Major Magick

http://www.news.appstate.edu/2009/10/28/cd-release-party/ - The Appalachian

http://www.fayettevillefeed.com/2009/09/24/the-fayetteville-feed-podcast-ep-11-major-magick/ http://www.fayettevillefeed.com/2009/09/24/the-fayetteville-feed-podcast-ep-11-major-magick/ - Fayetteville Feed

Story by David Brewer
Boone quintet Major Magick signed to ASU�s student-run Split Rail Records last week. The band will release their debut album in April.

Last week, ASU�s student-run Split Rail Records added Boone-based rock-soul-fusion band Major Magick to their growing stable of artists. The band was signed on the strength of their performance at a Split Rail-sponsored battle of the bands at the Dragonfly Theater last November, beating out Hope Massive and the Major Sevens for the coveted label slot.

�[I�m] excited to work with them,� Director Music Industry Studies program Kim Wangler. �They�re a great band.�

The bumpy negotiation process between the band and the label lasted more than a month, resulting in two contracts: one for recording and a separate one for publishing rights. Split Rail obtains all profits from publishing and CD sales until expenses incurred while producing the album have been recouped. After that, profits from CD sales are split 50/50 between the label and the band.

During the last several months, Major Magick has been making waves in the High Country music scene. The band, which consists of lead singer Stephon LaMar, drummer Nate Osborne, bassist Cody Adams, keyboard player Mike Runyon and guitarist Kyle Rozich, has been making the rounds at all the local clubs including Murphy�s, the Dragonfly Theater & Pub, Legends and others.

The band hit the recording studio on Sunday, February 8, to begin sessions for their debut album. According to Derek Cohen, head of Split Rail public relations, the label hopes to complete the recording process by mid-March and release the album in late April.

A CD release party is already in the works and will take place at the Dragonfly Theater & Pub on Saturday, May 2, where the band will play the new disc in its entirety.

Split Rail Records signs and records approximately one new band every semester. The label is currently taking submissions and applications for distribution deals for bands that want more exposure and marketing opportunities. Bands interested in signing in the future are welcome to submit demos and can also submit music for the MEISA festival and ASU�s Battle of the Bands at Legends, both of which will be held this spring.

For more information on Split Rail Records, click to www.myspace.com/splitrailrecords. To hear music by Major Magick, click to www.myspace.com/majormagick. - High Country Press

Major Magick Brings Genre Busting Sounds To Murphy’s New Year’s Eve
Story by David Brewer

It would be virtually impossible to count the number of bands that have suffered because of their incredible versatility coupled with a total lack of stylistic focus. A particularly common pitfall among jambands, the jack-of-all-trades approach to performing usually only works when bands find ways to inject their identity in multiple musical settings.

With musical chops to spare, Boone’s Major Magick is the sort of band that can deliver bone crushing, over-the-top riff rock that immediately recalls some of Zappa’s finer moments. And like Zappa, the band is also capable of totally shifting gears, transforming from wailing rock gods to deliver tender soul ballads with a soft touch and pop rock gems that sound as though they could be climbing the charts.

At the heart of Major Magick’s progressive sound is frontman Stephon LaMar. With lead guitarist Kyle Rozich, keyboard player Mike Runyon, bassist Cody Adams and drummer Nate Osborne driving the grooves, LaMar is the band’s glue, exuding confidence as he deftly navigates between genres on the considerable strength of his soul-drenched vocals.

“You can always just call it rock at the end of the day, but it’s more than that,” said LaMar.

On Wednesday, December 31, Major Magick will bring their power-packed live show to ring in the new year at Murphy’s. Blind Hillbilly Masters will open the show.

According to Rozich, the band began rehearsing last January. Soon after, Rozich met LaMar during a Thursday night jam at Murphy’s. The two hit it off and LaMar soon began applying his skills with the band.

“I was blown away by how tight they sounded and how original the music was,” said LaMar.

LaMar hasn’t been the only one listening. A few months ago, Major Magick was one of three bands selected by ASU’s Split Rail Records to record a four-song EP. Following the completion of the EP, the band was invited to the Dragonfly Theater & Pub to compete against bands Hope Massive and The Major Sevens, each of whom also recorded an EP for Split Rail.

According to Rozich and LaMar, Major Magick received an overwhelmingly positive crowd response, nearly selling out of their EP. While the quintet are currently in discussions with Split Rail about the possibility of recording an album to be released next year, Rozich and LaMar are already mulling the many creative decisions that must be made for an album’s worth of original material, including the elusive task of defining the band’s sound in a more distinctive way.

“I’m a big fan of the album format—having everything together,” said Rozich. “But at the same time, we’ve got to make the songs work on their own.”

While it may be impossible to label Major Magick’s music, the band’s intent is clear: to create an undeniably energetic body of songs and deliver epic live shows that force audiences to get involved instead of merely absorbing the music from their bar stools.

“You have to make it more than the music,” said LaMar. “You can taste us; you can feel us; you can smell us in your face.”

To hear Major Magick’s music, click to www.myspace.com/majormagick. - High Country Press

Getting Funky with Major Magick

by Tiffany Allison

George Clinton’s famous catch phrase, “We want the funk, give us that funk,” is exactly what comes to mind when listening to Boone’s own Major Magick. With a blend of rock, funk and soul, this group transcends expectations of most up-and-coming musicians. Their sound is tight with every note serving a specific purpose.

“From song to song, it changes,” Cody Adams, bass player, said. “We’ll play soul one minute and funk the next.”

Recently signed by Split Rail Records, the group is expecting to have their full-length album available by May, but they already have their Feats of Strength EP available on MySpace. The group is spending most of their time in the studio refining their tracks.

“We’ve got a great sound,” Adams said. “Everything is falling together.”

With every member of the band bursting with talent, their songs are collaboratively written. To insure that each song received ample attention, their album was written as individual songs instead of in album form.

“It’s a huge collaborative effort,” Adams said. “We’re all decent writers.”

Former guitar player for Laura Reed & Deep Pocket and the Melissa Reaves Group, Kyle Rozich adds electricity to the mix with his powerful guitar riffs. His influences include Frank Zappa, Les Claypool and Prince. Rozich is ready to dedicate his full attention to his music career, but is waiting for everything to fall into place. And, like most young groups hoping to make it big, timing is crucial to ensure a successful music career.

“I’d love for it just to be music, and be able to feed myself, but that’s not how things are right now,” he said. “Seeing this pool of talent in this group doesn’t come around very often. Everyone brings something to the table.”

Playing for 12 years, Adams has developed an eclectic style influenced by Les Claypool and Jaco Pastorious. He considers crowd feedback as one high point of his musical career, which he said makes it worthwhile to be a musician.

“Whether I get 10 bucks or 100 bucks, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “It keeps you going, and it’s nice to be appreciated.”

Stephan LaMar, Major Magick’s front man, climaxes the listener’s musical senses when mixed with the rest of the group. His voice is an instrument of its own, with his smooth, seductive sound. He’s like a cold glass of water on a hot day–refreshing, crisp and just what your body needs.

A musician in Appalachian State University’s orchestra and a classically trained pianist, Mike Runyon adds a little classical feel to the group. Influenced by Chic Correa and Thelonious Monk, Runyon intends to make their music the way he thinks it should be–good.

Last, but not least, the rhythm behind the funk, Nate Osborne leads the group as the backbone of their sound. Stemming from a family of musicians, Osborne has been around cymbals and tom-toms since he can remember. His style ranges from funk and rock to hip-hop and jazz.

As far as their live performance, the band hopes to integrate new visuals to add, to involve their audience. The group has pushed this goal to the extreme, having people pop out of trashcans and some friends running around in a green suit during their sets, challenging people to dance offs.
“We try to bring things that we want bands to do on stage,” Adams said.

With new venues opening in Boone, like the DragonFly Theatre and Pub, Boone is transforming into a Petri dish full of new musical talent. Adams feels that it is time to upgrade on live performances. With the soft economy, he wants to give his audience their money’s worth.

“If they are going to come out and see us, then we will give them an experience that they paid for, and more,” he said.

For more information on Major Magick, check out their MySpace at: http://www.myspace.com/majormagick.
- www.crankitmag.com