From the first notes of “The Promise”, you know these talented stars from their debut of When in Rome in the 80s. They restored their megastardom when The Promise was featured prominently in the comedy movie Napoleon Dynamite.
Fast forward years later, Clive Farrington and Andrew Mann have become like family to me. We’ve toured the world on package shows together, and folks who know them must agree that their personality and humor match their talented vocals. I’m looking forward to taking you with me to meet them “backstage” on All Access Live!
https://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/all-access-live-when-in-rome.jpg9791800Kevinhttps://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AAL_Gradated-1030x1030.pngKevin2021-03-05 11:14:572021-03-05 14:30:25ALL ACCESS LIVE with CLIVE FARRINGTON and ANDREW MANN (Original members of WHEN IN ROME)
I don’t think there will be a more entertaining character than Kayvon. Every major event we perform on the east coast of the US or Canada, it seems Kayvon’s there. Every restaurant outing, every soundcheck or rehearsal, he has a knack for always finding out where the action’s happening. And when Kayvon shows up, there’s laughter to be had!
This self-proclaimed “Boy London” has an interesting journey that led him to be one of the most ubiquitous sightings in Canada, and I look forward to him sharing that journey “backstage” on All Access Live
https://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/all-access-live-kayvon.jpg9791800Kevinhttps://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AAL_Gradated-1030x1030.pngKevin2021-03-04 15:11:252021-03-04 16:30:20ALL ACCESS LIVE with KAYVON
I first discovered talent in Mykel Illa through his Portland band “Delta Avenue”. He’s got this mojo onstage that you can’t teach, and when he told me about his solo project, I knew that I could expect some magic. Asking him about it, he says that the solo venture “is more of a passion project in which i get to work on my favorite genres of music and also include friends to join the journey! My plan is to release a new song every other month of 2021 and have a friend or 2 featured on each single.”
If the new single “Tragic” is any indication of what Mykel is capable of, you’ll have him filling your streams with great, pop-inspired soulful music every other month for the year to come.
https://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/all-access-live-mykel.jpg9791800Kevinhttps://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AAL_Gradated-1030x1030.pngKevin2021-03-03 16:29:422021-03-03 16:29:50ALL ACCESS LIVE with MYKEL ILLA
The Pacific Northwest knows all about one of the industry’s best-kept secrets in Dirk Sullivan. He’s the quiet rock star who was destined for global domination from the late 80s to the mid-90s, with his band “Love on Ice”.
Love on Ice achieved some notoriety from their appearance on Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey soundtrack, and internationally from their European, Canadian and US tour dates before falling prey to the same outcome as many of the other remarkable bands of the era.
Dirk is currently recording a record with Andrew Paul Woodworth, recording with Gregg Williams and states that “Music has taken on a new life for me over the last couple years and especially during the pandemic. I’ve been very inspired and am writing some of the best most original music of my life.”
https://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/all-access-live-dirk-sullivan.jpg9791800Kevinhttps://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AAL_Gradated-1030x1030.pngKevin2021-03-02 13:27:362021-03-02 16:37:12ALL ACCESS LIVE with DIRK SULLIVAN
Most fans of 80s music will recognize the unforgettable first 3 notes of the mega hit “I Can’t Wait”… the snappy bass line made legendary by my pal Gary Fountaine. The moment those notes are played, the room starts moving, no matter how large or small the venue.
Nu Shooz was Nominated for a Grammy in 1986 for Best New Artist. Gary recorded “Poolside” with Nu Shooz featuring the hit song “I Can’t Wait” for Atlantic Records, and received Gold Record status in 1987, embarking on an international 77 city tour, while making TV appearances on American Bandstand, Solid Gold, AM L.A., AM Northwest, Nick Rocks, and MTV.
We’ll chat Nu Shooz, session recording, the art of blending in for any type of gig, and doing it all with a smile on your face.
https://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/all-access-live-fountaine.jpg9791800Kevinhttps://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AAL_Gradated-1030x1030.pngKevin2021-02-26 14:02:192021-02-27 11:27:29ALL ACCESS LIVE with GARY FOUNTAINE
Jonathon grew up in a musical family and started playing piano at the age of six. Once he learned about improvisation and groove playing, he veered away from classical studies and moved towards jazz, funk and groove parts. He attended college on a full-ride music scholarship and won several awards for performance before jumping into the bar band scene, playing snowy ski-lodge gigs with 3am drives home on icy roads. However, a professional music career wasn’t in the cards.
He discovered another passion in the form of writing code and building software which led to a successful career as a software engineer. In 2007, while writing code for an internet media company, he had the chance to create tutorial videos for YouTube as part of a company experiment. After one of those videos saw nearly 3 million views, he realized that he could spend time creating educational music tutorials covering original piano grooves.
Join us on All Access Live for an inside look at this virtuoso!
https://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/all-access-live-jon-wilson.jpg9791800Kevinhttps://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AAL_Gradated-1030x1030.pngKevin2021-02-23 14:57:252021-02-23 17:17:53ALL ACCESS LIVE with JONATHON WILSON
“Bad” Brad Berkwitt has done a lot in his 52 years on Planet Earth from a career in the Navy, to success in the civilian sector and another career in the boxing world. Not to stop there… He also acted. Acting was in his blood. His late Father, Alvin Berkwitt, studied with Lee Strasberg. After a successful 20 year and 28 days (1986-2006) career in the US Navy with 16 1/2 years of it in the intelligence field, where he served during war and peacetime in (Boot Camp Great Lakes, Illinois), Pensacola, Florida, Sigonella, Sicily (The Gulf War), Washington, DC (2 tours), Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Alexandria, Virginia, Seoul South Korea and finishing up his career working at the Pentagon (The Iraq War) where he retired from Active Duty in 2006. “Bad” Brad would go into the Government contracting world, working for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) at the COIC in Virginia for almost three years (2006-2009) in the Personnel & Physical Security Office and was also the Classified Indoctrinations Supervisor.
He would leave (JIEDDO) in early 2009 and go on to work for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), from (2009-2012), where he worked as a Program Manager, with a staff of 7, managing over a million dollar government contract for the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) as a Government Contractor. Berkwitt, retired completely from the 9-5 grind in 2012 at the end of the contract with DHS. While retired, he could not fight the urge to follow in his father’s footsteps and act.
Berkwitt took acting classes with the Emmy Award winning Michael J. Baker at the Little Theater of Alexandria in Alexandria, VA in early 2013. Upon graduation, he landed several acting gigs in early 2013-2014 to include, stage work, several shows on the ID Channel, Veep, House of Cards, TV Commercials, Dinner Theater, Industrial Videos and Independent Film.
“Bad” Brad is also a former amateur boxer (80 – 83) who fought all over Florida during that time out of the Allen Park Gym in North Miami Beach, Florida. His nickname “Bad” came from fellow Author and Boxing Ring Announcer, Henry “Dis-com-bob-u-lating” Jones in 2000 and has stuck ever since. In Henry’s words, “I gave him that nickname because he always stands up for what he believes in, and the fighters truly respect him for being so positive in all of his interviews.” This was never more evident than in Berkwitt’s hit boxing book: BOXING INTERVIEWS OF A LIFETIME.
From 2000-2012, Berkwitt was the boxing analyst on the highly rated TV show Sports Talk, with Host Glenn Harris, on News Channel 8. The show was viewed in Virginia, Washington, DC, Maryland and West Virginia.
In 2004, he created the website Ringside Report that in subsequent years, has become known as “The Heart of Boxing”. In 2018, he recreated Ringside Report to include politics, entertainment, world news and other sports making it a online magazine with lots of diversity (Berkwitt’s favorite word in the dictionary) for RSR’s daily readers.
In 2015, “Bad” Brad took his 18 plus years at that point of conducting interviews with some of the biggest names in Boxing and Hollywood, and created The “Bad” Brad Berkwitt Show which has become a fan favorite in the United States & around the world. Not to stop there, his viewers wanted more so he created the RSR Video Email Bag Show where those viewers could send in boxing questions and “Bad” Brad would answer them in a show format. The show took off quickly and is viewed around the world.
In January 2021, “Bad” Brad received the news that he will be inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame (FBHOF) Class of 2021 in June. It was an honor that truly humbled him.
https://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/all-access-live-bad-brad.jpg9791800Kevinhttps://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AAL_Gradated-1030x1030.pngKevin2021-02-22 17:27:042021-02-22 17:27:04ALL ACCESS LIVE with “BAD” BRAD BERKWITT
Formed in 1980, an intrepid young band from Burlington Ontario would soon make “Spoons” a different kind of household word. Together with Derrick Ross and Rob Preuss, Gord Deppe and Sandy Horne would help define the sound of pop and New Wave in the 80’s, with hits including “Nova Heart”, “Romantic Traffic”, “Old Emotions” and “Tell No Lies”.
Their album “Arias & Symphonies” would go on to be named one of the 20 Most Influential Albums of The 80’s by “the Chart” Magazine, and their song “Nova Heart” was recently included in Bob Mersereau’s book “the Top 100 Canadian Singles of All Time”. Not bad for a bunch of kids from Burlington, Ontario!
Their first album, “Stick Figure Neighbourhood”, was recorded in 1981 at Grant Avenue Studios in Hamilton, Ontario, with a then unknown engineer by the name of Daniel Lanois. The album garnered rave press reviews and reached the #1 slot on college radio. But it wouldn’t be until the release of their song “Nova Heart”, produced by John Punter of Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry fame, that the Spoons became a household name. The Arias & Symphonies album, recorded at George Martin’s famous Air Studios in London, England, solidified the Spoons’ presence on the new wave music front.
With the commercial radio success that followed, the band saw themselves opening for such acts as the Police, Culture Club, and Simple Minds. A little TV show called MuchMusic had also just been launched, and the young Spoons were tailor-made for a whole new video-driven generation. In fact, the very first episode of the show began with, “Welcome to MuchMusic. Coming up we have brand new videos by Duran Duran, Howard Jones and the Spoons.” A new era was launched with those words.
A special 30th Anniversary edition of the “Arias and Symphonies” album followed, released by Sparks/Ready Records/Universal Music, complete with extensive liner notes, historical photos, and live tracks. It also saw the reunion, after twenty-six years, of the original band line-up, for an incredible sold-out release party in Toronto.
In 2019, Spoons Released a bold new album, “New Day New World”, the first studio project to be released by the Spoons in over eight years, once again Produced by Jeff Carter. Their new album plays on the band’s earlier edgy electro-80s sound and evokes the fun, pop sounds of their biggest hits while transporting them firmly into 2019. Four video singles have been released so far: For the First & Last Time, All the Wrong Things (In the Right Places), Landing Lights, and the title track, New Day New World. Three of these videos have been directed by Peter Sacco, winning multiple awards worldwide.
The retro 80s movement, now almost a decade old, shows no signs of slowing down. Not one bit. And as far as Sandy, Gord, and a lot of fans are concerned, that is a very good thing indeed.
https://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/all-access-live-spoons.jpg9791800Kevinhttps://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AAL_Gradated-1030x1030.pngKevin2021-02-19 14:29:022021-02-19 16:23:20ALL ACCESS LIVE with SPOONS
“Having been a Portland native all my life, its been a dream of mine to be established in the community as a source for sharing the passion I have for music through teaching, performing and helping others achieve their goals through my insight, experience and knowledge.”
As the guitarist in Portland’s Dirty Rhythm, Brian Harrison was teetering on the edge of becoming a star in the early 90s. The band went up to Canada to record their debut, Hard As A Rock, with Loverboy’s Paul Dean only to watch the album sink due to poor label support. Fifteen years later the band dipped into their vaults to release Never Cleaned Up.
Today finds Brian actively recording his own music, as well as producing artists and projects in his home studio, overlooking the valley in Portland.
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In the early 2000’s Charlie fronted a band called Rex Aquarium. They made a couple records, toured the U.S., and then broke up for all the usual reasons. Around 2006, he went solo and made an album with film score composer Michael Andrews (Donnie Darko and Me You and Everyone Else We Know). While making the record Michael suggested that Charlie write songs for a movie he was working on called Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Two of Charlie’s songs made it in the film – “Let’s Duet” and “Guilty As Charged”.
In the next few years he released two EPs under his name and an EP with Priscilla Ahn under the band name Sweet Hearts. He’s also had songs placed in the movies Bad Teacher, Cyrus, and the t.v. show Men In Trees. He has played shows with Daniel Johnston, Jonathan Richman, and toured opening for Bird and the Bee, as well as David Lindley. On May 6th 2014, he released Out at the Bar. It was recorded, produced and mixed by Gus Seyffert (Black Keys, Norah Jones, Beck, Michael Kiwanuka). His latest album entitled Undying Light was released in August of 2016.
https://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/all-access-live-charlie-wadhams.jpg9791800Kevinhttps://www.accesskevin.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AAL_Gradated-1030x1030.pngKevin2021-02-11 16:29:172021-02-12 11:26:33ALL ACCESS LIVE with CHARLIE WADHAMS
