By Trinity Lost


It is my honor to introduce you to one of the most talented young ladies I have ever come across. Her name is Savannah Outen, and just by listening to her, you would never know that this girl is only fifteen years-old. She has seemingly taken over Myspace and You Tube with her songs and videos. With over 750,000 channel views on You Tube alone, (which exceeds Christina Aguilera by hundreds of thousands), it's obvious that people are paying attention, and we're all waiting to see what happens next in her career. "Ever since I was a little girl watching all of the celebrities and singers on television, I have wanted to be like them and sing." And does she ever! Savannah has nailed every one of the cover songs she has performed in her videos. Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Beyonce' are no challenge to her. She sings as if, momentarily, she exchanges souls with these Legendary Divas. When I asked her how she compares herself to the female vocalists already a success, she replied,"I use the ladies out there now for my role models and I look up to them." Savannah's greatest idols, are sisters, Aly and AJ. She says that if she were to ever get the opportunity to tour with anybody, she'd want it to be them. Other influences in Savannah's life are Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale, Rihanna, and Carrie Underwood. However, if she could meet anyone in the world, she says, "Justin Timberlake. He has been my idol since I was 5 years old." Savannah doesn't just sing cover songs though. It turns out that she participates in dance competitions, plays guitar, and writes her own songs as well. She has professionally recorded her songs in Washington, California, and Tennessee. "Yes, I do write my own songs. I write the music and the lyrics. I have had a couple of songs written for me by music composers, but mostly, my songs are my own." You can listen to "Goodbyes", and "Unlock the Door" by visiting myspace.com/savannahoutenoffical. Savannah says that, as far as the Music Industry goes, her dream is to have a record deal and headline a concert tour. "I have myself winning a Grammy award five years from now." She claims to be "totally prepared" to jump into the world of fame and fortune, and if she had to go on tour for months at a time, she would get a private tutor to help further her education. Holding a 4.0 GPA, this current ninth-grader hasn't really thought about college yet, but I think her fans can agree that there's nothing that can stop this girl from succeeding at anything she chooses. Although currently too young to try out for American Idol, I wouldn't be suprised at all to see her up on that Hollywood stage in a year or two, standing between Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, and singing her little heart out! Good Luck Savannah!
HER WEBSITE

 Peace and Love,

Interview by Trinity Lost

When I was first asked to check out Fear the State, I wasn't aware I'd be their next biggest fan. I immediately hopped on board. Being surrounded by hip hop for the last six years, I had almost forgotten how much I loved to ROCK! I felt like I was nineteen again, the moment I heard their first song on Myspace. I contacted frontman Marc Amendola about getting a cd for the review, and lucky enough, I was able to land TWO of them! I have been drowning myself in screaming guitars for the last couple months now, and I have to ask, "why isn't EVERYBODY listening to these guys?" Well, here's your chance. Thanks to Damngoodtunes.com, you are only a mouse-click away from your new favorite band! But first, let me tell you a little bit about these guys. Voted Best new band by The Hartford Advocate, Fear the State has proven they are pedestal worthy. They have caught the eyes and ears of thousands, and rocked them all along the Eastern Coast with constant gigs. They even had the opportunity to open for Godsmack last Summer at the Chevrolet Theatre in Wallingford.The band is currently on their "Creepy Van Tour", with shows in places like NY, MA, NJ and of course in CT, where Amendola's studio, "Audio Hotel" is kicking out one great song after another. Their first release from Squishy Lemon Publishing, Trust Nothing, is an album that should be in everyone's hands. With Songs like "Get to You", (a personal favorite), "Stranded", and "Chance to Change", it's hard NOT to relate to what Amendola has to say. There is no escape from the power of the rest of the band, either. Listen to "Horror Film", and Dizm will devour you with his drumsticks like you were a #2 combo plate with chicken chow mein. Jeff Sobon provides the most wicked bass lines that hypnotize you into his web, only you have no desire to break free, and when Neal Nereo teams up on guitars with Amendola, you wonder if they both came out of the womb already plugged into an amplifier. This band is held tightly together, and it's obvious if you hear their sixth song from the record, "Losing My Voice". There are several parts in this track that other bands would fall to pieces in attempting this song. Especially live. But for Fear the state, stage performance is where they really shine. Emma Martinez, a.k.a Emma Blue, has been a fan of Fear the State for over a year. " The show at Matchless [ in Brooklyn] was loud and hard. They brought the rock as always, and I was where I can usually be found, up front and jumping around....they sounded great, they're also fun to watch as they are very animated." Emma's favorites include "Worth", "Live Again" and "Stranded". Best bet, she will definately be at the next Brooklyn show at Trash, on May 31st. You can check out Fear the State at myspace.com/fearthestate, or fearthestate.com. Trust Nothing is available on itunes, and don't forget their live album "Live at CBGB", which includes my absolute favorite, "Forgiven", available for only $5. Now, with much anticipation, I bring you a short interview that I had with Fear the States' vocalist, Marc Amendola. Enjoy!

 TL: How is it that Fear the State was developed? Did you all know each other before?
FTS: jeff & dizm played in a band called Lesson prior to Fear The State. I was a member of Gargantua Soul. Those guys were looking for people to start a band and I read about it online. Neal called me to tell me he was excited to get together with those guys and I asked if I could come as well.
TL: In "Making a cd with Fear the State, Episodes 1 & 2", you all seem to get along like brothers. Is this typical, or do you ever just really let each other have it sometimes?
FTS:We get into it a lot. But we actually get along pretty well considering all the miles we travel in tight quarters. We've learned that a little bit of respect and a lot of laughter helps everything smooth out.
TL: When can we expect the release of the new album? FTS: When the records right. We've vowed to that. It gets closer every day.
TL: What do you want people to get from of your music? FTS: A soar neck from headbanging.
TL: What is the most interesting thing that has ever happened at a show?
FTS:Jeff once fell off the stage in New Hampshire. He thought there was a step...but he was wrong! I got front row for that.
TL: How do you pass the time while driving through different states for gigs? Who gets to drive the Creepy Van?
FTS:We all drive. we have no radio, so we are all armed with our own iPods and cell phones and do our own thing. It's probably better that way. sometimes we just text each other pictures or jokes in the van. other times, we will call the guy who's sleeping like 800 times and leave the same message.
TL: Do you have a particular place that you enjoy playing the most?
FTS: Up Or On The Rocks in Hartford, CT, The Red Door in Watertown, CT, Backstage in Groton, CT, Trash Bar in Brooklyn, Buddha's In Newport News, VA and pretty much our schedule is only places we enjoy playing.
TL: Do you have any rules, as a band that help keep things running smoothly, such as not getting sauced before a gig?
FTS:we try not to get drunk, but every once in a while someone screws that up. it happens.
TL:. How did you land the show with Godsmack? Did you get to party with them at all?
FTS:We were selected through a WCCC radio Contest. we were in the top 2 picked by WCCC radio listeners and WCCC.com online viewers and then Godsmack picked Fear The State to open the show. We didn't really party with Godsmack, ate dinner together.
TL:. What would you say to young musicians, on what it takes to survive as an artist in the music industry today?
FTS: Hard work and persistance pays out.
TL: Besides WPKN's Singer Circle, have you gained much support from your local radio stations?
FTS:WCCC, Lazer 99.3 in Springfield, WPLR, WNHU, WXCI have all supported Fear The State. More are jumping on board as we go. This record is going to turn radio around.
TL:Jeff says that "AfterGlow" is his 2nd favorite song. I'm curious, what are all your number 1's?
FTS:Jeff's is Get To You, Dizm's is Stranded, Neal's is Forgiven. My favorite is Against The Ropes. It's a new one that we play out sometimes. Look for it on the new Fear The State CD A speacial thanks to Fear the State for all you have done! -Trinity Lost-
THEIR WEBSITE