Interview: All-American Rejects guitarist loves Twitter

The band name picked by the All-American Rejects makes no sense. C'mon- there's nothing about these guys that makes them so-called "rejects."

The Oklahoma-based rock group makes classic power-pop, both charming and fresh, and they guys have sold over two million albums since 1999.

We chatted with guitarist Mike Kennerty, who had a hand in writing hits like "Dirty Little Secret," "Move Along" and "Swing, Swing."

• LSJ: What was it like breaking out of your small town of Stillwater, Oklahoma?

• Kennerty: It was very cool. We were just some kids content on playing shows and getting by as meagerly as we could, so getting to this point is awesome. It was just a crazy experience to be thrust into the music world and to play huge venues and get on TV shows, and we wouldn't trade it for anything.

• What's your favorite thing about this whole experience?

• My favorite part, honestly, is just getting to do it. Getting to make music and play live over and over for your job is the most amazing feeling.

• You guys have a good amount of staying power in a genre that isn't always known for that.

• I think we lucked out in that a lot of bands get big and more popular for their fame more than their music or talent. We're not a tabloid band. You're not going to see us on the cover of every magazine in a scandal. We're being judged solely on the music and I think that had helped make us last for three records.

• I see you're big on Twitter (@mikeaar).

• Yeah. (He laughs) I try to save it for when I have important stuff to say or if I have a picture to post. There's this Web site called Tweetgrade.com and it rates your Twitter page, and I got an A-, so I thought that was pretty good.

A rockin' zombie calendar with yours truly

So, I usually stick to purely professional posts on this blog: band interviews, music news, etc. But, I'm making an exception today. I was asked to model for a zombie calendar, of all things, this year. This morning, the photographer and I were interviewed on WQTX-FM (92.1) in Lansing, Mich. about the release, and we had a blast.

Here's the creepy pic.
It doesn't get more rock 'n' roll than this.

Interview: Framing Hanley's Kenneth Nixon makes tasty tracks

Within a span of just a few months, Framing Hanley went from being a bunch of random kids with amazingly cool-looking haircuts to chart-climbing rockers.

And it's all thanks to the band's cover - ironically - of a hip-hop song.

Lil Wayne's smash "Lollipop," to be specific.

Not surprisingly, this wasn't the plan. If you ask lead singer Kenneth Nixon, he'll tell you the song was supposed to be played only once, during a gig in the band's hometown of Nashville. And even that almost didn't happen.

"I'm a huge Lil Wayne fan, and I heard the song on the radio on the way to rehearsal last summer. I was like, 'We should totally cover this song at our hometown show,' and the band laughed it off at first," he said. "But 20 minutes later, Ryan (Belcher) was playing it on the guitar, and an hour later, we had our version."

That same cover - the song the guys took as a joke at first - eventually climbed in the Top 25 on the modern rock chart.

So, yes, the success came as a shock to the band. A good one.

"When we first played 'Lollipop,' we never knew it would become anything," Nixon said. "Just the fact a rock crowd has been so receptive to a hip-hop song is an awesome thing."

Listening to Framing Hanley's current full-length, "The Moment," it's hard to believe Nixon is at all influenced by hip-hop. You might guess Chevelle or Breaking Benjamin. Hard-edged guitars, thick, melodic vocals and post-grunge anthems make up the post-hardcore band's sound. Truth be told, Nixon listens to everything from Kanye West to Merle Haggard (his father was a country musician). And Guns 'N Roses is the reason he got into rock in the first place.

The guys of Framing Hanley first got together in 2005. Success came early, thanks to the band's MySpace demos getting discovered by Brett Hestla, former Creed bassist and frontman of Dark New Day. Hestla recorded their two-song demo, and Silent Majority Group (Candlebox, Tantric) picked them up.

Nixon is loving every minute of the band's newfound fame.

"It's great getting to meet people every night who are fans of rock music and of music in general, and who appreciate what bands like us are doing," he said. "The fact is, we're five fans of music who got lucky, and now we get a chance to play our music. It's awesome that people our there care to listen to it."

Wilco on tour in 2010

It's been a busy year for the guys of Wilco. Between the release of their live performance DVD/documentary, "Ashes of American Flags," in April of 2009 and a new, self-titled release in the fall, they're going through guitar picks like water.

I'm interviewing Wilco bass player John Stirratt this Friday. The band kicks off a North American tour in February, and they play Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. on February 21st.

Groovy news: Flea unveils line of bass guitars

Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player Flea has released his own line of affordable basses. The musician says he felt called to do so because, "I wanted students to have an instrument that they could fall in love with, and I wanted them to be able to do it with the limited means that most of them have for acquiring one," says the release.

The two-tone model, named the Fleabass, is modeled with a solid maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard and a smooth satin finish. Each bass comes pre-set up with low action for easy playing for beginners. Each also comes with an instructional DVD with Flea, a gig bag featuring the Fleabass logo, input cable and adjustment tools.

The Fleabass retails at $499 and can be found at a variety of music stores, including Elderly Instruments.

American Carnage Tour postposed

The much-anticipated American Carnage Tour, featuring thrash greats Megadeth, Testament and Slayer, has been postponed while Slayer bassist/vocalist Tom Araya undergoes back surgery.

The official release states that the bands hope to reschedule the American Carnage Tour for sometime this summer. Those who already have tickets for the tour should hold onto them until further notice.

Breaking Benjamin tours in 2010, opts for low guitar tuning

The chorus of "I Will Not Bow," the debut single from Pennsylvania quartet Breaking Benjamin’s latest album, sounds like it comes from a band determined to stay true to their beliefs, no matter what: “I will not bow/ I will not break/ I will shut the world away/ I will not fall/ I will not fade/ I will take your breath away.”

It’s a deep message, and a hopeful song. And, like many of Breaking Benjamin’s singles, it’s doing really well. “I Will Not Bow” reached No. 1 on the Active Rock chart last year. The song is also on the soundtrack for the sci-fi film, “Surrogates.”

Since 2002, fans have embraced Breaking’s Benjamin’s post-grunge/alternative metal sortie. Front-loaded with singles like “So Cold” and “The Diary of Jane,” the band’s music is uniquely dark, with cool riffing and heavy power chords. Tuning-wise, Breaking Benjamin really stands apart. While many metal bands use drop-d tuning, Breaking Benjamin goes two more steps down, to A# (or Bb). That makes for the uniquely dim sound that is, Breaking Benjamin.

Breaking Benjamin is on tour right now with Three Days Grace and Flyleaf. They play Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena on Jan. 16. They tour with Nickelback and Shinedown this Spring.

By Anne Erickson, Gannett LSJ/NOISE