's off to all the cast and crew who were able to take what Sherman-Palladino wrote and bring us that deeply personal connection in our own lives through their exceptional acting. Therein lies the magnificence and meaning of Gilmore Girls.

Amy Sherman-Palladino with husband Daniel Palladino
From one writer to another, and on behalf of all the fans of the world: thank you Amy,it was perfect.


Smell that?That’s my coffee brewing. I am about to watch it all over again…….
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Enjoy the ATX Festival Panel: "Gilmore Girls" 15 Year Reunion presented with Entertainment Weekly (2015) below!


Friday, 14 October 2016

Star Studded Guest Appearances at Jasper Canada 'Dark Sky Festival' | October 14th - 23rd 2016

George Takei - photo courtesy Tourism Jasper
By CA Marshall

It comes as no surprise that have recently opened up our website (www.starlightmusicchronicles.com) to many facets of the entertainment industry and felt that a 'travel' component was missing. Over the course of a couple years, we have networked with many world-known and seasoned individuals on social media (such as Mr. Scott Eddy - www.mrscotteddy.com) who we feel are the connection between the SMC platform and the destinations that our readers and followers love. We are excited to open this door in order to connect with many celebrity travel bloggers in effort to build the bridge between entertainment and amazing destinations/venues, etc.

We begin our Starlight Travel component by diving right into The Dark SkyFestival in Jasper, Alberta, Canada that kicks off today, October 14th and runs all the way until October 23rd 2016. (see the website to find out more about the festival here: http://jasperdarksky.travel/about-the-festival/) This annual event has been attracting people globally for three years and this time around, there's a star studded line-up which includes: Bill Nye (The Science Guy), George Takei (celebrating Star Trek’s 50th Anniversary), Jeremy Hansen (Astronaut), Alan Nursall (Canadian Scientist), Nadia Drake (Science Journalist), Bobak Ferdowsi & Ross Lockwood (NASA). With a star studded cast of guest speakers, this is an event Tourism Jasper can proudly boast about!
We recently interviewed Lauren Graham, Specialist/Media/Public Relations for Tourism Jasper for this event and here’s what she had to say:

Bill Nye (The Science Guy) - photo courtesy Tourism Jasper


Interview
Dark Sky Festival
Lauren Graham | Specialist, Media & Public Relations | Tourism Jasper

SMC - Lauren, can you tell us what your role is for this event?
LG - I work for Tourism Jasper, the destination marketing organization that has helped organize and facilitate the Dark Sky Festival since its inception.

 SMC - There are a lot of big names attending as speakers for this event (October 14-23, 2016)! How were you able to acquire their presence for this magnificent event?
LG - We work directly with a speaker’s agent or through partnerships to help bring our line-up to Jasper for the festival.

SMC - Which guest speaker are you most excited to see?
LG - It’s impossible to pick one! With Bill Nye, astronaut Jeremy Hansen, George Takei, Canadian scientist Alan Nursall, science journalist Nadia Drake, NASA’s Bobak Ferdowsi and Ross Lockwood each event is going to be amazing, yet different.

Jeremy Hansen - photo courtesy Tourism Jasper

Alan Nursall - photo courtesy Tourism Jasper
SMC - What can one expect from their stay during this festival as far as accommodations and bookings? I would say it's safe to assume Jasper would receive and influx of visitors for this occasion! Is it too late for people to book now?
LG - Definitely not too late to book! There are still accommodations and tickets available for both Dark Sky Festival weekends. jasperdarksky.travel has a list of accommodations and activities in the area to assist with this planning process.

SMC - What is the long-term vision for this annual event say, 5 and 10 years from now?
LG - We want to continue to inspire explorers of all ages to power down and look up. It is our intention and mandate that the Jasper Dark Sky Festival continue to grow for many years to come, attract visitors to experience a true dark sky, learn about the universe, and visit Jasper at a time of year they perhaps hadn’t considered before.

SMC - Who are your sponsors for this event?
LG - We’ve been extremely lucky with businesses being interested in participating in the Dark Sky Festival this year. Rocky Mountaineer has joined us as Official Festival Partner and Subaru became our first even Exclusive Automotive Sponsor. CN came on board as Official Tent Sponsor, and CTV joined us as Exclusive Media Sponsor. The Official Festival Sponsors are: Sundog Transportation and Tours Ltd. and Servus Credit Union. But there are many businesses who have helped create the Jasper Dark Sky Festival Presented by Rocky Mountaineer. For a full list of sponsors, please check out http://jasperdarksky.travel/events/

SMC - I have personally been a frequent visitor to Jasper since I was a teen and there's no doubt that our National Park is one of the most beautiful places on earth! What makes it so different/special to be there at this time of year as opposed to the summer and winter months?
LG - As a dark sky preserve, Jasper National Park offers a special experience to those visiting in the fall. With night falling a bit earlier each night, visitors are invited to power down and look up at the sky to experience the awesome power of the universe in a way that is only possible in one of the world’s largest dark sky preserves. With hiking and some summer activities still available (like hiking, camping, etc.), fall in Jasper offers both an opportunity to venture beyond and explore as well as to sit back, cuddle up with a warm blanket and hot drink and revel in the natural beauty of the night sky.

Bobak Ferdowsi - photo courtesy Tourism Jasper
 SMC - We are happy to post your advertising on our website www.starlightmusicchronicles.com over the course of this event on our event calendar as well as help promote it further in this feature on 'The Chronicles', our latest 'news' blog that is the origin of Starlight Music Chronicles. How do you feel about the media reception to this event such as we are offering?
LG - The media reception for the Dark Sky Festival has been increasing every year as the festival continues to grow. This year, we’ve seen media interest from across Canada, into the US and even overseas into the UK. The Dark Sky Festival is spreading out and reaching new audiences each year, and we couldn’t be happier. Tourism Jasper is so grateful to everyone who has helped and continues to help us share the Jasper Dark Sky Festival Presented by Rocky Mountaineer.

SMC - Lauren, can you tell us about the kinds of other community events that will be hosted during the festival aside from the guest speakers?
LG - It’s definitely a jam packed weekend with something to do at any time of day. There are numerous stargazing events to consider with the Jasper SkyTram, Sundog Tours, and the Jasper Planetarium, brew tours at the local brewery – Jasper Brewing Co., photography workshops, fireside yoga, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, the Big Bang Expo where there will be hands on scientific demonstrations and experiments to explore.
For a full list of events, please visit http://jasperdarksky.travel

Nadia Drake - photo courtesy Tourism Jasper

SMC - We would definitely be interested in running a segment on our website for next years’ festival in 2017! Where can media partners register for this and what are the kinds of credentials that they require?
LG - Media can submit themselves for consideration for next year’s Dark Sky Festival HERE. Because of the increasing popularity of the festival, we’ve already begun receiving requests for 2017. We’ve realized that it’s most effective to organize full media weekends with a coordinated itinerary to ensure that our visiting media experience everything that the festival has to offer.
We encourage any media interested in the festival to submit a request for consideration, our recommendation is to submit all information possible. Give us specifics about your interest in the festival, your media platforms and your following on each. The more information we receive for your request, the more we have to consider.

SMC - Lauren, I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. Last question: how do you feel having this event featured on the same website where many entertainment industry high caliber profiles globally have also been featured? This will be our first ever travel feature too! What are your thoughts on that also?

LG - Thank you for the opportunity to share the Jasper Dark Sky Festival Presented by Rocky Mountaineer. We’re thrilled to be included on your website among various high caliber entertainment profiles and we are honoured to lead the travel feature.

Tuesday, 2 August 2016

SMC announces NEW affiliate: ARTISTMAX & presents VIP Music Scholarship Program to 2016 Artists of the Year Winners!


by CA Marshall

We've been sitting on this little gem since our first email correspondence with the amazing team at ArtistMax out of Los Angeles, California and we've gotten the green light: after several months of correspondence, we are proud to announce that Starlight Music Chronicles is an OFFICIAL Media Ambassador for the prestigious ArtistMax music workshop program. 

Here's the buzz on the ArtistMax scholarship program as per their website:


'ArtistMax is a 3-day intense artist development workshop designed by industry professionals to teach a new generation the current music business and to discover tomorrow’s superstars. Presented by GRAMMY Award winning engineer, producer and author Ken Caillat, (Fleetwood Mac) and initially held at the World Famous Village Studios in Los Angeles, "ArtistMax gives developing artists access to the training, knowledge and coaching necessary to maximize their careers."  ArtistMax offers a real life chance to train with the top music professionals of today - panelists include recording studio engineers, producers, vocal coaches, image consultants, make up artists, social media experts, touring managers and artist managers. ArtistMax events have included appearances and panel discussions by a number of noted artists and producers, including GRAMMY award winning artist and songwriter Colbie Caillat, John Rzeznik, and Christina Perri.'




Here's where this announcement gets real interesting.....in partnering with ArtistMax as an Ambassador, we are able to also proudly announce that we were offered TWO VIP Scholarships to present to our winning Artists of the Year: (IAM)WARFACE and Olivia Penalva! Congratulations! 

Here's what the VIP Scholarship will include:

·         One on One Vocal Coaching
·    Official Artistmax Songwriting and Collaboration Course
·    Publishing, Contracts and Artist Management
·    Branding, Social Media and the "Pitch"
·    Recording Vocals in the Studio
·    Production Tools and Arrangement
·    Individual Songwriting Breakout Sessions
·    Stage Performance and Movement
·    Makeup, Image and Style
·    Featured Grammy Award Winning Producer/Engineer

For more information on the ArtistMax program, please refer to the social media links below or click on the video! We have added this amazing program to our roster of growing elite organizations on our website www.starlightmusicchronicles.com 



ArtistMax Social Media Links (Click to View):

Website
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Monday, 25 July 2016

Scott Patterson | GORDON: A force to be reckoned with GORDON debuts LIVE in West Virginia for Flood Relief



by CA Marshall

There’s a golden nugget waiting to be discovered in our Music Industry and it comes by the name of GORDON. I speak pretty strongly here when I make this claim so let me back up the bus a little and catch you all up to speed on what’s about to literally explode onto the music scene......

Since early June, 2016 when Los Angeles, California-based world renowned actor Scott Patterson tweeted out ‘The band prepping first two gigs! More info to come! #rockandroll #LAdebut #lovethemusic #RideTheBull’. As Editor of an established Music and Entertainment Website and online Magazine (Starlight Music Chronicles), my antennae immediately went up – this needed to be researched more.....

We are always on the lookout for new music and are happy to promote Indie Artists so this definitely had me subscribing to his Twitter account and following his tweets. I wanted to know more, see more, hear more....Here and there and up until this very moment while I am typing this feature, I would see snippets of what was to come. ‘In the Studio Recording’ was one. Then there were some video clips of the band at rehearsals followed by the Band Logo revealed on July 9th which read simply “GORDON (With a backwards `R`)  and the initials ‘R B S P T I D’” attached to the message: “July 29 Tractor Bar, Mt. Nebo, WV! 9-11pm. Flood Benefit. Tx 304-872-8100. Let’s Rock!’ On July 12th, Patterson posted “VIP/Meet-Greet/photos/autographs at Tractor Bar Mt Nebo WV 7/29/16, 2-6pm GORDON onstage @9PM!!” All of this followed by a clip of the song ‘Beautiful’, a deep bluesy soulful taste of what really is to come.

I put in the request to speak to Patterson immediately so that we could feature GORDON on Starlight Music Chronicles (SMC). After hearing the ‘Beautiful’ clip, I knew instinctively this was something the world is going to appreciate very quickly being that the music is what avid music junkies are seeking right now: a blues-based sound with a rock and roll twist topped with a little bit of Punk Rock perfected with powerful vocals (Patterson’s) that will blow your mind!

The debut for GORDON is not just going to be your average live show; it’s also a benefit concert for the families in small communities of West Virginia who have been affected by recent flooding. This is not only a bold move for a debut live show (most Artists will usually only debut for an album release), but every twitter sneak peek leading up to this event proves that it’s also going to be a ‘knock their socks off’ performance. After interviewing Patterson, it is clear that GORDON is a force to be reckoned with, bringing to the table a history rich with Rock and Roll roots and nothing short of magic to the ears.

Here is our exclusive debut interview with Patterson on all the info you will want to know on GORDON:

GORDON LOGO

-INTERVIEW, July 22, 2016 | Editor CA Marshall with Scott Patterson-

SMC – Hi Scott, thank you for taking the time to do this interview! Obviously this is your debut (for GORDON), and you have chosen a Benefit concert to be a part of that debut. I am curious to know a little about that but first, can you give us a little bit of a synopsis of the band and how it came to be?

SGP – Well, I’ve been in bands since I was in third grade and all the way through high school....and then when I came out to LA to pursue acting I was doing music as well. I was probably pursuing music as hard as I was pursuing Acting. Things weren’t happening on the acting side in any consistent way so I had a lot of time to write music (he’s written 500 songs!), and to play out in LA at the Kibitz room every Monday, which is a pretty famous venue. They’d have an open jam for people and you’d come in and get up on stage and play a set if you wanted to. I was in with the regulars there for about five years doing this. Right when I was starting to book real gigs in 2000, obstacles were placed in my way, good obstacles, but the music was put on hold. Since 2000, it’s been really hectic, busy, and great. Then there was a little bit of a lull, but then in June of this year, I was talking to a friend of mine from back in New Jersey (Patterson was Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Haddonfield, New Jersey) and we were talking about putting the old band back together. He’s a drummer and I grew up with him on the same street. He’s actually still a drum teacher back there in Southern New Jersey. So we are talking about the possibility of us joining forces  and then he referred me to somebody in the town next over, and they knew somebody, so it kind of started like that...then there were people out here (LA) that they knew so I got in touch with those people and I had been auditioning people for a couple of years trying to find the right guys, the right egos, the right players to fit together....there’s a lot of great musicians out here but I couldn’t quite find the right mix of people. It would get started and then it would fizzle pretty quickly for whatever reason. It`s not easy putting a band together. So anyway, I found some guys who were not only virtuoso players on their instruments, absolute monsters on their instruments, they’re really good guys. They are really excited to play together for this opportunity to get gigs. Nobody’s getting gigs! It’s really hard to play out live and get paid even a little bit of money.  It’s a hard business, a really hard business.

I write all of the material and the litmus test was (for band member enrollment) was going to be: are they going to hang around for my songs? Are they going to see the potential in the songs and they did. We’ve now been rehearsing for about six weeks now and we’re really beginning to come together as a band. The songs are sounding great and I’m very excited. Everybody is pretty excited. It’s going to be a big powerful sound. So I’m eager to start playing out and having fun!

SMC – I have listened to some of the clips you have tweeted out and I am blown away: the sound is very reminiscent yet it’s fresh and I think it’s something the world needs right now. How do you feel the music that is being generated and produced by other musicians is at this point? We’re missing a lot of really good Rock and Roll music as in times gone by!

SGP – Well, right, but look, every generation has their music, every generation has Sinatra, and everybody has their particular flavor what they produce and what they like. What’s out now is just really a reflection of who these kids are today and what they like. I’m not going to judge it. It’s just my experience and our experience was different. I grew up listening to the big classic rock bands of the 70’s: The Who, Led Zeppelin, Steppenwolf, you name it; I’ve seen all these bands when I was growing up. I made sure that when anybody was coming to town I was there at the area. Those were the most fun times of my youth were going to those concerts and getting lost in the music. A lot of what I hear today, yes, it’s a lot different. In the past 20 or 30 years there has been some music that hasn’t, shall we say, been honest? It’s kind of manufactured purely for the purposes of making money and I don’t see really, the Artists themselves  writing the music, it’s been written for them...but look, at the end of the day, it’s a business. What I’m looking to do is...well, you know, I write my own songs, I’ve written 500 songs. I have all kinds of songs: I have some that are attempting to be complex, and then I went into this phase where I thought the biggest challenge in popular music is to find a hook and something simple that people can really groove to and enjoy. So that’s been the challenge of the last several years is trying to come up with a set list of 15 or 16 songs that people will remember and enjoy but still pay homage to the era that I come from with the music that I grew up loving and the music that is in my bones. I think that the kids of today are very well versed in classic rock. When I sit down with a guitar, I’m not listening to songs of today and trying to emulate that kind of writing, it’s not what I do. What I do is blues based because that’s what I love. I am really trying to have fun with the music and I want the audience to have fun with the music as well. I think people get together at a venue and they want to have fun; they want to dance and enjoy the music and they want to feel happy and forget their troubles especially in this age we live in you know? So there you go, that’s it in a nutshell.

SMC – I was going to ask you about whether or not you write your own songs and what is the inspiration behind it. Specifically the song ‘Beautiful’ which you had up on twitter.....

SGP – That’s the song that came out of.... (He pauses reflecting) well, I had a son, a baby boy, and I started looking at the world differently and was looking at my own life differently and everybody else differently. That event changed me in profound ways as it always does for everybody who has a child. I wanted to share this new found ability to love, I guess, for lack of a better phrase, with the world! I was really thrilled that I was no longer bashful about it, I could take the armor off, and I could stop fighting in a sense.....look, it doesn’t matter who you are when your behind a microphone, that’s powerful and you’re spreading a message and for this 3-5 minutes of the song, I thought ‘What is this message going to be to these people for a good five minutes - why can’t I tell the people in the audience that they’re beautiful?’ It’s like what George Harrison did in his career is try to be a better person and try to convey a better message of love and peace. I just figured the world could use a good five minutes of that from my band.

SMC – We actually support an organization called Morgan’s Mission which stands for anti-bullying. By you saying the world has become hardened, it’s so true so it’s nice to know you have a song that stands for that.

SGP – Yes, well you know look, there’s a lot of people out there that aren’t doing too well, they don’t feel too good about themselves, and if they’re not what ‘corporate America’ wants them to look like, they’re depressed, bullied, and told that they don’t look right and they’re shamed in all kinds of ways, a very small percentage of those people are going to take their own lives and they’re 14 years old and 12 years old, it’s just the most tragic thing.

It goes back to how I write music. How I write a song – I will play around with my guitar and if I hit a chord or a certain chord progression the right way an entire story comes at me fully formed and I have to write it down pretty quickly. There are wormholes for songwriters and if you fall into one, and get into the right progression, there are some nice lyrics and songs out there. I don’t write songs first and then match the instrument to the song, that’s not how I write music.  I’ve been messing around with a lot of different tunings lately and you can hit some crazy chords! One chord I hit...I just love the song that came out of it. Again, its rock, its blues, and again, I don’t want to become too complicated with the songs. It’s really just the feeling behind them and the player’s ability to play the songs. Less is more for me. If I hit a chord, there’s a story that draws it out of me.

SMC – How much are you able to say about the band (GORDON)? It’s your middle name, correct?

SGP – Yes, it’s my Mother’s maiden name and my middle name.

SMC – So tell us a little about the Flood Relief concert, that’s the event you have chosen to debut and I am curious, there could be anywhere in the world that you could debut, why West Virginia? I see you are big into the humanitarian side, so we would like to know a little bit about that.

SGP – This Gentleman in Richwood, West Virginia reached out to me via twitter. They were hit historically hard with flooding. Approx 24 people died in White Sulphur Springs, Richwood, and Rainelle, West Virginia and other areas. He had tweeted out to a bunch of big country music stars and other music stars and somehow he included me in his tweets. I just was so taken by that. I read about what happened and I’ve been keeping abreast of the situation. His phone number was on the tweet so I called him and asked how I can help.

SMC – I bet he was surprised! (laughs)

SGP – He was really happy because I called him within 10 minutes of getting the tweet and I don’t think he heard from anybody else at that point.

SMC – That’s awesome! Good for you!

SGP – There are many, many chapters to this story, but it ended up being two benefit concerts. The first one is Friday night, July 29th at The Tractor Barn in Mt. Nebo, WV. Then July 30th, there will be a free concert in Summersville, WV which is right up the road, I believe, from Mt. Nebo, its outdoors at the pavilion downtown. They’re going to shut down the streets and rope off an area close to the stage and charge $25 per person for VIP access and everybody else is free. I’m going to do a ‘Meet and Greet’ for fans Friday from 2-6 pm at the Tractor Bar and then Saturday 2-6 pm at Maloney’s Sports Pub in downtown Summersville. The Tractor Bar show starts at 9pm for GORDON and the opening act is called the Carpenter Ants and they’re good players and I believe they are WV boys too so it’s going to be a fun time. They go on at 7pm Friday at The Tractor Barn and 6pm Saturday in Summersville followed by us at 8pm. So that’s how it happened. The Mayor of Summersville has gotten involved and he’s been doing a lot of heavy lifting getting this all together. It’s been a lot of work, yeah sure, I’m pretty tired at this point but these things are worth doing and there are people who are really hurting. Life’s been good to me and I’ve been very fortunate and now it’s time to try and help some folks out. I just thought it was the perfect way to debut the band, and these are really good guys in the band and when I told them about it (flood relief concert) they all wanted to do it. That’s why I chose these guys, because they are just good-hearted guys on top of being fantastic players, they’re just good people. Why not make a couple of concerts and try to help people take their minds of their troubles for a couple hours a day?

SMC – I know you say you’ve been involved in music at such a young age, yet I feel your band is going to go in a very strong direction very quickly.

SGP – Why do you feel that way? I share your optimism because the songs are solid and the band is just fantastic. But why do you feel that way?

SMC – Well, there’s a couple reasons: Number one – My impression from your twitter newsfeed about GORDON is that you’re very happy and excited about what you’re doing. It’s an excitement behind it, it’s not an ‘okay....well, we’re going through the process.....following protocol, we’re going to release on such and such a date, etc’, it’s more like ‘Hey everybody! Come out and join the party!’ and it’s rather refreshing. Secondly, I think that, with the music I have heard, this is what the world is wanting right now. I think that it is very fresh and enjoyable. It’s exactly what I imagined and you confirmed it just by talking about it.

SGP – Well listen, I have not been this passionate about anything in my entire life. I have never felt so great and so determined in my entire life. I have done some things where I have tried to build careers in different areas and I kind of know what it takes: It takes talent, hard work, patience, and you need to be on an even keel because there are highs and lows. I have been through that through a couple different careers now. The one thing that excites me about this and the one thing that was obvious to do was to do a live experience where I could connect with other people....I just started craving it. I could not be myself continuing solely in a profession where I had no contact while doing my job with an audience, you know what I mean? So the options were: Live Theatre or this. Music has always been, for me, the number one choice had I been able to choose a career. I thought to myself, well when the heck am I going to do it? I have to do it now (he laughs), I’m not 20 anymore.
Another reason I am so passionate about it is....my son is just two years old and he hasn’t seen me build anything yet. I’ve built a couple of different careers and one I was very successful but didn’t reach the ultimate goal and the other career I almost got all the way to the top of the mountain and ended up making a really great living but he hasn’t seen me do it. I want him to see me build something; I want him to see me enjoying it and see me successful at it so that’s what’s driving me. He sings songs with me and plays the guitar with me.

SMC – Are you kidding?! That’s so cute!

SGP – Yeah, he comes into my media room where I write and I’ll give him a guitar pick and he’ll hit the strings and he’ll sing along. I want my son to see me pursuing my passion because that’s what I want him to do. So there’s a lot of energy behind it.  I have a friend of 30 years come by and she didn’t have any idea (and she is in the music business) I was so heavily involved, and she said, ‘You have a band?’ (laughs) So I said, “Come by to the rehearsal studio!” She did and we had the best time. We played the whole set for her.

SMC – That’s great!

SGP- Those clips you heard were done a couple of weeks ago when we were just starting out. Since, we have recorded a couple of songs in one take, with no over dubs at all. I am talking to some people now about recording and working on our first album. I want to have something for people to hear obviously instead of these little clips here and there but we are just six weeks old and our band is just a little baby at this point.

SMC – Well thank you for considering us for the interview! We really appreciate getting to know the band while it’s still young!

SGP – Absolutely!

SMC – Do you want to remain ‘Indie’ or are you wanting to be signed by a label?

SGP – You know what I want to do? This is what I want to do: I want to play a lot of live shows for a lot of people. That’s what I want to do. That’s all I want to do.  I want to tour, be on the road, and bring my family with me all over the world. If at some point, someone wants to sign us, great! I just want to play live! I want the world to hear this band and there are times in rehearsal when I just stand there and I am amazed at what is hitting me in the back. It feels so good and I’m just so happy to be there. Look, it’s an intense band. These are intense songs.

SMC – Even better!

SGP – We’re looking to blow some doors off of some rooms. That’s what excites me...is the level of intensity of this band and how we can take a song I wrote 20 years ago and take it out of this moody, little quiet thing and rock it up and make it a powerful song and we do it. We have just finalized the set list that is most impactful to debut these songs. I don’t want to be a guy up there giving speeches and talking too much, I just want to keep people grooving for a couple hours at a time because I think that’s also a lost art and to share that with an audience would be monumental. Its contact with people and the world and I just feel a very powerful need and inspiration with my band and I am going to do it and nothing is going to stop me.

SMC – Would you ever consider coming to Canada?

SGP – Absolutely! We’d love to come to Canada. This WV concert is a lot of work but we are getting a lot of support from the Mayor and others. It’s really not a simple thing to put together and so many decisions that have to be made to make this come off right. We are looking at playing some benefit concerts on the Jersey Shore in mid-August. We are planning some bigger shows actually; maybe you can come down for those! Is there really anything better than going to a live concert? I don’t think so.

SMC – Do you have any co-writes in the future?

SGP – Well, I write all of the songs for now.

SMC – Have there been any interesting fan moments that you would like to share with the inception of GORDON?

SGP - Word is beginning to trickle out a little bit and everything that we have heard so far as feedback has been positive, just completely positive. People want to know more and are finding out where we are rehearsing and they are ‘stopping by’ saying ‘I was in the area’ and I say to them ‘Really? You’re just sort of stopping by here....really?’

SMC – So essentially, this is the ‘Golden Nugget’ in your career?

SGP – How can I say this....I am at a point in my life where.....there’s something far more interesting and deeper that is buried underneath your rage. There is something far more productive and artistic, you know, it is the heart and soul of art. I think I’ve finally gotten to that point in my life where I can wipe away bad memories and access some really golden stuff and enjoy it and share it with the world. That had a lot to do with the birth of my son and I am expressing it through the music. I should have probably named the band after my son because really, it’s me wanting to share the joy of my son with the world! (laughs). Now if everybody would do that, there would be a lot more music and a lot more peace right?

SMC – No Kidding! (laughs) Do you plan on having more children?

SGP – Oh yes! I like how this first one came out and I think I’ll do it again yeah.

SMC – Awe, nice! That’s great to hear!

SGP – Yeah, they’re wonderful. He’s wonderful.

SMC – Hoping for a daughter next time?

SGP – Maybe two boys and then a girl.....we’ll see....we’ll see....

SMC – Is it going to be far off into the future as far as recordings that will be available to the public?

SGP – I am talking to some people now and I want to be very careful about this because it is really important how the public hears this music for the first time. First impressions are everything. I want to do it right and I want to make sure that it`s the best quality tracks that we could possibly do at that moment before I share full songs with the world. I want to be really, really proud of it. I need to be impressed by it and I`m very demanding of myself and detail oriented. It just has to be great. I won`t share it unless it`s great. We have recorded five songs but I actually thought the power of the band wasn`t captured in those recordings so I will share little bits here and there but I think it`s important to come out guns blazing with some great tracks. You don`t get a second chance. I`d rather have people get a little frustrated with me than put out a product that I`m not proud of.

SMC – Understandable

SGP – Let`s just get some gigs under our belts because there’s a lot of mistakes and adjustments we need to make yet and we’ll learn as we go. Right now, it’s finding the right Producer who can structure and produce the songs with the sound we are creating and capable of.

SMC – Your logo, why does it have the numbers 1:11 on it?

SGP – That’s a tattoo I have on my left shoulder and the other one, in the middle of the logo, is another one I have on my right bicep. There’s meaning with them, all that kind of stuff, deep meaning. I just wanted to make the logo as personal as I possibly could.

SMC – It’s great! It’s very reflective of the band. With regards to your live performance, does the band feel like they can do a two hour show and walk off the stage feeling fine?

SGP – Let me put it to you this way: A three hour rehearsal for us is a short rehearsal and we go through the set list one and a half to two times in three hours with about a 15 minute break in between. After that, we are pretty spent...(laughs)

SMC – You boys are machines!

SGP – Thank God I am in good shape but I’m a pretty emotional guy as it turns out (laughs). That’s how I sing and that’s how I write.

SMC – How do you feel about how it’s all coming together?

SGP – I think we’re ready to play live. We were ready a month ago. They say playing one live gig is worth one week of rehearsal so I think we’re ready to get out there and learn what we need to do. We’ll put on a good show. People will enjoy it but we’re going to learn a lot. We’ll make some mistakes but we’ll learn a lot. I’ll forget some lyrics and they’ll forget some transitions, you know, it’s part of it....nothings perfect, it’s not going to be a seamless performance but we’re ready!

SMC – But the beauty in that is the audience hasn’t heard the full songs yet so they won’t know, and that’s the beauty in all of this. That’s what I am excited to hear about: is the audience’s reaction.

SGP – Well yeah, I write a variety of different styles too

SMC – Well I recall that we had talked about (in the beginning of the interview) different kinds of music that were your influences. Are there any Punk Rock influences you liked?

SGP – Patti Smith. I auditioned for her band when I was 15.

SMC – You’re kidding?

SGP – Oh yeah. You know she’s a South Jersey girl. She grew up where I grew up. When I was in high school, beginning my freshman year, I would go up to New York City to see her band every chance I would get. I would stay with my sister and I would see her perform at The Bottom Line (venue), speak at Amnesty International events, and I was in CBGB’s (venue) one night as a 15 year old with two of my sisters and she was standing there talking to some guy. He looked like he was a record Producer. She was wearing these Ray Ban’s with these blinders on the side...

SMC – I remember those!

SGP – Remember those tan leather blinders on the side?

SMC – Yep!

SGP – I went up to her....I am pretty bold and not terribly shy when I want something, and I just walked right up to her and interrupted their conversation and I said, “I’m from South Jersey too and I’m a big fan and I was wondering if you are looking for a keyboard player.” Then she pulled down her glasses a little bit toward the end of her nose and looked at me and said, “How old are you?’ (he laughs)

SMC – (Laughing) that’s awesome!

SGP - With Patti, she really started out the other way around. She started a band around her to match the words to some songs, I thought, with some terrific results. It was very unusual music very exciting music based on her inspirations and her love of great literature and French symbolist poetry and the alchemy of the work. She was trying to do what Rimbaud (French Poet) tried to do and achieve this kind of alchemy with her music. In my humble opinion she achieved that.

I also remember at that time I was listening to a lot of Led Zeppelin, The Stones, The Who, and who everybody else was listening to. Then she came along and I started listening to her on WMMR in Philadelphia was the big FM Radio station and they would do live broadcasts every Sunday night wherever she was playing. Those shows had just had incredible energy coming out of the radio and I just think: wouldn’t that be great to do that at The Tractor Bar on July 29th is have a live broadcast....because for me that was just so exciting as a young boy: the anticipation, waiting for that concert to be on the radio and having to hide the radio under the sheets because it was past my bedtime...you know....

SMC – That’s awesome!

SGP – Yes, and actually, after I had auditioned, I hadn’t heard anything.  A month later I saw her at an Amnesty International speech and we ended up backstage. Patti actually came up behind me and my sisters eyes went really wide and she said ‘Scott, turn around’ and, it was her. She said, ‘I remember you. How are you doing?’ I was totally star-struck again. I was gaga for the woman. We ended up having a nice conversation and afterwards, when we were walking out the door and taking a left down the Bowery and we weren’t 20 feet down the street when I heard this voice shout out ‘Hey!’ and its Patti Smith again standing there with some people. So I turned around and she shouts “Hey man! Good luck!’ For me, that was the biggest moment of my life. I kind of feel like I’ve been, how can I say – blessed by the Goddess right? You could say I was ‘Blessed by the Goddess poet Patti Smith’. It was a really nice moment which meant everything to me. She represented to me that somebody from south Jersey could get out of south Jersey and do big things you know what I mean? It was just a huge inspiration for me. It was a moment where someone I looked up to so much was so kind and beautiful to me. I will always love her for that. Those memories of seeing her in New York, those memories are deeply ingrained in me. To me, she represented artistic freedom, freedom of expression, living outside of society and not feeling like you have to fit in somewhere. She could be her own person and be proud of it and not really care what other people thought except what she thought. To me, she was self actualized and really loved herself and still does. Horses was such a deeply impactful and artistic album for me. You just can’t make that kind of album today, but I’m going to try!

SMC – I hope you do! Keep up the good work! For me it Bowie.

SGP – You know what? When Bowie died, it hit me harder than I expected it to. It was just because of his individuality and how unique he was and how bold and brilliant the music was. The song writing was so impactful. When I found out that he passed away, I was stunned. I just couldn’t move. Bowie was just (sighs)....Bowie was Bowie.....I sat in my media room and I wept. I was really in mourning. I knew Iman back in the late 80’s, we were friends before they got together....I wanted to reach out but, you know, it had been so long. I was just completely stunned and blown away. He wrote some beautiful songs. What an unbelievable loss to the music industry!

SMC – Yes, I totally agree.

SMC – You know, I’m going to have to see you live!

SGP – Absolutely!

SMC – So, there are a lot of Artists that go live and they sound nothing like they do in their recordings...

SGP – Yeah, well, we’re not going to have that. There’s a device now that you can put into your microphone so that live performances can get auto tuned through your mic. I’m not going to do that to my fans. If I go off-key then it’s on me. You know? We’ve got to keep it real for the fans. That’s how we record too. We record live and we just try to rock it as best we can. We want a real raw sound because our live sound is just so explosive we’re looking for a Producer who can capture that real like raw explosiveness.

SMC – NICE!  Someone needs to film this. I want to see the reaction! I have a feeling GORDON will appeal to a lot of different age groups really, because the younger crowd is looking for something new.

SGP – If the younger crowd is craving an iconic throwback 70’s rock band sound, that’s what we have. That’s what they’re going to get. We have searing lead guitar solos that will blow your mind, one of the guys’ plays a slide guitar that is absolutely wicked beyond wicked, the drummer is thunderous and he’s gifted. It’s just such a great sound. A lot of the songs are about life experiences.

SMC – Okay, can you name one of the songs you’ve written which still really affect you even to this day.

SGP – I think one of the most deeply emotional songs in the entire set is a song called ‘Christina’. I wrote it about a girl I knew a long time ago, but really, it could relate to anyone that wants to escape their circumstances as teenagers. Ones that are growing up in horrible circumstances and maybe some abusive circumstances and they long to leave and run away because they know that if they don’t leave, something bad could happen. It’s autobiographical and I realize why I liked the song so much is that I wrote it from experience: I was struggling to get out of my circumstances at the time as well. Those are always some of my favorite songs growing up are songs like that: songs about the need to escape, the need to get out, the need to know more about life. I think a lot of popular music comes from the need to pour one’s heart out into an instrument.  Let me sum it up for you: instead of therapy, you’re screaming into a microphone for three hours at a time. It’s wonderful. Even if you don’t have a band, you should buy yourself a microphone, get into a sound proof room and scream for a couple of hours. You’ll walk out feeling great! I’ve been screaming now for six weeks and it feels so right and good.

SMC – What do you want people to remember from this debut concert?

SGP – Our intention is to have people leave that theater exhausted and exhilarated and smiling and sweaty and hoarse you know? And their right or their left shoulders hurting from pumping their fists so much and their palms hurting from clapping so much. We’re not asking for much are we really?

Not at all Scott, not at all......
World, are you ready for the GORDON Storm?
Stay tuned......
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For those wanting to attend the West Virginia Flood Relief Concert to watch GORDON Live See Event Poster below: