Interviews

A Night with the Sultry Mo Rikle of After All...Interview with Mo Rikle, lead vocalist of AFTER ALL
by Chris Lee-12/22/00

Chris Lee: OK, Mo. Give me an AFTER ALL band history.
Mo Rikle/AFTER ALL:AFTER ALL started in Feb 98. We wanted to play shows at parties and just have fun. We needed a place to play...so we rented out a room at The Bandwagon, and started meeting other bands that asked us to play shows with them. It encouraged us to write better music...and play more shows. We released a demo in Dec 99 that helped us get our name out into the area. We have had a few changes in line-up...but we feel we are the strongest right now with Donnie Moore on Bass, Nate Hutton on Guitar, Rich Ellis on Drums, and Mo Rikle on Vox.
CL: How would you consider the year 2000 went for AFTER ALL?
MR: It was a rough year for us...we spent the winter and spring playing very good shows and seemed to be going good for us, until Chad Stevens left the band, and Rich had broke his elbow. We spent most of the summer searching for a bassist and waiting for Rich to heal. The fall of 2000 was spent trying to get the ball rolling again for 2001 with Donnie...and with new material.
CL: Donnie said the new material is pretty crushing. How is the recording going?
MR: We had gone to a new studio and were not happy with the outcome so we went back to the same place we did our first CD: Audio Oasis ... We are very pleased with what we are getting from Jeff and Vick, and the help of Mark Lonow and Todd Bam. It should be out in March or April.
CL: How many songs?
MR: We are shooting for 10 songs. This will be our first full-length project.
CL: Cool. That should be a big news release. I know you guys are starting to play some shows out-of-town. Any plans of hitting the road extensively to promote the CD?
MR: we have shows scheduled all over Cincinnati, Chicago, Charlotte, Nashville, Dayton, Indianapolis, Des Moines, and Cleveland...and handing out free CD's of 3 songs from our upcoming CD.
CL: So after your CD comes out you will be spending the summer spreading the word in the Midwest. Good plan. Are you gonna try and do a run of a couple of weeks? String a few shows together and experience life on the road?
MR: I can guarantee that we will hit the road with full-force! If I can manage to book a tour..we will do it..or we will play a show here or a show there...anywhere people will have us...we will be there.
CL: That is the way to do it. Some bands think the world begins and ends in their own town. Cincinnati bands seem to want to spread the word out-of-town in a big way. Alot of bands have gotten out of town this past year and plan to do so in 2001. What are your overall views of the local heavy scene?
MR: I feel the Cincinnati scene is on its way up. The local papers and radio need to be behind us more, but the news always gets there after it happens. I would like to see more all-ages shows, I love playing in front of the kids...they are the best crowds. I have a positive outlook on the scene in 2001.
CL: I agree. The press supports the heavy scene basically zero percent. Hopefully they will catch on. One thing that seems to be happening though is more bands are playing local shows with bands outside of their circle, creating more of a unity than a competition.
MR: I dont know...I do know is that if you play the same place every weekend...you cant expect to have the same people there everytime you play. We usually try to bring in bands that we have never played with so our friends can see them...and we can play in front of their friends. I feel we are all in this together...and can make Cincinnati have a stigma.
CL: I have noticed that from your recent emails. You have alot of bands on your bills that I am not familiar with, which is cool. I always like checking out new bands.
MR: I love music...it is all that I have ever wanted to do, I am not only in a band...but I am also a fan, there is alot of good bands out there.
CL: Yeah, Cincinnati has alot of talent. Worldwide, there are alot of unknown great bands. Well I will wrap this sup here. Thanks, Mo, for the interview and I will see you at the January 6 AFTER ALL show. Any last words?
MR: Thanks Chris, and thanks for all the help you put in with trying to build this scene. And feel free to visit us at
www.ViolenceIsVirtue.com
CL: And remember to catch AFTER ALL at a town near anywhere soon!


One of the Wheels

Hello everyone! My name is Zoe and I have the distinct honor of being a contributor to the first issue of The Music Makes It Go. Break out the champagne!

I thought about the local music scene and mulled over the many wonderful stories in the area. I was truly stuck on where to start, then it hit me; one of best friends is a 'Wheel' in the magnificent magic that is our scene. Her name is Venomous Valdez, the host of Live City Licks, which airs every Saturday night at midnight on WAIF 88.3.

Venomous is hosting a benefit for the show and WAIF, Saturday night January 6 at the Mad Frog, her first birthday as host. The line up includes; Levelnine, Blues Persuaders, Swim, Drop Shadow, Blue Karma, Kat, Swarthy and other surprise guests.

When I saw this incredible line up, I knew my friend was truly appreciated for what she does for local music. The High Priestess of local music some may think. Well, yes she is, but I know things you don't. Let's dip into her head for moment.

Zoe: Thanks for taking time for me VV.
Venomous Valdez: Yeah, and I'm buying you lunch too. Ok, what's your questions?
Z: Thanks for lunch. What is the best part of hosting Live City Licks?
VV: I love being another outlet for bands to express themselves in their own unique way. It makes me happy to expose them to our listeners.
Z: Expose them huh?
VV: You know what I mean.
Z: Uh-huh. What about your famous boots?
VV: My boots, hey I know where you're going. Yeah, some like my boots. What about it?
Z: I heard stories.
VV: Damn woman, you were there. How about a real question?
Z: What is the most irritating thing about being the host?
VV: That's easy, crappy equipment and no permanent remote person. Which by the way, if you would let loose of some money and buy a car, I would teach you, but you're a slacker anyway.
Z: Uh, I'm unemployed right now.
VV: See? Slacker.
Z: Sometimes I wonder why I love you. I am not going to ask you who your favorite local groups are, don't want any tears, so are some of your favorite national acts?
VV: STP, Eric Clapton and Afghan Whigs.
Z: What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?
VV: Huh? Uh, mint chocolate chip. Why?
Z: I don't know, was just thinking about ice cream. What are your thoughts on improving the local scene for the artists?
VV: I wish more people would get out to the clubs and see their favorite bands, and then the club owners would have more cash flow for advertising and promotion.
Z: I heard your cats are from Mars.
VV: No, actually they're from the Planet of Lesbian Cats. They don't like boy cats.
Z: So that's why you have a ray gun in your bathroom?
VV: Very observant Zoe, most people think it's a hairdryer. No, that's in case an alien tries to abduct me from the bathtub.
Z: Were you really run out of your hometown or is that just a rumor?
VV: I'm banned from there and the entire state of Texas.
Z: Texas, not surprising, you're not bubba material.
VV: That's for sure.
Z: Is that your real hair color?
VV: Interview over, I'm outta here.

The last time I saw my good friend, she was giving me her friendly Venomous salute. Gotta love her!

Remember friends, not matter what genre of music you prefer, always support our local artists, they need it and deserve it!

Zoe Jean Infinity


Interview with LEVELNINE - March 15th, 2001
This interview is a special edition. Transcribed by Ellen, this interview took place on Channel 24's Thursday night show "The Bottom Line". Ellen interviewed Chris Mcghee (guitar) and Steve Streit (bass) from Levelnine.


Ellen - I am here with Steve and Chris from Levelnine and I have some questions for them. How was your band formed?
Steve - The band was mostly formed six years ago and we really didn't know our singer at all.
Chris - We were in opposing bands in town.
S - Yeah, we didn't really like each other. Me and Marc were in a band where he played guitar- he's our drummer. Both bands broke up. We fought a lot and now we are here.
E - How would you describe your style of music?
S - That's a short question. We are industrial, metal, experimental and we use a lot of different kinds of noises, sound effects to enhance textures and stuff like that. Our new stuff is more progressed than our older stuff in that sense.
E - What inspires each of you to create music?
S - I guess my personal surroundings influence me more than anything. Work, the drive to work, driving on my lunch break, anything involving work usually. Just the atmosphere, everyday, which is stressful.
E - What should people expect with your CD, "Moss"?
S - Each song has a different sound but they all are kind of similar- have similar traits. It's about 54 minutes.
E - What is the hardest part about playing live?
S - Getting up the next day. Going to work. Just playing out because you know what you need to do, when to be there and how to get there.
E - Do each of you have any advice for new bands?
C - Just stick with it.
S - Yeah- just stay together and don't break up. You'll go through everything- you'll fight. As long as the music- you hold it more than an argument. There's no use breaking up over an argument. The music will come.
E - I know you have a new CD coming out, do you want to tell us anything about that?
C - It's more experimental I think.
S - Its still going to be us but it'll have a different-
C - tone.
S - We are going to have different ideas and look at things differently and we're not sure when it'll be released, hopefully within 2001.
E - Can you guys give us any hints to any of the names of the songs or the CD?
S - Um no. There is a song that we play out now and it's called "Zeroes". We wouldn't tell if our singer wouldn't have said it already.
E - Which venue in Cincinnati do you enjoy playing at the most?
S - The Mad Frog, definitely.
C - It has a good turn out too.
S - It draws more people so you have a different crowd and you bring your own crowd and it mixes with others around the area.
C - It's always good to play in front of new people.
S - We play in front of- a lot of our shows are all ages so it can be a whole other genre of people. Bogart's is definitely a fun place to play. On April 14th we'll play with Drop Shadow and Windowpain there.
E - Which venue outside of Cincinnati do you enjoy playing at?
S - Fat City Deli.
C - Stone Monkey, too.
S - Stone Monkey's in West Virginia and Fat City's in Charlotte, North Carolina. They treat us very well- free food.
E - Is the band trying to portray any kind of message with the music and lyrics?
S - The songs are very personal to Chris Charlton [the singer] we can't speak on that part. The message for the music- well it's too broad to describe with a few words. Well it's not world peace or anything of that nature.
C - As for what I do, I do stuff that I would want to hear myself. Just trying to create music.
E - How would you describe your live shows?
S - They're intense- I don't know. They're very- each show is different. We change the show line-up, to make things interesting for us.
E - What are your thoughts on music as a whole, like what kinds of music that might be coming up soon?
S - Definitely more of what we hear on the radio. I think things are progressing.
C - I definitely like what Radiohead is doing right now.
S - They took a giant step I think. It's an experimental post-rock kind of thing. If you have not heard it yet, the new "Kid A" album rules.
E - What national bands would you like to tour with?
C - Nine Inch Nails.
S - The Melvins, and Vast would be awesome. But I don't think the would want to tour with us.
C - If you're out there watching-
S - If you're in the Hamilton area. Any other local bands that are our friends- we would love to tour with them.
Call-in, Larry from Corryville: I have a question for Levelnine. I want to see if Chris Mcghee would take his pants off.
C - It's not possible right now.
E - How did the music and the band itself evolve?
S - From day one, our first song was acoustic, if that tells you anything. The structure became more experimental. We don't follow the verse chorus, verse chorus, bridge verse, chorus rhythm formula of music that is mostly standard. For the most part, that'll sum it up.
E - Out of all the songs you have performed, which means the most to you and why?
C - Feriliminal Lycanthropizer, it's personal to both of us really, in different ways

Reviews - Shows and Music
MAELSTROM/ JOE STUMP/ ALTERED EGO-Monday, March 19, 2001 @ Top Cat's

Reviewed by Chris Lee

Metal descended upon Top Cat's on a Monday for what turned out to be a killer show. Local band ALTERED EGO opened the evening with their brand of classic metal that reminded me of SINERGY or maybe a female fronted JUDAS PRIEST. This was the first time I had seen them live after hearing alot about them and I must say I was highly impressed. They rocked through each song like pros, even throwing in a cover of JUDAS PRIEST'S 'Green Manalishi'. I look forward to seeing these guys again and getting a copy of their upcoming CD.



Leviathan recording artist JOE STUMP followed the ALTERED EGO set with an unbelievably blistering set that had musicians with their jaws dropped in awe and everyone else cheering after every song, realizing they are witnessing one of today's forerunners of the technical guitar playing scene. Joe and his band, drummer Matt Scurfield and bassist Jay Rigney, played their brand of neo-classical instrumental metal as good as anything I have ever heard in that genre. This is a mandatory band to see for fans of guitar metal. Following the killer set of Stump songs they finished with a rendition of RAINBOW's rendition of the YARDBIRD's 'Still I'm Sad', adding their own twist to the already great RAINBOW version.



Headlining the evening was Cincinnati's own thrash kings MAELSTROM. Combine, TESTAMENT, PANTERA, and 80s METALLICA and you get an idea of what MAELSTROM sound like. MAELSTROM hit the stage and immediately hammered the crowd with their brand of thrash, playing numerous songs from their debut CD *Dangerously Agitated* as well as showcasing some new material that completely rocked. MAELSTROM's Todd Brower burned up and down the fretboard keeping the majestic guitar solo theme of the evening alive to the end.



All and all, this was one of the best shows I have been to this year and I look forward to seeing all three bands perform live again.



Overall rating: