Ruff Stuff
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Killer Texas Trio Releases First CD
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With an armadillo as a mascot and dozens of years of experience in the rock 'n' roll field, guitarist Michael Sells is back with a new band, Ruff Stuff, and a new CD, Just An Illusion. Heavily influenced by ZZ Top, the band (featuring the rhythm section of David Clemens on bass, and Steve Shufeldt on the skins) delivers their own brand of boogie and jalapeno blues, replete with dry-as-toast, in-your-face-and-ears, up front vocals, willfully fuzzed-out lead licks, and a flair for clever lyrics. Just An Illusion contains nineteen songs altogether, with an average running time of just over three minutes, providing a continuous aural assault taking the listener south of the border, across the bayou and back home again.
Michael's first pro gig was at the age of 13 in the Mediterranean area with a country and western band formed by an Air Force couple. Throughout the '60s, '70s and '80s he played in bands such as Elastica Phase, Ice, Blind Wizard, Sweetwater (later reformed as Bittersweet) and Rock Bottom before packing it in around 1989. But the rock wouldn't die, and Michael landed in Paris, Texas to start Ruff Stuff and begin yet another assault on the music business.
Busy in the studio, Ruff Stuff has just completed recording their second CD, to be called "Jus D'Fax", which they promise will be crammed full of more jalapeno soaked blues. Stay tuned.
Contact Information
Grapevine Productions
Rt. 1, Box 323
Paris, TX 75460
United States
Web site:
www.projectmudpuppy.com
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Flatstick
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Duo Creates Stylistic Melting Pot
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Metal meets jazz meets shredding guitar meets funk meets foul language meets punk meets whatever they feel like doing? How's that for a five second description of the music of Australia's Flatstick, comprised of guitarists John Sanders and Gary McKay. The duo submitted a CD-R entitled killuglytv.com, five tracks of utter mayhem featuring death metal-like, guttural, distorted vocals, blazingly fast solo passages, jarring mood changes, white rap, satire, Eastern punk, and anything else you can think of. With an aim to entertain, disgust and amuse while providing plenty of razor-edged guitar tracks, Flatstick hopes to carve out its own unique musical niche.
Flatstick began when Gary and John first met and combined Gary's stockpile of recording gear with John's musical ideas. They got together and began writing material, programming the drums and keyboard parts and hired bassist Marcel Yammoune to contribute bass tracks. John handled all the vocal work and they split the guitar solos evenly. Their music develops from a desire to write cool music of every style. Inspired by Frank Zappa, they are learning from the late guitarist's sense of humor and total command of all styles of music.
Flatstick continues to write and record, hoping both to find the right members to do live gigs and to find a label that believes in their musical integrity.
Contact Information
John Sanders
10 Jarrah Crt.
Greensborough, Vic. 3088
Australia
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