PICK UP THE NEW HELIX CD. FOLKS. IT’S A SHORT (32 minutes) EXPLOSIVE SLICE OF HARD MELODIC ROCK. You can check my radio show episodes online and just scroll down to a hard rockin’ set to hear UFO, CELLESTE..AND NEW HELIX on the june 18th post http://emms.podbean.com/
MORE HELIX live on this week’s June 17th show..8.p.m.
I RECENTLY spoke to the band’s vocalist and founding member Brian Vollmer
Timmins fans will be as the classic Helix song/video states Running Wild In the 21st Century when Canuck vintage hard rockers Helix rip into The Vic Friday night July 2.
What’s even bigger news is the band’s new cd Vagabond Bones is a hit right out of the box. In fact, personally I see this release as an updated but true to their hard driving melodic sound.
What could top that news? The original Helix lineup will be there. Yes you heard right! Lead singer Brian Vollmer, drummer Fritz Hines, lead guitarist Brent Doerner and bass player Daryl Gray will indeed blow the doors off The Vic.
As most rock fans know guitarist/songwriter Paul Hackman died in 1992 in a vehicle accident when the band’s van left the road and rolled down a 40 foot embankment 60 miles from Kamloops British Columbia. On this tour subbing in as co-lead guitarist is Kaleb Duck who also works with Canuck progressive heavy metal rockers Bravura.
Helix was a huge force in Canadian hard rock/metal duirng the 80’s. The band toured with Alice Cooper, Whitesnake, Motorhead, Quiet Riot and many others. In fact at one gig opening for Heart in Kentucky a stranger jumped up on the stage to jam with Helix guitarist Doerner. It was at this time the band realized it was none other than Eddie Van Halen.
After 36 years of being Canadian hard rock heroes and with tour dates in the US and Europe and the new cd doing brisk business I spoke to lead singer Brian Vollmer
Emms- The new cd is excellent. In fact i was just playing tracks from it and my wife said from the kitchen wow those are good songsI
Vollmer-Thanks John, we just released Monday Morning Meltdown and Make Em Dance and the youtube numbers are fantastic.
Emms-Is classic rock radio playing your new songs?
Vollmer-They are in some markets. What’s upsetting is a lot of classic rock stations use the CRTC ruling about Canadian content and play a lot of our older classic songs, and other stuff from April Wine,Trooper and others. I mean do we need to hear We’re Here For A Good Time every day. If new music by classic acts is presented in the right form and I hear this on internet radio broadcasts then it will really make an impression.
Emms-Well I plan on playing a lot of your new stuff on my own online radio program
Vollmer-Thank you, I would love to check out your radio show.
Emms-I notice your new cd is being distributed by Universal Music.This is pretty cool.
Vollmer-(laughing) Well I do all the work. Did you notice I called you and set up this interview. I take care of the Helix website. (it’s very cool site readers) and generally I’m hands on in every aspect of the band.
Emms-Can you make more money as a business and artist this way?
Vollmer-Well in the old days we were signed directly with Capital Records in the US and granted they broke us. We ended up touring in all parts of the world with the world’s biggest names. On the other had if we made an album in those days and it cost 40,000 dollars, they would give Helix 3 cents a song at 10 songs so it was impossible to pay off of a debt of 40,000 bucks. And that was just for the recording. These days we can make a cd for $15,000 dollars and sell the cd for 14 dollars. That is a litttle better.
Emms-Anvil had a tremendous success with their movie The Story of Anvil. It was reviewed 4 stars in Rolling Stone Magazine, The New York Times etc. Heck the story of Helix would make an intersesting documentary. Your history is exhausting and long.
Vollmer-Actually we would like to get a t.v. show happening. I can’t tell you much more now John, but it would revolve possibly built around characters in a show where I could describe and host on touring, recording etc.And it might be intersesting for younger artists. I’m just thinking about it now, so I can’t say anymore.
Emms-Your book “Gimme an R” how did that do?
Vollmer-I made all my money back and then some, and fans who read the book said they totally enjoyed hearing about our exploits. More important it created a band legacy.
Emms-I knew you spent time with Ronnie James Dio one of metal’s biggest stars. (Dio passed away in May from cancer)
Vollmer-Ronnie was a true gentlemen much like Alice Cooper. He took the time to converse with you, and made you feel important. It’s very sad.
Emms-What can we expect at The Vic on July 2nd?
Vollmer-I’m happy to say, all the classics from our platinum and gold records and a good cross section of our new material
WALKER is the perfect blues/roots vehicle for any music label (in this case Stony Plain Records) because he offers listeners such a wide pallete of dazzling song options. Produced expertly by the legendary Duke Robillard Walker has no problem walking the line between the roots of blues with the healthy infusion of rock or soul.
REJOICE..THIS album may change the way you listen to blues. It is that powerful.
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