Michael Sweet (of Stryper) offers congratulatory words to Limelight Magazine on their 10th anniversary!
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10 New England musicians share their most memorable gigs
BY JULIA CIRIGNANO
To coincide with our 10th anniversary, Limelight Magazine has decided to post 10 memorable gigs shared with us by 10 local musicians from New England.
Sarah Barrios
“About a year ago I was given the amazing opportunity to open up for The Voice’s incredibly talented Melanie Martinez at College Street Music Hall in New Haven, CT. I had been following Melanie’s music career and had covered her songs at my own shows, so to be able to share the same stage with her and speak with her was so amazing. I played to 1,200 people and I remember hearing the roar of the crowd as I took my first steps onto the stage and it was insanely epic and so crazy to hear people singing along to my originals as well. I will honestly never be able to forget the feeling, the energy of the crowd that night and how at home Melanie made me feel whilst I was there. It was truly a night to remember.”
Emil Belisle (of Impending Reflections)
“The most memorable gig for Impending Reflections requires a little background into the band to put it into perspective. I (Emil Belisle) am the lead vocalist but have been a drummer for most of my musical career. Also in the band is Dave Taillon, lead guitarist, who has been my musical brother dating back to the mid 80’s. Other members of the band include our sons. I have turned the sticks over to my son, our drummer, Ryan Belisle. Jonathan Taillon, guitarist, is Dave’s son. At the time on bass was Scott, a close friend of our kids and we consider him family. So you see, we really are a family band.
A few years ago the kids were in a band with Scott at the time and they asked Dave and I if we would jam with them one day. They deemed a generation jam. I don’t think any of us thought it would go beyond this but things clicked. It was in complete mutual agreement that maybe we should attempt to write a few songs and see what happens. What started off as just a jam, turned into Impending Reflections. An organic journey that keeps on getting better!
Our very first gig as a band was very special and memorable for us. Considering we never even thought of playing out when this started. We couldn’t have imagined how special it would actually be until that night we finished our set at The Spot Underground in Providence, RI. To be on stage with my son behind the drums, then to look across at Dave who I haven’t shared a stage with in years and see him playing alongside his son. Well, those are memories no one can ever take away. A feeling that is difficult to put into words and never gets old. It is simply priceless. The night started with a feeling of nerves because we didn’t know how our music would go over with the increasing number of those in attendance that night, including the promoter that gave us the opportunity. You see, our material is different because we are blending multi generations of influences. The crowd at first was looking at us like, what the heck are these two older guys doing with three young guns. Once we hit the stage and put our hearts and souls into the performance, the night got even more special!
The crowd instantly started becoming engaged right from the start and feeding off our energy. They were so supportive and cheering us on during and after every song. Hearing people that we have never met shout ‘That is what I’m talking about’ just continued to raise the energy level. You could feel something special was happening. It was clicking on all cylinders and we were all feeling it! After our set, so many came up to us with several compliments, including the promoter who said ‘You guys are a headlining act’. It was such a humbling experience for all of us. We are the type of band that sincerely appreciates our fans and give it everything we’ve got for them on stage.”
Paul Horton
“This dates back to 1992. I was in a band called Wafflehouse and we were living in the Mad River Valley in VT. Sugarbush resort had the Ben & Jerry’s ‘One Heart-One World’ Festival going on. We were not a big enough act to secure a spot at the festival but we were booked in town that weekend at a local spot called the Mad Mountain Tavern (now the Local Smokehouse). It was a busy weekend and the place was packed. About halfway through our set, we noticed that Rocking Dopsie and a few of members the Zydeco Twisters had come into the bar. We did a few more tunes and then Dopsie Jr. came up and wanted to sit in. He came up and sang ‘Ride Sally Ride’ and another blues tune. Dopsie Sr. was only 60 but he wasn’t in great health so he watched from the bar. Inspired by the guest appearance, we continued with an original blues tune that we just called ‘the blues.’ After we finished the song, I saw Dopsie get up from the bar and make his way over to the stage. I was hoping he wanted to sit in too. He motioned for me to come to the side of the stage and when I came over he leaned in and said, ‘I just wanted to let you know that you sing pretty damn good for a white boy’ and then he and his entourage walked out of the bar. [It was] such an honor to perform in the presence of such a legend. Dopsie passed away just over a year later. The blues song we performed for him was from then on called ‘white boy blues’.”
John MacFee
“From 1968-1971, I was a guitar player in a garage band named The Myst based out of East Weymouth. We had gone through a series of Battle of the Bands sponsored by the local Jaycees. Somehow, we had made it to the Mass State Finals held at Ridge Arena in Braintree, Mass. We rehearsed everything with a stop watch because you gained/lost points depending on how timely you were getting on or off stage. We worked our butts off picking the best songs to showcase our broad range of material. I even played trumpet on ‘Love Theme’ from Romeo and Juliet which was a popular movie in 1970. We bought matching white tuxedos and white shoes. As I recall, twenty bands were scheduled for the semi-final round and the top four would be in the ultimate final round. We were positive we’d never make the finals but just the thought of playing that venue with huge Sunn amps just blew us away! While we’re waiting for the judges decisions, we did our own judging and picked the four bands we thought would be the judges pick. We were right on three out of four. When they announced The Myst as one of the top four, I turned around to see my Mother running full-tilt boogie toward me and picked me up in a big bear hug! My Mother was deaf in one ear and not really a fan of rock and roll and I never ever saw her run anywhere in my life but for that one moment I was a big rock star!
We, as a band, were thrilled but we were also in a bit of a jam. We were so sure we’d never make the finals, we had nothing prepared! We hurriedly put together as best a set list as we could and gave it our best shot. Needless to say, we only made it to fourth place. I wasn’t quite seventeen at the time. Kenny and Tigue were fifteen, Skip and Jeff were fourteen. I never really stopped playing. Took some breaks here and there but I’m still at it today. I switched to bass many years ago and played with a lot of different bands over the years. I played a lot of bar gigs, weddings, parties, festivals, you name it. Still, nothing has quite topped that one day in May 1970.”
Hailey Magee
“My most memorable gig was The Power of Disbelief Concert at lilypad in March 2016. The show was organized by Emerging Boston Area Singer-Songwriters (EBASS) to raise awareness about the gender disparity in the Cambridge music scene. At the time, women only made 16% percent of all performers on Cambridge stages! The line-up featured four stellar local female artists. The house was packed, everyone there supported the cause, and by performing, I knew I was becoming a part of the social movement to make Boston’s music scene more welcoming to all people. It was absolutely amazing.”
Brian McKenzie
“I was playing with my old alt-metal band from Providence, Kilgore Smudge, on a stretch of the Vans Snow-Core tour in 1996 with Sublime and Dancehall Crashers. There were two gigs. One was in Salt Lake City and one in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Well, we were much too heavy and a complete mismatch for this bill and the first night they HATED us! We were getting stuff thrown at us on stage and I would play a chord, pick up a plastic bottle, huck it back into the crowd, play another chord, kick a rolled up ball of trash, and so on. I was actually having fun with it, ha! The second night, was the complete opposite. The crowd went nuts during our set. Huge mosh pit, crowd surfing, the works. There was a line of kids waiting for autographs from us while Sublime was playing their set. It was completely crazy. Lots can happen in 48 hours!”
Jennifer Mitchell (of Jennifer Mitchell Band)
“We played a private party over the summer for a graduation shortly after learning of the passing of Prince. All of us being Prince fans, we decided to add ‘Purple Rain’ to our cover list. We were playing with the weather that day and we knew it was possible we might not play because of rain. We decided to go with it anyway. As we were going through our day, the weather got worse and we decided to end it with ‘Purple Rain’. As we started to play, the sky opened up and it poured like I’ve never seen it. Everyone under the tents cheered us on so we kept going. We played through the whole song, through rain, thunder etc. It was an epic moment and I felt a perfect tribute to Prince.
Moment of Clarity
“The most memorable gig for us would have to be the Foxwoods Battle of the Bands Finals – 2016. The process to get to the finals was grueling as over 100 local New England bands entered and only 20 were chosen to compete. After one round of initial battles and a second semi-final round, the 20 bands were pared down to five and Moment of Clarity was one of those five bands.
The day of the finals, we were treated like true rock stars. All band members and personnel were given lanyards with laminated stage passes. The Foxwoods stage crew met us at the talent entrance and proceeded to move all of our gear to the venue, load it on stage, and assist with any necessary setup. The stage manager told us ‘we don’t care if you are Beyonce or Moment of Clarity; we will take good care of you.’ The audio crew took their time and made sure that everything needed by every member of the band was in the monitors and nothing was forgotten, like our Octapad seconds before show time.
The entertainment staff was amazing and provided us with a ‘green room’, refreshments, snacks, social media coverage and encouragement as we were the youngest performers in the finals.
Finally, taking to the outdoor stage as the final band to perform and seeing over 500 people in the crowd, that was an amazing sensation. Here we were playing at a venue where national acts perform and then to see the crowd rocking out to our music and one of our original songs. It was a moment we will all remember for a very long time.”
Christopher Ruiz (of A Simple Complex)
“Our most memorable gig has to be our CD release party in 2013 for What Lies Ahead: Left Behind Vol. 3. The local music scene in New England is so talented and diverse, we wanted to celebrate more than what we were, so at this particular show, we brought in musicians from around the area to rock with us! Skilled singers like Tajoura Davis, Steve Archambault (Craving Lucy) and Adam Fithian (Prospect Hill) joined our frontwoman Jess [Sierra] in singing one of our tracks, and in turn we performed a cover of one of their band’s songs. We ended the night with a cover of ‘Killing in the Name Of.’ It was a show we can never forget!”
Allison Sigrist (of Gunpowder Gelatine)
“We were asked to play a set at a LARP (Live Action Role Play) event in central Mass. The venue appeared to be a former summer camp which had been converted into a facility for all sorts of LARP events. They host Renaissance Faires and Pirate weekends, etc. This particular weekend was a kind of open-to-all and there was entertainment all afternoon.
First, we enter the main hall where we’re going to be playing and there’s a huge embroidered tapestry with a unicorn on it straight out of a medieval castle hanging at the back of the stage. When we started to play our set was in the early afternoon, our audience consisted of about six people sitting 20 feet away on couches, wearing a variety of cosplay type outfits. We did our thing and packed up. On our way out, I peeked back into the hall. There was now a magician wearing a kilt performing to a packed house. At least we got paid!”
The Curse of Limelight Magazine’s Covers
BY JULIA CIRIGNANO WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM J. KENNEY
From 2007 to 2013, Limelight Magazine released 13 print issues. In 2009, Limelight decided to focus their attention more on their website and decrease the number of print issues. They allegedly made this switch due to the growing popularity of online magazines, but there was an entirely different reason why the shift was made – the covers of the magazine were cursed!
For almost every act that appeared on the cover of Limelight Magazine, the band either suffered a line up change or broke up after the issue came out. Stranger things have also happened to some of the bands as well. This article is to expose the true story of why being on the cover of Limelight Magazine may not be such a great idea!
On October 13, 2006 (ironically a Friday the 13th), one of the founders of Limelight Magazine went to see The Flower Kings at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass. The opening act was a band from Allston, Mass., called Fluttr Effect. After seeing them perform live, it was decided they would be the cover story of the very first issue that was supposed to go to print in late December for a winter release.
Fluttr Effect was a progressive rock band full of potential that consisted of Troy Kidwell, Vessela Stoyanova, Valerie Thompson, J. Marchionna and Kara Trott. They had just released their second studio album Marking Time and were aggressively promoting it.
Soon after conducting an interview with the band, Limelight Magazine’s graphic design team were busy laying out the issue. A tentative cover was created on December 27th which featured Fluttr Effect. Two days later, the underground performance space where Fluttr Effect rehearsed, called Pan9, caught on fire and the building was evacuated (see Boston.com news story HERE). Due to the fire, the first issue of Limelight Magazine was delayed.
Around this time, Limelight landed an interview with Brad Delp, lead vocalist of BOSTON and the Beatles tribute band Beetlejuice. He was interviewed by Limelight over the phone at 2 p.m. on February 22, 2007. At the conclusion of the interview, he invited the Limelight staff to his Beatlejuice show in Salem, N.H., the following night. At the end of the show, Limelight talked to Delp. They mentioned that they were looking forward to seeing him perform with BOSTON over the summer. He surprised them by replying with, “Maybe. We’ll see.”
The interview with Limelight ended up being the last print interview Delp did before he died on March 9th, 2007 (see Delp’s obituary in The Boston Globe HERE). Due to his death, an editorial decision was made to dedicate the first issue to him. The cover showed Delp cross legged in casual clothing with his head resting on his intertwined fingers. Fluttr Effect became the centerfold story and was not featured on the cover with the exception of small teaser photo.
The other images featured on that cover had a series of unfortunate events. Luke’s Record Exchange in Pawtucket, R.I., went out of business (see story about its closure in The Valley Breeze HERE), Toolfist: A Tribute to Tool saw the departure of their lead vocalist and passing of their extraordinary guitarist William F. Meehan on September 16, 2012 (see Meehan’s obituary from The Boston Globe HERE), and Charlie Domenici, the former lead vocalist of Dream Theater, had plans for a tour following the release of his studio album trilogy, but that never materialized.
Limelight released their second edition in the fall of 2007. A hard rocking band called MASS from Revere, Mass., was featured on the cover. Although the curse affected them less than the previous issue, their bassist Lou Spagnola left the band soon after the magazine came out and was replaced by former bassist Michael Palumbo.
In the winter for 2007, Limelight released their third issue which featured the alternative rock group Hello Mahalo. The cover featured the four members of Hello Mahalo casually posing by a tree. This band had great potential, support from their label, a manager with a lot of connections, and lots of airplay on local radio stations. The band consisted of Justin Joyce, Jared Pizarro, Justin Hardy and Tom Stanwood. They had just released their debut full length album Dawning Days in November 2007. Yet, soon after the release of the magazine, the band broke up due to personal and private matters. Joyce and Pizarro went on to start their own band called JaJu but never reached the success that Hello Mahalo once had.
In the spring of 2008, Beetlejuice was featured on the cover of Limelight. This Beatles tribute band now consisted of four core members John “Muzz” Muzzy (drums), Steve Baker (keyboard, guitar), Joe Holaday (bass) and Dave Mitchell (guitar). They were featured on the cover with big smiles. They band surprisingly was not impacted by the curse and we’d like to think that Brad Delp’s generous and kind spirit is watching over them. However, the other tribute bands pictured on the cover saw limited activity after the issue came out.
The progressive metal band Dream Theater was featured on the cover of Limelight’s summer issue in 2008. Since this band was such a big and successful act at the time, there was a lot of excitement about this cover. The band agreed to do a cover shoot at the Orpheum Theater in Boston, Mass., on May 20, 2008, fifteen minutes before they went on stage. The band members were all very close and were excited to be going on the road for their “Progressive Nation” tour.
While seemingly nothing happened right away, two years after the issue was released Mike Portnoy, the drummer and one of their founding members, announced he was leaving on Sept. 8, 2010 (see Portnoy’s Facebook statement HERE). Due to his prevalence within the band, this was a major heartbreak to their fans. The band now consists of John Myung, John Petrucci, James LaBrie, Jordan Rudess, and Mike Mangini.
Zox was the cover story of the fall 2008 issue. Although this local band had seemingly great potential (they were touring all over Europe and America) they slowly faded out of the public eye after the issue was released. They released an album titled Line in the Sand in 2008 and haven’t released anything since. Since 2008, they haven’t played only sporadic shows.
At this point, Limelight took a step back and began to see the trail of wreckage this curse was leaving behind. Because of this realization, they came up with a theme for the next issue which combined music and tattoo art. Limelight released this issue in the fall of 2008 titled “When Two Worlds Collide” referencing the combination of music and tattoos.
A musician was featured on the cover along with someone’s back with tattoos on it. What is interesting about this cover is that the musician who was featured was from a local band called Killswitch Engage. Although the entire band wasn’t on the cover, the curse eventually got to them. In early 2012, the band announced that Howard Jones was leaving the band after nine years with them (see Killswitch Engage’s Facebook statement HERE). He was later replaced by Jesse Leach, the band’s original vocalist. The band now consists of Leach, Joel Stroetzel, Mike D’Antonio, Adam Dutkiewicz, and Justin Foley.
In the spring of 2009, a local band called Psycle was on the cover of the magazine. Yet, once again, despite their obvious potential, the band broke up not long after the issue hit the newsstands with each member pursuing their own thing.
At this point, Limelight launched its website while continuing to print their quarterly issues. Interestingly, the artists who were featured on the website were luckily untouched by the curse but those on the cover were still affected.
In the summer of 2009, Heather Rose and The Drama covered Limelight Magazine with a mystery novel type of photo. Ironically, Limelight titled the article “Moving Beyond the Drama” because there was nothing but drama in Rose’s music career. Once again, the band broke up soon after appearing on the cover. Rose chose to pursue a solo career to avoid any further headaches in her life.
Around this time, the editorial staff of Limelight began to loathe the curse and the havoc it had caused on so many artists. Consequently, they decided to remove their name from the next issue and call it Picks. They kept the Limelight Magazine name for their website but retired it for their next print issue. Their online publication was thriving and, with high hopes, they chose to feature The Candace Brooks Band of Providence, R.I., on the cover of their fall 2009 issue. Limelight had a great relationship with the indie rock band but their plans to avoid the curse didn’t work. After the issue came out, the band slowed down their activity and their gigs were far and few in between. Although they are still friends, they rarely play music together anymore.
In the late 2000s, there was a shift in people’s tastes due to advances in technology and the internet. Many of music’s bigger print publications were shutting down including Circus (1969-2006), Hit Parader (1942-2008), Metal Edge (1985-2009) and Metal Maniacs (1989-2009). Because of this shift, Limelight decided to focus more of their efforts on booking national touring acts and posting only online articles to adapt to the times. They didn’t release a print issue for the fall 2009 or spring 2010.
After skipping two seasons, the publishers of Limelight decided to release a summer issue in 2010. Since Picks didn’t help to prevent the curse, they switched back to their original name Limelight Magazine. After nearly six months away from print, they figured the curse might be gone once and for all.
Unlike prior issues, the summer 2010 issue expanded the geographical region which the publishers usually picked local artists to feature. However, the cover story still went to a local artist; this time Grand Evolution from Worcester, Mass. The issue mainly focused on this one band’s story. Four out of five band members were featured on the cover in a beach themed layout, highlighting a serious Sarah Kenyon in a pink dress and the rest of the band playing in the sand.
When the band met for the cover shoot, one of the band members was unable to show up – a worrisome sign that the curse was back and rearing its ugly head a little earlier than normal.
Within the time of the magazine’s release and soon after, the band began to internally combust. On the eve of their first major tour of the United States, their keyboard player departed, leaving the band to go out on the road as a four piece. Upon their return, they lost two more members – their bassist and longstanding guitarist. This left the band with only two of its members that were featured on the cover and inside the issue. Since then, the band has soldiered on, albeit with various lineup changes over the years.
Rather than take on the curse with another issue, the publishers of Limelight decided to wait an entire year before their next issue. Released in the summer of 2012, the publishers of Limelight decided to risk one of their own. This issue featured a band that they also managed called York. On the cover, the band was seen holding picture frames in a humorous fashion. The band were gradually making a name for themselves throughout New England. They headlined the Hard Rock Café in Boston, opened for Gary Cherone’s Hurtsmile at Showcase Live in Foxboro, Mass., had airplay on a number of radio stations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and were semi-finalists in the annual WBRU Rock Hunt. However, like almost every band that was featured on the cover, the band lost its drummer and guitarist shortly after the issue came out and eventually broke up. All of the members currently have happy lives outside of local music scene.
With the splitting up of another band, the publishers of Limelight seriously questioned releasing any more print issues. In fact, they took a break for two years while creating a vibrant online presence free from the curse. But, after a change in Limelight’s management team, the co-owners decided to release another issue in the summer of 2013, which was their final issue to date.
Being extra cautious this time, the co-owners of Limelight decided to change printing plants and the overall layout of the magazine. They also went with a new logo to break away from the past and held a contest called “We’ve Got You Covered” on June 8th where three judges would decide who would be featured on the cover. Grace Morrison and the RSO (Really Small Orchestra) won and were featured on the cover holding their instruments with bright smiles.
The band was incredible yet the curse still struck them just as hard as the others. Their future seemed bright as a band since they were playing shows all over New England but within months of the release inner turmoil within the band led to their dissolution. Morrison went out on her own to pursue a solo career and continues to tour the area with a lot of success.
There has never been another print issue of Limelight Magazine since. However, feature stories continue to appear on this website free of the curse!
Rik Emmett & Dave Dunlop Congratulate Limelight Magazine on 10 Years!
Rik Emmett & Dave Dunlop offer congratulatory words to Limelight Magazine on their 10th anniversary!
Shaun Hague Congratulates Limelight Magazine on 10 Years!
Shaun Hague (of Journeyman – A Tribute to Eric Clapton) offers congratulatory words to Limelight Magazine on their 10th anniversary!
J. Blake Fichera’s Passion Project: ‘Scored to Death’
BY JULIA CIRIGNANO
Throughout 2016, Limelight Magazine has spotlighted a number of great film score composers and the soundtracks they created, primarily in the horror movie genre. We think everyone would agree that classic films such as Psycho, Halloween and Friday the 13th just wouldn’t be the same without their memorable scores.
When we found out that J. Blake Fichera, of New York, recently authored a book called Scored to Death: Conversations with Some of Horror’s Greatest Composers, we couldn’t wait to interview him for a feature story.
In his book, Fichera interviewed 14 renowned film score composers who have created music for such films as The Beyond, The Conjuring, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Hellraiser, House of the Devil, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Supsiria and many more. Among the composers he interviewed are: Nathan Barr, Charles Bernstein, Joseph Bishara, Simon Boswell, John Carpenter, Jay Chattaway, Fabio Frizzi, Jeff Grace, Maurizio Guarini, Tom Hajdu, Alan Howarth, Harry Manfredini, Claudio Simonetti, and Christopher Young.
In our interview with Fichera, he spoke about why he chose to write Scored to Death, how he chose each composer, the format of his book, and a number of other interesting things.
“My favorite kinds of books are film and music-related non-fiction and horror film scores are a genre of music that I am passionate about,” Fichera said. “So the decision to write Scored to Death actually, kind of, came out of necessity. I really wanted to read a book like it but I couldn’t find one, so I decided to write it myself.”
Fichera explained why he felt confident about writing the book due to his experience interviewing artists.
“I have been interviewing musicians and film-related people for various publications and websites, off and on, for years,” Fichera said. “In my own mind, it didn’t seem that crazy at the time. Had I not had experience as an interviewer, I may have been too intimidated to actually go through with it but I knew that talking to artists about what they do was something I really loved doing. So I decided to just go for it and now, almost 3 years later, the book has been completed, published, released and luckily, the feedback has been pretty good.”
Fichera is obviously a skilled writer, editor, producer, and musician. Although his parents were not musicians, music has always been a big part of his life, starting with the influence of his grandfather.
“My grandfather was actually a dancer, singer and one half of a comedy duo called Fisher and Marks,” Fichera said. “They were the comic relief in a couple of forgotten music-themed movies in the 1950s and had a live act, etc. I guess music and performing may be in my DNA somewhere, but my grandfather died when I was pretty young so I don’t think he was a direct influence on my love for music and performing live.”
Although his parents were not musicians, they kindled Fichera’s love for music during his childhood that has continued into the present day.
“My parents and my older brother are all music-lovers, with pretty eclectic tastes and I think that is where my love for music, and so many different kinds of music, stems from,” he said. “Listening to music is just something I always did and then when I was in high school, I started playing guitar. Now as an adult, I perform live regularly in New York City.”
In Scored to Death, Fichera interviewed a variety of classic and contemporary film composers over the phone, with the exception of Fabio Frizzi which was done by e-mail because of the language barrier.
“I love horror film music so picking composers I liked and wanted to talk to was my first priority,” Fichera began. “That was really the most important thing to me, because this was a passion project. I didn’t have a publisher when I started. I was doing this on my own and for myself, so I wanted to enjoy the experience! Also, of course, featuring some composers of iconic scores from iconic horror films was important but I’d say even more important to me, was interviewing a diverse group of artists. I really wanted to cover as wide a spectrum of horror film music and artistry as I could.”
Scored to Death is a great read especially for anyone who is interested in horror film scores. One interesting thing about the book is the way it’s structured with self-contained interviews. This way, readers can jump from one composer to another without necessarily reading the book from beginning to end.
“I didn’t really have a format in mind when I started writing, because I didn’t know what I was going to get,” Fichera said. “I think one of the book’s biggest strengths is that the interviews feel very conversational. I think because of that, giving each of the composers their own chapter, seemed to be the best option. I really just wanted to do whatever would serve the book best and ultimately I decided that keeping each interview/conversation intact seemed to be the way I would want to read them.”
Fichera enjoyed interviewing all of the 14 composers. He said each of them had something interesting and unique to add to the book.
“I think all of the composers really opened up and had very insightful things to say about themselves, their work, their process, the business, etc.,” Fichera said. “What I will say though, is that I’ve had more than a few people tell me that they like how ‘raw’ the Christopher Young interview is and I think that is because Chris and I got a bit into the nitty-gritty, regarding the ups and downs of being a composer in the film industry, and he was extremely candid and honest about it. It seems that many readers are finding that part of his interview very enlightening and interesting.”
Despite being very happy with the composers he chose to interview, Fichera said there were some that he wanted to interview but wasn’t able to.
“Two of the biggest deciding factors regarding who actually ended up in the book were (1) could I find contact information for them and (2) did they get back to me,” he said. “Nobody declined to participate, but several people or their agents just never got back to me. Now that could be because the contact information I found was false or out of date, etc., but nonetheless, they are not in the book.”
Fichera doesn’t have a favorite horror movie composer but he did mention one of his biggest inspirations.
“The biggest inspirations for my pursuing the book were probably John Carpenter and the band Goblin,” Fichera said.
Due to Fichera’s passion for many horror movies, he couldn’t possibly pick a favorite.
“I don’t have one favorite horror film but I will say that one of my favorite horror films is John Carpenter’s The Thing,” Fichera said.
Fichera said he has been inspired and intrigued by the genre of horror for a while now.
“In one way or another, horror has always been a very big part of my life,” he said. “Although I didn’t get serious about horror films and really start to study them and explore all aspects of them until high school and then especially in film school/college.”
Fichera promoted the book with a signing at Dark Delicacies in Burbank, CA, on August 21, 2016. He talked about how he found out about the store.
“I took a trip to Los Angeles in the spring and had the great pleasure and honor of hanging out with a few of the composers featured in the book,” Fichera said. “While at dinner with Harry Manfredini and Joseph Bishara, they told me that I should check out this bookstore called Dark Delicacies while I was in town because they thought I would love it.”
One thing led to another and the store owners Sue and Del Howison ended up hosting Fichera for a signing at their store. While many of the composers whom Fichera interviewed attended the event, Fichera was surprised to see Charles Bernstein and Alan Howarth in attendance. This was Fichera’s first time meeting them. He talked about the experience and the support he received.
“I knew Harry, Joseph and Chris would come because those are three of the composers I spent time with during my spring trip to LA and they all expressed that they would definitely be there,” Fichera began. “Several of the other composers that live in the area expressed that they would love to attend, if their scheduled permitted, so that was the reason for the uncertainty regarding Charles and Alan. I knew they wanted to come but I wasn’t sure they would be able to. Thankfully they did show up!”
Fichera has been surprised by his own success and thrilled by the outcome at the Dark Delicacies signing.
“The signing was amazing! I had never done one before, so I don’t know what a ‘good turnout’ is for that kind of thing but the store’s owners seemed happy. So that made me happy,” Fichera said. “To me it was a bit like a dream. Before the signing, Joseph Bishara and I were standing around chatting and he commented, ‘Hey people are starting to line up already. That’s great!’ For some reason I replied, ‘Yeah, but they are all here to see you guys (meaning the composers, not me)’ and he looked at me and said, ‘Maybe, but we are all here because of you and to support your book. Don’t forget that.’ Which left me kind of speechless because I never really thought about it that way. For some reason, it hadn’t sunk in that five of horror’s most iconic composers were not only in the same room together but they were there, specifically to support the book and me!”
Fichera also spoke about how glad he is that many boutique labels, such as Mondo, Death Waltz and Waxwork Records, are now filling the void in the marketplace by releasing horror movie soundtracks on vinyl.
“I am extremely happy that these scores are having a renaissance and being distributed,” Fichera said. “It is about time that these composers and their amazing work are being highlighted and given their due. I do have to admit though, that I don’t love the ‘limited edition’ and ‘variant’ aspects of that business. It has been getting better because labels are now releasing less limited ‘standard’ editions of soundtracks in addition to the ‘limited editions’ but much like variant comic book covers and the way the DVD/Blu-ray industry releases a new-and-improved edition of beloved films every year or so, I can’t help but feel like it preys on and takes advantage of the loyalty and passion of the true fans and collectors.”
Most of the feedback that Scored to Death has received so far has been positive. Fichera talked about his surprise due to the positive reaction that he hadn’t expected but gladly accepts.
“There haven’t been that many formal reviews but the ones that have been written are favorable,” Fichera said. “The book was just included on a list of ‘10 Essential Books for the Horror Fan,’ which is amazing because it is in some very good company. The coolest thing though, and something I totally wasn’t expecting, is that people are sending me and posting pictures of their personal copies of the book on social media. I find that amazing and a bit surreal. That’s my baby popping up in pictures from all over the world! I love that and I’m grateful to everyone that has purchased a copy and has supported the book and I hope they enjoy reading it as much I enjoyed working on it.”
You can grab your copy of Scored to Death: Conversations with Some of Horror’s Greatest Composers on Amazon by clicking HERE and it can be ordered at most local bookstores.
“I’m hoping to do more signings and I will be selling and signing books at various horror conventions in the future,” Fichera said. “If people are interested in that kind of stuff or just want to keep up with all things Scored to Death, they can follow the book on Facebook and Twitter @ScoredtoDeath.”
Also check out one of Fichera’s other projects.
“I co-host a very fun and nostalgic movie-themed podcast called Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers,” Fichera said. “If you love movies and listen to podcasts, give us a listen when you get a chance. It’s available on iTunes and most other podcast sites and apps and people can follow that on Facebook and Twitter as well, if they like.”
Simon Fitzpatrick Congratulates Limelight Magazine on 10 Years!
Simon Fitzpatrick (of Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy) offers congratulatory words to Limelight Magazine on their 10th anniversary!
After 13 years, Fright Rags continues to produce the best horror T-shirts
BY JULIA CIRIGNANO
Ben Scrivens, President and CEO of the Rochester, NY, based business Fright Rags, recently spoke with Limelight Magazine. Scrivens founded Fright Rags in 2003 and has worked tirelessly since then to keep their mission of making the “best horror shirt designs period” intact while expanding and evolving in a positive direction.
“It happened pretty organically, really,” said Scrivens when asked about why he decided to open a horror-centered T-shirt shop. “I am a graphic designer by trade and was looking for something to do in my free time to let off some creative steam. I’ve always been a huge horror fan (and a fan of weird and interesting T-shirts) so I decided to combine the two because I never had any cool shirts to wear based on my love for the genre. Once I posted them on my friend’s forum (Justin Mabry of Nightowl Productions), people seemed to like them so I thought I’d start up a website and sell them.”
Over the past 13 years of business, the company has evolved in many different ways.
“What started out as just me with a couple boxes in the spare room of my apartment is now a business that employs eight people (six of whom are full time) in an office/warehouse (that used to be the old morgue) in downtown Rochester, NY,” Scrivens said. “Even though we are still a small company, it has grown bigger than I had ever imagined. However, the goal is still the same: make the best damn shirts and provide the best service, period.”
Scrivens also spoke about the ways in which he has grown as a business owner.
“I did not go to school for business so it has been all on-the-job training for me,” he said. “As we grow, so does the need to figure out how to handle that growth, lead people, and create the culture I want to have around me at all times. These are things I never thought about when it was just me sitting at my computer building the website from scratch.”
Fright Rags’ website states that it has the “best horror shirt designs period.” Scrivens explained the process of how he comes up with the T-shirt designs.
“The process differs depending on the artist, property, and other factors,” Scrivens began. “In general, it starts with us getting the license for a specific property. Once we sign the deal, we think about what we want to see on a shirt and who we want to work with to create the designs. Sometimes, we have very specific ideas that we give our artists; other times we tell the artist to run with it and only give them the limitations we may receive from the licensor. Then, we look at the rough draft and make notes, send for approvals, and eventually get to the final design. It’s a long but fun process and usually by the time the public sees them, we’ve been staring at them for a few months so it’s great to see everyone’s reactions when we finally reveal them.”
Many of the T-shirt designs at Fright Rags capture those favorite moments or scenes from a particular film. Scrivens said this is one of the main things that sets Fright Rags business apart from other niche T-shirt companies.
“Many companies tend to just slap images they are given from the licensor onto the shirt with the title,” Scrivens said. “While that has its place, we have always focused on the original art that we commission from artists as a cornerstone to what we do and I believe that it what helps set us apart from everyone else.”
Fright Rags recently launched some T-shirt collections with musicians such as Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie.
“Both artists have been pretty involved with the designs and we were given a fair amount of leeway when creating them,” Scrivens explained. “We worked through our licensor and Alice’s management to get approval. For Rob, I worked with him directly on all of our designs. He’s a great guy and has a lot of constructive input on our designs, which has made the process not only smooth but also very collaborative.”
A big part of Fright Rags’ success is due to their user friendly website. It has a lot of unique features such as the ability to request reprints of past T-shirts.
“We used to bring back a set amount of reprints each month but these days we only focus on the best-selling items and keep those in stock,” Scrivens said. “Like any product, there is a life cycle and we track sales on all items to see what is selling, what is not, and adjust. In general, we bring back four to six designs every month but that varies depending on what we are releasing at any given time. There is no guarantee that a shirt will be back, so it’s always good to grab it when you can because it might be gone for good.”
When asked what his favorite T-shirt design has been over the past 13 years, he said, “That is a tough one because I think of these shirts as my kids. However, a few of them are Chum Bucket, Halloween V1, and Kill Destroyers.”
Another unique trait of Fright Rags is their Midnight Madness T-shirt sales which have been quite popular. Scrivens talked about how he came up with this idea to release one-of-a-kind shirt designs for only 24 hours without the ability to ever purchase them again.
“I always liked the idea of releasing limited edition shirts that you had to jump on to get it in time or they were gone forever,” Scrivens said. “I wanted to do something that made me remember staying up late on Fridays and Saturdays as a kid, watching horror films, so releasing these late Friday to late Saturday seemed like a cool way to recall our childhood memories.”
Scrivens also talked about one of the horror conventions in Cherry Hill, NJ, that Fright Rags has been a part of for a while now.
“Monster Mania in Cherry Hill are the two shows (March and August) that we participate in on a regular basis,” Scrivens said. “It’s hard for us to get out to a lot of shows but we plan to add some more in the future. While they are great for marketing, I also love getting out there and meeting our fans and customers. They become the celebrities to me as I can finally put faces to the names we see on our screens every day.”
Besides conventions, Scrivens talked about the other ways in which he markets and promotes Fright Rags.
“We focus mainly on our email newsletters and social media for our advertising, as well as a few print ads,” he said. ‘We are extremely fortunate in that people like to share our stuff, so word of mouth has been instrumental to our growth.”
With the holidays coming up, Scrivens explained that this is definitely his busiest time of the year for him.
“Things pick up in September and are busy right through mid-late December,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with the types of things we release around this time of year but obviously Halloween and Christmas play a huge role in that as well.”
Scrivens would like to thank everyone who has supported and continues to support Fright Rags.
“I just want to say thank you to each and every person who has ordered from us, posted a pic of themselves in a shirt, tweeted us, liked us on Facebook, or visited us at conventions. Every person who has interacted with us in some way has helped make this company what it is today. That is something I do not take for granted, ever.”
For more info about Fright Rags or to purchase a T-shirt or any of the other products they carry, click HERE.
Paul Bielatowicz Congratulates Limelight Magazine on 10 Years!
Paul Bielatowicz (of Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy) offers congratulatory words to Limelight Magazine on their 10th anniversary!
Dan Masterson wins Last Band Standing Competition and plans next moves
BY JULIA CIRIGNANO
Dan Masterson is a Boston based singer/songwriter who is best known for his emotion driven, pop/rock music. On October 15th, Masterson won The Last Band Standing Competition, hosted by New England Music Awards that featured nearly 200 acts from across New England.
Masterson sat down with Limelight Magazine to discuss his recent win. He talked about the competition which was hosted at The Hard Rock Café in Boston and his gratitude towards his band, fans, and the judges.
“The band and I are really proud to have won and we’re excited for the opportunity that comes along with the prizes of studio time and promotion,” Masterson said. “Especially because so many great acts competed (not just at the final round but in the preliminary rounds) we feel lucky to have made it. A few judges who had seen us perform before said we were far more polished and comfortable at this show. I credit that to my bandmates who have been playing out with me now for around two years and to our friends who come through again and again, singing along at the show.”
Masterson spoke about how he met the other three band members Alec Gaston, Matt Silva, and Jamie Howell.
“I met Matthew Silva (bass, vocals) when he responded to a Craigslist ad,” Masterson said. “I’m always very specific in Craigslist ads for bandmates. I think I referenced James Jamerson and a few other bass players I really like so I could find the best match. It’s a tricky business using Craigslist but [Silva] knew all the names, understood the vibe, and was a great fit.”
“Alec Gaston (guitar, vocals) I met in the middle of one of his solo cover gigs in the basement of the Harvard Square Tasty Burge,” he continued. “I stumbled in just to kill some time and grab a bite. There were maybe five people in the room and he was laying it all out, like he was determined to melt those five faces. When he took a break, I introduced myself, asked him if he’d be interested in checking out my group and possibly joining up.”
“Jamie Howell (drums) came on board about six months ago after Alec suggested he join up. Alec and Jamie also played together in a Brooklyn-based group called Chameleon Culture so the transition was very smooth.”
These four band members form a tight knit band family and have continued to refine their music ever since meeting. Masterson spoke about the experience of playing with his band during the competition.
“The Hard Rock Café has one of the best sound systems in Boston and a great staff and vibe to go with it,” Masterson said. “I’ve had the pleasure of playing there five or six times in the last few years and every time our friends are excited to come to the show because they know it’s going to sound good.”
During the competition, Masterson performed several of his original pop/rock songs and a cover of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” He explained why he chose each song he performed, showing just how much thought really goes into picking a playlist.
“In a showcase/competition scenario, we have a relatively short amount of time to both entertain the crowd and impress the judges,” Masterson said. “We knew that ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ got great feedback from a recent benefit show we did at Oberon so we decided that would be the cover tune for both rounds. We also rolled out a brand new arrangement of ‘Helpless’ at the first round, which gave our fans something fresh and showed the judges we had some versatility to our sound.”
“For the final round, we went for all the crowd pleasers — the songs that have been popular on Spotify and Pandora like ‘Learn To Live’ and ‘Slow Burn’. We put ‘Atlas’ last at the final because it has a fun bridge that the audience likes to sing along with. These are all things we’ve learned by playing shows, watching footage from the gigs, and thinking critically about how we can constantly engage with the audience,” he continued.
Masterson’s prize for winning the competition included studio time at three recording studios. He talked about how excited he is to record especially at Rocking Horse Studio in Pittsfield, N.H., with producer Brian Coombes.
“We already had some plans in the works for recording new music so to some extent we’re planning to hold that studio time in our back pocket for when it’s most needed,” Masterson explained. “I have chatted with Alex Allinson at the Bridge Sound & Stage (in Cambridge, Mass.) about doing something really special for our biggest supporters but I don’t want to let the genie out of the bottle too soon. Your readers will have to jump on my e-mail list to find out!”
Masterson released his first album in 2011 title The Father Time. He explained the copious ways in which he has evolved since his debut album.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with several professional engineers and producers since that release and I’ve played tons of venues both solo and with my band,” he said. “I’ve played to audiences of all sizes on instruments of varying quality with sound systems of even more varying quality. All of those experiences reform how we arrange a song, how I play a song, and future writing. Most importantly, I think I’ve learned that the only way to really improve your craft is to work with musicians who are more talented than you, engineers that are more knowledgeable than you, and producers who are more experienced than you.”
Masterson released his most recent album Atlas in April of 2015 and has plans to work on new music soon.
“We’re definitely itching to get back in the studio and put some new tunes down,” he said. “I’m excited to be working through the preliminary stages of a new project with Boston Music Award winner Dave Brophy. I don’t want to let the genie out of the bottle too soon but we have some exciting plans that involve new music coming your way at the start of 2017.”
Masterson is known for his emotional performances both live and on his albums. His music is first and foremost piano driven pop/rock which is evident within his exceptional performances. Masterson said that his favorite part of performing is the “connection the music fosters between people and the ability of songs to reach people.”
“It’s great to look out from the stage and see friends meeting new people,” he said. “It’s energizing and inspiring to hear from fans after a set that a certain song helped them through a breakup or a tough move or some other life stressor. There are also these moments where the whole band vibes and plays off one another in a really indescribable, improvisational way. Those moments are thrilling and keep the songs alive.”
While Masterson’s ability to produce emotional performances has it pros, it also has its cons. He talked about how he deals with being open and honest all of the time.
“I always remember that even though I’m drawing on my personal experiences and personal emotions (which can leave me feeling exposed for sure) these are often universal feelings: rejection, existentialism, financial stress, jealousy, heartbreak,” he began. “Sometimes, I’ll start off writing a song that’s very personal but fictionalize or embellish the story to make it slightly more compelling or more relatable. Putting emotion into a performance is essential to me.”
“It’s great that fans turn to these songs because they are raw, open, and relatable,” Masterson continued. “It’s also great to perform the tunes with a full band because we can enhance the dramatic nature of the lyrics with our arrangements and that makes for a show that sticks with the audience.”
When writing songs, Masterson likes to challenge himself by starting with fictitious scenarios.
“It’s easiest to write about real life scenarios because I can draw on every thought and emotion I might have at the time but a good portion of my writing starts off with a fictional character or hypothetical situation,” he said. “I try to come up with a clear idea of what a person might feel or say or do in a given situation. Sometimes they relate directly to my personal experience. Other times, it’s purely an exercise in empathy and creative writing.”
Although Masterson takes on as much creativity as possible with his songwriting, it is also a therapeutic, self-healing experience for him.
“A good number of the songs off [my sophomore EP] Learn To Live were written after a particularly difficult time for me, when I was questioning my own character and dealing with the fallout of a failed relationship,” Masterson explained. “Sometimes it’s good to vent through songs. My priority though is on the craft of writing a good song. I really respect songwriters who choose each word carefully, consider the meter and placement of words, even how a word sounds on a certain note or how the melody helps augment the emotions of a certain phrase.”
Masterson is a perfectionist when it comes to songwriting. He is passionate about his writing but is also greatly aware of the world outside of emotions and rock n roll. Masterson explained his mission as a musician both on a micro and macro scale.
“I want to write songs that reach people and connect us to one another,” he said. “I strive to have a great, energetic live show and carefully crafted studio recordings. I treat songwriting and performing as a craft that I’m constantly working to improve. I also aim to support other artists, craftspeople, and small business owners who play an active role in their community and do amazing work while doing good. I buy USA made merchandise via locally owned and operated vendors like QRSTs in Somerville. I work with designers and photographers from the immediate area. At the Last Band Standing Final, we also raised $55 (which we are doubling) to donate to the Cambridge Health Alliance’s Haitian Mental Health Clinic. They offer culturally sensitive counseling for folks in our community who may be dealing with family loss or stress following Hurricane Matthew’s devastating impact on the people of Haiti.”
Off the heels of his Last Band Standing win, Masterson has some future plans that he can talk about.
“We’re looking toward a victory mini-tour around New England to celebrate the Last Band Standing win and bring our band to some cities we haven’t been just yet,” he explained. “We’re also starting in early on applications for summer festivals, hoping to get in front of new audiences and keep our momentum moving forward. The radio promotion campaign from Powderfinger Promotions (another Last Band Standing prize) has the potential to really boost our visibility across New England and we want to have some high profile appearances lined up so listeners who happen upon our new tunes have the opportunity to catch our live show too.”
Don’t miss Masterson live at The Common Man in Concord, NH on Nov. 3 and Article 24 in Brighton, MA on Nov. 18. Masterson’s music and complete list of upcoming shows can be found HERE. You can also check out Masterson’s email list which is the primary destination for updates on new music and performances HERE.
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