The Blood Brothers' Cody Votolato Announces New Group J.R. SLAYER & Shares "Not Rotten" from Forthcoming Not Rotten EP (Memory Music)

JR SLAYER (CREDIT: Bob Sweeney)

What started as a creative catch-all for Cody Votolato has morphed into one of 2022's break-out bands: J.R. SLAYER. And that's pronounced "jay-arr" slayer, not "junior" slayer, just for clarity's sake. J.R. SLAYER seemsingly first started years ago as a character and an illustration, a simple, aimless piece of imagination. "I think the world is gonna die before I do," Votolato sings on their new single and the title track to their debut EP, Not Rotten. "And if that's true, I just want to spend the rest of my time right here, sitting next to you." Produced by Will Yip (Title Fight, Anthony Green, Touché Amoré,) Not Rotten is a celebration of the feelings, words and, music that gives life color and energy to break through the bleakness.

It sounds as opposite as humanly possible when compared against Votolato's past work; with melodic Indie-Punk sing-alongs, Bubblegum-Pop choruses, and soaring guitar riffs abound, Not Rotten finds the Seattle-born, LA-residing artist at a new place in his life. "There's so much bad sh*t in the world, there's a lot of bad things happening. But when you fall in love with someone, you have this feeling that all that stuff can disappear momentarily," Votolato explains. "Everything goes away, but you and this person and your feelings about them and yourself." J.R. SLAYER comes years after Votolato's pivot away from full-time music work on the tail-end of decades between bands, including beloved Seattle Post-hardcore outfit The Blood Brothers, Jaguar Love, Head Wound City, Telekinesis, Waxwing with Rocky Votolato, and Cold Cave.

The Blood Brothers began when Votolato was 15 and, at the time, was his main and only source of income. "I got fairly burnt out trying to make money as a musician," says Votolato. "I was struggling for a very long time to have music make me money and be my career. It turned into this very toxic relationship with music." He vowed to leave that life behind, but continued to write and play music at his own pace after moving to Los Angeles in 2016. Votolato contributed guitar and keyboards throughout Say Anything's album, I Don't Think It Is, as well as contributions to "Boyfriend" & "Norse Truth" from Against Me!'s Shape Shift with Me both released during 2016. Soon, friend and collaborator Andrew Martin (Moon Honey) pushed him to solidify J.R. SLAYER and, before long, another friend booked a show for J.R. SLAYER at The Hi-Hat (R.I.P.) and Votolato started performing again.

"I really wanted to re-connect with music in the way that I did when I first started playing music, which was more about just needing it to survive in an artistic and soulful way, as opposed to needing it to survive financially." Jason Klein (Deaf Club,) who plays bass on the record, introduced Votolato to Will Yip, who produced Not Rotten at his Studio 4 Recording in Conshocken, Pennsylvania over two sessions, months apart, back in 2021. Benjamin "Ben" Walsh (Tigers Jaw) played drums on the record and Votolato's sister, Brandi Jo Votolato, sings, alongside Cody, on Not Rotten. J.R. SLAYER's "Not Rotten" is now available on stremaing services. Their Not Rotten EP drops on September 9, 2022 (the same day as Cody's brother Rocky Votolato's new album, Wild Roots!) on Will Yip's own Memory Music.

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of

All-around Breakdown: Sean Martin Discusses Debut Instrumental EP Introducing The Magician As No More Magic (Residual Effects)

Sean Martin is a multi-versed musician, producer, and tattooer hailing from Connecticut. As a guitarist, song-writer, and/or producer he has worked with a variety of well-known artists including Hatebreed, Cold Cave, Wear Your Wounds, Umbra Vitae, Twitching Tongues, Cage, Kid Cudi, House of Blow, Head Automatica, XO Skeletons, Jet Fueled Horses, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and more. His versatility and flexibility within music allows him to blur the lines in-between the confines of Hardcore, Electronic, Metal, and Hip-Hop. Martin is, also, a skilled tattooer at Brass City Tattoo located in Oakville, Connecticut promoting the traditional approach to the craft. Founded by Martin himself between 2020-22, No More Magic combines ominous melodies with downtempo beats to create a dizzying dream-like atmosphere. Paying homage to the golden era of Hip-Hop while forging ahead down its own dark road. For fans of Portishead, Massive Attack, and DJ Shadow. No More Magic's Introducing The

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