DJ Profile: Danielle

DJ: Danielle

Hometown: Green Brook, NJ

Favorite Bands: August Burns Red, E-Town Conrete, Korn, Parkway Drive, Emmure, Alexisonfire

Hobbies: Spending money :-), wasting gas on random adventures, and listening to music of course!!!

Favorite WSOU Experience: 1. Becoming the music director 2. interviewing evergreen terrace in studio! They were absolutely insane and I loved every minute of it. 3. Meeting E-Town Concrete!!! 4. Standing on the railing of the daily E-Town reunion show and was personally given Teddy's drumstick and a sweaty hug from him after the show!!!1. Becoming the music director 2. interviewing evergreen terrace in studio! They were absolutely insane and I loved every minute of it. 3. Meeting E-Town Concrete!!! 4. Standing on the railing of the daily E-Town reunion show and was personally given Teddy's drumstick and a sweaty hug from him after the show!!!

About: My name is Danielle. I have been listening to WSOU since I was 14 years old. I started working here at 17 years old. It was pretty cool being one of the youngest staff members at one time. WSOU has to be one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It not only introduced me to some of the coolest people ever but definately opened my eyes to a whole new world of music. I love having a good time and laughing. You can always find a smile on my face. :)


(Up next: The Wiz - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Gabby

DJ: Gabby

Hometown: Clark, NJ

Favorite Bands: Disturbed, Rammstein, Lamb of God, Hatebreed, All That Remains, Killswitch Engage, Metallica, Nightwish

Hobbies: Working in a bakery, volunteering at the Jersey Animal Coalition shelter, watching the NJ Devils play, and going to as many metal shows as I possibly can.

Favorite WSOU Experience: Interviewing Shaun Glass of Dirge Within. I later met him and the rest of the band when they played with Trivium in November at the Irving Plaza. I got to hang out with the band the whole night, got a bunch of freebies, and had a lot of fun.

About: Music is definitely one of my biggest passions, which is why I love working at WSOU so much. I love metal and enjoy listening to a lot of the bands we play. I also love going to concerts so chances are if you’re attending a metal show, you will probably run into me. Also, FACT: my last name means “cinnamon” in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.


(Up next: Danielle - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Stigz

DJ: Stigz

Hometown: Hasbrouck Heights, Dirty Jerz

Favorite Bands: Alkaline Trio, Five Finger Death Punch, Deftones, Thrice, Jimi Hendrix

Hobbies: Causing a raucous, spinning the dirty filthy beats when I’m not twisting your metal, generally being an intense dude, spelunking for clues, and stealing parking cones. Also: reading (Vonnegut and Palahniuk are favs), rock climbing, producing tracks and boxing...

Favorite WSOU Experience: Top 3: Rocking out @ S + S fest in Asbury Park, Interviewing/mercilessly hitting on Cassandra Ford from the Vincent Black Shadow (Google her and you’ll see!) and drinking with The Sleeping. Although every day I’m here something crazy tends to happen…

About: Art, music, and good times. That's what life should be.
I love music in all its capacity, from Mozart to Megadeth: Music Is Freedom.

Whether it's rockin’ out on your radio, or pumping bass from the booth, I love to be around music, so it seems like I’m in the right place. I’ve been at WSOU for what seems like forever, but wouldn't have it any other way.

On a lighter note, I have a weird phobia of the Aflac duck (that little orange billed dude is plotting!), would eat Ramen soup for the rest of my life, and my biggest pet peeve is slow walking people. Now for some shameless self promo: Catch me Sunday nights for ClubSessions, 10 pm - Midnight. Call on up and I'll shout you out. Get in touch with me: "Stigz" on Facebook or catch me on Myspace.


(Up next: Gabby - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Dr. A

DJ: Dr. A

Hometown: Staten Island, NY

Favorite Bands: Neutral Milk Hotel, Nirvana, Brand New, Matisyahu, Kevin Devine

Hobbies: Writing, Snowboarding, Guitar, Photography, Stumble Upon.

Favorite WSOU Experience: It was a long 12-3 am shift. A Marine called me up and told me how much he loved the station and his girlfriend. Him and his girlfriend have been listening to the station for years. He's being shipped off to the Middle East in a few months and he asked me if I would propose to his girlfriend on air from him. They have been dating for four years. At first I thought it was a joke. As I listened to him further, I realized he was serious. So I did it. On live radio. She called in, and she said yes. She was soo incredibly happy. Then, there were about 20 callers who dedicated songs to them and their own significant others. I always knew this radio station was unique, but I really saw our influence on people as sappy as that might read. The combination of love and music was terrific. I have never even seen this couple in person.

About: I've taken four semesters of German and I can barely speak a sentence in it. Besides that, I can eat like a mammoth. Furthermore, I am obsessed with vinyl lately. When I graduate from SHU, I want to help people. That means I will probably end up being a journalist, lawyer, or professional volunteer. I would like to travel the world with you. WSOU is an awesome community to be a part of. It's given me really cool opportunities to report news, influence via music, meet bands, and party with staff at Cryans.


(Up next: Stigz -- to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)


HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYONE AT WSOU!

DJ Profile: Steve Stracq

DJ: Steve Stracq

Hometown: Jersey City, NJ

Favorite Bands: Suffocation, Lamb of God, Warbringer, Napalm Death, Black Label Society, Slipknot

Hobbies: Obviously listening to music (more specifically thrash and death metal, but I appreciate all music) being a nerd, baseball, working out (which I need to get back to doing!!!), being really loud and obnoxious and laughing.

Favorite WSOU Experience: 1) Getting a bloody nose only 2 minutes into the Mayhem Festival moshing and yelling at the Wiz that I’m still moshing later. 2) Interviewing Karl Sanders of Nile and listening to him yell at his dog Nola for being annoying. 3) The one night Out of Babylon got canceled after Vintage 80’s and That Guy and I turned the studio into our own concert. 4) Vintage 80’s after-parties Thursday nights at my house during the summer with my roommates and That Guy and the Jackhammer.

About: My name is Steve Stracq, and ever since I was 10 I’ve been an avid listener of WSOU. You can thank my cousin and his old death metal band for pretty much corrupting me by introducing me to the world of metal at such a young age, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. My major has absolutely nothing to do with radio (Biology/Athletic training). After a couple of wrong turns throughout college, I never thought I’d ever be a DJ at WSOU, the place I admired growing up and could always count on. But hey, you never know where life can take you. I don’t know how to sit still; I’m very loud and have abnormal amounts of energy at all hours of the day. I’m all about having a good time, and I enjoy doing what I do, and that’s entertaining and making people forget about their problems.


(Up next: Dr. A -- to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Ms Scarlett

DJ: Ms. Scarlett

Hometown: E-Town!

Favorite Bands: Within Temptation, Children of Bodom, Slipknot, Opeth, Life of Agony

Hobbies: Arts & Crafts, reading vampire novels, watching Sons of Anarchy

Favorite WSOU Experience: 1) Making Trivium cupcakes when they were at WSOU for an interview. Matt took a bunch of cupcakes with him for his dad who helps manage the band. 2) Thanksgiving dinner with Life of Agony complete with turkey was also pretty awesome. The band really liked the pumpkin pie I made. 3) Turning the corner in the hall of WSOU one day and running basically smack into Burton C. Bell...and then I called him Dan C. Bell by mistake!

About: I have been around WSOU since late 2004. I am at Seton Hall to work on my Masters in English hoping to teach high school before the little children I normally work with devour me. I like to go to shows in other states besides the NJ/NY area. I've traveled to Baltimore and Worcester, MA to go to shows. My goal is to one day go to Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany, the largest metal festival of Europe.


(Up next: Steve Stracq - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

X-Promo: StarBeat's Life of Agony photos from the Highline Ballroom 12/15/09

Earlier this week, Starchild of Star Beat got some great pictures and wrote an excellent rundown of Life of Agony's second (of 2) anniversary shows. This one was at the Highline Ballroom, and WSOU Street Patrol artists One Brick Down and AnAkA opened up for them.

CLICK THROUGH FOR THE FULL REVIEW/PHOTOS/ETC.

(photo creds to Starchild of Star Beat)

DJ Profile: The Scarecrow

DJ: The Scarecrow

Hometown: Muskegon, MI - Respect the Mitten!

Favorite Bands: Volbeat, Devin Townsend anything, Bane, Nightwish, In Flames, Ministry, Dredg

Hobbies: Cooking, hunting Bigfoot, and constantly reminding the locals that there are 48 other states in the USA besides NY & NJ!

Favorite WSOU Experience: There's been many, but I'll go with two: 1) Getting the crap beaten out of me at a Gallows show with That Guy, The Jackhammer, Jen and Starchild in a too-hot, too-crowded basement in New Brunswick 2) doing election coverage both in the field and in-studio for the '08 Super Tuesday primaries as well as the '07 and '08 election days.

About: From the frozen north, it's me, the Scarecrow! So-named because in my sophomore year, Tiny happened to always see me on days where I was wearing flannel. It now appears that "The Lumberjack" might have been a better name, but we'll roll with what I've got. I like hockey, Metalocalypse and superheroes (Batman!). I make a good pot of chili... 4-alarm, so be warned. I also host the Campus Buzz on Sunday nights, so if you don't have your radios by 8 pm, turn them on! Contact me at WSOUScarecrow@gmail.com or find me on Twitter.


(Up next: Ms. Scarlett - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

Holiday Shopping Idea: WSOU threads!

Pick up some WSOU threads for your friends this holiday.

We've got three great new T-shirt designs for you (plus we still have some of the classic WSOU D.A.R.E. shirts kicking around, and as always our classic hoodie!)

Head over to our store to pick one up!

WIN STUFF - Gods of Fire's "Hanukkah Gone Metal"

HOLIDAY STIMULUS ALERT!

Thrice, Motorhead, Typo O Negative and It Dies Today aren’t the only WSOU bands that have put out holiday music.

Metalheads the Gods of Fire have just released Hanukkah Gone Metal. Enter here for a chance to win their CD.

(Just look at the epic album cover... how could you not want to enter?)

DJ Profile: Hot Pants

DJ: Hot Pants

Hometown: Hudson County -- Love to the 201!

Favorite Bands: Dethklok, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi (how could you not if you live in Jersey?), Reel Big Fish, Spice Girls

Hobbies: Cooking, crocheting, painting my nails and taking care of my fish (whose name is Alastor)

Favorite WSOU Experience: Working my Assistant Producer shift for Vintage 80s one night, only to discover that Tiny is interviewing Doro Pesch from Doro - LIVE IN STUDIO! SO cool to hang out with a rock legend!

About: I know you're all dying to find out how I got the name "Hot Pants" - I do actually have a killer sense of style. One day, I passed Scarecrow in the hallway wearing these great red leopard-print jeans (Yes, you read that right). He noticed them, and yelled "HEY! Hot Pants!" It stuck ever since.


(Up next: The Scarecrow! To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Captain Morgan

DJ: Captain Morgan

Hometown: Staten Island, NY

Favorite Bands: Dragonforce, Nightwish, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Arch Enemy

Hobbies: Everything Metal

Favorite WSOU Experience: Learning Finnish from Nightwish's Anette Olzon.

About: I grew up listening Q104.3, but didn't really get into music until late in high school, around the time I started listening to WSOU. Nightwish's Once was the first metal album I ever heard that was more recent than Rust In Peace-era Megadeth, and that pretty much led me to the musical taste I have now. I like flowers, long walks on the beach, and occasionally disemboweling my enemies alive with a rusty spoon I keep in my bag at all times. Listen into Storming the Ramparts on Wednesday nights, 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. - I play the best in power metal, speed metal, viking metal, etc.


(Up next: Hot Pants! To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

WSO - YOU Takeover

Want to own our airwaves? This winter, WSOU is giving you the chance to commandeer our airwaves for an hour and decide what we play - it's the WSOU TAKEOVER!

The Takeover is a chance for you, the listeners, to play DJ for an hour. You pick the tunes, you call the shots, and your voice will get to be heard on air. It's our way of giving something back to our listeners.

To be considered for the WSOU Takeover, please send an e-mail to WSOUtakeover@gmail.com including your name, full address, phone number, age and preferred email address and we'll get this crazy train rolling.

A Ridiculously Funny Evening with Psychostick: 12-12-09

Caffeine!
In my Coffee!
Caffeine!
In my Mountain Dew!
Caffeine

In espresso!

Many have heard the awesome and goofy lyrics of Psychostick grace the airwaves of WSOU, with songs ranging from Caffeine (above lyrics) to Minimum Rage. Their songs alone are entertaining and ear-catching, so of course when I found out they were coming around to NJ, I was stoked. Saturday, December 12th, I had the pleasure of attending a local show with their headlining presence. This was something different for me because for the majority of the concerts I’ve been to, they’ve all been at big arenas or theaters. This time, I traveled down to Dingbatz, a tiny, yet cozy, bar/club right here in Clifton, NJ. The place was real easy to get to and had a friendly atmosphere.

The first band to perform that evening was Morbid Visions, right from Belmar. They put on a great set full of energy and had a big sound. They had a death metal/thrashy feel to their songs and definitely got the crowd warmed up. Be on the lookout for them opening up for D. Driver and Behemoth at the Starland Ballroom January 30th.

After Morbid Visions, another local band called Darkness Descends played. They differed a bit from the first band in that they had a more hardcore metal, edgier set. The lead singer definitely did a great job pumping everyone up and having people mosh in the small space on the floor.

Finally, well past midnight, Psychostick took the stage. Everything about them was humorous and enjoyable, from their personalities and appearances to their song lyrics. Jimmy wore a Superman shirt in addition to his blue antenna spike on the top of his head. Rawrb wore his spike jester hat. Josh had on black and white pinstripe circus paints and even Jake sported a spinny top hat. The nice part about the band performing in a small club like Dingbatz was that the show was very intimate between the musicians and the fans. Several times Rawrb nodded, smiled, or waved to me in the crowd, as was similar with a bunch of other fans. Even before the show I hung out with and chatted with Jimmy. After their performance they stuck around to hang out with their fans and take pictures. All the guys were really chill and very funny.

They did a nice mix of songs off their first album, their holiday album, and their latest CD: Sandwich. Their set list, in no particular order, is as follows:

Minimum Rage
This is Not a Song, It’s a Sandwich
P is the Best Letter
Die…a Lot!
Aqua Teen
ABCDeath
Two Ton Paperweight
Scrotal Torment
Beer!
The Jagermeister Love Song
Jingle Bell Metal
Silent Night
Happy F-ing New Year

Aside from their undeniably fantastic, humor-filled songs ranging from drinking beer to crappy first job experiences, subjects almost everyone in their listening audience can relate to, the music was serious in every way. This wasn’t just a bunch of guys singing random, stupid stuff to whatever they can bang out on their instruments. The music was very tight and well done to compliment the song lyrics. The guys did a superb job on every rhythm, break down, and melody. Their beats were right on and very catchy. For a laid back, silly band, their music did not cut corners at all. Psychostick made their set fun with synchronized moves, Jimmy collecting donations for his jail bail, and stories. Everyone made their way to the floor during Psychostick’s set, either moshing, headbanging, or just laughing along. Even for a small club, the floor was decently filled with lots of people having a good time. Definitely one of my favorite performances of the year and great night overall.

By: Gabby Canella

DJ Profile: Jen

DJ: Jen

Hometown: Plant City, Florida

Favorite Bands: Alexisonfire, Haste The Day, Evergreen Terrace, Against Me, Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying

Hobbies: Being a sorority girl, accounting and WSOU!

Favorite WSOU Experience: Hanging out on Killswitch Engage's tour bus during Rockstar Mayhem!

About: I am a bit of a hippie, so i hear, but I don't believe it! I'm from the south but you could never tell. I like to laugh... a lot. I love indie and screamo, but I'm always up for anything.


(Up next: Captain Morgan! To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: That Guy

DJ: That Guy

Hometown: Pennsauken, NJ

Favorite Bands: Lamb of God, All That Remains, Evergreen Terrace, Trivium, Gojira, Grimus, Dark Avatar.

Hobbies: Failing Accounting, Drinking (which helps with failing Accounting), METAL and being "That Guy"

Favorite WSOU Experience: Interviewing Judas Priest, Slipknot, Max Cavalera and countless other bands... dozens and still counting!!!

About: I love metal. Keep it loud, keep it fast, keep it crazy. I love playing blocks of other stuff. I love requests. I would love to do this job for a living but I know there are no jobs... so I am enjoying the living crap out of it while I can.


(more DJ profiles to come - to see them all, check them out on WSOU.net!)

Coming soon: New WSOU merchandise

Here's a sneak peek at some of our new WSOU merchandise, available soon.



(All Photos by Luke Brereton)

THE LOUDEST THANKSGIVING 2009

This weekend, WSOU presents THE LOUDEST THANKSGIVING!

What: WSOU's Loudest Thanksgiving
Who: In This Moment, In Fear and Faith, Agraceful, Motionless in White
When: Saturday, November 28
Where: The School of Rock East (31 Schrieffer Street, South Hackensack, NJ)
How Much: $13 advance, $15 at the door

For more information and tickets CLICK HERE!

All That Remains/Lacuna Coil/Maylene and the Sons of Disaster Tour Hits The Starland Ballroom

Last Friday night, I was fortunate enough to see four great bands at the Starland Ballroom. The first band was one I had never heard before, Taking Dawn, from Las Vegas. Their set was obviously influenced by 80’s metal, with a little bit of a faster pace. Lead vocalist/guitarist Chris Babbitt was very animated while working the crowd onstage, and even moving out into the crowd, and playing his solos in the middle of the circle pit. All of these antics combined with an off-color yet spot on cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” got me intrigued about what to expect from Taking Dawn in the future.

Up next was Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. They opened up their set with their current hit “Step Up (I’m On It)”, and only went uphill from there. The set that they played was very heavy on the Southern rock influence, and it was easy to see that the guys were having a good time, which in turn got the crowd into the show. Maylene puts on a great show, and would definitely fit a headlining spot well.

Lacuna Coil came on next, to raucous ovations from the entire crowd. From the opening riff to “Survive”, all the way to the end of “Our Truth”, there was no shortage of energy from anyone in the venue. Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro were definitely getting the audience worked up for every single song, and put on an amazing show.



Finally, it was time for the headlining act, All That Remains. The fun started when the band came out to “Nothin’ But a Good Time” by Poison, and then going right into “Before the Damned” as soon as they got onstage. It was easy to tell that the band was having fun onstage; while playing, you could see smiles on the faces of the members, and Phil Labonte was humorous with his crowd work. A good mix of tracks were played from This Darkened Heart, The Fall of Ideals, and Overcome, and fans were able to hear all of ATR’s most well known tracks, including “This Calling”, “Forever in Your Hands”, and the smash single “Two Weeks”.


With the mainstream success of All That Remains, the Starland Ballroom was packed, and I have a feeling that none of them were disappointed.


-Melldawg




[All photos courtesy of Nicole Stapinski]

Lamb shines through Hatebreed debacle in AC

I got a call around 4:00PM Friday, “Dude I can’t go see Hatebreed and Lamb of God in AC, you wanna go?”… Of course I said yes. I laced up my driving shoes and floored it to AC hydroplaning, dodging deer and running over cones for shits and giggles. I had every intention of this being an Atlantic City funfest.
For starters, House of Blues Atlantic City is one of the most gorgeous venues I have ever seen. The place would be perfect aside from 9 dollar beers. The sound quality was fantastic; the lighting was perfect, ample room and very little obstructed viewing.
Thy Will be Done got the part started. Really heavy, tight live band who covered a little raining blood. So the curtain draws and everyone starts dispersing to smoke or buy more booze and the curtain opens again. TWbD comes out and plays 3 more songs. Then 35 minutes go by. Between sets 30 minutes is an ETERNITY.
So finally a head pops out from a curtain and two dudes are standing there, neither of whom are Jamie Jasta, and Hatebreed starts their set. People are furious. Water was thrown at the band, dozens of people stormed out and the pit was more violent than other Hatebreed pits I have traversed. The two guys were apparently the Hatebreed roadies, one kinda shouted the lyrics, the other threw in the occasional scream. To be fair to them, it was a bad situation to be in and they handled it as well as anyone not named Jamie Jasta could handle singing a Hatebreed set.
Three songs go by, four, five, six and finally Jamie appears. The venue erupts, the set continues. They play two songs twice and about six songs later it is ballgame over. The crowd is stunned.
Thank goodness for Lamb of God. They killed it per usual. With the entire lineup intact (Doc from God Forbid has been filling in on guitar) they played six songs off of Wrath and some old favorites like Ruin and Black Label. But it was the no show that stole the show. To put it in perspective, I saw Ekotren at Championship Bar and Grill in Trenton the next night and people there heard about it.
It was a debacle for sure, taking what could have been one of the best shows of the year and turning it into a bust. However, it could have been worse if they decided not to play so cudos for the roadies for trying and Thy Will Be Done for preventing a sure fire riot.

First Look: New WSOU merchandise

New merchandise!

Better-looking photos will be taken this weekend to enhance your purchasing pleasure.

Models by WSOU.
Photos by Luke Brereton.
T-shit Designs by: David Ayllon
Everything else by Spa for Hair in Middlesex, NJ.

Listen in Friday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. for a special treat!

This Friday from 10-1 pm, we will be airing an interview with the one and only John Baizley from Baroness.

Baroness' new album, called the Blue Record, dropped in stores yesterday. You can listen to their newest single "Jake Leg" spinning on WSOU daily.

The Scene...Part 2

I wrote a few weeks ago about “The Scene”. Where did it go? Anyone who comes up to Street Patrol (Wednesdays from 8pm-10pm), whether it’s a band, promoter, or general concert go-er, they all say the same thing; the scene is dead and it sucks.

It is easy to sit around and complain while making excuses and generally not doing anything. Maybe that’s part of the problem. So how do we fix this? Last week, I said we don’t have a scene because no one has money, the music is mundane or crappy, and YOU. What’s the solution?

To regain a scene, bands have to be willing to play together. When a band comes up to promote an event, it is generally with 3 to 6 bands that they are friends with. They play to the same people and share fans and never expand.

HOW CAN YOU GET MORE PEOPLE TO HEAR YOU IF YOU PLAY TO THE SAME PEOPLE?! The lack of developing new listeners is a huge part of the problem. It’s great to play for your friends, but there are dozens, if not hundreds, of metal bands in this area. Start meeting new people, go see other local bands play and STAY FOR OTHER ACTS. There is nothing worse than a band that loads up and leaves. I could go on for days with this, so I will stop. But, hopefully you get my point.

Another way to remedy this problem is to do what you can to get out of the area. There are a lot of places in New Jersey for a local band to play. The ultimate goal is to get a sweet opening spot at Starland before a nice national tour. However, New York City is right around the corner. I hear it’s hard to get a show there, but for most bands in this listening area it is less than one hour away. Spread your wings. Brooklyn has some great venues, L’amour’s is in Staten Island and even South Jersey and Philadelphia are not too far. To drive for an hour or two for the chance to play for new people, establish new relationships and to sell your merch to someone not in your graduating high school class is essential.

One last thing: don’t let age be a factor. I know some bands don’t like playing with the young kids and some kids don’t wanna play with the geezers. It comes back to respect. Respect talent, respect drive, and respect sound. Young, old, black, white, brown, men, women, and boys, it’s a principal that applied to all and what you would expect from someone else. If every band does this, watch the scene come back. You’ll probably actually start making some money too!

-That Guy

Where Are They Now: Paul Roper

WSOU's been doing its thing for 61 years now, and we've had some of our staffers move onto some pretty great things. As of a few weeks ago, recent WSOU alumn Paul Roper has a new job - after a year of announcing for the Trenton Devils of the ECHL, he's moved to Erie, PA to serve as Media Relations Manager and Broadcaster for the Erie Otters of the OHL!

Here's a recent article about his new gig:

New broadcaster Roper gets to know Otters

Paul Roper has nine hours to pass during Thursday's bus ride to Sudbury.

He hopes his Internet card works on the road. He has more to read about the Erie Otters and the OHL.

That's how he has spent every spare minute lately. Even before learning he would replace Mark Jeanneret as the club's play-by-play broadcaster, Roper has studied the team and league inside and out.

Now with Friday's season opener three days away, "I have to prepare very meticulously," said Roper, 23, who also will serve as media relations manager. "I don't want to really waste a minute of that (time) doing anything else on the trip. ... I'm going to try to get as much information as I can about the Otters so I can provide an entertaining and informative listening experience to the fans here in Erie."

He moved to town this past weekend. But he already has a strong sense of Erie's hockey tradition -- from the Blades to the Panthers and now the Otters -- and what lies ahead.

He has seen the championship banners and former Otters great Brad Boyes' retired No. 16 in the Tullio Arena rafters. He knows about the club's recently completed lease and planned arena renovations.

"I'm glad to be a part of it," said Roper, who initially didn't like his odds of earning the job.

But as Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky once said, "100 percent of the shots you don't take won't go in the net," Roper said. "So I figured why not apply and see where it goes."

Roper had one year of professional experience, as Director of broadcasting and media relations with the ECHL's Trenton Devils last year.

In comparison, one finalist spent five years as a No. 2 broadcaster in the AHL. Another was a two-year AHL intern with a recommendation from an NHL broadcaster.

Yet, Roper was cautiously optimistic. Then while searching the Internet, he discovered an article stating that Shawn Waskiewicz, Otters assistant general manager of administration, had spoken to candidates.

"After that, I didn't think I had a shot at it," Roper said, "because I wasn't one of those candidates."

A few days later, Waskiewicz called him. He discovered that Roper knows about former Otters like Boyes, Carlo Colaiacovo and Corey Pecker and much more, Waskiewicz said.

"He's an encyclopedia of information with all the stats and different teams and leagues and players," Waskiewicz said. Roper has been a junior hockey fan for years.

Although his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., wasn't known for it, The Hockey News was a young Roper's source of information on junior leagues and NHL prospects. Back then, he knew the importance of the Otters' move to Erie in 1996, since the Detroit Jr. Red Wings (now Plymouth Whalers) were the league's only United States club at the time.

Waskiewicz was intrigued. "I could have easily given the job to somebody who has five years experience," Waskiewicz said. "But somebody took a chance on me. How do you know how good the guy is if you don't take a chance on him?"

On Friday, Roper displays his on-air talent for the first time. "Hopefully I'll be prepared enough," he said. "Hopefully I can shake off the cobwebs and provide the fans with a good broadcast."

VICTOR FERNANDES can be reached at 870-1716 or by e-mail. Paul Roper has a different on-air style than his predecessor, Mark Jeanneret. Find out more on Shootout, the Erie Times-News' hockey blog, at www.GoErie.com/blogs/shootout.

10/9/09 - New Music Fridays is ON LOCATION!

Boo!

New Music Fridays will be live ON LOCATION at the State Scare Factory in Belleville NJ tomorrow night (10/9/09) - Tune in at 8 pm for the Top 10, then the Pirated Advance at 9 pm.

This week's Pirated Advance is Blue Record from Baroness - it doesn't drop till Tuesday, so you get to hear the whole thing before it's released in stores. Plus, you could win a copy!

ALSO: Baroness will be up at WSOU next week on Blue Record's release day for a live, in-studio interview. Make sure to listen in!

If you make it out tomorrow night, we'll see you there. Click here for more info on the State Scare Factory.

Lebowski Fest

To an outsider, cult film screenings must be a strange sight to behold. It takes a special kind of weirdo to dress up like his or her favorite character and go to a theater to see a movie that came out years ago, and yell out lines at the screen in unison with the crowd.

This author is one such weirdo.

Lebowski Fest, the annual festival celebrating Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 masterpiece The Big Lebowski, hit New York at Terminal 5 last Tuesday. Achievers (the name for die-hard Lebowski fanatics) turned out in droves to bowl, drink White Russians (the cocktail of choice for The Dude, the movie’s lead character played by Jeff Bridges), wave their pieces around, and watch The Big Lebowski alongside fellow Achievers.

The party featured music by the band Black Diamond, who performed a set covering songs from the film’s soundtrack in addition to a few of their own originals. Also in attendance were the Pin Heads, a troupe of Achievers dressed as bowling pins, as well as Jeff Bridges himself (via satellite).

But the night’s big event was, of course, the film screening. It’s hard to describe the atmosphere of watching a movie like The Big Lebowski on a big screen in a room full of strangers who also know every line of the film. Think of the greatest thing on Earth, and you have at least a remote idea.

Suffice it to say, good times were had by all. And if nothing else, there is a certain bizarre pleasure to be had at the sight of a full bar lined with pitchers full of ready-made White Russians to be poured for thirsty Achievers. This author had no choice but to abide.

Setting The Record Straight

Hey folks. Time to set the record straight:

The previous post about the Dethklok special edition albums was intended as humor and does not reflect any promotion on the part of Williams Street, Adult Swim or any other company.

We apologize for any confusion it may have caused, and we wish Dethklok a happy release day tomorrow!

Plenty more coming your way here on WSOURock in the coming days!

Album Review: Five Finger Death Punch’s "War is the Answer"

When Five Finger Death Punch came out with their debut album The Way of the Fist in 2007, it sent them straight to the top of the rock charts at an unprecedented pace. All three singles off of that album were massive hits, all landing in the top 20 of the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart. In 2009, the band is back at it again, with their latest release War is the Answer. From beginning to end, this is definitely one of the best albums of the year. Right from the beginning of the first track, “Dying Breed”, you are hit with pounding drum beats and thrashing guitar riffs. The entire album is definitely strong, and showcases the band’s ability to create songs that are heavy and fast-paced, and displays a softer, more melodic side as well (Notably on the track “Far From Home”). In each song, it is easy to see the passion that the band puts into their songs, especially vocalist Ivan Moody. Whether it’s the anger and hatred that he puts into “Burn It Down” and “No One Gets Left Behind”, or the tortured, sobering singing on “Far From Home” or the cover of “Bad Company” by the band of the same name, Moody definitely brings a fire that is always welcomed, and embraced. The guitar solos on each track are technically crisp, and fit very well with the sound, and the beat that consistently is violent, and does not let up. Five Finger Death Punch have definitely built upon the success of Way of the Fist with this album. Overall, it I a strong release and I recommend getting it as soon as possible, in addition to seeing them on tour with Shadows Fall, Otep, and 2 Cents.

Overall score: 9.5

Key Tracks: “Dying Breed”, “Hard to See”, “Burn It Down”, “No One Gets Left Behind”, “Bulletproof”

-Melldawg-

Lamb of God and Gwar @ The Wellmont Theater 9/22/09

Tuesday night, September 22, at the Wellmont Theatre I had the pleasure of going to see Lamb of God and Gwar with WSOU’s finest: That Guy, Sheigh Hey Hey, Jen, Danielle, Steve, Melldawg, and Maria. The night included a list of many firsts. At this show was the first time I’ve ever had popcorn, as opposed to beer, spilt on me (popcorn at a metal show? Yum). It was the first time I’ve ever seen anyone wear a prom dress to a metal show or even a white tuxedo with a red bow tie. This was also the first time I’ve ever seen Lamb of God headline a show (the other two times I’ve seen them were when they opened up for Slipknot at the Continental Airlines Arena in 2005 and when they opened up for Killswitch Engage at the Hammerstein Ballroom in 2007). Additionally this was the first time I’ve ever seen Gwar live. Wow, what an experience.
Up until the concert I had heard many things about Gwar, ranging from their appearance to their stage antics. If you’ve never seen Gwar, GO. I think they’re on the list of bands that you have to see at least once in your lifetime just for the concert experience. Their set was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It seemed they put on their own mini show in the overall concert. Before they took the stage, the audience was entertained by a short film clip that explained just exactly who Gwar is and what they are all about: namely monsters that were discovered in a tome somewhere in Antarctica that only stick around on earth for crack. From this clip alone, I was already amused and intrigued. Once they took the stage, the first words out of my mouth were “Oh my God”. Seeing them in person dressed up in these ridiculous space monster outfits was both hysterical and shocking. Who actually sat down and came up with this idea? Throughout their performance, different things were going on to entertain the crowd, including the band fighting evil guys and even later confronting an evil robot. The highlight of the band’s performance was getting sprayed with fake red and green blood, which explains why so many people anticipated this by proudly wearing white t-shirts. By the time their set was finished, Jen and Maria were both completely covered in the fake blood, true Gwar troopers, and it probably still hasn’t washed off. The last point I want to make about Gwar is that just from their performance, they completely disproved any negative stereotypes attached to their band name. People may say they’re evil or only insane people listen to them; those are lies. After watching them perform, Gwar is really just about having a good time. They are not seriously into themselves and their whole set is humorous (their name, after all, is an acryonym for God What an Awful Racket). Not to mention their music is actually pretty good if you give it a chance and get over their whole getup.

Lamb of God did not disappoint, as I figured. Since this was the first time I’ve seen them headline, as I previously mentioned, they were absolutely phenomenal. They had such good energy and numerously thanked New Jersey for all the love and support they’ve always been show from here. One thing I did find ironic: Randy mentioned that when they first started touring as a new band, they opened up for Gwar. Tuesday night the band order was the reverse. Another interesting thing: Lamb’s guitarist was absent because of family issues; in his place was God Forbid’s Doc Coyle. Even with Doc filling in on guitar, the band sounded great and if Randy hadn’t made the announcement, I probably would not have even noticed much of a difference. Every riff, breakdown, solo, and melody was spot on. These guys definitely know how to party. Here is their set list, not necessarily in this order:

Walked on stage to: The Passing
Opened with: In Your Words
Set to Fail
Contractor
Grace
Broken Hands
Dead Seeds
Walk With Me in Hell
Redneck
Pathetic
Laid to Rest
Now you’ve Got Something to Die For
Omerta
Ashes of the Wake
Ruin
Reclamation
Ended with: Black Label

As you can see, Lamb played a good mix of new and old stuff, with at least one song from every album. They had a great list of crowd pleasers and I walked away hearing every song I like by these guys.

One last comment I’d like to make about the show: Job for a Cowboy opened up the night and their performance was full of brutal, metal goodness. Unfortunately, the crowd didn’t seem all that into them. I would have expected a bigger pit to go along with all their fast-paced, intense songs. Towards the middle of their set, somewhat of a pit opened, but it was nowhere near what occurred for Lamb. Anyway, kudos to JFAC for playing and giving a great performance. They were just as good this time around as they were when I saw them open up for Killswitch Engage back in the summer.

Overall a fantastic show and a great lead in to Lamb’s future performance with Metallica in November.

By: Gabby Canella

Pirated Advance/Giveaway/Gwar & Job For A Cowboy Interview!

We've got 3 things for you today!

1) Alice in Chains is this week's Pirated Advance! Sheigh's Top 10 is at 8 pm this Friday, and the Pirated Advance starts at 9. Hear the album in its entirety (Scarecrow says it's good!), and over the course of the show you'll have several chances to win the album as well.

2) This afternoon over on our Twitter feed WSOU will be giving away tickets to the Five Finger Death Punc/Shadows Fall/Otep/2 Cents show at the Starland Ballroom. It's a trivia giveaway, and the topic is 5FDP. Be fast -- the first to @ reply with the response wins the pair of tickets!

3) Yesterday's interview with Gwar and Job For A Cowboy was a great time, said That Guy. Did any of you go to the LOG/Gwar/J4AC show? Let us know what you thought! (For those who missed it, we'll probably have a review up here soon)

In the meantime, here's a picture from yesterday's interview. You'll see Dave (Oderus Urungus) from Gwar and Bobby from Job for a Cowboy (Plus Scarecrow, the Jackhammer, Diesel Dani, Sheigh & Steve!)

THE SCENE… Part 1

New Jersey has always been known for its amazing music and scene. It starts with the venues, both past and present: the Bloodbath known as Birch Hill, Starland, Chrome, The Stone Pony and bars like Dingbatz or The Loop Lounge. The music that filled these venues over the years brought the state together -- from Skid Row, Trixter and Whiplash to My Chemical Romance and Thursday. Zombie punk was born in the basements of New Jersey. New Jersey punk shows still blare out of the basements of New Brunswick, even though there have been issues lately. Ahh… the memories.

So... What happened?

Where did the scene go? How can we get it back? What will the next evolution of music sound like?

More questions then answers of course, what follows is mere speculation. Even so, in this multi-part entry I (That Guy) will try not to make an ass out of myself and try to find some answers.


WHERE DID THE SCENE GO?

Where do I begin? Here's the short list:

1) Economy: BOOOO! Cop out answer. However, kids do not have money to go to shows. Bands have to sell 100 tickets to open at a venue to play 4 or 5 songs before 75% of the audience shows up. People are not buying as much merch, tickets or CDs. Labels also can’t afford to send a band across the country. A terriblly evil cycle of losing money.

2) Lack of creativity: Chug chug chug. Scream. Chorus! Sing.

Have you heard that one before?

How about this one: PIG SQUEALLLLLLLLLLLL! Pinch Harmonic (Zack Wylde anyone?) "Oooh lets do the Killswitch guitar thing 800 times!" (pinch with tremolo) YAAAA! Hammer on with squeal, GO!

The only problem is when someone does do something unique, they are generally looked down upon. A good friend of mine, Mike Gitter formerly of RoadRunner Records, told me that Killswitch Engage started as a unique band everyone hated. Way back when less people hated them. Then they blew up, and the few haters either joined the bandwagon or maintained the hate. So a unique band sells hundreds of thousands of records, so you can't like them anymore, and you actually want to make other people not like them?

Many other unique bands dissipated that no one has ever heard of, that never sold a hundred records? More than any of us will ever know.

3) Any other problems? Maybe YOU! If you say any of this stuff, you’re the problem with the scene:

"I can only see these five bands."
"I only dig vegan hardcore."
"I can’t stand token bands."
"I need basement shows."

Shut the F*$K UP. Go to every show. See every band. Buy from the bands you like OR who have cheap stuff. Listen to radio, find something new. Go to a record store and rediscover an old favorite. Don't be complacent with your music.



Now of course there are more problems to discuss. These are just 3 reasons… there are absolutely more. Next time I will try to discuss how to get the family back.

We know there is a problem… so how do we fix it? More to come…

Suicide City @ WSOU

Drummer Danny Lamagna and bassist JennCity of Brooklyn's punk outfit Suicide City visited the WSOU studios on Tuesday for an interview. The band discussed their new album, FRENZY, touring, and going from unsigned to The End Records. Suicide City features singer Karl Bernholtz and guitarist AJ Marchetta formerly of Groovenics, guitarist Billy Graziadei from Biohazard, bassist and vocalist JennCity formerly of Kittie, and drummer Danny Lamagna. They also have a DVD out called, Live at CBGB. The band recently had to cancel their previously announced September tour, but they are in the process of re-booking it and plan to hit the road in October and November. In the meanwhile, they have two local dates coming up. Check them out for an energetic, fun, and rowdy live show.

9/11 @ DJ Riders, Oceanside, NY w/ Hexerei, Soul Made Visible, and Useless to Me
9/25 @ The Cherrywood, Clementon, NJ

WSOU is spinning "Cutter" and "Undone." You can listen to the band's music at myspace.com/suicidecity

Mud, Twix and Akron/Family - Scarecrow's post-APW thoughts

Just some quick linkage:

Scarecrow's post-All Points West thoughts can be found here on the Campus Buzz blog.

Killswitch Engage @ Starland Ballroom 8/5/09

Seeing Massachusetts metalcore natives Killswitch Engage perform live is indescribable-once you’ve had a taste of their sheer metal awesomeness, you’re hooked. Thus is the reason I ventured to the lovely Starland Ballroom to see Killswitch for the fourth time. As usual, they didn’t disappoint. Here are some of the reasons why this particular show was so incredible and why I must see them for a fifth time:

1) Killswitch was very stylin’: Once they came out onstage, I had to smile. All of the members wore identical tuxedo shirts complete with bowties and their logo. Howard even commented that they were all dressed up to party. Adam, of course, sported a long golden cape and a complimenting bandana with short shorts, his usual get up. All of the members except Adam showed off their impressive, hairy beards, with Joel also modeling his 80’s metal style long, puffy hair.

2) Good times all around: During their performance, it was clear everyone was having a great time. The show was sold out and everyone was packed in tight. Lots of crowd surfing and moshing went on in addition to fans screaming, cheering, and loudly singing along to songs. At times I heard my fellow fans more than I did the band, that’s how loud everyone was. Let’s not forget all the devil horns in the air either.

3) Cool enough to be your friends: In between songs, Killswitch members Howard and Adam continued to crack jokes, laugh, and thank the fans for their generous and unconditional love and support. Howard mentioned how much more he enjoyed playing in small clubs compared to gigantic venues for tours since it was more personal and he could look fans in the eye. Adam even teased Yankee fans about his favorite team, the Red Socks. All of this light bantering just shows how sweet and down to earth this band really is. Even more so, the band was nice enough to take time off from their hectic Mayhem tour schedule and perform at a small club to jam out to tracks from their new, self titled record.

While their appearance, stage energy, and personalities definitely contributed to an awesome show, I can’t forget about their performance, which highlights the entire night. Everything seemed well rehearsed and dead on, without a single note missing. The guitar lines were tight and smooth and even the solos sounded fresh and rocking. Howard’s voice was amazing as always and, man, can he sing. Here is their set list, not necessarily in this order:

Opened with: My Last Serenade
Reckoning
This Fire Burns
Starting Over
A Bid Farewell
Take This Oath
A Light in this Darkened World
My Curse
The Arms of Sorrow
Rose of Sharyn
The End of Heartache
Encore: Holy Diver

While I definitely enjoyed this show, the only thing I was not fond of was all the pandemonium on the floor area. Fans went nuts from the excitement, resulting in much pushing and shoving, especially near pit areas and when Howard ordered for a wall of death. At times I could not enjoy the show as much as I wanted as I fought my way through the mayhem, but I guess that’s just something that comes along with such dedicated, passionate, and fun metalhead fans.

Aside from Killswitch, opening bands White Chapel and Job for a Cowboy also performed. Both of their sets were just as intense and enjoyable as Killswitch’s, with fans keeping their energy and spirits high. Overall, a great show leading into the Rockstar Mayhem fest and a definite highlight of my summer.



















All photos courtesy of Allen Thomas Ross and Mark R. Sullivan

By: Gabby Canella

Eagles of Death Metal @ Webster Hall 8/6/08

California’s garage rockers Eagles of Death Metal played an impressively entertaining, lively, and sexy set in NYC last Thursday. Opening the show was New York’s Rival Schools. They got a 40-minute set. Nothing like EODM both in sound and performance, but they rocked nonetheless. While a bit of an odd opener to go with a band that is very engaging, it was nice to see a rock band with no gimmicks just playing their music. They played hits like “Travel by Telephone and “Used for Glue,” which closed the set. They also threw in a new song. It was a solid performance.

At 9:14pm, Eagles of Death Metal took the stage for what would be a night of rock n’ roll coupled with some sweet twists. Boots Electric, as the singer is known as, was so engaging with the crowd. I must say, I’ve been to plenty of shows to say that he’s one of the most engaging live performers I’ve seen next to the singers from Monotonix and Valient Thorr. He’s constantly saying “Can you dig it?,” giving out high fives to the people in the front, talking to the crowd, dancing around, and accepting gifts from fans. Boots made out great. Fans threw him an Axle Rose tee shirt, Camel Lights, and sunglasses. The Camel Lights was because he tweeted on Twitter that he wanted them in Canada because he was dying with the Canadian cigarettes. His blonde haired boy could also be seen in the back on the side of the drummer. His mother was in the balcony to. Boots said, “I shit you not, I’m nervous” because I have the watchful eye of my mother here. Every now and again he would look up at his mother. He also dedicated a song to the Butthole Surfers.

Though the band stopped after every song so Boots could do something it didn’t offset the energy of the band and the crowd still seemed excited. Opening song “Secret Plans” and “Cherry Cola” were some of the highlights of the set. The band closed the main set with “I Want You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News),” but minutes later Boots without his band came back on stage. This time he sported an Eagles of Death Metal tee shirt and a hat. He played a few solo songs before inviting his bandmates back on stage. But first he said, “I like romance,” then brought a guy and his girl on stage. The guy asked the girl to marry him. The women accepted. The crowd cheered. Boot said, “That shit was adorable and you know it. Can you dig it?”

Finally the band would play their single, “Wannabe in L.A.” and then closed with ‘Speaking in Tongues” off their 2004 album “Peace Love Death Metal.” The band was loud and rocked. Boots grabbed his boy, put him up to the mic, and said “Thank you New York and good night.” Did I dig it? You bet.

Eagles of Death Metal Setlist:
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eagles-of-death-metal/2009/webster-hall-new-york-ny-7bd7ba1c.html
Secret Plans
Don’t Speak (I Came To Make A Bang)
Bad Dream Mama
Heart On
Cherry Cola
Now I’m A Fool
Anything “Cept The Truth
Already Died
Stuck in the Metal (Stealers Wheel cover)
Prissy Prancin’
Kiss the Devil
I got A Feelin’ (Just Nineteen)
Whorehoppin (Shit, Goddamn)
I Want You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News)

Encore:

Beat on the Brat
Midnight Creeper
I Only Want You
Wannabe in L.A.
Speaking in Togues

--By Star Child

Incubus @ PNC on Friday August 7th

Incubus is one of the early mainstream alternative rock bands I heard growing up and one of my favorites, so getting to hear and see their “Monuments and Melodies” tour brought back at least a few memories of my middle school days. It's good to see that after the band's 1997 debut EP Enjoy Incubus, that the band still manages to stay relevant and pack huge venues.

Opening the show was The Duke Spirit, a U.K. band with a lady singer, nice groove and '70s/ '80s rock vibe to them. They played for 30 minutes, which I feel wasn’t too long. But they had a big sound to them and the sound quality was awesome. It’s a bummer people were still hanging out in the parking lot during their set, they missed a good band.

Incubus came on at 9pm kicking it off with “Pardon Me,” where the crowd quickly got pumped. It was nice hearing all the hits, acoustic songs, and the oldie “Redefine.” I didn’t expect the band to play anything off of “S.C.I.E.N.C.E,” so it was a cool treat. Brandon Boyd still maintains a youthful appearance and high energy after being in the band over 10 years which is really awesome to see. The excitement of the big show was topped off by the lighting and video screen which were like mini music videos that fit each song the band played. For instance, during "circles" there was a bike wheel spinning in the video.

The band played an hour and a half set, then came back out for a 3 song encore that closed with a jammy, almost heavier song that didn't sound like an Incubus song, but I later found out it was Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.” It was an interesting choice to close with a cover, but it seemed to work and everyone indeed went “crazy.”

Incubus Setlist
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/incubus/2009/pnc-bank-arts-center-holmdel-nj-33d7b401.html

1. Pardon Me
2. Nice to Know You
3. Anna Molly
4. Stellar
5. Megalomaniac
6. Circles
7. Love Hurts
8. Just a Phase

9. Drive (Acoustic)
10. Talk Shows On Mute (Acoustic)
11. Dig (Acoustic)

12. Redefine
13. Warning
14. Oil and Water
15. Quicksand
16. A Kiss to Send Us Off
17. Wish You Were Here
18. Aqueous Transmission

Encore:
19. The Warmth
20. Sick Sad Little World
21. Let's Go Crazy (Prince cover)

--By Star Child