Volume 2, Issue #27

LeAnna Mosley

You can inherit a lot from your parents. Good looks, a charming personality and even high cholesterol. And when both are talented musicians there’s a good chance your hands will eventually embrace some kind of instrument or microphone. For LeAnna Mosley, that came at the tender age of four when she discovered her vocal ability in an elementary school music class. Two years later, Mosley picked up a guitar and with the influence of her family’s bluegrass/country roots she was on her way to becoming the successful musician and songwriter she is today. Despite the fact Mosley’s sound has been characterized as country/folk, there are jazz, blues and classic rock undertones lying it its underbelly. Mosley introduced herself to the music world in 2003 with her first full-length album "My Yellow Brick Road," and is currently working on new material for another record.

Five Questions for LeAnna Mosley

1) Besides your parents, what other family member helped you become a musician?
“My grandfather. When I was six, he started teaching me how to play bluegrass. He taught me all the chords and was hoping I’d follow in his bluegrass footsteps. But eventually I started leaning in other directions.”

2) Most people don’t really understand bluegrass, is that why you shied away from it?
“No, not all. Bluegrass is a cultural art form. I have a lot of respect for it, but I just don’t feel it the way I fell other things.”

3) Your career and life took a serious turn in 1999 when you were brutally injured in a car accident. Take us through the long and painful road back.
“I had a severe head injury and fell into a coma. When I came out of it, I was basically a toddler again. I had to re-teach myself everything. And my short term memory was damaged. But I was given a second chance by God. And I eventually started playing music again once I healed.”

4) Somehow jazz found its way into your country/folk heart. How did that happen?
“In college (Southwest Virginia Community) I began to study it and played guitar for the school’s ensemble. I even sang in the choir behind the Knoxville Symphony. Learning about jazz has made me ten times the musician I was before.”

5) How important of a tool has the Internet been for exposure?
“Very. I live in a small town in Virginia and that is a dead end for a burgeoning career.”


----Joseph Barracato

The Press

Most college graduates spend their first summer out of the classroom searching for work or inquiring which graduate school to attend. But for Michael Henry and Dave Schneider there wouldn’t be any cubicle jobs to ponder over. Instead, the duo spent the summer of 2003 laying the foundation for The Press after leaving Boston University and moving back to Atlanta, where both of their families were living. The chance the duo took by shelving their respective career’s is about to be vindicated with the release of their first EP "Noxious Saucy Beast," a post-punk voyage filled with guitar-driven rock and snarling vocals. The pair recently added Mark Spence and Greg Perry to the line-up and are planning a 50-date U.S. summer tour to support the EP that will be in stores April 26 courtesy of Goodnight Records.

Five Questions for The Press

1) Your parents must have given you hell after deciding to pursue a career your college education didn’t prepare you for.
“Our parents though it was silly. I (Schneider) moved back first and was waiting for him (Henry) to follow. It’s not like anything was promised. But I knew he was going to after all we talked about at school.”

2) Those in-depth, alcohol fueled conversations was the difference maker, right?
“[The guys laugh]. They were. We found out how much we had in common besides having families in Atlanta. Both of us liked the same kind of music and had similar writing styles. We both like songs that aren’t so structured.”

3) With the both of you alternating on vocals, how important was it to have a set drummer?
“Very. We kept switching on and off when the other guy sang. It just seemed unprofessional and made it hard for people to take us seriously with all the moving around. We felt we needed to be up at the front of the stage singing together, so we could really present our band to the crowd.”

4) Why did you choose to release an EP over an LP for your first record?
“We had enough material for a full length record, but after mixing it we decided that an EP was the right move. We went with a strong, solid EP over and and LP that would have been more like a mixed bag of music.”

5) Amongst your musical influences, what makes Radiohead so special?
“Their writing style is amazing. “Paranoid Android” is like three different songs wrapped into one. They’re very inspirational.”"

----Joseph Barracato

U2 JOINS THE SHAKEUP REVOLUTION

The They’ve been touring for a solid 25 years and their live shows can be described as a religious experience, yet something was missing from U2’s concerts — the element of surprise. The recently inducted, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's have basically stuck to the same setlist for every show which includes a dozen of their greatest hits sandwiched between a handful of songs from their most current album. But all that changed when the Dublin quartet took the stage in San Diego last week to kick off their "Vertigo Tour."

After opening the night with City of Blinding Lights and Vertigo from their new record "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb", they launched into The Electric Co. from their first album "Boy" which was followed by "Gloria" from their second album "October." Later on that evening, they treated their already stunned audience to "Running to Standstill" from "The Joshua Tree," "Zoo Station" and "The Fly" from "Achtung Baby" before they closed the show with "40" from the album "War." They hadn’t played the latter song since 1983 and sent most of the crowd back to their cars with tears in their eyes.

The recent trend of acts keeping their performances fresh is a tribute to their devoted fans who attend multiple shows whenever they favorite group pays a visit to their neck of the woods. If you bought tickets to see U2 in the past for consecutive shows it would have felt like Groundhog Day. But now fans can purchase their seats with the expectation of being "at that show" where the band played a former classic for the first time in 20 years.

There are a ton of bands that have joined the revolution most notably Weezer, Radiohead and Pearl Jam. During their respective and most recent tours, they have all completely shuffled the deck before taking the stage and have provided concert goers with a handful of b-sides, rarities and covers, in addition to the staples that made them who they are.


----Joseph Barracato

Q: What is Your Big Break and why should I participate?

-- Cee Bank, Dred Lok

Approximately once every three months, The Industry Resource sponsors a contest that provides members of our artist community with an incredible opportunity to jump start their careers. Hence, the title "Your Big Break."

Our first contest, "You Are On The Air" (see http://youareontheair.com) has been designed to identify the very best in undiscovered musical talent regardless of genre. The list of prizes include worldwide distribution, licensing, CD manufacturing, professional photo session & a NY showcase.

We are accepting and reviewing music from all genres. Submissions can be original material or covers. The contests judging panel includes respected industry professionals from MTV, NY Post, Big Much Productions, Sanctuary Management, Pacific Time Entertainment, The RPM Group and Wrongroom Films.


--- Francis Giolatta

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