Jeffxmusic.com: News

I am happy to announce a very important update the the Jeffxmusic site. At the top and center of the site you will see a small rectangular "Flash" player. This will allow you to preview song clips from the New Fool Injectors C.D. "Til We're Satisfied" and the 2003 Jeff X "Get Ahead" C.D. while surfing on the site! Just hit the play button and go about your business!

If you want to get a deeper insite to the songs, you can go to the "Music" page and check out the lyrics. I have the lyrics for all of the songs posted there and some extra song 'notes' about how they were created.

Hope you had a chance to tune in! Ty-Rod and myself (Sparky) had a great time on WLFR FM Radio out at Stockton. We were hosted by Matt's "Strange Way's Radio" Show and besides getting a great interview from Matt, he played 5 of our songs ! Matt's has new show times for his radio show. Tune in on Wednesday's from 11am to 2pm. The last hour is when he does his local rock block and you may get to hear us. If you call and request us, I'm sure he'll get it on for you. You can also listen at www.wlfr.fm. Rock On Matt !!!

Latest Update: 4-22-11:
Fool Injector's Debut physical C.D. "Til We're Satisfied" is NOW available on this site. Go to the "Store" tab! Check back for avialability of digital downloads of individual songs or the entire album (highly suggested!)

Here are the song titles & order on the C.D.:
1) Fuel Burnin' Blues Intro.
2) Fuel Burnin' Blues
3) Moonshine
4) Til We're Satisfied
5) Redneck Song
6) 322
7) No One Drives My Truck
8) Roll in The Hay
9) Deer In The Headlights
10) Roadrage
11) No One Drives My Truck (Edited Version, edited for shorter playing time)
12) Deer In The Headlights (Edited Version, edited for shorter playing time)
NEW: The CD is OUT! Get your copy on this site today so that you will know the songs when you hear us live at our CD release Party coming soon. Any idea's? Post them here on the blog
A big thanks to all of those who have helped our band make it possible: Bo & Mike Remvidas, John Kolesar, John Grasso, Brian Thomason, Catherine Boyd and Ed "Willie" and Andrea. Thank you from the band - Sparky, Ty-Rod and Earl!
Check out the Fool Injectors promotional interview on Larry King! It is a riot ! Use this link: http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6292433

This is fun, Vote Now for your favorite Fool Injectors song from our new C.D. "Til We're Satisfied"! Once you've voted for your favorite song, you cannot change it, so pick carefully! You can only vote once, but you can see the current results right after you've voted. Check it out!

Get your own Poll!

You can also vote here for your favorite song from the Jeff X C.D. "Get Ahead". Same rules apply, you can only vote for one song one time (so make sure to vote for your favorite #1 song). After you vote you will see the results and tally of all who have voted. The results will be shown by the percentage of all votes per song on a bar graph. It's very cool try it out and pick your favorite Jeff X song from Get Ahead.


Get your own Poll!

Need me to help fill in a date for your classic rock band? I can fill in on Drums, Bass, Guitar - (some leads) and do Lead or Harmony/Back up vocals. I also know LOTS of area musicians that may be able to fill in too. Just click on my CONTACT page above and get ahold of me, just do not stop the music....

Listen to all local talent on Matt Unversaw's Strange Ways Radio Show on
Thurday's 2-5pm. While you're at it request your favorite Jeff X Song !

http://www.wlfr.fm/

Recently someone asked me: Do I Play Heavy Metal?

Not particularly. I like heavy metal though. Not the too over the top heavy though, cuz it starts to sound like a joke. All of my music does have what I call a rock edge. For example, if I were to write a dance song, it would be more like Play that Funky Music or Beat It than a I Will Survive or Funkytown. I love a good rock guitar that is placed in any genre of music.

O.K. Get Ready Here We Go:

One of my influences of music is Queen. They have songs that vary drastically in style and they also have strong musicianship along with awesome vocal harmonies. Mostly I really dig their musical diversity, but hate the fact that most Stupid radio (Radio Ga Ga) stations only play the most popular ones - you know Bohemian Rapsody (which wasn't really popular until Waynes World - goes to show you what the stations actually KNOW about music) We will rock you, and so on. Queen actually had one of the heaviest songs called, Stone Cold Crazy and it came out way before heavy metal was even being thought of. Many popular classic rock artist that are over played on the radio have other great songs you never hear, not to mention TONS of cool Rock out there by original artists who hardly get heard.
I think the problem with what's being promoted today is - A & R nepatism. That is the folks who are responsible for recruiting talent, do not know a thing about it because they were just handed the job from a retiring family member. Thus, leading to the huge onslaught of crap on the radio today.
I like most kinds of music, but the absolute WORST is what they call today R & B, Hip Hop, Rap. To me, that music is an insult to the industry (from an artists perspective - and anyone who actually enjoys even a tiny bit of intellectual stimulation).
1st off R & B means rhythm and blues - which dates waaaay back to lots of black artist like Muddy Waters and they actually got rhythm from being near the train tracks, while they wrote songs on their acoustics. I think those artist would also be offended by the supposed R & B today. As far as Hip Hop and Rap go - here is my definition: Dr. Suess to a drum machine - No Talent and boring....


Not to sound like my parents (I even like their music from the 50's and 60's)
But I like music from the 70's, 80's, but very little from the 90's. Todays music you have to seek yourself to find what is actually good.
I would choose to be a teen during the 50's, 60's 70's 80's, heck even the 40's, 30's or 20's. But I feel sorry for the teens of today and their music because like a lot of "new" things that are out now, even much of their music is disposable unfortunately.

Did you know that you can download your favorite "Get Ahead" songs to your IPod and MP3 Player ? You can actually preview or actually pre-hear any audio clip of the C.D. "Get Ahead" under the MUSIC tab above. The full lyrics for each song are also there.

Under the STORE tab above, you can find the links to download your favorite song to your MP3 player or P.C. More links are added as they become available.

Dont forget to vote on this page for your Favorite song from Jeff X's "Get Ahead" or Fool Injectors "Til We're Satisfied" C.D. You can only vote one time, one song for each album and the current results will show immediately after you've voted! Go ahead and see if your favorite song matches what others have picked. Not that you have to be like them - ;)

Jeff X here reporting on the absurdity of getting booked.

FIRST THE DISCLAIMER: There ARE a few club owners that are exempt from my thoughts here, and everyone reading this may not have had the same experiences as me, but for the most part the following is my opinion and the opinion of many other musicians I know.

I've been doing gigs for years and years in the South Jersey area with bands and my solo act just outside of Atlantic City. I do lead vocals & harmonies, play drums, lead & rhythm guitar, even bass - so there is no problem for me to get in a cool band or put together a show. The problem WAS and unfortunately still IS, the club owners and how they handle this simple task.

Nothing takes the wind out of your sails quicker than the stupid old " I'll call back later OR he's/she's in a meeting" OR I haven't had time to listen to your CD (after it's been dropped off weeks ago with the press kit you painstakingly made). Dispite how patient and polite you are and how many times you call back, you still get told those same things over & over again.

I recently did a gig at a new venue which I thought would work out good for me. LOTS of my fans came out to support me and the place went nuts. (Thank you fans - I LOVE MY FANS) Packed all night, most ordering meals from the kitchen, drinking drinks, and stayed til the very end. What more would a club owner want right? Cash register banging all night ! Well, I could not get another gig there for no good reason. Sounds like something had to happen right, NOPE. No answers. Dispite being told I could play there again by the owner, I made numerous calls and even juggled dates around to help accomodate and making the booking easy, all to end up with nothing. Even my fans spied on the place to see what was up to no avail. (Which they did on their own being equally appaulled by the situation!) What's worse is there was even an excuse made up to make ME look bad (that pisses me off) and was the supposed reason why I wasn't re-booked there.

Mind you I am old school considerate, kind and patient to everyone and totally willing to accomodate the resonable needs of any club owner. As a matter of fact I always look for the win - win in the situation where the 2 of us will make out the best. But there seems to be a "we just dont care" attitude from club owners anymore when it comes to booking musicians. Just trying to be considered for a show, you might think you're trying to break into some secreet society club.

First off, I wont cry if you dont book me at your place, tell me "NO - we're not interested" or just be honest and say "we currently do not have the time to consider booking entertainment" instead of making endless excuses. I can take it. I do not expect to be able to play everywhere I submit a demo. You are not being nice by stringing me or anyone along. Most likely (like so many before) I have played music before your place exsisted and have seen many places go out of business in the South Jersey area while I still continue to play music and will be doing so into the future.

For the most part now, I am done with playing the club scene. I will no longer be calling back later or when the "big meeting" is over. If they want me, they know how to reach me, if they dont call or contact me - I do not care. I'd rather play for FREE anywhere on my own terms and for my fans than to go through the torture of jumping through all the hoops that the club owners want you to and for the measly pay.

I mean this with sincerity to all the professional musicians out there, NOT those "imposters" who just talk a good talk.
You know who I mean by imposters - EX. - the ones who you talk to on the phone before your bands audition, and they know all the right things to say, then they show up and cant play, or never show up, show up late or show up late & ready to party - not rehearse.
What I am about to say is for the REAL musicians who practice on their OWN time, not the bands time and are READY to play at rehearsal.
It's about time to face it, after all the time we've put in (years worth), we do not deserve to put up with the club owners disrespectful attitude anymore - It's not like we are getting paid for it !! And lots of the FUN (remember? the reason why you like to play music and probably got into music) is being robbed from you.


It seems most places nowdays do not want to pay you anywhere near what you are worth. Grant it, it is not all about the money, but truth be told, I have not seen much of an attainable increase at all from Clubs since the "Brownies In the Dirt" Days. It is an absolute embarassment.


My Advice to Club Owners to Book Sucessfully.
(For what it worth, whether anyone cares, I dont know)

To sum it up, Club Owners, first - choose what kind of music you want to have in your place, then let the entertainers you booked do their thing. Have the courtesy to tell inquiring acts trying to get bookings, Yes your booked or No - Not at this time. No big meeting excuses or havent listened to the CD yet. (Which by the way, anyone CAN make an awesome sounding demo with today's technology in even an average studio - but that doesn't mean they are good LIVE performers) Listening to a C.D. is just a waste of time everyones time. If you think someone is decent, give em a shot! Book em for 1 show and find out the truth yourself.

Future for Jeff X:

I will be pursuing gig's now for charities that I determine are very reputable and worthy causes. I will be promoting more of my Original Music & Band, "The Fool Injectors"
And, I will still be playing some select Clubs and Venues who DO have the courtesy and respect to communicate effectively.

As Always, I will keep YOU (MY FANS) informed.
Thank you, Jeff X

Hat's off to Matt Unversaw. A great supporter to the local Original Music Scene by utilizing his Radio Show, "Strange Ways Radio" on the Richard Stockton College Station WLFR. There was an article in The Press of Atlantic City about just that titled, "Local Tunes on Radio Dial are Rare Sounds" by Vincent Jackson. The first three paragraphs read as follows: If you want to hear local southern New Jersey rock bands on the radio, you need to seek out college radio stations before the commercial ones. Matt Unversaw of Ventnor hosts the "Strange Ways Radio Show" from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays on WLFR-FM 91.7, the station at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in Galloway Township. Within his three-hour show, Unversaw, 39, does a Jersey rock block that starts at 5 p.m. and lasts at least 30 minutes. He has been playing local rock acts on his show for the past five years. He played music by acts that included Malcolm Tent of Margate, Sacred Sword of Atlantic County, Tracing Faces of Atlantic City, Jeff X, a Stockton graduate, and 1 Adam 12, a former WLFR DJ.
A very big thanks to Matt. Tune in to something ORIGINAL and hear what is going on locally, instead of listening to that same old cover song AGAIN and AGAIN for the millionth time....

For all you big music lovers out there, fire up your Television and your surround sound or stereo for an at home concert. Here is a list of some highly suggested top 5 concert/music DVD picked by yours truly.

#5 E.L.O. - Zoom Tour Live
#4 Foreigner - Live at Deer Creek
#3 Eagles - Hell Freezes Over
#2 Pink Floyd - Pulse
#1 Paul McCartney - Back in the U.S.A.
If you like any of these groups, then you love their DVD listed here too.

Jeff X is always looking to help other growing musicians with their music. From music promotion, production, arranging, linking to this site, recording, doing live shows or whatever it is. Lets see how we can help each other in this tough biz... Just e-mail me at: jeffx (then use the "at" icon above #2 on your keyboard) jeffxmusic.com.

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