NICKOLOFF

Nickoloff — Somebody's Got to Be Me

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VITAL STATS: Nickoloff is a local rock band fronted by singer John Nickoloff, a DeLand resident who operates heavy equipment for a local dozer service when he’s not rocking out. Before taking up heavy metal (of the equipment or music variety), Nickoloff dreamed of becoming a baseball player.

“I also wanted to be — hold your breath — a priest,” he says. “I think everybody is happy I chose music instead of the priesthood.”

His band includes guitarists Mike Cummings and Reg Monsanto, bassist Doug Driscoll and drummer Gian Marco.

THE MUSIC: John Nickoloff and company strut through swagger-filled arena rock on “The Next Time You See Me” and “All or Nothing.” Yet the lads don’t hesitate to lower the testosterone and get in touch with their inner pop-rocker, as on “Waiting” and “Lost and Found.” The latter finds Nickoloff’s near-falsetto skating over a hooky chorus and a breezy guitar shuffle — poppy maneuvers worthy of Peter Frampton (yes, that’s a big compliment).

“You Can Always Go Home” is a rootsy, bluesy, acoustic ballad that sounds like Jon Bon Jovi and Gregg Allman trading licks and road stories on a back porch.

SAMPLE LYRIC: From “You Can Always Go Home” — “Don’t let somebody else make your mind up for you ... friends aren’t friends forever, sometimes they separate. We’ve been through so much together to let this get away.”

YOU’LL LIKE THIS IF YOU LIKE: Poison, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue.

AVAILABLE AT: Nickoloff shows, myspace.com/nickoloffjohn, nickoloffrocks.com, Atlantic Sounds in Daytona Beach, Steve’s Downtown Music in DeLand. $10.

UPCOMING GIGS: Nickoloff CD release party with Luna Dementia, 9 p.m. Aug. 9, Bank & Blues Club, 701 Main St., Daytona Beach. Free.

- Daytona News Journal

J. Bird Entertainment Agency

When John Nickoloff personally delivered a fresh copy of his, yet to be released, CD to me I was standing at the FOH mixing console of a massive sound system assembled for Buckcherry's June 28 performance at Destination Daytona. My first inclination was to pop it in the CD player and crank up the volume. I wish I had.

Nickoloff's, "SOMEBODY'S GOT TO BE ME," should be played, not only loud, but often. The pre-release copy John handed me had the title inscribed in green, felt marker but there were no song titles; a coveted memorabilia of what promises to be a stellar CD when burned and released in July. Although I can not call the songs by name, I do know this, there are 9 original tracks and a bonus track covering, The Monkees "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone." A pleasant surprise was that the band, known for it's energy-charged stage performances, chose to soothe the CD with 3 ballads; any one of which could be the pick single from the recording.

To their credit, NICKOLOFF, filled the remaining tracks with the vitamin rich, power rock for which they are best known. And it is not just the variety of musical styles the band displays that makes this recording interesting; they achieve a "live concert" style on many of the songs and a very "in studio" sound for the remainder of the CD.
Front man, John Nickoloff employs a remarkable vocal range on every cut but his high register singing is best displayed on the CD's ballads. John's, full-throttle-cover-the-whole-stage, approach to live performances sometimes overshadows his true vocal talent
but; "SOMEBODY'S GOT TO BE ME," gives the listener a chance to savor that aspect of his performance.

Like the rest of the NICKOLOFF fan base I will have to wait for the CD release party to learn song titles and find out who wrote which song. Session musicians include
the same line up of recognizable talent that comprise NIICKOLOFF'S concert sets: Mike "Spike" Cummings on lead guitar, Bob Knoblich-bass guitar and Gian Marco on drums. The 9 original songs on "SOMEBODY'S GOT TO BE ME," feature each of NICKOLOFF'S exceptional players and followers of the band are sure to appreciate their unique approach to modern rock music.
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- J.Bird Talent Agency