fadetoblack
DeWitt, Michigan, United States | INDIE
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Local groups pays tribute to legendary rockers
With the temperature dropping, it's the perfect time to head to an indoor concert and enjoy quality, local music.
The newly renovated Metro Bowl, on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Lansing, hosts a special night of rock 'n' roll of "yesteryear" on Friday, with a double tribute concert highlighting the music of Rush and KISS.
Lansing-based rock band Fade to Black opens, playing cuts off their current full-length, "Black is Back." Available on iTunes, Amazon and locally at Flat, Black and Circular, the album packs the raw energy of classic rock, with a modern sensibility.
Then, the tributes begin. Lansing power trio Sonic Mosaic performs an hour-long set of Rush tracks, and Lansing rock quartet Hangnail pays respect to KISS.
"We are excited to open up for two great tribute bands that play the music that we grew up on," Fade to Black lead guitarist Eldon McGraw says. "Even though we are not a tribute band, we like to call our music 'modern classic original rock.' "
In other Fade to Black news, 2010 has been a very productive year for the band. It toured. It released new material. Plus, several songs from its album got played on college and Internet radio stations in the U.S., Canada, Germany and the UK.
In other band news, Fade to Black is recording Friday's show for a live album called, "Live in Lansing," which will drop on Lansing's Good Time Gang Records in early 2011. Also expect a new studio album by next summer.
• Show details: Rush and KISS tribute show featuring Fade to Black, Sonic Mosaic, Hangnail, 8:30 p.m. Friday, Metro Bowl, 5141 S. MLK Jr. Blvd., Lansing, 977-0321, $5.
- Lansing State Journal
Fade To Black, a Lansing-based band, is playing at the Basement 414 on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m.
Fade To Black formed in 1990 but broke up a year later. In April of this year, it reunited and is now recording an album to be released in 2010. The five-member band plays hard rock/punk/pop/reggae "and any other style that comes their way," explains its Web site.
In June, Fade To Black played its first reunion show at Rock for Doc, a benefit concert, and plans on having several more this year.
Admission is free; all ages are welcome. - Revue - Mid Michigan's Entertainment Guide
Eldon McGraw knows those blessed with a talent for music have the duty to use it for the greater good.
His band, Fade to Black, spearheads "Waverly Rocks," a regular concert series through Waverly Community Schools that benefits a variety of local causes. Within the past year, McGraw and his band have raised funds for the Haiti relief efforts and Waverly school teacher Dr. Ron Fandrick, who was injured in a house fire in 2009.
"We feel like giving back to the community using our art and music," said McGraw, who plays lead guitar in Fade to Black. "We're not in this for money; we're in this for the joy of playing our own music."
The next "Waverly Rocks" show will benefit the Waverly High School Theatre Club and girls basketball boosters, and although a date isn't set yet, McGraw is shooting for it to happen this summer. Check out the Waverly website for full details on "Waverly Rocks" at www.waverly.k12.mi.us.
Before then, Fade to Black plays a free show Friday at Basement 414 in Lansing.
With a lineup that dates back to the early '90s, Fade to Black is anything but a newbie. McGraw, Jeff Behrendt (bass guitar), Randy Matthews (rhythm guitar), Mike Anderson (vocals) and Tommy Gomez (drums) got together in '90, released two indie albums, broke up in '91 and reformed in April of 2009. The break was due to some band members moving out of state and others just living life.
Years later, with everyone back in Michigan, McGraw got the idea to bring the band together again.
"I started writing songs and e-mailing some guys from the old band days," McGraw said. "I asked, 'Would you all be interested in doing some recording?' It snowballed into, 'Let's get together and rehearse,' and, 'Let's play live and do a real record.' "
The title of the band's new full-length "We went through a bunch of different ideas for the album title, but we thought 'Black is Back' was best, because we're here for the long haul," he said. "This isn't just a one-album project, and we're already working on our next album."
Musically, the release captures the raw energy of classic rock. It's available through Lansing-based Good Time Gang Records, which is owned by Lansing musician Tommy McCord of The Plurals. (Note: Although drummer Gomez plays drums on the new album, Casey Chahine is currently playing drums with Fade to Black, while Gomez takes a break.)
McGraw says the best part of being back with Fade to Black is the friendship.
"We have so much history together," he said. "I've been friends with our singer since I was 12 years old, and we're in our mid-40s now, so that friendship is amazing."
• Show details: Fade to Black, A Silent Echo, Sonorous Gale, 8 p.m. Friday Basement 414, 414 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing, 316-2019, free.
- Lansing State Journal
Some review comments of our new song, "Fool" from the music web site Garageband."Nice vocals, nice guitars - and that's a kick-ass solo. Melody - it's catchy, I'll give you that. I dig the tone of the vocals. I am liking the classic rock feel in the chorus. Great guitars/solo, and the drums sound pretty damn good. Sounds like, kind of a mish mash of The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath". - Grageband.com
Discography
"Land of Plenty" - album - 1990.
"Is This the End?" - album - 1991.
"Black is Back" - album - released on June 8, 2010.
"Live in Lansing" - live album - to be released in early 2011.
Photos
Bio
Fade To Black likes to describe their music as "Modern Classic Original Rock". Their music has been described as a cross between The Clash and Black Sabbath. They write a variety of rock music from hard rock, ballads, and punk.
Interesting facts about Fade To Black.
-Fade To Black's third album, "Black Is Back" was released on June 8th, 2010 on Good Time Gang Records. The album is available on iTunes and Amazon.
Their new song, "Hey Baby", has been played on BBC1 on Sirius Satellite Radio and on college radio in East Lansing, Los Angeles, Atlanta, St. Louis, and Las Vegas.
-Seven songs from their new album have been played on college radio and internet radio in the U.S.A., Canada, Italy, Germany, and the U.K.
-Their new song, "Fool", was awarded the "Indie Rock Track of the Day" on the music web site Garageband.com on May 26th, 2010.
-Fade To Black's new song, "Hey Baby" has been licensed to be used in an upcoming independent film called "Brain Dead" and their new song, "Comin' at Your Face" has been licensed for the independent film, "No Darkness"
- "Musically, the release (Black Is Back) captures the raw energy of classic rock". Anne Erickson, music critic for the Lansing State Journal.
-Review comments from Garageband.com music web site of our new song, "Fool". "Nice vocals, nice guitars - and that's a kick-ass solo. Melody - it's catchy, I'll give you that. I dig the tone of the vocals. I am liking the classic rock feel in the chorus. Great
guitars/solo, and the drums sound pretty damn good. Sounds like, kind of a mish mash of The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath".
-Fade To Black signed with Good Time Gang Records in December 2009
-The band name Fade To Black was chosen because it is a video term and all five original members have worked in the television production field
-All five members of Fade To Black contribute as song writers
-Two members of Fade To Black (Mike Anderson - vocals and Eldon McGraw - lead guitar) were part of a video production team that won an Emmy award
-Rhythm guitar player, Randy Matthews is an award winning professional stage actor and director
-Randy Matthews appeared as an actor in the film "The Cotton Club" directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He has also worked with Bruce Willis and Vincent D'Onofrio
-Eldon McGraw has directed a video production featuring classic rock musician Peter Frampton
-Mike Anderson is an award winning independent film director
-Jeff Behrendt (bass guitar) has a degree in Television Production and has produced award winning videos for over twenty years
-Casey Chahine (drums) is currently enrolled in a music management program
-The members of Fade To Black direct their own music videos
Fade To Black history... In 1989, Eldon McGraw (guitar) began writing and recording some original song demos in his home studio. Eldon was attending Lansing Community College in the Media Technology field. His wife, Bonnie, who was an audio engineer at Lansing Community College introduced Eldon to Tommy Gomez (drums) to work with Eldon on recording some of the songs at a local recording studio. Tommy was an aspiring professional actor and musician who was attending Lansing Community College. So in December of 1989, Eldon and Tommy started recording a few future Fade To Black songs.
The next member to join the group was Mike Anderson (vocals). Mike and Eldon were childhood friends. Mike had performed in various rock bands for years. Mike also attended Lansing Community College in the Media Technology field. Mike was an integral addition to the band because he possessed experience performing and additional songwriting capabilities.
Eldon called on another friend, Jeff Behrendt (bass), to join the group. Jeff and Eldon attended Waverly High School together where they developed a friendship. Jeff was a graduate of Ferris State University with a Television Production degree.
The final piece of the puzzle was the addition of Randy Matthews (guitar). Randy was a friend of Bonnie McGraw's and she introduced Randy to Eldon, who then invited Randy to join the group. Randy was attending Lansing Community College in the Media Technology field and he was also a professional actor. This group of players began rehearsing live in the the winter of 1990. The band, who did not have a name yet, worked on original songs written by all of the members. Their goal was to record an album and play live. After a few weeks of rehearsing, the band played their first "unofficial" gig at a house party in East Lansing, MI. Four of the members (Randy was not in attendance) of the band were attending a house party where another band were playing. The members of the band were asked if they wanted to play a few songs, and they agreed. Because Fade To Black was not their official name yet, they played this gig as "Vic Tayback's Memorial Spaghetti Western". The band played a small set of original tunes and they were met with a receptive audi
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