Sabotage used to be a legitimate workforce negotiation tactic. Hunnypot Live! unleashes this tactic every other week, so listen up y'all. Hot Tub Johnnie started by unionizing us with a music set of workforce rhythm and melody. Our industry guest Michael Levine laid out the hard truths of upper management and the workers in music. Cassie Holt and the Lost Souls punched our clocks with sweet rock n roll music, Grand Canyon provided an Americana vacation out west, Cloudtalk gave us a breakroom of clear sky pop music and Kosha Dillz makes his performances feel like a national holiday. 9-5-16
- J.Gray
Michael Levine has been widely regarded as one of the world's premier branding and media expert for the last thirty years. He has represented a record breaking 58 Academy Award winners, 34 Grammy Award winners, and 43 New York Times best-sellers, authored 19 books (including 5 best sellers such as "Broken Windows, Broken Business" and "Guerrilla P.R."), and appeared on countless TV shows as a media expert including regular slots on "Good Morning, America" and "The Today Show" for the last 20 years. His work has also included media council to former presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. Born with dyslexia, Levine is also the only person without a college degree to lecture at both Harvard and Oxford University. According to his success as a publicist, Michael Levine has also become a sought after public speaker. And through his career at Levine Communications Office (LCO) he represented many celebrity clients including David Bowie, Sandra Bullock, Michael J. Fox, Demi Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Prince and Barbra Streisand among many others. Levine even represented the King of Pop Michael Jackson in 93 & 94'!
Cassie Holt and The Lost Souls originally formed in 2013.
Front woman Cassie Holt is a Dallas native who has been singing/songwriting for more than a decade. She started playing open mics in high school, spent many years writing and singing hooks for local hip hop artists, and most recently grew her sound with an amazingly talented group of musicians. Together they create an atmosphere that is unmatched. The chemistry on stage between them is evident and it overflows to the audience. Holt’s sultry vocals fill the room and warm your insides. Her powerful belts grab your attention as the bands incredibly tight performance keeps it. Each member comes from a different style background, adding variety and uniqueness to their sound. Holt’s lyrics have a mature rawness to them that so much modern music lacks, touching on everything from domestic violence to heartbreak. The groups almost comical banter is sometimes turned into impromptu songs on stage. The group has grown together over the last year and hopes to soon reach every household here, and ultimately over seas. Cassie Holt and the Lost Souls have had performances on live television and they have performed at an array of venues including the Dallas Museum of Art, Fair Park in Dallas, the Dallas Arts District's Annual Fall Block Party, and the Dallas Whiskey Festival...and they continue to entertain regularly at a number of various clubs, festivals, weddings, and events.
Grand Canyon is a rock n roll band out of Los Angeles, CA including Casey Shea (vocals and guitar), Jillette Johnson (vocals and keys), Joe Guese (guitar), Adam Popick (bass), Tom Polce (drums), and Matt Pynn (guitar and pedal steel). Formerly all east coasters, the band members migrated to Los Angeles, and created Grand Canyon on the east side of town in 2015.
WHO - CloudTalk is a four member alternative pop-rock band from Northern Los Angeles, who have begun to get some notice on the local scene (105,000+ followers on Vine and counting). With guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and vocal harmonies, TJ, Gabe, and Jordan are ready to bring their unique chemistry to any size venue.
SOUND - By combining a knack for catchy melodies (think Maroon 5 or One Republic), chasing a big sound quality (think Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, fun.) and infusing a little rock edge (a la Killers, Temper Trap, Neon Trees), you’ll get some idea of the recipe for success that CloudTalk is ready to take to the masses. They also draw inspiration from other artists, and it’s easy to imagine them touring with bands as diverse as Young The Giant, Bastille, Two Door Cinema Club, Foster The People, New Politics, the Naked and Famous, Walk the Moon, the 1975, Passion Pit and The Neighborhood.
WHAT’S NEXT - Despite wearing their various influences on their sleeve, CloudTalk has a sound that is all its own, thanks in part to TJ’s distinct lead vocals and a gift for crafting hooks that stay with you after the final note lingers. With two full album’s worth of material they can play gigs of various lengths and are ready to explode onto the music scene in a big way.
Rami Matan Even-Esh (??????: ??? ??? ???-??), better known by his stage name Kosha Dillz, is an American rapper and world class improv artist that has recieved major attention for his dedication to success. He has played every kind of gig, ranging from shows with Rza of the Wu Tang Clan and Matisyahu, to the Legendary Yo Gabba Gabba childrens show. He is most known for his ability to improv in front of thousands of people an rap in hebrew and spanish combined.
Indie soulful pop artist/songwriter Melanie Taylor got "inta my heart" when she collaborated with house-pop producer duo Unanimo from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This two-time winner Artist In Music Awards is a breakout star with past coverage on PopDust, Just Jared Jr, and more, who established herself as one of the hottest rising star in the pop orb.
In recent Popdust issue, Jason Scott wrote "if Michael Jackson and Alanis Morissette had a love child, you would get Melanie Taylor." This Swedish electro dance label signed artist has her music featured on Pandora, have herself nominated at LA Music Awards, and ranked Top 40 in the National DRT US Indie Radio Charts.
Melanie's music video "Inta My Heart" describes what she was feeling when she met her guy - "wanting to be guarded, but when someone is so awesome it's hard to throw that away." It was fun for her to collaborate with Bosnia-based house-pop producer duos Unanimo, fully utilizing technology and communicating through Skype and email. Unanimo stands for two friends - Alem Čagalj and Mevludin Talović, who truly enjoy spending their time at the studio, because music is their life paths.
Determined and greatly inspired by her parents and step-parents, Melanie is bleeding sweat and tears into perfecting her work. Her dream is to be one of the greatest pop stars, and will never stop since music is what brings her true joy. Perhaps you could make her dream closer to reality by checking out her music video!
Melanie will be performing for Hunnypot Live at the Mint on Oct 3. Get your hearts ready for her.
Straight out of Silverlake, Paper Pilots have quickly taken over the local music scene with their soulful version of the “Britpop” sound. Lead by Justin Bocchieri, this band first started gaining an impressive fan base when their cover of the Zombies’ “She’s Not There” was featured on the HBO series, True Blood. This soundtrack was later nominated for a Grammy and secured them the spot of playing live on the show. Paper Pilots have performed locally many times, including our legendary Hunnypot Radio Live show. They have also performed at Echo Park Rising 2015, Chinatown Summer Nights, Blind Date LA, KROQ’s “Locals Only” at The Slide Bar, as well as notable venues such as The Satellite, The Bootleg Theater, and the Troubadour.
Their new video for their song, “The Weather” is as simple as it is hypnotic. Portraying black and white videos of Bocchieri singing, overlain with geometric shapes, the video draws attention to the haunting vocals and flowing instrumentals showcased in this song. Produced by Grammy-nominated engineer and producer, Luke Tozour (Katy Perry, Adam Lambert, Jamie Cullum) and mixed by Grammy-winning engineer, Paul Hicks (Coldplay, Elliot Smith, Paul McCartney), “The Weather” is the latest and greatest from this soon to be everywhere, California band.
Hunnypot are down with Die Antwoord for LIFE!
New album 'MOUNT NINJI AND DA NICE TIME KID' coming Sep. 16! Pre-order now: https://dieantwoord.lnk.to/mountninjiYD. SUBSCRIBE on YouTube: http://smarturl.it/dieantwoordyoutube & Spotify: http://smarturl.it/dieantwoord_spotify.
ON TOUR: http://www.dieantwoord.com/
Follow DA on:
Facebook: http://smarturl.it/da_facebook
Instagram: http://smarturl.it/da_instagram
Twitter: http://smarturl.it/da_twitter
ZEF GRAFFITI based on the work of ROGER BALLEN.
Director - Ninja & Terence Neale
Over the years, there have been very few bands that have been able to develop a solid blueprint for long-term success. Many have tried and failed, while others have gone the distance and remained relevant in this “modern age” of music. Artists like The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Rush are among those elite who have withstood the test of time and continued to perform at the top of their game over careers that have literally spanned decades. Another such band that sits among these time-tested heavyweights is Yes. Founded in London, England in 1968, this progressive rock band has endured everything from multiple lineup changes to breaking up and everything in between over an incredible 45+ year career. I had always heard great things about Yes and their live performances, but never actually got a chance to see them in concert. Instead, I had to rely on their extensive catalog while hoping that the stars would align and one day would be able to catch this iconic band live here in Southern California. Well, I finally got to check Yes off my concert “bucket-list” and got to see them live and in-person on Saturday night.
As I entered The Grove in Anaheim, CA, I could immediately feel that this show was going to be special. The venue was packed, and an electricity filled the air that I had not felt at a concert in quite some time. As the legions of Yes fans waited in anticipation for the show to begin, I could not help but wonder if these guys would live up to my ultra-high expectations (heck, who really does these days?) Waiting for the show to begin, I struck up a conversation with a gentleman who shared with me this was his 118th Yes show (you heard that right - #118!) I could not believe he had been to that many shows (which averages out to be almost 3 shows per year over the bands entire career). After sharing some addition fun-facts about Yes, he told me to strap myself in for an unbelievable night of music. At that very moment, the lights dropped and this sold-out crowd went absolutely crazy. The giant LCD screens began to flash funky psychedelic images (made famous by long-time Yes artist Roger Dean), and the band everyone had been waiting patiently to see was finally taking the stage.
As a short prelude came to an end, vocalist Jon Davison, bassist Billy Sherwood, keyboardist Geoff Downes, drummer Jay Schellen (filling in for the ailing Alan White), and the legendary guitarist Steve Howe all took the stage. After a few brief waves to the crowd, the band was off and running with their 10-minute epic “Machine Messiah”, off of their 1980 classic LP, Drama (which was played in its entirety). Act I concluded with two of my favorite early catalog tracks – “I’ve Seen Good People” and “Siberian Khatru”. Both tracks were clean, crisp, and instrumentally spot-on. What stood out to me throughout the opening set was the cohesiveness of the latest incarnation of this band. It would stand to reason that the complexity of these songs might be challenging to some of the newer band members – especially Davison and Schellen. However, their performances were nothing short of amazing and ultimately delivered a near-flawless performance.
After short intermission, the band launched into another 10-minute masterpiece, “And You and I” (off of the 1972 LP Close to the Edge). This was immediately followed by selections from Tales from Topographic Oceans. My favorite track from this album was “Leaves of Green” - an excerpt from “The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun)”. Davison’s vocals were masterful and Howe’s sheer brilliance on guitar mesmerized the Yes faithful into a trance-like state that lasted up until the final chord of “Nous Sommes du Soleil”. Simply breathtaking. The show wrapped up with a killer encore consisting of fan-favorites “Roundabout” and “Starship Trooper”. There was not a single person at The Grove in their seats during their final reprise. Everyone (and I mean everyone) was out of their chair singing and celebrating with a band they have grown to love over the past four decades. There could not have been a better ending to this powerful set.
When the dust had settled and everyone was back on solid ground, I finally had a chance to collect my thoughts. Did Yes live up to all the hype and exceed my expectations? One word – Absolutely. Howe, Downes, Davison, Schellen, and Sherwood laid all of their cards on the table and pulled out all of the stops in this once-in-a-lifetime show. It was clear to everyone that what was just witnessed was a special performance (and maybe one of their best on their 2016 Album Series Tour). Maybe Jon Davison said it best earlier in the show, “It’s been a great tour, but my heart belongs to OC”. Coincidence? I think not. If you get a chance to see these guys live on tour this fall, please do. It’s definitely a “bucket-list” type of show that leaves nothing (and everything) to one’s imagination.
For more information on Yes and their current US tour – Click here.
Set List:
Act 1
Drama:
I’ve Seen All Good People
Siberian Khatru
Act 2:
And You and I
Selections from Tales from Topographic Oceans
Encore:
Roundabout
Starship Trooper
Stay Frosty and Rock On!
The ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO puts you face-to-face with some of the world's most successful songwriters, composers, artists, producers and music business leaders, all who willingly share their knowledge and expertise and give you the know-how to take your music to the next level.
Our own Jeff Gray gives everyone a preview of what it's like to attend the ASCAP EXPO...
Don't miss this years ASCAP EXPO!
April 13-15, 2017
Loews Hollywood Hotel
Los Angeles, California
Special thanks to:
Hunnypot, Bobbi Marcus PR, Media Liberated, ASCAP, attendees, interviewees, panelists, sponsors & staff of ASCAP EXPO 2016!
Director: Ryan Taalbi Editor/Camera: Preston Taalbi Camera: Bronson Taalbi
'On The Verge'
Written by Scott Hinds
Performed by The Royal Hounds
Courtesy of Hunnypot Unlimited
From Newcastle upon Tyne, UK duo Those Who Burn first met performing an improvised set at the legendary 'Star and Shadow' Cinema of Ouseburn Valley. Following the performance they set up studio in a disused industrial unit honing improvised sketches and schizophrenic sound in collaboration with other innovative musicians and vocalists.
Described as "gritty, engaging and aggressive", Those Who Burn utilize surreal imagery and veer from grand cinematic soundscapes to abrasive subversive rock, delicate ambient melody, synth drone and spacious trippy break-beats delivered with an ethos that resists categorization and stylistic inertia.
Those Who Burn resonate in the multimedia context of Film and Television as on your turntable, radio or mp3 player.
All Compositions and Sound Recordings are represented by Hunnypot exclusively.
Come out to the Mint this Friday, 8/26! Our own Hot Tub Johnnie will be DJing this amazing show stacked full of five bands that is sure to be a good time.
For tickets and information about the bands click here!
The Olympics are over but Hunnypot Live! keeps delivering winning gold medal music.
Monday night was off to the races with a Hot Tub Johnny DJ set that vaulted our poles and and volleyed our balls. The marathon relay continued with our guest DJ Yvette Metoyer (SuperMusicVision) DJ set that brought in gold, silver and even bronze feels. Bevin Hamilton represented the "country" of Americana for a freestyle event, there was no equestrian that Lyrical Groove got all our hooves dancing, Madeline Spooner swung it out of the park with her electronic flavor sounds and Hot Sauce Holiday was so busy having fun and entertaining they forgot there was any competition. 8-22-16
-J. Gray
Yvette Metoyer grew up in sunny Southern California and spent many countless hours scoring life’s memories by making mixtapes (yes, tapes) for her high school and college friends. Inspired by her love of music and TV at an early age, she pursued a career in television production after having graduated from Cal State Long Beach.
After having worked on several successful shows, including HBO’s Big Love, a lengthy WGA writers’ strike shut down all LA productions, and Yvette decided to take a music supervision extension course at UCLA, where she met one of the top music supervisors in the game, Thomas Golubic´. A one year apprenticeship with Thomas’ company SuperMusicVision blossomed into a nearly ten year working relationship with exciting collaborations on multiple film & TV projects, including the Emmy award winning AMC series Breaking Bad, the zombie apocalypse ratings juggernaut The Walking Dead, the delightfully smart and charming Breaking Bad prequel, Better Call Saul, the Cinemax thriller series Outcast, and the witty comedic drama series Grace & Frankie. Yvette has recently been promoted as co-music supervisor on the critically acclaimed AMC series Halt and Catch Fire and is sure to continue expanding on her impressive resume.
Bevin is an Alternative Rock Artist pinning her genre as 'American Gothic Rock'. She is a solo Artist/Songwriter residing in the city of angels, both dark and light. Her background in music stems from classical to classic rock, and is evident in her songs. She has toured, written and/or worked with the likes of Motley Crue, Tim Armstrong, and Jimmy Cliff. She has honed her songwriting skills with many Nashville writers and Artists and continues to expand and push through music stereotypes and barriers.
Her songs explore the inner and outer landscapes of the American Dream.... How we see the world and how the world sees us. The characters that populate her songs are indeed ghosts and fringe dwellers and plucky heroines. The fighters, dreamers, Rebels, Visionaries... In her creative vision all these psychological archetypes and spiritual aspects of our selves get to be unleashed, and heard.
Her EP “Filters and Frames” was produced in Los Angeles by world renowned Producer, Mixer and Songwriter James Michael. James has produced records from artists such as Motley Crue, Scorpions and Papa Roach and has had hits with Kelly Clarkson and James Durbin to Meatloaf. He is also the Lead singer of the band Sixx: AM.
The Lyrical Groove is a band that combines cohesively crafted spoken word and live instrumentation to inspire and entertain. With a musical style that balances Jazz, Hip Hop, Blues, R&B, Gospel, and Soul, The Lyrical Groove infuses a potent message with a social consciousness and spiritual awareness that sings to your humanity and moves your soul.
The Lyrical Groove was formed under the motivation of spoken word artist, Kendrick Dial, to have live music accompany his performance of poetry. The pursuit of collaboration then began with Louisiana born friend and drummer, Glenn “GK” Sanders and keyboardist, Mike Smith. The group officially formed in November 2010, after a gig at the Ruby Room in San Diego, CA. An overwhelming, affirming crowd response cemented in the group’s minds what their hearts were warming up to. In July 2011, the band was joined by musical Bay Area native guitarist, Mike “Token” Benedetto, Jacob “Cubby” Miranda on bass and their ultra-talented vocalist Brisa Lauren in 2012.
The Lyrical Groove just released their debut full-length album, Spoken Soul: Music For Life, which is a catalogue of spoken words and songs that mirror the genres that inspire the band. The Lyrical Groove has been one of San Diego’s hardest working bands over the last 4 years. If you are a lover of musicianship, lyrical inspiration, and wit accompanied by an awe-inspiring live performance, then Lyrical Groove is the band for you. Music is one of the most barrier-bridging elements of life. Lyrical Groove is a band that embodies that sentiment.
The Lyrical Groove as performed all over San Diego, CA at a collage of events ranging from fund-raisers, church and youth programs, music concerts, wine tastings, to numerous events/venues such as the San Diego IndieFest, Anthology, Humphrey’s Backstage Lounge, Winston’s, and The House of Blues.
Madeline Spooner is an experimental electronic pop artist based out of Los Angeles. Her latest EP, NAUTILUS, is an amalgamation of organic and electronic instrumentation that perfectly frames her spellbinding vocals.
From her roots as a Midwestern native, Madeline has married her early acoustic storytelling with her affection for electronic music. She draws inspiration from the non-standard pop sensibilities of artists like Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, and The Doors as well as the esoteric tendencies of Coco Rosie, The Knife and Kate Bush.
Chris Douridas of KCRW first premiered Madeline on the airwaves on his Saturday radio show. Subsequently, Madeline was invited to a successful May residency at the Satellite, where she released her first single from NAUTILUS. Respected music columnist Kevin Bronson (BuzzbandsLA) first debuted the single on KCSN. He wrote:
"Had to Let It Go, a dreamy communiqué about shucking the weight of the world, embodies the mystical themes on the EP. With its airy flourishes and cinematic sweep, [it] has the same je ne sais quoi as the more experimental work of Marina and the Diamonds. It’s good for letting go.”
Quirky curio instruments combine with analogue synths in a lush panoramic landscape, where Spooner endeavors to maintain a soulfulness in her rich and expansive contemporary sound. Madeline’s co-producer and collaborator, Ethan Allen (Tricky, Ben Harper, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Patty Griffin) shares these same sentiments, resulting in a cohesive vision for inspired sonics and thought-provoking lyrics.
As a two-time first place award winner for the American Songwriting Awards, executive director Joseph Paulos highly lauded her by writing, “Madeline’s vibrant pop sound with psychedelic twists and turns keep listeners wanting more. We believe she is going to redefine the independent music scene.”
NAUTILUS will be available on July 31st on www.madelinespooner.bandcamp.com, www.madelinespooner.com, iTunes and all major digital retailers.
Hot Sauce Holiday is for everyone that wants to kick over their office desks and start dancing. We are for the eccentric outsiders, the burners, and the lovers. Join us in taking on the banality of convention.
Hot Sauce Holiday is a four piece cabaret rock band from Los Angeles. Their live shows emphasize crowd participation and a great deal of improv. Bongo-solos, skits, poetry, and dance numbers have been known to break out. They have been known to feature burlesque dancers, hula hoop artists, and scandalous routines involving Playboy playmates. Genre-wise the sound varies from song to song drawing influence from 60's psychedelic and folk, to early punk, 80's electro, disco, and even a bit of barbershop. The song lyrics are surreal and witty with every band member trading off on vocals or singing in harmonies. In addition to over 20 originals the band has a variety of party cover songs they are able to play ranging from George Michael to Motorhead.
So leave the outside world behind you for a couple hours and come experience the originality, joy, and chaos that is Hot Sauce Holiday. Hunnypot Approved good time guarantee!
Scott Stapp is considered by many to be one of the top vocalists of the 1990’s. His thought-provoking lyrics and high-energy stage presence were a welcome change in a post-grunge scene that seemed more pop oriented and less-substantive than its heavyweight predecessors like Nirvana or Pearl Jam. Upon the release of My Own Prison in 1997, Stapp and Creed quickly ascended to the top of the Billboard Charts with three #1 hits - a feat that no other band had accomplished with a debut album. Over the next few years, the band’s popularity skyrocketed including a certified diamond LP, Human Clay, and a Grammy in 2001 for Best Rock Song with their hit, “With Arms Wide Open”. Creed was definitely a household name and arguably one of the most popular bands on the planet. Unfortunately, all of the fame and fortune that comes with success came crashing down on Stapp in 2004 when Creed parted ways. Regardless of reason for their break up, it was the first in a series of tragic events that would stigmatize (and ultimately reshape) Scott Stapp into the man he is today.
On Saturday August 20th, Scott Stapp rose from the ashes to perform for an intimate crowd at Club Vibe inside of the Morongo Casino in Cabazon, CA. Expectations were high for the near-capacity crowd, many of which had already seen Scott Stapp perform numerous times on his 2016 Proof of Life Tour. As lights dimmed, energy levels began to skyrocket as frenzied fans began to push their way towards the stage. Strobes flashed green and blue as lead guitarist Ioannis Papadopoulos, rhythm guitarist Ben Flanders, bass guitarist Sammy Hudson, and drummer Dango Cellan all took their place on stage. After a short prelude, Scott Stapp joined the band center stage, grabs the mic, and screams, “I think they shoot cause they want it.” And at that moment, all bets were off in Cabazon as the band launched into 2001 anthem “Bullets”. Based on Stapp’s energy and emotion, it was clear that this was going to be a special night.
Over the next two hours, Scott Stapp mesmerized the Southern California crowd with a brilliant setlist comprised of classics from his years with Creed as well as lesser known tracks off his solo LP Proof of Life. Standards such as “My Own Prison”, “With Arms Wide Open”, and “Higher” were played with a reckless abandon that transported many back to their first Creed concert. Stapp’s vocals were spot-on, and showed no signs of rust as he brilliantly maneuvered the 90-minute 12 song set. In addition, Scott’s band was absolutely amazing. Papadopoulos and Flanders electrified the crowd with brilliant guitar work coupled with a kick-ass stage presence that left nothing on the table the entire show. Hudson’s bass lines were sick, and Dango’s stick work was truly intoxicating. The way these guys played together, you’d think they had been touring for the last 15 years. Scott Stapp wrapped up the evening with an amazing encore featuring two of my favorite songs, “One Last Breath” and “My Sacrifice”. You could tell from the look in his eyes that he did not want the night to end, and he connected with as many fans as possible up until the last note was played. What an epic show.
From his humble beginnings as the son of a Pentecostal Minister to now solo-artist, Scott Stapp has lived a full life with many highs (and even more lows) over a complex 20-year career. His self-admitted struggles with drugs, alcohol, and mental illness have taken him on a fascinating journey that most could not fathom, only to come out on the other side a better human being, father, and husband. And to get back in the game after all that Stapp has gone though is an incredible feat all to itself. Saturday’s show at Morongo was a testament that anything is possible with focus, determination, along with the unconditional love and support from one’s family. If this inspiring performance was any indication of things to come for Scott Stapp, the sky’s is definitely the limit going forward. Saturday's performance is one of my top 10 for 2016 and definitely a “must-see” show!
Click Here to find out when Scott Stapp is playing in your area on his 2016 Proof of Life Tour.
Set List (8/20):
Stay Frosty and Rock On!