Rock On Request Magazine - Music, Interviews and More

Since we have always believed strongly in promoting local bands, we are happy to share this track from Fresh Out of Fiction with our listeners.

Fresh out of Fiction is a Rock n' Roll band founded in 2010, based in Los Angeles California. A diverse group of musicians with different styles and influences to contribute make a unique, eclectic and affable sound. Influenced and Inspired by many styles and genre's and yet innately, inexplicably, drawn to rock n roll. The line up consists of Ivan Hernandez keeping time on drums, Balmore Lemus shredding on guitar, Courtney Kakebeen on bass holding down the low end and fronted by guitarist and songwriter Jazz Meulstee.

I had the pleasure of hand selecting a track of theirs for the podcast, and this one just jumped out at me. Hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did. Pass it around, tell your friends, and so on.

Hailing from Johannesburg, South Africa, The Graeme Watkins Project blends many of our favorite rock genres to create a sound that is more than pleasing to our ears. Take a listen to their single 'Music Affair' off their recent EP of the same name. We expect to hear much more from GWP in the near future, so remember that we introduced them to you first!

With the single “Uh Oh” already climbing the charts and a video that is playing all over the country, Florida-based pop rockers Junior Doctor announce the national release of CLUMSY WORDS AND BAD PICKUP LINES on April 10, 2012.

Junior Doctor was kind enough to let us share their single 'Mirror Mirror' with our worldwide audience, so take a listen......download.....and share away!

Styx is one of the busiest classic rock bands I know, and they are about to embark on yet another killer tour. The upcoming Midwest tour with REO Speedwagon and none other than Ted Nugent is just one of the things I talked about recently with Styx bassist, Ricky Phillips.

Our friends from London are back and offering up a new track for your listening pleasure. Binary caught our attention a few months ago with their haunting single, 'Prisoner'.....and now they have done it once again with 'Modern Man.' Spread this around people.

*this track is for stream only and not available for download

2011 has been an incredible year for Farryl Purkiss with another one of his songs being placed on Popular TV Series “Private practice” and the release of the 2CD Special Edition of “Fruitbats & Crows”, one of his most successful albums to date. In the past few years, Purkiss has toured Australia three times, Europe, USA and of course, South Africa. He’s had radio success in all of the above territories including Japan and a #1 in France with “La-Di-Da”. His songs have been used in campaigns by Nissan (Greece), Audi (UK), MTN (South Africa) as well as placement in the international film “Adopted” (featuring Pauly Shore) and “Ways To live Forever” (feat Ben Chaplin).

There is much more that I could share about Farryl and his esteemed career, but suffice to say that his music speaks for itself. We share music here that we are touched by in some way, and that we know our listeners will appreciate. Be sure to check out more of Farryl's music at the links provided below.

http://www.farrylpurkiss.co.za/

http://www.facebook.com/FarrylPurkiss

Season two of The Voice has already offered up some pleasant surprises for me. One of them was hearing a very familiar voice on the season's opening episode and realizing it was Tony Lucca. While television viewers have come to know him as the Voice contestant who has a Mickey Mouse Club connection to Christina Aguilera, Tony has had a long and distinguished musical career as a solo artist, self-releasing records and performing with very well known artists for many years. I already had Tony's latest covers album stashed away on my computer when I heard him on The Voice, and I knew then I had to speak with him. Check out Tony's official site below:

http://tonylucca.com/

New York City’s psychedelic rock beast Spirit Animal has announced plans for their next full-length album, Spiritia Animalia, which will see a release later this year. Today, the band is sharing the first single, “Crocodile Skins,” and you can check out a teaser video for their upcoming album below.

http://youtu.be/j8BloS28RAA

Tattered is a hard rock group, with influences ranging from Soundgarden to Avenged Sevenfold, from death metal to radio rock, but that's not to say that their style is easily classified into ...any of those groups, or easily compared to any of their influences. The music is serious, and to the point; songs of self-reflection and expression, but full of hooks and memorable melodies. This group of talented musicians from Canada immediately made an impression on me, and they incorporate the influences of many of my favorites artists into their music, so I had to share it with the masses. Enjoy, and check them out on ReverbNation.

http://www.reverbnation.com/tattered

The band's tagline reads, 'Two guys, a few beers in a garage, as it should be." Sometimes, that's all it takes to make great music. I was immediately impressed by Nick & The Narcissists, and I have no doubt you will want to check out more of their music. You can find their ReverbNation page below. Spread the word!

http://www.reverbnation.com/nickandthenarcissists

Equal parts rock, pop and funk, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania's SezHU combines varied personalities and talents to produce a unique sound that stays with you. Whatever musical tastes one might have, SezHu has it covered! Watch for the debut album “Square One” coming soon on Toil Records!

Check out SezHU on ReverbNation:

http://www.reverbnation.com/sezhu

It would be all too easy to call this an interview, as we usually do. When I sat down for a chat with Monte Pittman, however, this turned into much more than that. I thought about breaking our hour conversation up into installments, but I didn't want it to lose the great flow we had going.

Monte is an accomplished, award-winning guitarist who not only can boast that he taught both Madonna and Guy Ritchie how to play guitar, but he recently released a new album, won Best Solo Artist at the 2012 Artists in Music Awards and performed at the Superbowl. Sit back, relax and listen to Monte and I talk about all that is coming up for him, and all he has accomplished.

San Diego, CA has given us another great post-hardcore band to rave about. Secrets has been gaining a big following recently, and rightly so. This five-piece outfit recently signed with VelocityRise Records and released their debut album 'The Ascent' this past fall to rave reviews. Fans of Pierce The Veil and A Day To Remember will love what Secrets has to offer. I spoke with frontman Xander Bourgeois recently about all things coming up for the band in 2012.

I had the pleasure of speaking with lead vocalist Tad Gonzales of Electric Sister. For all of the hard and alternative rock fans out there, Electric Sister is a band that should most definitely be on your radar. With the recent release of their album 'The Lost Art of Rock and Roll' this past October, Electric Sister has been garnering great reviews that are well-deserved. Tad was nice enough to talk with me about the record and what the band has planned for 2012.

Keifer Sutherland of FOX's new upcoming show 'TOUCH' sat down this morning for a conference call interview with the media. It was a definite pleasure to listen to an actor of Mr. Sutherland's caliber talk so passionately about his new project. With hundreds of members of the press hoping to get a chance to talk to Keifer, he was gracious enough to spend 25 minutes answering all that he could about this great new show from FOX.

Our featured track this Saturday night comes from a great rock band out of New Jersey by the name of Empire Escorts. They recently released a five song EP in December, and they were kind enough to share their track 'Bury The Man' with our listeners. We're really diggin' these guys so far, so let us know what you think.

Jack Jeffrey is an artist whose music is a tribute to great artists such as Pink Floyd, The Beatles, John Lennon, and more. The single 'A Plea to a Dreamer' comes from his recent album 'The Constant That Remains' which is available on CD Baby at the link below. Enjoy!

www.cdbaby.com/cd/jackjeffery

When it comes to laying down a truly classic hard rock sound, Fosterchild absolutely kills it. There is nothing overproduced here, and you definitely won't here the same old thing when you listen to their music. This is four guys with pure talent playing traditional, balls out rock. Our friends from Philly are sharing their single 'Anywhere (Sundown)' with our listeners today, and after hearing it I have no doubt you are going to want much more Fosterchild in your collection. You can find their entire catalog on iTunes, and be sure to check out their website as well.

http://www.fosterchildrocks.com/

http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/fosterchild/id212571429

Oakland, CA-based rock band Electric Sister released its debut full-length record, THE LOST ART OF ROCK & ROLL, on October 25, 2011. The 9-track album includes the title single, “The Lost Art of Rock & Roll” which can be heard on terrestrial, satellite and Internet radio shows across the country. We are fortunate to have it today as a free download for our listeners. You won't want to miss this one! Download and share the link people.

Atlanta-based Americana band, The Villains, announced their sophomore album, VELOCITY, will be released on February 14, 2012, via Toucan Cove Entertainment/Universal Republic. We are lucky enough to be able to offer our listeners a free download of their single 'Down For The Last Time'. Check it out, and spread the word!

Julien-K is set to release their second album, 'We're Here With You,' on January 23rd. As a gift and teaser for their fans and our listeners, they have been nice enough to offer their single 'Breakfast In Berlin' off the new album for your listening pleasure.

Don Dehlia is a 4-piece progressive experimental rock band from Louisville, Kentucky that formed in 2010. Check out this single from their debut EP.

I am always reminded why I love what I do. All it takes is one e-mail introducing a band to me, a band playing great original music like Binary. I listened to about 30 seconds of this track and was completely hooked. We are offering Binary's single 'Prisoner' to our listeners tonight to get your Friday started off right. You will be hearing a lot about this band, trust me.

*this track is for stream only at the moment, but we are hoping to have some more from Binary in the future for download. Stay tuned.

On the heels of their US tour opening for the legendary Bryan Ferry, The Phenomenal Handclap Band have released “Following” – the first single off their forthcoming new album, Form & Control, out January 31st via Tummy Touch Records. We are happy to be able to share this single as a free download for our listeners.

As a special treat for our podcast listeners, I want to share a new track with you from The Original 7ven. For those of you who don't know that name, you might recognize them by their first title of Morris Day and The Time. The original seven members of MD and The Time are back with a brand new album, and it is GOOD! This is my personal favorite track from the album, and I wanted to share it with everyone.

*This is for listening only- no download available.

Having been described as "Coldplay with balls" and compared to The Foo Fighters, My Glorious certainly lives up to their reputation. This indie rock trio from Vienna/Austria are poised to make a lasting impression on the music industry.

Active Child is the product of Pat Grossi's dedication to his musical craft. His recent debut release, 'You Are All I See,' showcases his artistic vision and array of styles. We hope you enjoy this remix of 'Playing House' by Chicago's Houses.

If you enjoy electro, house, dance, club beats....we think you will definitely want to download this new track from Paper Diamond.

Saves The Day released their new record, 'Daybreak' today and in celebration we are offering their acoustic version of 'Deranged and Desperate' to our listeners.

Everclear is due to release 'Return To Santa Monica' on 9/27. We hope you enjoy this newly mixed version of their classic hit.

I had the pleasure of participating in a FOX television conference call interview with the extraordinary Zooey Deschanel. Zooey spoke with myself and several other members of the media about her upcoming FOX series, 'The New Girl.' Our question was near the end of the interview, but the entire conference call was great and Zooey was very nice to chat with. Be sure to tune into FOX on 9/20 for the season premiere of 'The New Girl.'

* After Zooey answers each question, there may be brief silence before the next question is asked. The entire interview is approximately 28 minutes.

To celebrate the release of Chuck Ragan's new album 'Covering Ground', we are happy to offer this great track to our listeners. We would love to hear your thoughts.

Devin Brochu is a very talented young actor that we expect to hear about over and over again in the years to come. We were introduced to him recently when viewing HESHER, an independent film starring Brochu, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson and Piper Laurie. This film has elements of dark comedy, drama, heavy metal, anarchy, will make you laugh and bring you to tears. We highly recommend it. Be sure to visit the Rock On Request website to read our review. In the meantime, enjoy our interview with Devin, a young man who gave a breakout performance in a soon-to-be cult classic.

HESHER is due out on DVD and Blu-Ray on 9/13/2011.

Visit http://www.rockonrequest.com to read our review.

The Dirty Heads are a Reggae rock band from Southern California with a melodic style that includes hip hop and punk genres. I spoke with founder/vocalist Jared Watson recently about the new album they are working on, touring and more.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Brandon Smith recently, lead vocalist from The Anix. The Anix is a 3-Piece band from Southern California known for their sonically massive choruses, and constrained electronic verses. Inspired mainly by film rather than music, the band tends to steer away from mainstream influences, instead choosing darker films as the core element to the bands overall appearance and sound.

UK duo Autokratz is set to release their new album, 'Self Help For Beginners,' on September 27th. Known for their electropop/techno sensibilities, Autokratz is poised to take over in their genres with this latest release. They have been kind enough to provide this free download of their single, 'Opposite Of Love' for our listeners.

With the legendary rock band Foreigner set to release a three-disc set this month, I had the chance to speak with lead vocalist Kelly Hansen about that, touring, and more. Check it out!

Styx has been around for a very long time, and they continue to play to huge crowds the world over. I had the pleasure of speaking with Lawrence Gowan recently about their current tour and everything coming up for the band.

September 7th will mark what would have been the 75th birthday of Buddy Holly, an artist who helped shape the face of rock music. A year-long celebration of his life and work are about to begin, and grammy award winning music producer Peter Asher is a key player in this celebration. To find out more about his role, listen to our exclusive interview with this industry great.

Because we love our listeners, we are adding one more track from the upcoming Buddy Holly compilation. This particular track is our favorite of the collection. Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump lends his unique voice to one of Buddy Holly's best known ballads, 'Everyday.'

On September 7th, Buddy Holly would have been 75. To celebrate his amazing contributions to the music industry, a collection of both classic and modern artists have put together a collection of Buddy Holly covers that every music fan can appreciate. This track has Cobra Starship putting their funky spin on Peggy Sue. This is not available for download, but we hope you enjoy a sneak peek stream.

We hope you enjoy this free download for your Labor Day Friday. This is 'Dark Into Light' by LA's AM and London's Shawn Lee. We love this collaboration, and hope you will too. Send us your thoughts.

Recently voted Hot Topic's #1 unsigned band, New York's Blameshift is definitely a band to watch. They are offering the single 'Ghost' for our listeners pleasure.

We feel strongly about promoting local music, so we'd like to introduce our listeners to a hard rock band by the name of Revelus. They are offering their single 'Something More' for your head banging enjoyment. Be sure to look them up on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/revelusmusic

Foreigner is set to release a new three disc set on 9/13/11. In honor of this upcoming release they are offering this newly remastered mp3 of their hit Juke Box Hero to our listeners. Enjoy.

Thrice is offering up a free download of the lead track of their new album, courtesy of Vagrant Records. We hope you enjoy 'Yellow Belly.'

I spoke with Dave McClain from Machinehead recently about their stint on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival.

We're really diggin' this band from San Francisco, CA. Check out this single from their debut album, 'Really?'

The Anix has gained a large and loyal fan-following overseas, but they have just come onto our radar here in the U.S. If you like bands such as The Cure, Muse, 30 Seconds To Mars and the like, you will definitely want to download 'Glass', a single from The Anix's upcoming album 'Sleepwalkers.'

With the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Tour about to begin, we were fortunate enough to be asked to interview Shannon Larkin of Godsmack. Check out our interview with a truly talented and interesting man.

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