Tyson Snyder - Die To Pretend


Snyder is a bit different from the run-of-the-mill MC 'round hip hop flame thrower. He's not trying to groove a hit, he's into the poetry of the situation. By that I don't mean he's feathery and floaty, but instead of verses and choruses, which alot of hip hop and rap have come to embrace these days in order to fit into the "hit single" mode, TS runs a straight story vibe throughout his music. I don't find sing-alongs and repeats in order to intrance here, instead it is like a book read into the song has it jams along. He's got great music to fit into his tales, his voice and delivery as important to the melody of the song as the loops and grooves present herein (Grow Up When I'm Ready). He can lay back too and throw some serious introspection (Duct-Taped Wings). Seriously, the man is way overlooked, he can represent some original creativity in this genre today. He can definitely produce hits, check out the Brad B. present on "Hold Your Head High" with the Johnny Cash samples, any station that's worth a damn in the hip hop world will pump this. Probably, world is not ready for dude. But it's about time. Contact: http://dialoguemusic.com, http://myspace.com/tysonsnyder

Cobretti - Violation Guaranteed


Well, I had quit drinking for a while before I got this disc, but damned if this hell-bent, messed up, uglier than thou big beat rock n roll didn't just make me fall off the wagon, I burnt the damned thing to the ground and danced in the ashes! There's nothing pretty about Cobretti, more like an infected switch blade wound, too loud in places, distorted bass drums, yelled Iggy-style uncomprehensible lyrics grating over loose double guitars with too much midrange. Somehow it all works, like the 'ol libido that somehow finds it's way back to top performer after so many nights of nothing, all of a sudden it's loud, it's wild, and you're grinnin' like a maddog, cause the boy's done good when they all predicted failure. The rave up blast of "Bender" says it all, power chorded extended riffs lay into single note blues stingers that barely pass inspection before they give way to the follow-up "White Lightning" where that next hit begins to take your mind. Cobretti is a real rock n roll band, they aren't singing about losing the girl, they're singing about baggin' her, and celebrating the rough lifestyle that will eventually kill them, and make them legends in the same. A few spots I'll be damed if I don't hear some early Alice Cooper psuedo-psychedelic garage flailings going' on, but it won't be long before that garage gets all toasted with southern style debauchery that propelled great bands like Hatchet and Skynrd into rock stardom (listen to Midnight Cowboy and Bought Some Luv). Remember though, before you kill that last shot of black jack, this here's a Cali-forn-i-a band, so even though you got the motor-city footprint on songs like "Killin' Me", and upper east coast sassy - "Full Service" - think vintage Kiss circa Dressed To Kill - that damned west coast madness comes through, plastering your ears with the sonic assault that place seems to bring out in full force, no matter where the various parts come from, as Cobretti slams out the last two numbers "Taste The Freedom" and "Outta My Way", like G&R when they were worth a shit, oh so long ago. Turn it up and trash it! Contact: Wondertaker Records, http://www.wondertaker.com, http://www.cobretti.us, http://www.myspace.com/cobrettisf

Legendary bass player and rock n roller Richard Kilgore is now recovering at home following a very near death experience with a gangreous impacted colon that had him in the hospital in a coma for weeks, plus required numerous surgeries in which he lost over 90% of his colon and suffered numerous internal infections plus kidney failure, requiring many days of dialysis to keep him alive while he was in the coma. Brain surgery was also required during his hospital stay to replace a stopped up malfunctioning shunt in his brain. He was hospitalized for almost 3 months.

I've played with Richard (better known as Kilgore, or simply The Gore) in original rock bands since 1983. He was a member along with world reknown drummer Phil Calvin and myself in Theoria in the early-mid 80's, and worked with me in the studios on my albums Extremities, Soul Caress, Equinox - High Energy, Equinox - Pleasure Form, West - Wild, Wiccan Priest, and most recently, he was the bass player and back-up vocalist for the band Bootlegger (2003 - 2005), along with myself and drummer Ken Story, pictured below. We recorded one complete album, which because of mixing board failure has yet to be mixed (this is a priority for the next year) and mastered. Richard is one of my closest friends, and I didn't know if he was going to make it out of this one, but at 6 foot 4 and over 300 pounds, he had the reserves and stamina to make it through, though his recovery will take a long time and right now his return to the stage is in question. He lost over 65 pounds during his hospital stay.

Kilgore loves to hear from his friends and fans, so if anyone would like to contact him, get in touch and I will give you his home number. Currently he is restricted to wearing loose fitting clothes, mostly pajamas, and if anyone would like to get him a set, he wears XXX large, and would like some with Godzilla, Rhinos, or gorgeous women on them.

Live and love everyday of your life, because you never know when you'll be checking out of this joint....WELCOME HOME KILGORE! WE LOVE YOU MAN!

BOOTLEGGER - April 2005
Pictured l-r: Ken Story, Richard Kilgore, Todd West