Don’t miss out on this upcoming live concert! A few of Louisville’s most impressive rock acts will be gracing the stage along with the crowd pleasing VilliBillies, who are also going to be featured in the February 09′ edition of scuttlebutt.

So all you VilleBillie fans - and there are thousands of you - make sure you get your February 09′ issue of Louisville Music News and bring it to the show so you can get it signed by the band!

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Photo by Jason Ashcraft

Two-thousand-five marked a decisive shift in singer/guitar player Rahul Borkar’s (Breckinridge) musical career. His band Breckinridge, an impressive unsigned Louisville-based hard rock band, which achieved radio and Billboard chart success with their hit single “Honesty,” split up.

Borkar was one of the band’s most passionate members and had been writing his own solo material in his spare time. Almost immediately after Breckinridge split, Borkar decided to develop his solo music because he knew he couldn’t play this stuff with Breckinridge due to the style differentiation. Most notably, these were songs that he had to be able to play on his own terms, as a result of his singular musical approach. He wanted these songs to be written and arranged by himself, without the input of others. This alone was impossible to achieve while in Breckinridge.

In Borkar’s own words: “It (the new band) started off as my own solo project while I was in my other band (Breckinridge), but then it became a little more then that. I would record a couple of songs and then … you know … the songs came out pretty awesome!”

So after Breckinridge officially split, Borkar brought his music to life by recruiting childhood friend Praveen Arla (Christiansen) on guitar, and they started playing out as Seven, the first name of Borkar’s solo material. After a few live outings, Seven quickly became the talk of the music scene, as many respected the musical style shift Borkar pulled off. A lot different than Breckinridge, but musically solid nonetheless. After the warm reception, Borkar then added Scott McKenzie (Breckinridge) on drums, Bruce LeFrance (Tantric) on bass, and music scene rookie Brad Compton on guitar, along with him and Arla leading.

During the Fall of 2007, Scott McKenzie would leave the band and be replaced by Joe Yabao (Ashes Eve) on drums and renamed the band to Nova Red.

Stylishly, Nova Red fuses post-grunge and hardcore-emo rock into a singular style. Compton, Arla and Borkar delivers an interesting combination of powerful, yet melodic guitar leads, with a little bit of that distorted Nineties grunge style on the strings. LeFrance’s bass adds a deep rhythm section that often competes with Borkar’s intense and, at times, soulful vocals. Together Nova Red has established themselves as a momentous band in Louisville’s rock music scene, capturing the attention of fans with many different inclinations of rock music.

Nova Red is teamed up with veteran music producer Malcolm Springer (Collective Soul, Matchbox 20) who oversees their recording sessions. Back on October 19, 2007 Nova Red released a six song EP titled No Regrets. The EP includes an extremely well-written, potential hit single, “Kiss Goodnight.” The song’s verses’ are just as hip as the song’s chorus and, like most of their music, has traditional emo subject matter – the loss of something that they are still angst-ridden over. With Nova Red, it’s women. No surprises here.

When asked about how the band came together and under what circumstances (besides the breakup of Breckinridge), LeFrance quickly responded “Because we have all been screwed over by women. That’s it, pretty much. Women don’t love us.”

Laughing, but still somewhat agreeing, Borkar confirmed “Honestly, the band started over a breakup. So the six songs on the EP was written over a breakup. “

Nova Red has a few “potential” hit songs, an obvious emotional base for writing and playing their music, and an experienced producer to tighten their recorded sound. Seemingly, they are poised for musical success, but … they must learn to take their offstage demeanor with their band to a more serious level if they want a career in the music industry. They also must get the hell out of Louisville and go on tour to export their music beyond our city’s limits. The whole Emo scene is mostly rooted by the younger audience, which the Louisville music scene doesn’t really seem to cater to.

Right now, Nova Red is still finishing up on their new full-length album, which requires a drive to Portage, Missouri, Springer’s hometown. The album is due out sometime in the Spring of 2009. That being said, I’m predicting a summer 2009 release. The as yet unnamed album will contain a few of the songs from No Regrets, along with some new stuff, that was – oddly enough – inspired by another breakup. A few of the songs are a bit more heavier and a little metalish like “F**k for Self-esteem.” Nova Red’s fan base won’t be disappointed though. There is also “Burn Me” and “Last Call” that are a few newbies that fans will be keen on too. I’d really like to see what Springer can do with these songs.

Stay up-to-date on the new release by Nova Red, upcoming shows, and the usual stuff on their myspace site: Myspace.com/novared.

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Tantric’s Hugo Ferreira chats with scuttlebutt of Louisville Music News on their recent comeback album, The End Begins, and the current political landscape, from a career musician’s perspective.

Jason Ashcraft of Louisville Music News & Hugo Ferreira of Tantric

LMN : You guys have been on the road a while, doing a lot of touring?

Ferreira : Just a little bit…yes.

LMN : Tell me about the road life, man, what kind of good stories you got for all us Louisvillians?

Ferreira : I mean, really, it’s just been consistently like show after show. We’ve been on the road for about nine months straight and I think total, we’ve maybe had fourteen days off. They were never really consecutive. So, it’s definitely getting to the point where it’s, it’s you know…

LMN : You need a break?

Ferreira : It’s definitely starting to take it’s toll, but you know, we were fortunate enough to have a record that’s doing really well, so, whatever you got to do is whatever you got to do.

LMN : Yeah, I know how that goes. Tell me about, speaking about the record doing well, where’s it been in the charts?

Ferreira : Well, Down and Out topped out at #3 in the rock charts; mainstream and active rock and the record got on the list for The Grammys. We’re like on five different categories and possibly being nominated for a Grammy so that’s pretty exciting. Now we have a new single that’s coming out. It’s called “ Fall Down,” it’s actually – it wasn’t actually on the original record, so we just re-recorded it and it’s going to be added on. The single drops November 4 ^th, or people can go on www.myspace.com/tantric and they can listen and download the single.

LMN : Is there a new album in the works or anything along those lines?

Ferreira : I mean, I’m always writing and I probably have about 20 songs already written. So we haven’t sat down yet and really started working on it as a band just because of the fact that you know, we’re still ‘first-single’ into this CD and the single lasted so long. But, you know, I’m sure that there’s definitely not going to be that lull period between this and the next record as there was from 2004-2008.

LMN : How does Louisville still rank in all the places, cause I know you all go all over the country. So, is Louisville still kind of a cool place for you to come back to and play or…

Ferreira : Dude, I mean, I’ll tell you, I have a house in New York and I have a house here in Louisville and I, Louisville to me is still the greatest place on earth and I’m not just saying that to like kiss anybody’s ass out there. Every time we come here, it’s the feeling of home. I miss it a lot. I miss my dogs, I miss my friends and I think this is the best city in the whole world. Everybody, when I say “I’m from Louisville”, they’re like, “Oh, you’re a hick, so…”, I’m like “I’m glad, just keep on thinking that way, cause I don’t want you to come down here and ruin my f***ing city.

LMN : I do a lot of traveling myself and I have to agree with that. I was in New York a couple weeks ago and it’s a huge traffic jam, so…

Ferreira : Oh, gosh.

LMN : So, you come here and you still kind of got that big city vibe….

Ferreira : And I love being right down like three blocks away from Times Square so it’s just like I walk out of my apartment, it’s just like beep and it’s just everything and it’s just like people aren’t…or in Louisville, Louisville still kind of has that small town like friendship-wise, but it’s still big enough where you don’t have to see everybody, you know, there’s different places and it’s just and it’s an awesome place to live; I probably will never move out of here, I just live in New York also ’cause of work.

LMN : That’s cool. Uh, this is going to sound crazy, but I got to know. We’re four days away – yes, four days away…

Ferreira : From a new President?

LMN : Very important Presidential election.

Ferreira : Yeah.

LMN : How old are you?

Ferreira : I am 34. I mean 22 (laughing).

LMN : Still young. I’m 31, but this is going to be one of the most life changing decisions that you’ll make. Who do you endorse?

Ferreira : I totally endorse Obama. Like a hundred, million, kazillion percent. I mean, he’s such the obvious candidate on so many fronts. It’s time to get somebody young enough to be able to relate with what’s really going on in America; just inter-continentally and also somebody who’s hip to what’s happening. I mean I’m just scared of Republicans in general…

LMN : I don’t blame you. What are you scared of specifically by saying that?

Ferreira : They’re just so easy to pull the trigger on everything. I mean, whether it be war or you know, just there it always seems like there’s always a special interest that they protect and I think it’s a Democratic country and it should be about getting middle class people who work everyday with normal jobs, that aren’t rock stars or baseball players, a break so they’re not losing their homes and our economy doesn’t go to s**t, you know? It’s just crazy, I mean, it’s affecting a lot of Americans and I think we not only need to fix that problem in the U.S., but just fix our foreign policy with all these countries that are hating us and we’re hating them and you know, meanwhile, a lot of our friends, you know, peoples’ kids are going and dying for a war and we still don’t really know why the f**k we’re there, you know? … But ultimately, we just need to get rid of oil altogether and just develop, I mean, we can f***ing invent tons and tons of different things. You know, the technology that exists out there is amazing. You’re telling me you can’t find a different way to power an engine?

LMN : Well, it’s always been there, it’s just always been suppressed.

Ferreira : Of course it is…but I’ll tell you this also just out of respect for the other candidate. I do respect John McCain a lot, I mean, he’s obviously been a person that has dedicated his whole life to his country; and we definitely owe him a salute, I just don’t think that that necessarily qualifies you to, to be able to have the level head to run this place right now. See, there’s too much at stake, we need to have someone who’s really got it together – calm. Not bitter, you know? If I was a prisoner of war and somebody f**ked with me, I would just blow ‘em up, you know? So, you know…

LMN : Every musician I’ve talked to, they all seem to be kind of all going with Obama. A lot of them have told me about the whole touring aspect. It’s hard to make a living in this environment right now.

Ferreira : I mean on album sales, when we first came out, to sell a million records wasn’t an easy thing, but it was realistic. Now I think that where people would be selling 250,000 copies in a week, they’re selling 50,000 copies and it’s just all affected by everything. I mean, technology, yeah, the downloading yes, but…

LMN : This is why you’re on the road for nine months?

Ferreira : Yeah and it doesn’t help when you’re paying you know $5 a gallon for diesel in a tour bus that gets like 4 miles to the gallon.

LMN : My position has always been that the music industry really needs a guy like Obama that’s going to transition us to alternative energies.

Ferreira : That’s true.

LMN : And we just need to continue to proliferate it because if it stays on gas and oil the technologies….

Ferreira : We’re still going to have to buy them from all these crazy bastards, I mean we just need to help our planet stay healthy for our kids and our kids’ kids and not just live to screw everyone in the future, as long as I’m cool and I’m happy. But um, obviously there are tons of problems. You can ask anyone in America, and they’ll give you a different one. But our country needs some help and it has to start with good leadership.

LMN : Ok, back to Tantric. Last question I got here is there anything big on the horizon that you want to kind of announce to everybody here?

Ferreira : Well, like I said, our new single Fall Down comes out November 4 ^th . And for people who’ve already bought the record, we’re arranging for them to download that song for free since it’s not on the first printing. They can go to www.myspace.com/tantric

So that people who’ve already bought the record aren’t getting screwed out of a song. We have a new video that we’re making, um, and hopefully just you know, crossing our fingers that we get nominated for one of the five categories in The Grammys .

LMN : That would be cool. I don’t remember if any “rock” band from Louisville, and I probably should, but I remember of any “rock” band from Louisville has been nominated for a Grammy.

Ferreira : I mean, when I just got the news that we were actually being considered, that you know that we made the first cut, and especially for so many categories, I mean, I was just like “Yeah.” But, I do believe in my record and I know there’s a lot of crap out there and you know, why not? Why not us?

LMN : Absolutely. Well, I hope all of us get to see that become a reality. It wouldn’t surprise me or anyone I think, for that matter. So, good luck with that.

Ferreira : Thank you, and thank you Louisville for staying true and proud and supporting us and loving us. I’ll see you guys when I’m back home at the bar or something.

Interviewed by Jason Ashcraft

Celebrate St Patrick’s Day 115 days early this year. Yep, that’s right, on November 22^, Celtic punk rock band Dropkick Murphys will make a tour stop in Coyote’s at City Block. The Murphys are a small hardcore punk rock Celtic orchestra with more than ten types of Irish instrumentation, including uilleann pipes or Irish bagpipes.

File Photo

Dropkick Murphys formed in 1996 in Quincy, Massachusetts, which is just a few miles outside of Boston. They started as a four-piece punk rock act, changing a few members during their early years. They eventually started adding members with new types of instrumentation, which brought more of a Celtic flair to their punk rock sound. Today, the Murphys have grown to seven members playing up to ten types of instruments from one song to the next.

Dropkick Murphys started to make their way onto the national scene when they were added to the Vans Warped Tour in 2003. The following year, their remake of the Boston Red Sox’s anthem, “Tessie,” went on to become the Boston Red Sox’s official song when they won the World Series later that year.

Also in 2004 the Murphys landed a song on the Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 CD compilation, which included the Foo Fighters, Green Day, Bad Religion, and Rancid. Rick Rubin was one of the producers of this album.

In 2005, they released their fifth album, The Warriors Code, on Epitaph Records. Their hit song “I’m Shipping Up To Boston,” with lyrics that is based on a Woody Guthrie poem, was used in Martin Scorsese’s Oscar winning film “The Departed,” which gained the Murphys considerable fame. Yep, you remember that song, don’t you?

So you already know this is one show you shouldn’t miss. This is one awesome showcase of musicianship, so long as you can stand the good ol’ punk rock drinking crowd whom will keep the environment quite “live” offstage too. The Dropkick Murphys will probably feel right at home here in Louisville. As for everyone else here at home, you’ll like this band because they are just as patriotic to their homeland as many of us Louisville / Kentucky musicians and fans are. And bagpipes in perfect unison with traditional punk-based instrumentation just effin rocks, too.

Opening the show is The Loved Ones and The Mahones. Ticket prices are $25, which seems a little on the high end for Coyote’s, but, I think the average person will get way more for their entertainment dollar on this $25 ticket price versus most other $25 ticket price shows at a bar.

Bottom line, go see it. Gas is down to $2.50 a gallon temporarily, and on top of that St. Patrick’s Day is one of the coolest holidays of the year, even this ad-hoc one on November 22.

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After walking 27 New York City blocks in the world’s largest human traffic jam, the Strawberry Fields sign along the West side of Central Park came as quite a relief to see. Strawberry Fields is a small area in Central Park memorializing the area where John Lennon both lived and where he eventually was murdered in 1980. Before I left that big electronic concrete jungle, I had to pay my respect to one of the world’s greatest musicians.

After rounding a few corners, I walked into the focal point of the memorial. It’s a big stone Italian-style mosaic with “Imagine” in the center.

Photo by Jason Ashcraft

There was a middle-aged bearded man nearby. Next to him was a Black Labrador wrapped in a sleeping bag, lying pretty much motionless. The man furiously sorted through a garbage bag of second-hand flowers and laying out the ones not wilted onto a small area on the cobblestone walkway. I was pretty sure the dog was getting ready to die and the man, apparently homeless, was making peace with the situation.

All the other tourists still came and took pictures of themselves around the Imagine mosaic, ignoring the man and his dying dog. Being a dog lover, ignoring that whole situation wasn’t easy for me. I snapped a quick picture of the mosaic and, opting not to visit The Dakota, the apartment building where Lennon was murdered, I headed back up to the Upper West Side. Although not having the human traffic jam that neighboring parts of the city do, the Upper West Side doesn’t have nearly as many places of business.

I still left somewhat amazed how there is a sense of solitude around Strawberry Fields, right in the middle of one of the world’s largest and most hectic human environments. Ying and Yang is the best way to think of it.

However, Strawberry Fields is a “must experience” place for music history buffs and Beatle lovers alike. If you can stand the chaotic city that surrounds it, I suggest you make the trip.

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