High Voltage Magazine

The Day The World Stood Still... for me!

posted by CHELSEA | Friday, June 26, 2009 | 9:57 AM
There haven't been very many moments in my life where a celebrity death really stopped me dead in my tracks. I watched my father pause when Kurt Cobain & Jerry Garcia died. In fact, I think Jerry's death might have been the first time I can recall seeing my father cry. Guess now it's my turn to have someone's iconic lifetime effect me. Yes, I am talking about Michael Jackson.

On June 25th, 2009 Michael Jackson drew his last breathe. MJ has been a huge part of my life and I never gave up on the musical genius. No matter how "weird" people claimed him to be I continued to support his every move. Lets start in my childhood...

Some of my first memories involve a birthday party for Clifford Blieden where we went to, I believe, a Chili's Restaurant and found ourselves in front of our first Michael Jackson impersonator. Of course, I was young enough to believe it was actually MJ at that time. Not far after that I'd spend many afternoons after school watching Moonwalker. I'm pretty sure the VHS is still at my father's house in Houston. Soon CDs would become the new format and my brother would give me my first compact disc. What was it? Michael Jackson - Dangerous.

Then just a couple years back I had a conversation with my friend, Ashleigh, about how we don't understand how people can disregard his musical credibility for some of his personal actions. To me Michael Jackson's personal life was as important to me as Bill Clinton's. It's not my business and I still think they are both great individuals who did a lot for this country we live in. I was very happy that day to discover I wasn't alone in my support of the King of Pop.

Anyway, I could go on about this all day, but the point is how much Michael Jackson's impact on music will be missed. What artists do we have today that we will still be talking about and blasting loudly from our cars in 30 years?

Please take a moment to honor the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, in your own way today. And if you're in LA, join me for the Viper Room's Michael Jackson memorial on July 1st. It's free.

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The Dead Weather

posted by CHELSEA | Wednesday, June 17, 2009 | 9:26 PM
Ok, I admit I've never bought any album Jack White's previously put out. I've respected his work, dug a few tracks, and even accidentally even saw The Raconteurs live once. And now I find myself watching The Dead Weather live and I feel I may have missed out on something in the past few years. Maybe I was too quick to judge the simplicity of the White Stripes songs? Or maybe I just never really gave it a fair shot? I know I had one White Stripes album on a wishlist for awhile, but never picked it up.

Hmm... All I can say now is,

Jack White I salute you! Thanks for bringing a fantastic addition of a band to today's scene.

Rock N Roll at its finest tonight ladies and gentlemen, at its finest!

Chelsea

PS Posted a photo on our twitter. Follow us: @highvoltagemag


Sent from the road via BlackBerry.

The Last Political Protest Band

posted by CHELSEA | Tuesday, June 9, 2009 | 10:30 PM
I'm currently watching Living Things at The Roxy and I'm thinking this St Louis glam rock four piece band might be the last or at least only band of today trying to spread a message. Now when I say that I mean the way Bob Dylan and bands of the 60s/70s fought for equality, free love and no war. Every single Living Things song speaks out against political unjustice in the USA. On top of that they are a rock band - not hardcore, screamo or any of that - rock n roll!!

To my generation, where's our fight? When will we all join Living Things and stand up for our generations just rights?

Chelsea

Sent from the road via BlackBerry.

I Can't Stop The Beat

posted by CHELSEA | Thursday, June 4, 2009 | 4:09 PM
I've got a couple of albums I can't stop spinning right now and felt the need to talk about them further on this space.

1. Cage The Elephant - Cage The Elephant: These San Diego "hipsters" are really leaving quite the impression everywhere they go. Their debut album has a good four singles (at least) on it and their live show doesn't disappoint. On top of that, the tunes stick in your head for days -- which is why I barely take a break from listening to this disc.
Key Tracks: "In One Ear", "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked", and "Back Against The Wall".



2. Band of Skulls - Baby Darling Dollface Honey: British rockers that will surely take America by storm if Shangri-La Music (Home to other artist sensations such as The Duke Spirit & Amazing Baby) & myself have anything to say about it. Their brand of blues-rock is simply irresistible. Think a bastard child of a nasty divorce by The White Stripes & The Raconteurs.
Key Tracks: The entire album!

- Chelsea Schwartz

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Ladies & Gentlemen, The Yelling

posted by CHELSEA | Monday, June 1, 2009 | 6:02 PM
I recently discovered the newest "it' band for everyone to check out. They are called The Yelling. Based in Los Angeles and playing The Viper Room every two weeks for the next six weeks, The Yelling are a band that doesn't disappoint. The singer, Nathaniel Cox, sounds like a cross of Cedric Bixler-Zavala from the Mars Volta & Josh Ostrander from Eastern Conference Champions. The band's sound is deeply rooted in Black Sabbath, but crosses into their own blend of gothic-blues rock that will leave you craving MORE MORE MORE.

Jump on this bandwagon early and watch them explode!

The Yelling's Myspace

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