JFK

Sevendust

Making music in grandma’s bedroom?!  This week’s guest on Discover New Music is family to JJO, the incomparable Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust.  Discussing the band’s 14^th studio album “Truth Killer” and almost 30 years of Sevendust, Lajon recalls how the band reclaimed some innocence while making this new record, as well as making some of their heaviest tracks to date.  Plus, he talks about wrangling a calf, if Rumble Fish or Crawlspace was a better name and plays a round of Rapid Fire!

bio: Sevendust never follow a linear path. Instead, they continue to bulldoze a lane of their own with a proven one-two punch of rumbling grooves, unpredictable riffing, and stirringly soulful vocals unlike anything else in hard rock. As a result, their music connects straight to the heart as evidenced by their full-contact live shows and diehard “family” of fans. It’s why they’ve been around since 1994, tallied global sales of seven million, logged three gold-selling albums, delivered three Top 15 debuts on the Billboard 200, and garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Metal Performance.” 2021 saw them deliver one of the most-acclaimed albums of their career – their thirteenth studio masterpiece - Blood & Stone, which Metal Hammer christened “Sevendust’s best work in years.” However, the Atlanta quintet—Lajon Witherspoon [lead vocals], Clint Lowery [lead guitar, backing vocals], John Connolly [rhythm guitar, backing vocals], Vince Hornsby [bass], and Morgan Rose [drums]—defy expectations yet again on their fourteenth full-length and debut for Napalm Records, Truth Killer, produced by Michael “Elvis” Baskette [Alter Bridge, Trivium, Slash]. Ultimately, Truth Killer reaffirms there’s only one Sevendust—and they’re here forever.

https://youtu.be/X2o2hU72dcE?si=Jv3hHAY1GBdiJ3Ss

by JFK

Mammoth WVH

He's phenomenal at guitar, but drums are his true passion.  Wolfgang Van Halen is this week's guest on Discover New Music talking about Mammoth WVH and the new album "Mammoth II."  More confidence can be heard on this sophomore piece and Wolfgang breaks down how he avoided the "slump" with brand new material.  Plus Choco Tacos, Bigfoot, The Mighty Ducks and more another round of Rapid Fire with WVH!

About Mammoth WVH:
With his solo band Mammoth WVH, Wolfgang Van Halen consistently challenges himself as a songwriter, vocalist,
multi-instrumentalist, and producer. After a monumental breakthrough - with a GRAMMY® Award nomination for
his first-ever single, #1 debuts on multiple charts, television performances, and sold out shows over a two-year span
- Mammoth WVH’s self-titled debut sent shockwaves through 21st century rock music.
Mammoth WVH bowed at #1 on the Billboard Independent Albums Chart, Top Hard Rock Albums Chart, and Top
Rock Albums Chart in addition to crashing the Billboard 200 at #12. He notched two #1 one entries at Rock Radio
with “Don’t Back Down” and “Distance.” The latter also garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of
“Best Rock Song.” He appeared on The Howard Stern Show, NBC News TODAY, Jimmy Kimmel Live and on the cover
of Guitar World where they dubbed him Guitarist Of The Year. Loudwire cited Mammoth WVH as one of “The 45
Best Rock + Metal Albums of 2021,” while Classic Rock rated it “4-out-of-5 stars” and People proclaimed, “With
Mammoth WVH’s head-banging tracks and personal lyrics, Wolfgang successfully introduces himself as his own
person.” The band supported Guns N’ Roses in stadiums stateside and Alter Bridge in arenas across the pond, while
also headlining coast-to-coast in North America. Not to mention, he lit up the stage at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute
Concerts in London and Los Angeles at the invitation of Dave Grohl himself.
Instead of choosing to settle on his breakout success, he consciously tested himself to further develop his sound
from every angle on his second full-length offering, Mammoth II [BMG]. Coming out swinging, the hooks hit harder,
the riffs roar louder, and the lyrics cut deeper as he delivers an urgent, undeniable, and unforgettable 10-song body
of work.

Connect with Mammoth WVH at:
Website: www.mammothwvh.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MammothWVH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mammothwvh/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MammothWVH
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MammothWVH

by JFK

Ghost

Tina Turner, Genesis, The Stranglers...and Ghost??  Tobias Forge is this week's guest on Discover New Music to discuss the band's latest EP "Phantomime."  Is it hard to take on songs from an artist like Tina Turner?  Are there songs that are impossible to cover?  Forge covers these questions and more and plays a Swedish version of Rapid Fire!

GHOST SOCIALS

• YouTube: https://found.ee/Ghost_YTSubscribe 
• Instagram: https://found.ee/Ghost_Instagram 
• Twitter: https://found.ee/Ghost_Twitter 
• Facebook: https://found.ee/Ghost_Facebook 
• Site: https://ghost-official.com/

by JFK

Saul

Being a fan of Black Mirror can help with writing songs!  Joining Brock on this episode of Discover New Music is Blake Bedsaul of Saul talking about the band newest album "This Is It...The End of Everything."  After a meteoric start to 2020 being cut short due to the pandemic, Saul was able to find new life and fresh re-start with their sophomore album.  Plus, don't miss another round of Rapid Fire where they drive to figure out if it's bigfoot or just Carl.

Saul is an American hard rock band from Sutherland, Iowa, formed in 2007. It was founded by brothers Blake and Zach Bedsaul who began as a cover band titled "Sequoia". They started Saul in 2007. Saul's lineup also includes William McIlravy (bass guitar/vocals) and Myles Clayborne (drums).

https://saulofficial.com/

by JFK

From Ashes To New

On tour in a bus from the 90’s!  Matt Brandyberry of From Ashes To New is this week’s guest on Discover New Music to talk all about their new album “Blackout” dropping July 28^th.  After resetting from the pandemic, Matt discusses how the band members left their egos at the door and made a record as a collective and produced their most inspired work to date.  Plus Matt talks about becoming a dad again and plays a round of Rapid Fire!

ABOUT

 Lancaster, Pennsylvania is one of a hundred similar American towns; in fact, there are places just like it all over the world: post-industrial but still largely working class, and generally offering bleak prospects for the kids who grow up there. Suburban boredom, broken families, substance abuse, limited opportunity – this is an environment in which authentic, compelling creativity can thrive, if it’s accompanied by a burning desire, unstoppable drive, and complete lack of any backup plan.  There have always been powerful voices that rise above the din of mediocrity and monotony. The voice of From Ashes to New founder and frontman Matt Brandyberry is one of those that is forcing itself to be heard.
  
Matt’s lifelong interest in music progressed along a wide-ranging path: he was ardent hip-hop fan who wrote rhymes while in junior high, then learned piano and guitar. He pursued music with a passion, ignoring warnings from naysayers around him who shook their fingers in disapproval, asserting that he was doomed to fail and would never amount to anything.
His early musical efforts were straight-up rap, and he couldn’t get anything happening with it. "People would say, 'You aren’t a rapper. You are white. Just quit. Just get a real job.’ And I eventually thought I would be that regular 9 to 5 guy."
 
To make matters worse, Matt was making bad choices. "Most of what I have done has been a failure," he admits with an unsettling candor. "Things I fell into. Things I believed. I was pretty damn good at baseball, but I made bad choices. I ruined it. I fell into a bad crowd, getting in trouble, and partying too much. I was doing things I shouldn't have been doing instead of following what could have been a career choice."
 
Matt found a steady job as a cable TV installer, and had to relegate writing and performing to his off hours and weekends. Rap gave way to joining local rock bands, but his creative contributions ended up being frustratingly limited.
 
He was making good money doing the 9 to 5, but he didn’t have an outlet for the powerful music he was starting to hear in his head, and the voices of people who discouraged him grew louder and almost caused Matt to lose his focus.
 
This roadblock seemed insurmountable. Matt realized that he himself possessed the power to overcome the negativity and spitefulness he felt around him. Confidence was something that was totally under his control. An internal voice told him to press forward with his own creativity.
 
By pushing past the negativity with From Ashes to New, a rock band with a point of view, Matt found his voice, performing powerful songs that speak of redemption, liberation, and personal salvation.
 
Matt used money from a workers compensation settlement to begin the FATN journey. At the time, it seemed like yet another questionable choice.  Investing his life savings into what amounted to an underground studio-only project, Matt did so in order to generate the quality recordings which eventually got the band some attention. 
 
Negativity threatened to derail From Ashes To New’s dreams once again when several band members jumped ship after the band signed to Better Noise Records. But this became another opportunity, as the band evolved a tighter unit, most recently adding guitarist Lance Dowdle, formerly of hard rock band Emphatic, who adds his own passion and energy. “The current lineup reflects the true spirit of the band,” Matt says, “and we can’t wait to play for fans all over the world”
 
“Through It All,” the band’s breakthrough first single, has launched their sound onto the radio and created multiple touring opportunities. Matt recounts, “There's always someone involved in our lives that in the end seems to change us. A friend, a family member, a significant other, sometimes we're left to wonder if it was for better or for worse. Often times we don't know what we have until it is gone.”
 
 “Lost And Alone is a song about feeling lost and hopeless in today’s society. No matter how many times it feels like we have something to hold onto, that something always seems to find a way to escape us. It paints the picture of the bitter reality that we have to take matters into our own hands and not rely on the world to save us,” Matt explains.
 
Ultimately, From Ashes to New’s message is true to life, raw, and genuine. Their music is a testament to positive inspiration for the people of the world that they, too, can take risks and not settle into an expected life of mediocrity. 
 
"We are only regular if we make ourselves regular. We are what we tell ourselves we are," Matt says. "Some of our fans tell us they feel things are hopeless and I tell them, 'You have to believe in yourself before anyone else can.'"

by JFK

Nita Strauss

Is this the only guitar player with a Super Bowl Ring?!  Nita Strauss is this week's guest on Discover New Music talking about her new solo album "The Call of the Void."  Featuring some heavy hitters from the music world, Nita talks about how this album was challenging and fulfilling all at the same time.  Plus Nita shares her predictions on the upcoming Rams season and plays a round of Rapid Fire!

Los Angeles born guitarist Nita Strauss has become a force to be reckoned with in the music world, dazzling audiences across the US, UK, Europe, South America, Asia, Australia and Africa. Most fans will recognize Nita as Alice Cooper's touring guitarist of the past 4 years, but she has also played with R&B star Jermaine Jackson, early MTV darlings Femme Fatale, video game supergroup Critical Hit and popular tribute band The Iron Maidens. Her skill, exuberant stage presence and love for all things about her instrument have earned her a stellar reputation in the music industry and endorsements including Ibanez Guitars, Marshall Amplification, DiMarzio pickups, Monster Energy and more.

In January (2018) she was officially announced as the first ever female Ibanez signature artist with her own model, the Ibanez JIVA. She also released her signature pickups, the DiMarzio Pandemonium. April saw Nita playing WWE Superstar Shinsuke Nakamura's entrance music at Wrestlemania in New Orleans in front of an audience of 78,000 fans and millions streaming worldwide, and in the same month she launched a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign for her debut solo record Controlled Chaos. The campaign reached its goal in two hours, doubled it by the end of the day, tripled the following day and ended up over 800% funded. Nita produced the record herself and did the majority of the engineering, as well as playing all the guitars and bass on the record. After the record was competed, Nita signed with Sumerian Records to release and distribute the album worldwide. After finishing out the Alice Cooper tour cycle, Nita will immediately hit the road supporting Controlled Chaos alongside modern guitar virtuoso Angel Vivaldi.

Nita has been featured on the covers of many worldwide print magazines and on dozens of albums, trailers, and soundtracks, including Heroes Of The Storm (Blizzard) and Grammy-nominated Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Konami/ Platinum Games); and is the author of the Guitar World column "Like A Hurricane". Nita was also the official in-house guitarist for the LA KISS, the arena football team owned by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS. She is one of the most sought after clinicians in the industry and has done extensive clinic tours across multiple continents. Her consistent touring schedule has shown her to play in front of over a million audience members per year consistently for the past several years. Nita is also extremely passionate about health and fitness, and uses her wide social media reach to inspire and educate people about maintaining a healthy lifestyle while traveling on tour.

by JFK

Stitched Up Heart

Make sure the dog gets his singing credits!  Mixi and Merrit of Stitched Up Heart are this week's guests on Discover New Music.  The band's new album "To The Wolves" drops September 1st and the band has an even heavier sound they can't wait for fans to hear!  Plus another round of Rapid Fire gets weird as usual!

by JFK

Ayron Jones

From ultimate frisbee to ultimate guitar riffs!  Ayron Jones joined Brock for another edition of Discover New Music to discuss his new album “Chronicles of the Kid.”  Taking that next big step, Ayron shares how this album was able to push him musically to a new level and get the best out of him.  And, of course, another round of Rapid Fire takes place…Choco Tacos, bigfoot and all!

by JFK

Staind

Sometimes song titles are hard to remember!  Mike Mushock of Staind is this episode of Discover New Music featured guests and he and Brock discuss the band’s long awaited new album “Confessions of the Fallen.”  2011 was the last new Staind music we heard and Mike breaks down getting back into the writing and playing mode of the band.  Mike also shares his disappointment with the Celtics recent loss and plays a round of Rapid Fire which leads to a story about a bear fight!

by JFK