I had the chance to interview Muscle Shoals, Alabama-based Chase “The Ace” West, aka Rock ‘n’ Roll Messiah! We chatted about his musical journey, from what inspired him to pick up a guitar as a kid all the way to this new project.
A little bit of background: I have known Chase since 2013, when he joined The Velcro Pygmies as their new guitarist. You might think that would make this interview easier, but… I guess it did in some ways, not so much in others.
Also, enjoy my brother’s cat and his inability to be ignored 😂 He’s a giant furball and I was distracted by the risk he posed to my laptop, cords, lighting, etc.
Hope y’all like it!
Be sure to visit this page for all things Rock ‘n’ Roll Messiah, including music, merch, and his socials!
Christian rockers Red have announced the “End of Silence 20th Anniversary Tour,” celebrating their debut album. This spring/early summer run kicks off May 9th and features special guests Ra, Kingdom Collapse, and Twist It. Tickets and VIP are available at thebandred.com!
5/9 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville 2026*
Metal band All That Remains has shared spring dates with Born of Osiris and Dead Eyes. The tour kicks off April 29th in Albany, New York. Tickets and VIP are available at allthatremainsonline.com!
4/29 – Albany, NY – Empire Live
4/30 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
5/1 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony
5/2 – Baltimore, MD – Nevermore Hall
5/4 – Greensboro, NC – The Pyrle
5/5 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Heaven)
5/7 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville 2026
5/8 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm
5/9 – Greenville, SC – Radio Room
5/11 – St. Louis, MO – The Sovereign
5/12 – Joliet, IL – The Forge
5/14 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Big Room
5/15 – Cadillac, MI – The Venue Event Center
5/16 – Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival 2026
FFO: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Warlock, Judas Priest, Megadeth
Solar is a four-piece rock band that consists of lead vocalist Stephanie, guitarist/vocalist Brad, bassist Larry, and Donovan the drummer. They have graced stages all across the U.S. with their seamless blend of heavy and melodic, and have released four full-length records: First Light (2006), Radiance (2021), Oracle (2022), and Frantically Calm (2025).
You can check out a few of my favorite Solar tracks below. Make sure you follow their socials for the latest music, news, and live show announcements.
Heyyyyy! I hope everyone is doing well! I didn’t do a check-in for March because, honestly, I forgot. (Whoops.) I was dealing with a few things and struggling a little emotionally, and no one wants to read about that anyway.
However, my April has started off great! I’ve been spending a lot of time with family and I did an interview with an artist that I’m a pretty big fan of (which will be posted next week), so yeah. I’m killing it right now.
I wanted to mention a few things I enjoy outside of music – and it’s mostly because I’m going to post some pictures below and I wanna give the background for them 😏
If you’ve been following/visiting the blog for a while, then you already know I love to read. I also play video games, explore cemeteries, and try to find nature trails to walk with my mom. But what I have been doing quite a bit of lately is cooking.
Both of my parents are fantastic cooks, as are my brother and sister-in-law. My grandmothers were, my aunts on my dad’s side, a couple of cousins, my best friend… You get the point. I’ve been around delicious, and almost exclusively homemade, food my entire life. Obviously I’ve spent time in the kitchen. But recently, my brother and sister-in-law have been letting me experiment. I haven’t done anything, like, out there, creatively, yet I’m proud of a couple of meals I’ve fixed, or contributed to, over the last few weeks.
Made spicy chicken ramen for Mom and Dad.Made seasoned pork ramen for my brother and his wifeMy brother did the ribs, and I fried the potatoes and made the lemon meringue pie.
I’m not gonna lie: it’s really basic shit at the moment. I did help my brother and his wife make pasta from scratch a while back. I like being in the kitchen. It relaxes me. I’m going to continue to learn and try new things, so y’all should prepare yourselves for more food blogs 😄
The bluesy hard rock stylings of Australian band Wolfmother gained them a lot of attention when their debut album was released. I personally remember music channels and the radio keeping “Woman” and “Joker & the Thief” in heavy rotation.
It has now been 20 years since that record came into our lives, and Wolfmother is celebrating with a tour. They will be performing the album in its entirety. Tickets are on sale at wolfmother.com!
6/7 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
6/8 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
6/9 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
6/12 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2026
6/13 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
6/15 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
6/16 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
6/17 – Norfolk, VA – The NorVa
6/19 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
6/20 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
6/21 – Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues
6/23 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel
6/24 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
6/26 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall
6/27 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest 2026
6/28 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
6/30 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
7/1 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union Event Center
7/3 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
7/4 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
7/5 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox
7/8 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
Alternative/nu metal band Cold is setting out on the “Goodbye Cruel World” tour. The band will be playing their self-titled debut album in its entirety, along with a slew of fan favorites. This run extends from late spring into early summer and boasts support from University Drive, Idle Heirs, or Sierra Swan, depending on the date. Please note that Cold will also be co-headlining with their peers in Alien Ant Farm on the stretch between May 5th and May 17th.
Mostly Music 