Awesome Bands=Awesome Night

For those of you who had the chance to come down to Hawaiian Brians last night you know whats up.  The show was seriously off the hook!  A huge list of bands including many Alternative Hi artists.  I personally had way too much fun, great music and great people.

Erika Elona Band (pic by Joah Buley)

I had the honor of playing with three of the bands last night including the wonderful Erika Elona Band.  Featuring Erika Elona on vocals and acoustic guitar, Brandon Apeles on bass, Mike Nakamoto on drums, and myself on electric guitar.  We started off nice and slow and quickly warmed up with Erika's original, "What You Do to Me."  After playing both her latest single "Easier" and song featured on the Alternative HI album "Smoke Signals,"  we finished off with "Fans" by Kings of Leon.  We begin recording Erika's album in a couple of weeks at Soul Sound Studios.

Broke Aesthetic (pic by Joah Buley)

Second set was Broke Aesthetic which was KILLER. It was just incredibly fun and I felt possessed by the music.  Max, Mike, and myself worked out our new set with some new material and I feel it went off pretty well!  All three of us were pretty nervous at first but after the first song, "Lovely," we loosened up pretty quickly.  We will be playing at the end of the month on March 31st at the Waikiki Sandbox for this months Top Shelf!

Sex Puppet

Finishing the night was Sex Puppet.  Featuring Makke Farley on lead vocals, Ken Lykes and myself on guitar, Taisuke Tanaka on bass, and Stephen Lock on drums. We started off the night with our single featured on the upcoming Alternative HI album titled, "My Chevelle," which kicked us off to a good start.  Running through our old tunes, it felt really good to get back stage with the gang.  Sex Puppet recently has just returned to the scene, and intends to make more and more appearances in the next couple of months!



Saving Cadence, Virgin Mary, Mano Kane, Desert Sea, Alexia, and Danielle also performed through out the evening.  All of which did a great job but extra kudos to Mano Kane for really bringing the house down.  They had everyone screaming Roadhouse Blues.  Hell yeah guys, lets bring back rock and roll!

Chris from Mano Kane being a beast

More pictures from the Pulse

WAY TOO MANY BANDS!

 So this upcoming Saturday should be a pretty fun night if you are heading down to Hawaiian Brians.  Brandonapeles features Way Too Many Bands starts off at 7pm and will going all the way into the wee hours of the morning.  This is going to be a pretty intense show for me personally since I will be playing in three bands that night : Sex Puppet, the Erika Elona Band, and Broke Aesthetic.  It really hit me this weekend with the three practices within 2 days.  I must say I wouldn't have it any other way, been way too much fun.

Sex Puppet with new drummer Lock

Sex Puppet:  Sex Puppet has gone on a pretty long hiatus at this point but intends to makes its return a huge one.  Practicing some new tunes and reinventing the old ones, Sex Puppet is proud to announce drummer Stephen Lynch (more commonly known as Lock) joining the crew.  Sex Puppet will be closing the night with a heavy, sultry, psychedelic rock tone.

The Erika Elona Band

Erika Elona Band: We got together this past Sunday at Soul Sound Studios to get a practice in of the old stuff and a couple new songs as well.  The Intire Project was also in the house and senor Bran decided we shoot a cover video of Fans by Kings of Leon with Tyler's sweet camera.  Klin Reece set up his lap steel and Tyler set up his banjo and on the fly we did the shoot (thanks to Drew).  Here's a link the vid.
Also starting later this month we go in the studio the work on Erika's full album at Soul Sound Studios.  So expect some magic coming to you soon.

The boys from Broke Aesthetic

Broke Aesthetic: Working and writing.  It really has been so awesome of an experience jamming with Mike and Max.  We really have been cranking out these new songs every single practice and I can say that we really have found a tight groove.  We will be doing an almost all original set written by the three of us these past two months. Big plans are in store for us this upcoming year.  We hope you will be there to share it with us.


The night will also feature Mano Kane (check out the article by Sabrina in the Pulse), Saving Cadence (CD release right around the corner), and Alternative HI musician Kevin Jones with Desert Sea.

For the Facebook event click here.
Broke Aesthetic Facebook event.
Alternative HI Facebook and Website.
For questions about the event hit me up or send me an email at nealchin808@gmail.com.

See you beautiful people Saturday.

Flaming Gummy Skull

I just think this is too awesome to pass up.  For you Flaming Lips fans who haven't heard about it already, here is a gummy skull with a USB containing 4 tracks from the band.  Keeping to their character, here is a pretty weird and out there approach to releasing some music.  A little pricey but an awesome thing to say you bought, ate, and listened to.  The inevitable sugar overload and the 150 bones would definitely be worth it.

Tracklisting:
1. Drug Chart
2. In Our Bodies, Out Of Our Heads
3. Walk With Me
4. Hillary's Time Machine Machine

Check out more on the Flaming Lips website.

Alternative HI Release Date!

Moseley giving his empowering words for the Alt Hi crew

Release Date: 3/13/12

Tonight the crew from the soon to be released Alternative HI met with producers Shawn Moseley, Brandon Apeles, and president of Mountain Apple John De Mello.  Musicians from almost every single band were interviewed and filmed by De Mello about their insight and feelings on the album.  Just receiving the first shipment of the album today, De Mello held a copy of Alternative HI for the musicians get a sneak peak of the hard copy.  Followed by good laughs and a very empowering speech by Moseley, the Alternative HI crew left the night with a new fire to keep the alternative music scene in Hawaii burning.  So look for Alternative HI on March 13th!

You folks can check the Alternative HI website here and pre-order your copies of the Mountain Apple website.  If not I will be selling CDs on behalf of Sex Puppet so please let me know if you would like me to hold one for you. 

Email at: nealchin808@gmail.com 
Alternative HI Facebook

Hard Rock and Perry and Price at the Jade Dynasty

Kalani from Mano Kane ripping Miserlou

 I had the pleasure of playing at two new venues this weekend: The Hard Rock Cafe in Waikiki and at the Jade Dynasty for The Perry and Price Show's first show in it's new location. To be honest it was my first time ever going to either one of these places but I had a pretty good time checking out the scene. The Hard Rock had a great line up of bands consisting of us (Erika and myself) opening the night, followed by Mano Kane, The Intire Project, and Sing The Body.  Erika and myself performed a short set featuring two of her originals: Smoke Signals (Alternative HI) and Easier (Single available on iTunes). All the artist who performed will also be featured on the Alternative HI album to be released soon!

Erika and Myself on the Perry and Price Show

Perry and Price had their first new show at the Jade Dynasty this past Saturday (2/11/12) with lion dancing and a ceremonious dragon parading through the Chinese restaurant.  Getting a feel for the new location, Perry and Price did their regular shindig with interviews with such organizations as the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii and performances including Raiatea Helm, Waipuna, and us (Erika Elona!)  Mahalo to the wonderful staff at the Jade Dynasty for the ono food and KSSK for having us.  Of course thanks to Erika for having come and jam again! Check out her single "Easier" on iTunes!

"Easier" on iTunes