Derek Day of Classless Act, the Feel Good Soundtrack of the Summer

I recently had the chance to catch up and comers Classless Act live in concert in New Orleans along with Joyous Wolf in support of Dorothy. I was completely blown away by their show. The musicality, the stage presence, the energy, all of it was top notch.

I sat down with Derek Day, lead singer and front man for CA to talk a little bit about what they have going on tour wise, recording plans, and the future projections for these boys from Cali as they gear up to embark on their Mega Stadium tour with Def Leppard and Journey.

CB: Hey Derek, I wanted to talk a little bit about the tour you’re on. We caught up with you guys in NOLA at the Parish. You were a long way from home, had you ever played in the Big Easy before?

DD: “Ha, actually, I had never even been to that state before! I had been to Memphis-oh no wait that’s a different state (chuckling laughter), forgive me, tour brain.”

CB: Well that’s awesome what did you think? Did you eat? (worries in southern)

DD: “I did! We loved exploring a bit and I ate some fish. We had some beignets, we went to a place called Mon…Mon...I’m sorry it just escapes me.”

CB: “Monty’s on the Square?”

DD: “YES! Oh wow, that’s totally right. It was a really great local place with coffee and stuff.”

CB: That’s so great! That night was actually the first time I’d ever even heard of you guys, I was originally there to shoot Dorothy and Joyous Wolf but you guys really kind of stole the show for me. It was in the middle of a tornado watch, and I was just impressed with how many people you were able to make get up and move. So how did you end up on this tour?

DD: “Well Dorothy is just an amazing bad ass, and she really jut gave us a chance. We needed a tour to kind of get us ready to do the stadium tour, and just like get us out there to the masses. She heard our stuff and she was like, okay yea, just get on out there with us. She’s really amazing. And Joyous Wolf just happened to be on the bill. But I’ve actually known those guys for a long time, they were so welcoming too. “

CB: Oh wow, that is so cool. It’s that kind of camaraderie that you really love to see. Are you excited to be going out with Def Leppard?

DD: “ABSOLUTELY. We grew up on Def Leppard are you kidding? It’s a dream come true. “

CB: I’ve noticed that you have that same vibe. You have a new single out?

DD: “Oh yeah, so our first single we released last year and it was called ‘Give It To Me’ and it was something almost on theme, so this one is called "‘This Is For You’ and so its like, Give it to me, this is for you. It’s a little introduction like, hey, here we are, this is us, we want you to have it all. It’s kind of our conceptual little thing., It’s just a rock and roll song, and we want to let everyone know we’re all about that rock and roll.”

CB: What’s the plan, are you wanting to focus on touring or writing and pushing out an album?

DD: “Well, we already recorded and got our album in ready to go. We actually have enough to do maybe, two more albums following that. The whole album will drop maybe a week after the stadium tour starts. We’ve been saving it for about a year and a half, and as soon as we finish the stadium tour we may be going out on another fall tour, but that’s something we will have to see when we finish up.”

CB: I’m very excited to kind of see where this all goes, It’s been very cool to watch your tour diaries in real time via Instagram since we all follow each other now and I had a blast shooting that show. I’m excited to see where this all goes for y’all.

DD: “Thank you so much for shooting that show, we loved your photos so much. They were fantastically edited and great moments you captured! Also, stay tuned, we have a new single dropping in April and a new music video to go along with it. “

Catch Classless Act here on spotify!

Nonpoint; Touring, Writing and Re-Inventing in their Own Image

After two years of Covid, trailer mishaps and cancelled shows, our favorite homegrown fellas Nonpoint are back on the road and bringing their incredible energy to the masses on the “Taken Apart + Put Back Together” Tour.

Elias (ES), Jaysin (JZ), Adam(AW), Rasheed (RT), and Robb (RR) were kind enough to sit down with me (CB) at CPR fest in Biloxi and touch base about their future plans, what it means to be able to create and experiment in their own way musically, and of course, who their touring dream team would be.

CB: I’m recording this to transcribe, so say hi fellas.

ALL: “Heeeyyyyyyyyyy”

CB: So, welcome back to Mississippi. Sorry it’s so damn hot, yall.

(Various chuckles)

CB: You have a new tour, FINALLY. You’re starting in Wisconsin, which you know ya girl grew up in Eau Claire so you know I’m excited. Wisconsin is Nonpoint country. So is this a continuation of the pre-covid tour, or are you guys just randomly starting in the Midwest?

ES: “Well this was always the plan, the second half of the tour. Everything with the trailer and covid happened and that got pushed to January, so now we’re just getting back out to it for the original plan.”

CB: So the infamous runaway trailer, you know we have to talk about it. Was anyone hurt? What exactly happened?

RT: “Thankfully no one was hurt.”

ES: “It was just equipment.”
JZ: “We were sleeping, I slept through the entire thing. “

RT: “The driver was like, the trailers gone, and he just kept on driving.”

RR: “I actually had gotten covid, so I wasn’t there I was at home and found out about it after it happened.”

CB: So, let’s bring it back, so you actually got covid (to RR) how has that changed the like, way you all approach shows and such with it being a little calmed down but very much still a thing?

ES: “It’s definitely changed how we approach things, but we’re just trying to stay as safe as we can and be conscious of the numbers.”

CB: So you’ve been back in the studio in the downtime?

ES: We’ve been writing. We’re about to go back in.
CB: So the timeline is: writing-tour-studio-another tour?

ES: Yes, basically. This album is to basically test all the waters that we’ve been wanting to try. To not have to make the kind of music that a label wants, but to be able to experiment and do the kind of music that we have been wanting to make, but like maybe have been…discouraged..from pursuing before. They have trends hey want, and sometimes you’re led with certain mix, or certain directions that they want us to go in. This new track is gonna feel like a regular EP and then the next one may feel like something different. From these two independent tests, we’re going to put out a full length.

CB: it sounds a lot like what Chevelle did when they broke from their label. They had been pushed into a very specific niche of amazing music, but it did seem to leave them little room to explore. Now Veritas is out, and its a banger, but it doesn’t sound like normal Chevelle and it’s been super well received.

JZ: “That’s a really good album.”

CB: So when does the new tour kick off?
ALL : “May”
CB: Okay so you have some time to recover and get ready. What do you think the reception is going to be about taking the new sound out for a spin?

ES: “I think its actually going back to what our first Hans was kinda like trying to get us to do. And what he saw in the project, and why he signed us in the first place. and even his label led him away from what he saw, and he wanted us to have a very raw, very tight, big sound. that’s what this new EP is gonna be. It’s gonna be all of our, like, pit music.”

CB: Well that sounds amazing. Let me ask, if you could have another, lets say, two bands with you, who would you choose to tour?

RR: (with no hesitation) “Deftones.”

RT: “Korn would be rad too".”

ES: “Papa Roach?”
JZ: “Anyone that would basically expose us to a new genre of people and music I think is good.”

There you have it folks, grab your tickets for the “Taken Apart + Put Back Together” tour now!

Shenanigans with Tim Brennan of Dropkick Murphys

By: Canonblue Lalley

"Part of our job is getting our fans to the music. The biggest thing was putting out an album at a time where you can't really go out and tell people about it at shows."

Recently, a new tour was announced for the first time in almost three years for the beloved Irish Punk band, The Dropkick Murphys. Tim Brennan who plays pretty much every Irish instrument and the kitchen sink dropped me a line to give me some insight on what’s to come with their newest studio album, Turn Up the Dial.
Brennan, heralding from my old stomping grounds in New Haven, Connecticut is the second newest member of the Murphys, his career with them spanning back to 2003. I’m a Milford girl myself, but I try not to hold it against him.

CB: Thank you so much for taking the time. You know i have a lot of thoughts about the new album, but before we get into that, what was it like writing and recording an album during Covid?

TIM: "At one point we got to go out with Rancid to play a few songs for people. We could tell that they were still out there listening to it, even if we weren’t able to ya know, pound it down their throats."

CB: I feel like the Dropkick Murphys are an integral part of the 3 am drunk bar crowd so you're going to have an audience, I would think.

TIM: "Yeah thats the Hope."

CB: So we just received word that Al isn’t going to be joining due to some medical issues within the family. If he's gonna sit out the tour, then who is going to be helping front?

TIM: "Right thats right"

-I interrupt, my mind already racing with possibilities.

CB: Ken Casey for sure.

TIM: "Yeah, so we are going to be out with the Rumjacks and Bombpops. And Jesse. And so ya know, people seemed psyched when we asked if anyone was wanting to join us. They'll be with us pretty much the whole tour and we'll see who pops up city to city."

CB: So, I've heard rumors about Jim from Pennywise?

-Tim chuckles.

TIM: "You know I cant confirm or deny any rumors at this point."

CB: Well, you know I had to try.
TIM: “That’s fair. Just stay tuned.”
CB: You know I've covered you guys a lot over the years. I think this is show number 9?

TIM: "Yeah thats probably right"

CB: So Boston is always such a great place to catch you boys playing, it's just such a different dynamic.

TIM: "Oh yeah its crazy playing at home, it's just different."

CB: I think my favorite memory was the end of show rendition of "kiss me im shit faced" where you'd pull folks from the crowd on stage.

-Tim lets out a heavy laugh.

TIM: "Ohhhh yeah I loved that bit. Pre-covid we'd do it at every show. Such a cool thing to be up there with everyone."

CB: I remember Al pulling me up so we were all on stage and I'm photographing all of these drunk excited folks just having a bar chorus with their favorite band. I think the photo of us i have you were just so damn tired after all that rockin.

TIM: "Oh yeah. That used to be the best. Hopefully we can get back to it when it's safe."

CB: You know your’e gonna be here during Mardi Gras?

TIM: "Oh I don’t ever remember NOT being there during Mardi Gras, it's just the way the St. Paddy's tour always works out. I remember one time at the House of Blues, waking up in the morning and having to vault a pile of vomit from in front of the tour bus door to get to the sidewalk."

I laugh.

CB: Welcome to New Orleans. I think something I enjoyed on the new album was a totally different vibe than normal Murphy's. "Middle Finger" with that slow entrance and breakdown is catching my ear.

TIM: "I was super excited about this album because we talk the Pogues a lot, and obviously they're a huge influence on what we've done with this album. I was excited because this was in that vein. Theres a little of the Irish stuff. Thats not to say it's not your average, wild Dropkick record, but we did explore the more intricate side of Irish music, and I was so excited to do that."

CB: I feel like it had some tones that you've touched on before, in other songs, but it felt like it had its own agency. It reminds me of "Rose Tattoo". These are heavier things as a band that we're writing about.

TIM: "Exactly, sure. I love "Turn up the Dial" and Middle Finger."

CB: That's because it features banjos and accordions, there's some bias there, let's be real.

Tim laughs.

TIM: "Well, yeah, I mean I was really happy with how those songs came out, you know I am a fan of the stuff that we do thats the Irish stuff but more menacing."

CB: Like ''Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya?"

TIM: "Yes exactly, that heavy."

CB: Theres something about it, when you play in a heavy capacity that gets the heart pumping.

TIM: "Sure yeah, I know what you mean for sure."

CB: Are you excited to be back on tour with all the dangers of the pandemic?

TIM: "Yeah I mean I'm excited but with some trepidation. It would be, you know, lovely to not have to worry about anything. Uhm, as far your health and stuff. And it would really one thing if it was just yourself; we've all played deathly ill on the road before. It would be one thing where 'I feel like crap but I can still go out and perform". So the scary thing is thinking we may have to cancel shows. But, I would, hypothetically, if I had to sit in a hotel room for two weeks knowing there were shows going on without me, it'd be very difficult."

CB: I think it's heavier for the burden of artists because its not just your health but the health of the fans in the crowd. Like how horrid would it be if your show turned out to be a super spreader event?

TIM: "Oh yeah, are you kidding, that's the entire thing right there. You dont wanna be responsible for other people, you know, coming to see you and your show is the one they get covid at. It's really tough."

CB: In spite of all of that, we love having y'all here.

TIM: "Its a great place down there, we love it."

Stay tuned to find out if the Murphys’ try the best burger in Biloxi on the way out, from the Project Lounge.

Catch the Murphys on March 3Rd at the Civic!

Tig Notaro, Hello Again Tour

By: Canonblue Lalley

The Orpheum Theater in New Orleans buzzed, packed as responsibly as possible with masked patrons waiting for Tig Notaro to take the stage. A single microphone sat there illuminated, with a baby grand piano poised just to the side. Whatever caution Notaro may have had about reprising her stand up shows in the wake of Covid-19 was easily washed over with her light banter with the audience. Rib cracking laughter rang through the theater, as well as a rousing chorus of Adele’s “Hello” (if you know, you know).

Notaro is a Mississippi Native, calling the Pass "home.” She was kind enough to take some time to sit down with us via telephone and talk current and future projects, life on the road post pandemic, and being from Mississippi.

CB: Tig, it was such an amazing show the other night. Thank you so much for taking the time. How was it actually getting back out in front of people after the Covid-19 lock downs and suspensions of shows? And do you have any new projects you’re excited about?

TN: “Um, my wife and I are doing a movie that Judd Apatow is producing. She and I came up with this story and then she actually read the script and is going to direct it. I’m going to star in it, and then we actually have someone starring with me that we haven’t been able to announce just yet but stay tuned.”

TN: “It was surreal getting back on the road. I did about, four shows maybe, before I left town and just, ya know, refreshed my memory with the material that I’ve been working on-what you saw last night, that was the material I had been working on before the pandemic. It’s kind of the majority of my tour before the pandemic was majority smaller markets. So I had been gearing up to hit those larger markets, and then the Pandemic hit and i was off for two years. It’s been really, really fun.”

CB: So, you’re a Mississippi Native, as am I. I’m talking to you now from Ocean Springs. Yesterday I saw you popped into my friend Lauren Turner’s place, Making Groceries. She’s a huge fan of you herself. I know you worked on “One Mississippi” and maybe you’ve talked that to death, but I think it’s important to mention a few things about it. Pass Christian is where you consider home, right?

TN: “Oh yeah.”

CB: Do you know why they chose to film the show outside of MS?

TN: “Oh, well yeah, there are so many factors. Tax reasons, crew availability, liabilities, the list goes on. We filmed in MS, LA, and TX, there are so many different reasons that shooting takes place. It’s so complicated I couldn’t even begin to explain.”

CB: It was a cool thing to see, growing up on the coast and how it differs from the stereotypes of the more northern parts of the state. I grew up in South Mississippi with a gay parent. So for me it was cool to see that experience in a different light. The thing that I love is that it would have been an easy road to just talk about how horrible it can be here, but the coast is kind of a different animal than the rest of the state when it comes to progression.

TN: “Yeah I mean, I obviously am aware of the dark side of MS, but i also wanted to show that this is my experience, even though the show isn’t 100% factual to my life, my experience is that I love MS, I love where I’m from, I love my town and my family. I didn’t have a big coming out moment with my family. They’re very accepting and they’d rip someone’s head off for me type of supportive. I had people go, well, they didn’t think it was realistic that I just walked into my living room with my girlfriend for the first time in Mississippi and there was nothing said. And I said, this is my experience in my home, and I wanted to show that there are open people here, there are smart, talented and wonderful people here. I wanted to wait until the second season to show the more darker side, the political side of things.”

CB: If you are from here at all, you know the coast is constantly fighting for our rights down here and actually gaining a bit of ground. So the Army of Dead stuff was pretty intense and last minute. Can you tell me what it was like being cast?

TN: I had a blast and, you know, it was smack dab in the middle of Covid. But it was a scaled down crew and production, and I met with Zack Snyder, the director over zoom and he was reassuring. I could tell he was a kind, solid, easy going guy and I had so much fun with him. It was a very technical shoot, he’d tell me ‘Okay, walk this like on the green screen’ and we’d shoot and he would go, ‘Okay, as crazy as this sounds we need to move a centimeter to the left’ and we’d do it again, over and over in different ways to get it right. I do Star Trek and there’s a little bit of action that I do, but not like, this was an entire action film by myself was completely insane.”

CB: Well that was the insane bit too, right? They had already wrapped filming when they replaced your predecessor? So you didn’t have the rest of the cast?

TN: “Yeah they had planned to release the movie, and then after all the news came out about the other actor, Zack said he was in the editing bay and he thought, ‘I can’t release this film. I’m gonna have to erase this guy and start over.” So then he said, uh, reach out to Tig. And I don’t know why they chose me but I’m so glad they did and that experience was so unique.”

CB: I must have been living under a rock, because when the movie came out and I was traveling doing shoots in NYC. I sat down with my husband and you popped on Netflix and I saw you and immediately was like we’re watching. I found out about all the scandal after I watched it and I couldn’t even tell you were replacing anyone.

TN: My wife and I write, produce and act and we have our own production company now. We’re having a really great time doing those things together, and seeing our kids.”

CB: Thank you so much for taking the time to sit with me today and giving me some insight. We’re so excited to have you represent us.

TN: ”It is my pleasure, and thank you. I’ll be back pretty regularly, and we have a podcast “Tig & Cheryl, True Story” so you can catch updates there too.”

Frankie Poullain, The Darkness

By: Canonblue Lalley


Canonblue: I've had the chance to catch you guys live. It's truly an impressive array of hair and cosmic playing so I have to ask, what is your all-time favorite song to perform as a group?
 

Frankie: "Thank you kindly.  I guess it would have to be something that makes us smile. We don't see any point in doing covers that fail to re-imagine or reinvigorate the song. That's the true meaning of tribute, not, and I repeat, NOT 'Rock of Ages.' I mean adding something artistic or fun even, into the mix. If it's a rock 'n' roll song then surely irreverence is the key?"
We've tried Queen and Led Zep covers in rehearsal and they sound fine and dandy but what's the point if they are pale imitations? We aren't macho enough to convey the spirit
of ACDC probably because we didn't grow up in the late 60's Australia. 
I've noticed that when we take a stab at Kate Bush, Radiohead, or Michael Jackson it always seems to click somehow. No idea why. I hope it's not because we're miserable effeminate paedos."

Canonblue: As you probably can tell, fans are excited in a big way about the new The Darkness album, Last Of Our Kind. I definitely got a heavier vibe than I'm used to hearing come from you off of it. How do you think this one is going to go over in comparison to Permission to Land and One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back and Hot Cakes?
 

Frankie: "The consensus seems to be that it's our 2nd best album. It's our heaviest and warmest, brings a flush to the cheek, like a good bottle of claret."
 

Canonblue: How did the writing process differ from the first three albums? Do you feel like you're in a new space musically, like you did with To Hell and Back...Again? 
 

Frankie: "I think it's fair to say that the writing process was slightly more harmonious than 'Hell and Back'. Now with Rufus we are entering yet another new musical space. The 'Final Frontier' perhaps..."
 

Canonblue: I know that some original critics tried to label you as a gimmick, but any listener who takes the time to actually listen to your albums can see that the musicality is phenomenal. How do you hope first time listeners will embrace the band's overall musical style?
 

Frankie: "I just hope it brings joy and relief from the drudgery of modern guitar music, however fleeting. I feel privileged to be in this band."
 

Canonblue: I had my first exposure to The Darkness at the Tabernacle in Atlanta, circa 2004, so I am interested to see how the live show has changed. Over the past decade, you have grown and changed so much. Looking back, what do you think had the most significant impact on your growth as a band? 
 

Frankie: "Steven Tyler and Tom Hamilton were at that show. Steve gave Justin the silver plectrum necklace he had. He also complemented me on my Ray Brown shirt, and asked me who designed it. I asked him how he looked so good after what he'd been through and I'll always remember his reply: 'Good moisturizer man, just good moisturizer.'

The biggest impact has been that for our last two albums we have been allowed to develop out of the media glare, which has been great for us creatively if not so great for our bank accounts."
 

Canonblue: What spurred the reunion tour that ultimately got the band back together?

Frankie: "Redemption, pure and simple."

Canonblue: How has new band member, drummer Rufus Taylor fit into the project? What sort of flavors does he bring to the table?

Frankie: "He brings pungency and spice, drizzled with the sweetness and piquancy of youth."

 

Canonblue: Who would you say your biggest influences are? (Both individually and as a band as a whole?

Frankie: "The small of a woman's back."

Canonblue: Where has been your favorite place to tour so far? Is there anywhere that hits a special place in your heart when you perform there?

Frankie: "New York always. The magic. But in terms of intensity and surreal flavour I would say Perth in Australia. It's insane and full of beautiful young people who want to rip it up."

Canonblue: As a bassist myself, I can't help but hear how much stronger and prominent that bass line is in Last of Our Kind. Was that a result of playing around with the sound to make it a little heavier, or something that just naturally happened in the mix?

Frankie: "As I touched on earlier, there was a feeling that Hot Cakes in particular was a little fizzy and toppy so Dan really went for a warm, full and powerful sound this time. The drums are very warm sounding too, Emily has that feel when she plays."

Canonblue: We are looking forward to catching the show in New Orleans, at the House of Blues. Have you noticed a different reception in the US vs UK touring, or is there pretty much a standard of openness across the board? 
 

Frankie:  "American fans are more expressive and positive. They somehow 'will' it to be special. There's nothing like a hoe down."

Don't forget to catch The Darkness, April 21st at the New Orleans House of Blues! It's sure to be a rowdy time!