Helen Money

Listening to the new instrumental record by HELEN MONEY, In Tune, is a completely different kind of instrumental experience. Alison Chesley is a Chicago-based cellist who earned her rock credentials with the 90’s alternative band, Verbow, then started performing with world-rockers, Poi Dog Pondering, and even recorded with nu-metallers, Disturbed. If you’re expecting just cello renditions of rock n’ roll songs, you won’t hear that, but you’ll hear music that’s completely unafraid to reach into dark places and her mixture of pizzicato, heavy bowing, distorted leads over beds of soft strings is a fascinating listen of how to channel rock’s traditionally guitar-oriented aggression through an instrument that gets most of its heavy metal recognition from the bridge section of Whitesnake’s “Still Of The Night”.

For her interesting choice of musical direction, Alison says that it was because the traditional model didn’t appeal to her.“ I grew up in Los Angeles and I spent about ten years after I dropped out of college, where I just wasn’t feeling inspired playing cello.”, she says. “So I started going out to clubs to see bands like The MInutemen and Meat Puppets and Bob Mould

Danny Johnson

Looking at guitarist, DANNY JOHNSON’s musical resume is like reading a syllabus for a course in Classic Rock. Discovered at 18 years old by Rick Derringer (he of the “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo”), Johnson recorded three albums with him and moved on to joining the bands of Alice Cooper and Rod Stewart. Danny would go on to replace Steve Vai (who in turn had replaced Yngwie Malmsteen) in Graham Bonnet’s post-Rainbow project, Alcatrazz, and when they disbanded, became the guitarist in Eddie Van Halen’s production project, Private Life, in the late 80’s. During the last decade, in addition to performing with Tia Carrere on the Wayne’s World soundtrack, Johnson became the lead guitarist with the originators of the term “heavy metal”, Steppenwolf (still a touring entity almost half a century after forming.) Johnson has also released two solo albums, Grih-Grih Thing and Over Cloud Nine and is embarking on a solo tour through Wisconsin this November.

Ace Frehley

Legendary lead guitarist Ace Frehley is no stranger to playing Madison, Wisconsin, having appeared here no less than seven times with his former group KISS, but November 7th’s Majestic Theatre show will mark the first time Frehley has played MadTown as a solo performer. In fact, the Majestic gig will be only the fifth live performance he’s made since the release of his long awaited CD Anomaly this past September. Wisconsin’s Frehley fanatics are also lucky enough to witness a November 6th appearance at Potawatomi’s Northern Lights Theater in Milwaukee. I asked Ace about his recently postponed Australian tour, which will be another first for Frehley as a solo performer.

In This Moment

After surprising an unsuspecting crowd with their stage presence at the Mudvayne show back in February IN THIS MOMENT is back on the road. Now on a headline tour, they are returning to Madison in November. With Earth shattering screams and a mesmerizing singing voice, Maria Brink fronts this eclectic mix of pounding heavy metal and melodic hard rock.

The band really finds itself on the razor’s edge between heavy and light without losing the elements of either. Brink explains, “we aren’t afraid to do what we want, and that has made us really diverse.” The guitar riffs of Chris Howorth are bluntly heavy, but the touch of melody in Howorth’s solos and Brink’s soaring voice are what set IN THIS MOMENT in their own category.

Shadows Fall

East coast, heavy metal monsters, SHADOWS FALL, find themselves on the razor’s edge between the new school and the old. Having 12 years of playing under their belts, and the dissident edge of the eastern metal scene, this quintet delve into a melodically aggressive area of music. As singer Brian Fair explains, “it’s a cross section of metal influences over the last few decades,” and the diversity is instantly apparent. With influences ranging from Iron Maiden to their favorites from the underground scene, SHADOWS FALL spawn their latest creation “Retribution.”

Soulfly

Only days from embarking on another hell ride journey through the US, Soulfly frontman, Max Cavalera graciously took the time to speak with me. Max may be one of the most hard working musicians in the industry today. Never forgetting about his roots in Brazil, Max retains a level of humility that is often lost in the over-inflated world of metal. He is a great example of what a person can do if they believe in themselves and never stop rocking when the going gets shitty. Soufly brings one of the hardest hitting metal shows around. Don’t miss them when they tour through the Midwest in early October including the Rave in Milwaukee I’ll see you at the show.

MAXIMUM INK: What is your least favorite interview question?
MAX CAVALERA: Probably if there is going to be a Sepultura reunion. I get asked that one a lot so it gets kind of old.