You look Marvelous!

,, Ma:i;yelous 3 is well known in their success they've had with their first sin- local scene," er, "but I don't say 'Hail Satan'." Mar- home state of Georgia, but are new to gle release, "Freak of the Week." which, velous 3 pick up where these bands leave many people around the country. It's not "I try to keep realistic," said Walker. Walker off. Walker may see the entertainment su:i;prising that the band voted "Best Rock As a band that feeds off the energy of a believes, has value in these groups, but admits that; Band" and "Hardest Working Band" at live crowd, Marvelous 3 had been tour- a lot of talent partially due to his 29 years, Kid Rock's the Atlanta Local Music Awards is now ing for the last seven years. Walker does · and potential. and Limp Bizkit's lyrics "do not change gaining attention for their lighthearted not claim that touring is glamorous and Marvelous my life." Not even "Nookie," apparent- approach to the current state of music. admits to the strains of spending seven 3 can relate to ly. Marvelous 3 addresses the need felt According to their official website, years with the same two people. Living the difficul- by most well adjusted adults searching they are not "weird, bummed-out, abus€d, alone with a strange roommate for a year ties of for some rocking tunes without Satanic depressed, or apathetic loser, musician- suddenly seems like a welcome experi- breaking or depressed overtones. types. They are merely three guys who ence. In order to avoid into the While every band remains the most would love a shot at beaning Marilyn burnout, all the mem- national pure in a dark club with twenty people Manson in the head with a Spice Girls bers give each other scene and for an audience, record companies allow CD, and saying 'there ... now didn't that personal space and not selling bands to reach the masses. Walker appre- make you laugh?"' At a time when respect the concept their souls to ciates the arrangement with the compa- "Mommy never hugged me and Daddy of "alone time". the record ny, but only as long as it's mutually ben- never played catch with me" sells records, Without it, Walker industry. They eficial. He believes every artist should marvelous 3 has arrived like Dudley Do- confides, "you can should be credit- remain in control of their career because Right to save rock and roll from angsty end up killing ed with their "there ain't nothing flattering about earn- Seattle rejects. As the self-proclaimed someone." own determi- ing 14 cents on the CD." Marvelous 3 "reigning kings of middle-class subur- A self-confessed nation in making plans on releasing their next CD during banite regulars," Marvelous 3 rocks out workaholic, Walker their success possi- the first part of the millennium and will in the tradition of Queen and Kiss, where seems more focused ble. They have been also be contributing a cover of the Doors' entertainment is the bottom line. Mar- on the musical side working together "People are Strange." Thanks to modern velous 3 will be in New Orleans to per- of his arrangement since the days of technology, fans can not only check on form at Voodoo Fest and to promote their than enjoying the " pink spandex rock- past projects but actually watch the band first major release with Elektra, Hey/Album. rock and roll ers wearing more eye- record their next album on "Marv- Lead singer Butch Walker is excited to lifestyle. As the liner than TLC in the "No Scmbs" video. cam",courtesy of their official website: be in New Orleans for Halloween, his band finishes up their Sadly, Walker was a victim of the fash- www.themarvelous3.com. Regardless of "favorite time of the year." He has even most recent tour, Walker is looking for- ions of the '80s but seems to have recov- the state of music in the 21st century, Mar- picked out his Halloween costume: He ward to beginning work on the next album. ered well. What he gained from his expe- velous 3 promises rock and roll as it should wants to be a rock star. As the lead singer Not someone who can appreciate a lazy rience observing such classic musicians be: vibrant, funny and worth the ticket of marvelous 3, Walker has been wear- Sunday afternoon, Walker is also is busi- as Whitesnake and Poison is the value of price. ing that costume for the last 13 years. ly setting up his own recording studio to a good show. Walker lamented that "rock Walker and his bandmates Jayce Finch- be called "Ruby Red." He hopes to work has been dead for the last ten years," but er and Slug were childhood friends in not only with the band and on some solo gives credit to current acts like Limp Bizk- Liz Parisi Atlanta before forming the band. Despite pieces, but also to work with other impres- it and Kid Rock for being concerned with the obvious lack of modesty in their name, sive but not nationally known bands. "I showmanship. He even gives props to contributing writer marvelous 3 have been surprised by the want to be supportive of the [Atlanta] Marilyn Manson. "I love him," said Walk- The Roots' Rahzel speaks out on the state of the hip-hop nation The Roots are quite possibly hip-hop's Jay-Z back in the day. He was always And so maybe the listening public will "It wa5n' t like when people guest on other most innovative act; they play their own dope. I knew it was just a matter of time be more receptive to The Roots' fourth artist albums, and they don't know each instruments and don't use a turntable. until he blew up, just like it's a matter of album, Things Fall Apart. I asked Rahzel other. Erykah is like part of the family. That's where Rahzel the Godfather of time before we blow up." what the group's thoughts were going We produced some tracks on her last Noyze comes in. To get that scratching That hasn't quite happened yet. As is into the making of this album. He told album. So it wasn't like, 'Hi, nice to meet sound on their albums, Rahzel needs only the case with many cutting-edge acts, The me, "We knew we had to give the mass- you, it's been a thrill working with you, to use his voice. And the way he uses it Roots have received substantially more es something they could digest. In this okay, bye." is amazing. At first listen, it would be critical acclaim than they have commer- business, you gotta talk people's lan- With the recent trend of rappers cross- hard to convince someone that what they cial success. In a recent interview with guage. It's just like if you were Spanish ing over into movies, I asked him if The are hearing isn't a turntable. Kronick Magazine, drummer ?uestlove and I came up to you talking French. You Roots have any similar plans. "Yeah.. of Rahzel has his own roots deep in hip- said that this was just another symptom know? You would be like, 'What?' So we course we'd like to do movies. As for me hop history. His cousin was one of Grand of hip-hop's sick state. He went as far as knew we had to peak to what people per on ally, I'm looking into doing voice- Master Flash's Furious Five. At a young to claim that hip-hop is "lost." But Rahzel would understand." overs for Disney and Nickelodeon." age he was already displaying his vocal disagreed with his band member. He said, It's on the track "100% Dundee" that So what would Rahzel like to have gymnastics opening up for the likes of "Hip-hop isn't lost. People just aren't Rahzel gets to best show off his vocal achieved at the end of his career: street The Treacherous Three. Then he met up focusing on the options out there. There gymnastics. I asked him what is behind crcd, commercial success, Grammy gold? with the rest of The Roots, and they start- i stuff other than gangs ta _rap. There's the peculiar name of this track. "It's like Interestingly, none of these. ed playing on Philadelphia street comers. got to be a balance. If hip-hop wa all one- that movie Crocodile Dundee, you know? "I want to be known for affecting hip- In a phone interview, Rah7...el told me that's way, it would be lost. If people were just It's straight from the jungle. Tl's keepin' hop as a whole. I want to change how what he would advise aspiring artists to listening to The Roots, that wouldn't be it real." A highlight of the album is a guest people look at R&B."J h . do. "Get out on the street. You ju t gotta good. You got to have options; you got appearance by Erykah Badu on the song o n Zeiss do it. You gotta go for it." Now he's a to have your Jay-Z, your OMX, your Lau- "You Got Mc." When I asked Rahzcl what friend to some of hip-hop's elite. "I knew ryn Hill." it was like to work with Badu, he told m , reviews editor

12 october 22, 1999 arcade