Iowa Music Showcase Songs: 2017-07-23

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

IOWA MUSIC SHOWCASE PODCAST - Episode 49: Iowa Rock Music

This month's podcast features rock music from Iowa that really hasn't fit nicely or neatly into any other category we featured before. So we have thrown all this mish-mash together in this one episode for your listening pleasure.

But it should give you an idea of the variety and breadth that Iowa's rock music can and does take.

IMSC posts and podcasts featuring rock music:
http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/search/label/rock%20music

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode49/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2049_.mp3

Photo by Allan Cotton
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-
the-definitive-rock-and-roll-guitar-
with-the-iowa-state-flag-seal-121932438.htm

Sunday, July 23, 2017

IMSC Ep 49 - Song 1: "Nets" by Clay Carnivore

All I know about this band is that they're a 3-man instrumental rock band that is into facemelting.

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Clay-Carnivore-122345637974545/

SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/clay-carnivore

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode49/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2049_.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2016, alternative rock, Clay Carnivore (band), Ep 049, Ep 059, Le Claire, Nets (song), Quad Cities area, Robert Shawver, rock music

IMSC Ep 49 - Song 2: "Frenzied and Furious" by Flannel Season

"Flannel Season (via urbandictionary.com) – 'The time of the year during which it is acceptable to wear flannel.' (duh!)

"These rockers are children of autumn and the grunge era. As a band, Flannel Season, cut it’s teeth on a slew of 90’s rock tunes ranging from Nirvana to Toadies to L7 and beyond. Recombining these elements with doomy aspects of modern stoner rock and just a general, all-around band handsomeness, Flannel Season has grown into one of the heavier and melodic rock bands of the Iowa City scene. Where there is a need for rock, heavy riffs, harmonies and beards, you will find these plaid-clad headbangers."
- from their Facebook page

Lineup:
Joe Finn - guitars, vocals
Matt Larson - drums, guitars, vocals
Claire Thoele - bass, vocals, piano

Photo by Mike Weber at ShadowFox Photography
https://www.facebook.com/shadowfoxphotography/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/flannelseason/

BandCamp:

https://flannelseason.bandcamp.com/

ReverbNation:

https://www.reverbnation.com/flannelseason

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode49/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2049_.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2016, Clare Thoele, Ep 049, Flannel Season (band), Frenzied and Furious (song), grunge, Iowa City, Iowa City area, Joe Finn, Matt Larson, rock (genre), rock music

IMSC Ep 49 - Song 3: "Helionauts" by Mad Monks

"Mad Monks combine vintage psychedelic progressive blues rock with the most deadly and forbidden forms of kung fu...

"I'm BATMAN! That is to say, WE are Batman. BATMEN 'R' US!...

"Mad Monks. Word, MONEY! For anyone who wishes Robert Fripp was a member of The Wu Tang Clan, we hope to fill that void."
- from their Facebook page

"The first thing that hit me about these guys is how they really conjure up that early '70's heavy psych feel. I'm not saying it sounds dated (and I would have had zero problems with that anyway)... but it really does have that over all essence of '70s psychedelic heavy rock. If you like stuff like Sir Lord Baltimore or the Pink Faries you will most likely get into these guys. Heck, these cats are a lot better than Atomic Rooster.

"There almost seems to be some kind of alchemical process at work here. James Edel's guitar snakes, twists and spirals around into a slow burn intensity and then seers. Truly some great psychedelic playing here. Matt Larson weaves in some real funky groove rhythms with his bass lines and Eric Dirks drums almost seem like he's playing jazz. Add Matt Larson's vocals into the mix and it all comes together into a cohesive solid sound that hits in all the right places. It's heavy yeah, but not necessarily in an immediate sense, there is a certain almost subtle intensity to it at times. I could almost expect to hear this on some cool film noir soundtrack. Like I said psychedelic, but also containing the right amounts of underlying funk and jazz elements that make this its own kind of animal. I have heard a number of bands try to do what these guys do. Many, probably most, fall flat. These guys have a real solid sound and pretty good musical chops.
- from a review on Bigfoot Diaries

"Vocals often evoke the elastic, psychedelic blues-rock wail of Cream's Jack Bruce, while the instrumental portion taps an aggressive mix of Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Guy (whose blistering over-amped guitar runs influenced and outlasted those seminal power-trios), the first incarnation of prog-godz King Crimson and the high-octane jazz fusion workouts of John McLauglin's Mahavishnu Orchestra. The sound is terrific, and the band's chops, timing and razor-sharp interaction are all impressive." - from Jim Musser of The Iowa City Press Citizen

"The New Story of the Mad Monks:

"This is the way the world begins, not with a band but a whimper...

"Deep in the emptiness, nothing stirred for ages. Blackness, or was it whiteness, protruded eternally and none were there to witness that which was not. In The Abyss, a hum quietly erupted and laid waste to the illusion of the void. It seemed we were not alone after all. Reaching beyond this electric illumination, a single finger tapped out a fretted note as if to say, 'Join us in awakening.' It was not long before the others gathered, rapping upon warped metals and seducing swells of harmony from their long silent homes.

"'One member born, apart from the rest, and May the 13th stood forever blessed.
In darkness that stretches the flair light was lit, those in tuned to the void opened eyes to a squint,
The beacon resounds with a sunburst profound,
The madness is misleading, but is never lost ground..."
-From "Prophecies of a Mad Monk," Author Unknown

"Less Dramatic Bio:

"Mad Monks formed ages ago, in 2006. Heavily influenced by early seventies prog-rock and blues, the quartet coalesced in the shape of drums, guitar, bass, and keyboards. The group experimented for a long time using King Crimson and Hendrix as launching pads to solidify the chemistry of the group. The music of the Monks quickly evolved into the highly structured psychosis that we have all grown to love.

"In 2008, keyboardist Jon Barder left to pursue other interests (life), and the Monks reverted to a trio. As a three-piece the monks again refined their sound, writing and editing old and new compositions until it was perceived that recording was necessary. In September of 2010, Mad Monks hit the ground running with the aid of Luke Tweedy at Flat Black Studios and recorded their first album. Ten tracks were interwoven and laid down to create a single artistic picture. This mixed material was then sent to Carl Saff Mastering in Chicago and the album is due to be released in January of 2011.

"During the recording process, certain melodic ideas were explored that required a fourth party to replicate live. In the hopes of recreating the sound the Monks achieved on this first album, they decided the time had come to officially enlist another member. In November of 2010, Sage Satterfield was ritually inducted into the Monastery, and the current Mad Monks were created."
-from their SoundCloud page

Lineup:
James Edel - Lead Guitar
Matt Larson - Lead Bass Guitar, Vocals
Eric Dirks - Lead Guitar, Drums

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MadMonks/

SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/mad-larson

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode49/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2049_.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2015, Ep 049, Eric Durks, heavy metal, Helionauts (song), Iowa City, Iowa City area, James Edel, Mad Monks (band), Matt Larson, metal music, prog rock, progressive (genre), rock music

Ep 49 - Song 4: "On Our Way to Jupiter" by Kevin Simnacher

"Old enough to know better, but not too old to ROCK!!!"
- from his Facebook page

"Kevin has played in various different bands over the years. Some just cover bands and a couple that actually wrote and recorded original material."
- from his BandCamp page

"KEVIN'S EARLY BEGINNINGS...

"Well, how early do we wanna go back? Kevin was once an embyo...

"First real stage experience was an 8th grade talent show where Kevin did a mean Johnny Cash impersonation, performing 'Folsom Prison Blues' and 'A Boy Named Sue', winning 1st place. But that was kind of 'nerdy' as most of his peers were into the rock scene at that age. It took a few years to shake that 'Johnny Cash' image as Kevin pursued the 'hipper' rock persona. His first band experiences evolved into the group 'Ratler' based out of his hometown of Vinton, Iowa. Eventually touring the bar circuit in 13 states by 1983, Kevin had some good road experience but no band left as each bandmate ended up marrying and dropping out of the band scene...

"Talk about diversity! The year was 1997, and the Cedar Rapids music scene was either blues-based or country. Kevin got to expand his musical vocabulary by joining the ranks of Cedar Rapids band "Tan Yer Hide", consisting of former rockers turned "NEW" country musicians. Kevin's main responsibilities included covering all of the "fiddle" and "pedal steel" parts, but gravitated towards more "classic-rock" parts as the Cedar Rapids club music scene began to change back toward mainstream and "classic" rock formats.
- from his homepage

Lineup:
Kevin Simnacher - instruments, vocals
Kraig "Wildcat" Spratt - drums

Home page:
http://www.kevinsimnacher.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/kevin.simnachermusic/

BandCamp:
https://kevinsimnacher.bandcamp.com/

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode49/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2049_.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2013, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids area, Ep 049, hard rock, Kevin Simnacher, Kevin Spratt, On Our Way to Jupiter (song), rock music, space music

Ep 49 - Song 5: "Rat Rod Patrol" by Rat Rod Riot

"RaT RoD RiOT the Worlds 1st 'Rat Rock & Roll" Band!' We Record/Write and Play a music that we call Rat Rock & Roll. We're all about the Rat Rod culture and lifestyle. RaT RoD RiOT is the brain child of Sir Butch Bach whom is the bands Drummer, Producer and Song Writer. Sir Butch Bach invented the music style Rat Rock because of it's musical similarities to the Rat Rod car. What's a Rat Rod? According to Rat Rod Magazine, '"A Rat Rod is a blue-collar hot rod. Rat Rods are the working-class persons answer to high-buck hot rods and all the pageantry and ego that seems to go along with them. Rat Rods are about heart, history, and having a good time. Rat Rods are not about ego on who has the most seamless clone of the car next to it. Rat rodders embrace imperfection & individuality. Rat Rods are not about the money you spend on your car. That’s the beauty of the Rat Rod scene. You can create something that represents your personality down to every fine detail, and you can do it within your means. No one can tell you it’s right or wrong.' Rat Rock is the musicians version of a Rat Rod. Rat Rock music is created with the use of inexpensive low-end guitars,amps,drums,recording equipment and microphones. No fancy recording techniques, No heavy overdubbing, No heavy multi-tracking and as with Rat Rods. No ego. Rat Rock & Roll is about having a good time performing on low end cheap musical instruments. Rat Rock & Roll is not about how much money you spend on a musical instrument nor how shinny and pristine it looks or how perfect it might sound. Rat Rock & Roll is just about heart,creativity and fun.Rat Rockers embrace imperfections & individuality because it keeps it real. Rat Rock & Roll is about how unpolished your instrument looks and sounds and how much the song you create sounds hardly like anything that's already been done before but yet reflects everything or anything from rock history past. That’s the beauty of the Rat Rod scene and the same applies to Rat Rock & Roll music. Rat Rockers create their instruments to look and sound like something that represents their personality. And the same applies when creating and recording Rat Rock & Roll. No one can tell you it’s right or wrong. It's all you. That's the world of Rat Rods and Rat Rock & Roll. So drive a Rat Rod, Play in a Rat Rock & Roll Band or just be a fan of the rocking new Rat Rod culture and RaT RoD RiOT!!"
- from their Facebook page

Lineup:
Moses Hendrix - Guitar
Dodge Royce - Bass
Sir Butch Bach - Drums & Vocals

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ratrodriot/

BandCamp:
https://ratrodriot.bandcamp.com/

ReverbNation:
https://www.reverbnation.com/ratrodriot

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode49/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2049_.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2016, Butch Bach, Des Moines, Des Moines area, Dodge Royce, Ep 049, Moses Hendrix, Rat Rod Patrol (song), rat rod rock & roll, rock music, rockabilly, Rot Rod Riot (band)

ISMC Ep 49 - Song 6: "Floyd Bumpers Jr" by knubby

"knubby is a power rock trio from Cedar Rapids."
- from their Facebook page

"knubby is a no-nonsense 3-piece rock band comprised of veterans of numerous Cedar Rapids area bands.

"You've heard the rest, now hear more. Welcome to knubby time!'
- from their home page

Lineup:
John Morgan - drums
Chad Willenborg - guitar/vocals
Jim Scharosch - bass/vocals

Home page:
http://www.knubby.net/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/knubbyrocks/

ReverbNation:
https://www.reverbnation.com/knubby

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode49/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2049_.mp3

Labels: 2010s, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids area, Chad Willenborg, Ep 049, Floyd Bumpers Jr (song), Jim Scharosch, John Morgan, knubby (band), power pop, rock music

IMSC Ep 49 - Song 7: "Author of Fate" by Dave Paris

"A virtuoso guitarist, Dave Paris has appeared on stage and recordings in multiple genres including rock, metal, country, jazz, gospel, pop, symphonic, and acoustic.

"He also fronts his own band, the Dave Paris Group. This power-trio combines technical precision with good time jams, while straddling the lines between hard/modern rock, blues, prog, and acoustic. The vocals of bassist/keyboardist Barbe Paris give the band an edgy rock sound in the vein of Flyleaf, Evanescence, Alter Bridge, Foo Fighters, Disciple, and Nightwish."
- from his Facebook page

"Cedar Rapids, Iowa, guitarist Dave Paris may not exactly be a household name, but his musical contributions have been part of national and international projects, and his reputation as a rising-star guitar player is spreading quickly.

"Whether it’s internet rock radio, a folk program on an AM station in South Dakota, a new country single garnishing national airplay, background music pumping up a crowd at a roller derby event, a symphonic rock Christmas single, or hard rock Christian stations in Europe, These are but a few places his versatility has been utilized, and his guitar playing and writing style fit right in.

"Dave’s contributions in the recording studio keeps him “genre-jumping” between artists, studios, and sessions."
- from his home page

"Since 2006, the Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Dave Paris Group has been amazing and inspiring audiences. With a meld of aggressive guitar-fueled modern and blues instrumentals in the vein of Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, and Steve Vai, the band also performs their original vocal tunes with a "Alter Bridge meets Evanescence" style featuring bassist/vocalist/keybordist. The group has performed at clubs, fairs and festivals.

"Guitar virtuoso Dave Paris is truly a "guitar player's guitar player." His versatility has been seen and heard in many genres outside of his own group. As a private guitar instructor, Dave often conducts clinics at youth groups and venues where his band plays. He also performs as a solo acoustic artist, covering classical and jazz arrangements in coffeehouses, and has opened for jazz saxophonist Walter Beasley. Dave is also the guitarist for Diana Upton Hill, a Southeast Iowa performer who's "Pop Orchestra" features a full band and string section, and packs auditoriums with a Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra oriented Christmas program."
- from his ReverbNation page

Lineup:
Dave Paris - guitar, vocals
Barbe Paris - bass, keyboards
Miles Damaso - drums

Cast of Thousands Photography
http://castofthousandsphotography.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CastofThousandsPhotography/

Home page:

http://www.daveparis.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/DaveParisMusic/

ReverbNation:
https://www.reverbnation.com/daveparis

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode49/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2049_.mp3

Labels: 2010s, 2015, Author of Fate (song), Barbe Paris, Cedar Rapids area, Christian (genre), Christian music, Dave Paris, Ep 049, instrumental, Miles Damaso, rock music