5/18- Kicking Daisies

Since the fall of last year, Caitlin and Carly Kalafus, Ben Spremulli, and Duran Visek have been showcasing their talent across Connecticut with their band, Kicking Daisies.

Before Kicking Daisies, the now sixteen-year-old Caitlin Kalafus was best known as Caitlin on Drums, boasting an impressive 799 beats per minute, holding the record for the world’s fastest female drummer.  Her sister Carly helps to hold down the rhythm section with back-up vocals and prominent bass riffs.

The band’s lead guitarist Ben has only been playing for two years and is already- at twelve years old, an accomplished rocker.  Both his stage presence and sheer talent make him perfect for the high-energy Kicking Daisies.  He also has a great metal haircut, perfect for head banging during solos. 

On stage, Kicking Daisies frontman Duran Visek is right up there with Spremulli looking equally as cool, rocking just as hard. I met with Visek last week for an interview, and what impressed me most was not his sense of style, or the power behind his surprisingly soulful voice, but his knowledge of music- past and present.  During our ten-minute interview, he named more artists and musicians than I could in an hour, most of them famous before either of us were born.

My opportunity to meet with Kicking Daisies was provided by their vocal coach Melissa Mulligan (a musician herself, check her out at www.melissamulligan.com ).  I sat in and watched as Melissa and the band prepared for their next recording session in the studio, and was very impressed to find that Kicking Daisies was equally amazing while stripped of Ben (he was upstairs practicing guitar), and Caitlin’s drum kit.  With just the bare essentials, Kicking Daisies was able to drill their three (and with Ben four) part harmonies into my head, so that I was singing them hours after I left.

The short video below summarizes my time with the band, with some clips of their rehearsal, and my interview with Duran Visek.  After meeting and listening to Kicking Daisies in person, I can say that I am excited to hear the results of their recording on their upcoming album.  Until then, you can listen to Kicking Daisies at www.myspace.com/kickingdaisies or add them on facebook. 

Video of Kicking Daisies playing, and interview with Duran Visek:

Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers Armed Forces Entertainment Tour

                                  

            For almost 30 days, folk-rock band Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers toured overseas, performing for members of the U.S. armed forces in a total of nine countries. 

            Though the three-piece group from Massachusetts has spent the last five years playing to various audiences within the country’s borders, The Sixers felt that the tour of Europe and the Middle East was important regardless of their stance politically.  Commenting on the dates in Bahrain and Kuwait, the band’s front man, Stephen Kellogg said that, “It was particularly rewarding to be in a place of the world where there’s so much going on, and to play for people who really need it.”

            Later on in our conversation, Kellogg described some other charitable work that he’s done with the band.  In 2007, The Sixers performed at the first teen prom for patients at the St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Photos from the prom can be viewed here.  In addition to playing the prom, The Sixers sold handwritten song lyrics along with their regular merch and donated the proceeds to the St. Jude Research Hospital.  Kellogg described the donations as “Something we all [the band] agree is important.”

            The Sixers’ military tour was made possible by Armed Forces Entertainment, the official Department of Defense agency responsible for over 12,000 shows worldwide. Four episodes of The Sixers Armed Forces Tour video blog are available below:

Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers on iLike - Get updates inside iTunes

Episodes of Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers' Armed Forces Entertainment Tour:

Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers on iLike - Get updates inside iTunes

Listen to Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers at www.myspace.com/sk6ers orwww.stephenkellogg.com