UNCROWNED

With their latest five track promotional release, the Atlanta, Georgia-based act Uncrowned have picked the songs wisely, for this is a stunning disc drenched in sticky hooks and comfortable, enjoyable cuts of verbally endearing rock music. An electrifying air of emotion shrouds the entirity of every track on this CD, the guitar passages moving in friendly realms with just a hint of distortion, hammering away on occasion to emphasise certain elements whilst at other times cruising through upwardly spiralling harmonies with grace, simmering when necessary to relax the material in preparation for another earnest explosion of feeling. Finding itself backed up by a subdued bass which tends to support the guitar's motions an octave or two down, the ability from the band's bassist to tread largely in his own territory without encroaching complicatedly on the paths of others provides a useful role that really aids in keeping the direction of the songs constant. Percussion-wise, the prevailance of cymbal strikes above other units gives a warmth to the time-keeping that cushions the pounding sense that hard-edged snares can often create, which aids the accessibility of the material successfully. Yet all these parts are kicked into the undergrowth somewhat when the vocals take charge with an ambience of gleaming serenity, flying through words and verses in such a way that listening becomes compulsive. Drawling in a sunny manner without necessarily elongating words beyond a reasonable length, Uncrowned's frontman exudes a vibe of passion for what he is doing, which is something that tends to elude the sound created by their more well known contempories in the industry.

Uncrowned's sound is one which would not be out-of-place on a rock radio station, and if that is where they're looking at heading then they already have the songs with which to achieve it. If radio stardom is a by-product of their overall sound as opposed to the main aim then this is a very impressive release, and even if that is their not-unreasonable goal then there are no indications that they are compromising what they believe in order to target their sights towards this medium, for Uncrowned are an honest and refreshing band who have every chance of success if they can continue the standards laid down here. Whilst it may be said that hints of ideas already out there creep into their material from time to time, the overall weaving together of all the elements of a successful song by this group remains consistently good, and there is no real reason to suspect that they won't be able to maintain this standard in future recordings. One for the present and for the future, the predictable comment about Uncrowned being next in line for the throne is nonetheless the best way to sum up this outing.

Chris Williams - Content manager, I Ate Your Microphone Magazine UK.
- I Ate your Microphone UK

Uncrowned – Atlanta, GA. Edgy hard rock/alternative that combines angst with melodic sensibilities/hooks. Think a cross between Trapt, Saliva, Fuel & Smile Empty Soul with a hint of Linkin Park. Recently began shopping three new songs that were recorded with Rusty Cobb (Sevendust, Default, Avril Lavigne) and John Briglevich (Edwin McCain, DoubleDrive, Third Day).
Robert Thompson
Kings Of A&R - Kings of A&R

Uncrowned - Simple Sick Device

Atlanta based quartet Uncrowned have exploded onto the Hard Rock scene with the release of their debut record, Simple Sick Device. The band was formed in March 2002 and is comprised of singer Stephen Bazzell, guitarist/backing vocals Jack Andrad, bassist Stuart Clark and drummer Scott Sellers. The four member’s passion for music and their extraordinary drive have culminated on their Atomik Records debut.

Uncrowned haven’t really come out of nowhere to surprise anyone with their stunning debut record. The band has essentially been receiving accolades since their inception in 2002. They have performed on the Atlanta stop of the Warped Tour twice, they have won spots on the nationally syndicated television show Blind Date and they have been named one of the 10 hottest unsigned bands by CMJ and Dick Clark. The song “Queen Of New York” has even served as the theme song to the Emmy award-winning television program Inside the NBA on TNT.

With all these accolades being thrown their way how was Uncrowned going to respond on their debut record? Well they decided to go balls to the wall and make a Hard Rock record that will blow your mind yet still comes straight from the heart. The record is comprised of 22 tracks and about half of them are interludes. The funny thing is that these are not your average, run of the mill interludes. These interludes are like mini rock tracks that showcase some heavy guitar riffs. It would be interesting to see Uncrowned expand on these interludes in the future and make some songs based on these interludes. One of the more interesting interludes is a remix of the spy show theme song “Secret Agent Man” that is done up really well.

The interludes, as good as they are, still don’t live up to the power of the main tracks; they just make nice and easy transitions between tracks. The record really starts off with the track “You Deny.” This is my personal favorite track on the record. It deals with a relationship that has gone sour and features an amazing chorus with a heavy guitar riff and explosive drums. “Lying In Wait” is another amazing track that starts off almost sounding like it will be an Industrial song but then breaks into a full blown guitar assault. “Joy” is a more groove orientated song that works really well and features a nice bassline. Other stand out tracks, well all are stand out tracks in my opinion, are “Deny”, “Astoria” and “Queen Of New York.”

If Uncrowned continue to make passionate yet meaningful music like this, they will surely be one of the bands that you will hear time and time again on rock radio in the future. I’m sure Uncrowned is just scratching the surface of their musical talents on this record and I am really looking forward to hearing how they will follow this record up. I wouldn’t be surprised it Uncrowned gets picked up by a larger label in the future because they seem to be the perfect band to promote and market to the masses. So if you haven’t heard uncrowned please pick up this record or check out their website to stream some of these tracks and be blown away.

Rating: 4.5/5

- The Music Appraisal

http://www.newdiamondent.com/mag/bom/current.html

Uncrowned
Aug 2004 Band of the Month
Uncrowned: You don't know Jack... Jack Andrad


Aug 2004 BOM


NDE: So Jack, How long has the band been together?
Jack: Since March of 2002.

NDE: What's next? Last I read, you guys were in the studio.
Jack: We are working on finishing out our full record. It's gonna come out, hopefully, in the middle of the fall, followed by a tour. That's gonna be really big for us. It's gonna be our first record, and we put a lot of hard work into it. We hope that it does well.

NDE: As does anyone realeasing a record...
Jack: Yeah, of course.

NDE: So how are you guys releasing this record? Is this an independent release?
Jack: We actually just signed a deal with an indie out of Los Angeles and they are gonna help us out. We have an un-exclusive deal so they are gonna release it and promote it. We are still gonna shop the record to bigger labels. So it's a pretty sweet deal for us.

NDE: Anything about the band you can tell me that I won't find in your bio?
Jack: We love to tour, and... What else? We love to drink. We love Cabo Wabo tequila too.

NDE: Well obviously that is an ad going out there.
Jack: Well actually, we do love it. We always bring a bottle on the road with us. That stuff is evil, but it taste so good.
Ed Note: "Uncrowned says ' Cabo Wabo tequila; That stuff is evil, but it tastes so good.' Run out and buy some.
We're like brothers. I know it's a cliché, but the thing about it is that we were best friends since we were kids. The bass player and I are roommates and with this new drummer, I mean he’s just the perfect fit. I mean for our personalities, the way we do business, the way we play and have fun. We don’t like big drama. We don’t have turmoil. We have fun. If you can’t have fun playing gigs, what else is there. Why bother? I mean the money ain’t there yet. Can you think of anything more fun than hanging out with your best friends, drink and play and having fun. We don't worry about what happens. We just go and have fun and whatever happens, happens. That's pretty much our motto.

NDE: So you guys are set for the tour. Is the itinerary set up now? What's planned?
Jack: It's not completely set up. There will be a couple of surprises out there. The tour is gonna be pretty much, all the way from here to L.A. and back, in a round about way I guess. It will all depend on which radio stations are supporting us and where the product is getting distributed. We are gonna try to pinpoint the distribution. There is no sense in getting too much if there is no demand. We will try to save a few dollars by pinpointing the markets that are playing us on the radio. We are trying to do it as smart as possible.

NDE: I am sure the tour dates will be on the website.
Jack: Oh yeah, plus we have an email list we send out too.

NDE: You guys have played a lot of shows with acts we have all heard of. Of all the shows so far, which was the most gratifying?
Jack: I would say... when we played with Stone Temple Pilots in 2002. That was really really cool. I don't know if you have seen it on our website, but there is a link to a little video from that concert (Music Midtown 2002). We were rockin hard core. To be honest though, I didn't have as much fun at that show as I did at a show we had a few weeks ago in Mississippi. Sometimes it's just better when you play in a club and people are just right there. Then you get to actually hang out with everybody. That one sticks out the most.

NDE: So you like the smaller club shows better than huh?
Jack: Well, it's really cool because you get to enjoy yourself a little more. But I do like the big venues too. All the people there, it's just a big rush. It's a little more for the ego, than it is for the personal gratification, just having fun. Imagine having a party at your house or having a party in a big warehouse. The party at your house is all your friends. The big warehouse party might be fun too with all the people and the girls, but it’s not as personal. That is the best way I can put it.

NDE: So when does this Hard Rock Cafe contest end?
Jack: It's gonna be over on September 10th. We actually need people to go and vote for us @ CaboWabo.com so they can send us out to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to play with Sammy Hagar and Tommy Lee and stuff like that. They got a pretty big concert going on over there.

NDE: What a shame it would be if you had to go all the way down there?
Jack: (laughs) Yeah! The shame would be the days following the gig, because I am pretty sure we are gonna be pretty drunk.

NDE: So when you guys do your shows, is there one of you who has to keep his edge? You know, so all the gear makes it back into the van.
Jack: Actually we have a Road/Stage Manager who makes sure that the stuff gets to where it needs to go. We only have a couple shots here and there before we play. Just something to loosen up, not so much that we are sloppy and can't play. We just do enough to have a good time. People can tell if you are not having a good time.




Uncrowned Wallpaper 1024 x 768 / 800 x 600

NDE: Have you seen any of the bands that you are challenging for this Hard Rock contest?
Jack: There is like 20 cities across the U.S. with bands. I don't know any of them, I just know we are the best. But hey don't quote me on that.

NDE: It's too late.
Jack: Oh, HA HA HA. We don't know any of those bands. If you go to the Hard rock site you can listen to all the bands. If you want to make up your own mind you can check it out.

NDE: How was the Warped Tour Gig?
Jack: It was hot... And it was Hot... oh and something else I wanted to add, oh yeah... it was hot.

NDE: So what you are saying is, So I don't mis quote you, Is that it was "hot".
Jack: Yeah, there was no back stage. If you don't have a tour bus with A/C you are in the sun. It was good promotion. It's a good way to lose weight that we don't need to lose. Anything you can latch onto like that is always a good thing.

NDE: So you said that you guys grew up together, is this the same band you first started out together in. Did it progress to what it is now from an old incarnation?
Jack: The way I like to think of old bands is like the same way I like to think about old girlfriends. You don't talk about them.

NDE: Any local bands that you wanna pump?
Jack: There is a band from Macon , GA called Hybrid l. They are a real good band. There's another band from Baton Rouge called Liquid Sand. They are real nice guys too. They are a killer band. If was to set up a tour with two bands right now that is who I'd chose. I mean we have played with a ton of great bands, but we jell with those guys on a personality level too. If we go on tour we need to be out there with bands we can party with.

NDE: Any advice you can give a band starting out in Atlanta?
Jack: Wow. Ummm, play every show. That's what we did. We played every show we could to try and spread the word. But now we pick and chose. Play shows that make sense. Some shows could hurt you. If you play too many in one area, one night you could be playing in a small club and everyone decides that night for some reason to not come out. Then the show won't be as good as it could be.



NDE: Until next month. Thanks to this months Band of the Month Uncrowned.
Uncrowned says What's Up to:

Unsigned Music Network - great site for unsigned bands.
myspace.com - Great site for meeting people and getting your band noticed.
99x - Atlanta radio station that supports us.
cabowabo.com - Best tequila in the Universe!!
Liquid Sand - Great band from Louisiana.
- New Diamond Entertainment

Atlanta, Ga--MS Gulf Coast--In 1979, a famous poet and writer by the name
of Charles Bukowski once wrote about a boxer who defeated champions
time and time again. But because the bouts were non-titled, Hayden
Stuhlsatz went unrecognized and began billing himself as the "Uncrowned
Middleweight Champion of the World".
In the new millennium, a band has surfaced from Atlanta and taken the
southern states by storm. Their name: Uncrowned, taken from that very
story written years ago. And in the spirit of battles and competition, they are
just as deserving of the titles that may not have previously been given to
them. But after jamming with the likes of Sammy Hagar and proving they
are a force to be reckoned with, Uncrowned has become the hottest locally
unsigned band anyone's seen in a while.
"We kind of feel that way, we haven't crowned ourselves yet, but it's on the
way," says Jack Andrad, the feisty guitar player who grew up in Europe and
speaks five fluent languages. Six if you count the language of meow.
Scott Sellers, the drummer who often has temporary spasms of insanity
during the shows, knows the strength of the band stems from the solid
background and talent each member brings to the table.
"I think we were already famous. We just decided to pick up instruments,"
he says. "We definitely don't do it for the money. It's the old saying : music
chose us, we didn't choose it. It's instilled in you from when you're young."
A recent killer performance in Cabo Wabo snagged Uncrowned the win
for the "Shot at the Cabo Wabo" national competition with over 250 other
unsigned bands across the country, and they returned on October 8 and 9
for the Cabo Wabo Meltdown at Sammy Hagar's establishment.
Aside from an all expenses paid trip back to Cabo Wabo, Uncrowned
received thousands of dollars in studio time and production and a chance
to jam with the man himself, who was part of the judges panel months ago
that gave this band the nod.
And they also took with them what they have been looking for: national
recognition and a real title.
According to Scott, Uncrowned has played with some major acts including
No Doubt, Hoobastank, 30 Seconds to Mars, Puddle of Mudd and Garbage,
but he says one of the most memorable experiences will be those killer
crazy weekends at the Cabo Wabo Cantina.
In preparation for the Meltdown, the guys went into it the same
no-holds-barred attitude that has gotten them this far. "We're going out
there to show those people that there are unsigned bands out there that are
actually top notch...just really bad-ass," Jack said in an interview before they
went down to the border.
"We're going to drink with the best-those are some of the most
professional drinkers in the world," he laughed. "...and we're still going out
there to put on a bad-ass show and they are going to be like, 'Oh my God-I
can't believe this band does not have a major record deal.'"
The guys aren't virgins to national recognition though, having been
labeled as one of the ten hottest unsigned bands in the country by a man
who is a musical legend in his own right, Dick Clark at the American Music
Awards last year. "We should have been chosen as THE hottest band,"
says Stuart Clark, the bassist who hails from Lafayette. "It was a great
honor."
But when the guys want to play in someone else's shoes and take a little
vacation from themselves, they do. It happens to be in the shoes of Mick
Mars and Nikki Sixx and the Crue, but Uncrowned actually pulls off a mean
Motley Crue tribute. Check out www.motleycrude.com and all doubts will be
washed away with Jack's uncanny resemblance to Mick.
Motley Crue is one of the bands major influences, Jack explains. "It's not
just the music, but the whole persona of the band."
"Back then , bands like Motley Crue and Kiss who didn't look, act or talk
like your average everyday band were a cut above the rest," Scott says.
"Kind of like slipknot is today. They are doing something nobody else is
doing, and when you go see a show, you know you are going to be
awestruck."
Kind of like the audiences that Uncrowned has experienced as of late.
An intimate sit down with the band as they prepared for a local show
brought out their true, candid and even serious sides. Each person has a
different angle on life, but they all hover around the same plane.
For instance, this question sparked a mix of responses.
IF YOU COULD PLAY WITH ANYONE, PAST OR PRESENT, LIVING OR
DEAD, WHO WOULD IT BE?
Stewart: ""I would play with Jenna Jameson, for reasons obvious. I would
actually love to jam with Prince."
Jack: "I would like to play with Judas Priest."
Scott: "I would like to jam with one band and one individual. First of all, the
king of all kings, the pimp of all pimps, the superstar of all superstars; Elvis
Presley, and I'd also like to play with Kiss."
Steve: "I don't have that fascination with other bands. Everybody puts their
pants on like I do.- I have influences, but...I don't know man. I just want to
play with these guys. These guys are my brothers. This is my family."
Though this family would rather sit down with a nice stiff drink and a DVD
of Slipknot then to the proverbial quality time at the dinner table, they still
have the same dynamics of any other family: trust, friendship, and passion
for what they do.
On Sept. 11, 2001, passion took on a whole new meaning for the band;
especially Stephen Bazzell, the voice of Uncrowned. A good friend of his
worked at the towers, and on the day the world went black in New York, he
felt it on a personal level.
"We had broken up by then, and at the time, I didn't know if she had made
it through," he recalls. 'The cell phones weren't working." Without knowing if
his friend had survived, Steve did the only thing he could think of. He wrote.
"Once I took a picture from atop the World Trade Center on the 114th story
looking down, and I have always saved that picture. I wrote a poem on the
back of the picture." Steve placed the picture at the University of Georgia's
memorial site for the tragedy, and it later was placed in a museum in
Georgia in memory of those who made it, and those that didn't.
"For a couple of days I considered the possibility that she may not be
here, and at that point it became a human story," he said.
Although forever preserved behind glass, Steve shares the words with
anyone who listens to "Queen of New York" (produced by Rusty Cobb). The
original song boasts the groups guttural, hard hitting sound with lyrics that
actually mean something...much like all of their songs.
Steve comes from an unstable past, going from one foster home to
another as an adolescent. "Now I have this band, this outlet to tell my story,"
he says, proving that music is a carthasis, whether one is listening to it, or
making it.
Jack followed his father, a diplomat, through 20 countries and still
managed to land in the midst of what has become a successful project that
is contagious, and leaves an impression on those exposed to it.
Uncrowned has been played on 97.9 WCPR, known as The Rock
Alternative, and the members of Uncrowned couldn't be more grateful. "We
need you to love us," Scott says, and adds, "and everybody needs to come
drink with us."
A nationally syndicated show called "Blind Date" that airs on the UPN
network will be visiting Uncrowned soon to shoot a segment of their show
at a sound check, and the band's music is already being utilized in major
avenues including "Inside the NBA", of which Charles Barkley was a host.
The show used the intro to "Queen of New York".
In March of 2002, the band got together in Atlanta with childhood friends
Steve and Jack. Stuart joined them later, and nine drummers later, Scott
came along. The other guys like him because he doesn't "bit*h, complain
and moan."
Uncrowned is more than just the band that carries the name. It is the
promise of a future that includes stardom, includes recognition, includes
everything that comes with the package of a successful rock band, but that
doesn't leave behind four guys that actually just want to play and exist.
Look for them. They won't be hard to find. Uncrowned, unedited, unglued.
Erica Fox is a radio personality for Classic Rock 105.9 WXRG. She has a
degree in Journalism and has been writing in the entertianment industry for
eight years. She can be reached at efox@datasync.com.
- Coast Night life Observer

I wonder sometimes if a band reads my review and then put all the critisism into something good and only focus on good energy on writing stronger material?
But I know it's not at all in that way even if I wished some bands really did take some of my advices, the Atlanta based hard rock band Uncrowned's 2005 album "Simple Sick Device" felt like an average piece of work that might impress someone who only listens to a few albums every year.

I wasn't even going to waste any time on checking out their new digital EP but since I have friends that insists on pushing me into it, I finally took a moment to see how they sounded like on these 5 new tracks.
Well, first I want to say that they sound hungry and willing to set any stage on fire with these new tunes and secondly I just want to jump high and shout out a big hooray for the grandiose class these songs hold!

Both Melee and Fuel have used the same album title this year so I guess we just have to wait for at least 2 more before the end of the year but Uncrowned does NOT sound average or mediocre on their new explosive EP.
They rock and they rock hard, this is nothing but a KILLER!

http://www.melodic.net/reviewsOne.asp?revnr=6005 - Kaj Roth www.Melodic.net