Apryl Lauren Apryl Lauren is one of those wonderful guilty pleasures that is actually good for you. Singer, songwriter, poet, philosopher, Apryl projects an eclectic, unblinking combination of seduction and strength. Her lyrics reveal far more intelligence and insight than the average Top 40 fare, yet her flair for melodic hooks and flat-out groove easily separates her from the usual female singer-songwriter crowd. She grew up in the Bay Area in Northern California. She acquired a solid theatre background, and from there appeared in indie films and commercials. Now dedicated to her music, Apryl draws on her acting background to weave a web of mystique, sophistication, and beauty that is not to be missed. Lounging on the piano, seducing the room with Lauren Bacall glamour, Apryl's persona can change from innocent to devilish in a heartbeat. She evokes the persona of a 1940s ingenue, sparkling in a world of backbeats and digital processing. Apryl has just finished recording "Half-Dressed" at Hollywood Recording Studio. Translating performance to audio can be a challenge, especially when the performer is as dynamic as Apryl, but she and her producers, Meghan Gohil and Dayton Borders, feel they are seeing the birth of something very special. "As charismatic a performer as Apryl is," says Borders, "I think that her true gift is her songwriting itself. She's much more than a beautiful face and a great voice. A lot of listeners are going to be stunned." Apryl's songs have attracted the notice of Gabriel Moses from Macy Gray's band, Richard Fortus from Guns N' Roses, and Brad Booker from Gravity Kills-all of whom appear on Apryl's new EP, "Half-Dressed." "I can't believe how well this is coming together," say Apryl. "Everyone has been great-supportive, uncompromising, and they really understand my direction." "It's amazing, how clearly Apryl's energy comes through in the recording," adds Gohil. "Apryl's melodies are alluring, her lyrics intriguing and edgy. It's the kind of project that makes me excited, nervous, and deeply satisfied-all at the same time." To see Apryl Lauren is to be seduced by the unexpected-diamonds and lollipops, one night stands and lucky stars. Prepare for the unforgettable. Links to Songs: Half-Dressed Jaded Obsession Blow Around & Around Chloe Day With a little-girl croon that sounds half-seductive, half-lethal, Chloe Day leaves her audience curious as to whether she plans to kiss them or kill them. And yet, her performances are so hypnotizing, listeners would probably consent, spiral-eyed, to either." -- Kristyn Pomranz (Riverfront Times) On the heels of the first cross-country tour in support of her latest album, Pixie Runway, Los Angeles musician Chloe Day is gearing up to head back on the road for another small club tour this Spring. Over the past year, her song "Dirty Little Secret" has been sparking interest on Alternative Specialty Radio in several markets around the States. It recently turned heads at KBZT (San Diego) when Cure co-founder Laurence "Lol" Tolhurst, now of the band Levinhurst, played it on Mike Halloran's show Coup d'Etat. Spy Radio host Ferris O'Brien of KATT (Oklahoma City) and New Music Sunday host Les Aaron of KPNT (St. Louis) are also getting strong reactions from listeners. Les Aaron has been spinning several cuts from Pixie Runway, and describes Chloe as "a big talent waiting for a bigger audience," recently writing, "My webdude gets more emails about Chloe than anything else I play." Chloe's music has been placed on MTV's SCORE reality show, and her video for "Catnip" can be seen on Yahoo!Music. Levinhurst Laurence "Lol" Tolhurst was born on the Third of February 1959, years later he would discover that it was the very day that Buddy Holly passed on... ...five years later two little boys at their first day of school would meet... Lol Tolhurst and Robert Smith would start on a journey that would take them to the very pinnacle of musical success. In adolescence, Lol and Robert discovered that they shared a similar vision to form a group like the ones that influenced them. This simple inspiration would create one of the most influential, critically acclaimed and commercially successful groups of modern times: The Cure. From 1978 onwards, Lol and The Cure would chart an impressive selection of achievements: Well over 27 million units sold worldwide Extensive touring covering all the continents 40 Platinum and Gold plaques in the US, Europe and Japan Co-writing many of the group's big hits including "Let's Go To Bed", "The Walk" and "The Caterpillar" Over 20 landmark award-winning music videos Now, fast forward into the 21st century. Hot new artists ranging from Coldplay to The Rapture and Hot Hot Heat have repeatedly cited The Cure as a major influence. The strident beats/drums of the Cure’s masterpiece Pornography and innovative, new wave keyboard licks he pioneered in classic albums like Head On The Door are now being constantly referenced by throwback bands such as The Faint and Fischerspooner. Upon feeling this resurgence, Lol dove headfirst back into the studio with his new project: Levinhurst. Levinhurst is a suave, exotic group comprised of Lol's keyboards, beats, and sonic landscaping against the stirring vocals of Cindy Levinson and intricate musical crafting by Dayton Borders. Cindy's Eurasian lineage adds an ethereal, dreamy feel that incorporates everything from rock, trip-hop, blues and even Middle Eastern ragaas. Layer that on top of Lol's mixture of retro keyboard phrases/riffs/colors with Dayton's intriguing instrumental work and the result leaps into the future as much as it acknowledges his past. The resulting album, Perfect Life, covers that gamut quite nicely with a wider musical range than most electro artists attempt to fill. The minimalist approach of "Let's Go" fits nicely with the down-beat sitar tinged "Sad Man." The Giorgio Moroder-pulsing bassline of "Sorrow" feels just at home near the tribal beats that "More/Mad" devolves into. Add in addictive songwriting and you have an album that will appeal to old Cure fans alongside newcomers to the Electro genre. The album will be released by Full Contact in March 2004. "I wanted to do something positive now as I have felt inspired by recent trends in music," says Lol. "It feels to me like when I first started making music, which seemed like a good enough reason to do some more!" It is this inspiration that Lol used as a start off point for further sonic experiments. "Listening to new artists utilize the sound I helped develop inspired me to reach now for new sounds in the studio. The finished CD, Perfect Life, is easily the most exhilarating project I've been able to work on since the early Cure records." The timing for Perfect Life couldn't be more perfect as 2003 marks the 25th anniversary of The Cure. In addition to first time eligibility for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, active plans are in the works for remastering the entire Cure catalog. "It's amazing to me that The Cure still has this much viability and resonance so many years later," remarks Lol. "If you had told the schoolboy versions of Robert and myself this is where we'd end up, we wouldn't have believed it!" It sounds like Perfect Life was the most appropriate title Laurence could have given to the Levinhurst CD. Michael McCarthy Michael McCarthy's musical exploits began when he was a bored and mischievous Catholic schoolboy in the smoggy haze of L.A.'s San Gabriel Valley. Raised listening to his brother's collection of rock classics like Led Zeppelin and Van Halen, McCARTHY's first real musical epiphany was due to the Bee Gees' movie version of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band": "I was seduced by that movie . . . turned on by the romanticism of being a rock star . . . the commotion of everything, the girls screaming . . . I thought, these guys have it goin' on." Shortly after receiving his calling, the teenage McCarthy picked up his first guitar at 12 years old and never put it down. Transfixed by rock 'n roll, Michael honed his songwriting skills in-between selling rosaries and St. Christopher medals at his father's religious articles shop in Arcadia, CA. Musically evolving from rowdy days of playing in high-school keg-party bands, McCarthy found his own voice and songwriting style over the years through a string of successful collaborations, most recently leading the highly-acclaimed local faves The Wayward Boys from 1999-2002. Michael's unforgettable voice, clever lyricism and accomplished guitar-work have served him well in the unpredictable world of professional musicianship. His tune, "Here's To Your Life" was featured in the award-winning indie film "Pop & Me," and McCarthy was also touted by Movieline as Fox Movies' "breakout star" for his vocal performance in the film "Where The Heart Is" alongside Natalie Portman and Ashley Judd. Michael's many talents inspired Music Connection to proclaim, "(His) songs have enough hooks to snag every person alive . . . pop music at its finest . . . done so well it's almost mythological...." McCarthy currently enjoys a weekly Friday-night residency at Hollywood's legendary Highland Grounds accompanied by his "Beautiful Fools", where his spirited performances and from-the-heart music have caused an insistent buzz and combine to draw together an ever growing family of talented musicians and loyal fans alike. Michael also continues to emerge as a respected leader in the local musical community by hosting L.A.'s best and most popular open mic on Wednesday nights at Highland Grounds. Making an art form out of the musician's lifestyle, McCarthy's musical journey is the subject of a documentary currently being filmed by the production team responsible for Jackson Browne's award-winning film "Going Home". Michael is also in the process of recording two full-length albums of material for release next year. NYC Thom Panunzio (producer of Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie, and Iggy Pop) says, "NYC's music is ferocious! I've never heard a 3-piece band that sounds so huge live. NYC should definitely be heard!" Bernard Baur from Music Connection said, "[NYC is] Dangerous...Extreme...Blazing a new frontier...When this group plays no one can turn their head away from the stage." And now you can find out why this group has been turning heads around the country. Listen to the ferocity of NYC's energy captured in the studio! Check out their new single "Hey You". Proper Villains Proper Villains are Cindi and Stefano. Combining great talent and charisma, they bring a refreshing excitement to their music, which grabs you both sonically and visually. Between her seemingly sweet, effortless singing and his intense yet pop sensibilities, Proper Villains are the remedy to today’s ailing musical soundscape. When you see Cindi (a girl next door from Alabama), and Stefano (Which Exit? New Jersey), you immediately become aware of their personal charm & chemistry. As with many of history’s most infamous duos (Bonnie & Clyde, Felix Unger & Oscar Madison), their hot / cold, love / hate relationship breeds a palpable energy that lends itself to the beautifully crafted music to further draw you in. No matter what the style of song be it eclectic rock on Run, the lovelorn ballad Lovin’ You, or the spare beauty of the harmony on Home, Cindi and Stefano infuse the songs with their vibrant personalities. Stefano, a seasoned singer/songwriter, has released several solo CD’s, played with EMI recording artist Little John, and performed internationally. In 2002, he hooked up with Cindi, who had just relocated from Nashville to enter the burgeoning Los Angeles singer/songwriter scene. After getting together to co-write a couple of songs, it soon became apparent that there was something special. It was really funny because people kept coming up to us and asking, ‘When is your next show?’, but we had never done one, says Cindi. After our first show together we had doubled the amount of people that normally came to see us individually and it seemed all too clear that we had something together that couldn’t be denied, interjects Stefano. Since then, the two have continued working on new songs as well as performing songs from their respective catalogues. Proper Villains are performing regularly in the Los Angeles area and plan to record their debut record for release in 2004.