MARCH-APRIL 2017
March/April 2017 Is Your Band Breaking Up? Magazine BUZZ FEST 2017 The Hamiltones Tailspin Comeback
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March/April <strong>2017</strong><br />
Is Your<br />
Band<br />
Breaking<br />
Up?<br />
Magazine<br />
BUZZ<br />
FEST<br />
<strong>2017</strong><br />
The<br />
Hamiltones<br />
Tailspin<br />
Comeback
2 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 3
Record Store Day <strong>2017</strong><br />
April 22nd<br />
J<br />
666 Central Avenue<br />
St. Petersburg, FL 33701<br />
4 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
CONTENTS<br />
March/April<br />
<strong>2017</strong><br />
COVER STORIES<br />
10 Kayla Korpics<br />
“Best of the Buzz”<br />
16 Tailspin<br />
19 BUZZ FEST<br />
“The Building of a<br />
Festival”<br />
20 BUZZ FEST <strong>2017</strong><br />
Scrapbook<br />
34 The Hamiltons<br />
Interview with Jim<br />
Hamilton<br />
36 The Hamiltons<br />
Live Concert Review<br />
In Every Issue<br />
06 Letter from the Editor<br />
38 Music History<br />
“The Golden Age”<br />
45 On My Mind<br />
“Sometimes You Gotta<br />
Try”<br />
MORE STORIES<br />
30 Chicagovich: Leonid<br />
& Friends - CD Review<br />
40 Easter Dinner from the<br />
Mouse’s Kitchen<br />
46 10 Signs Your Band is<br />
Ending<br />
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 5
Hey Tampa Bay!<br />
Needless to say, the last few months have<br />
been a whirlwind of events set in motion. Buzz Fest<br />
was an amazing day and I have to thank so many<br />
people for a wonderful festival.<br />
First I must thank the Bay Buzz team for their<br />
dedication, support, hard work and long hours as we<br />
planned every detail of the festival. Pam Wills and<br />
Selena Clingan showed thier community spirit and<br />
awesomeness as we worked towards a successful<br />
event. It is very touching to know they believe in the<br />
cause of Bay Buzz Music and work towards bringing<br />
it to the next level of professionalism.<br />
Thank you to all the volunteers who dedicated<br />
thier day to Buzz Fest. Whether it be watching over<br />
the raffle table, ticket booth to they guys who<br />
volunteered thier drums, sound systems and helped<br />
set up each stage.<br />
Thank you to all the bands and musicians who<br />
performed. You truly are the heart and soul of the<br />
Tampa Bay community!<br />
Thank you to all our sponsors who showed<br />
their community spirit and supported us!<br />
Thank you to everyone who donated an item<br />
for our raffles!<br />
I’d like to congratulate Kayla Korpics on<br />
winning the very first “Best of the Buzz” contest and<br />
to Seminole Music for donating a generous gift card<br />
to her!<br />
It really is amazing when a plan comes<br />
together and the community comes together to be<br />
there for one another!<br />
With all the love in my heart,<br />
Constance<br />
6 BAY BUZZ MAGAZNG _ <strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
7 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
Magazine<br />
Publisher ... Constance Hilton<br />
constance@baybuzz.org<br />
Sales ...Pam Wills<br />
sales@baybuzz.org<br />
Assistance ... Selena Clingan<br />
selena@baybuzz.org<br />
Editors:<br />
Bob Fecker<br />
Stephen Farrenkoph<br />
Contributing Writers:<br />
Fred Fulford<br />
Randall Owen<br />
Phil Traynor<br />
Keith Wilkins<br />
Contributing Photographers:<br />
Johnny DiGrigolio<br />
Melanie DiGriglio<br />
Dominic DiGriiglio<br />
baybuzz.org<br />
8
9 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
10 BUZZ MAGAZINE_ <strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
BEST OF<br />
THE BUZZ<br />
2016
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 11<br />
BB: Hi Kayla. How are you today?<br />
Thank you for taking the time to<br />
chat with Bay Buzz Music. We’re<br />
so excited to have you perform at<br />
this years, BUZZ FEST and also to<br />
make a special announcement<br />
during the festivities: You won<br />
Best of the Buzz for 2016.<br />
Congratulations!<br />
KK: Hi guys! I’m doing super well! I<br />
am unbelievably excited for BUZZ<br />
FEST and can’t wait to perform and<br />
share the stage with some other<br />
extremely talented musicians.<br />
It was an honor to be in the running<br />
with so many amazing local artists,<br />
many of which I have had the pleasure<br />
of knowing and getting really close<br />
with through performing out locally<br />
and even a bigger honor to have<br />
gotten the most votes.<br />
BB: So, let’s start at the beginning<br />
of your music career. You’re only<br />
18 years old and you come from a<br />
musical family. How did start<br />
getting involved with music?<br />
KK: I do come from a musical family.<br />
My dad is actually a drummer and<br />
played in hair-metal bands when he<br />
was younger and my mom was a<br />
singer. So growing up, my brother and<br />
I were surrounded by all styles of<br />
music and we developed a passion for<br />
it as kids. My brother started playing<br />
bass in the 6th grade and then moved<br />
to classical guitar. Listening to music<br />
as a kid was what introduced me to<br />
my interest in music, however I didn’t<br />
really play and write music until I<br />
started getting bullied in middle<br />
school. I didn’t have a lot of friends. I<br />
was made fun of for the way I dressed,<br />
my weight, interests I had... So when<br />
I realized that I didn’t have someone<br />
to talk to about the things that were<br />
bothering me, I found music. I’d<br />
come home and sing along to some of<br />
my favorite songs that would connect<br />
with the emotion I was feeling before<br />
I realized that I had the ability to write<br />
my own songs and channel my<br />
emotions to make songs powerful and<br />
meaningful. I love singing other<br />
people’s songs, but nothing compares<br />
to the feeling you get when you’re<br />
singing your own songs and making<br />
connections with the reasons you<br />
wrote it. Writing and performing<br />
music was my coping mechanism,<br />
however it wasn’t something that I<br />
could easily share with others.<br />
I was never comfortable to sing in<br />
front of people, let alone sing my own<br />
songs. My mother convinced me to<br />
join choir in the 7th grade and it was<br />
one of my best decisions. Even<br />
though in that scenario, I would not<br />
sing alone in front of anyone.<br />
My brother, being a guitarist,<br />
eventually started teaming up with me<br />
and playing chords on guitar so I was<br />
able to put my lyrics to a melody. It<br />
wasn’t until about 2 ½ - 3 years ago<br />
that I started to teach myself piano. I<br />
never took any lessons and am<br />
probably doing everything wrong. But<br />
I’m still learning and growing.<br />
I picked up a ukulele in August just to<br />
take a little break from piano and I<br />
did not realize how much I would fall<br />
in love with it. Music is definitely<br />
something that is around me all the<br />
time. I catch myself singing and<br />
playing throughout each day. It’s the<br />
thing that keeps me sane.<br />
KK: Well, I wasn’t the skinniest and I<br />
always preferred to wear clothes<br />
from the boys’ section. Some people<br />
saw that as an easy thing target me<br />
for. I was told I was worthless<br />
because I had no friends. Once<br />
you’re in that situation and everyone<br />
already hates you, you don’t want to<br />
tell an adult to try to make the<br />
situation better - ...you don’t want<br />
anyone else hating you. There were
time I contemplated suicide and thought that<br />
was my only way out. That was until I found my<br />
passion for performing and writing music.<br />
BB: Do you ever think of yourself as an<br />
advocate for kids who are bullied?<br />
KK: Most definitely. Being bullied shaped me<br />
into the person that I am today and if I could go<br />
back and change it all, I wouldn’t. I was able to<br />
gain courage and strength from that experience<br />
and I value those qualities for the rest of my life.<br />
I look back now and see how many life lessons I<br />
have learned and can use those to help shape my<br />
future and possibly the future of others.<br />
BB: Your music has a slow jazzy feel to it.<br />
What influences have you had to create this<br />
sultry sound?<br />
KK: Amy Winehouse has always been a<br />
huge influence. “Love is a Losing Game”<br />
was the first song that I heard by her<br />
and not only could I hear what she was<br />
singing about, but I could feel it and<br />
that was really inspiring to me. It’s easy<br />
to be a good singer - singing words<br />
with proper tone and in the right key,<br />
but being able to give each word feeling<br />
and to be able to convey the message of<br />
the song with that feeling makes an artist -<br />
and that is always what Amy did.<br />
Another thing that really drew my attention to her<br />
was her live performances. No two sounded the<br />
same, but they were all still individually amazing.<br />
With popular songs being repetitive now-a-days<br />
(...and I am guilty of this too), it is easy to sing live<br />
performances all the same way. However, Amy in<br />
the studio sounds just like Amy live. There wasn’t<br />
auto-tune correcting her every pitch. It was<br />
obvious that the notes she was hitting in the<br />
studio, she was capable of hitting anywhere.<br />
BB: Let’s talk about your accomplishments<br />
so far. You won a singing contest through<br />
StarMaker, which is as technology driven<br />
media company that focuses on undiscovered<br />
talent. How did that come about?<br />
KK: I was planning to attend an event in Orlando<br />
called, PlayList Live with some friends and the<br />
StarMaker platform was hosting a contest, where<br />
if you used thier app and covered one of the given<br />
“I catch myself<br />
singing and playing<br />
throughout each day.<br />
It’s the thing that<br />
Keeps me sane”<br />
three songs, you could win a chance to perform<br />
that song on the main stage at the event with<br />
the artist who wrote/performs it. My friends<br />
kept pushing me to try out, because they knew<br />
how much I loved singing and how great of an<br />
experience it would be - whether I won or not.<br />
I took a couple of days to think about it, but in<br />
the end I decided to enter. However, my<br />
thought process was that it would help me<br />
overcome the stage fright that I struggle with. I<br />
didn’t have any hopes of winning, but I knew<br />
how passionate I was about music and that was<br />
what drove me to enter. It’s still so surreal to<br />
me ...the contest ended and I received the most<br />
votes and ranked #1 with over 800,000 views.<br />
It is such a cool platform that provided me with<br />
so many amazing opportunities as an artist and<br />
for that I will be eternally grateful.<br />
BB: Later you collaborated with<br />
StarMaker to create a music video.<br />
Tell us about that experience!<br />
KK: After the contest, StarMaker<br />
reached out to me saying how much<br />
they enjoyed working with me and<br />
how the reaction of the audience was<br />
insane. They were planning to do a<br />
couple collaboration-cover music<br />
videos between an undiscovered artist and<br />
a YouTube artist and they asked if I was<br />
interested. Of course, I completely freaked out<br />
and screamed yes a couple thousand times! I<br />
got to fly out to Los Angeles and spend that<br />
time in my first actual recording studio. I<br />
worked on arrangements for a mash-up cover<br />
that I would be shooting for the video. It was<br />
such a different experience from just recording<br />
a YouTube video at home in my bedroom.<br />
There were multiple cameras that were bigger<br />
than me! And make-up artists touching up my<br />
make-up.<br />
Huge production crew! Props! It was so<br />
professional that it was a little scary at first. My<br />
initial thought was, “what if I mess up?” I had no<br />
idea what I thought I would mess up on, but<br />
that was the main thought that was in my head.<br />
It was really cool to be working with people<br />
who have done similar things before because<br />
they made it seem a little less scary. It was also
a little difficult because I do struggle with selfimage<br />
ever since I was bullied. Therefore, the<br />
thought of this professional video with me as “one<br />
of the stars” was nerve wracking.<br />
I got to work with director, Isaac Ravishankara,<br />
who actually directed Hozier’s “Work Song” -<br />
which was so surreal - because Hozier is actually<br />
one of my favorite artists!<br />
BB: Since last year, you’ve been playing out a<br />
lot! And I have to say, you are creating a stir<br />
in Tampa Bay with your music. Where do you<br />
plat out at? And do you have any projects<br />
coming up?<br />
KK: I really got started in the local music scene<br />
back in April when I started with open mics. That<br />
really opened up so many opportunities for me.<br />
Whether its playing a two or four hour show in a<br />
bar or at a festival, I always look to gain<br />
experience with performing and to get more<br />
comfortable with my voice and in front of an<br />
audience.<br />
You can catch me at a few open mics throughout<br />
the week or on the weekends! Some of my<br />
favorites are Yeoman’s on Tuesday night, Green<br />
Iguana on Monday nights and Brewers Tasting<br />
Room on Saturday nights.<br />
BB: Besides music, what else do you like to<br />
do?<br />
KK: Music is always incorporated into my day,<br />
one way or another! Since I just started my first<br />
semester of school, I’m probably doing<br />
homework! Although I love to longboard and<br />
shop more than I probably should.<br />
BB: Thank you Kayla for chatting with us.<br />
And congratulations on winning Best of the<br />
Buzz for the year 2016.<br />
KK: Thank you for putting this all together! And<br />
the awesome event! Thank you to those who took<br />
the time to vote for me and to Seminole Music &<br />
Sound for the gift card!<br />
Visit Kayla Korpics at<br />
www.kaylakorpics.com/<br />
Facebook<br />
Twitter<br />
YouTube<br />
Soundcloud
Birthday Rock Stars<br />
Randy Wright<br />
Colin Ward<br />
Johnny Nicol<br />
Jayne Kelli<br />
Dean Johanesen<br />
Matthew Bistock<br />
Chris Brown<br />
Este Loves<br />
Rob Pastore<br />
Carl Stephen Holt<br />
Zed Maestro<br />
Tanisha Wade<br />
Bob Feckner<br />
John Spinelli<br />
John Kelly<br />
Brian Theozman<br />
Kyle Pennington<br />
Christopher Joe Pack<br />
Robyn Alleman<br />
Ronnie Elliot<br />
Iris Calling<br />
April Davis<br />
Rebekah Pulley
16 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
Keith MacBay formed Tailspin six years ago. Then<br />
it was fronted by Erika Sparks. The band found<br />
themselves in a bind when Erika left the band to<br />
start a family and were unable to replace her.<br />
Eventually, the band split up and the guys took up<br />
with other bands. But like a force of nature, they<br />
brought the band back, reinvented themselves and<br />
is playing out at popular venues like Biff Burger<br />
and Red Tiki.<br />
Charlie Boice is your main vocalist and guitar<br />
player along with Keith MacBay on drums, Ted<br />
Feinman on keyboards and John Baccoli who<br />
plays bass. And yes, they all sing!<br />
Tailspin plays your favorite 60’s and 70’s rock and<br />
roll music and prides themselves on their harmonies.<br />
“Our music is quality music and we put a lot<br />
into our sound,” Charlie tells us.<br />
They all have dreams for the band, but the number<br />
one goal is play at more venues.<br />
Be sure to catch Tailspin at one of their upcoming<br />
shows and visit them at www.tailspinband.rocks<br />
Tailspin’s Upcoming Shows!<br />
March 25th<br />
The Tides Golf Club<br />
Seminole<br />
March 28th<br />
Red Tiki Bar<br />
St. Petersburg<br />
March 31st<br />
Biff Burger<br />
St. Petersburg<br />
April 12th<br />
Biff Burger<br />
St. Petersburg<br />
April 14th<br />
American Legion Riders Post 138<br />
Tampa<br />
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 17
For Musicians<br />
Bay Buzz wants to know more about your band!<br />
Now musicians can fill out a<br />
simple profile questionaire on our<br />
website and tell us more about<br />
your band, the music and where<br />
we can see you perform or buy<br />
and/or download your latest<br />
tunes!<br />
Please visit www.baybuzz.org<br />
and go to Musician's Profile and<br />
fill out the questions and then hit<br />
SEND. It's that easy!<br />
Each month Bay Buzz will<br />
choose a band at random and<br />
showcase them on our Home<br />
Page and of course in BUZZ<br />
Magazine.
BUZZ FEST:<br />
The Building of a Festival<br />
Local music celebrations can bring the community<br />
together, draw out fans and generate an exciting vibe.<br />
With festivals there always come challenges; and Buzz<br />
Fest <strong>2017</strong> which took place at Gators Café & Saloon<br />
on March 5th was no exception. A domino effect of<br />
difficulties presented to us, but we persevered through<br />
all of it and managed to put together a successful and<br />
fun Buzz Fest!<br />
Our first test was given to us by no less than the hand<br />
of God. Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Nicole had<br />
hit the sunshine state and both caused damage to the<br />
docks at Gators Café, causing them to be unsafe.<br />
Because of the repairs that were needed, Gators decided<br />
to renovate other items in their bar while the repairs<br />
were being made. This caused them to have to either<br />
move original date that Buzz Fest was to be held on or<br />
to have no festival at all.<br />
The decision was difficult because we already had all<br />
the bands in place, vendors on board, flyers made up<br />
and tickets being sold. What do we do? I asked my<br />
partner, and she said we should move the date, so<br />
move the date we did!<br />
One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was go<br />
back to all of the bands and explain what happened,<br />
with hopes that they understood that this obstacle was<br />
out of our control. Fortunately, the bands understood<br />
and we moved the date, refunded tickets, made new<br />
flyers and everything seemed to be back on track.<br />
musicians and their instruments came first, and that<br />
meant that we again had no choice.<br />
This time, telling the bands scared the hell out of me.<br />
How could this be happening again? I wanted to run to<br />
a corner and hide. These bands are going to not like me or Bay<br />
Buzz Music anymore! Most of the bands did understand.<br />
While some had to back out of the festival because they<br />
were not available on the newest date, we were fortunate<br />
enough to be able to find other bands who were<br />
eager to perform!<br />
The new date was set! Flyers again were made, tickets<br />
were being sold, and everything was going smoothly<br />
for a change. Once again the Bay Buzz team visited<br />
Gators in late February to check on the construction<br />
progress. This time we were happy because the bar and<br />
restaurant looked amazing and it was ready for us to<br />
hold our festival!<br />
The weekend of the festival came with “breezy” weather<br />
conditions. Breezy is an understatement when your<br />
venue sits on the water; but as the saying goes, the<br />
show must go on, so we did our best to make it work!<br />
Fans didn’t let their favorite local music bands down;<br />
they came out for the great time! Musicians showed<br />
professionalism and excitement; and performed with<br />
great energy. Even though at times the wind showed its<br />
fury, it was a wonderful festival!<br />
As the date of the festival loomed, the Bay Buzz team<br />
visited Gators to check on the progress of the construction.<br />
We were surprised and disappointed to discover<br />
that even though repairs were in progress, Gators<br />
was a victim of more damage than first realized. When<br />
crews began working on one problem, they discovered<br />
more problems that were attributed not only to the age<br />
of the building (Gators was built in 1940), but also the<br />
fact that it sits on the edge of the salty intracoastal<br />
waters and under the extreme heat of the Florida sun.<br />
The unfortunate effect of all of this was that a lot of<br />
space at Gators was still unusable. There were construction<br />
guys coming and going, cords on the floor,<br />
and temporary walls had been up to direct public<br />
traffic. I closed my eyes, shook my head, and part of my<br />
heart seeped into my stomach. “We’re going to have to<br />
move the date again.” I hated it. So did the Bay Buzz<br />
team. But the safety of the audience, the fans, the<br />
Bay Buzz Music would like to thank all the bands, the<br />
volunteers, and the staff at Gators for all the hard work,<br />
perseverance and professionalism. We could not have<br />
pulled off a great festival like this without you!<br />
With every festival, you learn what works and what<br />
doesn’t work; and we strive to make each year better<br />
than the last before. With that in mind, we’re already<br />
planning next year’s festival. What would you like to<br />
see?<br />
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 19
Laura Shepherd & Lucy Flute<br />
20 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 21
AMERICAN<br />
SONG BOX<br />
BLACK SUN<br />
CIRCUS<br />
PORKUPINE<br />
22 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 23
TROPICAL DISTURBANCE<br />
24 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 25
26 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
HOLEY MISS MOLEY
KAYLA KORPICS<br />
Thank you to all the bands who performed at this year’s Buzz Fest!<br />
Laura Shepherd & Lucy Flute<br />
JD & Zetha Lewis<br />
Daisy & The Drivers<br />
Black Sun Circus<br />
Steve Vacklavik<br />
JCT 27<br />
American Song Box<br />
Tropical Disturbance<br />
Porkupine<br />
Kayla Korpics & Ricky Robie<br />
Holey Miss Moley
Not so with Leonid & Friends; their mission is<br />
simple: fidelity to the original essence and the<br />
original sound. As such, I’m pleased to point out<br />
the Vorobyev spent what must have been countless<br />
hours painstakingly transcribing each of the<br />
parts from every song they perform. His accuracy<br />
is astonishing; for each player in the band executes<br />
what is essentially a note for note re-creation<br />
of the original studio album parts. If you are a long<br />
time and devoted fan, you will hear the utter craftsmanship<br />
in each and every part; you will recognize<br />
every signature riff, you will delight in breathtakingly<br />
accurate vocal parts.<br />
By Phil Traynor<br />
I haven’t been this happy about an album in a<br />
VERY long time. Leonid Vorobyev and his<br />
mighty intrepid band of friends have released<br />
what is perhaps the best tribute album in the<br />
history of rock and roll. Superlative? Perhaps.<br />
But I wouldn’t toss about such a platitude lightly.<br />
In short, if you’re a fan of Chicago; you’re going<br />
to believe me when you hear this record.<br />
Most of the players hail from the Moscow area,<br />
others are from Kiev, in the Ukraine. They collaborate<br />
both physically and virtually in producing<br />
the most faithful and accurate covers of<br />
classic Chicago hits you are likely to hear. And<br />
you know what? Right now, in <strong>2017</strong>, Leonid and<br />
Friends is performing Chicago tunes better than<br />
the real Chicago is performing them. Why do I<br />
say that? Well, it’s simple; the real Chicago has<br />
changed lineup pretty substantially over the<br />
years, through various means, and the new<br />
members have been contributing their own voices<br />
to the collective sound. And while they are all<br />
indeed world class, that collective influence has<br />
moved Chicago away from the sound that made<br />
them great.<br />
One place where the Friends deviate from stock<br />
just slightly in their sound is the one place where<br />
they have the least potential control; their accents.<br />
Clearly, everyone in the ensemble is an English<br />
speaker, or else they would not be able to sing<br />
these complex pieces so well. That said, their<br />
Russian accents creep through in many cases, but<br />
you know what? I find those accents incredibly<br />
charming. It is their way of making the performances<br />
uniquely their own, and it is clear that each and<br />
every member brings their love for and passion<br />
about Chicago’s music to their take on these timeless<br />
hits. I wouldn’t have it any other way.<br />
MAKE ME SMILE<br />
This one is actually my favorite cut on the album,<br />
and was my first exposure to the group. I love the<br />
split vocal duties between Vorobyev, who might be<br />
your tax accountant to look at him, and Vasily<br />
Akimov, whose more rugged countenance would<br />
fit in easily with any heavy metal band in the world.<br />
His gravelly tenor is a joy. The brass section<br />
OWNS this piece as well, with a micrometered<br />
solo section and taut crispness throughout the<br />
piece. Vorobyev plays the piano here, but is the<br />
bassist on most of the rest of the tracks.<br />
25 OR 6 TO 4<br />
Highlights of this energetic track are the soaring<br />
lead vocal of Kiev, Ukraine-based guitarist and<br />
singer Serge Tiagniryadno, and the note for note<br />
extended guitar solo from Sergey Kashirin, who on<br />
all these tracks looks like he’s having WAY too<br />
much fun, his joy is infectious.<br />
30 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
WISHING YOU WERE HERE<br />
This track shows the fearlessness of the band; this<br />
is a difficult chart to get right, and no effort is<br />
spared. Highlights here are the acoustic guitar<br />
work and the AMAZING backup harmonies; with<br />
added members Vladimir Popov (who adds flute to<br />
other tracks as well) and the truly luminous Ksenona.<br />
Special props to Vorobyev for nailing the<br />
difficult bass lick in the middle of the second verse!<br />
Lead vocals again split between Vorobyev and<br />
Akimov, to great effect.<br />
SATURDAY IN THE PARK<br />
Guitarist Sergey Kashirin is tapped for the lead<br />
vocal on this one, and he delivers an exuberant<br />
and playful performance. The inherent goodness<br />
of this track is best described by the fact that they<br />
got the groove right; this is a very specific pocket,<br />
and one in which it is difficult to land, and indeed<br />
the group lands it perfectly. A slight arranging twist<br />
on the ending from the original; a little callout to the<br />
Beatles, and it totally works.<br />
WHAT’S THIS WORLD COMING TO?<br />
Vocals on this indelibly funky track bounce between<br />
Kashirin, Akimov, and Serge Tiagniryadno.<br />
Incredible energy, and did I mention FUNK?? I<br />
need to mention drummer Igor Javad-Zade here.<br />
The aforementioned funk groove is largely his<br />
doing on this track, and he is a mighty, stalwart<br />
presence on every track. His rudiments are meticulous,<br />
and he is clearly a student of this music,<br />
because his playing serves it at the highest levels.<br />
A big shout out goes to keyboard player Vlad<br />
Senchillo here as well; he rips out a scorching<br />
organ solo that drives the piece hard.<br />
BRAND NEW LOVE AFFAIR (PARTS 1 AND 2)<br />
Vorobyev is back on keys and lead vocal on part 1<br />
this piece. Vorobyev’s gentle baritone is pleasing<br />
and perfectly suited to this soulful section of the<br />
tune. As it shifts to the more bombastic part 2;<br />
Vasily Akimov’s guttural power takes the lead. I<br />
love this guy’s voice, and his presence. As before,<br />
it’s a great pairing. Shout out to bassist Dmitry<br />
Maximov.<br />
DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME<br />
IT IS?<br />
This familiar favorite is rendered faithfully by<br />
Sergey Kashirin on lead vocals, and the brass<br />
section (Alexey Batychenko on trumpet, Alexander<br />
Michurin on trombone and Konstantin Gorshkov<br />
on tenor sax) speaks with breathtaking clarity.<br />
One of my favorite Chicago songs is brought to life<br />
with boundless energy. They even had the spoken<br />
word breaking into the 3rd verse courtesy of Robby<br />
Hicks (billed as “Phone a Friend”)!<br />
WOMAN DON’T WANT TO LOVE ME<br />
Another trip DEEP into Funkytown with the sounds<br />
of clavinet, wah-wah guitar and blistering brass<br />
hits. Serge Tiagniryadno once again glides<br />
through the stratosphere vocally. Dmitry Maximov<br />
on bass again, he has intricate and complex chops<br />
and a fantastic groove. Really cool enveloped<br />
guitar solo from Sergey Kashirin. Odd meter craziness<br />
is absolutely planted.<br />
COLOR MY WORLD<br />
I thought this was an unusual cut to include on an<br />
album like this because of the original’s spare and<br />
sparse arrangement; but Vorobyev has a spectacular<br />
surprise in store:–a charming full brass section<br />
arrangement, and a luscious, romantic,<br />
obscenely beautiful orchestration that in fact<br />
choked me up at its climax. Leonid Vorobyev is a<br />
truly gifted arranger, and his embellishment of this<br />
piece is nothing but glorious addition; it takes the<br />
relentless accuracy a step further and adds originality<br />
and beauty that did not previously exist.<br />
Vladimir Popov’s flute is smooth and glorious.<br />
HOT STREETS<br />
This underrated and complex piece seems to be a<br />
place of special comfort for Vorobyev and his<br />
crew; the odd meters and syncopation pass with<br />
casual elegance and calculated precision. Popov’s<br />
flute solo is frenetic and atmospheric. The brass<br />
gets a superb break in the middle and Igor Javad-<br />
Zade’s drums are a special treat on this track.<br />
OLD DAYS<br />
What a way to close this amazing album out. We<br />
get one more taste of the towering vocal of Serge<br />
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 31
Tiagniryadno, the signature brass break, a full<br />
string section that made my breath catch in my<br />
throat when they entered (big shout out to members<br />
of the Caro-Bass Orchestra, and Chamber<br />
Orchestra Kremlin), tight and silky vocal harmonies,<br />
and the sheer beauty of hearing this tune<br />
brought once again to light by musicians of the<br />
highest order.<br />
<br />
CHICAGOVICH is an absolute triumph. Leonid<br />
Vorobyev and the group of people he assembled<br />
have given the world a work of breathless beauty,<br />
incendiary power, and a powerful nostalgic trigger<br />
that will make any fan of Chicago ecstatic, and<br />
fans of most any genre excited to hear such a<br />
pitch-perfect tribute. It is important to note the love<br />
with which this album is executed; there are really<br />
no boundaries in the world. Music transcends<br />
borders, political and social ideologies, and geographies.<br />
I’m proud to live in a world that has Leonid<br />
Vorobyev and Friends in it.<br />
Buy this great album here!
The Hamiltones<br />
Interview with Jim Hamilton<br />
By Fred Fulford<br />
The Hamiltones is a good Time Rock-A-Silly,<br />
Swang Like, Bluesy Floozy Fun! Music you can<br />
sink your teeth into! Or, you can gum it to<br />
death....the choice is yours...depending on<br />
your dental plan!<br />
BB: Hey Jim, are you originally from the<br />
Tampa Bay area?<br />
JH: Born and raised!<br />
JH: Really good! He's been practicing with us<br />
and is going to make an appearance at the<br />
Sacred Heart Spring Festival with our band. He<br />
plays like a bat outta hell. He's also been trying<br />
to teach me (eyes roll) constantly showing me<br />
what I've been doing wrong all these years. And<br />
he's right, damnit!<br />
BB: Is there anyone else in your family that<br />
carries the music tradition?<br />
JH: My mom played the organ. My dad played<br />
the trumpet and bugle during World War II. He<br />
also played around with the harmonical a bit.<br />
Dad is now going on 93 years old and still likes<br />
BB: How did you get started in music?<br />
JH: I started as a drummer when I was six years<br />
old. I played recitals adn general stuff like that.<br />
After high school I bought a bass guitar and got<br />
into a Roots-Rock type of band and it carried on<br />
from there.<br />
BB: Were you and Ritch Michael playing<br />
together after high school?<br />
JH: We played in a band called Likewise<br />
together from 1987 to 1989. Wolf Schueber,<br />
Ritch and I hooked up in 1996 and played in<br />
several bands together. 'Telegraph Road' from<br />
1996 until 2002. 'Wolfpack' from 2004 until<br />
2006, just to name a couple. In 2009 the three<br />
of us got together and formed "The Hamiltones".<br />
to playa tune on the "old mouth harp" now and<br />
then. Jimmie, my son, picked up a little from<br />
them and I picked up none of it. I just had to go<br />
with it on my own.<br />
BB: Your son, Jimmie, also plays. How is he<br />
doing?<br />
34 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
BB: The Hamiltones are always out<br />
performing. Do you have anything special<br />
coming up?<br />
JH: Oh yea! The Sacred Heart Spring Festival is<br />
on the calendar. That's always fun. Then this<br />
summer we are hoping to finally get into the<br />
recording studio and put out a CD. We've got<br />
nine original songs and probably will throw in a<br />
couple oldies we like - some 1938 stuff.<br />
The challenge has always been for the time and<br />
cash to come together at the same moment to<br />
make it work. It's really about getting something<br />
on a record before we die.<br />
Be sure to catch their upcoming show at The<br />
Sacred Heart Spring Festival on March 31st.<br />
They will be performing on the East stage<br />
corner of 0th Avenue and 46th Street. The<br />
music starts at 6pm.<br />
Visit The Hamiltones on<br />
ReverNation:<br />
www.reverbnation.com/thehamiltones<br />
BB: Why? You've got plans to die soon?<br />
JH: Ha! No ...no plans, not really. If something<br />
good comes along I'm always loooking for a<br />
sweet deal. You know, something quick and<br />
painless is always a bargain.<br />
BB: How is The Hamiltone's progress to<br />
success?<br />
JH: We aren't a full time band. Wolf, Ritch and I<br />
have families and a life outside of the band.<br />
Every gig is an event and always a good time. It<br />
puts a few extra bucks in our pockets and we<br />
really enjoy what we do or else we wouldn't do<br />
it. We keep getting calls from new places asking<br />
us to come and perform. That's aways a good<br />
thing! We're just going to keep going and have<br />
some fun.<br />
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 35
The Hamiltones<br />
Live Concert Review<br />
By Fred Fulford<br />
On January 29 th I had the pleasure of<br />
seeing one of my all time favorite local<br />
bands, The Hamiltones, at the Ka’ Tiki<br />
Beach Bar on Sunset Beach. Front man<br />
Jim Hamilton was at the wheel, boogieing<br />
the bass and leading vocals. Ritch Michael<br />
was keeping the beat on drums and backup<br />
vocals while Wolf Schueder was strokin’<br />
the lead guitar like a velvet hammer. They<br />
have their own brand of “feel REALLY<br />
good” music they call “Rock-a-Silly.” With<br />
their staples of ZZ Top and Stevie Ray<br />
Vaughan they also play some great, off the<br />
wall stuff from The Red Elvises and The<br />
Reverend Horton Heat. These rare bands<br />
mix roots rock, rockabilly and Texas swing<br />
with a Spike Jones attitude.<br />
The first thing I noticed was the large<br />
Gretsch geetar while Ritchie kept the beat<br />
and Jim knocked out the verses.<br />
By the third song of the first set it was<br />
standing room only. The crowd was rowdy<br />
and happy, applause and whistles roared<br />
out like B.B. King just strummed the intro<br />
to “The Thrill Is Gone.” They continued on<br />
with some of their own original music, “Killer<br />
Klowns,” “Big Orange Guitar,” then a<br />
crowd favorite “Baby I’m Drunk” by The<br />
Reverend Horton Heat. The wanna be<br />
swing dancers hit the floor and that was all<br />
she wrote, the place turned into the dancers<br />
party scene from Dirty Dancing.<br />
The Hamiltones are definitely a local band<br />
you have to see. Look for their gigs on<br />
Facebook. I know they will be playing at<br />
the Sacred Heart Festival in Pinellas Park,<br />
FL on March 31 st . Show up, get a few cold<br />
ones in ya and have a “Rock-a-Silly” great<br />
time!<br />
crowd of people there. When The Hamiltones<br />
hit the somewhat small stage, they lit<br />
the place up… and more people came in.<br />
When you hear them banging out ZZ Top’s<br />
“I Got the Six” from the street, you have to<br />
check out what the hell is going on! They<br />
ripped into SRV’s “Look at Little Sister” and<br />
Wolf killed the blues solo on his big, orange<br />
36 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
WRITE FOR BUZZ<br />
MAGAZINE<br />
We are currently looking for music<br />
lovers who want to write about the<br />
local music scene in Tampa Bay.<br />
This is an excellent opportunity to<br />
expose your creativity and knowledge<br />
in any area of the music scene<br />
here in our community.<br />
Topics may include (but not limited<br />
to):<br />
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●Live Music Reviews<br />
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that support local music<br />
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We ask that you submit a sample of<br />
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Articles must be between 500 and<br />
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Please include your name, county<br />
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38 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
When the national music scene became entranced<br />
by the sounds of the "British Invasion" in the mid-<br />
1960's, the Tampa Bay area music scene fired back<br />
with an explosion of bands themselves. In all<br />
actuality, the 1960's could arguably be considered<br />
the golden age of the Tampa Bay music scene. After<br />
all, it was the 2nd largest boom of the Tampa Bay<br />
music scene, the largest boom occurring roughly 20<br />
years later during the mid-1980's - mid-1990's.<br />
There were several contributing factors that lead to<br />
the “boom” of the music scene during the 1960's.<br />
One of those factors was a hugely successful concert<br />
series that was started in Clearwater called the "Star<br />
Spectacular." The “Star Spectacular” became a<br />
monthly (and occasionally weekly) concert series,<br />
showcasing both national acts and local Tampa Bay<br />
acts as well. The event was originally conceived and<br />
organized by music legend Paul Cochran in<br />
conjunction with WLCY Radio and the Clearwater<br />
Recreation Department. The first “Star Spectacular”<br />
concert was held on Wednesday, August 16th, 1961<br />
at the Clearwater Municipal Auditorium. The<br />
headliners for the show were Dion, Bobby Vee, Jack<br />
Scott, Jo Ann Campbell and Curtis Lee. Following the<br />
success of this show, plans were immediately made<br />
for future shows. Many local Tampa Bay bands<br />
would get their start at the “Star Spectacular”<br />
including Terry & The Pirates, The Fabulous Rockers,<br />
The Impacs, Rodney & The Mystics, The Roemans,<br />
The Tropics, Vic Waters & The Entertainers, The<br />
Tempests, and several others.<br />
Another contributing factor that lead to the boom<br />
was a music venue located in Madeira Beach<br />
called The Surfer’s Club. Owned and operated by<br />
Margie & Dick Sexton, The Surfers Club became the<br />
launching pad for countless bands in the area who<br />
would eventually move onto bigger and better things<br />
both locally & nationally.<br />
One of the bands who got their start at The Surfer's<br />
Club was The Tropics, who were managed by Margie<br />
& Dick Sexton. The Tropics were formed in Tampa<br />
by Buddy Pendergrass as a seven piece horn band<br />
which included Wayne Guida on trumpet, Ronnie<br />
Ferer on tenor sax and Spencer Hinkle on drums.<br />
After taken under the wing of Margie & Dick Sexton,<br />
they convinced the band to drop the horns, change<br />
the line-up, and go for a more modern Rock n’ Roll<br />
sound. The new Tropics lineup would include Buddy<br />
Pendergrass on guitar & keys, Eric Turner on guitar<br />
& vocals, Mel Dryer on lead vocals, Charlie Souza on<br />
bass, and Bobby Shea on drums. The Tropics not<br />
only become the house band at The Surfer’s Club,<br />
but quickly started touring all over Florida. The<br />
Tropics biggest break happened on July 30th, 1966<br />
when they beat over 441 other bands from around<br />
the country by winning the “International Battle of<br />
the Bands” competition that took place in Chicago
Illinois. The Tropics victory landed the band a<br />
recording contract with Columbia Records.<br />
Another popular band at the time was a St.<br />
Petersburg band called The Tempests. At the time<br />
the band formed in 1963, the members were only<br />
13 years old. The original band members included<br />
Tommy Angarano on lead vocals, Charlie Bailey on<br />
lead guitar, Doug Palmer on rhythm guitar, Bobby<br />
Allen on drums, and Bill Hickman on bass.<br />
Another popular band in the area at the time was<br />
Providence Records artists, The Soul Trippers.<br />
Originally formed in 1964 as The Outsiders, the<br />
band changed their name to The Soul Trippers after<br />
signing with Providence Records in 1966. Much like<br />
what happened to Elvis Presley in the 1950's, The<br />
Soul Trippers had one of their songs pulled from<br />
several local and national radio stations after it was<br />
discovered that the band consisted of 5 white men<br />
instead of 5 black men, even though the single sold<br />
20,000 copies.<br />
Other notable Tampa Bay acts of the 1960's<br />
included The Rovin' Flames, The Surprize, Blues<br />
Image, The Blues Cycle, The Night Beats, and<br />
countless others.<br />
Tampa Bay bands were receiving Nation-wide<br />
attention on television as well. On December 11th,<br />
1965, Tampa Bay bands The Tropics, The Outsiders,<br />
and Those Five appeared on the traveling music<br />
variety tv show, "Where The Action Is", hosted by<br />
Dick Clark. The show was filmed at the Bayfront<br />
Center Arena in St. Petersburg.<br />
One of the biggest news events that took place in<br />
the 1960's Tampa Bay music scene didn't involve<br />
the Rock n’ Roll genre, it involved the classical<br />
music genre. On November 23rd, 1966, The St.<br />
Petersburg Symphony and the Tampa Philharmonic<br />
agreed to merge and form the Florida Gulf Coast<br />
Symphony. In symbolic show of unification,<br />
representatives from both the St. Petersburg<br />
Symphony and the Tampa Philharmonic traveled<br />
by boat to the center of Tampa Bay, where they<br />
married the two institutions in a symbolic union.<br />
The new, unified Florida Gulf Coast Symphony<br />
would have its first session two years later on<br />
November 14th, 1968. 43-year-old Irwin Hoffman<br />
was the music director.<br />
The 1970's had ushered in a new style of rock n' roll<br />
both nationally and locally. Due to this, most of the<br />
bands that had gained prominence in Tampa Bay<br />
area during the 1960's eventually disbanded by the<br />
time the 70's had arrived. However, the 1970's<br />
would see its fair share of popular Tampa Bay<br />
bands as well. Bands like Southern Mother Trucking<br />
Company, The Hats, Rich Rag$, and The Sugar<br />
Beats all had a huge fan base. Another popular<br />
Tampa Bay band during this time was called Koco,<br />
a band that featured a young bass guitar player<br />
who would later be known to the world as Hulk<br />
Hogan. As big as the previously mentioned bands<br />
were though, none of them seamed to become<br />
quite as well known as The Outlaws... arguably one<br />
of the biggest bands to come out of Tampa Bay<br />
during this time.<br />
The late 1970's had also seen the birth of a hard<br />
rock band called Avatar as well. However, Due to<br />
legal reasons, Avatar would eventually change their<br />
name. The new band name that Avatar would settle<br />
on as Savatage... and they would eventually go on<br />
to take the Tampa Bay area by storm in the 1980's.<br />
The Tropics<br />
Photo courtesy of The Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society
40 BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
From<br />
Mouse’s Kitchen
· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
· Score the ham into a criss-cross pattern. Insert whole<br />
cloves into the corners of the criss-cross sections. Place<br />
the ham cut side down into a baking dish or a disposable<br />
tin foil pan.<br />
· To make the glaze, mix 1 cup of the brown sugar and mustard<br />
together to form a thick paste and smear it all over<br />
the ham. If you like it sweeter, use 2 cups of brown sugar.<br />
· Drain the can of sliced pineapple, save the juice. Pin the<br />
pineapple rings to the ham using toothpicks.<br />
· If using fresh cherries, slice the cherry in half and remove<br />
the seed and the stem. Pin the halved cherries to the ham<br />
using toothpicks.<br />
· Mix the juice from the sliced pineapples and the can of coca<br />
cola and pour over and around the ham. Loosely cover<br />
the ham with aluminum foil. You’ll need it lose so you can<br />
remove it to baste the ham during cooking. Baste every<br />
30 minutes.<br />
· Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 18 minutes<br />
per pound if you are using fruit on your<br />
ham. Your cook time should be 2 hrs and 30<br />
minutes. (If no fruit, it’ll be approximately 15<br />
minutes per pound. Minutes per pound may vary<br />
on ham brands so be sure to read the instructions<br />
first.) Remove aluminum foil and bake for<br />
an additional 10 minutes to brown the ham.<br />
NOTE: Using an instant read thermometer, the center<br />
of the ham should be approximately 140 degrees<br />
when done.<br />
· Once the ham is done, remove and put on a cutting<br />
board for proper carving. To make the ham<br />
sauce, transfer the ham juices to a pan and bring<br />
to a boil. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter to<br />
add richness and let it reduce and thicken slightly.<br />
If you desire a thicker sauce, you can use<br />
*flour. Be sure to whisk the flour in water and<br />
blend it thoroughly before adding it to the ham<br />
sauce.
1 ½ to 2 lbs of baby carrots<br />
1 ½ tsp salt<br />
4 tbsp butter<br />
4 tbsp honey<br />
3 tbsp dark brown sugar, packed<br />
Juice of ½ a lemon<br />
Salt and Pepper to taste<br />
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (Optional)<br />
· Rinse baby carrots and put them in a saucepan.<br />
Cover carrots with water and add 1 ½ tsp’s of salt<br />
and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low,<br />
cover, and continue cooking for approximately 15<br />
minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.<br />
· Melt butter, then sauté honey and brown sugar,<br />
stirring continuously until sugar is dissolved.<br />
· Add lemon juice and gently stir in carrots. Be sure<br />
to coat the carrots well with the sauce.<br />
· Garnish with chopped parsley and chives.<br />
· Add salt and pepper to taste.
· Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 3 quart<br />
shallow baking dish with aluminum foil for easy<br />
clean up.<br />
· Sauté celery and onion in melted butter until tender.<br />
Stir in the broth, apples, cranberries, and<br />
sliced almonds, bring to a boil. Then remove the<br />
saucepan from the heat.<br />
· Add the stuffing and mix lightly with a fork.<br />
Spoon the stuffing mixture into the lined baking<br />
dish.<br />
· Bake for 35 minutes or until the stuffing mixture<br />
is hot.
· Drain cans of corn and put into a sizable baking<br />
dish.<br />
· Melt butter and sauté diced red and green peppers<br />
until softened. Add milk and cream cheese,<br />
stirring continuously until melted. Add diced jalapeno's,<br />
fresh parsley, and chives to the mixture.<br />
· Pour cream cheese mixture into the corn baking<br />
dish and mix well. Bake for 20 minutes or until<br />
warm and creamy, stir occasionally.<br />
· Add salt and pepper to taste.
Mick Jagger sang, “You can’t<br />
always get what you want. But if<br />
you try sometimes - you just<br />
might find: You Get What You<br />
Need.”<br />
It was fifty years ago when I picked<br />
up my best friends’s six string guitar<br />
and learned to strum an A, an E and<br />
a D progression and yodeled out the<br />
words to CCR’s Bad Moon Rising.<br />
(My first song and I still play it today.)<br />
I was sure right then that what I<br />
really wanted to do was entertain<br />
people. The spotlight, if only for a<br />
moment, was what I wanted to be in.<br />
But life occurs, goals and directions<br />
change and one day we wake up ten<br />
years down the road and the dream<br />
has dimmed a bit and hope has<br />
diminished. Yet, that little taste of<br />
the day you sang at the backyard<br />
BBQ keeps nagging your conscience.<br />
“...see what you missed” it<br />
whisphers. But reality sets in and<br />
you’re in your sixties - a closet hippie<br />
and maybe we just don’t have it<br />
anymore. Or maybe we really never<br />
tried hard enough. Suddenly, the<br />
voice of Mick Jagger comes back to<br />
you.... “If you try sometimes....”.<br />
Maybe we need to try again!<br />
Last June, I was looking for<br />
something to do with my life. At 62<br />
years old, I took an early retirement<br />
and found myself with a lot of time<br />
on my hands. Yes, I still needed to<br />
work, but now I also had ‘my time’.<br />
Divorced, kids moved out and<br />
nobody to hang out, I was that<br />
scared little kid again...but with a<br />
wrinkled forehead. Boredom got to<br />
me. Even though I was in total fear<br />
of rejection, I dragged myself to an<br />
open mic Downtown, St. Petersburg.<br />
I had a blast!<br />
There is a thriving entertainment<br />
district in the mid town section on<br />
Central Avenue. I began to go to<br />
Punky’s for Monday Open Mic,<br />
hosted by Delaren Withers. I also<br />
attend the Wedndesday night jam at<br />
Cage Brewing which is hosted by<br />
Barry Ertel. On Thursday nights you<br />
can find me at The Queens Head<br />
with Steve Isaac and so on.<br />
Experince is a great teacher. And<br />
practice makes perfect. However, I<br />
found my ability was limited. I had<br />
figured out many songs and the<br />
progressions to those and my<br />
confidence was better. But I wasn’t<br />
feeling like I was growing - just<br />
getting better at what I already knew.<br />
I wanted to make the leap to the next<br />
level.<br />
St. Petersburg College has a music<br />
education program that gives artists,<br />
musicians, singers, producers and<br />
others in the music industry field<br />
instructions for whatever level of<br />
experience a person aspires to.<br />
MIRA: the Music Industry and<br />
Recording Arts program has<br />
specialized areas of study. They also<br />
offer an Associate of Arts<br />
preparation course for those wanting<br />
to obtain a Bachelors degree in<br />
music.<br />
I started taking classes there last fall<br />
and it has turned into a fantastic<br />
opportunity to learn music theory,<br />
explore many possibilities and meet<br />
(and mix) with other students who<br />
are seeking the same thing as I am: a<br />
chance to perform live for the joy of<br />
music.<br />
Quick Tips<br />
For a Stress<br />
Free Life…<br />
SHARE BEAUTIFL THINGS!<br />
Write down deligfhtful moments<br />
you notice today! This quick<br />
exercise can enhance happiness<br />
for a long time!<br />
LET GO OF YESTERDAY<br />
Forget the person you were in<br />
high school or college and who<br />
you might like to be tomorrow.<br />
Embrace who are are today!<br />
GO TO A CONCERT<br />
Listening to music with friends<br />
can reduce stress. One possible<br />
reason: Toe Tapping, head<br />
bobbing and singing, all which<br />
happens with out planning to do ,<br />
leads to feelings of togetherness,<br />
which contribute to feelings of<br />
happiness.<br />
LAUGH MORE<br />
Before you go to bed, think of<br />
funny things that happened during<br />
your day. Doing this can boost<br />
your happiness for almost half a<br />
year.<br />
GROW WORTHY FEELINGS<br />
A nice desk plant, a small<br />
arrangement of flowers or even a<br />
screen saver of kittens may have<br />
the power to improve your mood.<br />
DREAM SWEETER<br />
Lavendar oil on pluse points and<br />
under your nose increases your<br />
level of a deep sleep. It can even<br />
boost your energy for the next<br />
day.<br />
BUZZ MAGAZINE_<strong>MARCH</strong>/<strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 45
10) The people who decide on what music is played on the elevator fell asleep<br />
at your show.<br />
9) The last song you wrote together was covered by Mantovani.<br />
8) The Yeehaw Junction Left Nostril Inhaler Convention had more attendees<br />
than your last show.<br />
7) After your 2 nd gig, VH1 does a “Where are they now?” Retrospective.<br />
6) Your band groupies start dating each other instead of you.<br />
5) “Creative differences” start to involve power tools.<br />
4) Somebody painted over the “Property of” message on your gear case to<br />
“Who Cares?”<br />
3) Your lead singer starts showing up for gigs in the middle of the 3 rd set.<br />
2) Your biggest song gets licensed for a diaper commercial.<br />
1) Your lead guitarist starts dating your drummer’s wife.
Call Us!<br />
727-422-2427<br />
727-320-2424<br />
Email Us!<br />
info@baybuzz.org<br />
sales@baybuzz.org<br />
Bay Buzz Music, Inc.