I've been talking about Ann Lynn for some time now. They're one of those bands that I can't believe has not made it big yet. I've also mentioned their new album before, but I think it deserves a proper review, so here it is.

Odds and Ends is the newest release from Big Bear, California's own indie rock phenomenon Ann Lynn. While it's the band's first full length release, the material here covers the last seven or so years of the band's career. Long term fans will recognize popular demo-era songs such as Small Town Dreams and Pondering, and yet even their most ardent followers have not yet heard the brand new tracks included here. However, despite the range of years represented on the album, Odds and Ends sounds like a cohesive album from start to finish.

The songs themselves range from alt country to folk to outright rock and roll, all with that indie rock flavor that songwriter Josh Pool is so adept at crafting. My favorite tracks include Treasures, Sons and Daughters, Endless, and Trainwreck, but honestly they're all so good it's hard to pick favorites.

I can't recommend this album enough. If you haven't picked it up yet, it's available digitally on iTunes, and physical copies are available at the following links:

www.cdbaby.com/cd/annlynn2
www.popvoxmusic.com

Enjoy, humans!

Brax.

Hello humans! We're starting something new here! In addition to our band interviews, we've decided to start including some album reviews in this section. There are a lot of great indie albums coming out that deserve more attention from our site, and this seems like a good place to feature them. Fear not! The interviews are still happening! But it doesn't hurt to try something new, now does it?

So, for our first album review, I'm covering With Friends Like You by Francisco the Man! The band recently sent me a preview of the album, and now you too can listen to it by clicking here.

With Friends Like You is a five song EP, set to release May 18th on limited edition 12" vinyl! Each vinyl purchased also includes a high quality download of the EP. I hope the band saves a copy of the final release aside for me!

Musically, the songs cover familiar territory for the band, and I mean that as a high compliment. Their particular brand of indie rock brings to mind such bands as The Merbabies, Writer, and maybe hints of Starflyer 59 at points (especially the song Rain Drops), yet Francisco the Man! manages to make it all sound like their very own genre. The production sounds vaguely garage-y, but intentionally so, as only the best bands can pull off. All five songs are perfectly placed, with the beautiful acoustic Wish That I Could closing out this all-too-brief mini-masterpiece. As with any EP, I'd love to hear more, but the songs are long enough that it feels like a complete listening experience.

All in all, I can't wait to hear this beauty on vinyl, and I think if you listen to the preview tracks, you'll agree with me.

Buy the album, and tell Francisco the Man! that Brax sent you.
See you next week!

Brax.

This week I interviewed Roger Taylor of the one-man-band Beyond Our Galaxy. As Beyond Our Galaxy, Mr. Taylor creates space themed instrumental music that is, well, out of this world! Seriously, each ethereal electronic song is a mini-masterpiece, and manages to conjure up a unique image of some celestial body or the vastness of space itself. For maximum listening enjoyment, I recommend turning the lights down low, loading up some Beyond Our Galaxy tracks from their website, and turning it up loud. Then write an email to Roger and tell him how much you've enjoyed his musical endeavors. Enjoy the interview, and don't forget to visit Beyond Our Galaxy at the links below.
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Brax: Are you really from beyond our galaxy? I haven't met too many aliens besides myself on this planet. What galaxy are you from?

Beyond Our Galaxy: I can’t say I’ve conversed with a talking broccoli/mushroom until I met you Brax! At least, that is what your pictures remind me of.
No, I can’t say anything exciting about where I am from. I was born and live here right on Eearth, in the Milky Way Galaxy. Although I am an "alien" in the sense that as a Christian we are called to be “not of this Earth,” so I guess in that sense you could say I am an alien...

Brax: Please tell us a little about the history of Beyond Our Galaxy.

Beyond Our Galaxy: I used to listen to a lot of soundtrack type music and early electronic music in my younger years, and always made "movies" in my mind of space and fantastic places while listening to it. Read a lot of sci-fi, of course Star Wars influenced me along with other movies. Tried to take music lessons in high-school (trombone and then keyboard), hated it, just wanted to do my own thing. Taught myself to play drums and started a punk band with some friends. A buddy, Joe, bought a synthesizer back in the early 80's, and I was fascinated with it. Bought one myself. We made up our own stuff. Joe bought a 4-track and ended up selling it and a synth to me when we were in college. Made some of my own songs from time to time. Got married, had kids. Met a friend when I lived in Denver, Mark, who introduced me to sequencing software, Cakewalk. About eight years back I started acquiring new equipment to record synths and stuff, but then I discovered Propellerhead Reason software in 2004, which is a virtual studio, synths, drum machines, loop players and effects all on my laptop. I ended up traveling, as a database consultant around then, and at night would compose music in my hotel room. Some friends at my church loved my music and told me to post on MySpace. I tried to come up with a name that was spacey. One Sunday at church we were singing God Of Wonders and the stanza jumped out at me, “God of Wonders Beyond Our Galaxy,” so I knew that is what I should call myself. Got a lot of great feedback on MySpace, a few fans that keep asking me to put out some music. I will have my first album Event At Sirius-B on R Cat records soon...

Brax: What projects are you working on next for Beyond Our Galaxy?

Beyond Our Galaxy: Anxious to get my first release out, as it was supposed to be out about six months back, but some delays happened. I already have a slew of newer songs I have in various stages of completion, so I may be able to put out a new album very quickly after this first one. A friend of mine, Barry Blaze (who headed up the CCM band Code of Ethics in the 90's), played some guitar on four of my tracks on the album that is coming out. I want to have him and a few other friends do some additional instrumentation. I met Barry on MySpace and we became fast friends, as I helped him with his sequencing software when he put his first Code of Ethics album in 10 years, Lost in Egypt together last year. We’ve discussed doing some collaborating more in the future...

Brax: Manta rays or whale sharks?

Beyond Our Galaxy: Well, I think the whale shark would be a nicer friend as he might not sting you like the manta would. No offense Manny! How about a hybrid animal like a MantaWhaleShark?

Brax: What artists/bands do you enjoy listening to? Which ones most inspire you musically?

Beyond Our Galaxy: Some of my early influences were the early pioneers of electronic music, Tangerine Dream, Kitaro, Vangelis. My buddy Joe and I would try to emulate Tangerine Dream when we had our synth jam sessions. 80's New Wave, Gary Numan, Ultravox, Japan, Simple Minds, Depeche Mode. Even Punk/Post-Punk and Goth I enjoy. Currently it is a hodge podge of all sorts of stuff, mainly instrumental electronic and ambient music, a lot of UK and European artists are making it nowadays. Very obscure bands.

The artists that most inspire me...Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Brian Eno, Harold Budd, Vangelis, Steve Roach are probably the ones who have the biggest influence on the type of music I make.

Brax: As a primarily instrumental act, what do you hope people take away from your music?

Beyond Our Galaxy: Hard to say, as instrumental music can mean different things to different people. I would hope that my songs point to the creator of our universe and the wonders He made in it. Many of my song titles have a Sci-Fi theme, but some are just about stars and astronomy, or at least have that theme. I do know that you can’t dance to it, as my sister in law Pam pointed out, and my brother Jeff said it would put him to sleep, so it is not for everyone!

Brax: iPod, CD, Vinyl, or other? Why?

Beyond Our Galaxy: 8-track baby! Kidding of course. I used to buy lots of vinyl back in the day, but then traded it out for CD's. Now I have all of my music, including stuff I use as a mobile DJ, on one iPod, which is amazing to think it all fits on this little machine. I know people swear by vinyl and others say that an iPod loses the quality of sound, but I love my iPod, as it is all I listen to nowadays.

Brax: As a solo artist, how do you handle live performances? Or, do you have plans to perform live in the future?

Beyond Our Galaxy: I think it would be interesting to try, but not sure how it would be received. A lot of my stuff is composed on my laptop, and I would think a live Beyond Our Galaxy show would be a lot like a Kraftwerk concert with a guy behind a laptop, which would put people to sleep. I see my stuff as more accompanying visuals, either in a film or to some video. Nelson, my older son, is studying drums and Maxwell, my younger son, is studying guitar. (They) would be the best accompaniment for me when they get older. Who knows? I have picked up an electric bass to play along with the two of them, and we jam around, so maybe BOG could evolve into something different...Electro-Ambient-Avant-Garde-Jazz-Metal?

Brax: How do you feel about the possible advent of commercial space travel?

Beyond Our Galaxy: I think it is cool, and I live only 45 minutes from Kennedy Space Center, which is going to be part of it now. I am bummed about the Constellation Moon Program being canceled, as I was looking forward to that. A friend from my church works at NASA, so I had a front row view in what is going on there. Hopefully we can get low cost flights into space. I would go in a heartbeat!

Brax: Any advice for others trying to “make it” in music?

Beyond Our Galaxy: I don’t think I have made it, but I will say keep practicing what you do, or learning more about the tools and gear you use, and do the music that you want to do. Music has always been for the love of creating it for me. I dreamed of being part of a band in the past, but gave that up a long time ago. I would love to be able to work on music full time, but my friend Barry Blaze said just like anything, it can become a job. If I can sell a few downloads and possibly have my music featured in some sort of movie/TV/video project, that would mean "making it" to me.

Brax: Anything else you’d like to add?

Beyond Our Galaxy: Yeah. I want to shout out to Nelson from the Goth/Death Rock band Batzz in the Belfry. A great Christian guy and friend on MySpace, and his music is awesome. He has given me some great advice from his experiences and is a big supporter of my music. He mentioned me in an interview he had for a Russian Goth magazine a few years back, so I want to return the favor. Hopefully you can interview him and possibly my "brotha-from-anotha-motha" Barry Blaze!

Visit Beyond Our Galaxy:
www.myspace.com/beyondourgalaxy
www.beyondourgalaxy.com
www.rcatrecords.com
Tell them Brax sent you!
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Thanks to Beyond Our Galaxy.
Check back next Wednesday for another exciting band interview.

Brax.

This week I interviewed Doug Van Pelt of HM Magazine. This is a special one, humans! Mr Van Pelt has been running HM Magazine for more than two decades. For those not in the know, HM is one of the last great music magazines in existence, and, in my opinion, has always been the best. They often cover some of the bands I've interviewed on this site, including Starflyer 59, Joy Electric, and many others. I can't emphasize enough how much I've enjoyed reading HM over the years.

Lately, as with all print media these days, the business side of the magazine has been struggling. It's something Doug has been very open and honest about. I highly recommend subscribing to HM magazine, or, for those of you who can't be bothered with physical copies any more, try out an online subscription. The info you need can be found at the HM homepage. Believe me, they'll appreciate your support, and you'll be a part of saving a music journalism masterpiece. Enjoy the interview with Doug, and don't forget to visit Doug and HM Magazine at the links below.
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Brax: Can you give our readers a brief history of how you started Heaven's Metal, and how it became the HM Magazine of today?

Doug Van Pelt: During my junior year at the University of Texas in Austin (which was 1984/1985) I was reading a zine called ACME, which stood for Alternative Christian Music Enthusiast. It said in passing, "...with the advent of Christian heavy metal, someone should start a Christian metal zine...you'll have a lot of fun along the way!" I thought to myself, "I can do this!" And, for the next six months or so, I tossed the vision and idea in my head and made plans for it. Then, in June, my friend (Carey Womack, who went on to form One Bad Pig later) told me, "Why don't you print your first issue and I'll hand 'em out at the Cornerstone Festival as a promotion?" That was the shove out the front door that got me started. From there it grew as I could afford to grow. It had no investment capital to start up and had a low budget for years. After our ten-year anniversary in 1995, we changed the name to HM Magazine, because the word "metal" had become a weight that wasn't helpful at the time. Record labels were sacking their metal divisions, radio stopped playing metal. People like abbreviations, so the shortened HM was a perfect fit.

Brax: You've been in a couple of bands over the years. What's the story behind The Cookies?

Doug Van Pelt: The Cookies is just a joke. Usually the interns and I make some music for fun. Just punk rock, off-the-cuff, out-of-tune, spontaneous drivel. One of our interns was a top-notch photographer, so we took the extra step and took photos and posted the tunes and photos on a MySpace page.

Brax: What are your top five bands of all time?

Doug Van Pelt: Crap! I don't know! Galactic Cowboys, King's X, Led Zeppelin, Type O Negative, MUTEMATH...how's that?

Brax: That's fine. How do you feel about extraterrestrials?

Doug Van Pelt: I feel all squishy and lime green, kinda like their blood. If they exist, that'd be fascinating and a total trip to communicate with them. Traveling to other countries around the world is fun. It's great to meet "foreigners" and get another perspective on life and culture, etc. It's eye-opening.

Brax: Glad to hear it. So, a lot of older bands are re-forming lately (Everdown, Upside Down Room, etc.). If you could ask any disbanded group of the past to reform, who would you choose?

Doug Van Pelt: Led Zeppelin, because their music, especially mid-period, Physical Graffiti, music is so good. Seeing Blackfoot again would be wonderful. Seeing Living Sacrifice and The Crucified get back together in the last year or two has been amazing.

Brax: What challenges are you facing as a magazine in today's internet driven world? What steps are you taking to keep HM on the cutting edge?

Doug Van Pelt: Oh, I'm working on getting an iPhone app for HM and we're posting news on our website every single day as it comes in. We make official content, like articles and reviews password-protected, so (only) subscribers get access to that.

Brax: iPod, CD, Vinyl, or other? Why?

Doug Van Pelt: CD, 'cause I can multi-task while listening to it and not be bogged down with streaming content, especially in terms of my job, which involves listening to and evaluating music. I can always rip a CD to my iPod later. I'd love to see my old band, Lust Control, on vinyl. I almost made 25 copies of a special vinyl release myself, but the overseas place who did these low-run test pressings stopped doing cover printing, and that killed the deal for me.

Brax: Tell me about the best live show you've ever experienced.

Doug Van Pelt: Oh crap! That's so hard. Do I choose the worship during "Holy Holy Holy" by Sacred Warrior at their first Cornerstone Festival show? Or do I choose one of the many Darrell Mansfield Band shows in So-Cal? Or do I pick the "Break The Same" moment by MUTEMATH on their last several years of touring? Or one of the "Over My Head" segments by King's X where Doug Pinnick would basically preach and give you chills, especially in the early days when it wasn't all profanity-laced...ha-ha. Or do I choose seeing Scorpions play "We'll Burn The Sky" at one of their concerts a few years ago? That was one of my favorite all-time songs. The opening notes of "Immigrant Song" that segued into "The Wanton Song" on the first Page/Plant tour was awesome. I felt like I was about two feet off the ground, I was so happy. Seeing Stavesacre at Tom Fest back in the late '90s was pretty special, especially when the audience shouted along in worship to the tune "At The Moment." Maybe after seeing Leviticus and Larry Norman play in Lincoln, Nebraska and having to go in the woods, fall on my knees and just weep in thanksgiving for that moment. Not sure why, but I just cried and cried. One of my friends was with me and she said, "It was just a concert, come on!" Ha-ha...so hard to choose. Just flip a coin and pick one of those and I'll be happy.

Brax: Anti-matter or anti-gravity?

Doug Van Pelt: Anti-Gravity. Having a past in skateboarding and vertical pool riding and sensing weightlessness is so exciting. I'd like to feel that again.

Brax: Have you ever had a comic in your magazine? How was the reader response?

Doug Van Pelt: Yes. It was by the same artist that did the illustrations (above) and done by Monty Colvin, who was in Galactic Cowboys. The strip was called "Gasfist" and ran for a couple years. I loved it. People loved it, but Monty wanted to take a break. That's been the last. I did bring the "Pit Moves" guys to the magazine, one move per issue for one year. That was tons of fun.

Brax: Any advice for those trying to “make it” in music?

Doug Van Pelt: Do what you do and do it with all your heart. Your skill and hard work will make a way for you. If it doesn't, well, hopefully you are enjoying it while you do it, so isn't that enough? If you have something "special" it will likely "catch on" and other people will connect with it.

Brax: Anything else you’d like to add?

Doug Van Pelt: Thanks for the honor of doing this interview. If there's anything I can ever do for you, let me know. HM Magazine is really struggling to stay alive in this poor magazine and poor music economy, so if people reading this could spread the word, buy copies in stores and/or subscribe and tell others about it, that would be great! Oh, also please check out our commercial spots. Search YouTube with "HM Gwar" and, for fun, "HM Hitler" Enjoy.

Visit Doug Van Pelt and HM Magazine:
www.myspace.com/hmmag
www.hmmagazine.com
www.facebook.com/HM.Magazine
www.twitter.com/dooglar (Doug Van Pelt on Twitter)
Tell him Brax sent you!
___________________________________________________________________________
Thanks to Doug Van Pelt.
Check back next Wednesday for another exciting band interview.

Brax.

This week I interviewed Chris Johnson of the band Telegraph Canyon. Hailing from the great state of Texas, Telegraph Canyon is one of the newest additions to the Velvet Blue Music roster. While that fact alone is enough to recommend the band, they need no reference other than their awesome music. These guys are serious contenders for my favorite new (to me) band from last year. They play a perfect blend of alt country/Americana/indie rock that somehow manages to feel like something entirely new. I can pretty much guarantee that after a quick listen to the tracks they have up on their MySpace page, you'll feel the compelling need to buy their entire album right away. Enjoy the interview, and don't forget to visit Telegraph Canyon at the links below.
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Brax: Where does the name Telegraph Canyon come from?

Telegraph Canyon: It's an actual canyon close to Kerville, Texas. It's where the poles for the first lines of communication in America were cut by the military.

Brax: What music project are you currently working on?

Telegraph Canyon: Telegraph Canyon mainly. We've been touring steadily since the release of The Tide and The Current late last summer. I've got a project called Pelican State that I've been writing for some as well.

Brax: What makes Telegraph Canyon live shows special?

Telegraph Canyon: Lots of energy. I can't say for sure, but I think that's what most people take away from the show. It's the reason I have a good time in this band.

Brax: Time travel or inter-dimensional travel?

Telegraph Canyon: Inter-dimensional. I'd just like to be able to get to New Orleans from Dallas anytime, day or night. Can that be an option?

Brax: Sure. What's the music scene in Texas like?

Telegraph Canyon: As good as I've seen it anywhere in the rest of the country. We've got some pretty big cities here with several great venues and the population to support it. The economy is better here than in most places, so it's helped to keep folks coming out to shows.

Brax: I absolutely love your album The Tide and the Current. What's the story behind the photo of the building on the album cover?

Telegraph Canyon: It was taken in south Texas. I'm not sure what the building is now exactly...looks like a hardware store. The fist holding the lightning bolts that's painted on outside was the symbol for an old power company from the '60s that went out of business. No one ever painted over the past. I like that about old buildings in the South. There's a hardware store by my house that was a Piggly Wiggly grocery store ages ago. The bricks still bear its mark as well. I was drawn to the photo because of the sky though. I liked that it felt southern too, but not overtly so. It's an interesting picture that I could stare at for a long time to come and still learn something. Props to Jill Johnson who took the photo and my good friend and Telegraph Canyon pedal steel/piano player Brian for having the eye to put it forward.

Brax: iPod, CD, Vinyl, or other? Why?

Telegraph Canyon: All of 'em!
Vinyl is for home mostly. Most everyone in the band has an large record collection and we spend a good amount of time listening to Charlie spin 'em out.

I enjoy complete albums on CD in the car while driving alone. Something about the lack of options and distractions that makes me leave a CD in the player for a week or more at a time. I like getting to that place with music that only comes with repeated listens under different circumstances...(like) mood, weather, time of day.

The iPod is for hanging and sharing music with friends, traveling or just hiking through the city on foot. I love a backpack and pair of headphones.

Brax: What do you hope your fans take away from your music?

Telegraph Canyon: No idea, really. I just hope they keep coming to shows and giving us a chance to make music our life.

Brax: What is your opinion on robots?

Telegraph Canyon: I'm for 'em!

Brax: Any advice for others trying to “make it” in music?

Telegraph Canyon: Ihe harder you work, the luckier you get.

Brax: Anything else you’d like to add?

Telegraph Canyon: No sir.

Visit Telegraph Canyon:
www.myspace.com/telegraphcanyon
www.TelegraphCanyon.net
Tell them Brax sent you!
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Thanks to Telegraph Canyon.
Check back next Wednesday for my exciting interview with Doug Van Pelt of HM Magazine!

Brax.

This week I interviewed Abe and Danny of the band The New Fame. These guys put out some pop punk rock that is fun, fun, fun. They're another band I found on the pop.vox.christmas volume 2 compilation. The New Fame has been lying low for a little while, but recently Abe and friends have been playing some shows, and there's a new album on the way. I'm looking forward to hearing it! Enjoy the interview, and don't forget to visit The New Fame at the links below.
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Brax: Tell me about the name The New Fame. What happened to the old fame?

The New Fame: We came up with the name from a passage in the Bible in the book of Matthew, 9:26. (It was) one of Jesus' first miracles, and his fame spread through the land. What happened to the old fame you ask? Well, it got too old and it's in a nursing home now...eating baby food and playing bingo.

Brax: What music project are you currently working on?

The New Fame: The release of our new album Tell the World of My Love. We'll be done in about a month, then you can go buy it on iTunes. Then on to the next one...

Brax: What makes your band special?

The New Fame: We've been around since 1998. We love surfing...real waves not the internet...and we're spreading the love of God through our rockin' tunes. Check it out! Feel the love!

Brax: If you could time travel to any era of the past and play a show as The New Fame, when would you choose, and why?

The New Fame: We'd travel to the medieval times so we could become knights and you would have to call us Sir New Fame. We could bet on all sporting events like jousting, and invent the frisbee, and become filthy rich...

Brax: What other bands do you enjoy listening to?

The New Fame: We like a lot of different stuff, like Starflyer 59, MxPx, Hope For Today, Southlen, Brian Setzer, Paul Gilbert...just about anything with a guitar in it.

Brax: Where do you see your band in five years?

The New Fame: Surfing! Ha, got you! In five years we want to be playing more shows and probably have another album.

Brax: iPod, CD, Vinyl, or other? Why?

The New Fame: iPod. It's too convenient. Sometimes vinyl. It's too complicated.

Brax: Tell me about your best live show ever.

The New Fame: It happened about October 31st, 2009 at the Epicenter. We'd just been practicing tons, for a comeback. We felt good and had really good feedback, plus Danny made really good salsa that day.

Brax: Manta rays or whale sharks?

The New Fame: Definitely dolphins! They're the original surfers. Can you tell we like surfing?

Brax: Any advice for others trying to “make it” in music?

The New Fame: Do it for the love, don't give up, work really really hard! Practice, practice, practice!!

Brax: Anything else you’d like to add?

The New Fame: May 1st CD Release show! If you're in the L.A. or O.C areas come on out to the show. It's free! Details on our website, thenewfame.com. Thanks for getting us some exposure. May the force be with you!

Visit The New Fame:
www.myspace.com/thenewfame
www.thenewfame.com
www.popvoxmusic.com/newfame.htm
Tell them Brax sent you!
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Thanks to The New Fame.
Check back next Wednesday for another exciting band interview.

Brax.

This week I caught up with Brendo from BMAS again to see what was new with him and the band. I think you'll be intrigued by what I found out!
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Brax: So what have you guys been up to lately?

BMAS: First, the news of our death has been greatly exaggerated. We've been really busy with other projects, things like Phil having a kid, me getting a new job, and both of us spending way too much time playing video games. But we are working on new material, still playing around with the Korg DS-10 and looking to get our hands on the DS-10 Plus.

Brax: What video games have you been playing?

BMAS: I just finished Heavy Rain on PS3, which I thought was incredible. It was one of the most intense gaming experiences I've ever had. Since then I've been playing Final Fantasy 13 when I have the free time and I've been playing Fire Emblem on DS since Phil wouldn't shut up about it. Turns out he was right. I know Phil has been playing Deadly Creatures for Wii quite a bit.

Brax: Star Wars or Star Trek?

BMAS: 15 years ago I would have said Star Wars without even thinking, but now I'm definitely leaning towards Trek, especially after the newest movie, which was fantastic. Nothing beats the original Star Wars trilogy though, no matter how much George Lucas tries to ruin them.

Brax: How do you feel about interstellar travel?

BMAS: I feel very good about it. I just hope that maybe in my lifetime regular folks will be able to go in space like they've been telling us we'll be able to. I mean, if those guys were right, I'd be living on Mars right now with my robot butler and flying car. We're just not progressing fast enough! I also really want to check out this planet Brax you keep talking about as supposedly plants are able to talk there.

Brax: They totally do! Speaking of the future, what does it hold for BMAS?

BMAS: We really have our fingers crossed that Audrey (Phil's daughter) is going to be a drummer. She already has some serious rhythm. Once Phil gets a house, hopefully we'll be able to record more. I'd really like to play a show again seeing as how it's been quite awhile. Maybe something like Autobahn in Ohio. That would be awesome. Jon Sonnenberg is my hero.

Brax: Do you read any webcomics?

BMAS: In addition to your awesome comic, I read several. My favorites include Dinosaur Comics, Achewood, Wondermark, all the Halfpixel guys, Kids with Gas Eat Free, and Black Cats. I am a big fan of the medium, as you can see.

Brax: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

BMAS: Thanks for the interview! Everyone should go listen to the new song by The New Limb at their Myspace and buy the album when it comes out. I am also a big fan of The New Limb, in case you didn't notice.

Visit BMAS:
www.myspace.com/brendomanallstars
www.popvoxmusic.com/bmas.htm
Tell them Brax sent you!
___________________________________________________________________________
Thanks to BMAS for the interview.
Check back next Wednesday for another great interview!

Brax.

This week I interviewed Jenny Andreotti of the band Funeral Club. If Jenny's name sounds familiar, it may be because her band was formerly known as The Grizzly Owls, and I interviewed them here. Jenny and her husband Joseph are back with a new band name, some new band members, and an upcoming album full of their unique blend of country, indie rock, and unique quirkiness. Enjoy the interview, and don't forget to visit Funeral Club at the links below.
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Brax: Tell me about the name Funeral Club. Why did you guys decide to do another name change?

Funeral Club: Technically this is the first name change we’ve had, although this is the second band my husband and I have had together. We decided to change our name because when we first started this band as The Grizzly Owls, the whole animal name thing wasn’t quite the phenomenon that it is now. But I’m glad that it became a phenomenon because now we have a band name that we love that really fits our sound.

Brax: How are things different now that you're playing with a full band?

Funeral Club: We just feel real lucky that we have found two talented and incredibly nice people to make some art with.

Brax: What music project are you currently working on?

Funeral Club: We just finished a full length record that is going to be released very soon. The album is going to be called The Year of The Bloody Sevens.

Brax: Star Wars or Star Trek?

Funeral Club: When I hear words like “warp speed ahead” my mind just shuts down and I’m totally lost. But you are talking to the person who has seen Secrets and Lies like fifty times, and thinks it gets better every time I see it. I do have to say though that I saw a documentary on San Francisco based directors called Fog City Mavericks and it did give me a new found respect for George Lucas. I kind of had the guy all wrong.

Brax: What are your favorite bands to play live shows with?

Funeral Club: I like playing with nice, down to earth, professional, and passionate people.

Brax: What do you hope people will get out of your music?

Funeral Club: I love watching Quentin Tarantino films because even though you know that you are about to enter a violent, dark, and disturbing world, you are still entertained and are escaping from your day to day life. I hope that I do that on a much smaller scale.

Brax: Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace?

Funeral Club: As a band you need them all. As a person I have fun writing for my blog Triumphs and Tragedies. I like that I’m helping give some bands exposure, because I know how hard it can be. That and I like going on and on about all of the artists that I love.

Brax: What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you on stage?

Funeral Club: When I was in my early twenties I used to try to be as crazy as possible during live shows. I guess I thought I was Iggy Pop or something, which is not a good idea for a person that is as clumsy as me. More or less I have (eaten) it an embarrassing amount of times on stage. Like bad. Painful bad.

Brax: How do you feel about intergalactic space travel?

Funeral Club: I saw this documentary once on this guy who didn’t believe that we landed on the moon. Most of his evidence had to do with the fact that he didn’t think that Neil Armstrong could have taken those infamous moon landing photos with big moon gloves on. That was kind of weird. He devoted his life to disproving the moon landing. Strange.

Brax: What's the best thing about being in a band?

Funeral Club: Putting some art out there into the world.

Brax: Anything else you’d like to add?

Funeral Club: You can watch new music videos and hear new songs at www.myspace.com/funeralclub.
You can also vote Funeral Club for L.A. band of the month at www.la.thedelimagazine.com.

Visit Funeral Club:
www.myspace.com/funeralclub
www.facebook.com/pages/FUNERAL-CLUB/320157873568
www.funeralclub.blogspot.com
www.thegrizzlyowls.rcrdlbl.com (Free music downloads.)
www.twitter.com/funeralclub
Tell them Brax sent you!
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Thanks to Funeral Club.
Check back next Wednesday for another exciting band interview.

Brax.