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December 1, 2021

Los Angeles Singer-Songwriter And Alternative Rock Musician ABE GROSSMAN Sets January Release For His Debut Album ‘NIGHT WINDOW’

DATE: DECEMBER 1, 2021

FROM: MARCEE RONDAN

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ABE GROSSMAN
SET TO RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM
‘NIGHT WINDOW’
IN JANUARY 2022

ALBUM HAS BEEN PREVIEWED BY
THE VIDEO-TRILOGY
“SPEED OF THE NIGHT,”
“GHOST IN THE DARK” AND
“DIRTY CHEAP HOTEL,
ALONG WITH THE DEBUT SINGLE, “BLUE JAYS”

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An album “more than 40 years into a life of music” is how singer-songwriter and alternative rock musician ABE GROSSMAN describes his debut album NIGHT WINDOW. Set for release in January 2022, the album has been previewed by the video-trilogy “Speed Of The Night,” “Ghost In The Dark” and “Dirty Cheap Hotel,” as well as the debut single, “Blue Jays.”

GROSSMAN has taken a long journey to bloom into the artist that he is today. When asked why now? “Because,” he reflects, thoughtfully, “now I have something to say.”

The sound throughout NIGHT WINDOW drips with classic nostalgia–a rich tapestry of 70’s classic rock and heartstring-pulling acoustic folk, stitched together by GROSSMAN’s distinctive, smokey lead vocal and lush orchestral arrangements. Subtle hints of familiar sounds, from Pink Floyd and John Mayer to Bob Dylan, may peek through here and there, and yet there’s some fresh unknown that makes the songs on NIGHT WINDOW their own instant classics.

The album comes out swinging with “Speed Of The Night” and “Ghost In The Dark,” two wine-drunk, lumbering power-ballads where ABE’s classic, raspy vocal storms on the back of punching drums, pearlescent grand piano, a belting organ, and a fuming, distorted electric guitar. ABE reveals a sweet vulnerability in strikingly honest tracks like “Dirty Cheap Hotel” and “Blue Jays,” where jangling acoustic guitar gives way to a wave of strings that wash the listener in a gushing river of nostalgia. In “Always Know You’re Somewhere,” ABE pours out his heart in a tender ballad to his father, revealing an artist matured by the passing of time and a hopeful nod to the past. Floating on a spring breeze of lapsteel guitar, the southern rock twang of “Closer Stars” brings fresh color to the album, while “Ain’t Good Looking Enough” bubbles effervescently with masterful arrangements reminiscent of classic records of the 60’s and 70/s. In “Born To Die,” angelic female background vocals ooze from the cracks of a building ballad that overflows into a soulful, Gilmour-esque electric guitar solo. “Lucky Boy” concludes the album, finding the most mature and reflective version of GROSSMAN yet. A wistful, lo-fi acoustic undercurrent drifts and bobs on a vast sea of strings and a brilliant wash of reverb that takes the listener back through the journey of the album and, inevitably, leaves one reflecting sentimentally on the journey of one’s own life. Earnest, nostalgic, and lush, NIGHT WINDOW stands as a 10-song homage to the light of life that can only be found on the other side of darkness.

Many of the songs on NIGHT WINDOW (2022) and most notably the video-trilogy–“Speed Of The Night,” “Ghost In The Dark,” and “Dirty Cheap Hotel”–tell the story of ABE’s relationship with Brookie, a fellow lost soul with a loving heart and a troubled past.

ABE’s relationship with music started in earnest when he was 13. His grandparents took him on a trip to Nairobi, Kenya, where ABE vividly recalls narrowly escaping death in the now-infamous 1981 Norfolk Hotel bombing. In an effort to help ABE express himself constructively, his parents got him his first guitar, which would begin a lifelong relationship with music.

“That experience forced me into a desperate need to connect,” ABE recalls. “There was an immediacy to needing to find some deeper meaning in the world. Everybody needs an avenue or instrument to connect with the world in a meaningful and purposeful way. Often, through the cauldron of a difficult experience, created by oneself or by circumstance, you search for whatever that tool is. For me it was the guitar.”

ABE’s professional musical journey began when he moved to Los Angeles. Invigorated by music as a means for connection and validation, ABE relentlessly pursued a career as an artist. In Los Angeles, he collaborated with local musicians and formed his own rock band, Small Motor Land. After years of trying and very little success, lack of purpose and growing addictions began to consume ABE. He spun out into more than a decade of darkness, defined by bad habits and empty pursuits. Music faded into the background. During this time of wandering like a ghost through Los Angeles, ABE fell in love with Brookie. They ran on the outskirts of society together, enabling each other’s lifestyles of addiction and the pursuit of transient pleasure.

And then, after more than a decade of spiraling downward, everything changed in an instant. Just what happened is a mystery, even to ABE, but he recalls a deep “moment of clarity” where he realized that he needed to clean up his life, or else lose himself forever. ABE had found the will to life that he had been searching for all along. ABE implored Brookie to change with him, but she was too entrenched in her habits and eventually, Brookie’s hard-and-fast living would take her life.

For three years post-epiphany, he didn’t have any desire to play music at all. And then, out of nowhere and all at once, the songs began to pour through him–poignant reflections on love and loss, and the search for purpose. ABE found new wisdom in perspective, and the songs gave that perspective voice.

“When I was younger, my music was so backed up by my own ego. It was like a clogged artery, like being on the verge of having a heart attack all the time,” ABE explains. “Finding a deep spiritual connection–or a connection with God, or however you want to say it–got me through that by giving me perspective. I had to believe in my own story to write music that was authentic to me. When I was younger, I wanted to tell a story that I thought other people wanted to hear. When I found a way out of myself, I found it easy to share my feelings through music.”

He continues, “Everyone is given some activity or tool that allows them to find the meaning of life, which is connecting with people. Unity. When you feel unity, you feel purpose and belonging, and you don’t feel inadequate in life. Music has been that for me.”

Fast forward to October 2021. ABE checks his Instagram direct messages. A fan writes, thanking ABE for sharing himself vulnerably. She cites “Speed Of The Night” as a comfort to her as she reflects on the loss of her husband and her father, respectively. “She’s giving a voice to similar experiences to mine and making me feel a part of something – a part of the human experience with other human beings,” ABE reflects, earnestly. “The gift is being given back to me by people listening to my music. They have a voice that sings with me.” He smiles. Better than fame or fortune, he’s found that deeper-something that he’s been looking for all along.

The NIGHT WINDOW track listing is as follows:

Speed Of the Night
Ghost In The Dark
Down To The World
Dirty Cheap Hotel
Always Know You’re Somewhere
Blue Jays
Ain’t Good Looking Enough
Closer Stars
Born To Die
Lucky Boy

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December 1, 2021

Acclaimed Autobiography ‘PERMANENT DAMAGE: MEMOIRS OF AN OUTRAGEOUS GIRL’ Generates Strong Praise In 2021

DATE: DECEMBER 1, 2021

FROM: MARCEE RONDAN/MITCH SCHNEIDER

‘PERMANENT DAMAGE:
MEMOIRS OF AN OUTRAGEOUS GIRL’
BY MERCY FONTENOT WITH LYNDSEY PARKER
GENERATES STRONG PRAISE IN 2021

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Permanent Damage: Memoirs of An Outrageous Girl (Rare Bird Books), which veteran music journalist Lyndsey Parker co-wrote with late GTOs member Mercy “Miss Mercy” Fontenot, has turned out to be one of the most acclaimed music books of the year. See the pull quotes below including four-star reviews from Mojo and Goldmine and praise from The Guardian which noted that “The book reads like a romp, aided by Mercy’s keen sense of the absurd and flair for black humor…”

Released June 9, 2021, it received strong notices from the press and accolades from Mercy’s contemporaries. It was also honored with events in Los Angeles, including an in-store at Stories Books and Cafe and virtual events with the GRAMMY MUSEUM^®and the Women’s International Music Network.

“It has been bittersweet to see the support the book has received, because she [Mercy] didn’t live to see Permanent Damage’s success,” PARKER says (Mercy died July 27, 2020). “I think she would have gotten a real kick out of seeing her name on the charts (go to #4 on Amazon’s Music Books list) or in a four-star Mojo magazine review–like the rock star she was born to be. But I don’t believe she would have been surprised by the reception, because she believed in herself, and in way, neither am I, because I believed in her too. I always thought if Mercy’s stranger-than-fiction story could be told, it would find an audience. That is why I was so hell-bent on getting her to write her memoirs, wearing her down for years before she finally agreed! I am so thrilled her story will live on forever now.”

Permanent Damage: Memoirs of An Outrageous Girl shows us the world of the 1960s and 1970s music scene through Mercy Fontenot’s eyes, as well as the fallout of that era–experiencing homelessness before sobering up and putting her life back together. Written just prior to her death in 2020, Miss Mercy’s journey is a can’t miss for anyone who was there and can’t remember, or just wishes they’d been there. Read some highlights from the book here.

“All Miss Mercy ever really wanted was respect. I knew she was important, of course, but I think I was so close to this project, and to Mercy herself, that I didn’t fully grasp her impact until the accolades for the book came in. She definitely made her mark,” PARKER notes of things she gleaned after the book was published.

She adds: “I also learned that even though she was a relatively obscure figure in the rock world, she was revered and respected by so many–from the celebrities like Alice Cooper and Shirley Manson who were so eager and delighted to promote the book, to the young GTOs fans who literally cosplay as Mercy on Instagram.”

Mercy Fontenot was a Zelig who grew up in the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury scene, where she crossed paths with Charles Manson, went to the first Acid Test, and was friends with Jimi Hendrix (she was later in his movie Rainbow Bridge). She predicted the Altamont disaster when reading the Rolling Stones’ tarot cards at a party and left San Francisco for the climes of Los Angeles in 1967 when the Haight “lost its magic.” Buy the book here.

Here’s some critical praise for the book:

“Great writing; wild stories, but very dark…But through all of it Mercy emerged undaunted.”
★★★★ –Sylvie Simmons, MOJO, 2021

“Though it all, through the homelessness, the assaults, the estrangement of her family, she always carried herself with class, style and her own perverse sense of dignity.”
★★★★ –Mike Greenblatt, GOLDMINE, 2021

“The book reads like a romp, aided by Mercy’s keen sense of the absurd and flair for black humor…”
–Jim Farber, THE GUARDIAN, June 2021

“Mercy, Mercy, She: A Famous Groupie’s Wild Child Story…The stories came fast and furious, as Mercy recounts her encounters with acts like those mentioned above along with Gene Simmons of KISS, Arthur Lee of Love, Shuggie Otis, Jobriath, Ike Turner, Gram Parsons, and Janis Joplin. Then there’s the book’s Marquee Batshit Crazy Story: Chuck Berry.”
–Bob Ruggiero, HOUSTON PRESS, May 2021

“Whoa! With what sometimes feels like a minor miracle, Miss Mercy’s life story careens from delight to disaster and back so many times there is a considerable chance of whiplash during the reading…With writer Lyndsey Parker’s above and beyond assistance, everything from tragedy, treachery, heartbreak and happiness come through in day-glo colors. In the end, Miss Mercy stands upright as a true survivor, except for the fact that she died not long before the book’s completion. But what is surely a small miracle, the memoir was finished and now permanently stands as a cautionary tale for those who get too close to the flame, or don’t have working brakes in how they live their life. And while there is no way to capture the three-dimensional swing of Miss Mercy’s daily travels in black & white, PERMANENT DAMAGE and its evocative prose and complete honesty comes close enough to the bonfire to catch afire. What a trip.”
–Bill Bentley, AMERICANA HIGHWAYS, June 2021

Miss Mercy lays her story bare with the help of her friend and co-writer, journalist and author Lyndsey Parker. Armed with over 60 hours of interviews with Fontenot, Parker carves out a down and dirty episodic memoir that rolls into the lost hours of night, like an empty bottle between bar close and sunrise.”
— Noah Lekas, LETHAL AMOUNTS, 2021

“Lyndsey Parker’s excellent book Permanent Damage: Memoirs of an Outrageous Girl, written with and about GTO Miss Mercy Fontenot, is receiving heaps of well-deserved praise and attention.”
–Brett Callwood, LA WEEKLY, June 2021

“Permanent Damage: Memoirs of an Outrageous Girl is the posthumously published memoir of Mercy Fontenot…the memoir is, in two words, wild and weird…Fearless, shameless and regret-less, Miss Mercy’s tone in the book is casual, alarmingly so when she’s speaking about the most traumatic events: rapes, homelessness, the suicides of her parents, her drug use.”
–Lily Moayeri, ROCK AND ROLL GLOBE, June 2021

“Permanent Damage: Memoirs Of An Outrageous Girl…is full of stories, the ultimate tale of sex, drugs, rock & roll, rape, violence, homelessness, fun, parties, lovers, and independence…From page one, you are enveloped by Mercy’s straightforward, honest personality and you don’t feel like you’re simply reading another musical soap opera. She hooks you immediately and you laugh with her at her goofyness, drop your mouth to the floor when she casually mentions that her second husband beat her so bad he had broken all the bones in the side of her face, and envy her hangs with Robert Plant and Jimi Hendrix. The words flow like she’s right there telling them to you herself and the 208 pages fly by in no time.”
–Leslie Michele Derrough, GLIDE MAGAZINE, June 2021

“She passed away in July last year, but judging by this book she didn’t half live.”
–Johnny Sharp, CLASSIC ROCK, 2021

And here’s some feedback from Mercy’s friends and colleagues:

“Miss Mercy was dripping in sarcasm. She was a very funny and lovely lady. She may have been the voice of reason for the GTOs… but I doubt it.”— Alice Cooper

“Mercy wore unusual and stunning makeup. She set a trend. She was a very individualistic, charismatic woman. The GTOs made the party swing and were an integral part of rock ‘n’ roll culture at the time.”– Dave Davies, the Kinks

“Miss Mercy spun herself through the most magical days of the ‘60s and into the arms of punk. She was a that one-of-a-kind character none of us will ever forget.”— Exene Cervenka, X

“I am thrilled to know this book is finally out there and we can know firsthand what it was like to live in Miss Mercy’s towering platform shoes. I love rock ‘n’ roll, and Lyndsey Parker has the most encyclopedic knowledge of all music; I can’t think of a better person to bring Mercy’s story to life.”— Margaret Cho

“Miss Mercy was a one-off iconoclast, style- and taste-wise. She looked, lived, and loved uniquely and was a trailblazer for women in rock ‘n’ roll.”— Siobhan Fahey, Bananarama and Shakespears Sister

“Mercy was one of the most inspirational and magical people I ever got the chance to meet and work with. She had endless stories to tell and the coolest style, like a badass Gypsy pirate witch. She embodied that old spirit of Hollywood that we never get to see anymore. Mercy was and will always be a legend.”— Arrow de Wilde, Starcrawler

“Lyndsey and Mercy had many things in common, the most important of which was commitment. Both committed to the music and the musicians that made it. Mercy had secrets and stories and reveals them here to someone who understands. An imperative read for anyone with a rock ‘n’ roll soul.”— Michael Des Barres

About Lyndsey Parker:

Lyndsey Parker is the music editor at Yahoo Entertainment and host of the daily SiriusXM Volume show Volume West. Considered an expert in music and pop culture, Parker is an Online Journalism Award nominee and has written for Elle, MOJO, Rolling Stone, NME, and Guitar. She has appeared as a commentator for the ABC special The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story, AXS TV’s The Top Ten Revealed, and the documentary I Want My MTV, as well as for VH1’s Behind the Music, CNN, MTV, The Insider, and Good Day L.A.. She is the author of Careless Memories of Strange Behavior: My Notorious Life as a Duran Duran Fan (one of the first e-books published as part of Rhino Records’ all-digital music book series, which went to #1 on the iTunes Music Books chart).

SRO PRESS RELEASES AND ASSETS

AVAILABLE IN HARDCOVER and E-BOOK
BIOGRAPHY/ AUTOBIOGRAPHY/ MUSIC
9781644281826 | US $27.00 | 6 x 9 in. | 320 pp.
RARE BIRD BOOKS, A BARNACLE BOOK
DISTRIBUTED WOLRDWIDE BY PUBLISHERS GROUP WEST
RAREBIRDLIT.COM

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November 30, 2021

Modern Classic Rock Trio THE BLACK MOODS Debut New Track “She Gets Out” from Third Album Due Spring 2022

DT: NOVEMBER 30, 2021

FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR

MODERN CLASSIC ROCK TRIO
THE BLACK MOODS
REVEAL DEBUT TRACK
“SHE GETS OUT”
FROM UPCOMING THIRD ALBUM DUE SPRING 2022
WITH NEW MUSIC VIDEO

WATCH HERE

THE BLACK MOODS—Tempe, Arizona-based modern classic rock trailblazers—are excitingly building on their success with “She Gets Out,” the newly released first track from their as-yet-untitled third full-length album due in spring 2022 (exact release TBA).

The song, with its mix of ringing electric and warm acoustic guitars, delivers a fresh, fiery update of a timeless sound and lyrically continues the storyline of the troubled character from the band’s Top 20 Billboard Active Rock single “Sunshine” (also the title track from their most recent album released in 2020).

Watch the “She Gets Out” music video below or directly on YouTube HERE. Directed by Jeremy Simmons, it features concept scenes shot in Los Angeles with live and behind-the-scenes footage from the band’s return to the stage with a sold-out hometown show at The Marquee in Tempe this past May.

“She Gets Out” was released last Friday, November 26 via Wit Hustle / The Orchard / Steelhorse Entertainment with an exclusive feature via Loudwire where the band also shared a list of their “Top 10 Best Sequel Songs.” Stream or download the single on all digital platforms here: https://orcd.co/shegetsout.

“‘She Gets Out,’ our newest song, is meant to be a continuation of the character from our last record ‘Sunshine,’” shares THE BLACK MOODS vocalist and guitarist JOSH KENNEDY. “In its title track, ‘Sunshine,’ she’s someone that’s struggling to deal with finding a way to change her life. With ‘She Gets Out,” she makes the decision to take a stand and make her life her own, no matter how scary or what the consequences might be.”

THE BLACK MOODS’ upcoming album was recorded at a makeshift home studio in the Ozarks (hometown of KENNEDY) with Grammy-nominated producer Johnny K (Disturbed, 3 Doors Down)—who also produced their 2020 album SUNSHINE–and includes a remotely recorded track with legendary Grammy award-winning producer Eddie Kramer (Led Zeppelin, The Beatles) who was based in Canada.

SUNSHINE marked several career highlights for the trio despite being released amidst a global pandemic. It saw the band achieve a career highlight by achieving their first-ever Top 20 single, title track “Sunshine” (#16) as well as land three additional Top 30 singles (“Bad News” [#24], “Bella Donna” [#29] and “Whatcha Got” [#30]). The band also released a fiery cover of one of their most esteemed musical icons–Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers—with the 1978 single, “I Need To Know,” which has received airplay on SiriusXM’s Tom Petty Radio show.

Known for their engaging live performance, which AZ Central praised stating, “They’re absolutely on fire when it comes to their brand of pure and unadulterated hard rock… you get a dynamic show whether its 5 people or 5,000,” THE BLACK MOODS have been seen on stages across the nation with acts including The Doors’ Robbie Krieger, Shinedown, Jane’s Addiction, Whitesnake, The Dead Daisies, Collective Soul and The Gin Blossoms as well as recently being featured at this year’s Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, CA.

Lineup (l-r): Jordan Hoffman (bass, backing vocals), Josh Kennedy (vocals, guitar), Chico Diaz (drums)
Photo Credit: Jim Louvau

For more information on THE BLACK MOODS, please visit:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE

SRO PR Assets + Releases: http://sropr.com/portfolio/the-black-moods/

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For press inquiries, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com

November 23, 2021

SLEEPING DOGS Recap EP Release Show, Share Visualizer for “Encino” & Discuss Upcoming Full-length Album

DT: NOVEMBER 23, 2021

FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER, KELLY WALSH/SRO PR

SLEEPING DOGS
SHARE SET LIST FROM THEIR
RELEASE SHOW FOR DEBUT EP
‘SOMEWHERE OUT IN CALIFORNIA’
AND VISUALIZER FOR LATEST SINGLE “ENCINO”

THE SOCAL OUTFIT REVEAL DETAILS ON
UPCOMING FULL-LENGTH ALBUM
DUE NEXT YEAR IN Q&A

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Southern California-based rock outfit SLEEPING DOGS, a spinoff project of the late 90’s group WANK, self-released their debut EP SOMEWHERE OUT IN CALIFORNIA on November 12, followed the next day by a record release show at the TIKI BAR in Costa Mesa (along with performances from the legendary Bow Wow Wow [“I Want Candy”], Ganda and Kevin Never Talks). The set list included their latest single “Encino” which was teased with a brief compilation clip HERE.

The band–which consists of all original members of WANK including Bobby Amodeo (bass, vocals), Danny Walker (lead guitar), Higgins X-13 (guitar, ex-The Offspring) and Spider (drums) along with newly added keyboardist George Huges Jr. (Ziggy Marley)– have shared the set list from the show as seen featured above. In addition to songs from the EP, the band performed WANK favorites and previewed material from SLEEPING DOGS’ upcoming 2022 full-length album.

Read a Q&A with the band’s Bobby Amodeo and Danny Walker discussing the show and their upcoming plans here:

Congrats on releasing the EP and celebrating it with a performance. What were some of the highlights of the show?

WALKER: “Getting on stage with Bobby, Higgins, George, and Spider was awesome. As our intro music winded down, looking at each other knowing we were about to kick some ass with the new stuff was a nice moment. I loved playing the new ballads, ‘Rejected’ and ‘Tomorrow’s Gonna Suck,’ because they’ve got some juicy guitar solos and giant choruses. The biggest highlight for me was seeing our friends who came out to support and get their faces melted. We love our people.”

For fans out there wondering about a tour, do you have any plans for 2022 in the offing?

AMODEO: “We’d love to jump on some big shows with our friends Foo Fighters, Social Distortion, or the Offspring, but first we need to put the final touches on our full length. While we hammer that out, we’re going to play regionally and tighten up this Dogs live show. It’s something to behold.”

Also looking ahead to 2022, is there anything you can reveal about a full-length debut album from the band?

WALKER: “It’s going to be dynamic. Like the song mix on our EP ‘Somewhere out in California,’ the rest of the tracks are diverse, each Sleeping Dogs song has its own signature, substance, and shape. And every one of them is rad.”

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SOMEWHERE OUT IN CALIFORNIA was recorded with producer Paul Miner (New Found Glory, Agnostic Front, H2O) and is available now for streaming or download here: https://sleepingdogs.hearnow.com/somewhere-out-in-california. The EP includes the music video singles “Let’s Be Friends” and “No Mercy,” described by MXDWN as a “laid-back mid-tempo ska at its best, led by a slinky guitar lead from Walker. The upstrokes are never in much of a hurry, laying down an almost-funky groove for Amodeo to deliver the song’s message.”

A group of men posing for a photo Description automatically generated From left to right: Bobby Amodeo, Spider, Higgins X-13, George Hughes Jr., Danny Walker
Credit: Harmony Gerber

SLEEPING DOGS Social Links:
https://www.instagram.com/sleepingdogsofficial
https://www.facebook.com/SleepingDogsOfficial/
https://www.tiktok.com/@sleepingdogsmusic
https://twitter.com/Sleepingdogsusa

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For press inquiries about SLEEPING DOGS, please contact:
SRO PR
Mitch Schneider – mschneider@sropr.com
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com

November 19, 2021

Portland, Maine-based Indie Trio LOVE BY NUMB3RS Share Intimate Video For “Can’t Lie Like This” From ‘COLOURS’ EP

DATE: NOVEMBER 19, 2021

FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN

Artwork for the upcoming LOVE BY NUMB3RS EP, COLOURS
By Walter Craven

LOVE BY NUMB3RS
REVEAL INTIMATE VIDEO FOR
NEW SINGLE “CAN’T LIE LIKE THIS”
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

SONG MARKS THE SECOND SINGLE FROM THEIR
NEW EP ‘COLOURS’ OUT NOVEMBER 26

Portland, Maine-based indie trio LOVE BY NUMB3RS–co-vocalists DAN CONNOR and ANNA LOMBARD and multi-instrumentalist JON ROODS–today (November 19) have shared the intimate video for “Can’t Lie Like This.” It marks the second single from the acclaimed group’s six-song EP COLOURS out November 26 (moved from its original November 19 release date due to a production delay).

The video was directed by LOMBARD and ROODS and is based on the vision of CONNOR whose chemo treatments and cancer battle are the subject of the video. He wrote the song and sings lead vocals on it before ANNA joins in on background vocals, giving the song its trademark LOVE BY NUMB3ERS vocal sound. Watch the video here.

The “Can’t Lie Like This” video was premiered yesterday (November 18) by Glide magazine who wrote: “Portland, Maine’s Love By Numb3rs has astounded ears with its eloquent dusty blues and roots rock that has given otherwise placid New England a musical splash of Nashville. The trio–co-vocalist Dan Connor and Anna Lombard joined by her partner and multi-instrumentalist Jon Roods–made a big splash with their independent full-length debut, Parachute yet now are gearing up for the release of a six song EP titled Colours out November 19^th…the emotionally explosive ‘Can’t Lie Like This’ swoons, twangs and pacifies with a Tyler Childers meets Tom Petty narrative and soul.”

Coming off the EP’s first single/video “Colours,” which was premiered and praised by Atwood Magazine, “Can’t Lie Like This” is the music of a band who freewheelingly chart a course through eloquent alternative, Americana and roots rock. The song’s unflinching lyrics paint a picture of lives that have unraveled. “The inspiration behind writing this song was based on a dear friend of mine who struggled with substance abuse,” reveals DAN. “This led me down a bit of a rabbit hole as I began reflecting upon my own family history of substance abuse and dysfunction.”

“Jon and I directed the video, but I would be remiss not to mention the vision Jon had for this one,” says ANNA LOMBARD. “While the song in its lyrical content was meant to be about the aforementioned lifelong struggles with alcoholism, Jon began seeing the line ‘can’t lie like this anymore’ as more of a metaphor for Dan’s battle with cancer and monthly chemo cycles.”

The moving video begins by depicting the beauty of nature before focusing on DAN at home in bed with his illness. He is able to breaks free in his mind from his struggles by heading outside with his guitar to enjoy the gorgeous wide-open spaces. Says ANNA: “We keep calling it Dan’s “celebration/party” at the end–to be done with chemo and to have made it through to where he is/we are today.”

The video was shot in various locations in Maine: the band’s house/studio known as South Ranch (bed scene, radiation scene, etc.), Crescent Beach in Cape Elizabeth, and outside of a friend’s house in Cape Elizabeth (drone footage on rocks and dirt road shots).

More quotes about “Can’t Lie Like This” are below, along with the lyrics; the EP’s track listing + credits; and the band’s social media links. The EP will be followed by a full-length album (their second) in 2022 (release date TBA).

QUOTES ABOUT “CAN’T LIE LIKE THIS”

Dan Connor: The inspiration behind writing this song was based on a dear friend of mine who struggled with substance abuse. This led me down a bit of a rabbit hole as I began reflecting upon my own family history of substance abuse and dysfunction. My father had alcoholism and was homeless for many years due to his denial and not wanting to face his disease. The commonality between these two people in my life made me consider how substance abuse–regardless of the substance–causes people to withdraw from life rather than face their demons. Instead, they lie and hide. We’ve all seen it. But the bottom line is that it is a disease like any other. Some find the strength to overcome and some fall victim.

–Dan sings lead vocals on this one, and then is joined by you for background vocals, giving the song that trademark Love By Numb3ers vocal sound. Can you give us your thoughts about this?

Anna Lombard: In terms of the decision Dan singing lead on this one–that’s just what made sense. This was his story to tell. The song in its original arrangement had no outro with doubled choruses. For years, it has just been floating around Dan’s repertoire as a song on an acoustic guitar. So, Jon and I worked on making the song build through the outro. We coupled Dan’s chorus melody with some harmonies overlaid with new rhythmic/melodic sections on top of those. And then Dan was like “Ok, you gotta go off at the end…” so I threw some vamps on the outro and we extended the section along with a slow fade so the outro became a bit of a hook.

–Some thoughts about the musical feel of the song? It has distinctive guitar parts merged with keyboards. Is that a Fender Rhodes?

Anna: Dan’s acoustic and vocals on this song were done in one single take. Then, Jon and I built instrumentation and changed the arrangement around Dan’s single take recording. Our guitarist Josh Duym then laid down some guitar. Our friend Nigel Hall happened to be in Maine at the perfect time and was staying with us so we had him track his keyboard parts on a Fender Rhodes.

–Who directed the video, where was it filmed, and some general thoughts about the it?

Anna: Jon and I directed the video. Jon envisioned the video being less literal to the lyrics of the song about avoidance and denial and lying to other people and lying to yourself…and instead, the hopes of simultaneously portraying all of these instances where through craniotomies, radiation, MRIs, fatigue, nausea, etc, Dan has been literally lying down. For the past seven months, we’ve had to work through Dan being really sick from his treatment. We would more or less only be able to count on maybe 10-14 days a month where Dan was feeling OK enough to write, or track, or be part of a video. It’s been so tough, the toughest for him, but he’s been a warrior. He’s sick and tired of being sick and tired. With scenes where he’s in bed with forty bottles of prescriptions on the bedside table…You know, you get to this point where you’ve got to ask yourself about the reality of your quality of life. He has been isolated from making music alongside us and from some of the creative process throughout the last year because of treatment. And when you’re a musician and a writer and music is the one thing that gets you out of bed in the morning…but even that is something you don’t even have the physical energy or capacity to do… you find yourself asking, “what gives?” So the vision for the video coupled with the original context of the song became a double entendre. “I can’t lie like this anymore. I can’t not make music. I can’t deal with feeling like this anymore. I’m tired of it.”

Lyrics to “Can’t Lie Like This”:

“Can’t Lie Like This”
(Dan Connor)
Wake up in the mornin’
Even if you’ve been out with the devil the night before
Drink your strong coffee
Make all your plans
Don’t think about it anymore
Til’ the night become crazy
And life gettin’ hazy
You’re showin’ up at my door
The mornin’ don’t matter
Ain’t nothin’ gonna shatter, it won’t
Can’t lie like this anymore
Couple days later
I was on a train with her
Hadn’t slept in seventy-four
Got my blood shot eyes, begin to realize
Pressed down against the floor
I guess I wasn’t listening
Just another man missin’ the life that he never saw
The mornin’ don’t matter
Ain’t nothin gonna shatter, it won’t
Can’t lie like this anymore
Whoa
Can’t lie like this anymore
Go and see my mama
But my papa gonna be there
With his boots kickin’ down the door
He got them bloodshot eyes, begin to realize
Pressed down against the floor
I guess he wasn’t listenin’
Just another man missin’ the life that he never saw
The mornin’ don’t matter
Ain’t nothin’ gonna shatter, it won’t
Can’t lie like this anymore
Can’t lie like this anymore
Can’t lie like this anymore
Can’t lie like this any more
I can’t lie anymore

COLOURS EP track listing

1. Colours
2. Can’t Lie Like This
3. Oak Tree
4. All Falls Down
5. The Beat Goes On
6. Summertime

Credits: ‘COLOURS’ EP by LOVE BY NUMB3RS

–All songs written by LBN (Anna Lombard, Jonathan Roods & Dan Connor) with additional guitar line writing by Zach Jones on track #1 “Colours” and Josh Duym on track #4 “All Falls Down”
–All songs engineered by Jonathan Roods & Anna Lombard
–All songs produced by Jonathan Roods & Anna Lombard
–Mastered by Adam Ayan at Gateway Mastering
–All songs recorded at South Ranch.
–Guest appearances by Nigel Hall, Zach Jones, Gary Gemmeti, Josh Duym

Players on each song:

Colours: Jon Roods (drums, bass, guitar), Zach Jones (electric guitar), Nigel Hall (hammond organ, rhodes piano)
Can’t Lie Like This: Anna Lombard (vocals), Jon Roods (drum, add’l percussion, bass, guitar), Josh Duym (electric guitar), Dan Connor (acoustic guitar, vocals), Nigel Hall (Wurlitzer piano)
Oak Tree: Anna Lombard (vocals), Dan Connor (vocals), Jon Roods (drums, bass, all guitars, Moog synth, Hammond organ, percussion, pedal steel)
All Falls Down: Anna Lombard (vocals), Jon Roods (Moog Synth), Josh Duym (guitar)
The Beat Goes On: Jon Roods (drums, bass, moog synth, pedal steel), Dan Connor (vocals, acoustic guitar), Josh Duym (electric guitar), Anna Lombard (vocals, rhodes piano), Nigel Hall (rhodes piano)
Summertime: Jon Roods (bass, pedal steel, guitar), Gary Gemmeti (drums), Nigel Hall (rhodes piano), Anna Lombard (vocals), Dan Connor (vocals), June & Haisel McGeachey (Anna’s daughters on backing vocals)

LOVE BY NUMB3RS
Pictured (L to R): DAN CONNOR, ANNA LOMBARD, JON ROODS
Photo Credit: Cam Jones

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November 18, 2021

ANDREW HAGAR Shares Hard-Charging New Song And Video “Red Light Appetite” Today 11/18

DT: NOVEMBER 18, 2021

FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANDREA FAULK/SRO PR

ANDREW HAGAR
MAKES A STRONG STATEMENT WITH HARD-CHARGING NEW SONG
“RED LIGHT APPETITE”
THE CINEMATIC + BLOOD-THIRSTY VAMPIRE WESTERN VIDEO
FROM THE SINGER, SONGWRITER AND GUITARIST
IS OUT TODAY
AHEAD OF SINGLE’S FRIDAY RELEASE
WATCH HERE

FULL-LENGTH DEBUT ALBUM
‘LIMITED EDITION PSYCHO’
TO BE RELEASED IN 2022

Andrew Hagar
Photo Credit: Chris Profera

Rocker ANDREW HAGAR makes a strong statement with the hard-charging song “Red Light Appetite” and its video, a cinematic + blood-thirsty vampire Western video that he shared today (November 18) ahead of the single’s release tomorrow (November 19).

“Red Light Appetite” was written by the singer, songwriter and guitarist with Trev Lukather (who also produced it) and was inspired by “my own struggles with the cycle of addiction.” says HAGAR. The song will appear on the singer, songwriter and guitarist’s full-length debut album, LIMITED EDITION PSYCHO, in 2022 (exact release date is TBA). Watch the video here.

“Red Light Appetite” was filmed in a ghost town outside Austin, Texas, called “J. Lorraine Ghost Town.” This location has been featured in many well-known movies and TV shows, such as Westworld and The Walking Dead. “We filmed in an actual saloon on location,” says HAGAR. The video was directed by Tyler Wolff of Wolffhaus Studios, a creative collective known for its commercial, film, and music video work. Some of the other artists he’s worked with are Machine Gun Kelly, Yelawolf, Ed Sheeran, and Snoop Dogg, to name a few.

The video was premiered yesterday (November 17) by Heavy Consequence which praised the song as “a glammed-out rocker that unabashedly aims for a massive stadium sound.”

More quotes from HAGAR are below, along with the single artwork, lyrics and info about the song.

Q&A with ANDREW HAGAR ABOUT THE
“RED LIGHT APPETITE” SONG AND VIDEO

–How would you describe the video?

The video for “Red Light Appetite” was inspired by horror classics such as Evil Dead, 30 Days of Night, The Lost Boys, and From Dusk Till Dawn. We were really going for a particular vibe with the color and photography, and I think we accomplished that pretty well.

–What was it like to shoot the video?

From concept to completion, the whole thing came together in about two weeks, bell to bell. We were under some serious time and budget constraints, but I’m so happy with how the music video turned out! We were filming on a full moon and didn’t wrap until 4am, which is pretty perfect considering both the subject matter, themes, and lyrics of “Red Light Appetite.” We even got members of a real bonafide motorcycle club to be involved with the video. Shout out to The Amigos for being so rad and such wonderful people on set.

–Who is playing the role of the cowgirl vampire?

Our main vampiress was played by Torrie Blake, a model who has been featured in many print ads and music videos. She is also a real-life rancher, cowgirl, and horse breeder.

–Who is the cowgirl vampire seen playing guitar?

Our guitar playing vampiress, Lexii Lynn Frazier, is a professional touring guitar player and rising social media star. She plays for some big pop and R&B acts, such as Pink Sweat$, Kehlani, Chloe x Halle, Ian Diorr, Nelly, and many more.

–Can you give us some details about the recording of the song?

“Red Light Appetite” was written and recorded on the spot in Trev Lukather’s home studio in Los Angeles with additional drums recorded at Jake Hayden’s studio, also in L.A. Vocals were myself, Trev Lukather, and Jake Hays. Guitars and bass were tracked by Trev, and drums were tracked by percussive powerhouse Jake Hayden.

–What inspired the song?

The song was inspired by my own struggles with the cycle of addiction. Not being able to identify the difference between love and lust, using sex as an unhealthy coping mechanism, burying my trauma with drugs and alcohol. Basically all the hallmarks of an addict prior to an intense spiritual awakening.

–Will the song appear on an album? Will your two other songs on streaming platforms (“Cold Knife Karma” and “Judgement Day”) be included?

“Red Light Appetite” is part of a bigger release, Limited Edition Psycho, which will drop in 2022. My recent singles “Cold Knife Karma” and “Judgement Day” are both stand-alone singles and will not be part of the upcoming record, but I will be releasing other singles in the lead up to the full-length album.

–Will you be touring in 2022? Who will be in your band?

I will definitely be touring in 2022, and my band will most likely consist of Liam Kevany (Noah Cyrus, Albert Hammond Jr, Holy Child), R.C. Rossell (Role Model), Alexander David Potts (The Memorials), Micayla Grace (Albert Hammond Jr), and Caleb Shields (Anuhea, Roswell Sounds).

Production Notes—Red Light Appetite
Written by Andrew Hagar and Trev Lukather
Produced by Trev Lukather
Engineered by Jake Hayes
Mixed by Will Brierre
Mastered by Howie Weinberg (who has mixed and mastered an array of music for Sammy Hagar

Lyrics—Red Light Appetite

(song written by Andrew Hagar and Trev Lukather)

Feeling something I can’t define
(I really need to know)
Wishing for the touch of divine
(I need to let it go)
Drowning in the thought of your lips
(Caught in the undertow)
Dreaming of the push of your hips

Caught in the quicksand of your lust
Our souls are sinking
Caught in the web between us
Our souls are screaming

Ride the line cause we’re up all night
With the red light appetite
Ride the high as we’re up all night
With the red light appetite

Feeling something under my skin
Feed the devil living within
(I just can’t let it go)
Taste it on the tip of my tongue
(Tastes like addiction)
Found this love my mouth to your gun

Caught in the quicksand of your lust
Our souls are sinking
Caught in the where between us
Our souls are screaming

Ride the line cause we’re up all night
With the red light appetite
Ride the high as we’re up all night
With the red light appetite

Every night as we cross the line
With the red light appetite
Ride the high as we’re up all night
With the red light appetite

A picture containing map

Description automatically generated “Red Light Appetite” single graphic, art by Luca Martinotti, logo by Lukas Havlik

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For more info about ANDREW HAGAR, contact SRO PR:

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Andrea Faulk // afaulk@sropr.com

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November 17, 2021

Heavy metal band RUSTY EYE’s Vocalist/Bassist Gets Wed by DEE SNIDER at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

DT: NOVEMBER 17, 2021

FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR

A picture containing text, clipart, linedrawing Description automatically generated

HEAVY METAL TRIO
RUSTY EYE
CO-VOCALIST/BASSIST MR. RUST
SHARES HOME VIDEO OF WEDDING OFFICIATED BY
DEE SNIDER (TWISTED SISTER)

BAND WORKING ON NEW EP FOLLOWING RELEASE OF 2020’s
‘DISSECTING SHADOWS’ (EPOCHÉ RECORDS/BLOOD BLAST DISTRIBUTION
WHICH MARKED FIRST NEW MUSIC IN OVER SIX YEARS

Los Angeles-based heavy metal trio RUSTY EYE founding member, bassist and co-vocalist Mr. Rust was recently able to meet one of his musical icons, Twisted Sister vocalist/songwriter Dee Snider, in a unique situation. Mr. Rust and his wife Teresa Gallo enlisted Snider to officiate their recent November 6 wedding ceremony held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, CA. The couple have shared video footage of the ceremony featuring a soundtrack of tracks playing from RUSTY EYE’s latest 2020 album DISSECTING SHADOWS (Epoché Records/Blood Blast Distribution). Watch footage of the couple being wed by Snider streaming below.

“Twisted Sister has always been an influence for me and Rusty Eye,” says Mr. Rust. “When I was six years old someone gave me the remixed version of ‘Under The Blade’ on vinyl and since then Twisted Sister has been one of my favorite bands. Dee’s eloquence and showmanship has made him into a larger-than-life icon that can command a crowd and guarantees a good show.”

“Teresa and I are metal and horror fans, and that made Dee Snider the perfect officiant to marry us. He has also officiated weddings for Twiggy Ramirez, Adam Green and his son Jesse Blaze Snider, all whom are already divorced… but he says he’s a got a good feeling about us as he believes in marriage and shortly before our wedding, he had celebrated his 40^th wedding anniversary.”

DISSECTING SHADOWS—the first new music from RUSTY EYE in over six years—highlights the trio’s definitive ‘Rust’n’Roll’ sound, a combination of prog, thrash, punk, blackened death and synthwave. Lyrically, it celebrates exploitation cinema, Italian horror, and grindhouse, which is also the main component for their music video singles–“This Is Permanent” (premiered via Metal Injection, 8/27), “Can’t Wait To Go To Hell” (premiered via Decibel Magazine, 9/17 and “Hellbound Witch” (premiered via Cryptic Rock, 10/23). All three videos were directed by Alejandro Ordonez (Raubtier Productions).

“We are still promoting ‘Dissecting Shadows’ on the digital space but due to the pandemic we had to cancel all of our live performances,” Mr. Rust updates. “We have a follow-up EP on the shelf waiting to be released when we feel things are more ‘normal.’”

DISSECTING SHADOWS is available on CD, 12” Vinyl (clear variant, 500 copies total) and cassette, bundled with a limited-edition portable boombox at https://store.rustyeye.com. Digital downloads are also available across all platforms here.

A group of women Description automatically generated with medium confidence

Find out more about RUSTY EYE online:
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SRO PR Assets: www.sropr.com/portfolio/rusty-eye

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For RUSTY EYE press inquiries, please contact:
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Kelly Walsh: kwalsh@sropr.com

November 16, 2021

Mike Thrasher Presents And Mammoth Join Forces To Create A Midwest/West Coast Alliance

DATE: NOVEMBER 16, 2021

FROM: MARCEE RONDAN

MIKE THRASHER PRESENTS AND MAMMOTH
JOIN FORCES TO CREATE
A MIDWEST/WEST COAST ALLIANCE

Having already established themselves in their respective markets of the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest, Mike Thrasher Presents and Mammoth, Inc. will join forces uniting the Portland, OR and Lawrence, KS based companies. The companies will be aligned under one umbrella with a combined 41 years of experience. This news comes on the heels of the March 2020 devastating loss of industry veteran Mike Thrasher.

Originally founded in 1994, Mike Thrasher Presents was founded by local musician Thrasher, who is considered to be one of the principal promoters in the Portland, OR area. Thrasher oversaw the company’s growth which includes a 2009 partnership in the Hawthorne Theater; the company now books 450+ shows a year across the Pacific Northwest. Thrasher worked with a top-level team including Gordon Cross (who first served as the company’s CFO in 2012 and was named CEO in 2013, managing all aspects of operations and personnel) and Sean Major (who was recruited from the William Morris Agency in Los Angeles in 2014 to serve as a talent buyer).

Mammoth launched in 2006 and produces a wide range of events including concerts and full-scale festivals, along with tour booking. Venues include amphitheaters, arenas, small independent clubs, numerous boutique theaters, and 50+ historic indoor theaters as well as an independently owned venue portfolio. The company is co-owned by Jeff Fortier and Josh Hunt who together have over 55 years of combined music industry experience. Based out of Lawrence, KS and Kansas City, MO Mammoth produces 700+ concerts and live events across the country per year.

“Learning from one of the best independent promoters in the country provided me with invaluable insights into the music business,” said Sean Major. “Mike’s innate sense of assessing talent along with his business acumen provided a strong foundation for what has become a very successful company. It is my privilege to assume the Head Talent Buyer role for the Mammoth/Thrasher alliance as we move forward into the future.”

Together in partnership with Mammoth, Cross and Major will continue to lead the development of the businesses. “We were all devastated by Mike’s death,” says Gordon Cross. “Mammoth has given us an exciting and fresh perspective of what the future may look like, and we look forward to working with Jeff and Josh to bring great music to the Pacific Northwest.”

“Mammoth is thrilled to partner with the Mike Thrasher organization, bringing great music to the Pacific Northwest”, said Jeff Fortier. “My partner, Josh Hunt and I had known Mike for 25 years and we were both devastated to hear of his sudden death last March at age 48. Knowing that we can continue Mike’s legacy under the Mammoth name is an honor that we take very seriously, and we are committed to keeping his memory alive.”

For more information please visit https://mikethrasherpresents.com/ and https://www.mammothlive.com/.

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November 16, 2021

Rock Singer IVA TORIC Shares Music Sampler & Q&A In Advance of Upcoming Album ‘Dead Reckoning’ Due Fall 2022

DT: NOVEMBER 16, 2021

FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR

IVA TORIC
SHARES MUSIC SAMPLER VIDEO
IN ADVANCE OF SOPHOMORE ALBUM
‘DEAD RECKONING’
DUE FALL 2022

WATCH HERE

ROCK SINGER DISCUSSES NEW SINGLE
“WASTING WATER” IN Q&A

Credit: Carey Lynne Fruth

Rock artist IVA TORIC has shared a music sampler video allowing listeners to hear snippets taken from singles off her debut album THE DEVIL’S MARK (2020) and the new single “Wasting Water” featured on her anticipated Fall 2022 release DEAD RECKONING. IVA’s distinctive sound is shaped by her bond to nature through pagan imagery while lyrically tackling intense emotions surrounding mental health and self-esteem issues. Watch the sampler HERE and read below a Q&A with IVA on the inspiration behind her music.

IVA announced plans for DEAD RECKONING when she revealed its debut single “Wasting Water” with a music video premiere via Ghost Cult Magazine on September 23. Listen to IVA describe the meaning behind the track in this audio clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLYOO6LIhuw.

She also adds, “The takeaway message is don’t waste your water. Don’t waste your energy on people that don’t respect you and love you for who you are. You are strong enough to break free of toxic people and to turn off that faucet and save your time and your tears from falling down the drain.”

DEAD RECKONING was recorded with producer/engineer Jim Kaufman (Dee Snider, Danny Worsnop) and assistant producer Ryan Molder while being mastered by Grammy-Award winning engineer Ted Jensen (Evanescence, Alice In Chains, Green Day). IVA enlisted a backing band consisting of Gregg Cash (guitars, bass, arrangement) and Dylan Howard (drums), both of which previously worked on her debut album.

Q&A with IVA TORIC

You’ve stated before that your music is inspired by nature and pagan symbolism. Can you explain how you utilize these elements in your sound?

“I like my sound to be as raw and authentic as it can be. I add my own touch to rock while honoring what came before me. Just like nature, my sound is both powerful and subtle. Picture deep rooted and gnarled old trees with delicate new blossoms on its branches. I play with contrast: light and darkness, personal and anthemic.”

“The band and I use a lot of vintage equipment in our production and recording because we want to strike a harmonious balance between old school garage rock and roll and modern sounds. The old is new again like the cycles of nature and the ancient cultures who revered and worshiped them.”

The lyrics of your songs are quite emotional and stirring, alluding to topics like depression, anxiety and self-esteem issues. Do these stem from real life experiences? What do you think people going through those same issues and emotions might be able to take away from listening to your music?

“All of my songs are based on my own lived experiences. My struggles and my realizations. I tend to gravitate toward the emotional and dark, but my music has an uplifting and relatable thread running through it: without the darkness there is no light.

When you, the listener, hear my music, you may hear heartbreaking honesty. You may hear parts of your own story echoed back to you in my voice. You may feel like you aren’t alone, and somebody understands. I hope you hear me–my heart and mind reaching out to join you on your journey through this life.”

Can you share any progressions you’ve made on your upcoming album, musically and/or lyrically and how you developed those? Did the pandemic have any influence on your writing? If so, please elaborate.

“I wrote and recorded a new album during the pandemic, and I named it ‘Dead Reckoning’ because I felt like I was searching for something within the deep depression the pandemic brought me. It opened thoughts that may have been closed to me in other circumstances and when I wrote it, I was very much alone. The music is even darker and has a sense of solitude. The lyrics explore my relationships with myself and others. There is more raw honesty. More nature imagery. More vintage rock sounds. And more pleading angelic vocals that will reach in and pluck a string deep inside your heart.”

Describe ‘Iva Toric’ in 5 words

“Authentic, Emotional, Witchy, Powerful and Haunting.”

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For more information on IVA TORIC, please visit:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE
PR ASSETS + RELEASES: sropr.com/portfolio/ivatoric/

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November 15, 2021

THE JACK KEROUAC ESTATE & Kerouac @ 100 Committee Announce Plans For Centennial Birthday Starting March 2022 In Lowell, MA

DT: NOVEMBER 15, 2021

FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR

THE JACK KEROUAC ESTATE AND KEROUAC @ 100 COMMITTEE
ANNOUNCE PLANS FOR CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OF
FAMED NOVELIST, WRITER, POET AND ARTIST
JACK KEROUAC
TAKING PLACE MARCH 2022 IN HIS HOMETOWN OF LOWELL, MA

‘VISIONS OF KEROUAC’
WILL SEE THE RETURN OF THE ‘ON THE ROAD’ SCROLL ALONG WITH OTHER ARCHIVAL ITEMS ON EXHIBIT AT
LOWELL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK–BOOTT COTTON MILLS GALLERY

Credit: Tom Palumbo

THE JACK KEROUAC ESTATE has announced plans to celebrate the centennial birthday anniversary of world-renowned American novelist, writer, poet and artist JACK KEROUAC (1922-1969) starting in his birth month of March 2022 and continuing throughout the year in his hometown of Lowell, MA. The estate has partnered with The Kerouac @ 100 Committee—which consists of The Kerouac Center at UMass Lowell, Lowell Celebrates Kerouac, Lowell National Historical Park, Lowell Office of Cultural Affairs, the Pollard Memorial Library, Lowell’s Franco-American Day Committee, and Québec Delégation of Boston —to organize the upcoming festivities.

Born on March 12, 1922, KEROUAC was a pioneer of the “Beat Generation” publishing over 14 novels including the generation-defining literary classic On The Road (1957), which President Barack Obama has praised as an influence on his life and Time Magazine has included on its list of best novels of the last 100 years. KEROUAC’s work has also been credited as a major influence for many top musicians, poets, filmmakers and visual artists including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Tom Waits, Eddie Vedder, The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Ben Gibbard, Weezer, Jawbreaker, The Wonder Years, Billy Corgan, The Hold Steady, Katy Perry, Michael Stipe, Steven Tyler, Joe Strummer, Jeff Buckley, Morphine, Alanis Morrissette, Paul Simon, 10,000 Maniacs, Blue Oyster Cult, Van Morrison, Belle and Sebastian, Our Lady Peace, Fences, Hiss Golden Messenger, Lana Del Ray, Ethan Hawke, Francis Ford Coppola, George Condo, Hunter S. Thompson, Thomas Pynchon, Richard Brautigan, Jim Carroll, George Saunders and Alison Bechdel. His work has been able to transcend stature and inspire the general public as well, much in part due to his personal charm and ability to speak and relate with anyone.

During the centennial celebration a special exhibit, “VISIONS OF KEROUAC,” will take place at Lowell National Historical Park–Boott Cotton Mills Gallery which will include the return of the original On The Road scroll on loan from Jim Irsay’s (owner of the Indianapolis Colts) renowned collection of historic and iconic artifacts from rock music, American history and pop culture, The Jim Irsay Collection. The 120-foot-long scroll is one of the most extraordinary and highly valued manuscripts in American literary history. It will be available for viewing along with archival books, writings, personal objects, and photographs including never-before-seen images of KEROUAC taken by fellow Beat Generation pioneer Allen Ginsberg. Further dates/times and details will be revealed in early 2022.

“The exhibit ‘Visions of Kerouac’ presents the many identities of Jack Kerouac, from the avant-garde literary author who produced the On the Road scroll to the Kerouac who remained deeply connected to his roots in the French-Canadian community of Lowell, Massachusetts,” shares Michael Millner (Director, UMass Lowell Kerouac Center) who has been working with the estate in curating the exhibit.

“After reading Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road, Bob Dylan commented that the book ‘changed my life like it changed everyone else’s.’ Kerouac’s American road began and ended in Lowell, Massachusetts,” tells Jim Sampas (Literary Executor of the Estate of Jack Kerouac). “And so, it is fitting that, in Lowell, we get to celebrate the legacy of a writer whose influence on American culture has been cemented and assured.

He continues, “Little known fact—Katy Perry’s ‘Firework,’ which was played as the closing song played in our most recent Presidential inauguration as fireworks went off, was inspired by an often-quoted passage in On the Road which alludes to roman candles burning in a night sky. Thanks to Jim Irsay, Jack Kerouac’s On the Road scroll manuscript, which contains said passage and many other awe-inspiring sentences, will soon be back in town. Kerouac @ 100 is looking forward to unveiling a collection of lovingly curated tributes to Lowell’s favorite native son in readings, magnificent exhibits, and concerts—all unfolding across 2022 as we light those roman candles across the stars in celebration of the Centenary birth of an American icon. The Jack Kerouac estate is so grateful to be working alongside the brilliant group of folks who have put this all together. Kerouac’s legacy is burning bright.”

Additional events and happenings are set to take place surrounding KEROUAC’s centennial birthday including:

The Jack Kerouac Foundation has just been created to establish a Jack Kerouac Museum and performance venue in Lowell, MA. More to be announced soon.
Famous quotes from Kerouac’s works will be made into banners and hung on every light pole in downtown City of Lowell, MA.
Various panels, readings, art, talks, exhibits, film screenings, musical performances, and student/school collaborations will take place throughout Lowell in March 2022. Details coming early 2022.
The Town And The City Festival–produced by Chris Porter–is a two-day music and arts festival that will take place in various event spaces, bars, cafes and galleries throughout downtown Lowell, MA on April 8 & 9. The festival is named after KEROUAC’s earliest novel which was primarily set in this historic mill city.
Lowell Celebrates Kerouac will take place October 2022 and will feature a weekend full of KEROUAC themed events and tours.
DIY Lowell, a grassroots community organization, will install pop-up multilingual poetry signs to create a trail past historic Kerouac sites, including an installation at Kerouac Park. A volunteer team will begin planning this at their annual summit open to the public on November 18, the installation is anticipated in mid-spring 2022.
Unreleased works of KEROUAC as well as works from various authors inspired by KEROUAC are set to be published via Sal Paradise Media – a content development arm of THE JACK KEROUAC ESTATE formed by music & film director Jim Sampas (literary executor for The Jack Kerouac Estate) and music industry veteran Sylvia Cunha (Marketing & Development for The Jack Kerouac Estate).
“Kerouac and Me” podcast set to air in 2022 which will see stars of music, film, TV, literature, politics, sports and business share stories of how their work was inspired by Kerouac. The podcast will be hosted by Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos) and was created by Jim Sampas in partnership with Sylvia Cunha for Sal Paradise Media and New York Times bestselling authors Dave Wedge and Casey Sherman for Fort Point Media

“We have so many things planned to honor Jack during his Centenary and beyond,” says Sylvia Cunha who heads up Marketing & Development for the Estate of Jack Kerouac. “The Kerouac @100 Committee is focused on bringing his legend to not only his diehard fans but to new generations– with our ultimate goal of establishing a museum and performance venue in his hometown.”

“The Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau is honored to be partnered with the Jack Kerouac Estate and Kerouac @100 Committee for the Lowell’s favorite son, Jack Kerouac,” states RICK LOFRIA (Executive Director at the Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau). “He was inspired by Lowell and the Greater Merrimack Valley in novel after novel. It’s going to be a birthday celebration to remember with residents and visitors who will be travelling to the area from around the world.”

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for additional details on “Visions of Kerouac” and find out more about KEROUAC at jackkerouac.com.

KEROUAC @ 100 is funded in part by The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, The Greater Merrimack Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, Kerouac Center at UMass Lowell, Massachusetts State Senator Edward Kennedy, City Of Lowell, Pollard Memorial Library Foundation, Lowell National Historical Park, Québec Delégation of Boston, George Duncan/Enterprise Bank, and Greater Lowell Health Alliance.

Follow THE JACK KEROUAC ESTATE online:
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YouTube

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For press inquiries regarding THE JACK KEROUAC ESTATE, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com

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