Interview with Firefall Guitarist Jock Bartley By Jesse Striewski/Photo By Tom Apathy

Sometimes, projects will present themselves across my desk that are hard to say “no” to, and it almost always turns out for the better when I do agree to say “yes,” no matter who the artist may be. A perfect example; Firefall guitarist and co-founder Jock Bartley, who, thanks to the assistance of an old “friend” of the Rewind It fam, the opportunity to pick Bartley’s brain recently presented itself, and turned out to be another eye-opening experience that I’m glad to have jumped on.

First and foremost I was curious what was in store for him and Firefall in 2024. He informed me; “Firefall are in the process of making our new album Friends & Family 2 right now – it’ll most likely be released by May of 2024. The first Friends & Family album was released in early 2023 and had an amazing ‘concept’. Many of the original FF members – Mark Andes, Michael Clarke, Rick Roberts & I – played in other famous bands of the day: The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Spirit, JoJo Gunne, Heart, Dan Fogelberg, Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, etc. And secondly, Firefall toured a lot (and got to be friends with) many top groups in 1976 after our first album hit real big – Doobie Bros., Fleetwood Mac, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker, Loggins & Messina, etc. So the Friends & Family album was our band lovingly and respectfully re-creating songs by all those other famous band It got quite a bit of attention in 2023 and consequently, we decided to record a follow-up album for 2024. Same concept, playing great songs by other great bands we either toured with or we’re ‘in’ for a spell. It’s a new group of songs we compiled originally by Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, America, Kenny Loggins and others. I’m in the studio this week finishing solos and vocals on a few of those new songs. It’s exciting to be doing this!!!”

He then added; “And as for touring in 2024 – We will be doing a 6-day ’70s Rock & Romance Cruise’ again in the Caribbean in March 2024 with 12-15 other famous bands. And playing a big number of co-headlining and headlining concerts across the U.S.A.”

I asked how he felt said latest release was received, and he told me; “Well, we got quite a lot of interviews and press on Friends & Family which was really fantastic since FF, other than touring a lot, has been out of the public consciousness with any of our newer recordings. But we made a few entertainment waves. We didn’t get much “radio” airplay, which was not a surprise (getting a song on any radio stations is a very tough proposition these days, much harder than back in the ‘70s when good songs could get played without being on a corporate playlist). But the album was VERY well received and got many fantastic reviews nationwide and even worldwide. Those positive reviews made me personally, as producer/band leader/lead guitarist, feel satisfied and thankful. Many of them said that our versions of those songs by other artists were “true” to the original band’s versions, recorded with respect and love for those songs (and the ’70s music they belonged to), and that those ‘cover songs’ still sounded like Firefall music and how great our band’s songs have been on record. And I was congratulated by some to have kept the guitar solos on our new versions, true and very reminiscent of the original soloists. On a few songs like Fogelberg’s ‘Part Of The Plan’ or Spirit’s “I Got A Line On You’, I pretty much learned and played verbatim Dan’s or Randy California’s original signature solos like they originally played them – that’s what those solos needed to be (and as you may already know, I asked Howard Lesse of Heart and Badfinger if he would play the solo on ‘What About Love’, the Heart song we covered). On other songs like Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” or Marshall Tucker’s “Can’t You See,” I just played guitar solos ‘reminiscent’ of those great solos played by the Skynyrd boys or Toy Caldwell. Friends & Family was a labor of love (and respect for that great music of the ’70s that Firefall played a small but vibrant role in). We’re lucky in that sense, to have toured with many of those bands and had saturation radio airplay of our own FF songs in the ‘70s, written by Rick Roberts and Larry Burnett.”

I also wanted to know of all the tracks on Friends & Family, if he had a favorite. He replied; “Tough question! The one song that still stands out as the perfect song to have chosen, and the perfect re-imagining and ‘alteration’ of the original tune I think is “Angry Eyes” by Loggins & Messina; that song is so like FF and what we sound like to start with; it was a natural selection (where other song choices like Heart and the Doobies were quite difficult). The original L&M version is probably about eight minutes long with long 1970’s segways of solos and instrumentation – I had to really try to capture the essence of the sax solo and guitar solos, while at the same time, pairing the arrangement down pretty significantly. Other favorites of mine are: “Part of the Plan” by Dan Fogelberg; just because we kept right to the original script of his recording and ours’ is energetic and fun, and sounds just right. My other fav is “What About Love” by Heart. That was a tough selection; what song by the Wilson sisters should we do??!! Yikes. New FF Lead singer John Bisaha said he could sing the hell out of ‘What About Love’ and bingo!! As it turns out, we deliberately made the intro sound like our hit “Strange Way” from 1978 and also kept that in mind on the acoustic guitars on the verses. And both John And I are good friends with Howard Lesse from Heart – who played the original great solo on the Heart version – and taking his solo, I learned it and played in unison with my lead guitar sound, so there are two of Howards solo tracks and one of mine (all playing his same unison melodic solo), and we ended up with a very striking and unique guitar solo on ‘our’ version.

With decades worth of memories in the music industry as a member of Firefall, I was curious to know what some of his favorite actually were. He enlightened me; “There are a few of those songs with great memories attached to them for me; “Chest Fever” by The Band makes me remember opening dozens of shows for that great group in 1976, one of America’s greatest ever musical groups. And all those times after FF had played our opening act set, I sat behind the curtain and watched close-up the amazing Levon Helm play drums and sing, and Garth Hudson weave his magical keyboard parts. And of course Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson, and Richard Manuel – they were my heroes!!! And also of course ‘Feel A Whole Lot Better’ by The Byrds has a special place in my heart. Not only did Byrds drummer Michael Clarke play drums for Firefall, but bassist Chris Hillman contributed quite a lot to our band’s inception and sound. Chris produced our 3-song demo tape (paid for by Warner Bros) that would lead to getting our record deal with Atlantic. And that Byrds songs (to me) was one of their best, written by the late great Gene Clark. The Byrds were/are at the center of Firefall’s ‘Family Tree’!!”

I asked if he’d elaborate a little on how all of the original members initially got involved, and he further explained; “Cool story!! It’s an example of the inter-meshing, intertwining and ’synergy’ of so many musicians and bands back in the 1960s and ’70s!! Gram Parsons joined the rock and roll Byrds and took them for one album in a very ‘country’ direction. Soon-thereafter, Gram quit the Byrds, and Byrds’ bassist Chris Hillman joined Gram in forming the Flying Burrito Bros. That core of L.A. musicians (in addition to The Buffalo Springfield & later Poco) pretty much invented the new genre of music at the time, ‘country’ rock (Rick Nelson and Michael Nesmith were in that ‘country rock’ musical experimentation in Los Angeles, too). When Gram Parsons quit the Flying Burrito Bros., Chris Hillman hired ‘new kid in L.A.’ Rick Roberts to replace GP. They made records together and toured the U.S. and Europe. While in Washington DC, after a Burrito Bros concert at the Cellar Door, Rick Roberts went to a club to hear local folksinger Emmylou Harris, she was amazing and Rick called Chris to come down and hear this phenomenal singer, which he did. They ‘ discovered’ Emmylou Harris and Chris called his friend Gram in L.A., and Chris quit the Burritos. For me – to have fallen into Gram & Emmylou’s band, The Fallen Angels, was a stroke of pure luck and ‘being at the right place at the right time’. On the road with Gram & Emmylou, in NYC Rick Roberts came to hear us and I met him at that show. We discovered we both lived in Boulder, Colo. and vowed to get together to jam. Rick thought he’d be making his third solo album on A&M Records, but when bassist Mark Andes joined our jam sessions, it felt like a BAND!!! Rick flew singer/songwriter Larry Burnett out to Boulder, and in that first week of rehearsals, we had 20-25 original songs by Rick and Larry to work out, WOW! Unheard of. Then Michael Clarke joined the band and we were set (Keyboard/sax/flute player David Muse joined the band to make our first album too). That’s the origins of Firefall.”

With the band’s 1976 hit “You Are The Woman” remaining their most popular to date, I asked if the track was ever a hindrance at all for the band. He stated; “Funny you should ask that! That question is a double-edged sword. A huge positive and a minor restricting ‘negative.’ On the one side, having a song as big a hit as “You Are The Woman” was and is fantastic and has kept the band working for 30 years – it got to be #1 on the Easy Listening charts!!! Top Ten on the regular charts in 1976. On the other side of it though, that song is kind of white bread pop music and isn’t a ‘rock’ song (like the band is really a ‘rock’ band), and has been somewhat of a ‘hindrance,’ with potential fans and the music industry thinking that Firefall is simply a light poppy band with a few big hit love ballads. But we’re a diverse rock band with ‘folk rock’ and ‘country rock’ roots, and our material (which gave us two platinum and three gold records) with a wide range of ’styles’ and impacts. We go a lot deeper than that, and unfortunately lots of people don’t know that. I thank my lucky starts to have “You Are the Woman” and “Just Remember I Love You” be as big as hit songs as they were/are. But the band has much wider range than those love ballads and can hold our own on stage on a bill with the likes of 38 Special, Doobies & REO Speedwagon!

And lastly, with original bassist Mark Andes having recently retired in 2022, I asked what it was like not having him by his side on stage any more. He told me; “Mark’s a few years older than I am, he totally got fed up with the physical grind of touring – airports, long drives, hotels, etc. I get that. The only ‘fun’ part of being on the road now is the GIG itself, being on stage for 45 or 90 minutes, everything else is a physical, mental and psychic DRAIN. So I get it. And the band greatly misses Mark’s amazing and unique bass playing on stage and in the studio. Mark Andes is one of the best bassists on the planet – he’s been in rock star bands in the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and beyond – over five decades! But he wanted to be done with it all. And because Mark left the band, I suddenly was forced into finding a bassist who could sing high vocals (or maybe have Steve Weinmeister move over to bass and then find a second lead guitarist who could sing high). Then all of a sudden John Bisaha, lead vocalist and bassist for The Babys, became available. First time I heard him sing a lead vocal, I was astounded by how great a singer he was!!! And he was a very good bassist too. Fortunately The Babys weren’t touring much or recording at all…and it became a perfect fit for John. Having John Bisaha and Steven Weinmeister be the two lead vocalists now in Firefall, who sounded fantastic on our new 2023 album Friends & Family and currently making a F&F2 album featuring their lead vocals – is amazing, fantastic, the best lead vocal pairing FF’s had since the ’70s. Steve and John have become best of friends and – Voila! – Firefall vocals are as good if not better than they’ve ever been live AND in the studio since the 1970s heyday of the band (and as third lead singer in the ‘vocal blend’ and producer of these albums, I’m in high heaven working with these two!). They can sing anything, high or low, tough or tender. Here comes Firefall’s Friends & Family 2 album in mid-2024!!!

Film Review: Nova Rex: Ain’t Easy Staying Cheesy (My Productions USA)

By: Jesse Striewski

I was first introduced to Nova Rex back in 2016 via band founder and bassist Kenny Wilkerson, when I was scheduled to interview him for a now-defunct magazine I was writing for at the time (whose name I will never utter here). Since then, I’ve come to know and deeply respect Kenny and all the endeavors I’ve watch he and the band create for themselves since.

So it was my pleasure to attend the premiere of the band’s new documentary Ain’t Easy Staying Cheesy – their follow up to 2011’s Ain’t Easy Being Cheesy – last week along with numerous friends, family, and colleagues – as well as most of the band themselves – in tow (a night to remember indeed). And it was all the more special to personally receive a small credit in the film for contributing some brief interview questions during one of its segments.

At first, the film seemed all-too familiar as it once again recounted the band’s early days as they experienced various lineup changes and tried their hands at different markets. Eventually this segued into their current incarnation and many of the things they’ve done since, such as played the Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach with fellow ’80s rockers Pretty Boy Floyd, or played the Amway Center in Orlando, not once but twice now (all events Rewind It was lucky enough to be there for).

Of course things finally cumulated with the addition of current frontman John Bisaha of The Babys in place of most recent vocalist Adrian Adonis, which includes some bittersweet moments while also ending things on a high note. All in all, Ain’t Easy Staying Cheesy is a fun ride from start to finish, and should be required viewing for just about any true ’80s-era rock fan.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

From left to right; Jesse Striewski (author), Kenny Wilkerson (Nova Rex), Jacob Striewski (photographer), and Terry Harger (photographer) at the premiere of *Ain’t Easy Staying Cheesy* at Aloma Cinema Grill on 7/13/22 (photo by Brooke Striewski).

Nova Rex at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL on 7/1/22 By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Brooke Striewski

Around this same time last year, local rockers Nova Rex brought the thunder to the Amway Center for pre-game and halftime sets during an Orlando Predators home game. This past Friday, July 1, the band rocked the house again, this time with The Babys singer John Bisaha behind the mic.

I’ve caught the band live several times over the years, but this was my first time seeing them with Bisaha on vocals. The band – which is still rounded out by founder/bassist Kenny Wilkerson, Britny Fox guitarist Greg Polcari, and drummer Shawn Lowery – seemed as rejuvenated as ever on this particular night.

As usual, Rewind It Magazine arrived fashionably late thanks to I4 traffic and rain hit along the way. So by the time we did make it, the band was already well into their pre-game set with the hard-hitting “Break Away.” Shortly after the guys launched into the ’80s-esque power ballad “Alone Tonight,” one of my personal favorites of theirs that I don’t recall ever hearing them perform live any of the prior times I saw them. They rounded out their first set with the anthem “Turn it up Loud” before turning things over to the Orlando Predators to host the Jacksonville Sharks in their final home game of the season.

*Rewind It* photographer Brooke Striewski with the Prowlers dancers prior to the Orlando Predators/Jacksonville Sharks game on 7/1/22.

Things did not look too bad for the Preds as they went into halftime down by just two points 21-19, and Nova Rex took over the stage once again. This time they brought the big guns, launching into “Bring the House Down Tonight” and new track “Time Is Up For You,” complete with plenty of bangs and pyro explosions finish the night.

The Predators did not fare as well however, ultimately losing to the Sharks 37-34. But the action was far from over, as former F.L.Y. (Fast Life Yungstaz) singer Vee Fly, who now goes by 4MULA9, ended the night with some hip hop, including his most well known hit, “Swag Surfin’.” It was a fitting end to an already eventful night, one that will surely be remembered for a long time to come.

Vee Fly (a.k.a. 4MULA9) performing after the game on Friday night.

Interview with Nova Rex Vocalist John Bisaha and Bassist Kenny Wilkerson By Jesse Striewski

Local rockers Nova Rex are far from strangers to Rewind It Magazine; not only have we photographed a concert or two of theirs over the years, I’ve interviewed bassist and founder Kenny Wilkerson (who has become as much of a personal acquaintance as he has been a supporter/feature of our little publication) more than any other musician I can recall at this point.

Now, Kenny and the guys are back, kicking off 2022 with the recent announcement that John Bisaha, longtime frontman for British rock act The Babys, who also briefly sang with Nova Rex back in 2012, has replaced (now former) lead singer Adrian Adonis. Once again, Kenny and I – along with said newcomer Bisaha – recently caught up to discuss all things Nova Rex.

One of the first things I wanted to know was what exactly was the catalyst that finally brought Bisaha and Nova Rex together again. John explained; “Kenny finally nailed what I want in my rider for shows – Good & Plenty candy! It’s my favorite, and he said he will keep me stocked! (Laughs). Seriously though – we are all looking to get out there and jam. This pandemic has kicked the crap out of everyone. Life is short. Gigs are fun. Let’s jam!”

I was also curious what the first order of business will be for Nova Rex now with John at the forefront, and Kenny stated; “Buying more eyeliner/tighter pants and recording new music.” Of course I also wanted to know how splitting with (said former frontman) Adonis went, and if he and the band were on good terms or not now. Kenny informed me; “It went as good as it could go, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Another thing I wondered was how well acquainted John was with the other two current members of Nova Rex, guitarist Greg Polcari (formerly of Britny Fox) and Shawn Lowery, prior to joining the band. He stated; “Greg and I had some communication last year with a couple of tunes – get the feel for some tracks. Now Shawn – is a different story – we go WAAAAAAY back. To last week…” (Laughs).

I also wanted to know from John how being a member of Nova Rex compares so far to fronting The Babys. He noted; “You’ll have to ask me after the first gig! It’s been a while since performing Nova Rex tunes; I did two shows many moons ago – and the only constant member is that bass player guy. Fronting Nova Rex is a way different gig than The Babys – a little more out of control, a LOT more cheese!”

And lastly, I asked if the upcoming Bike Week shows the band have set beginning Mar. 5th at The Legendary Boot Hill Saloon in Daytona Beach, will be the first to officially feature John on stage with them again. Kenny stated; “Yes, it’s a perfect place to showcase him at a hometown show and we are adding new songs, new dates, new look, and more mayhem as we speak!”