Gaston Alive Magazine

If everything in life went according to plan, things may be easier, but it sure would be boring. Predictability may be preferred, but let’s face it, the times in our life when things went just a little haywire is what we remember most.

There once was a man named Murphy, and he had a law. He stated that if anything could go wrong, it probably will. Now, I don’t know much about this Murphy fellow, but I would bet he was in the music business at some time in his life. And chances are if you are in the music business, your band has probably opened up for him a time or two before. Here’s a little word to the wise – if you’re a control freak, don’t get into the music business.

If that doesn’t convince you, then I have over forty stories of how things can go awry. They are all nicely compiled in a brand new book entitled, Another Nightmare Gig From Hell, by Nick Zelinger and Belmont native, Tammy Brackett. Tammy Brackett has been in the music business for almost her entire life. She’s been on the touring and performing end of things, as well as the behind-the- scenes/business side of things. Tammy is currently the owner of Moonstruck Promotions, where she is involved in all aspects of the music business from career development to band dynamics.

Since Tammy has lived and breathed all things music for the bulk of her life, she brings a lot of stories of her own to the table. It wasn’t long ago when a mutual friend introduced her to Zelinger. He had this idea to compile great stories from other hardworking musicians who make a living playing music. Together, he and Tammy began to solicit these wild and crazy stories and compile them in a fashion where music and non- music people could enjoy them.

They say adversity introduces a man to himself. No matter what path you decide to embark upon, there is no guaranteed it will be paved. The music industry is no different. At the end of the day, it all comes down to passion. It’s the love of the music that gets musicians through the tough times.

Another Nightmare Gig From Hell, may sound like a collection of negative and depressing stories from the road. It’s not that at all. It’s touching. It’s uplifting. And even better, it’s funny. It’s life as it happens between the music. I like to think of this book as Chicken Soup for the Musician’s Soul…After Their Nightmare Gig. But something tells me that title may be already trademarked.

To learn more about Tammy Brackett and her new book, Another Nightmare Gig From Hell,
visit her online at www.nightmaregig.com.

April 21, 2012

These seems to be a day for everything these days. There is a day that helps us mourn the loss of socks gone by (Lost Sock Memorial Day, May 8), a day to toss out your old fruitcakes (Fruitcake Toss Day, Jan. 3), and even a day where we can celebrate talking like a pirate (Talk Like A Pirate Day, Sept. 19).
So there shouldn’t be any surprise that the record store has a day of its own too.

Record Store Day started over five years when a group of independent record store folks got together in effort to increase the awareness of the record store. At that time, many of the major record store retailers were closing down. And as a result, the media was declaring the end of the record store as we know it.

And while it’s true that the big chains have gone out of business, there are still plenty of independent record stores that are still open for business. There may not be as many brick-and-mortar record stores as there was fifteen years ago before Napster came along and changed the game, but there are still places that music lovers can go and purchase music.

It’s 2012 now, and the musical landscape has changed. But there is no question that people’s interest in music is still very much alive. It’s just the medium that has changed. But for those of us who grew up with record stores, the iTunes store just doesn’t quite have the same effect.

For me, a trip to a record store was a special experience. One step into the store, and it was almost sensory overload. The sounds, the smells, the sights – it’s hard to explain. It’s almost as if you had to to be there. But you can still be there by going to the fifth annual Record Store Day on Saturday, April 21.

When organizers rolled out this idea in 2008, approximately 200 independent record stores participated. This year, organizers expect anywhere between 800 – 1000 stores will take part in the day. However, don’t let the name Record Store Day fool you. It’s not a day that just celebrates the vinyl
record. It’s a day that celebrates music and the music lover, and everything else in between.

In an effort to make the event special, record labels are offering special product that can be purchased only at participating stories on this day. A lot of this does skew towards the vinyl end of things. But don’t let that stop you. Record Store Day is your chance to take in the sights and sounds. It’s a chance to buy that new artist you have hearing about or perhaps buy that classic album you lost along the way. It’s a day that says it’s OK to feel a little nostalgic. You can even make it special event by taking the kids or the grandkids. This time, Instead of telling them about the olden days, you can simply show them.

Here is a list of participating stores within a 40 mile radius of Gaston County:

• The Birdsnest-Davidson, NC
• Lunchbox Records-Charlotte, NC
• The Record Cellar-Rock Hill, SC
• Carousel Music-Gaffney, SC
• Play It Again Records, Tapes, CDs-Valdese, NC

To learn more about Record Store Day and to view a list of participating stores,
visit their website at www.recordstoreday.com.

by Ben Dungan – bdungan@charter.net

I was first introduced to Mike Strauss back in the early part of the 2000s. Back then, he was the lead guitarist in a six-piece band called The Dickens. Mike wasn’t a flashy player, nor was he supposed to be. In this musical configuration, he played his role perfectly.

Around this same time, Mike began to take more of a leadership role in other bands in the Charlotte area. He formed a band called The Beat Dukes as well as also started playing with two others in town performing under name Lilley, Strauss, and Schigoda.

But then in 2003, something changed – Mike went solo. He released his debut album, Gone Electric. As a result, his profile within the local music community was elevated. And as more people heard his album, he began to assert himself as a not just a role player in the Charlotte music scene, but as a major player in town. And he hasn’t slowed since that time. Mike has continued to write and record music. But in the last few years, Mike has really embraced the concept of a band again. In fact, his last two albums have been released under the banner of the Mike Strauss Band.

And as I write this today, Mike has a total of seven members in his band, including himself.

Songwriting can seem like a solitary process at times, but I get the sense that putting songs together with other like-minded individuals is where the magic happens. Why else would one add six members to his/her band?

Can you imagine the logistical and personality issues one would have to juggle with that many people working together? But for Mike, it works. Mike has this innate ability to craft, create, and arrange the songs he writes. One listen to his latest release, Crooked Road, and you will hear horns, fiddles, and my favorite instrument, the lap steel guitar.

It seems Mike has all of the pieces in place for his band. And the funny thing is, he never set out to find a full band. It just happened organically. Sometimes life hands us a wave we weren’t planning to catch. Sounds like to me this is a wave Mike Strauss and the members of his band plan to ride as long as they can.

The Mike Strauss Trio will be performing a free concert at the main branch of the Gaston County Public Library on Thursday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. For more information on Mike Strauss and to hear audio samples of his music, visit him online at MikeStrauss.net.

by Ben Dungan – bdungan@charter.net

When I think about song writing and songwriters, one person instantly comes to mind – Bob Dylan. Whether you love him or hate him, you can’t deny his song writing ability and the influence he has had on musicians that have come after him.

Song writing is more than just writing great lyrics. Being able to craft the right music to complement those great lyrics requires hard work, persistence and skill. And it usually doesn’t happen overnight. Unless, perhaps, your name is Bob Dylan. After Dylan emerged as the great songwriter, the musical world has been in search of the “next Bob Dylan”. Many have been given that title, but no one has quite stood out the way Dylan and his music has. Dylan is now 70 years old, and unfortunately, is not getting any younger. So now we look to the kids of today to find that next great songwriter.

Do you know who this could be? This is the question that organizers of Playing For Others are asking. Playing For Others is a leadership program for teens that are passionate about the arts. This program is multi-faceted in what it does, and one of the great events they host each year that helps raise awareness of the program and serves as a great recruitment tool is its annual song writing competition. The song writing competition, now in its fourth year, is open to all teens between the ages of 13 and 18 in any style of music. All you have to do is record a video of you performing your song and then post it to Youtube.com. (For more details see article end note). The deadline to enter is April 1.

Submissions are judged on a variety of criteria including music composition, musicality, lyrics (if applicable), originality, and more. After all submissions have been judged, the top ten finalists will be selected to perform on Saturday, April 28 in Charlotte at the Neighborhood Theatre for the live competition where the winners will be selected by a panel of judges and audience votes.
The prizes for this year’s competition are still being put together, but if last year was any indication, they should be top notch. Last year, the prizes that were awarded included recording studio time, and a performance spot at a Tosco Music Party, and more.

The song writing competition is an event for teens organized and hosted by teens. It gives these young adults who are enrolled in the program a glimpse of the work it takes put on an event of this caliber.

But more importantly, it gives these kids confidence – the confidence to take a big idea and make it come to life one detail at a time. Songs don’t just magically appear overnight, and neither do large scale productions like this song writing competition. Playing For Others fosters passions and builds confidence. And in a world where it’s easy for a kid to get off track, Playing For Others is an organization worth lifting up and celebrating.

by Ben Dungan – bdungan@charter.net

To learn more about Playing For Others and their 4th Annual Song writing Competition, visit them online at PlayingForOthers.org.

There is something special about a new year. It’s fresh and new – almost like a clean slate where one can start all over again. And if you had the year that Tony Rogers did in 2011, you’d be ready for a new year too.

Tony lost his wife, Robin Rogers, to liver cancer in mid-December of 2010. And at that time, the hope and promise of a new year was probably the farthest from his mind. He was just trying to survive.

If you rewind back a little over ten years ago, it was Robin and Tony Rogers making a big splash on the local music scene. With Robin’s heart-stopping vocals, and Tony’s guitar expertise, these two accomplished quite a bit in such a short period of time.

But it all came to an end when Robin passed away on Dec. 17, 2010. On that day, everything changed for Tony. It changed in ways most of us can not even imagine. Not only did Tony lose his wife and his best friend, but he also lost his musical and business partner.

So as you would expect, 2011 was a year of healing for Tony. It’s like they say – adversity introduces a man to himself. And after talking with Tony recently, it’s clear to me that he is ready to get out and make music again. And this time, he says it’s going to be on his terms.

This time around he is not going to worry about keeping record labels and booking agents happy. At this time in his life, he knows what makes him happy– learning and evolving in music.

This year officially kicks of that evolution. 2012 is the year that Tony moves from stage left to center stage. The way he figures it, if he can play and perform solo, he can do anything.

There will always be a need for talented guitar players. Tony knows he can always fall back to being a guitar player for hire if he wants to. That’s why his decision to go solo is so important. After all, if you can go it alone, you’ll always be able to make a living.

Tony has been playing in front of live audiences for many, many years. But with the spotlight shifting solely on him, he will be forced to tackle a new set of challenges he hasn’t had to face until now.

But he’s ready. And he’s motivated. I believe Tony knows good things are around the corner for him. He has hope. And as they say, hope produces movement – a new musical movement for 2012. Try to catch it, when it comes to your town.

Tony Rogers will be appearing at Freeman’s Irish Pub in Gastonia on Wednesday, February 1 at 8:00 p.m. For more information on future performances, friend him on Facebook.com.

by Ben Dungan - bdungan@charter.net