TRIXTER Guitarist Admits to WSJ: "My Career Has Kind of Gone Backwards"

I've been slow in getting a whole bunch of posts up recently, so let's get back up to speed with something light-hearted. Over at the Wall Street Journal (I think there's an editor or several writers there that are metalheads), Neil Shah features Trixter guitarist Steve Brown in today's quirky A-Hed column, "These Days, Rock Cover Bands Can't Seem to Get It On". Although Steve is featured prominently (even getting the Journal's coveted dot-art rendition), the article is more generally about how brutally tough times are for cover band musicians. Partly to blame, according to the article, is "a glut of middle-aged musicians who just can't quit the scene". Steve's current gigs are summed up this way:

"Despite a brush with fame, Mr. Brown doesn't shy away from even the most cringe-worthy of gigs. One day he'll perform for thousands at a festival with his rock band, Trixter, whose videos briefly topped MTV's charts in the 1990s. The next night he'll be in a yellow, zebra-print vest belting out Whitney Houston's 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)' at a party in the Hamptons, or singing 'Hotel California' as customers examine Buicks at a car dealership in New Jersey.

'Not every show can be Madison Square Garden,' he says.

If you said Steve Brown would be wearing Spandex pants, playing a hot-pink and green guitar and doing Michael Jackson and Madonna songs three years ago, I would have said, "No friggin' way,"' the New Jersey native says. 'My career has kind of gone backwards.'"

The full article is here, behind the Journal's paywall.

In Concert This Week - July 23, 2012

Well I completely neglected getting this update posted before the weekend, so here’s an abbreviated rundown of what’s going on the remainder of this week.

Tonight, Monday, July 23 has two shows in the area. First, former Stabbing Westward singer Christopher Hall brings The Dreaming back to Station 4 in St. Paul with Whither The Tide, Sargent Avenue, and Uzza. Check out my previously posted review of The Dreaming’s latest album, Puppet, here. Hard rockers 12 Stones also play tonight in Mounds View at the North Star Room with Blameshift, Digital Summer, Throwing Gravity, and Sinful Angel.

Off the wall band I Set My Friends On Fire play Station 4 in St. Paul on Tuesday, July 24 with support from The Color Morale, Our Last Night, My Ticket Home, Fact, To Release, and From Concept To Chronicle.

It’s a night of hardcore punk at the Triple Rock Social Club on Wednesday, July 25 with Media Blitz, In Defence, Triple Crossed, Rivit, and Total Trash. There’s also a couple locals show on Wednesday with progressive metal band Hollowstone playing with Urn and Cold Colours at Station 4 in St. Paul, while industrial/electronic band As|Of teams up with Christopher J. Wray, Phenetick, and KPT at the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis.

Thursday, July 26 has Within The Ruins, Molotov Solution, and Adestria playing Station 4 in St. Paul. Halfway Jam in Royalton begins on Thursday with an evening show featuring Jackyl, Trixter, and Bang Tango.