Standing at a towering 6'8", caramel complexioned, handsome features, and blessed with a voice that could melt frozen butter is how one could accurately describe Montell Jordan.
Montell is part of a rare breed of male R&B vocalists who possess both the smooth, church-honed style of a Teddy Pendergrass or Marvin Gaye, that can also swing with the raw, street sounds found in the Hip-Hop arena.
Growing up knee-deep in South Central Los Angeles, his experience in the hood was a typical of the notorious gangsta life. "Yeah, I got jumped coming home from school. I lived in a really bad area and being involved in the church kept me out of trouble on Saturdays. I could tell you the stories about playing ball around the corner while The Bloods and The Crips were shooting because I've been there. My story is that even through all that sh*t that goes on in the inner city and in South Central, somehow I didn't gangbang and found a way to go to church and college."
Montell's love affair with music began with playing piano in church at the tender age of 11, and later learning to play several instruments including alto sax and percussion. Though influenced by the music of Stevie Wonder, Nat King Cole and Sammy Davis Jr., Montell couldn't envision a career in music and did not actually start singing until he was 16. He continued his education by enrolling and earning a degree in Organizational Communications at Pepperdine University, while keeping an ear in music. "I was studying and preparing to go to Law school. That's when I joined a music group and learned about jazz music. During that time, I hooked up with a Hip-Hop producer named Chi-Luv who was really into mixing and deejaying, and we started working together."
On his riveting 12 track debut album, This is How We Do It [on Def jam], Montell Jordan has successfully bridged the gap between traditional R&B harmonies and phat beats that equal slammin' tracks.
"I produced and wrote lyrics for every track on the album (O j i Pierce co-produced)," says Montell proudly. "I wanted to do it to present me as an artist, a self-contained entity. I have to sing my songs from experiences. I can't lie and say it was made up." With his impressive album debut keeping it real, Montell Jordan deserves recognition within the elite "MJ" class.
Dmx the dog of the squad was born December 18, 1970 in Baltimore Maryland in the projects. His family knew in the area he lived that he would get in trouble alot so he moved to Yonkers New York with his aunt. There he showed a talent in music. He was signed to Columbia Records where his first album was brought out called Born Loser. Peepz wasn't feeling him then in 1996..so he had to come out wiht something rougher and harder. That's when he started appearing on artists songs such as LL cool J, John forte, The Lox , Ma$e and many more.
Peepz was feeling him then so he knew he had to come out with something strong to keep him image alive. That's when 98 came around and he brought out It's Dark and Hell is Hot was under Def Jams Records which sold 3 million copies. Now he is one of the best Eastcost rappers alive. He says he started rappering for the ladies and if he wasn't the best rapper right now he would have been stop rappering...but he is the best.So lets welcome Dmx to our world...Where my doggs at.
If there was one defining characteristic to hip hop in 1997, it was the jiggy factor- an aesthetic of unapologetic flash, fashion and glamour that ruled everything around us and made hip hop life nice and organized. Of course, for each movement there always exists a counter-movement; for each yin there is a yang; and for each designer-label clad champagne sipper, there must be an uncompromised figure lurking in the shadows, ready and willing to reclaim rap from the penthouse to the pavement. Embracing this return to the anarchy, enraged and raw, Def Jam Records presents 1998 as the Year of Pandemonium.
The human embodiment of such exhilarating and unadulterated chaos exists in none other than Ruff Ryders/Def Jam's very latest lyrical sensation, DMX. "I love to write rhymes," says the Yonkers-born MC. "I love to express what real niggas feel, what street niggas feel. They need to be heard. They need to know there is a voice that speaks for them, and I am that voice." Within the tumultuous annals of hip hop's dog-eat-dog history, second chance opportunities are few and far between. However, every now and then the experienced and distinguished bark of a particularly cagey canine re-emerges from rap's chaotic kennels, representing the triumph and perseverance inherent in true greatness.
Winner of The Source magazine's prestigious "Unsigned Hype" award for January of 1991, the native of Yonkers, New York has recently crashed the airwaves and mix tape circuit with a number of unforgettable guest appearances (LL Cool J's "4,3,2,1," Mase's "24 Hours to Live," Mic Geronimo's "Usual Suspects," The Lox's "Money, Power and Respect," Ice Cube's "We Be Clubbin' (Remix)" and Onyx's "Shut 'em Down",) inducing a fever pitch buzz for the release of his kinetic debut single for Ruff Ryders/Def Jam, "Get At Me Dog."
Utilizing a classic, tension-filled BT Express guitar sample, the single's keen balance of street grit and dance floor bounce provides the perfect backdrop for the Dark Man X's unshakably aggressive vocal delivery; one whose distinctively hoarse timbre is but the table setter for his main course of irrepressible rhyme: What must I go through to show you shit is real And I ain't never really gave a fuck how niggas feel I rob and I steal Not cuz I want to, cuz I have to And don't make me show you what the mac do If you don't know by now you slippin' I'm on some bullshit that's got me jackin' niggas, flippin' Let my man and them stay pretty, but I'm a stay shitty Cruddy, it's all for the money Is you with me? Despite all the excitement that currently surrounds him, only a select, informed crew of heads may recall DMX? first go around (with the 1992 promotional single, "Born Loser") for Columbia Records.
Like many talented MC? signed to their first deal, X was left in the unfortunate scenario of languishing while other artists on the label? roster prospered. "Columbia tried to put me behind other groups," DMX reflects of the situation. "They were like, 'Well, we're gonna put out Kriss Kross, then we're gonna put out Cypress Hill and then we're gonna put you out.' And I was like, 'Well I'm better than all of them niggas.' So I didn't wanna wait. They let me out of the contract and I'm glad that they did." "I always knew there would be a point when someone would say, 'Somebody needs to make money off this nigga cus he's hot'. That's when Irv Gotti brought me to Lyor Cohen at Def Jam. I guess it's that point now. I guess the world wasn't ready for the gutter until now. Now they ready for the gutter shit, so now they get the fuckin' gutter."
Having originally earned his name by way of his human beat boxing expertise, DMX later experimented with other acronyms true to his evolving, revolutionary vocal steez (Divine Master of the Unknown) while honing his skills around his home in Yonkers' School Street Projects. Along the way, he bumped heads and built long-lasting friendships with fellow Y-O residents and Bad Boy Recording artists, The Lox. "Those are the pups," DMX says of Bad Boy's latest rising stars. "I trained 'em, raised 'em, they doin' their thing and I'm proud of them. I didn't teach I em everything they knew cuz they were doin' it before me, but I influenced them."
With the entire Yonkers crew helping out on It's Dark And Hell Is Hot, on the smoldering "Niggaz Done Started Something," the bonds obviously remain strong. The Album's additional sterling guest spots include Brooklyn's finest, Jay-Z, adding his acid-tongued wit and wisdom to the downtempo stinger, "Murdergram," along-side Ja who makes an impactful debut. But ultimately it's the range, cleverness and fierceness of DMX's solo showcases that truly distinguishes It's Dark And Hell Is Hot from the remainder of the rap hordes. A startling descending string line provides a dramatic backdrop for "Stop Being Greedy's," philosophies of rap economic opportunity.
"Crime Story," produced by Irv Gotti, finds DMX dropping a compelling heist-and-duck narrative over a slinky, Blaxploitation flick-style bassline-and-congas rhythm track. In the tradition of lyrical giants like Slick Rick and Biggie Smalls, "Damien," finds our hero trading verses with himself in the character of a fake friend with evil intentions. Meanwhile, "How's It Goin' Down?" displays the male and female scenario of this dog's persona via a romantic episode without your typical sappy-ass ending. All of which re-affirms DMX's role as one of hip hop's most exciting "new" voices.
If the uncompromising nature of It's Dark And Hell Is Hot, musical menu isn't enough to intrigue the fickle minds of rap fanatics, leave it to this human pitbull's own description of his newest creations to cut right to the heart of matters: "It's the same shit they been gettin', man: Raw dog, no condom, straight in the ass, real" This dog's day has arrived. Get at DMX.
Lately he's been away for a while, writing a book "E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX"(with Smokey D. Fontaine), making a movie "Cradle 2 The Grave"(with martial-arts star Jet Li) and working on his fifth album "It's Not A Game", which was originally slated for a fall 2002 realease.
DMX has been married for 13 years to his wife Tashera Simmons. They have three sons: Xavier, Tacoma and Shawn.
Anyone that knows Edsel Dope, knows one of two people--one of the hardest working artists in the music industry, or a complete mental case who's probably dropped his pants in front of you and screamed, "Touch it, you know you want to..." Either way, one thing is for certain--he's one of a kind, and is the visionary behind one of the most explosive and underrated acts in music. Dope--Edsel, guitarist Virus, bassist Sloane "Mosey" Jentry, and drummer Racci Shay--are more than a dreadlocked rock band with industrial roots, they're four combustible personalities that combine Guns N' Roses' Appetite For Destruction, with a modern edge that recalls Motley Crue's eagerness to "Shout At The Devil." At the helm of the madness, Edsel Dope fronts the band with all the piss and vinegar of the New York City streets his band was founded on, brilliance and arrogance rolled into one tightly wound powder keg, primed to explode at any moment.
With the release of Group Therapy, the band's third album, the keg is packed, the fuse is lit, and Dope are hell-bent on making their loudest statement to date. Released on their own Recon Records, and partnered with Artemis Records, the album takes listeners on a journey into a realm where music is more than a catchy radio single or a hi-definition video with little sonic-boom to back it up. Group Therapy offers thirteen tracks that run the gamut from the frenetic pacing of "Paranoia" and the scalding surge of "Burn," to the more emotive and melody-driven "Another Day Goes By" and "Sing," encompassing everything we've come to expect from the band's previous releases, while stretching their extremes throughout. "On the lighter stuff, it remained lighter, but not as dark. The lighter stuff on the last record was still a little dark," says the frontman. "We did mix it up a bit, though. With a song like 'Now Is The Time,' that's one of the heaviest songs on the record, but it's got a three-part harmony in the chorus. Or a song like 'I Am'--that's really singable, but I'm screaming, 'Fuck you, I am what I am' throughout the song. We kind of just did what we wanted to do this time, and wrote songs that we thought made sense with what was going on in my head, while putting a good foot forward for the band both musically and conceptually--it's dreadlocks, mohawks, melodies and metal."
While the seismic assault of the music is enough to rattle anyone's foundation, it's Dope's vision that sends the band careening past their contemporaries. While the band's said dreadlocks and mohawks do their fair share in contributing to the band's rock 'n' roll image, style is just the tip of the iceberg when the frontman hails his band's visual dynamic. "I don't know that it's important in the big scheme, but it's very important to me," he says of his band's image. "It's not important to me in that image is the way we look, it's more in the way that the band is represented. It doesn't stop at the fact that I have dreadlocks or dress a certain way, it goes into the way your record looks when you open it up and go through the artwork, and your website, and your stage--it's all part of the package, and it's very important for me to go above and beyond the call of duty to put forth an entertaining spectacle for my fans."
Hence his eagerness to turn Group Therapy into a multi-faceted listening experience, a musical adventure that captures not only the essence of the band's music, but also of their live spectacle and visual overload. "Watch the album," declares the band's namesake, and he's put his money where his mouth his, producing a full-length music video for each of the album's thirteen tracks, and including the videos on the album release. "This never would have been possible without starting our own label," claims Edsel. "The major labels have a specific format that they're used to following and they don't think outside the box. I wanted to break all the rules this time and provide an overload of content, while showing everyone that you don't have to jack up the price to do so." This multi-media onslaught will sell for $12.98, far less than the band's previous major label release which contained no multi-media section at all. "This band has never just been about listening. I like the idea that this band makes you want to speed while you're driving down the road, because it makes you feel adrenalized, but I also like the idea that while you're sitting on your laptop, emailing and IMing your friends, you can pop the Dope record in and watch it while you're listening to it. That's image. That's what's important to us, to put forth an entire, well-rounded package. That's what makes me happy and makes me feel good, because we've worked hard to make all this happen. If it doesn't sell five copies, will I care? Of course I'll care, but at the same time, I know it's fucking killer, and if you don't get it, that's just too fucking bad..."
"Especially on this album, there are very broad scopes of where this band can go, and that's been the goal ever since we got deemed a one-trick pony on the first record, when no one wanted to talk about the music, they just wanted to talk about my Dope image and the fact that I used to sell drugs," continues the frontman. "So making this record, unlike the last one, it was just me and my band--mainly my guitar player "Virus" , really--sitting in a room. We made the decisions, and it's only been the decision of me, Virus, and the band around us that made this album come to fruition. This record was done in a real old-school Dope way--a couple of guys sitting around in a bedroom with a bong, some beer, and lots and lots of hours...Because of that, I think it's a dirtier record, and it's more of a fun record to play live. Dope's always going to be about a raunchy, dirty groove, but I think nowadays we need to push ourselves to make that groove a little smarter than it was five years ago. I feel like we've combined the spirit of Appetite For Destruction and G'N'R's Lies into one record--we've got 'Patience,' and we've got 'Welcome To The Jungle.' There's something for everyone on this record, and once you get invited into our world, you usually stay in it. There aren't a lot of people who see Dope live, whether we're headlining or opening for someone else, who don't like Dope's music or Dope's live show. There might be people that don't like me, but that's not the point," the singer says with a laugh.
The point is, with Dope, we've got a band that embraces and epitomizes everything that isn't wrong with the music industry in 21st Century. Instead of making excuses, they've taken action, and instead of pointing fingers, they raise their middle ones. "We've just taken back that state of mind that this band has had since the beginning," says Edsel. "We're in control of our own destiny, and we're not going to let anyone else change that." And whether you love them or hate them, for that, you've got to respect them. While the rest of the music industry cries about how things used to be, Dope are stepping to the forefront and showing people how it should be.
Don't be scared, a little Group Therapy never hurt anyone…
Promoe (Mårten Edh) is a Swedish emcee, and member of Swedish hip-hop group, Looptroop Rockers. Promoe has released three albums and quite a few 12”s. Promoe’s albums to date are: Government Music, Long Distance Runner, and White Man’s Burden. The label is Looptroops own, David versus Goliath (DvsG), which is distributed through Burning Heart. Soundism has given their sound treatment to most of Promoe’s recent releases.
Promoe got regonition from the first of the albums but increasingly so with the second album, which made the charts properly, in Sweden and worldwide.
The lyrics have always been political, though slightly shifting in nature.
Government Music, with its cover art borrowing from the the legacy of Aleksandr Rodchenko, and a song bearing ode to the Orwellian George Lucas motion picture THX 1138.
Long Distance Runner, where Promoe started to get heavily into a more ethical perspective with him clad in a big white dress on the album cover and moving the focus a bit to also include subjects such as abstinence from drugs and alcohol.
White Man’s Burden, borrowing it’s title from Kipling’s poem with the same name deals in great detail with contradictory nature of being a white rapping/toasting rasta like artist recording in Jamaica and at the same time being conscious of subjects such as feminism and racism.
Mining Israelian Goa trance of its hottest intensities, Infected Mushroom remain one of the Middle East's biggest international cult successes. Erez Aizen's cheap background in obsessed bedroom computer tinkering had led him into and out of a number of crude dance efforts, and when a mutual friend suggested he should get together with Amit Duvdevani, a trash metal fan who had just returned from an aborted career path in India, the two found enough in common to surreptitiously explore the rising psychedelic trends pouring out the nation's clubs. The results -- 1998's The Gathering, which was heavily inspired by the surreal ambient dance of Simon Posford, X-Dream, and Transwave, and 2000's Classical Mushroom, an aggressively melodic trance LP that broke the European, Japanese, and American markets -- elevated Infected Mushroom to one of Israel's key trance producing duos.
In the year 1991 A.D., Type O Negative arose from the decaying remains of the neo-barbaric thermonuclear warriors known as Carnivore. Together once again were bassist/vocalist Peter Steele and keyboardist Josh Silver, who had not stood on the same stage since the death of Fallout. This time, they were joined by guitarist Kenny Hickey and drummer Sal Abruscato. Their first release was 1991's Slow Deep & Hard, an angry cry from Peter Steele to the cold world. I don't care what anyone says, I love this album and it's quite possibly their greatest. Steele's lyrical contents included such topics as infidelity, public opinions, women [big surprise], suicide, and more. With most bands, the first album gets to be real boring after a while or in some cases is the worst talent-wise; but I could say no such things about this album.
One year later, the band supposedly recorded live at Brighton Beach, the release was titled The Origin of the Feces [with quite an appropriate cover, it's out of print now...for obvious reasons; what a shame!]. Just so you know, this album is not a live record. In fact, that's a pretty well-known thing by now. Obviously, this is why the original version said NOT LIVE AT BRIGHTON BEACH at the bottom of the cover. The band was asked to do a live album by Roadrunner, and to save money they recorded in a studio and put the voices/crowd in afterwards... is that genius, or what? Frontman Steele did all the talking, and between the songs it was made quite clear that Peter had a personality to match his ominous stature and angry lyrics as he threw insults back at the rude crowd.
Tough guy, he's even been stabbed (probably more than once). Half-way into the show, as they led from "Gravity" into "Pain" [part of "Prelude to Agony"], Peter got word of a bomb threat [heh heh] and asked the crowd to leave the club. Obviously, the show eventualy continued. Personally, I used to prefer this album over the previous one because the "live" cuts of the songs seemed so much kooler, but lately I have been listening again to the original Slow Deep & Hard material more.
Somewhere between The Origin of the Feces and 1993's Bloody Kisses, Peter was transformed. I don't mean to speak on behalf of him, but the musical style and lyrical content began to shift. The songs became more tragic, and Peter's anger was diminishing as he became more like a victim with a broken heart than the enraged man he was. The band's first big hits were from this release. "Black Number One" and "Christian Woman" [both with videos] finally got Peter and company on the airwaves...of course, it took a great deal of censoring first [on account of lengths and content of the songs]. Unfortunately, drummer Sal Abruscato split with the band to join Life Of Agony; a venture he obviously saw as more profitable [his loss]. Johnny Kelly fell off a bar stool and took over drums for the Bloody Kisses shows. The Lords of Flatbush finally made it big; and toured with such bands as Motley Crue, Nine Inch Nails, God Lives Underwater, Queensyche, and other bands.
Another version of Bloody Kisses was released...this time in digipak [cardboard] version with a bonus track "Suspended in Dusk." Not only was an extra song added, but a few were cut such as the ingenius "We Hate Everyone" and many little non-musical bits which were scattered between the tracks on the previous version such as "Machine Skrew" and "Fay Wray Come Out and Play." Luckily, I stumbled upon an import from Germany called Live, Rare, & Hard which had "Suspended in Dusk," perverse/humorous version of "Summer Breeze," the radio edits of "Black No. 1" and "Christian Woman," and some live Carnivore material.
[supposedly there are only 300 copies of this release in existence, don't ask me how I got lucky enough to get one]. The Origin of the Feces was also re-released with a new cover [obviously the old one was not suitable especially since circulation of this album to record stores increased, too bad] and a bonus track, Black Sabbath's "Paranoid," however it has a touch of "Iron Man" in it too.
After plenty of touring, Type O Negative released October Rust in 1996. It was a long-awaited follow-up to Bloody Kisses...and far from a disappointment! The material on October Rust is a far cry from any Carnivore material [well except for "The Glorious Liberation of the People's Technocratic Republic of Vinnland by the Combined Forces of Europa" which might fit on a Carnivore album if it were 'roughed up' a bit].
Type O Negative's sound may have fully-matured with this latest release. It's very romantik music in a dark way. There's still some sarcasm mixed in there...would it be a Type O Negative release without it?? October Rust subjects the listener's mind to tragedy, romance, deviance, and darkness. So far there are two videos: "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend" and "Love You To Death"... although I have not seen MGG yet. Type O fans, please don't sit around waiting for MTV to play them. Since the release of October Rust, i have become fairly disenchanted with the album. For some reason, it didn't hold my interests the way their other releases have.
Fortunately, the Fall of 1999 brought with it the release of Type O Negative's fifth album, World Coming Down. This album is everything that October Rust should have been. World Coming Down is Type O Negative's sound, aged to perfection. The band returns to their riff-oriented, deep, droaning style. Steel, Silver, & Company have put together a masterpiece of tragedy. It seems apparent that Peter is going through a difficult and lonely time in his life, which may be unfortunate for him, but it does wonders for their sound. This album even includes some short, mysterious interludes; however i would have liked to hear something more abstract, much like the short bits done on Bloody Kisses or even S,D,&H's "The Glass Walls of Limbo" but every album has it's own theme, i suppose.
The most apparent theme to World Coming Down seems to be the tragic and empty feeling of loss. Let's face it, it's pretty obvious with songs like "Everyone I Love is Dead" and "Everything Dies"... but despite the tragic nature of this album, the sound is very bright and powerful. Songs such as "Who Will Save the Sane", "Creepy Green Light" have some kind of bright charisma to them, though it's difficult to put a finger on it. The band grooves out on "Pyretta Blaze" and "Daytripper." Overall, the album has a sophisticated melancholy to it. If Type O's world is truly coming down, the world has never seen such a great, green blaze of glory.
If you get a chance to see the band live, I suggest you take advanatge as they put on quite a show. No, they don't wear giant halloween costumes or spit fake blood everywhere or have sacrifices on stage...as Peter puts it "We're one of the most uncool bands around." As you can imagine, the band has quite a stage presence, not just because Pete and Josh tower on the stage. I give them lots of credit for their minimal, but effective decoration... my favorite of which being the twilight forest canvas backdrop, not to mention their instruments sprayed flat-black with green frets. The show is just unbelievable, especially to those who are obsessed with their music ...like I used to be. Yes, i have finally grown up a bit, I guess. But seriously, in my opinion, Type O Negative is one of the greatest real bands that are left .
At the sprouting age of sixteen, they reached their goals quickly and their dreams of rock stardom become a reality. The four friends made a conscious conclusion that the music scene in Finland sucked and needed a change or at least a fresh approach.
In 1996, The Rasmus released their debut album Peep. It did not take long for the album sell gold. The timing was right for this new generation of rock bands and The Rasmus took the listening public and critics by storm. "We were just kids who were let loose on a playground", singer Lauri remembers.
The band passed the grueling limit of performing over one hundred gigs in a year’s time. Shortly after this, the band crawled back into the studio to record their second album Playboys. Yes, it also sold gold very quickly. By then, The Rasmus had established themselves as a household name in Finland. Soon after, The Rasmus received their first Finnish Grammy, (called Emma in Finnish), in the category of Best New Act. The tempo of success built momentum and The Rasmus supported shows with Rancid, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Garbage during at these artist’s shows in Finland.
In 1999, The Rasmus, as energetic and productive as they are released their third album Hellofatester. The Single, Liquid, was voted, by both critics and fans as The Year’s Best Single.
MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH ON NEW RECORD LABEL In 2001, The Rasmus were ready for a major breakthrough. After signing to Playground Music Scandinavia in Stockholm, Sweden the band came back with a smash hit single F-f-f-falling.
"We were so nervous about that song. It was obviously either a hit or a flop", The Rasmus’ members remember.
A flop it was not! The single shot like a bullet straight to number one, selling Platinum and being the biggest hit of the year in Finland. The album Into followed a couple of months later and charged the charts like a rocket. Into has sold over 67 000 to date, which is well over double platinum! After the success of Into and F-f-f-falling, The Rasmus performed at every major music festival in Finland.
Up to this point, any international releases had been minimal. With the great story building in Finland, The Rasmus went abroad supporting acts such as: HIM, Roxette and the Spanish rock band Dover in Germany, Scandinavia and Latvia. The Rasmus traveled in Europe, did promotion and performances on TV shows and were interviewed by European music press and they sure charmed everyone they met. Following the tour with the Spanish rock band Dover the band flew to Italy to record a live acoustic performance with Viva TV and do several interviews. The Rasmus then flew quickly to Finland for the Finnish Grammy Awards Show where they performed a song and swept all the major categories by collecting new Grammies for: Best band, Best single (F-f-f-falling), Best rock/pop band and Album Of The Year. Energetic, rambunctious and powerful are three words that describe The Rasmus best. Lauri, a singer whose voice is full of fire and soaring beauty, is also one of the most appreciated composers in Finland today.
"My lyrics are always personal and every word has a meaning that reminds me of something that has happened", the singer says. Pauli is an excellent guitarist, but he has also been recognized as a producer (Producer of the year at the Finnish Grammy 2001). He has helped Finnish bands like Killer and Kwan to create number 1# hits!
"The best advice I've been given is that if you have knowledge, share it", Pauli answers, when asked why he wanted to become a producer. Aki joined the band in 1999. Before that, he was selling The Rasmus merchandise at their shows.
"Pauli asked me to join after we had jammed together. Which is great, because I pretty much suck in everything else but playing the drums", Aki laughs sarcastically.
Eero, who is definitely the calmest man in the band, plays the bass. He finds his strength in meditation and music. "Sahaja yoga gives me a peace of mind", the soulful bass player explains.
high light
December 1994 - Rasmus form at school and play their first show. December 1995 - Release first single “1st.” on independent label, Teja G. Records. February 1996 - Sign to Warner Finland. May 1996 - Release first album “Peep”, which goes Gold. 1996 - Play over 100 shows, including festivals in Finland, Russia and Estonia. May 1997 - Release single “Blue”, which goes Gold. August 1997 - Release second album “Playboys”, which goes also Gold. August 1997 – Appearance on multi band event at Helsinki Olympic Stadium to 40,000 people and a nationwide TV audience. 1997 - Play over 100 shows including festivals and club dates supporting Rancid and Dog Eat Dog. 1997 – Win Finnish Grammy Award as Best New Act of 1996. September 1998 - Release “Liquid” single – the video goes on MTV Nordic Top 40. December 1998 – “Liquid” voted best song of 1998 by critics and fans. February 1999 - Support Garbage at Helsinki Ice Hall to 4,000 people. April 1999 - Tour of 6 shows of Ice Halls headlining a multiple bill. 1999 - Play over 80 shows and festivals in Finland. August 1999 – “Liquid” wins award at Finnish Music Video Festival. October 1999 - Rasmus support Red Hot Chili Peppers for 2 shows at Helsinki Ice Hockey Stadium - capacity 12,000 per night. April 2000 - Rasmus becomes The Rasmus and signs to Playground Music Scandinavia. May 2000 – The new album is recorded in Stockholm. December 2000 – January 2001 mixing in Stockholm. February 2001 – The Rasmus release the single “F-F-F-Falling” in Finland. It stays Number 1 in the Finnish sales charts for three months, and sells Gold in May. March 2001 – The Rasmus release the album “Into” in Finland. It goes Number One and sells Gold in May. April 2001 – The Rasmus tour Sweden, Denmark, Norway and do TV and promotion. May 2001 – The album Into is released in Denmark. May, June, July, August 2001 – The Rasmus tour Finland and do EVERY festival there. June 2001 – The single “Chill” is released all over Scandinavia. It goes straight to Number 2 in the Finnish Sales Charts. August 2001 – The album “Into” is released in Sweden and Denmark. September 2001 – The album “Into” is released in Germany. October 2001 - The Rasmus support HIM in tour Scandinavia, playing for circa 40,000 people. November 2001 - the Rasmus support Roxette in tour Scandinavia, playing for circa 40,00 people.
the albums:
peep-(1996) 01. Ghostbusters 02. Postman 03. Fool 04. Shame 05. P.S 06. Julen Är Här Igen 07. Peep 08. Frog 09. Funky Jam 10. Outflow 11. Myself 12. Life 705 13. Small
playboys-(1997) 01. Playboys 02. Blue 03. Ice 04. Sophia 05. Wicked Moments 06. Wellwell 07. Sold 08. Carousel 09. Jailer 10. Kola 11. Raggatip 12. Violence 13. Panda
hell of the tester-(1998) 01. Every Day 02. Dirty Moose 03. Swimming With The Kids 04. Man In The Street 05. Tonight, Tonight 06. City Of Dead 07. Liquid 08. Pa-Pa 09. Vibe 10. Help Me Sing 11. Tempo
hell of the collection-(best songs)(2001) 01. F-F-F-Falling 02. Chill 03. Liquid 04. Every Day 05. City of the dead 06. Help me sing 07. Playboys 08. Blue 09. Ice 10. Sophia 11. Wicked moments 12. Ghostbusters 13. Funky jam 14. Myself 15. PS. 16. Rakkauslaulu 17. Life 705 18. Liquid demo
into-2001 01. Madness 02. Bullet 03. Chill 04. F-F-F-Falling 05. Hearbreaker 06. Smash 07. Someone else 08. Small Town 09. One & Only 10. Last Walz
dead letters-2003/2004 01. First day of my life 02. In the shadows 03. Still standing 04. In my life 05. Time to burn 06. Guilty 07. Not like the other girls 08. The one i love 09. Back in the picture 10. Funeral song.
When Nelly first debuted nationally in summer 2000, he seemed like a novelty, but it quickly became apparent that he was, in fact, an exceptional artist, a rapper with truly universal appeal. He wasn't from the East or West Coast, and wasn't really from the Dirty South, either. Rather, Nelly was from St. Louis, a Midwestern city halfway between Minneapolis and New Orleans. His locale certainly informed his rapping style, which was as much country as urban, and his dialect as well, which was, similarly, as much Southern drawl as Midwestern twang. Plus, Nelly never shied away from a pop-rap approach, embracing a singalong vocal style that made his hooks incredibly catchy. As a result, Nelly became an exceptional rapper capable of crossing all boundaries, from the Dirty South to the TRL crowd and everything in between. His first hit, "Country Grammar (Hot...)," became a summer anthem, and many more hits followed. In particular, his popularity peaked in summer 2002, when he topped seemingly every Billboard chart possible with his Nellyville album and its lead single, "Hot in Herre."
Nelly was born Cornell Haynes Jr. in St. Louis, where he encountered the street temptations so synonymous with rap artists. And like so many of his contemporaries, a change in circumstance at a pivotal time in his life may have changed the course of Nelly's life. In his case, when he was a teenager, Nelly was taken away from those streets when his mother moved to nearby suburban University City. It was there that he shifted his attention to playing baseball, storytelling, and writing rhymes. With some high-school friends, Nelly formed the St. Lunatics, who scored a regional hit in 1996 with a self-produced single, "Gimmie What You Got." Frustrated with failed attempts to land a record deal as a group, they collectively decided that Nelly would have a better chance as a single act. The rest of the group could follow with solo albums of their own.
The gamble paid off, and soon Nelly caught the attention of Universal, who released his debut album, Country Grammar, in 2000. What distinguished Nelly's take on rap from others was his laid-back delivery, deliberately reflecting the distinctive language and Southern tone of the Midwest. The album featured contributions from the St. Lunatics as well as the Teamsters, Lil' Wayne, and Cedric the Entertainer, and spent seven weeks on top of the U.S. album charts. All along, Nelly's goal was to put his hometown of St. Louis and the St. Lunatics on the hip-hop map. Though Nelly had become a star as a solo artist as planned, he said that he is and always will be a member of the St. Lunatics, a collective that also includes Big Lee, Kyjuan, Murphy Lee, and City Spud. Nelly fulfilled his promise in 2001 with the release of Free City, the debut St. Lunatics album featuring the hit single "Midwest Swing."
The following summer Nelly returned with his second album, Nellyville, and lived up to his self-proclaimed "#1" billing. The album topped the Billboard album chart while the Neptunes-produced lead single, "Hot in Herre," remained atop the singles chart. In all, Nelly impressively held the number one spot on ten different Billboard charts the week of Nellyville's release. Few rap artists could boast such numbers, and Nelly surely savored his number one status, particularly after being dismissed as a novelty two summers earlier when he debuted. You could call him a pop-rapper if you liked, but you surely couldn't challenge his number one status. After all, his hit streak continued unabated, with "Iz U" (from his stopgap Derrty Versions remix album) and "Shake Ya Tailfeather" (from the Bad Boys II soundtrack) keeping him in the spotlight while he readied his double-disc Sweatsuit project (following the lead of OutKast and R. Kelly, who had both recently released very successful two-disc sets). The seperately released double album dropped in fall 2004, preceded perfectly by a pair of red-hot singles: "My Place" (a slow jam) and "Flap Your Wings" (a club jam). A stroke of commercial (and to an extent, creative) genius, the superstar-laced project catapulted Nelly back atop the pop-rap world, where his presence was peerless.
Band Members: Davey Havok - Vocals Jade Puget - Guitar Hunter - Bass Adam Carson - Drums
Past members: Mark Stopholese Geoff Kresge Vic Chalker
Years active: 1991–Present
Genres: Rock, Punk Rock, Hardcore Punk, Alternative Rock
Labels: Interscope DreamWorks Nitro Adeline Records
Websites: www.afireinside.net www.myspace.com/afi
“I flee to decemberunderground. As you exhale, I breathe in the water underground and I'll grow pale without you” —“The Interview,” AFI
"decemberunderground is a time and a place. It is where the cold can huddle together in darkness and isolation. It is a community of those detached and disillusioned who flee to love, like winter, in the recesses below the rest of the world."-Davey Havok
decemberunderground is also the title of AFI's seventh album. And like much of the record's lyrical and visual imagery, it seems to stand in stark contrast to the name behind the band's world-renowned moniker: A Fire Inside. Then again, the brightest flames burn white-they just don't usually burn so bright for so long.
The documented origins of AFI stretch back to 1991 when Ukiah, California teens Davey Havok and Adam Carson formed the band and released a debut split 7" the following year with fellow Ukiah High students Loose Change (whose lineup at the time featured future AFI guitarist Jade Puget) titled Dork (Hey, they were in high school). A handful of singles, EPs, compilation tracks and early albums Answer That And Stay Fashionable (Wingnut, 1995) and Very Proud Of Ya (Nitro, 1996) followed in that youthfully exuberant, sometime sophomoric East bay hardcore/punk mode, as early incarnations of AFI hit the road and began to cultivate a worldwide following.
The earliest hints of AFI's move in a more diverse, mature direction appeared on their third album and first to feature current bassist Hunter (ex-the Force), Shut Your Mouth And Open Your Eyes (Nitro, 1997) and the subsequent A Fire Inside EP (Adeline, 1998). It would be one more year, however, before the present AFI lineup would click with the addition of Jade Puget (ex-Redemption 87) and the release of fourth album Black Sails In The Sunset and the All Hallows EP (both Nitro, 1999). Another year later, The Art Of Drowning (Nitro, 2000) would find that AFI signature sound received by a rabid audience by then numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Yet more new AFI disciples would come into the fold as that record's "Days Of The Phoenix" somehow found its way onto modern rock radio playlists.
AFI would make the decision to brave major label waters soon thereafter, releasing sixth album Sing The Sorrow on Dreamworks in 2003. Another ambitious leap forward for the Ukiah foursome, Sing The Sorrow was co-produced by Jerry Finn (Green Day, Blink 182) and Butch Vig (Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins), and expanded the AFI palette in all directions: "Girl's Not Grey" would be the band's single most infectious "pop" moment to date, while "Death Of Seasons" incorporated lockstep industrial rhythms and mournful choruses before dissolving into a cacophony of screaming anguish. Elsewhere on the record, "Leaving Song Part 2" and "Dancing Through Sunday" showed that the familiar AFI chant-along choruses were as fierce and frantic as ever, even if they were couched in increasingly virtuosic musicianship.
As with AFI's previous forward strides, their fans made the leap of faith with them-and then some. Sing The Sorrow sold in excess of one million copies U.S. and the bands burgeoning live draw continued to grow exponentially. Sing The Sorrow's success would also provide AFI its first truly mainstream recognition, in the form of the 2003 MTV2 Viewers Choice Award, as well as best of 2003 accolades from the NEW YORK TIMES, GUITAR WORLD, SPIN, ALTERNATIVE PRESS, REVOLVER and USA TODAY-who named "Girl's Not Grey" one of the top singles of 2003.
"I was completely in awe then and still am now," says Hunter. "It all seemed to have come naturally from our efforts and honestly that's really hard for me to comprehend."
As the members of AFI readily acknowledge, their atypical success story owes no small debt to possibly the most passionate and unlikeliest assemblage of fans to coalesce around any artist: The Despair Faction. "They're not really a fan club per se," says Jade. "The Despair Faction was conceived to be more interactive than that, to have more of a direct connection with us." As such, in addition to more conventional fan club perks such as exclusive merch and ticket pre-sales, DF members regularly attend AFI's soundchecks, where they come bearing gifts ranging from vegan baked goods for Davey and Hunter to homemade AFI merchandise, clothing, artwork and other keepsakes.
Now with the new decemberunderground, AFI invite the Despair Faction and other fans new and old (and yet to be made) to experience their most accomplished and labor-intensive work to date. The product of some two years so worth of painstaking songcraft and performance, decemberunderground finds producer Jerry Finn returning to provide an evolutionary continuity between Sing The Sorrow and the new record. With their team in place, AFI then set about the process of writing and perfecting decemberunderground.
"There's a lot more attention to detail on this record," Jade recalls. "We spent a long time writing it. We refused to rush ourselves. We took our time not just on every song but on each guitar part, each vocal, each bass line. We definitely didn't rush into the studio."
"Plus we had such a huge amount of material written," Adam adds. "Condensing that sheer volume and magnitude down an album's worth of songs was very difficult. We could have made five different records"
The fruit of this labor is a record that Davey Havok is confident "should break us out of any preconceived genres." And even on a cursory listen, the wealth and diversity of material backs him up from the first note: "Prelude: 12/21" is a rhythm/vocal-oriented curveball that differs radically from the customary calls to arms that have opened all AFI albums since Black Sails From there, decemberunderground veers from AFI's first straight-up vintage glam style shuffle on first single "Miss Murder" (complete with backing chants from the Despair Faction) to the stark and stunning soundscape of "Love Like Winter" and the epic suite "The Interview." The longtime AFI faithful need not worry, as decemberunderground features more than a fair share of familiar AFI hallmarks, from the slash and burn of "Kill Caustic" and "Affliction" to the balladic finale' "Endlessly, She Said."
Of AFI fans' reaction to the new record, Davey says, "Our fans always come with us every step of the way. I think they recognize honesty in our music, that this is the only way we can express ourselves, to make music that we love. Nothing else. That's what allowed us to make the jump way back when and what continues to keep us going now."
"Some artists fear change and their fans' reaction to it," Jade says. "A big part of our relationship with our fans is that we do change with every record. It's expected and embraced."
"That's true," Davey agrees. "Our fans would probably be devastated if we ever released a record that was too similar to the previous one."
"Whenever we start covering territory we've covered before," Adam adds, "We just get bored."
Jade condludes: "As long as you make the record you want, sales don't matter. We have our music and our fans. Everything else is subject to the whims of the marketplace."
