Music
Press
This band has no press
Discography
Album & Song Notes:
Drop Shop was recorded and produced over three years. On one hand, it's a very old-fashioned record: made with musicians, instruments, amplifiers, microphones, greasy stomp boxes, a soldering iron, analog everything, and even a tape machine. On the other, it couldn't have been made without the Internet's capacity to eliminate distance with broadband.
Generally, Steven and Brandon would work out the foundation (drums, bass, guitar, other parts) usually delivering sets of four songs at a time after collaborating live and online. Ben would then add elements, tweak arrangements, and add lyrics... then a 3-way flurry of files.
Between tier-1 $MM studios, living rooms, basements, and hotel rooms, the record took shape by Jan 07, and began finishing production and mixing over the third year...
1. "Imperials of the Rose Court" -
funky shuffle beat, down-and-dirty below, but sweet on top, "gangsta strings" ending
2. "Lifeline" -
160mph nighttime freeway funk with a twist of mod
3. "Call the Governor" -
straight-ahead rock-n-funk
4. "Rollerglow" -
summertime soul anthem for your rollerskate tape
5. "Look at What We Stepped in" -
junkyard" funk: heavy beat, janky guitar, and some Roger talkbox
6. "Messado" -
straight ahead laid-back jazz-funk
7. "Absoludicrous" -
radio friendly soul jam, many's fave song on the record
8. "Outward Spiral (featuring Myka Nyne)" -
from the speakeasy in space, madness from the inimitable, legendary creator of 'freestyle' Myka Nyne (subj of This Is the Life film about LA indie hip-hop)
9. "Flo Valley" -
like a river, Flo Valley twists and turns
10. "Southbriar" -
dreamy and soaring, on this song, "the vibe's fantastic"
11. "Stone Lunatic" -
the e.v.h and j.g.w. influence is showing here, killer outro
12. "Situation"
a showcase of Lockboxx power rock-n-funk
13. "Ice Night"
Chillin-n-funkin' with some mood swings
14. "Midnight Hot tub" -
Ayers-flavored boudoir funk
15. "Zoop Zoop" -
A Big Ending...
Links:
www.characterrecords.com
www.myspace.com/lockboxx (studio trx stream)
www.myspace.com/mrvigs (live trx stream)
www.myspace.com/mykanyne
Photos
Bio
Lockboxx "Drop Shop"
Band Members:
Steven Kray
Brandon Miles
Ben Viguerie
Steven Kray (drums):Born Dubuque, IA,
twenty years late for the first funk wave,
a worthy torch-bearer for his generation
of American funk. Lives Portland, OR.
Brandon Miles (guitar):Born and lives in Houston,
he has an encyclopedia of funk and jazz in his hands and original, fiery chops in his soul.
Ben Viguerie (keys):Born Houma, LA,
where funky music is abundant as the bayou critters they eat down there. Lives San Francisco.
Band Bio:
The members of Lockboxx have been playing music together for over a decade, beginning during their years in the fertile music scene of Denton, TX, home of the esteemed University of North Texas music and jazz programs.
Kray, a world-class audio engineer by day, besides being a damn-funky drummer, is also a collector and archivist of rare funk recordings, film and video. Ten years before YouTube and Tivo, you could watch Soul Train all day for a week of Sundays at Steven's... As the audio architect for the record, he stewarded the live, organic sonic approach of Drop Shop.
Miles grew up playing multiple instruments before choosing guitar for formal study. As a dedicated fan of soul and funk, Brandon's playing on Drop Shop
naturally evokes the tough sound of Funkadelic's Eddie Hazel and Gary Shider, while drawing on a range influences to nail down the funk and jazz guitar idioms from the 70's on this record.
Viguerie's recording and production career spans acclaimed releases in dub, house, techno, electro, hip-hop, funk, soul and rock... Ben's session and production talent is in high demand, recently contributing to Dub Gabriel's haunting Suicide cover "cheree" featuring Michael Stipe. Drop Shop is the first record in release to feature Ben's singing and vocal production. Benn is currently touring with Austin Latin sensation Grupo Fantasma and new Freestyle Records (UK - "Homenaje") artists Brownout (myspace.com/brownoutmusic)
Links
