ONOFFON

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 7:02 am

Today's ONOFFON SSP of the Day is a review of our live performance at B.B. King's at Universal Studios Citywalk -Live ONOFFON at B.B. King's - HollywoodReviewed by Fred Moede"Hello All:Last Tues, 4/23, I went to Von's band, Onoffon's show at B.B. King Blues Club in Citywalk, Universal City. Yes, Von, I was there, but you probably did not notice me, and I didn't want to bug you!I took some notes, and want to give my "Mini-review". First, if you haven't heard the band, go to MP3.com and give them a listen!!!! They really rock, and groove.They opened with a very bluesy no. that featured harmonica and sax. I think it was something about Co-dependency... Great!I won't talk about all the tunes, although I took notes on each one (what a nerd, huh?), but I especially liked the tune called, Bebe's Song, written by Von's dad, Harry, one of the west coast's greatest bass players, and Jazz cellist, too! Von wrote the words, and it was great. Kind of reminded me of a tune by Mark Murphy on his album, "Rah" called, I believe, Cracked.Onoffon is such an original band, and have such an original sound, that they defy categorization. One tune called Rock Garden reminded me of the best of The Byrds, and The Grateful Dead, but more Phil Lesh, than Hunter/Garcia... Also I saw influences of John Mayall in the guitarist, especially with his harmonica playing.They ended with a tune called Mardi Gras, a funky latin jazz no. that is highly listed on MP3.com. It was a gas!!! Kudos to the sax/flute player, who was sitting in with them.Anyway, just wanted to say that Onoffon is a really great (yes, great!!!) band and everyone should buy their CD. I am getting one this weekend. And, no, Von did not ask me to say that.... I encourage all to give them a listen on MP3.com.Fred Moede"Thanks to Fred for the kind words and recommendation...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Mon Jun 28, 2004 5:01 am

Yet another feature is our ONOFFON SSP of the Day - this one from another website that's gone away - JavaMusic.com -Subject: JavaMusic Showcase...TOP SECRETTo: von@onoffon.com"Hi Von,I just wanted to let you know that you are gonna be a JM Houseblend feature in the near future. I am really pleased, I have been lobbying for you. But SSHHHHHH! don't let anyone know on the site. Also keep this letter quiet until Jon "Officially" notifies you. Thanks.Cheers,Rosie"I love the way people like to let me know about things on the sly - this was the second promotional gem I have posted here that came our way and they didn't want it to get out at first - our thanks to Rosie at Java for lobbying for our music...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 7:13 am

The ONOFFON SSP of the Day is from a top notch progressive band called Anubis Spire -Subject: ONOFFON feature at Anubis Spire!To: von@onoffon.com"Von, Just a quick note to let you know that ONOFFON is this month's Artist of the Month. Stop by the news page when you get a chance and check it out. If there's anything you'd like added, subtracted, fixed or changed, just let me know, ok? Hope you're having a nice labor day weekend. Thanks again! Billhttp://members.aol.com/Anubis37"These guys are really great and we thank them for their feature...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 7:09 pm

Today's ONOFFON SSP of the Day is another gem from CD Baby - Derek's the hardest working guy I know for the independent musician -Subject: need approval for this... **REPLY NOW!!!**To: von@onoffon.com"VonI need your reply RIGHT NOW on something.Remember how I put one of your songs on the CD Baby MP3 compilation CD? Well... someone wants to distribute 30,000 promotional copies of it, with links to buy your CD!!They're called "iMet" and they've made a CD Player that will play MP3 files off of a CD. They're going to include the CD Baby MP3 Compilation CD with the first 30,000 players. Your MP3 song (exact same one I used for the CD Baby comp) - will have your name and song title embedded in the file, as well as the exact link to go back to your CD Baby page to buy the CD.I NEED YOUR APPROVAL ASAP, so please reply to me with YOUR NAME, your ARTIST NAME, and a YES or a NO.Unfortunately there's no time for me to answer any questions about this (everything I know is said in this email) - and I can't make any changes or special requests. Just a YES or a NO with your name please.Thanks!Derek"Derek started doing great things for us from the beginning of our association together and he has never stopped - I can't thank him enough for everything...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 5:14 am

A little different take for today's ONOFFON SSP of the Day - our drummer, Dave Goode, played for a number of years with guitar legend, Frank Marino, splitting his time between the two bands. He, of course, earned fans with Frank that also appreciated what he was doing with us. Here's a few emails from a Marino fan that Dave sent our music to as well -Subject: Nice Stuff!!!!!!!!To: dave@onoffon.com"Dave,I received the tape and cd that you sent, thanx a lot!!!! You guy's are very talented and varied. On the tape, I liked the softer stuff best, but side A was good to. I loved the mini drum solo on the one song. You played real tastefully.The cd is very impressive. I REALLY like "Weekend In Montreal". That is a hot tune! Now if Frank and you guy's were to do some rhythm's like that, with Frank soloing like the sax, only on guitar, I'd be in total heaven! I love the different tempos and tricky sounding changes. You guys keep it interesting."Your Reality" is very nice as well. Also...'I Don't Give No"..., "Letter Received" is good to. I'm still getting familiar with the tunes.P.S. Do you know how far along Frank is at this point, on the new album?Best Wishes,Todd F."Subject: Re: ONOFFONTo: von@onoffon.com"Von,You are a very good bassist/musician, who really seems to care about the quality of your music, first and foremost.Here are some of the bass players that I have heard and admire. I realize there are more bass players in the world than these guys, but these are the ones I know something about.1. Greg Lake2. Geddy Lee3. Jimmy Jones? (I think I got the name right)...Played with Brand X...."Unorthodox Behavior"4. Chris Squire5. John Wetton6. John Entwistle7. John Paul JonesBest Wishes, Todd F."Subject: I'm even more impressed!To: dave@onoffon.com"Hi Dave!I've been listening more and more to the ONOFFON CD, you guy's are very adventurous and versatile!I like the "Gift Must Always Move", very ProgRock. You drummed well on that one, as well as the other stuff.Dave, I really hope that your versatility and openmindedness will rub off on Frank.I have a couple of questions, if you have time?1. Are you going to be in both band's at once?2. If you have to choose between the two band's, who will you stay with?3. What does Frank think of ONOFFON?Todd F."Well - thanks to Todd F. for his kind words and interesting views of our music. I say interesting because he is such an avid fan of Frank and yet he wanted our musical versatility to 'rub off on Frank'...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 5:05 am

The ONOFFON SSP of the Day comes from a producer in northern CA - Bernard Cobain - (yes - a distant relative of Kurt's) -ONOFFON - Surrender NowReviewed by Bernard Cobain"Von,"Must be listened to with earphones." You need to put this disclaimer somewhere on the CD. There are a lot of nice little nuances that go unnoticed otherwise.I listened to the CD a few times before putting these comments together. Realize I don't know squat about jazz. Jazz is a style I don't normally listen to, however I do listen to fusion styles and a lot of classical music. For the modern classical, I especially enjoy Phillip Glass. So now that you realize I am not a jazz aficionado, my critique...1) Surrender now. Good opening. I really enjoy instrumental buildup, like by the time the 1812 Overture or Beethoven's 9th is reaching the finale I'm dancing in the aisle. Another good comparison is Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King. Same instrumentation throughout but incredible buildup.2) Great instrumentation and vocals. I like it a lot. The vocal style reminds me of someone but I just can't put my finger on it. Something akin to the vocalization in Asia but different. This song gets better the more I listen to it.3) It's your reality (or is it, Myself and Me?). Smacks of Cream. Vocal characteristics have that Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton style. This is an excellent song. Excellent sh*t-kicking drums. One of my favorites on the CD.4) The opening is too frenetic. The sax is too harsh. Transitions real well to the main body of the song. The main body is very good. Then it gets too frenetic again. The second movement is fine, real fine. Great sax. The ending is very smooth.5) No sh*t. Smacks of Zappa and King Crimson vocal style, and Mothers of Invention backup vocals (except, unlike the Mothers, you guys are in key). I like the lead and bass guitars. Overall, a fun song.6) Inside my soul. I can't say much about this one but that I like it. The vocals carry it. Good harp. One of my favorites on the CD.7) Please, Baby Please. OK song. Good, upbeat bass.8) Mahavishnu opening. Nice texture piece. The first half could be on a Windham Hill label. The second half is a good progression of intensity. Then it drops you down lightly back into the opening texture. The ending just seems to float away. I like it.9) Instrumentation sounds like jazz as I know it. The vocal style makes it a fun song. And how many people know "fubar"? I thought only people "in the industry" used that term. Did Don really undergo such an experience with the antichrist, the IRS?10) Pleasant texture piece. Nice acoustic guitar. Like the xylophone in the back.11) Smacks of Brian Eno. Interesting. Robert Fripp style vocals.Overall, I'd say it's a really good compilation. I'm very, very impressed. You guys have a real polish. (That's pronounced, paul'ish, not pole'ish.) Do you have a producer? (As you can tell I haven't read the CD cover closely.) I ask because it has the polish normally associated with a well produced release.I hope you don't mind me doing musical comparisons in my mini-critique. It helps me to compartmentalize. I like order and comprehension in my chaos.On a general note, I like your lyrics. They are progressive and not too esoteric (i.e., they're something one can understand and relate to) Having said that, I really enjoy song 6, Inside My Soul. Well, that's my two-cents worth. I will continue to listen to it and explore it further. I will also loan it to a few friends who are real jazz enthusiasts. Maybe it can stimulate some awareness of OnOffOn in the northland?Take care,Bernard"We certainly appreciate Bernard taking time out of his busy schedule to give us such a fine and detailed critique of our music...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 6:11 am

ONOFFON's SSP of the Day is a current feature for the week of July, 3-10, 2004 - we have been chosen as one of "The Fabulous Four Featured Artists This Week" by Hidden Radio.http://www.hiddenradio.net/site/modules ... e&sid=55We sincerely thank the folks at Hidden Radio for selecting us for this feature. In these trying political times, we find it oddly appropriate that we have been featured over the Fourth of July holiday...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 2:24 am

BroadJam brings us today's ONOFFON SSP of the Day - yes, once again, one of our songs has climbed into the coveted #1 spot on a BroadJam chart - today "Mardi Gras" just charted #1 in Latin Jazz -http://www.broadjam.com/topten/genres/l ... .aspThanks to all those wonderful BroadJam reviewers that keep giving our songs great reviews.... Happy Fourth of July, everybody!!!!!!

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:29 am

Today's ONOFFON SSP of the Day comes from guitarist, Anthony Barker, after receiving our first CD from Dave Goode -ONOFFON - Surrender NowReviewed by Anthony Barker"Hi Dave! I just hauled in my mail for today, low and behold a package from The Goode Guy! I'm listening to it right now, this is cool. Speaking of soul, you guys seem to be running over in that catagory also. Man, incredibly tasty percussion. Nice production, it's ROCKIN'. Killer harp, vocals, very nice. You asked me to tell you what I think.... I think I'd love to play in a band with you, that's what I think. This music has some similar qualities of some of my new stuff. Dave, Thanks for giving me a boost, a vote of confidence. I need all of that I can get. You guys sound awesome. Keep in touch, who knows, maybe someday, we can meet in person. It's very interesting to me that your music has a texture so similar to some of the "hypnorock" style that I've embarked on, dreamy, hypnotic, spaceville, etc. Peace, e-mail me, thanks BRO'. Thanks again, hope to hear from you soon, take care, Tony B. ps My favorite tunes are I Don't Give No... & Surrender Now. love 'um"Thanks for the kind words, Tony....

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 5:44 am

The ONOFFON SSP of the Day is from a world reknown graphic artist, W.T. Haile - ONOFFON - Surrender NowReviewed by W.T. Haile"Bitchin' CD, VonWhat can I say. Thanks for the bitchin' CD. It arrived yesterday I got home late last night so I couldn't get to it till my drive in this morning. Cool stuff, in reviewer's terms... "Fresh arrangements and instrumentation, complex without becoming cumbersome. Strong fusion edge with imaginative lyrics."The title track is great as well as track #8 'The 'Gift...' and track #11 'Remember Only...'. Some of the construction reminded me of the complex passages of Zappa (when he wasn't goofin') and early Emerson Lake & Palmer. Anyway Von, you did good, I like it. The cover art is hot! I seem to remember that image imprinted inmy past somewhere. I'll talk to you again soon.Grace and PeaceTodd"Very cool - Zappa and early ELP - thanks to Todd for the kind words...