On The Road with Leah-- Music & Movies News Blog

I tried unsuccessfully to gain press passes for the 4th Annual Golden God Awards Hosted by Revolver Magazine last month at Nokia Live in Los Angeles.  This was particularly a bummer, since I interviewed anyone and everyone on the black carpet at the Innagural Event in 2009 http://youtu.be/jztFUyzu0DY 

I tried to gain a press pass, using this blog here: www.ontheroadwithleah.tumblr.com and www.talknerdytomelover.com as sources for where the coverage would end up, and the good ppl at Rogers & Cowan (who had only a week prior approved me for the Aerosmith Press Conference) shot me down.

I had all but given hope when the day of, I decided I really, really, wanted to go, even if just to see the performances, and as luck would have it, my friend Mayra Dias Gomes, had just recv’d clearance to cover it for Rolling Stone Brazil, which left her with an extra ticket.

I met her outside at the black carpet, and after she finished up her interviews, we went on inside, where I felt compelled to live tweet the whole show… and I thought it would be kind of fun to blog my live tweets after the fact, for those who may have missed them live…

Coming on the heels of Axl Rose’s declaration that he was NOT in fact attending the rock hall of fame, nor did he want to be inducted in absentia, Revolver Magazine’s Golden Gods Awards went off without a hitch.

The mood at time had a little bit of shock and disbelief, as well as some good ole natured mocking and joking around, but other than that it was a thrill and a relief to see legendary rock musicians, humbly thanking and being grateful for the recognition that an award show brings.

:)

The following tweets were originally hashtagged, #GoldenGods and tweeted as the event happened (well, sort of, until my phone die).

*On my way to meet up with @mayradiasgomes at the @RevolverMag #GoldenGods Awards

*There’s a Nelson brother here. Swoon!

*#SIXXAM

*OMG! Chris Jericho and Zakk Wlyde are killing it right now!

* #BVB won best guitarists. #HellYeah is presenting drummer award.

*Jeremy from #FFDP wins!

*Brandon Smalls #Dethklok

*In case you were wondering, Duff skipped the carpet, Slash said no @Rock_Hall ?’s and Jacob Bunton did all the talking for @AdlerRocks

*#Slipknot presenting the Paul Grey Award for Bassists.

* #NikkiSixx wins it!

* #NikkiSixx presenting #GoldenGods award to Gene Simmons.

* “Thank you for making a little boy’s dream come true. ” Gene Simmons acceptance speech. #Class

*ALICE COOPER!

* Dee Snyder just joined Black Veil Brides on-stage.

*Presenting Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award— Tenacious D aka Jack Black!

*RUSH is awarded a lifetime achievement award.

* “Our lifetimes aren’t over, our achievements aren’t over. Thank you. We’ll keep trying to get better.”  Rush Acceptance Speech.

*Duff McKagen presenting guitarist, Riff Lord Award.  Nixes telemprompter. Cool Dude.

*SLASH wins Riff Lord Award.

*”I’m very humbled. This is an honor. Peace”  Slash acceptance speech.

*Evanescense!

*My Iphone is about to die!

*”I feel like you don’t accept me.”  Weird guy standing next to me.  “No dude, I’m trying to watch the show.”

• ****TWO HOURS LATER****

*Phone’s Recharged! Where were we?

*Anthrax Presented. Avengefold Seven won best fan award and best live show.

*Buckcherry Presented. CM Punk won best metal athelete.  XFactor won best international band.

*LEMMY & LITA presented Slash’s band.

*Myles Kennedy seems like a cool dude.  Special guest with Slash’s band, ALICE COOPER. They sang School’s Out. EPIC!

*Chris Jerricho (or were they talking about Axl), was yet again the subject of a mini-roast. Joe Perry walked on-stage and called him a douche.

*Chris Jerricho was a really great host.

*Damien Echols #WestMemphisThree introduced Marilyn Manson!

*And then…Taylor Momsen joins Manson on-stage for Dope Show…which was pretty cool…

*But THE what the hell metal moment of the evening…. Marilyn Manson pushes back the hat on his guitar players head.. to reveal…

*To reveal…

*DRUM ROLL PLEASE

*JOHNNY FREAKIN DEPP!

*Yes, you heard me right. Marilyn Manson pushes back guitar player’s hat, and it’s Johnny DEPP! Played 4 songs with Manson. Incredible!

*My phone died. My flip cam wasn’t charged. I have no evidence. But it was awesome!

*And the most non-statement-statement goes to @Slash. Who wore a T-shirt that said, “same shit. different DJ.”

*That is all folks. The preceeding tweets brought to you by @Leah_Cevoli’s love for all things rock and metal.

#GoldenGods

So much fun! Hopefully next year, I’ll be officially covering the black carpet as Press Again.  Would LOVE to work for Revolver Tv!

Here’s a few video clips from my 2012 #GoldenGods adventure:

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Last month, On the Road with Leah, got invited to our first official press conference. A friend had fwd’d the press release, and I reached out to the awesome dudes over at Rogers & Cowan who approved me for 2 press passes.

This was my first time experiencing a press conference, and that alone is pretty darn exciting, but see this was not just any press conference, this was Aerosmith! Yes, AEROSMITH!!!

And what makes it extra special that Aerosmith was my very first press conference, is that Aerosmith was also my very first unchaperoned concert (1988/89 w-gnr), and Aerosmith was also my very first gig as an Mtv dancer, (I got hired to dance on-stage with Aerosmith in 2001 for an awards show called Icon that they were being honored on).

When I realized the synchronicity of all of the firsts in my life that are connected to Aerosmith, I had to take a second to ponder it’s meaning. Life is pretty cool.

So, because I didn’t want to do this alone, I asked one of the most adventurous gals I know, Ms. Jen Friel to meet me there. She was totally stoked and ready for an adventure.

The morning of, as in an hour before I should be leaving, I realize that my flip camera is not charging properly and in fact looks as if it’s on it’s last legs. No fear, I have another flip in a box, completely brand new. I’ll just take that one. Not until, I was parking at the press event, did it dawn on me that this new flip, had never been charged, and was therefore not working either. What?! When am I ever without a flip camera?! Never! Luckily, Jen let me use her flip and take some clips.

Now this in and of itself, was also a bit serendipitious, because I ended up using my Iphone rmore than my flip, and posted real-time clips and photos over at www.mobli.com/LeahCevoli

The press conference itself was pretty awesome. The Grove in LA was buzzing with excitement. The grassy area was blocked off, and a small platform/stage was erected for the band to stand on. There were about 15 rows of chairs in front of the stage and then behind the chairs was another makeshift platform for all of the major network television and web providers to set up their video cameras. Fans were lined up all along the perimeter.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day with Aerosmith blaring out of the speakers, and then one by one the band arrived; by chariot, by Lamborghini, by Harley… it was quite the entrance, but after all it is Aerosmith.  I’ve seen Aerosmith a dozen times over the years, most recently in 2010, and they still blow me away with their stage show and their energy.

The band was introduced by Jimmy Kimmel, who assured the crowd that although the band had arrived in separate vehicles everything was a-ok. I chuckled, but no one else around me really seemed to get the joke.

The band spoke for a few minutes about the upcoming Global Warming Tour and their plans for their new album, which is being recorded in LA as we speak.

They then opened up to questions on the floor. Aerosmith was asked about their tourmates Cheap Trick, Joe Perry answered, “It’s a pleasure for us to go out and watch them play.” They were asked whether Steven the TV Star had become impossible to work with. Everyone laughed (and nodded). I kid, I kid. ;)

When asked why after all these years they still play together, Steven Tyler answered, “It’s just what we do. These guys are like family, our kids have grown up together. We love putting new music out there and having people dance around to it.”

And the most amazing thing, anyone has ever thrown on-stage “A prosthetic leg.” However, all the guys joked about how it was an ingenius way to get backstage. Everyone wanted to know who the leg belonged to, and of course get it back to the guy.

I was juggling my Iphone in one hand ( for www.mobli.com/LeahCevoli ) and Jen’s flip camera in the other hand for OTRWL footage, so this is by far the shakiest footage I’ve ever shot, but whatevs it’s still AEROSMITH… Enjoy!

Oh and I’ve learned TWO very important things from this first press conference experience.

1. ALWAYS have a bottle of water with you at a Press Conference.

2. ALWAYS grab the microphone and ask your question right away, as you don’t know how long the QnA portion will last. The microphone came near me TWO times, but I was being timid and waiting for the right moment of courage to ask a question… but what happened was after 5 questions from the crowd the band said goodbye, and walked off to do one on one interviews with the larger media outlets.

Lessons Learned!

I think if anything, I wanted to ask Steven and the gang, pretty much the same thing I ask all of my guests on Livin’ On A Dream , what keeps you going, thru all the ups and downs of this crazy career called Entertainment, what inspires YOU, even when the chips are down.

                                          Live Love. Love Life.

                                                 XOXO

Yesterday afternoon, the LA Times published an open letter from Axl Rose

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/04/axl-rose-pens-open-letter-to-rock-hall-will-not-attend-asks-to-not-be-inducted.html

that pretty much left the entire music industry with their mouths wide open and shaking their heads. Some nodding yes, some nodding no, some laughing, some crying, but the entire rock music industry and rock music fans were without a doubt impacted by this letter.

There’s like a 1/2 dozen arguments surrounding this fiasco. The lesser argument is about whether the Rock Hall of Fame is legit. What does it really mean? And there’s this Vh1 Dude, Eddie Trunk that likes to spout off about the “Hall of Shame ” on a daily basis. I don’t know what Mr. Trunk’s beef is with the Rock Hall, but I can guarantee ya if he was asked to present an award to GNR or any other rock band, he’d be all over it. And I’ll be curious to see what he does when one of the bands he keeps shouting about being shunned by the Rock Hall eventually gets nominated.

SideNote(For those of you reading going what the hell is the big deal? This news, is as devastating, if not more so, as the news that Michael Bay is completely re-doing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- seriously).

But let’s get back to the “does it mean anything”?

Well, as an artist myself, I simply can’t imagine turning down any award being offered to me by anyone. I mean, isn’t that part of the human experience? To be recognized for our talents, for a job well done?

It’s not going to make you or break you, but it feels good to be honored. Whether it’s perfect attendance in elementary school, the RRHOF, or the Nobel Peace Prize.

And there will always be someone shouting that the prize should have gone to someone else. Always.

I attended the Golden Gods awards last night, and the best acceptance speech of the night goes to Gene Simmons (for the record: I am NOT a KISS fan). But Gene started talking about how when we’re kids we dream of being rock stars and some of us make it, some of us don’t. He talked about how the stage is a holy ground, and once you’re on that stage together, nothing else matters but the fans. He ended his acceptance speech with “Thank you for this award. Thank you for making this little boy’s dream come true.”

Now, does that piece of metal or plastic or whatever mean something to Gene in a tangible way, probably not, it’s the thought, the message behind it. The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame does not nominate everyone, that’s part of the controversy. And even those that do get nominated, may not get voted in.

So then there’s 2 major camps:

The We Want A Reunion Camp and the Axl is God New GnR Forever camp.

And those camps are LOUD.

But I think the majority of fans, peers, and colleagues fall into the same category as me.

I adored the original lineup. Ask my 8th grade teacher; Dr. Frampton, who used to antagonize me every day about my choice in music, and who eventually coaxed me into writing a letter to the editor defending Axl, that was published in the Delaware Daily News. I used to sleep on the sidewalks of Philly, in order to be one of the first in line to buy concert tickets everytime they came into town.

The new lineup kicks ass: In 2010, I drove 19 hours and slept in my car so that I could be at the 75th Anniv Sturgis, where Guns N Roses played their first US show in 5 years. I was fortunate enough to have a press pass and got this interview with Ron Bumblefoot Thal http://youtu.be/rLxxxATaH9Q

So let’s return to that “job well done”

See the award ceremony is basically a lifetime achievement award, a recognition of a job well done. And although, the new lineup KICKS ASS, and are all super cool dudes, they are not the ones that impacted mine and a million others lives. They play the songs (impeccably), but they did not create them. Therefore the “job well done” award goes to the musicians that did.

So what’s really going on here?

There’s one line in particular that stood out for me:“….but the Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony doesn’t appear to be somewhere I’m actually wanted or respected”

Ah, C’mon Axl. If you weren’t respected you wouldn’t have been nominated, and if you weren’t wanted well, that’s just silly, every original member (‘cept Izzy) has publicily stated that they’re looking fwd to it, and would be open to jam.

But I get it… I suffer from bouts of low self-esteem and minor paranoia from time to time. You know, that feeling when you’re in a group setting and you feel like you really don’t belong, no one is really you’re friend, and no one wants you there. You do know that feeling, right? Or am I the only one? Whoops!

I get it. It can be tough to swallow our pride, face our fears with open hearts, and do something we don’t want to do, but in those moments, magic can and often does happen. We find true growth, forgiveness, and the ability to find closure.

Maybe Axl just needs a hug.. I’ve been told I give really great hugs Axl.

I just can’t help but wonder, let’s say in a few years, you have a child. And when he/she is old enough to google, they run across the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and they say “Daddy, look it says Guns N’ Roses was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012, but they forgot to put your name on it.” What will you say?

I know you’re not one to change your mind, but you deserve this Axl. Guns N’ Roses as a whole deserves this moment. One last hurrah for the old lineup. A change of heart. You walk on stage as the lights lower, you exit stage before the applause ends. And you walk away with closure, gratitude, and class.

Sending love and a great big hug.

Last month, thanks to my gal Crix Lee, I was invited to attend a press screening of Morgan Spurlock’s latest Documentary, “ComicCon Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope”.  The movie however wasn’t released until TODAY, and we had to keep quiet about it, until the release date. So yay, I finally get to talk about it.

I am relatively new to the world of Comic Con, having attended my very first SDCC in 2008, at which point, I became a lifer.

Comic Con is unlike anything you have ever experienced, and even when you HAVE experienced it, there are still so many aspects and facets of this wonderful world that you don’t even know exist.

And that to me, is what Spurlock’s documentary did best.  He captured a little snap-shot into the lives of five very different people, whom all had different reasons, and as such, different experiences attending ComicCon.

You see, throughout life, we can only experience, our own experience.  By that I mean, when I go to Comic Con, it’s to catch up with my friends in the movie and comics industry.  I spend a lot of time in the Horror section, I attend panels of shows and people I admire, and I network.  You never know what sort of magical occurence will happen at Comic Con, and it is always magical, but my experience is only a tiny portion of the event as a whole.

Spurlock showed the excitement, dedication, and creativity behind the world of CosPlayers who are so hard-core they enter the annual Masquerade party.  He showed us a glimpse into the lives of two very different aspiring artists who set up appointments to have their life work reviewed at Comic Con.  He showed us the love between two attendees, and the bravery and planning it takes, to pull off a surprise proposal.  And lastly, and to me it was the most touching, Spurlock gave us a glimpse into the life of a Comic Book Shop owner who had been attending SDCC for decades, and is now experiencing a financial crisis in this ever changing world of digital downloads, movies, kindles, etc.

Sure, as a comic con attendee myself, I was aware that artists could set up reviews, I was aware that love blooms, I was aware of the Masquerade (I cos-played as Dazzler in 2009),

and I was aware of the importance and presence of the Comic Store Booths… but I had never stopped to think about what each of those experiences were like.

No, Comic Con movie would be complete without an array of celebrity cameos, and Spurlock did a fine job, of gathering some of SDCC’s most beloved celebrities, including; Joss Whedon, Seth Green, and Kevin Smith to talk about what Comic Con means to them.

Spurlock’s documentary, made me cry, it made me laugh, and it had me leaving the theatre, believing (once again), that dreams do come true, it just takes a lot of patience, persistance, faith, and a little elbow grease.

A little clip from the actual press screening in March:

A few months back, I wrote a blog about Guns N Roses & The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame  .  Guns ‘N Roses is the first band of my era, of my youth to be bestowed with the Rock Hall Honor, and truthfully until this year, I never really paid much attention to the RRHF.   I mean, I’m aware that it happens every year, and I’ve always thought it was a pretty big deal,  but not until this year, have I paid attention.

It still boggles my mind, that there are so many critics and nay sayers, and the funny thing is, that they’re all bitching and moaning that the RRHF means nothing, it’s no big deal, yet in the same breath, they’re bitching that such and such band should have been nominated before GNR, etc.

Make up your mind… if it doesn’t matter, who cares.

And the truth is… nothing in life really matters, no awards, no accolades, no recognition, no troubles, no conflict, no strife, unless you make it matter.

And for the millions of Guns ‘N Roses fans, this one matters. 

It’s a salute to a rock-band that formed when 5 loner-misfits, with extreme musical talent,  ended up in the same place, at the same time, in Hollywood, California and found a sense of belonging; if not comfort and acceptance, in writing music and lyrics, that their friends would gather to listen to.  And not long after, hundreds of “friends” would gather in the Whiskey and The Troubadour, and pretty soon, they were on the road opening up to 10s of thousands of people with the legendary Aerosmith, where people like myself, who didn’t live in Hollywood, got to witness them live for the first time.

That shit matters. 

Creativity matters.  Music matters.  And the ability, to share a piece of your soul, whether it be thru music, art, acting, writing… whatever… to share a piece of your soul, well that really matters, in fact I believe it’s one of the primary reasons of our existence.  To Share… the things that you are passionate about, the talents that you were born with….

Guns ‘N Roses, to this day, (and I’ve seen them live 3x in the past 3years), still have a magic and synchronisty about it, that really can’t be put into words.   And I for one, am honored and proud to have been a GNR fan from day one, and to see them awarded this honor.

I was talking to a few little birdies today, who happened to run into Axl Rose last night in Hollywood.  From all accounts, his spirits are high, he’s looking good and feeling good, and one birdie in particular, said there was a sparkle in his eye, when asked about the Rock Hall…

It’s only 10 days away…. and you “just never know”… what magical moments are yet to transpire, even if it’s just for old times’ sake.

Congratulations Guns ‘N Roses… you deserve this.