Being a radio disc jockey I am periodically asked what my favorite song, artist or band is. That is such an almost impossible question to give an answer to because it constantly is changing depending on my mood, what I have been listening to lately and so many other factors. In the next few posts, I will attempt to introduce you to some of the artists who inspire me lately. By lately I mean the past few years or so.
First of all let’s take a look at a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based band called Glass Hammer. The band was founded in 1993 by musicians Fred Schendel and Steve Babb who are still the primary writers for the group. The band would fall under the umbrella category of progressive or perhaps symphonic rock and is in my humble opinion one of the most important ensembles making music today. Besides Fred & Steve, the group is made up of a periodically rotating cast of supporting players. As of this writing and the release of the current album entitled “Valkyrie” the band consists of Steve Babb on Bass and vocals, Fred Schendel on keyboards and vocals, Aaron Raulston on drums, Kamran Alan Shikoh on guitars and Susie Bogdanowicz on vocals.
On various albums, the writers tell a story through the vehicle of what is commonly called a concept album. Their best efforts to date in this style have been: “Lex Rex”, “The Inconsolable Secret”, “Perilous” and the current release “Valkyrie” which by the way has been getting rave reviews. The writing is always superb in the lyrical content and the overall sound of the band is nothing short of impeccable. This is just one incredible group of musicians, the only drawback is that they rarely tour, only doing a few sporadic dates per year. Other than that, as I said earlier Glass Hammer is one of the most important bands making music today, no brag, just fact. You can check out their website here.
Next time we’ll talk about a Washington state-based artist named Jeff Johnson.
I have been fortunate enough to see GH three times. Their live shows are incredible.