 When you first walk into a Guitar Center store what do you usually see? You will probably see numerous flyers posted on the wall stating “guitarist wanted” or “bassist needed for established band”. What are the odds that these bands ever get noticed or even signed? What do you think the odds are that any of these bands end up playing at Lollapalooza? I would say slim to none. Those odds though did favor Atlanta rapper/emcee Kyle “Double” Lucas just less than two short years after posting his flyer at his local Guitar Center saying “MC starting a band”. After seeing the flyer while working at G.C., guitarist / vocalist Neil Garrard responded to Lucas’ ad and the two started to put together the band Vonnegutt. Vonnegutt is named after famed American novelist Kurt Vonnegut who as Lucas stated to me “changed my perspective on everything”. Vonnegutt features hip hop drummer Justin Tolar and funk rock bassist Brown Gage as the other members. Vonnegutt’s many influences and musical inspirations can be heard in their body of work. Blending together the sounds of rap, funk, rock, R&B into a whole sounds like a daunting task but Lucas and his mates pull off the sound brilliantly. If you haven’t heard any of their songs, you should really check out “Bright Eyes”. I had the chance to meet and talk with Lucas and Vonnegutt at Lollapalloza. The band’s personality is very humble. To me they just generally love to play and want to play for their fans. Check out my interview with Kyle “Double” Lucas. Evan J. Thomas- How did you guys meet? Kyle “Double” Lucas- Me and Neil met because I am a rapper and wanted to start a band so I put up a flyer saying “MC Starting a band”. I put it up at guitar center where he was working at the time and then he called me and the rest of the guys kind of came in as we started progressing the band. Evan- So how did you meet the other guys? Kyle- Our drummer Tony grew up with Neil and they all have kind of known each other since the third grade and we met Pat through our producer who did the album. Evan- What would you be doing if it wasn’t for music? Kyle- (Laughs) That’s the best question I have heard all weekend. I’d be a porn star, ok, seriously… I would be in the industry. I would be good, I think in an organizational aspect I would be a good management person or something in marketing maybe. Evan- Or you can do what I do — interview and photograph Kyle- Yeah, that is pretty good too. Evan- Where do you get your inspiration from writing your lyrics? Kyle- Mine just comes from personal experiences and what I am doing and what I am going through. Evan- Is there anyone you want to collaborate with? Kyle- I want to collaborate with the Roots, I would love to rap on one of their songs or have them rap on one of our songs or we can have Quest Love fill in on drums or something, that would be a dream come true. Evan- What would you change about the music industry if you could? Kyle- I think the music industry and the entertainment industry and some of the people we have come into contact with are cliche, especially when we started the band. You know, they tell you that you would have a contract by Monday and you automatically give them 2 weeks (Till you actually get it) If you were to do that in any other profession you would be fired, right? Evan- Where do you see Vonnegut in 5 years? Kyle- I think Vonnegut is going to be touring, I want to tour the world. We haven’t even been out of the country so I want to tour the world and get a solid fan base and just continue touring. Evan- Who are you looking forward to seeing at Lollapalooza? Kyle- Actually it was just playing, I just wanted to play so bad and since the fact was it went very well yesterday and we had some very important people, industry people there to see us so my nerve factor level went up a little bit and the fact that it went over very well was such a relief. Evan- Going back to a previous question, you said something about the Music industry being cliché, does it seem like you have to be in a click to be in it? Kyle- It’s definitely like a boy’s club thing. When we first started, I always kind of compared it to Entourage and Artie’s office and how full of shit everyone is and how everyone is such a snake. Luckily we have just recently found incredible management. It took a minute, but we weeded through the snakes in the grass. Evan- Being a fan of Kurt Vonnegutt, you pull a lot of inspiration from him so why him? Kyle- Well, I read the book Cat’s Cradle and it changed my perspective on everything and I love the fact that he is so sarcastic and its not so in your face and he underlines everything. When we started the band, it was like 3 or 4 months later when he passed away and we caught a little bit of flack from the media for naming our band Vonnegut but his daughter Lilly actually hit me up and she said she was a fan of the music and she said if her dad was alive he would be super proud that we named it and it gave me the chills when I heard that, it was cool. Evan- Your on Big Boi’s record label, how is it working with him? Kyle- It’s a dream come true and not to mention but Outcast is the only reason I rap, I always said I would have been in a Blink 182 type band or N’Sync or boy band so Outcast is the single reason why I rap and for him to sign us and put so much into us that it means the world to us and its still surreal. It’s been a year and half or so and I still kinda catch myself thinking oh my god, I’m gonna bust it out with Big Boi or that I’m gonna get on stage with Big Boi its still surreal. This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
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 Its Thursday night… You’re in Chicago and the next day your band plays in front of a massive crowd at Lollapalooza. How do you prepare? As lead singer Elijah Jones of the Atlanta based rock/hip hop band The Constellations puts it “I have no idea where we were last night, all I know is that we had a great fuckin time!” The Constellations are a band that does it their way. Their musical style has it all, from funk, rock, and hip hop, they blend it all together with a myriad of sounds and throw in the gruff vocals of Jones for a melting pot of music mastery. Here are some excerpts from my interview with singer Elijah Jones. Evan J. Thomas - Seeing that you guys paid out of your own pocket to make your album Southern Gothic, did you get any financial help from family and friends? If so, have they been paid back? Elijah Jones – Yes and no (laughs) Yes, absolutely our family has helped us out. And no, we haven’t paid them back yet. They helped me out spiritually and mentally and couldn’t even figure out how to pay them back yet for that. Evan – Knowing that Atlanta is your main inspiration for song writing, where else do you get inspiration from? Elijah - Vegas man, Vegas is my jam. I absolutely love Vegas, its kind of a debauchery scene. It’s not all about the night life, its good people watching. It’s about the pimps, the drug dealers, the junkies, that’s what its about. Evan - How many songs did you have arranged for the album before it was finalized? Was it tough narrowing it down to 11? Elijah - We figured out we wanted to start playing live and getting the band together around 12 songs. For the whole album we had like around 20 songs. It just turned out to be a concept record and figured out that it was all about Atlanta and then turned out the record. Evan - Is there anyone that your wanting to collaborate with that you haven’t? Elijah - Tom Waits, absolutely. He signed off on us doing “Step Right Up” and it was absolutely amazing. To me the head of my musical influences are Tom Waits and Cee-Lo, and to have Cee-Lo on the record was absolutely amazing and a joy, a joy to work with. Growing up I would have never asked for a better debut record and having Tom Waits involved, I mean just involved and having Cee-Lo on a track was just amazing. Evan - So you were in the hip hop scene in Atlanta? Elijah - Absolutely man, I grew up on hip hop. Evan - Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Elijah- On the road or in the studio man, that’s all I really want to do. That’s my two favorite things about this — being in a new city every night meeting new people and then being in the studio. That’s why I am in this. Evan - Do you think it is easier in this day and age to make a name for yourself as a band with all the different types of media outlets? Elijah- Yeah man, it makes it a lot easier to get your music out there but its trying to get people to actually buy your music is the hard thing. I’m a big believer that your dollar is your vote and if you don’t buy the record or buy the song then you leave it up to (others) to dictate what goes on the radio and what gets played so keep downloading your local bands and stuff like that. Evan - What are you most looking forward to here at Lollapalooza? Elijah - Right now taking a nap, and getting drunk as shit. The Strokes man, absolutely The Strokes. I’m not going to be able to get to see them though; we have a show tonight after we play today so that sucks. This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
 May 3, 2010 By: Evan J. Thomas Attention Men! The beard is making a comeback, of sorts. Throughout history we have seen variations of the beard. Men with beards or facial hair like Abraham Lincoln have been described as wise and knowledgeable. Bearded men are also seen as being masculine making the bearded look a sexually desireable trait. On the other hand, bearded men can also be seen as dirty, crude or eccentric, for example look at how Joaquin Phoenix transformed his look during his acting hiatus as he boasted an unkempt beard. In many cultures beards are associated with nature and outdoorsmen. This time of year we have the NHL Playoffs and for decades players have been sporting their playoff beards. These playoff beards have become a yearly tradition and are a staple in the NHL. One of the most noteworthy playoff beard moments from back in the day included the red headed and red bearded Lanny McDonald of the Calgary Flames holding up the Stanley Cup in victory. In the world of Major League Baseball we had the Boston Red Sox and the beards they flaunted during their 2004 World Series campaign. The standout of that group was the “Captain Caveman” scruff look of outfielder Johnny Damon. Damon and his teammates then known as the “Idiots” grew out their facial hair as a sign of team unity. On the other side of the beard spectrum we have the facial hair hating New York Yankees. After the 2004 season, Damon jumped ship to the rival Yankees and spurned the Red Sox Nation. Due to the Yankees rule of no facial hair or long hair, Damon obliged to the rule and cut it all off to the dismay of his loyal following. Along with the Yankees the Cincinnati Reds have a no facial hair rule. Both organizations want their players and staff to have a more “professional” look. In the pop culture of today we have the Dos Equis beer commercials chronicling some of the bearded guy’s life conquests. In movies there is Alan from The Hangover, the portly and thick bearded social moron but overly hysterical character played by Zach Galifianakis. We also have the masculine ass kicking of the legendary bearded actor Chuck Norris. Some of Hollywood’s leading men have been known to grow some worthy thatch including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and the Sir Sean Connery. Rock stars usually have the most creative beards. Slayer’s guitarist Kerry King has the shaved head look with his trademark braided goatee beard that comes down to his stomach. ZZ Top’s legendary dueling beards are as famous as their guitar solos. Men, don’t be afraid to show off your growth, facial hair growth that is. Your facial hair will be your ultimate accessory no matter how you make it. Be creative with it; try different ways so it works for you. It’s all about the style so make it your own. This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
 July 12, 2010 By: Evan J. Thomas What can you say about a man who at 20 years old amazed thousands of mud caked onlookers at the original Woodstock that hasn’t already been said? I mean come on; Rolling Stone Magazine in 2003 named this guitar god the 15th greatest guitar player of all time. This critically acclaimed artist has won 10 Grammy Awards and 3 Latin Grammy awards during his illustrious career. He has collaborated with the who’s who of the music industry. He has appeared on FOX’s number one show American Idol. He recently was idolized in the Guitar Hero 5 video game as a character option. So again, what can be said of Carlos Santana that hasn’t already been mentioned? Not much can be said. Carlos Santana and his band conveniently named Santana graced the sultry stage last Friday night at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheater in Tinley Park, Illinois. If you have never seen Santana live you are definitely missing out on seeing an icon perform his craft. Santana’s blues-based guitar rifts are masterful and blend perfectly with the rhythmic percussions and seductive vocals provided. Since Santana doesn’t tour with all the big name singers who have collaborated in the past he does have two very worthy and harmonic vocalists who at times dual with each other or belt out individual tunes. Santana’s devoted followers grooved to the two plus hour set jam packed with his collection of hits which included “Black Magic Woman”, “Oye Como Va”, “Maria, Maria” and many more. Moments after the 4th song concluded there was a news worthy moment on stage. Santana proposed to his girlfriend and drummer Cindy Blackman. The moment came as Blackman finished her drum solo; Carlos then dropped to his knee and proposed in front of the surprised audience. Blackman accepted his proposal as they eventually kissed. The crowd erupted in celebration for the happy couple as the next song began. The evening began with another legendary performer and the much decorated English singer and songwriter Steve Winwood as the opening act. Winwood’s career has been just as brilliant and well traveled as his counter part Santana. Winwood’s distinguished career began at the tender age of 14 when he joined The Spencer Davis Group. He formed the band Blind Faith with all world guitarist and songwriter Eric Clapton. Winwood has also been in the bands Traffic and Go and he has had a stellar career as a solo artist. Winwood and his band performed his most popular tunes like “Higher Ground”, and “Gimme Some Lovin”. Seeing and hearing these two celebrated icons will bring you back to a time where music was music and not a spectacle that you see in the music industry of today. Sometimes you go to concerts for the “stage show” and sometimes you just want to sit back and enjoy great musicians. This was that performance. This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.  July 6, 2010
By: Evan J. Thomas It began over 2 months ago; actually this mess began 2+ years ago… If you occasionally strolled the ESPN.com website you may have seen it, ESPN even had it showcased on their daily telecasts. I am talking about the comical “LeBron Watch” countdown to free agency 2010 running clock. July 1, 2010 arrived last week with so much speculation on the NBA Free Agency period and to where LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh may end up for the rest of their careers that we heard every possible scenario linking these three All Stars. Have we ever in our lives seen so much news coverage on free agency in any sport? This free agency period has become a massive sideshow for the NBA. ESPN might as well put a reporter in the bathroom to see what LeBron just ate for lunch and report on that. We have camera’s following James car out of every meeting with potential teams, we have fans flocked around the parking garages for a glimpse of James with signs promoting their favorite team. I am thinking “King” James missed out on a great marketing ploy here, which I will get to shortly. And by the way, how did James get the nickname “King” when he has yet to win an NBA Championships? The answer to that is ESPN and the media. ESPN is always looking for the “Next Big Thing”. I mean look at The Washington Nationals rookie pitcher Steven Strasburg. ESPN was ready to name him to the NL All Star Team after 6 starts! Let the poor kid get used to the Major Leagues first. Thanks to NL All Star Manager Charlie Manuel for making that clear. This is what Lebron and his agents missed out on. If they were smart they would have put together a Reality TV show documenting LeBron’s trek into free agency and his daily life, what he eats for breakfast, his family, his workouts, team and business meetings, you know the usual “Reality TV” show scenarios. Seriously ESPN should have come up with that idea long ago. Come on, even Terrell Owens had his own show during the off-season so why not LeBron? It would have worked since James is more of a likeable personality than TO. Since that idea never materialized we are back to the Free Agency period. Lebron, D-Wade and Bosh will all be making life decisions in the next few days or possibly weeks. They could all potentially land with the same team though it is far fetched that will happen. Its also very possible that all 3 players will find new homes but the most likely scenario will be LeBron staying put in Cleveland, Wade staying with Miami and Bosh joining Wade making a solid tandem with the Heat. This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.  May 19, 2010
Are Them Crooked Vultures a “Super-Group”? I hate the moniker of a “Super-Group”. How many so-called super groups in the past have disappointed? I mean come on, you get a couple of big name players from bands and throw them together and most of the time they sell themselves in name only. I will tell you this, Them Crooked Vultures is a REAL rock band that puts its best foot forward and jams with the best of them. The band consists of Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme, Foo Fighters/Nirvana jack-of-all-trades Dave Grohl on drums and the ever so cool legendary bassist John Paul Jones formerly of Led Zeppelin. TVC released their self-title disc at the end of last year and they surely didn’t disappoint. TCV delivered a sheer powered two-hour set at the Aragon Tuesday night to a sold-out and sweltering audience. There were no mosh pits; there wasn’t any body surfing going on as the crowd focused its attention on the music. TCV mixed in their swampy psychedelic tunes with their crunching hard rock rifts. The fans in attendance loved every sweat soaked minute of the performance. During the show Homme reminded the audience that Chicago was the first-ever live pairing of TCV at the Metro last August. Grohl was given a deafening ovation after he was acknowledged and Jones ovation was 10 times that. TCV wasn’t there to revel in the adulation each member has earned in their other bands; they were at the Aragon to put on a rock show. They succeeded!  May 9, 2010
By: Evan J. Thomas You may have noticed some subtle changes in your significant other’s behavior that just doesn’t seem right. Contrary to what your masculine side might think, you may not be the main subject of her desire. If you have ever seen the show “Cheaters”, then you know some of the warning signs just by watching Joey Greco and crew bust out infidelity in relationships. Think it can’t happen to you? Well bud, it could be happening in your relationship. Since women are typically more detail-oriented than men, your girl is more likely to cover her cheating ways. Unless your planning on getting a detective to follow her every move I have compiled 7 signs that she is cheating on you. 1- She disengages herself from you You and your ladylove used to go out, movies, dinners, cuddling and now she would rather be on the computer or doing something around the crib that doesn’t involve you. 2- She is quick tempered and/or defensive You ask your main squeeze a question or offer to do something and she bites your head off, not literally but in a way that makes you want to crawl in a hole and hide. 3- She has a new workout and/or diet NOTE: Unless she’s watching Biggest Loser or she has a wedding to attend in the coming months this really doesn’t apply. Your heart’s desire has a sparking new interest for herself to get back in shape though she wasn’t really as interested in doing so before. 4- Change of wardrobe or new clothes Your honey bunny all of a sudden is looking to spice up her look with some new threads. 5- Tells you she is working longer hours The object of your affection could also be deceiving you by saying that she is spending more time out with the girls or hanging out with co-workers to disguise her extracurricular activity. 6- Secret texts/emails/phone calls Your sugar muffin has become secretive with her gadgets by not answering texts or calls in your presence or giving you the “that was so and so whom I haven’t talked to in a while”. 7- Not interested in intimacy with you Your soul mate has disconnected with you sexually, she doesn’t show the same fire as she did previously and the intimacy is lacking desire. The previously named signs may not imply that she is in fact cheating on you, though take each sign as a potential warning that something is astray with your sweetheart. If she wants to make your relationship work she will take the necessary steps. Or you can just break up. Good luck and don’t think it can’t happen to you!
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 Evan J. ThomasEvan was a contributor for Men's Weekly. Follow Evan on Facebook & Twitter.  Archives
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