Get Galvanized » underground music http://sherizampelli.com/blog —Synonyms: rouse, stir, electrify, fire, spur, animate. A blog by Sheri Zampelli Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:13:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Obscurity is Rewarding – Find Something Rare and Get Happy http://sherizampelli.com/blog/2008/12/obscurity-is-rewarding-find-something-rare-and-get-happy/ http://sherizampelli.com/blog/2008/12/obscurity-is-rewarding-find-something-rare-and-get-happy/#comments Sun, 28 Dec 2008 06:00:37 +0000 Gal VanIZed http://sherizampelli.com/blog/?p=500 Today I returned from a visit in Austin TX to my life in Long Beach, CA. I am inspired to scour my bathroom clean and hook up a turntable. It started with a lighter that reminded me of the song 99 cent lighter(featuring WILL.i.am of the black eyed peas) by Blood of Abraham, which I only have on vinyl. I became obsessed with hearing it. Thus the quest to put the right audio input to the into the amplifier and get the speakers hooked up correctly.

Alas, there is a reward at the end of the quest. I am listening to 99 cent lighter on vinyl now and it is a visceral treat. Which reminds me of my week in Austin and seeing Gayle Gold and Criminal Tower live. I got excited, blogged about it, then shot e-mails and MySpace messages to musicians and promoters.

Deena Odelle (Gayle Gold singer, writer and artistic-type) is passionate about her work like I am so she sent me a great e-mail with detailed info about her band members and their musicial backgrounds. It’s really fascinating so I want to share with you what she wrote me. If you want to see photos and video from the show, go to the previous blog. Here’s a picture of me with the band…it’s becoming a tradition to get these photos whenever I can.

Note from Deena: Hey great! very fun. You’re awesome. Next time I’m in Cali I’m gonna email you and see what good music is going down.

Just so you know (if you want more juice) though (Gayle Gold) is a new band, all the band members are already known for other projects. Here’s some background on us that might give you more insight:

Sam V. (guitar) is the main song writer. He is also Gary Barftits recently (mentioned in the Austinist) who just came out with an album called Good One, Cheryl on Instincto Records.

Chad Allen: (synthesizer) was in Oblong Boys and Zom Zoms. He also founded Low Red Center. Low Red Center also just came out with an album that’s #3 on the KVRX Charts!!!

Winston Reed Chapman (drums) is a former member of Austin indy-pop sensation Belaire and just formed a group called Bob & Barbara, who already have been signed to Business Deal Records.

And I’m the woman behind Nanobangbang- a variety show that’s worked with over 10 local musicans. I’m also in Low Red Center and so is Sam Gary.

Phew!!!! Also, if you want some musical comparisions– Gayle Gold is influenced by Frank Zappa, Fred Frith, LiLiPUT, and Pataphysics.

OK hope that’s some good leads and info for you!


Frank Zappa – You Are What You Is is available on iTunes. Watch the YouTube Video here.

In my opinion, connecting with people and their stories and influences is what life is all about. It is fascinating to me the series of events that lead us to where we are in life. I feel like we miss some of that when all of our information and interaction comes from the mass media or a select group of co-workers or family members. For me, getting back into live music has provided that charge that makes life enjoyable, flavorable and interesting again. The music scene is very happening and vibrant. Get out there and experience it even if you just start by visiting some MySpace pages or buying something unusual on iTunes.

P.S. Most of the links above go to MySpace or iTunes so you can check out the music for yourself. Happy clicking.

]]> http://sherizampelli.com/blog/2008/12/obscurity-is-rewarding-find-something-rare-and-get-happy/feed/ 0 Stay Positive by The Hold Steady http://sherizampelli.com/blog/2008/11/stay-positive-by-the-hold-steady/ http://sherizampelli.com/blog/2008/11/stay-positive-by-the-hold-steady/#comments Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:59:58 +0000 Gal VanIZed http://sherizampelli.com/blog/?p=396

I’m always thinking about what I learned by being involved in the punk movement early in it’s development.

I have first hand experience seeing everyday blokes get high in the garage in the daytime and stand on stage in the night time. I admired their determination and was entertained by their music but I didn’t really idolize them because I knew they were the same dudes who were dope sick in the morning and threw their smelly socks on the floor.

Musicians are just people who are really creative and determined and somehow, when you get four guys together with ideas for songs they can make it happen eventually…if they can learn to work together somehow. The bands that didn’t make it were mainly the ones who fought, got too heavy into drugs or didn’t have a common vision (which usually caused the fights).

itunes logoStay Positive by Hold Steady pretty much sums up my feelings about the underground music scene and life in general. So, I thought I’d share. Listen to a clip or buy it on iTunes.

Read Lyrics to Stay Positive by The Hold Steady

I’ve got a lot of old friends that’re getting back in touch
and it’s a pretty good feeling yea it feels pretty good
I get a lot of double takes when I’m coming around the corners
and its mostly pretty nice its mostly pretty alright
’cause most kids give me credit for being down with it
when it was back in the day
back when things were way different
when the Youth of Today and the early Seven Seconds
taught me some of life’s most valuable lessons

There’s gonna come a time when the scene’ll seem less sunny
it’ll probably get druggy and the kids’ll seem too skinny
there’s gonna come a time when she’s gonna have to go
with whoever’s gonna get her the highest
there’s gonna come a time when the true scene leaders
forget where they differ and get ‘big picture’

cause the kids at their shows, they’ll have kids of their own
the sing-a-long songs’ll be our scriptures

We gotta stay positive
We gotta stay positive
We gotta stay positive
We gotta stay positive

Musical Interlude

When the chaperone crowned us the king and the queen
I knew that we’d arrived at a unified scene
and all those little lambs from my dreams
well they were there too

’cause its one thing to start it with a positive jam
and its another thing to see it all through

and we couldn’t of even done this if it wasn’t for you
We gotta stay positive
We gotta stay positive
We gotta stay positive

P.S. This is why I want everyone to sign the petition to keep punk rock Fungus 53 on XM Radio. Please sign it and share this blog with your friends.

]]> http://sherizampelli.com/blog/2008/11/stay-positive-by-the-hold-steady/feed/ 0