Interview conducted with guitarist Tom Cloherty  Shock Treatment: Let’s start out by going way back to the 1990’s! How did the band first meet and get together to play? Tom: Me and Steve were in a couple of bands in high school  (Faces of Death and others.) Steve played guitar and I played bass. Those bands played a few shows/parties etc.  We lived in the same neighborhood.  Albert and I went to an all boys Catholic school for high school (which may explain most of our personal problems) and knew each other there. I think occasionally in a basement we would attempt to get Albert to sing. Victoria and I went to college together and I was in a different band and she then formed her own band. Both of us played bass. Steve and I continued to play in basement bands together but never did anything significant. At the same time I was making goofy tapes with a friend on Tascam recorders and we got Albert to sing a song. That guy, Jeff, was a drummer and a...

Mod Lang - Borrowed Time LP - (Just Add Water Records) There is something so wonderfully refreshing about the ten songs here on this record that Detroit's Mod Lang and Just Add Water Records have masterfully collected and decided to gift the undeserving world. This record's got mid 70"s stomp and roll with thick heel drum beats and melodies so bright you can almost feel the warmth of the sun shining on your face. Like on a long, carefree summers day when you and your friends decide to drive to the local Dairy Queen with the top down. And the biggest priority in your life is how you're going to get noticed by that one person you want to notice you. And you keep debating weather or not to go to that lame ass party across town that you normally wouldn't go, but you heard they might be there. And that changes everything. Mod Lang remind me musically of early 70's bands like the Scottish band Middle Of The Road. Since we're on the subject of 70's and Scotla...

Los Pepes Two bands that I've been really digging lately have been London's Los Pepes and Philly's Dark Thoughts. For whatever reason, when I hear one, I am instantly put in the mood for the other and both band's new LP's have been following the other for months now. It's like both bands have such a complimentary (or if it was 2000 I'd use the word "simpatico") sound to one another. Is it the fact that they are both melodic punk bands? Or dare I say "Pop Punk" bands? I would prefer the former over the latter in this case. No disrespect to the proud pop punkers, I mean it.  Dark Thoughts To me, when someone says the term "pop punk" an instant image forms in my head of a 16 year old kid with baggy shorts, and a backwards baseball hat singing about the squishy thing they found in their shorts. When I hear the term "melodic punk" I picture bands like Moral Crux or The Hex Dispensers. Is one better than the other? No, not n...

Photo by Danysha Harriott Interview conducted with Nadine Muller, Drummer and Vocalist in Loose Lips Shock Treatment: Can we start off by telling me who all is currently in the Loose Lips rock n roll express and what everyone does to keep the train rolling?  Nadine Muller: I play the drums, Josh is on guitar and Ethan plays bass and we all do vocals! In our real lives, I work as a freelance hair and makeup artist. I’ve been running my own business for a while now. Ethan has worn many hats in the 2 years that I've known him but he is currently putting up gig posters and Josh is a fulltime rock dog. LOOSE LIPS by LOOSE LIPS ST: Tell me a bit about how you all met and decided to form Loose Lips?   Nadine: Josh and I met on a tour my other band (The Prize) did supporting his other band (The Chats). We hit it off straight away and became good pals.  We were putting a split 7” with our respective bands and decided to write a song together which we never actually got time ...

Interview with Seth Pettersen, singer, songwriter for Sweet Reaper Shock Treatment: As a songwriter and musician, what band or musical act made you want to pick up a guitar and learn how to play and write your own music? Sweet Reaper: One of the first memories I have of music really taking control of my whole being was when I was about 4 years old, watching The Pound Puppies Movie. There’s a scene where the Pound Puppies do a cover of Danny and the Juniors’ “At the Hop,” and I remember it resonating with me in a really strong way. I realized even then that music does something to you—it made me lose control. I ran around the room, completely excited. My mom was a piano player growing up, so she taught me a few chords on the piano. My cousin Kathy was going to UCSB for a while when I was a kid, and she’d come over occasionally and show me a couple guitar chords. Once I learned a few, I didn’t really know any cover songs, so I just sat there with your basic C and G chords and started wr...