BY MIKE NUNEZ • FOR FLORIDA TODAY • September 26,
2008
Before moving to California, Blue Meridian
was long regarded as one of Central Florida's premier bands.
With four solid albums and a solo CD by frontman Donovan Lyman recently
completed, Blue Meridian and
Lyman are back in Central Florida for a series of shows that will remind
audiences that they still are at the
top of their game.
The band consists of Lyman (lead vocals/guitar), Chadwick Stienmetz
(lead guitar), Scott Kinworthy (drums)
and George Castells (bass). A staple in the Central Florida music scene
for many years, the band has appeared
nationally in Spin magazine and many more national and international
publications. The band has sold more than
10,000 albums independently, quite a feat for a nonlabel artist. The band
also has appeared as the opening act for
such legendary bands as Stone Temple Pilots, Veruca Salt, Tonic, The
Wallflowers, The Cult, Tantric, Finger Eleven,
The Smithereens, Missing Persons, The Fixx, Edwin McCain and countless
others.
I spoke with Lyman about his solo work, the band's upcoming CD and the
benefit show for School House Rocks.
So let's Shake, Rattle & Know: Donovan Lyman of Blue Meridian.
SRK: You had enormous success locally with Blue Meridian. What
made you want to move to California to continue
your music career?
Lyman: It was nice being in the music scene, and we did some
great things here, but it wasn't the right launching pad
for our career as Nashville or Los Angeles was. I was ready to put our
music in front of people who could make a real
difference on a global scale.
SRK: Recently you have been doing more work as a solo artist. Is
this more of the direction you see your career heading?
Lyman: I had completed four Blue Meridian albums when I started
on the next one, and this album just took an unexpected
turn. It began to creep further away from the Blue Meridian sound. I was
much more hands-on with this record, and the band
was less hands-on, so it always felt like a solo project anyhow. I always
used to do random solo acoustic shows anyway, so it
wasn't a big departure for me.
We have no plans for the band to break up though. We just finished a
new record that will be out soon, so it would be pretty
foolish to break up now. We have a tour planned to support the new CD, so
things are going well.
SRK: Why did it take nearly four years to complete your solo CD,
"Avalon & Babylon & Me"?
Lyman: That may be a hard one to answer, because I don't want to
come across as pointing the finger at anyone or throwing
someone under the bus. I would like to say that perfection takes time, but
the truth is 90 percent of the record was complete for
quite awhile, but there were parts missing. We added a cellist and filled
in some gaps. It was an epic record with 18 songs and
over 80 minutes of music joined together with all sorts of creative
segways.
It's a concept album. It was brilliantly mastered by Grammy-winning
mastering engineer Joe Bozzi (for the U2 "Vertigo" CD).
A lot went into the record, so I guess that's why it took so long.
SRK: How is the current Blue Meridian album "Skint & Shattered"
coming along?
Lyman: The songs are all tracked, and I am just looking for
someone to mix it. We have had a few studios offer to mix a track
here or there to show us what they can do, but I haven't made a decision
yet. We are just going to sit on the masters for awhile.
I just put out the solo CD, so people aren't expecting a Blue Meridian CD
to be put out so quickly afterward, so we are in a
position where we can take some time with it.
SRK: With the unbelievable amount of accolades the band has
achieved, why do you feel a major record label has yet to
catch on to the band?
Lyman: I've been offered contracts before that I turned down. I
was in radio for a long time as a program director, and I know
that without a strong promotional push by the record label that signs you,
it can actually destroy someone more than help them.
I'm not about to sign something unless I know there is going to be a
significant amount of money spent promoting and pushing
our product. Without a push, you may just sit on a shelf and be dropped by
the label without ever being heard. At that point,
you become damaged goods and no one else will want to touch you in the
business. I didn't want to be viewed that way or have
that happen to us. Look at all the great bands that were coming out of
Orlando, got a record deal and then were never heard from
again. I didn't want that to happen to us.
SRK: Do you feel the music business has reached a point where a
record label is no longer needed for a band to be successful?
Lyman: There are a lot of independent labels and self-managed
bands that are doing well. The power of the record labels is
more money and influence than anything else, but record labels only amount
to a very small percentage of the music that is out
there. The American public is catching on to all the places where you can
go to get great music and retailers understand that more
than ever. Independent labels have a better chance of succeeding now than
ever before. A record label isn't the only way to get
known or be heard.
SRK: What can you tell me about the Oct. 5 School House Rocks
benefit show you are doing in Orlando?
Lyman: It's a cause that is very close to me. The benefactor is
The Foundation for Literacy for Children in America. My family
is very involved in this. My father, Dr. Donald Lyman, father passed away
about a year and a half ago, and he had spent his entire
life helping learning disabled children.
After his passing, my mom (Nieves Lyman) and sister (Jennifer) picked
up the torch. When my father's health started to fail, my
mom had to become the breadwinner, and she started a Montessori School
where she could keep my father's legacy alive, and
implement a learning program that my father had started.
She has outgrown the school and she recently purchased an old Baptist
church building so she could expand the scope of the
school and be accessible to more kids in need. This benefit will help with
the costs of renovating that church and making it more
suitable for a school.
This benefit will take place in the old church with the altar serving
as the stage area. It's the perfect setting for this show. We
started out with four or five bands playing over a three-hour period, but
now we have over 16 acts and the event will go on from
1 p.m. to about 10 p.m. We have great acts such as Jeff Howell (WTKS-FM),
Dagnese, Christian Wilson, Mark & James,
Chris McCarty, Bryan Malpass, Dish and more, hosted by celebrity emcees
Michele Wright and Supa Dave (WJRR).
Local spotlight: Blue Meridian
Lead singer Donovan Lyman tells us the difference between
Orlando and L.A.'s music scenes
By Paul Hiebing July 17, 2008
The average life expectancy of a local-indie band can
be measured in months, sometimes less.
So when an Orlando band like Blue Meridian survives
well past a decade it means something must have gone right. Kept alive by
lead singer Donovan Lyman after his move to Los Angeles, Blue Meridian
kept their alt-rock roots solidly intact thanks to the L.A. lineup of
guitarist Chadwick Steinmetz, bassist George Castells, and percussionist
Scott Kinworthy (who does double-duty as a Blue Man in Las Vegas). While
preparing for a return tour of Central Florida with the original lineup
(Dean Pichette, Kevin Kirkwood and Manny Rivera) Lyman took some time to
chat with Metromix Orlando about the difference between Orlando and L.A.,
being indie in today’s music scene, and how to handle an earthquake.
You have said that
Blue Meridian was formed “just for fun.” Could you elaborate on that?
It didn’t seem like
anything unusual at the time, just to get together and make music because
of how much fun it is to do that. But I realized years later, when bands
were springing up like weeds left and right, they would contact me and ask
if they could open for us and I would ask them some questions. And I found
that so many of them had these delusions of grandeur, like “Within six
months we’ll be signed,” that kind of thing. And that’s when it first
occurred to me that that’s not why we got together. I remember we
rehearsed every day for three months – that’s when I turned to my bass
player and said “I think we’re ready for a show” and he said “You mean in
front of people?”
What do you
attribute to your longevity?
I guess when there’s
momentum, and when you notice opportunities and cool things are happening
for you, bigger and better every time, you know with each passing month or
year you’re being asked to do things that you’ve never done before. When I
moved to Los Angeles it was the first time I ever had something to prove,
and I was anxious for the challenge of seeing how long it would take for
the cream to rise to the top of a city this size.
Would you say your
move was a success?
The only thing I didn’t
anticipate about what it would be like being an unsigned band in Los
Angeles is it’s got nothing to do with the competition, it’s got nothing
to do with how many bands are out here. The challenge in Los Angeles is
developing a fan base, getting people to come to your shows. I had someone
tell me the first few months I was here, that drawing an audience of 80
people in Los Angeles is equivalent to drawing an audience of 500 people
in a place like Orlando. That’s the most disheartening part about it, all
these people, you know 20 million people in the metro area, and it’s so
hard to reach the same numbers that we’re reaching in Orlando.
Is there
encouragement for indie bands in L.A.?
L.A. is a famous music
scene because we’ve got some world-famous clubs here. But as far as it
being a great place for a band to come up it’s really not. The thing is,
almost every major venue here is booked by outside promoters. It’s not as
hands-on as it is in Orlando. They care more about booking acts that can
draw crowds so they can make money rather than putting together sensible
bills. I mean, we’ve been sandwiched between a country band and a hip-hop
act before.
You have four
albums with the band and one solo, what are you planning on doing next?
We actually made a fifth
record with the band. The longtime lineup from Orlando drifted to the wind
when I went to Los Angeles, so I started up another band when I got out
here. So what we’ve done for the last year is record the fifth one with
the Los Angeles lineup. We tracked thirteen songs and they’re currently
being mixed and we’re really excited about it. It’s going to be called
“Skint and Shattered” which are a couple of terms we got from touring
Britain. Skint means broke, and shattered means tired.
So I guess it means after all this time we’re still broke and tired.
What does being
indie mean to you?
Not long ago the term
wasn’t used, you’re either signed or unsigned. And now with all these
labels going out of business like Tower, and all these places have gone
bankrupt, for the first time ever bands are not looking at a major label
contract as the end-all. There’s certainly the possibility out there now
to making a decent living being an unsigned band, keeping all the profits
for yourself instead of giving 85 percent of it away. I sell a pretty
respectable amount of music every week, actually, so my only wish is that
we would take to the road and tour more cities.
How was that
earthquake the other day?
I’ve been out here for
four and a half years and that was the second one I felt. The first one
was actually about three years ago. I guess I was closer to the epicenter
that time. The tremor lasted for a good ten or twelve seconds and rattled
everything in my apartment. But the one from the other day was minor in
comparison. The first thing that occurred to me once it started to shake
was “I’m on the first floor, this is a pretty old building – I need to get
my ass out to the courtyard.” It actually ended before I was able to get
to the front door. I was in my underwear anyway, so it, uh, wouldn’t have
been a good thing if it continued and I burst into the courtyard with all
these old people and children out there.
The Middle of the Meridian In Los Angeles, an
eccentric indie music scene is thriving wherein ho-hum bands rarely take the
risk to push out anything but "the same," because in L.A. appearances count
and no one seems to have any time for something deeper. Donovan Lyman, the
singer and mastermind behind the Orlando originated indie-rock band, Blue
Meridian, refuses to be anything but "the same." His first solo project,
Avalon & Babylon & Me, proves that taking the time to touch up the details
of songwriting is an effort well spent. Being called "the [Lyman's] best
album yet" by Best Buy mogul Adam Sachs, each track not only delivers
tightly woven sound, but it also has incredible lyrical range as
demonstrated here in the ballad "Beautiful Thing."
My mind sometimes takes me to you,
I still hold you now, but in a picture frame.
I still see you as I knew you, a honey comb to smooth a lion's mane.
When asked to describe his latest project, Lyman stated: "…this new
album, in my eyes, is the closest thing I've created so far to real art and
unedited expression. I didn't follow any rules or formulas. I just followed
my heart. The result is something I've always wanted to do." Historically,
many prolific and well written songs are the ones that never make it to
radio because of length or tempo. Avalon& Babylon & Me turns its
cheek to today's "standards" and returns to the roots of what good
songwriting sprouted from. "Many of the songs are far too long for radio.
Many of them are too short. Two of the tracks are instrumental. If you look
and listen hard, you'll find a few catchy, radio-worthy songs that are under
four minutes in length, but I assure you, it was purely unintentional," says
Lyman.
The album has a timeless feel echoing the sounds of Elvis Costello or the
likes of the Canadian phenoms, The Tragically Hip. The tracks blend together
telling a story of love, life and the pursuit of something found between
happiness and reality. "Ghost in the Machine" which has been embraced by
loyal Blue Meridian fans speaks of the painful trials of love:
You're so fond of aiming at the sun,
Your bullets melt, your flowers wilt,
Your castles built on the beach where we used to run,
The blade's in the back, like love in a body bag.
The blade's in the back, who stole the sun?
When asked what opportunities the new solo project will bring him and the
band after having made music for over ten years, Lyman said, "I've compiled
a long list of industry that will be getting their hands on this before I
release it to the public. So far one reputable management company has
stepped forward…I can only remain hopeful and optimistic that something good
will come from this album."
Later this year Lyman will be recording a full band album with Los
Angeles band mates: Chadwick Steinmetz, George Castells and newest addition,
drummer Walter Valdez. Blue Meridian is a band that has been many places and
seen a lot of faces but the consistent factor of Donovan Lyman himself has
been the glue that has kept the music streaming. In Orlando, Florida the
band received six people's choice music awards, opened up for many well
known acts and Lyman's guitar was put up in the Hard Rock Café. In 2004
Donovan brought his talents to Los Angeles, signed a publishing deal with
Universal Music and has since been performing solo and with Blue Meridian at
venues in Hollywood, San Diego, San Francisco, Florida and across the pond
in the UK. When asked about the most recent tour of England, Donovan said,
"It's a fantastic experience being on the road, especially on a different
continent. The fans we've earned there are very loyal and not afraid to
express their enthusiasm over what we do."
With five previous albums written by Lyman, Blue Meridian has a large
library of tracks all with signature clever lyrics and crisp sound. The
effort put forth by the drive of a musician who chose to be different and
follow his dream is apparent in every promo poster, every answered message,
every gig booking and every rockin' show. Jason Ferguson, the music editor
of Orlando Weekly, calls Blue Meridian a "self-marketing-machine." "I think
what he was getting at, is that I'm often busting my ass trying to make many
of our shows unique events. I can understand a fan getting bored with seeing
the same show over and over, so I try to do things like band/fan BBQs, movie
screenings, after parties, album listening parties, DVD viewings, etc. All
in association with shows. I'm all about promoting." Blue Meridian can be
heard at least a few times a month at various Los Angeles venues and they
regularly return to Florida for shows throughout the year. Lyman says that
he needs three things to feel like he has made it, "1. sign a good contract
with a great label. 2. Get a fair amount of radio play and exposure and 3.
Tour the world." For Lyman music isn't a hobby. It is who he is and what he
does-it's his version of a nine-to-five. His fans, who consistently show up
to every gig because they believe in his dream, would say that he has
already made it.
Written by June Flaherty
Illustration by Jennifer Schroeder
Published by Minute Morning Magazine http://www.minutemorning.com/
1. When were Blue Meridian formed as a band and how did you all get to
know each other in the first place and tell us about the members of the
band?
Blue Meridian has been together for ages. Since we were mere lads back in 1994.
I was DJing some college night at a bar in Winter Park, Florida. One of the
managers
there caught wind that I wrote and sang songs. He told me that he played lead
guitar
and asked if I wanted to "jam" some time. When we finally got together, he
brought
along a few other players. We made music for 9 hours that Saturday afternoon and
agreed by the end of it, that we'd be a band. Now, 12 years later, I'm the only
original
member left. The drummer, Kevin Kirkwood stayed with the project for a whopping
10
years, but bowed out when I decided that the group should relocate to Los
Angeles,
California, 2 years ago.
2. Who have been the bands main influence musically and where do the band
get it's ideas for the lyrics, are they taken out of everyday and
personal experience?
We all have our favorite artists. From the Beatles, Beach Boys, Elvis Costello,
The
Tragically Hip and so many more, but I don't think any of them helped shape our
sound.
When you're first getting started and don't yet have a direction, you can be
very impressionable.
Bands that were huge around the time we started may have had an influence on our
early sound.
Groups like Pearl Jam or Live, but by 1998, I'm pretty sure we'd developed our
own sound.
The comparisons that we've gotten over the years have been so diverse, I think
it's evident
that we don't sound like anyone in particular. Just Blue Meridian.
Lyrically, there's no set pattern either. Some songs I write the lyrics first,
some I write the
lyrics last. Some songs are about or inspired by actual people or events, some
were taken
from the paper or history books. Most are created using my minds eye. Most of my
best love
songs, for example aren't about real girls. It's a love story that I invent in
my head. There are
exceptions though.
3. The band have got 4 albums under it's belt so far, the last one,
Minerva, released in 2003. How's the musical journey thru each album
been for the band and to progress a long side of that journey?
Creativity, like life can progress in cycles. When we first started, we had no
desire to be
world famous. We just wanted to make music and have fun with it, but then we
started
making albums and the powers-that-be saw amazing potential and put the idea in
our
heads that we could be world famous. "Minerva" and the album before it,
"Brave Angel"
were the result of me writing for radio, but trying to retain as much artistic
integrity as
possible. That can be exhausting. So with the fifth album that will be released
later this
year, "Avalon and Babylon and Me," I decided to go back to writing for me. The
songs
aren't snappy, catchy, three minute radio songs, they are whatever they wanted
to develop
into. Some of my favorites are six minutes long. Ironically, this album so far
has generated
a great deal of attention and interest from the music business.
4. Has there been any interest from any record labels for the band from
Japan and Europe?
We've been told a couple of scouts might have come to see us on March 9 in
London, but
that's about it. Well, one of the more important people at the Reading Festival
also expressed
interest in putting us on the mainstage, but we'll see about that. It's
certainly not happening this
year. Overall, shows in Europe have been a new thing for us. We toured there for
the first time 9
months ago. We're returned 2 months ago, in March and going back for a 3rd time
this Fall
hopefully. We're serious about making an impact over there and it's working so
far.
We've never been to Japan.
5. There's scheduled two releases this year from the you and the band
called, Avalon & Babylon & Me, and the other, Skint & Shattered. Are
both of them gonna be released the same time and would it all be under
the moniker Blue Meridian and has any release date been set yet?
The Avalon album will be a solo project for me actually. It would be too much of
an unnecessary
departure for Blue Meridian. It's also very personal. More than the other
records. I hope to release
it before years end. The other album, "Skint and Shattered," won't be released
in 2006, but we
should begin it before years end. I'd expect a 2007 release for that one. Late
2007. That disc will
feature all of the songs I've written since moving to California with the new
lineup. It will be our most
aggressive album overall. We're excited about it. We've been doing many of the
songs from it live for
a while now, "Monday Bride," "Royally Blue," "Valley Lights," "Cleverness of
Me," "God's Daughter"
& "Heaven's Heavy."
6. You've mentioned your two U.K. tours. How did they go and how's
the crowd in the U.K. compared to the crowd in L.A. ? There
seems to be a demand to see the band over here in Europe?
Yes, there's an interest. I don't know if I'd call it a "demand" just yet, but
I'm hopeful.
For a first time, we were very happy with the size and enthusiasm from the
crowds,
it may have even been larger in March. It's very exciting creating something
from nothing.
For the most part, the UK didn't know who we were a year ago. Now we have a
couple
thousand fans over there. We're looking forward to the tour in October. It'll be
our 3rd tour
in 14 months and if it goes well and growth is evident, we'll be back for a
fourth!
As for the difference between crowds over here and over there. Well, Los Angeles
can be
a finicky bastard. Every major tour ever put together passes through here at one
point or
another. There's just an incredible amount of competition for the entertainment
dollar here,
which makes it hard for everyone to unanimously vote on any given Blue Meridian
show.
There's also a very high percentage of people living here, that are in L.A. in
hopes of having
success with their own entertainment career and not here to support the
dreams of others,
necessarily. Of the few that don't work in the business, the cost of living here
is very high,
the city is very spread out and it's often difficult to support live music as
much as they might
like to, due to the cost of travel, admission and the God forsaken $12 cocktail.
Every now and
then we strike gold though and the rest of the time we're happy with the bronze.
7. You recently signed a deal with Universal Music Publishing Service.
How did that deal come about and what doors does that open for your own
career and the band and are you already scheduled to write for some
well known artists/bands?
Many people are confused about what that deal means exactly, so I'm glad you
asked. I
was signed as an artist more than as a songwriter. Their goal is to place my
music on TV
and on film soundtracks. So far no placements, but the ink is just drying on the
contract.
They seem confident. They don't sign artists to these deals to meet quotas, like
with many
recording contracts. They sign only what they feel they can use. If they ask me
to write for
an established act, I'll certainly welcome the challenge and the paycheck, but
mostly we're
just hoping that the placement of one of our songs will open many international
doors for us
as a band. It would be lovely to see our audience triple overnight.
8. What's the bands personal point of view on today's music industry and
the general music scene as it's seen on MTV and heard on the mainstream
radio stations?
Music a few years ago, left a lot to be desired. Hip Hop and Rap have taken over
pop and
Metal has taken over rock. The other commercially viable alternative is power
pop or punky
pop, but all of those bands are hard to tell apart. Recently the Damain Rices,
James Blunts,
David Grays, Coldplays, etc have really brought quality songwriting back into
the game and
that has increased our chances dramatically. For the first time in ages, some of
the music
out there is emotionally charged and passionate, often intelligent and melodic.
That can only
be a good thing.
9. Hows the local area where the band hails from when it comes to get
gigs to play and get played on the local radio stations?
We were very fortunate to come from Orlando, Florida. That place had a great
music scene and
if the scene is good and big enough, it's impossible for radio and the press to
not take notice
and embrace/encourage it. We've been played on the radio back there more than
2,000 times.
It really helped us develop an impressive fanbase quickly. The great show
opportunities and
everything else just fell into place.
10. What's been the bands best moments in it's short time of existence
and so far do the band itself feel it's been a struggle to get to where
the band is now and how much influence have the fans played in this
process?
Anything worth having is worth working hard for. I wouldn't call it a struggle
though.
It's been more of a pleasure than a struggle. I wouldn't pour this much energy
into
something I didn't love or believe in. Best moments? I thought our first tour of
England,
our first tour of California were way up there. When the Hard Rock Cafe bought
one of
my guitars to hang in their cafe in Florida, I thought that was a lovely thing.
The contract
with Universal may very well prove another huge accomplishment.
The fans play a huge part in everything. They have more power to motivate or
dishearten
than they probably realize. When we were struggling (ooh, I guess there was a
struggle)
to raise the money to record Minerva, fans stepped forth and offered as much as
$5,000.00
to help us afford it. When the fans show up and pack a room, we put on our best
shows.
The fans are everything.
11. What does the future hold for the band at this moment in time, any
plans of touring in the progress beside the one in the U.K.?
There's so much we want to do and so little time. On our "to do" list we've got,
1. release
these albums 2. Play New York City again 3. Play Chicago for the first time 4.
Tour Texas.
5. Tour the Northwest 6. Tour the UK as much as possible and get over to Germany
7. South Africa 8. Australia
12. Any last words to the fans/people out there here in the end?
Support Indie Music. There you'll find the largest group of the last of us that
still do it for the art.
There are two types of artists. Starving ones and Multi-Zillionaires. Help
create a middle ground
by supporting indie music. When sales of the albums do more than just pay for
themselves,
when they help make rent or put food on the table, then more time can be devoted
to them..
and the art improves. If you've read this far, it's because you care and for
that... we'll always
be grateful. and visit my Burnlounge page to buy Blue Meridian music and more..
www.burnlounge.com/downloadmp3s
Blue Meridian November 26th, 2005
Back Booth Orlando
This Orlando band has been creating
a following out in L.A. the past few years so the crowd @ the Back Booth that
night had been long awaiting Blue Meridian's return to Central Florida.
It was unfortunate the set got cut down from the promised 1hour+ but that was of
no fault to the band. Headliners @ local shows should never play last. If U R
on tour and U R Lenny Kravitz then U control who plays what and can play as long
as U like. Most local bands - even those with the success of Blue Meridian - are
often plagued by late starting opening acts, last minute acts, that eat away
performance time or push a performance back into the wee hours of the morning
when only the die hard fans and reviewers stick around and they lose a chance to
play for new folks.
But I guess its better they left their Orlando fans wanting more than to have
over stayed their welcome.
Blue Meridian has been worth the wait. Guest Bassist Lauren Lee filled in for
the night and additional vocals were provided by Ben Badger. With so many great
songs from multiple albums its no wonder Universal bought up a chunk. Their
talent doesn't stop with their ability to churn out a multitude of solid work
but to take that work and constantly morph it into different versions of
itself. We've been enjoying an exclusive acoustic version of Royally Blue on
Q's House
Internet Radio but the full band rock version, while equally enjoyable, is a
completely different song.
Props to lead guitarist Chadwick Steinmetz for using his guitar neck as
cigarette holder.
Want to hear more Blue Meridian? Pick a CD - they have plenty and all have
enough good songs on each to make it worth your while. Don't wait around
for them to get big before picking up their CDs or sporting a tour shirt. Blue
Meridian is already happening.
Those of us in Orlando are crossing our fingers for the band's quick return but
until them we remain - Royally Blue.
The newest release from much-decorated
local rockers Blue Meridian is chock full of what fans have come to expect from
the band: big hooks, percussive change-ups, sweet melodies and the libidinous
lyrics of lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Donovan Lyman. The band's 1999
release "Brave Angel" remains the high-water mark, but a handful of
the songs aboard "Minerva" resonate with the same kind of greatness.
Gems include the dreamy "Silly Song" and the harmonic treat "So
Sexy Avalon." "Captain Courageous" is bold in its literary roots
and its unabashed sentimentality; a sweetly moving piece of music. Lyman braves
new frontiers with the spacey 60's imagery of "Higher Than My Vertigo"
and Amy Steinberg adds a Kate-Bush-ian spice to the beautifully rendered
"Hallelujah Girl". Elsewhere, it's a commercialized, mainstreamed
effort for the most part and that's the unfortunate slide towards the center of
the road for Lyman and crew, whose "Brave Angel" had teeth to spare
for half of the gloss on this production. There's a great album in BM and if
Lyman can swing the bus away from the mainstream, it'll probably be the disc
that gets them finally signed. Worth a listen and worth the wait.e-mail
raggedstar@aol.com
MINERVA by Paul Henning, March 2003 ***** (5 Stars)
The last time Blue Meridian checked in, they were putting
the finishing touches on the long-awaited Minerva and Donovan Lyman claimed it was the
ban'd best yet. Considering that BM's previous record, Brave Angel, was definitely no
slouch, it was hard to imagine such a claim. But after listening to the 14 tracks of
Minerva, it became apparant that Lyman & Co. have outdone themselves once again.
Recorded at Phat Planet Studios with Mark Mason engineering and Donovan Lyman Producing,
it comes as no surprise that the sound quality is first rate. Add to that the top notch
cover art (Fatica/Leone), and you have a pro-level CD that's pop-rock at it's finest.
This is an odd one: Longtime local
jangle-rock faves Blue Meridian, on the heels of fair notice for their last studio effort,
"Brave Angel" (a winner of the Orlando Music Awards), opt for the
obscurity route on their latest, the obliquely titled "Bleeding on the
Guardrail." Few local bands would have the chutzpah (or the fan following) to press
and promote their touched-up demos at a stage that's so early in the band's still
unrequited national ambitions (much less, do so with a mention of blood). Still, it's all
served up with heady liner explanations that seem to cast the whole project as a
contextual endeavor more than a forward-moving one.
On its own, though, "Guardrail" harkens back to the
origins of Orlando's raspy rock roots, with a sound that recalls Jason Ross of Seven Mary
Three's sincerity, with added murk. A couple of standouts -- the chugging "Secretly
Someone," the withdrawn "I Don't Want to Talk About It" -- save this from
being a vanity indulgence and render it a fitting testament to the formative years of
Donovan Lyman's now-honed pop accessibility.
Blue Meridian
While bands like Matchbox 20 were about on the way out of Orlando in the mid-‘90s, a
promising new band called Blue Meridian was just starting to come together.
Deriving its name from Canadian legend Tragically Hip’s "The 100th
Meridian." The band released its self-titled CD in 1998. The singles, “Sideways
Silverjet” and “Dream Breathe Scream” received radio requests that exceeded
all expectations for a local band.
The dark and ethereal mood of Donovan Lyman’s vocals coupled with an incomparable
sound that mixes lush harmonies and distinctive guitar lines treat the listener to songs
with a sophisticated unpredictability all to uncommon in alternative radio.
Almost frequent headliners at venues like House of Blues, Hard Rock Live and Sapphire
Supper Club, Blue Meridian has sold over 2,000 compact discs and have been
nominated for several independent music awards. Its latest album, Brave Angel has
received the critical accolades that few rock bands have been company to. Once again
fraying the trends of current standards, the band continues to challenge itself to
pioneer music that is both meditative and stimulating.
Lisa Olen - Calendar Online Correspondent
DISCOGRAPHY
Blue Meridian (1998)
Brave Angel (1999)
February 2000 - By Eric Jourgensen
Year after year BLUE MERIDIAN receives awards and accolades from critics,
the media, and most importantly the fans. Their latest project Brave Angel is no
exception.
The album is a great blend of alternative and pop rock. All the songs on the album
are blended together perfectly. The almost seamless transitions from song to song make
Brave Angel a great album to just pop into the player and let it go all the way through.
Brave Angel seems to have a darker and more somber tone to it than BLUE MERIDIAN's
previous self-titled release, but the sound lends itself well to the group. Donavan's
voice really carries the album through, but the album wouldn't have been the same without
the awesome harmonizing of the background vocals and the pure power of the guitars, bass,
and drums.
The songs of Brave Angel may be darker than the previous album, but they seem to draw the
listener in more. Almost every song gives the listener a mental picture of what BLUE
MERIDIAN is singing about.
The last 3-tracks on Brave Angel are Live recordings that let people who can't make it to
a BLUE MERIDIAN show get some insight into the powerhouse performance that goes on. You
can hear the crowd in the background just loving every second that the group is playing.
Even though ever song on Brave Angel is great, there are a few stand out tracks.
"Brave Angel," "Helly," "Glistening," and "Counselor
(live)," keep the tempo of the album alive and keep the listener hanging on every
note.
Why fix what isn't broken? Blue Meridian's second
album, "Brave Angel," features more of the tasty guitar pop that made their 1998
debut such a rich listen. The 11 songs (including three live cuts from Sapphire) combine
terrific rock hooks and a gritty guitar sound that never fails to deliver the punch.
Donovan Lyman's meaty vocals, and some wicked riffing by Manny Rivera, carry the
propulsive "Helly" and the sprawling title track, while Kevin Kirkwood's
tasteful percussion accents the ethereal "Starlite."
As "Glistening" and "Sugarless"
prove, Lyman's songwriting continues to deepen and the band's razor-sharp rhythms and
soaring choruses are tighter than ever. The three live tunes include
"Counselor," which chronicles a rendezvous with a confused advisor. This is a
confident sophomore effort for a band with its eye on the big time.
December 1999
blue meridian.brave angel (raggedstar)
ever the phenomenal college rockers, blue meridian have released yet
another masterpiece. full of beautiful imagery and strong songwriting often reminiscent of
for squirrels and even a little rem, this cd is captivating. radio-ready rock tracks with
lyrics which tug on your heart abound, with virtually every track having chart potential.
why this band hasnt caused a bidding war in the record industry is beyond me. my advice to
you is to snap this one up before they do get huge (and they will) so you can say you
heard them first.
aaron
Blue Meridian
"Brave Angel"
***** (five stars)
-----------------------------
October 1999
The songs on "Brave Angel" rock with a tuneful purposefulness, filled with
dynamite performances, tasty rhythms and sweet melodies. At the heart of each tune are
lyrics of truth, beauty and the realities of relationships spun with a deft and golden
touch. For these and other reasons, "Brave Angel", in my opinion, is the
best album of 1999 thus far. Lead singer/guitarist Donovan Lyman is back with his
breathy-grainy voice and poetic visions while lead guitarist Manny Rivera is present for
most of the project with Brian Chodorcoff stepping in on a couple of songs. Co-founding
member Kevin Kirkwood heads up half of the rhythm section on drums and Gene Samero shares
bass duties on the release with Dean Pichette (Todd Rockenburgh is the group's new
guitarist.) The confusing personnel involvement owes itself to a sort of revolving-door
policy that the band has had since forming five years ago. "Every line-up that we're
involved in, we hope it'll be the final line-up, the final thing," says Lyman,
dropping a not-so-subtle reference to a track off of Blue Meridian's self-titled debut.
Nevertheless, the music more than
holds up--perhaps even garners additional flavor from the presence of so many cooks.
The new release is stuffed full of compelling rock
songs that are radio-friendly without being disgustingly trite or vacuous. There's
plenty of balls-out blasters, such as the crunchy "The Range" and
"Ironside", a live track with a hardcore sea shanty feel. Pedestals and
puppy-dog love get the melancholy treatment in "Gravity" as Rivera paints the
air with shiny, soaring lines of distortion. Though there's a jangly
country-rock feel to many of the tunes, like the cryptic "Rockingbird", the
sharp riff attacks led by Kirkwood's deadly percussive gauntlet are eye-opening and
explosive rock-outs. And sexy? The neo-60's chorus of "Helly" offers up
the image of unmindful passion in lyrics like "two lovers naked by the window/now the
neighbors know that I'm sick in love again." The evocative
"Glistening" admits its inability to express all-encompassing passion with the
line "all my love/just words on paper/on my tongue/they lose their flavor" and
is also one of the mellowest tunes--filled with spacious changes and rolling tomwork by
Kirkwood. Fans of the first album may wonder about the inclusion of Nikki in
"Sugarless", one of two songs that gets Chodorcoff's distinctive
guitarplay. When questioned about the repeat appearance of the object of
the songwriter's affection from "Sideways Silverjet" (from the first album),
Lyman responds "it's kind of like, Nikki's a real person, but she's a bitch, I don't
want to talk about her too much." He laughs and then continues, "It's kind
of reminded me of the early Bruce Springsteen albums, he always had one song on there that
had Mary in it, you know? I figured I'd just carry the Nikki thing until the guys in
my band kicked my ass and said, 'there's other girls!'"
From the album design to the sheer beauty of tunes
like "Starlite", the album looks, moves and feels like one big film, which is no
huge surprise--considering the songwriter's influences. "I do get a lot of
lyric ideas from movies, off the new album on "Starlite", 'we moved like water,
they couldn't tell us apart.' That line was inspired by 'The Thin Red Line'."
The tune has a semi-sad, downward spiraling verse that is almost Beatle-like in its chord
stylings and Chodorcoff adds lovely fuel to the fire. Perhaps the most haunting tune
on the album is the title track with its mysterious minor verse and enchanting chorus
"I know that you're real/as real as the way you make me feel." Partially
inspired by "The Last Temptation Of Christ" and partly inspired by a dream--it's
a big arena-rock jewel that Lyman lends full vocal intensity to. Needless to say,
the players are all that and a bag of chips--the songs shudder and breathe with
vibrancy. Pounding codas, savage transitions, gentle verses--dynamics of soundscapes
and emotions. This is the Good Schtuff.
Blue Meridian's been nominated for an Orlando Music
Award this year as "Best Rock Band" and their video for "Sideways
Silverjet" is included on the CD+. If you're into gentle-spirited rock with a
hard edge, invest some moola into this band and catch a live show for some real
fireworks. They'll be performing October 2nd at the Station and October 14th at Hard
Rock Live--you can call the new bandline at (407) 895-BLUE for free tickets, something
that Lyman says they'll be giving out plenty of. "It's not about the money for us
anymore, it's about exposure and we're doing a lot of showcases coming up."
Spread the word and grab this disc, it's for anyone who's ever been sick in love. www.bluemeridian.net raggedstar@aol.com
BLUE MERIDIAN & VON RA Back Together (Again)
It was a night to remember, as Orlando powerhouse
groups VON RA and BLUE MERIDIAN came back yet again to the House of Blues for a
record-setting five times together. Each of them has played there over 15 times
individually.
You could feel the energy in the air as the crowd eagerly
anticipated the start of the show. Meanwhile, members from both bands were downstairs
among the crowd signing autographs and having their pictures taken. The people at the show
knew that both these bands are going to make it to the big time, and they wanted to get
their memorabilia now.
Of course, neither band disappointed the crowd and put all their
heart, soul and energy into their performance. They could only temporarily appease the
crowd's unquenchable desire to see and hear their favorite bands up on stage. Before and
after the show, I was able to catch up with the guys from both VON RA and BLUE MERIDIAN to
see what else these bands have to help satisify the music gods.
I first met with VON RA's lead singer Vaughan, bassist Boo, and
drummer Dave.
MTV - What's new with VON RA?
Vaughan - Well, we're now with Harrington Management. They're
the same people who represent EDWIN McCAIN. We've been with them for about a month and a
half now. We just released our new album POW. It has four new tracks and some
hidden tracks as well. We've linked up with a hot promoter and we're going to be releasing
the album regionally/nationally -- basically into the hot spots where it's getting a lot
of airplay -- and we're going to tour the same way as well. We're trying to trying to do a
showcase at the Mercury Lounge in New York. Gibb Droll will hopefully become our new
guitar player. He'll be a "hired gun" for a while. He adds a real blues feel to
our music.
Boo - He is really a technically talented guitar player.
MTV - What about any record contracts?
Vaughan - No idea what's going on. We're holding out for the
right contract. We've turned down some offers, and -- in an industry as close knit as this
one -- it shows them that we mean business.
MTV - What do you think about the loss of SHE 100.3?
Vaughan - It's a sad situation. They were a big supporter for
us. We're going to be on 105.1 soon and "The Phillips Phile" on 104.1 is going
to have us come in to play. We're going to be the first group to ever play live on the
show.
Boo - It's kind of bittersweet. It's sad that they're gone,
but we're lucky we had an opportunity that no one else did or will.
MTV - Why do you think the spotlight of the music industry
has shifted to Orlando? Is it because there is so much talent here, or because the talent
that has previously come out of here leads the industry to focus on the other talent?
Dave - There are just a lot of talented groups coming out of
this area.
Vaughan - I think it's like growing pains. Orlando has been
culturally deprived for so long. We've had to focus on what the tourists wanted. Now we're
getting the chance to play what we want because of what has come from here.
Dave - Don't take that wrong. Without the tourists none of
this would be here. We wouldn't have places like Downtown Disney with the House of Blues
or Universal's Citywalk with Hard Rock Live.
Vaughan - All the small clubs keep closing down. Now we have
big places here, like House of Blues or Hard Rock Live, supporting the groups. This is a
great place to be a garage band.
MTV - What do you think the best places to play in Orlando
are?
Boo and Dave - House of Blues and the Sapphire. We know
everyone there. It's kinda like a family. We're made to feel comfortable when we go to
play there.
MTV - Any advice for the upstart groups out there?
Boo - Be patient.
Dave - Practice.
Vaughan - You have the three P's: patience, persistence and
practice. Also, don't jump on any musical bandwagon. Continue on with [your] original
thing [or] sound.
Before VON RA took the stage, I sat down with BLUE MERIDIAN's
leadman Donovan and was able to ask some questions.
MTV - When can we expect another album?
Donovan - It's done. There are eleven tracks on the CD --
eight studio tracks and three live tracks. We're looking at a release date sometime in
August. We're going to include the video for "Sideways Silverjet" on the CD.
MTV - Tell us about the video.
Donovan - It was shot on 16mm film with a producer. We shot
somewhere over 800 feet of film. We had steady cams, lights, etc. And we have lots of cool
video effects. There is one where I sang the song super-fast, but it was shot in slow
motion. So in the video everything is moving real slow, but I am singing in real time. It
looks great.
MTV - What do you think about the departure of SHE 100.3?
Donovan - I liked SHE and listened to them a lot. They did
support the local scene, but working in radio I understand why they went under. Radio is a
business, and they weren't making it. But we have been getting a lot of support and
airplay from 104.1 Real Radio, so it all worked out.
MTV - Anything new happening with your website [www.bluemeridian.net]?
Donovan - It's going to have a major overhaul soon. It's
going to have Shockwave and everything.
MTV - Anything else coming up?
Donovan - Well, the album, the video -- which we hope MTV
will play -- and we keep getting airplay. Hopefully by the time "Sideways
Silverjet" starts to slip, they'll be playing something off the new album.
Keep an eye out for both VON RA and BLUE MERIDIAN. I expect you'll
hear a lot from both of these groups in the very near future.
-- Eric Jourgensen
MTV Local Stringer (July 21, 1999)
BLUE MERIDIAN Takes Charge @ Hard Rock Live
BLUE MERIDIAN has been nominated for a Best Modern Rock Jammy by Florida's Jamm Magazine,
and for good reason. BLUE MERIDIAN, although somewhat new, has the stage presence and
savvy of groups twice their age. Their powerful chords
and even more powerful vocals filled the new Hard Rock Live, satisifying the music hungry
crowd.
Donovan Lyman started the show wearing a black tuxedo jacket to celebrate BLUE MERIDIAN's
appearance at Hard Rock Live. He was actually at a wedding prior to the show, but hey --
it made a great impression on the crowd and worked well as a towel at the end of the show.
Great rock beats and powerful guitar chords were blended together to create an almost
perfect sound. Hanging with BLUE MERIDIAN before the show gave me an insight usually
forgotten by many. To be successfull onstage, you must first be successfull off stage,
meaning you have to get along off stage if you're going to give a good show onstage. From
everything I saw, BLUE MERIDIAN is successfull at both of these things.
BLUE MERIDIAN's music supplied a great atmosphere for the evening. Their fabulous blend of
vocals and instrumentation is what creates their groudbreaking sound. For more information
on BLUE MERIDIAN visit their website @ www.bluemeridian.net.
Blue Meridian's self-titled venture is seven tracks of good, solid schtuff. "Dream
Breathe Scream" is a truly well-crafted musical mural of determined, straight-ahead
rock. Lead singer Donovan has an appealing grainy voice ? the kind that could come from
too many cigarettes but not enough whiskey. Kevin on drums brings in surprising booms and
rattles that suggest an affinity for
Richard Starke ? sensible, and not showy, much like Danny whose naughty-but- nice bass
lines pour over everything like maple butter.
"Even Now" is a more conventional sounding tune, while the bright and shiny
intro. to "Sideways Silverjet" could easily be the theme song for one of those
variety shows that ABC used to show on Friday nights hosted by Barbara Mandrell. The
backing vocals on this one are heavenly as Donovan sings, "I've been thinking about
you/Cause you want me to." Things get a little heavier with "The Verge," a
track so raw that you can hear the buzz of amplifiers in the background. Chadwick
Stienmetz delivers some spooky distortion throughout that lends a rockin' soundscape of
chimey guitars and oceanic bass.
"Go Away" and "Talliensen" are serviceable Southern rockers, but it's
"The Final Thing" that sticks like a twisted blade. With its sincerely plaintive
opening lyrics "I wanna drown you but I love you/I wanna kill you but I can't,"
there's a quick turnaround before the chorus screams out in country-flavored harmony. Some
delicate piano stylings from Ed Krout puts the authentic stamp-of-approval on this tune,
an irreverent and nicely crafted piece of songwriting that rewards time and time again.
Hang out for the bonus track and get a contemplative Donovan with his acoustic and lots of
reverb. Check it out.
One of our loyal readers referred this website to us, and
we're glad he did. This site has everything you wanted to know about local band BLUE
MERIDIAN. The site allows you to keep up with all the news regarding BLUE MERIDIAN, from
where you can find the album to what's going on with the band members.
One of the best things is the site's music sampling. I had never heard this group before,
but luckily the site offered a .wav sample of a song so I knew where the band was coming
from.
It takes a while for the initial page to load on the computer, but the animations are
humorous enough to justify the wait. Overall, this is one of the better local band
websites I have seen.
Blue Meridian have been creating quite a buzz around
Central Florida for some time now and with their "R.E.M." meets "For
Squirrels sound," it isn't too unfathomable why. This seven song mini-album is
a testament to their power as a college rock band on the rise and I wouldn't be too
surprised if they landed a big money deal any time now. After the signing of "My
Friend Steve" quick on the heels of "Matchbox 20's" success, bands like
Blue Meridian are likely to be gobbled up by record companies eager to get in on the
Orlando action. Here's to hoping Blue Meridian remains true to themselves and don't sell
themselves short (or out) in order to get a contract. They have the potential to be a
driving force in the college market and the companies should know that and work to keep
this band on the track they set with this EP.
-Aaron The Fritz, "The new college music magazine", vol. 4, issue 4, December
1998
Pick up a copy of the December issue of INSITE magazine for
an excellent write up on the current events and happenings of Blue Meridian. To be
published here soon!.
thanks
There are some really good local bands out there. Some of
them are great live and some of them on CD. Blue Meridian is one of those few bands that
is both. After seeing them live, I grabbed their self-titled CD and it lived up to the
promise that they show live. With a sonic identity somehwere in the realms of Live, The
Verve Pipe or the Nixons, the disc opens with the driving "Dream Breathe
Scream", a song which showcases the band's exceptional vocal talents. It is followed
up with six more exceptional songs. My favorites being "Go Away" with its
passionate chorus, "Talliessen" and the oddly country-tinged
"The Final Thing", which is a pretty dark kind-of love song. I think that song
is up to the individual listener to interpret. A big part of the CD's appeal is its
lyrics. Singer/Songwriter (and guitarist) Donovan Lyman offers up some insightful
perspectives on life, such as this observation from "Go Away": "Men just
wanna fuck and apologize later/Women fall in love without breaking a
sweat...". Donovan is ably backed-up by Kevin Kirkwood on drums, Manny Rivera on
guitar, and Gene Samero on bass. (Gene is the newest member of the band not actually
appearing on the CD. But I've seen him live and he is a heck of a
bass player). The sound quality of the CD is top notch, among the best I've heard in an
independent release. This is one of the rare few CD's that will most likely appeal to fans
of all sorts of music. I highly recommend it.
-Mike Spring Buzz Magazine, Issue 33, 10/30
to 11/13 1998
Juiced by the national success of Orlando bands
Matchbox 20 and Seven Mary Three, local favorite Blue Meridian hopes to be the next band
to break big time. Judging by the excellence of their first CD, they shouldn't have to
wait long. This is a highly infectious collection of engaging power pop delivered with
confidence and skill. Both "Dream Breathe Scream" and the wonderful
"Sideways SIlver Jet" feature catchy choruses, chimey guitars and Donovan
Lyman's throaty vocals, which are reminiscent of a gruffer Matthew Sweet. "The
Verge" ventures into sonic territory previously explored by REM with a stop
and go chorus and monster guitar sounds. Even the quirky country served up on "The
Final Thing" works well and reveals the band's willingness to experiment. With this
album as a calling card, it shouldn't be long before Blue Meridian attracts the attention
of the powers that be of the music industry.
-Todd Deery Orlando Weekly 10/29 - 11/4
1998
Like looking at a
familiar picture that somehow, in the middle of the night, morphed slightly -- that's what
listening to this CD was like. The songs leapt into my head like a familiar friend, and
then began to dance like demons, and I thought to myself, "hey -- I don't know you
guys at all."
I `splain now.
Dream Breathe Scream could certainly be broken down into individual little pieces and
declared to be inspired by different styles, genres, whatever -- but as a whole, it's a
truly well-crafted musical mural of determined, straight-ahead rock. Lead singer Donovan
has an appealing, grainy voice that could come from too many cigarettes but not enough
whiskey. Kevin on drums brings in surprising booms and rattles that suggest an affinity
for Richard Starrkey. Sensible, and not showy, much like Danny -- whose naughty but nice
bass lines pour over everything like maple butter. "Even Now" is a more
conventional sounding tune, while the bright and shiny intro to "Sideways
Silverjet" could easily be the theme song for one of those variety shows that ABC
used to show on Friday nights. With Barbara Mandrell. Backing vocals on this one are
heavenly, as Donovan sings "I've been thinking about you/cause you want me to."
Things get a little heavier with "The Verge," a track so raw
that you can hear the buzz of amplifiers in the background. Chadwick Stienmetz delivers
some spooky-ass distortion throughout. A rockin' soundscape of chimey guitars and oceanic
bass. "Go Away" and "Talliesen" are serviceable southern
rockers, but it's "The Final Thing" that sticks like a twisted blade. With its
sincerely plaintive opening lyrics "I wanna drown you but I love you/I wanna kill you
but I can't." It's a quick turnaround before the chorus screams out in
country-flavored harmony. Some delicate piano stylings from Ed Krout put the authentic
stamp-of-approval on this tune, an irreverent and nicely crafted
piece of songwriting that will be probably be all over MTV by this time next year. Hang
out for the bonus track and get a contemplative Donovan and his acoustic and lots of
reverb. Check it out. raggedstar@aol.com
