KRUI - "Local Tunes" Interview

On 12/18/12 Raw Mojo paid a visit to KRUI studio's to play a few new songs from the forthcoming album "Brickbat Theory" and to give an interview. Below is the interview portion of the show for those of you who missed it. Enjoy!

Favorite Albums of 2012 - By Dan Bee

      Hi, My name is Dan Bee and I make music with a band known as Raw Mojo. Becasue I am a huge fan of music and lists are fun to make I have decided to share with you my favorite and most listened to albums that came out in 2012. This list is in no particular order and just off the top of my head as the music comes to it. I may miss a few albums but the ones I picked I have included a link to at least one cut which has affected me in some way.

Forgetters -Forgetters

      Forgetters is easily my highest anticipated and most listened to album of the year. I really enjoy the way Blake writes and how every single word and note he chooses to include somehow seems very important. This alb um has everything from experimental noise jams, punk rock anthems, to tender and well thought out songs like you hear in the track I've chosen below called "Die By Your Own Hand".

Jack White - Blunderbuss

      If you haven't heard of this album this year you have probably been enjoying your stay under the rock in which you've taken residence. Jack has managed to make an album that is uncompromising, eclectic, and yet still mainstream enough to capture the attention of the Grammy Awards for album of the year. Included below is the album closer and one of my favorite songs off of Blunderbuss known as "Take Me With You When You Go". The track starts off slow with touches of piano and a Doors like groove used to slowly draw you in as instruments are added until you reach the 2:08 mark... this is when the song stops to break out gnarliest of fuzz guitars and the song beats you over the head the way Jimmy Page and Robert Plant would drop a giant concrete balloon on your head in the 70's. Simply a great moment off a great album.

Dinosaur Jr. - I Bet On Sky

      When J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph decided to reunite the original Dinosaur Jr line up a few years ago I was quite excited. At first they just played a few shows of old material and eventually put out 2 albums of new material. Those albums were good but something interesting happened by this 3rd release from them, they actually lived up to their potential. This is the album I've been waiting for the reunited line up to make. There is not a disappointing track from start to finish here. I was lucky enough to get the deluxe edition vinyl of this album and took it to Adam's house for the first listen. The song here is one we both immediately latched on to and rocked out to. At that point, I knew this album was something special.

Mark Lanegan - Blues Funeral

      Ever since the early 90's I've been a fan of The Screaming Trees. Since that band Mark Lanegan has gone on to do many projects and most of them are among my favorite albums of all time. Blues Funeral is no exception, in fact it may be his best effort yet. As if his voice isn't amazing enough, Mark's songwriting has gotten better with time and the man has mastered the art of creating and capturing a mood through music. This isn't just some rock singer spitting out lines to be cool, this is a vocal artist capturing the essence of life, death, and everything in between.

Neil Young - Psychedelic Pill

      You really can't go wrong when Neil Young comes together with Crazy Horse. From the opening, near 28 minute song to the closing "Walk Like A Giant", this is a rock album which takes risks and if you stack around they pay off. Below is the single edit of "Walk Like A Giant" for your tasting pleasure.

Bob Dylan – Tempest

      I haven't heard this album as much as I'd like to but the thing that strikes me the most about this recording is the amazing singing of Bob Dylan. We all know the man can write a great song but here his voice has just become otherworldly. There are times where I feel Bob is channeling Louis Armstrong. A good friend of mine told me they thought this is probably the way Bob has wanted to sing his whole life and I can only agree. Because Dylan's record company is so on top of anyone putting up unauthorized music by having it removed immediately, I am forced to use his officially released "Duquesne Whistle" below. While I really do enjoy the song and it gives you a nice taste of what the album is like I would suggest you seek out more for yourself.

Smashing Pumpkins - Oceana

      Being from Chicago there are a few things which I will always be a fan of, mainly The Cubs and The Smashing Pumpkins.  It seems like I am always pulling for both to succeed and in this case one out of two ain't bad. Oceana is a surprisingly good album filled with classic, yet progressive sounding Smashing Pumpkins songs. Band mastermind and only original member Billy Corgan has been re-releasing a slew of old 90's Smashing Pumpkins remasters with bonus tracks. I like to believe it was this trip down memory lane coupled with the eventual actual gelling of the newer band members which has us arrive at this great sounding Smashing Pumpkins record.

Bob Mould - Silver Age

      In the 80's Bob gave us Hüsker Dü, then in the 90's we got Sugar. Both were heavy guitar driven bands focused on catchy songs with great melodies. Somewhere along the way after the departure of Sugar, Mould became more and more experimental with electronic sounds to the point of losing a lot of his fan base. I've always tried to keep up with him while staying open minded and there were always diamonds in the rough among his releases. Then Bob decided to write an autobiography which led to a tour where he revised songs from Sugar, which led to the making of Silver Age, the return to Bob's guitar driven rock roots. This is pretty much everything you could want from Bob especially if you are a fan of his older stuff. Just one listen and you will hear he has found that spark of inspiration in which he used to create this particular genre of rock. My personal favorite cut "Briefest Moment" was not available anywhere to be shared but the video below should give you a decent taste of the album and the way it sounds.

Tenacious D - Rize of the Phoenix 

      If you know anything about my tastes you will know I have a deep rooted love for the weird and the comical when it comes to music. Tenacious D albums fill the spot every time they release an album. There isn't much more to say. If you haven't seen the video posted below it's worth watching at least once. The D like to mess with you while they self deprecate.

Soundgarden - King Animal

     To be fair, I haven't given this album a fair chance yet but after 1 listen I know it will be a mainstay in my player for awhile. Off the top of my head this track is one of a few that stood out right away. I'll need to spend a bit more time with King Animal but it's a safe bet it's an instant classic in my personal catalog.

Jeremy Kinn - Last Word 

 As both a song writer and guitar player I look up to Jeremy Kinn. Early this year he put out a small run of his album "Last Word". It's a brave heartfelt venture into honesty, experimentation, catchy melodies, and great songwriting.  Jeremy only has a few of these songs online so I went to his Soundcloud page to share this one with you.

All in all 2012 has been a pretty great year for music. I am sure I missed a lot of albums here but I did what I could to give you some cream of the crops. If there are any glaring omissions please feel free to put them up in the comments section.

Thanks for everything and have a great holiday!

-Dan Bee

Loud-Stuff Reviews "Veins"

http://www.loud-stuff.com/raw-mojo.html

Click the link about to read the fresh, just today released review of "Veins" by the good folks at Loud-Stuff!

LIVE @ Tailgators - Saturday Novemeber 17

Our good friends in Toology (www.manthemachine.net) the ultimate Tool tribute band will tear up the stage and rock your eardrums at Tailgators in Cedar Rapids. Raw Mojo will be opening the show and may even have a few advance copies of the new album Brickbat Theory available to those lucky enough to be there. So what do you say, are you ready to get your rock on at Tailgators?!

The Daily Vault

The Daily Vault was founded on January 13, 1997, by Chicago-area music fanatic Christopher Thelen (a.k.a. Bob Pierce). From the start, the Daily Vault has sought to serve the widest possible audience, reviewing music of all genres (from classical to death metal, from unknown indies to global superstars) and from all eras (new, old and in-between). Its eclectic mix of coverage, including CD reviews, concert reviews and artist interviews, has attracted music fans and writers of all ages and backgrounds from all over the world.


Recently The Daily Vault obtained a copy of the now classic Raw Mojo album "Veins" and put it on the block for review. To read what reviewer Tom Haugen has to say about the album Click Here.

Des Moines Rocks!

Live at The Cafe in Macomb IL

Vents Magazine - The Interview

Raw Mojo recently was interviewed by Vents Magazine. To read the interview online just click the link below.

Vents Magazine Interview

Raw Mojo Video - DRAG

Check out the promo poster for the video for "DRAG" due out Monday July 31, 2012!

DRAG is available!

Here are a few places you can now get the new Raw Mojo single "DRAG":

iTunes
CD Baby
Google Play
Bandcamp
Myspace
Zune

Links from Amazon, Spotify, MOG, and more to follow soon!

There are also radio stations playing "DRAG" right now. There are:

KQ92 out of Burlington Iowa, contact radio personality Mike Savage and request it between 3-7 PM. Or Email: savage@kq92rocks.com or call (319) 754-9208.

WNLF - Modern Rock 95.9 in Macomb, IL now has added "DRAG" to their library thanks to Kevin Dean, his show airs every Saturday at 10PM. You can always call them and request to hear it at 309-833-2121or Email Kevin at Kevin@prestigeradio.com

Iowa City can get in touch with KRUI.fm
or
KKRQ 100.7 The Fox

Thank you everyone,

-Dan Bee

One For The Weekend

As you may have heard, Raw Mojo is set to release their new single "DRAG" in iTunes and other digital media outlets on Monday July 16th, 2012. Iowa, you can hear a sneak peak of the song by tuning in to Mike Ryan and his show Discover and Uncover on 100.7 KKRQ on your FM radio. The show starts Sunday July 15th at 9pm (Central Time) SHARP...for those of you who live outside of Iowa and want to hear, the show will be streamed live on their website: http://radiotime.com/station/s_33585/The_FOX_1007.aspx ...so you and your friends EVERYWHERE can tune in!!

Raw Mojo to release "DRAG" on July 16th

Raw Mojo unveils their first studio recording in 3 years, with their new track entitled "DRAG.” The Iowa based rock band will make this digital debut July16th, and will be available day of release via iTunes, Spotify, or anywhere else you download digital music. The track was recorded in 2012 while Raw Mojo was working on new material for their long awaited next album.

Please "Like", Share, Tweet, or anything else you can think of to get the word out about this new release.

Raw Mojo on Little Village Live

Join Little Village Live and Raw Mojo on July 18th. Raw Mojo is scheduled to perform all new material and Little Village Live will be interviewing the heavy hitting Iowa City rock band.

Though it's gonna get loud, these shows are all-ages and family friendly. Just remember to bring ear plugs for yourself and the kiddos.

Public Space One and Little Village Live are also providing sweet and salty snacks from the New Pioneer Co-Op. Plus there's air conditioning. How much more do you need??



Time: 5-6 P.M. CST
Where: Public Space ONE
129 E. Washington St. Iowa City
Price: FREE
Listen Live at 89.7 F.M.
Or stream the show live from your computer at http://krui.fm/listen/

GEAR!

An Interview with Peter Rutter of VFE Pedals

By Dan Bee

The Proto OD III

VFE Pedals is a boutique effects pedal company started by Peter Rutter. Many musicians use effects pedals to help shape their sounds to stand out, be more unique, or get the sound they hear in their head out to the audience. A lot of these “stompboxes” are mass produced by large companies but in recent years the market for boutique market has been growing. In my eyes, Mr. Rutter is custom hand building some of the best made pedals available today. I personally own and use 7 different builds Peter has made and have one out on loan to our bassist Nikki Lee who uses an early build called the "Proto OD III". Peter was kind enough to make time to answer some interview questions via email.

DB: VFE stands for “VonRutter Family Effects”, how is your family involved in your business?

Rutter: When pedal building transitioned from hobby to business, I was still a full-time teacher. My brother built most of the pedals during this time, and he helped come up with several names of the pedals. My dad has contributed financially a key moments, like paying for our air travel to get me to my first NAMM show in January. Right now I am the only member of the family that's officially working for VFE,

Just FYI, "VonRutter Family Effects" is a play on words, from the "VonTrap Family Singers" in the Sound of Music movie. My last name is Rutter...some people think it must be VonRutter, but that's part of the joke!

DB: What kind of educational and work background do you have?

Rutter: I have a general Associate of Arts degree, Bachelors in Mathematics (physics minor), and a Master's in Teaching. I taught high school mathematics from Pre-Algebra up to Calculus for five years.

DB: How was VFE started?

Rutter: I bought some DIY kits from Build Your Own Clone in the spring of 2008. By the summer, I was already modifying these kits and coming up with my own ideas. I couldn't keep everything I made on a private school teacher's salary, so I sold them on eBay. My ideas kept progressing until I decided to try my hand at designing an original circuit board layout, which was quite simple compared to my current pedals. After that, people kept buying and things kept growing. We decided to make it official in January 2010, which is officially when VFE Pedals began.

DB: How did you recognize an opportunity and develop it?

Rutter: Honestly, this was just something I did as a hobby that grew into a business. My wife & I thought that summer 2011 would be the best transition time to start working full-time on the business. But we were compelled to start living a different life than that of a private school teacher (no extra time & no extra resources). We wanted to be able to give away our time & resources, so the flexibility of running my own business led me to start working full-time at VFE 12-18 months earlier than we had planned.

DB: What problems did you encounter as the business got underway and how they were solved?

Rutter: There are still problems to be solved, but here is one example. I originally sold direct & through eBay only. I had dealers knocking on the door, but I knew that I would have to raise prices to have enough margin to sell to dealers. I didn't want to raise prices without improving the product, as I felt that was unfair to do to the customer. So I worked on some new ideas to improve the quality of the switching system, a more professional silkscreen graphic, and a longer warranty. All these improvements added only a small amount to my cost, but added significant value. This allowed me to raise pricing to the point where there was enough margin to sell to dealers.

DB: What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

Rutter: Start young, and learn from your mistakes. I was a teacher & obviously encourage people to get an education, but I think some people need to start businesses right out of high school or right out of college (or during college). I've learned more from doing than I ever did from someone lecturing at me.

Also, if you don't have a clear vision, don't start. Get a job & start something as a hobby first. Until you have a clear vision, even if you make money, you won't be satisfied because you'll know that the product or service you offer is sub-par.

DB: Is VFE a passion for you?

Rutter: Yes. I am thinking about new ideas about the smallest little details all the time. Most "light bulb" moments come when I'm not in the shop, so it's definitely on my mind a lot. If I could step away from the business side for a few months & just develop ideas, well, it would be crazy. But I need to keep focused on what products we already have!

DB: Is there a lot of competition in your market and if so, is it cut throat?

Rutter: I've found that most guys in the boutique pedal market are very amiable, and love to talk shop. There are some ideas they hold close to the chest, which is understandable, but in general I've found the community of builders to be a valuable resource. I think we all understand that if we build great products, we don't have to worry about each other. There is plenty of business going to manufacturers that create uninspiring products, and as the Internet continues to bring smaller builders closer to the world, many more musicians are "growing up" knowing about way more options that just the big names. To wrap it up, I think the best products & customer experience is the biggest factor for success, especially in the age of social media, so I don't worry about competing with other builders.

DB: Do you find customers to be respond more to new products or improvements to existing products?

Rutter: There are two things that I think customers respond to the most. The first is truly original ideas. Music is a creative art, so musicians love to see creative work. The other is taking ideas that have been around & bringing them together in a new way that's so intuitive that the sum is greater than the parts. Take The Scream for example. There are zero new ideas, at least as far as what could be done to the Tubescreamer circuit. But The Scream puts all those ideas into a single compact space that not only can do all the tones of the tubescreamer variants, but also entirely new ones of its own.

DB: What hopes do you hold for the future for VFE?

Rutter: I have a number of crazy ideas, but my focus right now is the compact lineup of effects we currently offer. I've found that if I allow myself to be distracted with too many other ideas, I can't build a better product, and I don't serve the customer or the dealers that support me as well. So while I plan to create different product lineups in the future, it's our focus on the building the best products we can right now that really allows VFE to continue to improve already great products. I hope that makes sense. I've found that by continuously pressing in on the design in every season, I come up with new ideas naturally without having to "look forward" into our distant future.

 If you would like to learn more about VFE Pedals visit their website http://www.vfepedals.com/

Pix at Old Brick Recording Studio

Dawn Frary of Dewey Street Photo dropped by the Raw Mojo recording sessions at The Old Brick and came away with some really great shots of the band and other oddities.

Click here to view the pictures!