Kobra and The Lotus joins the Kiss and Def Leppard tour at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater July 5

Kobra and The Lotus is a Canadian heavy metal band that was formed in 2009 by songwriter and lead vocalist Kobra Paige. Kobra was discovered by Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, and will be opening for Kiss and Def Leppard on their summer tour with a stop at The Verizon Amphitheater on July 5.

Kobra and The Lotus not only represent a new age of metal militia, but a band of professional life-dedicated musicians. Their album High Priestess will be available on June 24.

The OC Concert Guide had the opportunity to talk to Kobra and The Lotus about their origin, Simmons discovery and musical inspirations.

OCCG: Where did the Lotus part of your group name originate from?
Kobra: The lotus is a beautiful flower that blooms out of the mud. To me there was no better metaphor for heavy metal… beautifully melodic yet fierce!!

OCCG: How did feel to be discovered by Gene Simmons?
Kobra: It felt surreal to have such a rock and metal giant come onboard with us and believe in the journey. Gene is a brilliant and passionate man; it’s an honour to work with him.

OCCG: What do you want your fans and listeners to gain out of your latest album High Priestess that comes out on June 24?
Kobra: I want them to feel emotion and passion. There are a whole array of different stories and messages throughout the music and it’s my wish for them to take it and feel it for themselves.

OCCG: Who are some of your musical inspirations and whom do you look up to in the music industry?
Kobra: This is a constantly changing and growing list. There is inspiration everywhere if you look for it. One of the first people to ever inspire me was Robert Plant and still to this day Led Zeppelin resonates within my creative process.

OCCG: How did you know you wanted to pursue music as a career? Was there any pivotal moment or event that made you decide that?
Kobra: I had always wanted to pursue music but it began in a classical direction. Eventually I decided I was no longer interested in Opera and ceased all musical studies until…Judas Priest. They rolled into town on their Painkiller tour and I never looked back. I had to be a part of that culture; it had to be heavy metal from that day forward!

OCCG: What was it like working with Grammy-nominated producer Johnny K?
Kobra: Working with Johnny K was an unbelievably inspiring experience. Johnny has an amazing vibrancy fuelled by his passion for music and the creation of music. His excitement made me even more excited every day we worked. Not only that, he challenged the shit out of me. Really pushed me outside my envelope and stretch my brain in ways I hadn’t done before. It was a completely frustrating but beautiful experience.

OCCG: What are you most looking forward to at your show at Verizon on July 5 with KISS?
Kobra: Can’t wait to rock out with Irvine!! We’ve never been there before so we’re stoked to be there and show them what we’ve got!!

OCCG: What’s next for you guys?
Kobra: Tour, tour, tour!!! Now that the new album’s launching it’s time to tour relentlessly!

Streets Of Laredo play the Echo in Silverlake June 26

Back in Summer 2012, the indie-folk band Streets of Laredo was born in New Zealand and transplanted themselves halfway around the world to Brooklyn, NY. The group’s latest EP, “Lonsdale Line” came out on June 10 and they will be playing a show on June 26 at Echo in LA.

They won the AAA category of the worldwide Unsigned Artists competition and were recognized as a must-see band at 2013’s CMJ Music Marathon in NYC. The OC Concert Guide had the opportunity to talk to them about their inspirations, aspirations and upcoming summer tour with Kaiser Chefs at Bonnaroo.

OCCG: Where did the inspiration for your group name originate?
SOL: The name came from the song Streets of Laredo – (The Cowboys Lament). The song is about a washed up cowboy giving advice to a young up and coming cowboy. That sentiment seemed appropriate to us given me and Dan’s (the singers) relationship – he’s my younger brother, and is up and coming which makes me the washed up cowboy!

OCCG: How would you describe your music genre in your own words?
SOL: Kind of folky, kind of country but not really either.

OCCG: What do you want your fans to gain out of your latest EP, “Lonsdale Line” coming out on June 10?
SOL: We want them to get a taste of what we’ve got plus get a little insight into where we came from. There’s a few rare bedroom demos on the EP too that have a nice innocents and naïveté to them – they we’re recorded before we moved to NYC and got all hard and jaded.

OCCG: What are you most excited about your summer tour with Kaiser Chiefs and performing at Bonnaroo?
SOL: We’re excited to spend a bit of time with some English gentlemen. We’re from New Zealand and as such share some similarities such as our love of Fish n Chips & Meat Pies – we’re hoping they have these on their rider. Bonnaroo is gonna be a great chance to see a bunch of our favourite bands, catch up with friends and play to the most amount of people we’ve ever played to. Quietly excited.

OCCG: How was your experience working with Dine Alone Records?
SOL: They’re amazing folks. They’re passionate about music, they have a great roster of bands on their label that we love and just seem to click with us.

OCCG: Where do you hope to see yourselves a year from today?
SOL: Probably in the same Van on our way to Bonnaroo 2015 but with two LP’s released.

OCCG: What would you be doing if you hadn’t pursued music?
SOL: Probably a car salesman or some type of hustler.

OCCG: What are you most looking forward to at your show at Echo in LA on June 26?
SOL: The weather probably. We had the worst winter in NYC… I can still feel it in my bones. We need some sun!

Priests play Pehrspace in LA June 20

Priests is a powerful quartet from Washington D.C. whose sounds are extremely powerful and unlike what you’ve heard before. Be sure to check them out on June 20 at the Pehrspace in Los Angeles!

The group will be going on tour this summer starting off in their hometown and traveling throughout the nation from there.

The OC Concert Guide had the opportunity to speak with Priests regarding their name origin, upcoming summer tour and latest LP.

OCCG: Why did you decide to title yourselves as Priests? What’s the significance behind it?
Priests: We thought the name was a funny joke because none of us are qualified to be Priests

OCCG: How would you describe your genre and purpose to new and upcoming listeners?
Priests: Our genre is “world domination”

OCCG: What has been your biggest achievement as musicians thus far and what do you hope to accomplish in the long run?
Priests: Biggest accomplishment performing at the Grammys last year

OCCG: What do you want your fans to gain out of your latest EP?
Priests: It’s a split release between our own label, Sister Polygon Records, and Don Giovanni Records. We hope our fans love it to death. We hope they can stop playing it. We hope it radically changes their conception of good music.

OCCG: What are you most excited about in regards to your upcoming summer tour?
Priests: We are most excited to visit any destinations profiled in OC Travel Guide, of course.

OCCG: Which artist or producer would you like to collaborate with one day if you could choose anyone?
Priests: Probably Nils Lofgren, but only to re-record his Washington Bullets basketball theme song, “Bullets Fever”

OCCG: What are you most looking forward to at your show in LA on June 20 at pehrspace?
Priests: We played Pehrspace last summer and loved it. We’re excited to return and play withFrench Vanilla and Susan, LA is lucky to be home to such rad bands.

French Style Furs will finish out their June residence at The Satellite June 16 and 23

French Style Furs’ Is Exotic Bait LP succeeded through a compilation of fate, artistic vision and the spontaneity of three long time friends: Nathan Willett, Matt Maust and Nathan Warketin. Throughout frequent stops in New York City, Cold War Kids rekindled with an LA compatriot from We Barbarians and now are playing 2 upcoming shows at The Satellite in Los Angeles on June 16 and June 23.

Is Exotic Bait lent itself to beyond the voices and instruments of its three creators. Producer Nick Launay possessed the group’s ideal sensibility to mix the album. Launay’s work with PiL, Grinderman, Nick Cave, and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s was the final touch.

French Style Furs’ Is Exotic Bait is the final product that can only result from a band that is clearly having fun while pushing itself. The OC Concert Guide had the opportunity to speak with French Style Furs about their origin, latest LP and LA residency.

OCCG: How did you guys form your group and how did you guys all meet?
FSF: We are longtime friends from college; and our bands have toured together a bunch over the years.

While Cold War Kids had some days off in NY, Maust and I went into my studio to do some recording for fun. We had no real plan in mind, just a vague idea of recording bass and drum tracks. There was an immediate synergy and we wanted to roll with it, so we asked Willett if he wanted to come by and sing. He came with no lyrics, but a book of Thomas Merton poems. Using existing words from one of his favorite poets really opened things up for Willett, creating a fresh and exciting process. After finishing a couple full songs, we knew we had to make a whole record. We tried to fit in as much recording as possible between touring schedules and throughout 2013 we completed the album.

OCCG: How did you come up with the name French Style Furs? Where did it come from?
FSF: Maust and I saw “French Style Furs” on an old storefront in Greenpoint, Brooklyn as we were walking to my studio. It instantly became the band name.

OCCG: What do you want your listeners to gain out of your latest LP, Is Exotic Bait?
FSF: This record is basically one big art project, so our goal is really just for people to encounter it and be prompted; to be affected in some way. I don’t think everyone is meant to walk away with the same thing.

OCCG: What was it like working with producer Nick Launay?
FSF: We produced and recorded the album ourselves, but Launay was our dream pick to mix the record. He has worked with so many great artists from PIL to Nick Cave to Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Launay and his partner Adam Greenspan really brought this record to life with their mixes.

OCCG: How was the transition from Cold War Kids and We Barbarians to French Style Furs?
FSF: The way this project came together was a breath of fresh air for all of us. With no set precedence or expectations, we were totally freed up to simply create and collaborate. We have all been in bands for years and know how rare moments like this can be, so we just went with it.

OCCG: Which artist or producer would you like to collaborate with one day if you could choose anyone?
FSF: Really the whole spirit of FSF is collaboration. We were privileged to do so with some amazing people on this record… With each other to create the music, using the words of Thomas Merton, additional players and singers from Haley Dekle (Dirty Projectors), Stephen Hodges (Tom Waits) to Nick Kinsey and Wyndham Boylan-Garnett (Dearland). Then again collaborating with Nick Launay and Adam Greenspan to mix the record. We wanted a lot of fingerprints all over this thing. I’m sure the live shows and the next record will have some fun surprise collaborators as well.

OCCG: What are you most looking forward to for your LA residency at The Satellite?
FSF: These are the first ever FSF shows. Since we made a record before playing live, we are just looking to share these songs with people and define what our live show is as we go. In the same way we made this record, it will be fun to see what it becomes.

Nashville Pu$$y will be playing at the Whiskey A Go Go June 7

Southern rock band Nashville Pu$$y came together nearly tow decades ago back in 1996. They will be showcasing songs off their latest album along with old favorites for a night in West Hollywood at the Whisky A Go Go on June 7.

Their latest album Up The Dosage is sure to be a crowd pleaser with its contemporary and powerful beats. Rick Beato, producer of Shinedown and fellow good friend of Nashville Pu$$y was able to make this album not only possible, but also better than ever before by remixing their album.

The band has been playing a rigorous yearly gig marathon, touring with acts from Lynyrd Skynyrd to ZZ Top and played big music festivals such as Wacken Open Air. The OC Concert Guide had the opportunity to talk to the band about their origins, newest album and what’s next for them.

OCCG: How did you come up with Nashville Pu$$y? What’s the significance of it and how did you guys meet?
NP: I met Ruyter in Canada while touring with my other band Nine Pound Hammer. I fell in love with her and her guitar playing. We finally formed a band after 4 years of marriage. The name was taken from an intro on a Ted Nugent live record. We lived in Nashville at the time where we drove an ice cream truck.

OCCG: What purpose are you trying to convey through Up The Dosage?
NP: Just that we would like everyone to kick everything up a notch. The world is getting tame and boring. And we’re here to save the day by fucking things up!

OCCG: Why was the Microsonic Studios in Lexington, Kentucky considered a place for an inspired recording process for you guys?
NP: It’s actually called Nitrosonic Studios. A friend and former Nine Pound Hammer band member owns it. We have more control there. We’re also very familiar with the studio and the town. Also Kentucky can have a really good vibe. It’s virtually a stress free state. I think that’s their motto.

OCCG: How do you come up with your unique titles from “Rub It To Death” “Hooray for Cocaine, Hooray for Tennessee?”
NP: Unfortunately that is kind of a true story. A lot of stuff is kind of true. We just sing about the interesting parts of life. We leave the boring subjects to the squares. No one wants to hear songs about washing your car and going to the bank.

OCCG: What was it like working with producer Ricky Beato?
NP: He’s the greatest. But he just mixed it. Brian Pulito and Nashville Pussy actually produced it. Everyone involved is smart and cool.

OCCG: How is Up The Dosage different from your previous albums?
NP: It just sounds way way better. Even people who didn’t like our previous records will dig this one. It’s scientifically designed to be loved by all.

OCCG: Do you see yourselves performing at a music festival like Coachella?
NP: Of course!!! But unfortunately the people at the festivals in America are scared of us. We’ve played over 100 festivals in Europe. They’re not scared, so they get Pussy. So until American festivals stop acting like pussies, they will not get Pussy. That’s kind of true in life to. You want pussy? Then don’t act like one.

OCCG: Whom would you like to tour with in the future if you could choose anyone to tour with?
NP: ACDC/MOTÖRHEAD/BLACK SABBATH/NASHVILLE PUSSY. The perfect tour!!!!!

OCCG: What have you learned as musicians that you couldn’t have learned any other way?
NP: Avoid the real world at all costs!!!

OCCG: What plans do you have for the rest of the year?
NP: Right now I’m at Pep Boys in the lounge waiting for our van to get fixed. And I can’t decide whether to get a burrito or taco while to kill time. After I figure that out I’ll deal with the rest of the year!!!

Brown Sabbath funks up the Constellation Room June 10
Photo by: Courtney Chavanell

Brown Sabbath started off as a “half inside joke and half psychotic” according to Brownout guitarist Greg Gonzalez. A majority of the band are also part of the Grammy Award-nominated Latin small orchestra, Grupo Fantasma.

Brown Sabbath has performed at a plethora of music festivals from Fun Fun Fun Fest to Pechanga Fest. They will be performing on June 10 at The Constellation in Santa Ana.

The band even won their third Austin Music Award and has been going strong ever since. The OC Concert Guide had the opportunity to speak with Gonzalez (guitar, bass, vocals) about what’s next for them this summer, their latest LP and name origin.

OCCG: How did you come up with Brown Sabbath? What’s the meaning behind it?
BS: Brownout was doing a residency at a club in Austin this past Sept. and the goal was to do a different theme every week. We did James Brown’s classic album “Black Caesar” as “Brown Cesar” we did a BBoy night called “Brownout II Electric Boogaloo,” a hip hop night “Fear of a Brown Planet” and a Black Sabbath tribute night “Brown Sabbath.” All the shows were great, but the Brown Sabbath show was the biggest hit of the four. We sold out the club, with a line around the block. That success inspired us to record an EP of Black Sabbath covers, one thing led to another, we got a record label involved, and the next thing you know were doing a run of shows to promote an album based upon the Brown Sabbath theme!

OCCG: “Hand of Doom” with Alex Maas of Black Angels has been getting a lot of great responses and feedback from USA Today and Noisey/Vice. How do you guys feel about that?
BS: We’re stoked to be getting so much positive feedback on the track. Alex Maas did a great job on that song and it’s a pretty obscure Black Sabbath track to begin with. Whenever you try to play Sabbath there are a lot of “Sabbath purists” out there who consider it sacrilegious to do things like add horns and percussion to a Sabbath song, but overall most people have been super receptive.

OCCG: How would you guys describe your sound?
BS: Heavy Psychedelic Afrofunk

OCCG: What do you hope your fans gain out of your latest full-length LP coming out on June 24?
BS: I hope they gain a new appreciation for the funkiness of Black Sabbath. Those riffs are damn funky!

OCCG: What was it like earning your third Austin Music Award?
BS: It was like winning our second Austin music award, not so much like winning the first one. Definitely an honor, like always, plus our guitar players got to take part in one of the inevitable 15-guitar-players-on-stage-blues-jams that seem to happen every other year.

OCCG: What has been your favorite music festival that you’ve played at?
BS: That’s a tough one. Probably Bonarroo, backing up the GZA, or UtopiaFEst jamming with Bernie Worrell. Or Bear Creek jamming with Antibalas, maybe High Sierra… We recently played Psych fest, that was awesome. So many festivals, so little time.

OCCG: What are you most looking forward to for your show at The Constellation in Santa Ana on June 10?
BS: California weather (beats the Texas heat)

OCCG: What’s next for Brown Sabbath this summer?
BS: We’ll be touring throughout California and into Nevada in advance of our album release in June then probably touring in support of the album in the Northwest in August with an East coast run to ease us into the fall by which time the Brownout Presents: Brown Sabbath hype should be reaching a fever pitch!