RECORD REVIEW: She & Him "Volume 3"

SHE & HIM
(M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel)

SHE & HIM
Volume 3
(Merge Records)

Zooey Deschanel is the eighth

hottest chick in the history of the human race (hotter than even

Ann Coulter — the eleventh hottest). In fact, I often fantasize that Zooey

and I are married and we have a

really chic apartment located in southern France. Hence, I'd have been cool if this record sucked — at least I could enjoy the photos of Zooey included in the CD booklet. Fortunately, it's a pop masterpiece
— easily worth ten times the
$13.73 that it cost me at Starbucks.

________________________

 

It's 1979. A teenage kid walks into his neighborhood record store. As if it were burning a hole in his pocket, he gleefully surrenders $14.63 to his local dealer — a guy with a pony tail, wearing flip flops and a faded Nugent T-shirt who's manning the store cash register that afternoon. The kid races out of the shop. In short order, he unlocks his bike from the rack on the shopping center sidewalk and speeds home, clutching the Record Town bag that contains his latest treasures — LP copies of  Parallel Lines and Armed Forces. For the next several hours he sits in his room, mesmerised by the music, flipping the vinyl slabs on the turntable from Side A to Side B over and over and over — not because of any personal connection to the current New Wave phenomenon, but because of a burning passion — an insatiable hunger for stripped-down, well-crafted, stick-to-your-ribs pop songs. 

 

Fast forward to 2013. The kid is an old man now. But at fifty, he still possesses an amazing fashion sensibility and chicks still dig him, so life could be worse. His neighborhood record store now has been reduced to a 6"x12" space on the front counter of his favorite local coffee shop. He still maintains a fiery passion for authentic pop, however, the music seemingly died years ago. As he orders his bold Grande coffee in a Venti cup from his modern day dealer, a fresh-faced nineteen-year-old barista with long red pigtails and fashion-forward black horn rimmed glasses, he peruses the five CD choices placed next to the cash register. "Hmm, this looks like a fun record." Even if it sucks, there's bound to be a few pics of Zooey inside. "I'll take this She & Him CD too, please."

 

<><>  <><>

Recorded at LA's legendary Sound Factory, Volume 3 is the latest and third non-holiday record from the dynamic duo, She & Him. The musical embodiment of the Reese's slogan, "Two great tastes that taste great together," She & Him combines the magical pop songs and angelic voice of Zooey Deschanel (vocals and keyboards) with the Big Al Anderson-inspired guitar work and production genius of M. Ward. In fact, if I could track him down, I'd show up at Ward's house and offer him a festive-looking congratulatory cupcake  and a Hallmark greeting card with an inscription thanking him for knowing how to produce a pop record — vocals in the front, guitars in the back!

 

Volume 3 oozes fourteen pure pop treasures — eleven of Zooey's and three covers. Simply put, it's fresh and fun, sweet and innocent, and so retro that it sounds new —  reminiscent of early Blondie — before they, well, you know.

 

But a duo does not (neccessarily) a band make. And Volume 3 features performances from a stellar cast of studio cats. Possessing a firm grasp of the "less is more" philosophy, Scott McPherson  provides perfect drum tracks throughout the record and I personally was delighted to see bassist Joey Spampinato credited several times in the liner notes (NRBQ reference #2).

 

The opening track, "I've Got Your Number, Son," had me hooked at the :04 mark. And at :21, I knew that this was just the beginning of what was surely going to be a very long and monogamous love affair.

 

"Never Wanted Your Love" brought back fond memories of rock and roll trailblazer, Genya Ravan, circa 1978. Genya Ravan? Really? How is this even possible? Whatever planet Zooey and M. come from, I wanna go there, tonight!

 

One of only three non-Zooey-penned tracks, "Baby" (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, George Morton)  could easily have been featured in the pages of my third all-time favorite book, POP SONGWRITING 101: It's About the Melody, Stupid — this track is a golden gem.

 

In "I Could Have Been Your Girl," Zooey channels Debbie Harry (à la "11:59") — another major highlight. And speaking of Blondie (again), The She & Him version of Chris Stein's "Sunday Girl" is a perfect remake. Dare I say that it's better than the original? Okay, well it's at least as great — even though I still don't know French.

 

Another  wonderful moment  is the delicate and sultry remake of Harry Noble's 1952 classic,  "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me."

 

And the winner of Volume 3's "Best of the Batch" award goes to... "Somebody Sweet to Talk To." It's catchy, hooky, infectious — let's sing along, kids! I got the pieces if you've got the time.

In closing,  a simple consumer warning — Volume 3 is laced with aural cocaine! Of course this could just be an endearing metaphor, but I must confess that I've now been on a three-day She & Him binger. I refuse to open the blinds or answer my door — and I can't feel my face. Now, play it again! Play it again! I said, "PLAY IT AGAIN!"

-Christopher Long
(May 2013)

                                                                                                       YES, PLEASE!

                                                                                                                     With rainbow sprinkles in a waffle cone!

Author Christopher Long's latest book,

C'MON! - My Story of Rock, Ruin and Revelation

is available NOW on Amazon.

 

BOOK REVIEW: "PROOF" by Jordyn Redwood

PROOF
Jordyn Redwood
Kregel Publications

____________________________________

 

Pinned against the

snow-covered backdrop

of the Colorado Rockies,

Proof is a bona fide thriller.

The first in Jordyn Redwood's

Bloodline Trilogy, the story

had me literally on the edge

of my seat from start to finish. 

____________________________________

 

A serial murderer/rapist is on the loose — a heinous crime spree that's seemingly touching the lives of the entire staff at Sage Medical Center as well as a growing number of innocent victims throughout the Denver area. Time is of the essence, as he'll surely strike again — soon. So, whodunit? While your initial hunch may be confirmed at the halfway point, Redwood's story is just ramping up. It will take much more than reliable hearsay to bring this devil to justice — it's gonna take rock solid, ironclad PROOF. And as they say, "the devil is in the details."  

 

Aside from a riveting storyline, PROOF's two primary assets are:

 

1) Compelling and well-crafted characters. I felt as if I walked away knowing (and caring) more about Dr. Lilly Reeves and Detective Nathan Long than I do about some of my closest BFFs. (Hey Nate! Grab me another cold Mountain Dew from the fridge, will ya?)

 

2) Redwood's expertise in the fields of Critical Care and Emergency Nursing combined with an impeccable knack for storytelling allows her to paint vivid, realistic and accurate accounts of ER drama and crime scene investigation.

 

I was also drawn particularly to the underlying faith-based sidestory — a powerful message of God's love and grace. But fear not, non-believers, the Jesus factor does little to compromise PROOF's edge.

 

As I'd burned through to the last few pages, I breathed a sigh of relief — Ah, closure. I finally know how it's gonna end. Not so fast there, Hot Shot. Redwood will zing ya right up to the very end. 

 

Simply put, I'm the latest and greatest Bloodline fan. Bring on Part II!

 

-Christopher Long

(May 2013)

Jordyn Redwood's Bloodline Trilogy

• PROOF (June 1, 2012)
• POISON (February 22, 2013)
• PERIL (September 1, 2013)

Author Christopher Long's latest book,

C'MON! - My Story of Rock, Ruin and Revelation

is available NOW on Amazon.

 

RECORD REVIEW: Tom Keifer "The Way Life Goes"

TOM KEIFER
The Way Life Goes
(Merovee Records)

________________________



Simply put, Tom Keifer

is a classic — a true

blue rock and roll

treasure. And in

2013 he exemplifies 

the axiom, "better to

get it right, than to

get it fast."

________________________

 

I still remember the Vicks Formula 44 commercial from years ago. An incredibly handsome actor looks into the camera and confesses, "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV." An iconic line indeed. Tom Keifer could make a similar statement — "I'm not a hair band guy, but I played one on MTV."

 

The Pennsylvania-born singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist achieved worldwide, chart-busting  success during the late '80s and early '90s as the frontman for the band Cinderella.  Despite possessing the DNA of such hard-driving heavyweights as AC/DC, Nazareth and Aerosmith, Cinderella's platinum-selling 1986 debut, Night Songs,  cemented the band's reputation as THE preeminent up-and-coming hair band. However, with the release of their distinctly more blues-based 1988 sophomore effort, Long Cold Winter,  Cinderella  seemed already to be distancing themselves from the rest of the arena rock pack. And by the time their third record, Heartbreak Station, hit Billboard's Top 20 in 1990, it had become abundantly clear that Tom Keifer's songs actually were more akin to  Steve Earl's than to David Lee Roth's. An unfortunate example of guilt by association, Cinderella's  fourth (and so far, final) record, Still Climbing, went relatively unnoticed as the band became caught in the crossfire of the infamous '80s rock extermination of the early '90s.

After a brief time-out, the band regrouped. And in the ensuing years, Cinderella has continued to enjoy enormous success — consistently selling out 10-20,000 seat venues as a must-see live act.  However, seemingly boasting a "We will sell no wine before its time" mantra, Tom Keifer has bided his time in terms of releasing any new music since his MTV glory days. But in 2013, it appears that the time finally has arrived!

Produced by Keifer, along with his wife Savannah and veteran producer/engineer Chuck Turner, The Way Life Goes  is gritty, organic and funky, and  serves as a vivid  portrait of an artist whose songwriting has matured over the last two decades while maintaining his signature style.



 

The record kicks off strong with "Solid Ground" — a soulful, gospel-flavored gem. With stellar back-up vocal performances from Etta Britt and Crystal Taliefero and the closing lyrics  — I need some shelter. I need some shelter, it harkens back to Keifer's illustrious past.

 

"A Different Light" comes frighteningly close to crossing over into the spiritual realm —  All God's children need a helping hand.  But you got to see before you understand. However, any perceived faith message is bathed in enough black lit ambiguity that you won't likely get any on ya. But it's one of the record's best.

 

Keifer's debut hits Billboard charts in first week.

 

"It's Not Enough" is also an infectious highlight.  It's clearly a down and dirty drug song (I think) — I'm a burning Cadillac with a monkey in the back. Gotta feed him. It's not enough.  However, I'm uncertain as to which side of the issue it's taking. 

 

Nobody captures honest emotion and bottles pure passion in a love song quite like Tom Keifer. Hence, "Thick and Thin" shines brightly — Be the truth in a world that's lying. Give up my last breath if you were dying. I'll stand by you. Thick and thin. As if it were a lost track from Still Climbing, this one is classic Keifer all the way.



In a similar, yet simpler vein, "Ask Me Yesterday" (co-written with Savannah Keifer and Jim Peterik) may be his best, most heartfelt tune ever. That's a huge statement to make, given Keifer's impeccable body of work. However, I stand by my words. 

Featuring a special guest appearance by Jeff LaBar, "Mood Elevator" reads like a page torn straight from the Night Songs playbook and seems to point to what a new millennium Cinderella record might sound like...

 

I said, "Doctor — It's been raining and a pouring."

Wrote a prescription — said "Call me in the morning."

See what you're missing is just a shot of serotonin.

So good for fixin' anything that you got broken.

(From "Mood Elevator")

"Welcome to my Mind" is bluesy, dark and edgy.  If MTV was still around, this clip could be epic...

 

Sirens are whining — Monkeys are flying.

Walls are all closing in my mind.

Mirrors are screaming — Walk on the ceiling.

Oh what a feeling in my mind.

(From "Welcome to my Mind")

 

Another well-crafted Keifer ballad, "You Showed Me," possesses a little country twang and is one of several tracks on the record that tastes a bit like Sticky Fingers. Darn good stuff, man.

 

To make an authentic roots record, you need all of the essential ingredients. For starters, The Way Life Goes was recorded at various studios throughout Nashville. Keifer  provides all lead vocals as well as guitars and keyboards. He's also assembled an all-star cast of musicians: Greg Morrow (Dixie Chicks, Steve Earl) / drums, Michael Rhodes (Faith Hill, Reba McEntire) / bass, Tony Harrell / piano and  organ, and Pat Buchanan (No, not that Pat Buchanan) / harmonica, guitars. The end result is a splendid, cohesive and well-produced record that absolutely was worth the wait.

• TOM KEIFER OFFICIAL SITE
• MEROVEE RECORDS

-Christopher Long
(May 2013)

Check out this gem from my blog archives: 2002 interview with Tom Keifer

Author Christopher Long's latest book,

C'MON! - My Story of Rock, Ruin and Revelation

is available NOW on Amazon.

 

ICON FOR HIRE

ICON FOR HIRE

 

I'm always excited to

discover new bands —

especially one as

crunchy, poppy and

fabulous as the

Illinois-based combo,

Icon for Hire.

 

Simply put —

It's been a long time

since I rock and rolled... 

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

 

Icon for Hire's Ariel Bloomer.
(Paul Stanley, you've been replaced!)

As a nightclub DJ I'm forced constantly to endure an endless parade of crappy new  bands offering music that's, well, less than compelling. So when I recently was introduced to Icon for Hire via their 2011 Tooth & Nail debut Scripted, it was like an oh-so welcome breath of fresh air.

 

Dig if you will, a picture — a snapshot of a world in which Marilyn Manson is still relevant and Lady Gaga doesn't suck. They fall in love, get married and spit out a few youngins (yes, in that order). The kids grow up and they start a band. But they're kinda pissed, because after all, Manson and Gaga are their parents — I'd be pissed too. Now you're picking up what I'm putting down!

 

Delivering non-stop, skull-crushing guitar riffs that have been Crazy Glued to angst-filled vocals and coated with magically delicious pop sprinkles, Scripted is a bona fide gem. Highlights include the über popular YouTube anthems, "Off with Her Head," "Get Well" and "Make a Move."

 

Although the band's fiery frontchick Ariel Bloomer (that's gotta be the greatest rock name ever), vehemently shuns accusations that Icon for Hire is a "Christian" band, her personal philosophies splashed across the Internet are as "right on" as any member of Stryper. While Ariel may not be a preacher, she just may be this generation's most on-point poster girl.

 

I'll admit that cooing over these kids two years after the release of their record puts me clearly behind the rock and roll eight ball. However, I hope to be on my game the next time around, as they're currently in the studio working on their sophomore effort. Psyched indeed!

 

-Christopher Long

(May 2013)

 

Author Christopher Long's latest book,

C'MON! - My Story of Rock, Ruin and Revelation

is available NOW on Amazon.

 

THRIFT STORE ADVENTURES (Pt. XI)

Aw yeah. The gals at church are gonna
be SO flippin' jealous come this Sunday!

I can't believe that

I've not posted any

new content in this

series since my

PINK TUESDAY 

feature last November.

Well, I'm certainly

ready to make up for

lost time. And be

sure that I've been

celebrating the thrifting experience LONG before

that ridiculous new 

record blew up.

 What? What? What?

_________________________________________________
 

A French instructional cassette for just $1.00.
But can I actually learn to speak the language?
Oui! Oui!
 

It's certainly been a banner week for thrifting. Michelle and I ventured out for our first excursion in quite a while — converging on three locations over the last couple of days.

 

We started out on Thursday morning at one my favorite spots, the Goodwill location on Courtenay Parkway in Merritt Island, Florida. I've blogged about this place previously. It's huge — possibly 10,000+ square feet. It's  clean, well-staffed and well-stocked. Unfortunately, on this day it was considerably busier than usual. In fact, after a couple of painful run-ins with opposing shopping carts, we felt that it might be better to  bail out  early and head to our next destination — but not before I spotted a real find — an instructional French language cassette for a buck.

 

THE BIG THRIFT
('Nuff sed!)

In conjunction with The Sharing Center, one of my favorite charities, The Big Thrift  has two locations serving Florida's Brevard County area. And Michelle and I were psyched to visit the Merritt Island store for the first time.

 

Clearly a case of quality over quantity, this shop is smaller than most, yet it houses a treasure trove of amazing goodies. And we showed up on the right day, as everything (excluding jewelry and furniture) was half-price. Plus, several clothing racks in back offered fifty cent items. In sum, I walked out with two new hats, a new hot pink top and a black leather purse in which to carry my important guy stuff — all for less than five bucks.

 

By noon, we were clearly already in thrifting overload. So, after a fab lunch at Coconuts in Cocoa Beach, we headed home to prep for our big outing on Friday.

 

 

We dedicated the entire next day to visiting our all-time favorite destination at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, located on Highway A1A in Indian Harbour Beach.

 

This place is so monstrous that it occupies two buildings — both packed to the gills with the most  incredible crap anywhere.

 

Apparently all of Florida's

forty-plus-year-old band

dudes also shop at Holy Name!

 

 

Each building offers its own unique vibe. While the sound system in the back building pumps a local radio station  that plays an  array of  super hits from the 70s, the "Golden Girls" up at the front register blast an eclectic music mix. The last time that Michelle and I visited the shop at Holy Name, we were treated to an assortment of stellar show tunes. However, today we were offered an hour-long Elton John marathon. And it wasn't his kick ass, "I'm still in the closet," circa '74 stuff either. It was all from his, "Hey this my partner Steve," circa '85, "I've run out of material" era. Yikes! The playlist even included a syntho, techno, disco remake of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" — a duet with a talented male vocalist. Kiki was so missed.

 

Oh rats! The Hannah Montana

robe was just too small.

 

 

Although regrettably I had to pass on the Hannah Montana bathrobe, I did score a couple of fun tops that surely will be the envy of all the gals in my Bridge Club.

 

And for the kids looking to beef up their personal music libraries, Holy Name boasted a slew of hot releases from the likes of Tanya Tucker, Herb Alpert and Barbra Streisand — ALL on hi-fidelity 8-Track tapes. Good stuff to be sure.

 

All in all, this week's thrifting expedition was a slam dunk experience. Now, where to next week?

 

-Chris

 

Author Christopher Long's latest book,

C'MON! - My Story of Rock, Ruin and Revelation

is available NOW on Amazon.

 

 

 

MOVIE REVIEW: "Lincoln"

MOVIE REVIEW:
Lincoln

____________________________

I finally got the chance to
see Lincoln. And although
 reviewing a film six months 
after its release is about as
 relevant as analyzing the 
Electoral College breakdown 
of the Ford/Carter election,
I still felt compelled to share.

 

 ____________________________

Thank goodness movies today aren't always about sexy vampires dealing with their complicated lives, sexy teens battling each other to death, sexy teachers struggling to finance a boob job or vulgar, foul-mouthed teddy bears. Sometimes in our sophisticated iGadget era, substance and quality actually prevail over that — other stuff.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, Lincoln is a bona fide epic. And as a true blue American history buff, it was right up my alley.

 

Based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, the film  offers considerable insight into the personality and character of America's sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln — a man who was arguably the nation's all-time greatest leader — a man who, in fact, was NOT a vampire hunter.

Oh sure, the two-and-a-half-hour running time might be a bit long for some movie fans, and it may move a bit too slowly for others. But Lincoln recreates in gritty detail a tumultuous chapter in our nation's history — a story that requires and warrants ample time to play out. And there is much to be learned here. Lincoln projects vivid snapshots of war, death, hatred, rotting bodies, severed limbs — and in the end, freedom for all. Now that's  a story — one that should appeal to even the most savvy Call of Duty enthusiasts. Shouldn't it?

More specifically, the film focuses on the last few months of Lincoln's life in early 1865 — primarily his efforts to pass (force) the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution through the U.S. House of Representatives. An objective considered impossible to achieve by most Washington insiders of the day.

And I certainly buy the accounts of Daniel Day-Lewis remaining in character throughout the film's production, as he seemingly became Abraham Lincoln — a well-deserved 2013 "Best Actor" Oscar nod indeed.

For her part, Sally Field's portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln was nailed perfectly. Oddly, when I think back to what I learned about Lincoln in school, what comes to mind first is not the Civil War, the Thirteenth Amendment or his tragic assassination — what I recall first are the disturbing accounts of his wife's often unstable behavior. Likely suffering from what doctors today would  diagnose as bipolar disorder, Mary Todd endured near constant migraines and bouts of depression throughout her adult life. Truly a no-nonsense-type gal, the First Lady was over-bearing, to say the least — even reportedly beating her husband across the nose with logs. Even Mary Todd herself confides to her husband late in the film that history would likely reflect more on her mental illness than on his accomplishments.

Other stellar Lincoln performances include David Strathairn as Secretary of State William Seward, the ever-ass kickin' Tommy Lee Jones as Pennsylvania Republican Congressman  Thaddeus Stevens, Jackie Earle Hardy as Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens, James Spader in a less slimy than usual role as lobbyist William Bilbo, Lee Pace as the unlikable loudmouth New York Democrat  Congressman Fernando Wood, Bruce "D-Day" McGill as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, and Jared Harris as Ulysses S. Grant.

Yes, American history, particularly presidential American history is my bag, man. And I applaud Steven Spielberg for bringing this chapter of our nation's history to the big screen — and for doing so without making Abraham Lincoln a vampire teddy bear school teacher who's trying to finance a boob job while abolishing slavery. Hey, ya know, that just might work!

-Christopher Long

(April 2013)

 

Author Christopher Long's latest book,

C'MON! - My Story of Rock, Ruin and Revelation

is available NOW on Amazon.

 

BOOK REVIEW: "Full Tilt" by Creston Mapes

FULL TILT
Creston Mapes
Multnomah Publishers

 

The endorsement printed
on the cover says it all...

 

"Full Tilt" takes readers on one serious roller coaster ride. 

- Bill Myers

(author, The Presence)

 

_________________________________

 

I recently was sitting in class at my college university when out of the blue, a classmate named Tami leaned over and informed me that she had just read my latest book. "It was a great story and I love your style," she declared. "Wow. Thanks," I humbly replied. Tami then began rummaging through her huge "mom" purse. A couple of seconds later, she produced a book from the bottom of the striped canvas bag. "I bought this just for you. I thought that you could relate," she confessed. The book was Full Tilt by Atlanta-based author, Creston Mapes.

The second in Mapes' popular Rock Star Chronicles series, Full Tilt is the riveting  2006 sequel to his 2005 debut, Dark Star. In short, the series tells the fictional story of Everett Lester, the once out-of-control frontman for the platinum-selling heavy metal band, DeathStroke. A man battling many demons —  the usual rock and roll suspects — sex, drugs, booze, greed, ego and the like, Lester ultimately experiences his own "Damascus Road" awakening and realizes his true life purpose. But even after discovering and accepting the love, grace and forgiveness of Christ, his troubles are far from over. Darn those Badinos!

 

Simply put, Full Tilt pushed all of my buttons. At the risk of abusing a perfectly good cliche', it literally had me on the edge of my seat as I burned through each chapter like a hot knife through butter (cliche' #2). In fact, Mapes' vivid accounts of mobsters, murder and meth often gave me chills.

Mapes is an amazing storyteller, captivating me with non-stop suspense while remaining focused on a broader faith-based message. From my own first-hand past experiences in the rock and roll world to my current path pursuing Christian ministry, I've personally lived out much of Full Tilt. Hence, I can endorse the story as being completely authentic and believable. Mapes paints his characters with Picasso-like precision  — so real and endearing that I felt personally connected to them all — even those darn Badinos! So much, that I actually felt as if I was an unmentioned extra placed in the middle of every scenario. 

Author Creston Mapes
CrestonMapes.com

But despite the gripping intrigue,  Mapes presents greater messages — one of Christ's radical love, and a challenge to us all to love the unlovable. Solid stuff to be sure.

 

Although I'm somewhat accustomed to getting things bassackwards in life, I thought initially that I might miss something by diving into this two-part series in reverse. However, Full Tilt stands up just fine on its own — loud and proud. And I was left with no unanswered questions — that is until the very end, when I found myself salivating for Part Three.

-Christopher Long
(April 2013)

 

BOOKS BY CRESTON MAPES

Rock Star Chronicles Series:
Dark Star - May 2005
Full Tilt - March 2006

Nobody - September 2007

The Crittendon Files Series:
Fear Has a Name - June 1, 2013
Poison Town - February 1, 2014
Sky Zone - November 2014

MEL & THE POORBOYS: A Snappy Little Combo!

MEL & THE POORBOYS

________________________

Argh, shiver me timbers!

Starboard — two lads

and a lass out thar 

drownin' in the

treacherous, dark

sea of gnarly cover

bands. Quick, throw
'em some rope 'fore
they become 
shark grub!

___________________________

 

I've been connected to the Florida music scene for the last thirty-five years — and I've seen the trends all come and go. I can remember  Florida's east coast  original  music  explosion during the late '80s and early '90s. In those days the area was all abuzz with exciting, creative and talented bands — all doing their own thing. In fact, in terms of the country's top scenes, there was LA, New York, Athens, Austin and — Melbourne, Florida. But that was a very long time ago. Oh sure, there's no current shortage of high-energy bands who all cover "Man in the Box," "Enter Sandman" and "Crazy Bitch," but very few can truly close the deal  like back in the day. Well, I finally discovered one!

Me and Mel & the Poorboys' Jeff Stanton

backstage at a Florida music event in 2012.

I first met singer, songwriter and guitarist, Jeff Stanton, at a radio appearance in December 2011. I was hocking my soon-to-be released book, C'MON! and Jeff was promoting an upcoming gig with the band, Honey Miller. I could hear them playing live on the air as I waited in the station's lobby. Simply put, the band was incredible. Jeff and I ran into each other again a few months later, backstage during a Florida music  awards ceremony  at  which we were both appearing. As a solo artist, Jeff's performance once again  was stellar and he brought the house down. So when I heard recently that he was seeking gigs for his new band, Mel & the Poorboys, I called him up and in short order, booked them to play at a club where I DJ in Palm Bay...

Singer, songwriter and frontchick, Melissa Webber, led her band onstage with confidence. Smacking of the alterno era circa 1990, her songs are beautifully simplistic — uniquely catchy and edgy, yet organic and delicate. And when coupled with Stanton, the vocals are HUGE and the harmonies are absolutely superb! For his part, Stanton also contributed some lead vocals while switching off with Webber from guitar to bass sporadically throughout the show. By the end of the night, Jeff also had knocked out a few tunes on keyboards. And from behind his vintage four-piece kit, drummer Ryan Perez possessed the skills to overplay, but maintained the discipline not to do so. Less IS more indeed.

Three forty-five minute sets  is a long stretch, to be sure. However, Mel & the Poorboys  had no problem devoting half of those 135 minutes to original material — a  feat practically unheard of these days. Bravo!  From funky old school R&B ditties to a few pop classics to  an impressive Beatles repertoire,  the band delivered just enough covers to get the the gig, but enough solid original material to be a legit contender — captivating several of the club's regulars far past their typical "bed times." As for me, I thought that the band was a welcome breath of fresh air and I look forward to seeing and hearing them again soon.

-Christopher Long
(April 2013)

Author Christopher Long's latest book,

C'MON! - My Story of Rock, Ruin and Revelation

is available NOW on Amazon.

 

SPRING GIVEAWAY (Get my latest for FREE!)

My second book

C’MON!

My Story of Rock,

Ruin and Revelation

has met with incredible

response. And this weekend (April 12-14),
you can score a

FREE Kindle copy

from Amazon.

________________________________________________

Yes, it's been a wild ride indeed. I've slept with Brad Pitt (twice), been threatened by Gene Simmons, connected with George H.W. Bush, dined with Donald Trump and SO much more. And it's all recounted in the pages of my latest book C'MON! — the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. There's even a wonderful "Cracker Jack prize" to be discovered.

 

And just in time to celebrate the spring season, you can get the Kindle version of C'MON! absolutely FREE from Amazon — April 12th through April  14th. So tell your friends, your neighbors, your barista, your mailman, your nail tech — tell EVERYBODY!  (Get it HERE)

 

From my 2012 C'MON! Florida book signing.

(Photo: Crystal Behringer)

But don't just take my word...

 

A refreshing and uplifting story of personal transformation,

a roundabout of rock and roll salvation.

-Bryan Tilford (Ink19.com)

 

It's not a preachy book, but it clearly shows

Long's transition from darkness into light.

-Lori Kempton (JustTryingToBeABlessing.com)

 

Long's story may make you feel like you

are looking at yourself in the mirror.

-Greg Van Vorhis (GoodReads.com)

 

Long has dished up something akin to the rock 'n' roll

version of "The Cross & The Switchblade."

-Gail Worley (WorleyGig.com)

 

Well-written with a dose of self-deprecating humor.

-Beth Lynne (BZHercules.com)

 

I recommend this book to anyone who thinks
their life can't ever change. There is hope.

-Angela Hupp (AngelsCove.blogspot.com)
 

 

C'MON! was a labor of love, more than two years in the making, and for this limited time, you certainly can't beat the price.

And regardless of how it resonates with you, I continue to encourage all readers to  Rate it  and/or Review it on Amazon and/or GoodReads should you feel so compelled.

Thanks for reading!

STAY TUNED —  my third book currently is in development.

-Chris