Wednesday, January 24, 2007

FAN PICS FROM LAST SATURDAYS SHOW

These pics were taken last weekend at the bands return to homeground show at the Hamilton St. Pub in Saginaw by Pete "Rocktropoulos". It can be fun to play smaller venues when it is a warm hometown crowd as it was this night!



THE PROCESS INTERVIEW IN ROCK STARS GLUED





Check out this intereview with THE PROCESS singer
David Asher in this weeks ROCK STARS GLUED

Check out this interview with THE PROCESS singer David Asher in ROCK STARS GLUED
1. How did you come up with the name "The Process"?
MY FRIEND ERIC MCKENDREE SUGGESTED THE NAME FOR US. ORIGINALLY HE HAD WANTED TO START A COLLECTIVE OF SOME TYPE BUT NEVER DID MUCH WITH THAT IDEA, EXCEPT THAT HE DESIGNED OUR FIRST TWO ALBUM COVERS. WE KIND OF RAN WITH THE NAME AND ESTABLISHED IT.
2. How long have you been together, and how did you meet?
THE PROCESS HAS BEEN TOGETHER SINCE THE LATE 80'S. GARRICK OWEN THE GUITARIST AND I STARTED THE BAND. BILL JOINED US IN 1991 AS WE WERE MAKING OUR FIRST ALBUM. I'VE KNOWN BILL SINCE WE WERE BABIES. GARRICK WAS A YOUNGER KID WHO GREW UP AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY HOUSE. GABE (GONZALEZ FROM GEORGE CLINTON'S P-FUNK ALL STARS) JOINED 6 YEARS AGO.
3. Who were your musical interests growing up?
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THE BEATLES, TRAFFIC, GROUPS LIKE THAT. I STARTED TO LOVE BOB MARLEY IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN LATER IGGY POP.. GARRICK AND BILL WERE BIG ALICE COOPER FANS. BILL LOVES DAVID BOWIE AND CURTIS MAYFIELD AS WELL.
4. What is the music scene like in Detroit Michigan?
DANGEROUS, VIBRANT AND SUFFOCATING AT THE SAME TIME.
5. How do you promote your bands and shows? WE PROMOTE EVENTS WITH A DEVOTED NETWORK OF FANS AND FRIENDS AND EVERY TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL. WITH PRINT MEDIA AND THE INTERNET. WE TRY AND DO IT ALL.
6. Who does your writing? One person, or do you collaborate?
MOST OF THE SONGWRITING CHORES ARE DONE BY MYSELF AND GARRICK. BILL HELPS OUT WITH THE ARRANGEMENTS AFTER THE SONG IS FLESHED OUT.
7. How hard is it for you to get your music out there being a Reggae band?
WELL WE ARE A ROCK/REGGAE BAND THAT CAN ROCK OUT QUITE HARD IF NEED BE. THE TRICKIER THING IS BEING AN "ORIGINAL" BAND. BY ORIGINAL I MEAN BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF. PLAYING REGGAE CAN MAKE US STAND OUT A BIT BUT WE PLAY THRASH, DUB, FUNK, METAL. WE PLAY MANY STYLES.
8. You had a great review in Real Detroit. How is that for you as a band to read great reviews like that?
IT DOES HELP VALIDATE SOMEWHAT BUT I THINK WE WOULD JUST PUSH ON WITH OUR VISION ANYWAY. THAT REVIEW WAS NICE BECAUSE THE ALBUM WAS A BIG RISK IN TURNS OF A CHANGE IN DIRECTION INTO HARD DUB AND TECHNO REMIXES.
9. Where do you see yourselves as a band in 5 years?
GOD WILLING WE WILL STILL BE HERE MAKING MUSIC THAT SATISFIES US AND OUR FANS. HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET OUR MUSIC TO THE PEOPLE AND FIND DISTRIBUTION THAT PAYS US WELL ENOUGH TO KEEP WORKING. I HAVE SOME PLANS TO TACKLE SOME RECORDINGS IN JAMAICA SOME TIME.
10. Make your own Concert Bill. Who would be on it, and why?
WELL ARE THEY HERE, OR BEYOND FLESH? IF HERE, STEEL PULSE OR LEE PERRY. IF BEYOND, WELL, THE WAILERS. CAN'T FORGET BUNNY WAILER IN THE HERE AND NOW THOUGH. I LOVE TACKHEAD AS WELL. HAVE TO HAVE THEM THERE!
12. Give us a little background on yourselves musically.
BILL IS CLASSICALLY TRANED, GARRICK TOOK LESSONS FOR A WHILE. I'M PRETTY MUCH SELF TAUGHT. ALL OF OUR PARENTS WERE MUSICAL. GABE GONZALEZ GREW UP AROUND GEORGE CLINTON AND P-FUNK. THEY USED TO REHEARSE IN HIS GRANDMAS BASEMENT WHEN HE WAS LITTLE.
13. How do you feel myspace has helped or hurt the music industry?
MYSPACE HAS HELPED INDEPENDENT MUSIC BY ALLOWING A TOOL FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT. IT IS A HUGE BOOST TO INDEPENDENT ARTISTS WHO ARE TRYING TO GET HEARD BY A WIDER AUDIENCE.
14. What is a goal you would like to achieve this year?
TOURING EUROPE SUCCESSFULLY. THERE ARE SOME PLANS IN THE WORKS.
15. If you could be a super hero........What would you be and why? "WONDERMAN" LEE "SCRATCH" PERRY, A REAL LIFE SUPER HERO. WE SHOULD ALL DO WHAT HE DOES AT 70!!
16. As always, the last question........What does music mean to you?
MUSIC IS THE WEAPON OF THE FUTURE. MUSIC IS A TOOL FOR POSITIVE CHANGE. MUSIC MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME. IT IS OUR LAST GREAT HOPE.

Monday, January 08, 2007

Corey Robinson Crosses Over



















Corey Bernard Robinson 11-21-1971 12-29-2006

Corey was a dear friend to THE PROCESS for many years. While we mourn with his other friends and family, we celebrate his life and the blessing he was in ours.

Remembering an artist with passion and heart
FLINT JOURNAL COLUMN
FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITIONFriday, January 05, 2007
By Doug Pullen (Edited)JOURNAL COLUMNIST


Talk to people who knew Corey Robinson, and they'll tell you about his passion and heart.
Robinson, 35, a popular tattoo artist and former SSG Collective vocalist, died of congestive heart failure Dec. 29 at Hurley Medical Center.
People sing praises for Robinson, who died at Hurley Medical Center, nearly three years after a heart transplant.
Though he spent the last two years of his life in Petoskey, Robinson was a Flint product, a local music habitue, former bouncer at the Back Room (now the Loft) and vocalist for the experimental SSG Collective and Albadore Soundsystem. But he made his mark as an in-demand tattoo artist, both on his own and with Consolidated Ink and Steel. He was also a strong advocate for safety in his profession.
"If you didn't know him, he could scare the hell out of you," says Michael Absher, the local club DJ, former public radio jock and SSG frontman who bears two of Robinson's tats, including one on his butt that was applied live on a pirate radio station several years ago.
"He was a burly guy, a big bear of a dude," Absher recalls. "But he was an absolute sweetheart."
Friend and fellow Flint expatriate Johnnie Walker describes Robinson as "a big brother," whom he met "hanging out" at shows at The Lobby and other underground rock spaces in the '90s.
Later, Walker was a groomsman at Robinson's wedding. When Walker and his girlfriend moved to Petoskey a few years back, Robinson saw how good their lives were and decided to join them.
Robinson had a big heart, Walker notes, and it just grew bigger the sicker he got.
"He made friends with some Native Americans here. He'd sit there and have them sing songs and tell them what they were about," says Walker, who is organizing tonight's Flint memorial. "He was trying to learn. He knew his time was coming. He made sure he told me he loved me."
Music used to be a "fun thing" for Robinson earlier, Absher observes. But as his health problems mounted - he had hip replacement surgery last year, and was due for another - the reggae-loving Robinson's growing harmonica skills late in his life suggest it took on a more serious role.
"He had recorded some songs with Michelle (that) were on his computer. They were prophetic almost," Walker says.
A college fund is being set up for Robinson's children, Devon and Sydney.

If you'd like to share your thoughts with friends, families and fans, go to:
http://www.legacy.com/Flint/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=20504733
To hear hear Corey Robinson's Rasta chanting on "Downpressor" go to:
www.myspace.com/albadoremusic


Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Weapons Of Mass Percussion Review in REAL DETROIT


The Process
Weapons Of Mass Percussion
(Self-Released)
3 Stars
If you’ve never heard The Process before, I’m not sure what I could write that would adequately prepare you. They play a bizarre combo of reggae and rap/rock with industrial production filtered through tones that could have come straight from the early-‘80s. It’s just weird enough to be intriguing and just catchy enough to be worth additional listens. - DM