Author: Steve Schnee

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: PARLIAMENT/MEDICAID FRAUD DOGG

George Clinton is the mad scientist of Funk. He assembles some of the most talented and unique musicians in R&B, Soul, Funk and Rock and creates a sound that is miles ahead of any contemporary Funk band on the scene. Case in point: musicians today are just catching up with what George was doing with Funkadelic nearly 50 years ago. And since Funkadelic always had a fluid line-up over the years, their sound was always evolving. However, Clinton was a prolific leader that felt the need to push his brand of Funk forward. Reaching back into formative years, he reformed his late ‘50s Doo Wop group The Parliaments, renamed them Parliament, and Cosmic Funk was born.

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AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: SHARON VAN ETTEN/REMIND ME TOMORROW

Fourteen years after she released her handmade debut CD-R, singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten is finally receiving the critical accolades that she has always deserved. While the long journey may have destroyed a more impatient artist, Van Etten has taken it all in good stride. In fact, she’s enjoyed the ride. “I’ve always been a fan of the slow build.” Sharon says. “Whether it be with my career, or my songs, or life.” Along the way, music hasn’t been the only thing on her plate – Van Etten has also pursued an acting career that landed her gigs on Netflix’s THE OA and on David Lynch’s TWIN PEAKS revival.  In short, Sharon Van Etten has not been idle in recent times, she’s just been very, very patient.

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AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS/LIVE AT THE RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR

Although their name might imply that they may be a Country or Southern Rock band, The Kentucky Headhunters defy categorization. Their sweaty, chest-pounding sound has it’s roots in classic Rock ‘n’ Roll, Country & Western, Blues, and R&B and sounds great in a beer-stained Country roadhouse, a dusty and dry Summer Bluesfest, and in the comfort of your own home. The Kentucky Headhunters play music that sounds like it was grown and harvested deep in the heart of America. The band never plays it safe and always comes out swinging. They are rowdy, rough, and rockin’… and not necessarily in that order. The Kentucky Headhunters are fearless at what they do. And no matter what you call it, The Kentucky Headhunters do it very well.

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AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: ERIC LINDELL/REVOLUTION IN YOUR HEART

Originally from San Mateo, CA, singer, songwriter and guitarist Eric Lindell began his career playing the Bay Area live circuit in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Influenced by the Punk, Indie Rock, and Funk/Soul scenes, his music continued to morph into something that he could call his own. Seeking greener pastures and inspiration, he uprooted and moved to New York. After a short stint on the East Coast, he set his sights on New Orleans and moved there in the late ‘90s. It was in New Orleans that Eric Lindell found his own musical voice. Mixing Blues, Soul, Rock, Funk and a keen ear for a catchy melody, Eric released a few indie releases before signing with Alligator Records and releasing his first album for the label in 2006.

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AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: CHRIS BUTLER/GOT IT TOGEHTER!

Even though you might not recognize his name, you are more than likely familiar with the work of Chris Butler. While his studio work with Tin Huey, Richard Lloyd, the dBs and other bands might have passed some of you by, you will most certainly recognize his higher profile recordings with The Waitresses. Chris Butler was the guitarist and songwriter for the Akron, Ohio-based quirky New Wave outfit and was responsible for penning their hit single “I Know What Boys Like,” as well as their theme song to the cult TV series Square Pegs and the perennial holiday favorite “Christmas Wrapping.” What some may not realize is that while his most high-profile band may have split in 1984, Chris Butler has continued to create experimental music that is entirely unique and charmingly quirky.

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AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: XXXTENTACION/SKINS

XXXTentacion was one of modern Hip Hop’s most controversial figures. In his short life – he was shot and killed at the age of 20 in June, 2018 – he achieved more fame and infamy than most rappers twice his age. Active on the Hip Hop scene for just a handful of years. XXXTentacion – real name Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy – left behind a small but beloved catalog of what some have referred to as Soundcloud Rap. Essentially, Soundcloud Rap is a lo-fi movement that relies on heavily distorted bass and intentional lack of polish in the sound. While that description may work well with XXXTentacion’s contemporaries, it certainly only describes a small portion of what X’s sound was all about.

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AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: ROCKABYE BABY! LULLABY RENDITIONS OF TOM PETTY

When Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers released their self-titled debut album in 1976, there were no indications that Petty would become one of the most important and successful figures in American Rock ‘n’ Roll for the next four decades. Initially lumped in with the Power Pop movement, Petty was eventually embraced by FM rock programmers and by the time of the band’s 1979 album DAMN THE TORPEDOS, he was a bona-fide Rock ‘n’ Roll star. Over the course of his career, he became one of the biggest selling music artists of all time, shifting more than 80 million in the process. Not only did Tom Petty win multiple Grammy and MTV awards, he also received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and was inducted – with The Heartbreakers – into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2001. Apart from all that success with his band as well as a solo artist, he was also a member of Pop/Rock supergroup The Traveling Wilburys (with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne). Not bad for a skinny kid from Gainesville, Florida with big dreams…

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BLUE UNDERGROUND: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A with Bill Lustig

STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: You’ve just released two of the most beloved cult horror films of all time – ZOMBIE and MANIAC. How are you feeling about these projects and the reactions to them so far? The transfers are stunning and certainly much better than any versions I’ve seen before.
BILL LUSTIG: We did 4K-16 bit Arriscans of both films’ original camera negatives, so the results can’t be any better! Of the two, I consider MANIAC to be a miracle from the movie gods! Let me explain, although we always intended to use the title MANIAC, it was filmed under the title ON THE RUN for the purpose of having a less provocative title to secure city permits, insurance, locations, etc. We shot the film on 16mm then after editing did a 35mm blow-up negative. The 35mm negative was then used to strike the release prints and video transfers. 10 years ago, we could no longer use the 35mm negative due to its age and condition and thus began a search for the original 16mm, which was nowhere to be found. In April, I got a call from my producing partner Andrew Garroni, “I found a box in my deep film storage labeled ON THE RUN”.

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EURINGER: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A with Jimmy Urine!

STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: The self-titled EURINGER album is now released. How are you feeling about the project and the reaction to it so far?
JIMMY URINE: I have been sitting on this album for two and a half years, not able to talk about it or tell anyone anything. Making sure nothing leaks ahead of time especially with the guest vocalists. So, it feels great to finally be able to show everyone all over the world what the fuck I’ve been working on. The reaction has been amazing. People really get the whole thing and it is a very complicated concept for a record. It’s more like an art installation or an avant-garde movie, so for people to understand it right out of the gate is awesome.

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