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The
Real Deal
by
antiGUY |
Why arent these
guys huge stars? Since MCA made Blink-182 a household name, why couldn't
they do the same with a band that has better music? It boggles the mind.
It no longer matters because The Nixons are now with a label that believe
in them and will put everything in their arsenal to help put this band
where they belong - At the top of the charts.
The Latest Thing
contains 13 solid modern rock songs. After over 2 dozen listens I have
yet to hit the skip button for any of the tracks. In other words, you won't
find a filler track in the bunch. "The One" is
the perfect album opener with funky drums, crunchy distorted guitars and
melodic vocals that get the toes tapping. "Drama Queen" has all the hooks
of a modern rock chart topper. "First Trip", co-written with Jack Blades,
has an additive chorus that has magahit written all over it. Fans of Matchbox
Twenty will feel right at home with the Nixon's. Tracks like the
ballad "Don't Cry" and mid tempo rocker "Calling Yesterday" sound like
they belong on a Rob Thomas fronted release. However, it must be pointed
out that The Nixons formed four years before Matchbox Twenty.
MCA really dropped
the ball with The Nixons. The move over to Koch seemed to be just what
the doctor ordered. The Latest Thing is their finest work to date. If Matchbox
Twenty's debut could sell over 10 million copies, with The Nixons superior
songs and musicianship, The Latest Thing could easily sell 15!
Want to learn
more? Here is the Official Band bio followed by some links.
The
Nixons - Latest Thing
Evolution
of a Rock Band
From their humble Oklahoma City beginning
eight years ago to their more recent tour of America to support their hit
single "Sister," The Nixons have spent most of their time on the road.
Consequently, their time touring has been the only opportunity they have
had to write new material. With their new album Latest Thing, the guys,
Zac Maloy (vocals/guitar), John Humphrey (drums), Jesse Davis (lead guitar),
and Ricky Wolking (bass), parked the bus in the garage.
"This album is different because we actually
took a year off from touring to focus on writing," says Zac. "Typically
it was like we would write 12 songs while on the road, put out the next
CD, and get on a bus to tour again." The new, evolved approach has paid
off. During the touring hiatus, the band wrote almost 70 new songs. From
those songs, they picked the best 13 that reflect where the band is now
emotionally: ready to rock out.
"Looking at our history, I know it is a
cliché to say, but, this is our best collection of work," says Zac.
"I think a lot of it has to do with everything that went into this album.
It seems we all evolved with the help of our producer Stephen Haigler (Fuel,
Jimmie's Chicken Shack, Oleander), this record captures the best part of
the band."
"They were the best. Everything seemed
to just flow," says Haigler. "It was like we all instantly became family.
Here you are in the studio with these guys 10 to 12 hours a day and you
still want to hang out with them after recording and have a beer or seven.
It was just a great experience."
The songs Haigler produced for Latest Thing
are fresh and new, yet they still retain that classic Nixons feel reminiscent
of their near-gold album Foma. A couple of songs, "First Trip" and "Latest
Thing," offer been-there reflections about the delicacies of love. While
"The One" is a pret-a-mosher (ready-to-mosh) rocker, songs like "Drama
Queen," "Blackout," and "Nobody 101" bring out the pure rocking satisfaction
in just being alive.
"The Nixons have evolved to be 'The Complete
Package,'" says Koch Entertainment A & R Director Jim Cardillo. "The
Nixons have everything you could want in a band: great songs, great musicians
and great fans." Part of The Nixons' charm and cause for their fanatical
following stems from their sweaty and emotionally explosive live shows.
They know the crowd is not there to hear them replay their last record.
They relive the raw emotions spent writing the song and interpret that
for the audience. The live show is like an emotional roller coaster with
peaks and valleys that leave the rider spent and wanting more.
"Each time I see their show, I get more
enthralled," says Cardillo. "This band gives you what is on the CD and
much, much more." To ensure that their fans would receive the best album
possible, The Nixons had to make a difficult decision in the last year.
"We had this amazing chance to go to a
place that is about music and not bureaucracy," says Zac. Contractually
we were lucky to be in a position to make that choice "That place is Koch."
So that they could continue to interact with their fans while writing and
recording, The Nixons developed www.nixons.com. In addition to tour dates,
bio information and merchandise, the website features personal postings
from the band regarding fans questions and comments.
"The website is a way for our fans to log
on and find out what is going on in our little rock world, says Zac. "These
three guys from New Jersey have seen us all over the states, from New England
to the Southeast and Texas. They use the website to find out where we are
going to be. That is pretty cool."
Of course the future for The Nixons will
take them down some of the same roads and interstates of their past. "Next,
we have to get back on the road and tour. We have to take our music to
the people and reach out and touch their lives and have some fun, " says
Zac. "This really is the best job in the world."
Listen
to samples or purchase this title online
Visit
Official Page
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