History Megaphone

There are at least three artists with this name. The best known seems to be Megaphone from Orlando, FL, playing rock (even if Last.fm similar artists algorhythm could show the more popular is the italian hardstyle dj's Manuel Es and Piero Zeta).

1. Megaphone (Orlando, FL - USA)

Megaphone is a four-piece rock band from Orlando, FL. Loud guitars, big drums, solid vocal harmonies, and hooks that stick to the side of your head are what drive their music. This band of Orlando local music scene veterans was formed in early 2004 by Matt Bloodwell (former drummer for the well known Orlando band Precious). Matt put down his sticks, picked up a guitar, and enlisted some of the best rock musicians in town. Paul Smith (former touring guitarist for Seven Mary Three - Mammoth/Atlantic, and VonRay - Electra) signed on, as did James Woodrich (former bassist for My Hotel Year - Doghouse Records). The band lineup is rounded out with drummer Scott Smith (Cori Yarckin). With a killer line up, the band released its first full length CD on April 15, 2005. Capitalizing on momentum the band gained from this release, they proceeded to play every high profile gig they could get their hands on. These shows included opening slots for national acts such as Paul Stanley, Seven Mary Three, Everclear, Edwin McCain, VonRay, and The New Left, as well as appearances at WJRR 101.1's Earthday Birthday 12 and 14, and the 2005 Florida Music Festival Main Stage. That's not to mention repeat performances at some of Florida's most prestigious venues, including Hard Rock Live, House Of Blues, and The Social, to name a few. This band's live performance is nothing to shake a stick at. From the moment they take the stage, it is obvious that these guys know what they're doing, and they love to do it. The energy is undeniable, and the sound is equally as powerful.

megaphone has also been heard repeatedly on several Central Florida Radio Stations including WJRR 101.1, O-Rock 105.9, WHOG 97.5, and Rollins College Radio 91.5. The band has also been listed in the top 10 most requested songs on XM Radio Unsigned (channel 52). Between all this exposure, and two songs planted firmly in the top 5 most downloaded rock songs list on the podcast friendly website PODSAFEAUDIO.COM, megaphone's sound is making a statement, not just regionally, but globally. You can pick up a copy of megaphone's debut CD "For Cryin' Out Loud" online at www.cdbaby.com/megaphone and you can find more megaphone info online at: www.megaphonemusic.net www.purevolume.com/megaphone www.musicfreedom.com/megaphone . If you are a fan of megaphone, and are interested in keeping in touch with other megaphone fans, join the myspace megaphone group at www.group.myspace.com/megaphone .

megaphone is currently writing and recording material for a new CD due out some time early 2008. But the biggest and most recent news is megaphone's new internet only single released November 24, 2007. "It's a Christmas song called The Perfect Gift. The song was inspired and written rather quickly last year as a Christmas gift. It turned out so well we decided to release it." You can purchase it from this link.

http://void.snocap.com/s/genswf.php?id=T3-31324-BBUSN32V4N-G&r=

http://megaphonemusic.net

http://www.myspace.com/megaphone

http://www.virb.com/megaphone

For the hard rock quartet megaphone, the mission has been simple: Saving rock n’ roll from the machine, and bringing it back to where it should be – loud, catchy and in your face. That they’re succeeding with that mission is obvious; a huge draw in their native Orlando, Florida, extensive radio play, gigs opening for arena headliners and festival appearances. And with their new album, Exit Silent Mode, filled to the brim with unforgettable hooks, melodies and songs, megaphone is poised to take everything about their band to the next level.

Comprised of Matt Bloodwell on guitar, vocals and main songwriting duties, Paul Smith on lead guitar, James Woodrich on bass, and Scott Smith on drums, megaphone is a collection of some of the brightest rock and roll lights in Orlando music. The band formed in late 2004 when Bloodwell, formerly the drummer for Orlando band Precious, moved to guitar and decided to form a band around the songs that he had been writing. He explains, “I wanted to put together a real rock band with big guitars and big hooks.”

Bloodwell started the band, and then proceeded to recruit his favorite players in town. Paul Smith was a former touring guitarist for Seven Mary Three and a member of VonRay; James Woodrich was the former bassist for My Hotel Hear; and Scott Smith, the newest member of the band, having joined in 2007, had been the drummer for Cori Yarckin. “I was a fan of all these guys in their former bands,” says Matt, “It was a big deal to me that they were willing to take a chance with me out front and on guitar.”

megaphone’s debut full-length, For Crying Out Loud, released in the spring of 2005, immediately vaulted them into the upper echelon of Orlando bands, and earned them extensive radio play and touring opportunities, including their songs being featured on the MTV show “Made,” radio play on several central Florida stations, and gigs opening for artist like Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley of Kiss, Everclear, Edwin McCain, Seven Mary Three and more.

The album’s success was a blessing, sometimes a mixed one. As James recounts, “The first album got us a lot of gigs and attention; it really put us to work. We wanted to record a new one, but there was no urgency for it because For Crying Out Loud kept serving us so well and kept creating opportunities for us.” Matt adds, “The first album was kind of a blueprint of what megaphone would be. But Exit Silent Mode really reflects the amount of time we’ve been together as a band. It’s much more organic and represents the sound of the band as it truly is.”

Produced by Matt, Paul and Justin O’Neill, the guitarist in Cori Yarckin and a long-time friend of the band, and mixed by Pete Thornton (Paramore, Shinedown), the new album is a far more accurate reflection of the band. From the hard driving opener, “Write It Down,” megaphone has captured the combination of both anthemic and hook-filled rock that has been their trademark, with unforgettably strong choruses that pay off in spades.

“Gravitate” pulses with a muscular riff and is highlighted by Matt’s soaring hard rock vocals, hearkening back to a time when rock truly rocked, and it has quickly become a signature song among megaphone’s fans. Matt says, “It started as a tune that Paul had, and he trusted me enough to play around with it and change a few things. Once we had the final demo of it, we knew we had something. Paul adds, “It was the first time where Matt and I really collaborated, and we made it far more than the sum of the parts.” Indeed, the entire band shines on “Gravitate” – James on bass and Scott on drums drive the song powerfully and propulsively, both leading and lending support to Matt’s vocals and Paul’s wailing guitar.

“My Favorite New Disaster” is perhaps the song that best epitomizes the sheer catchiness of megaphone’s music, with its indelible hook and radiant sheen. Matt recalls, “We had to rewrite the melody right before we recorded. We had thought we had a good arrangement but the verse fell flat. In finalizing everything, we took it to a whole new level.” James adds, “The first time we played it live, the crowd reaction was amazing.”

Having had such a great experience recording, the band is already planning album number three. Matt says, “We have more ideas that we just didn’t get to on this record.” The band is also taking on much more of a DIY ethos. Matt elaborates, “Last time, I think we were trying to impress everyone in Orlando – press, radio, etc. But now we’re using a lot of the new technology to promote ourselves and go straight to the fans and bypass the so-called gatekeepers.”

Wherever they’ve gone, megaphone has attracted converts mesmerized by the sheer power of their songs and performances. They make straight-ahead, balls out rock and roll for an audience that has missed the real thing, or in some cases, are too young to have ever experienced it. On Exit Silent Mode the band has taken their vision of what rock can be to a new peak. As Matt concludes, “We don’t have an agenda. We just want to play and write the kind of music that we wish was available for us to buy. Fortunately for us and everyone else, we’ve found each other, and we all feel the same way about music.”

2. Megaphone (FIN)

There's a band in Finland called Megaphone as well. They play rock. It all started in 1999 when singer Bjarki moved from his native Iceland to Finland with only guitar and a hair-dryer and met guitarist Kris, who was equally skint but needed the hair-dryer. The pair shared a mutual love of energetic rock´n´roll and started to write together. Both being sub-urban hooligans, they were influenced by the music of the Stones, Queen and Hanoi Rocks, the movies of John Waters, the photographs of Helmut Newton and Nan Goldin and throw-away romance novels.

Gorgeous! Glossy! Glam!

High on beer and the fumes of cheap hair-dye they set about thrashing out a collection of tunes that would suit their vision. The first song they wrote was called "Shaking My Fist at the Sun" as a statement of intent. Soon after they hooked up with bassist Rikki London (ex-Johnny Thunders and Andy McCoy) and drummer Mikko Sirén. This line-up quickly recorded more songs and started gigging as much as they could. After Rikki left to concentrate on solo ventures Mikko´s old friend Ilari stepped in on bass and the band, in Kris´s words, "just exploded".

More cat-walk than side-walk!

All four members of Megaphone are natural dandies, and therefore they slipped into the band's Vogue-meets-wasted look effortlessly. After having played numerous riotous shows in Finland and Sweden in 2001-3, they decided to record a single in february 2004 with the tracklisting based on audience response. "Toyboy" and "Movie Queen" are prime examples of Megaphone´s ear for a catchy tune and witty lyricism. In early 2005 they got together with producer Johnny Lee Michaels (69 Eyes et.c.) who produced two fan-favorites, "Supernova" and "So Alive". The band has earned a reputation for sweaty and manicly exuberant live-shows, with plenty of dazzle for the eye

http://www.megaphoneworld.com

http://www.myspace.com/megaphonespace

3. Megaphone (ITA)

Well known hardstyle DJ's from Italy, formerly known as Manuel Es and Piero Zeta.

4. Megaphone (CZ)

Vznik projektu Megaphone v současné podobě se datuje do roku 2007. Těleso je tvořeno nadšenci pocházejícími z rozdílných hudebních kořenů. Společná řeč však existuje a vznikl rozmanitý a rozpoznatelný mix funku, rocku, reggae či disco s jasným rukopisem. Základem jsou energická vystoupení s našláplým setem písní, které nenechají nikoho sedět u stolu. Chceme Vám připravit jedinečný zážitek. Pojďte se na nás podívat, budeme Vás bavit!

Creative Commons By-SA License