DEAN – Waldwick, NJ
Christopher Dean, who I’ve known since his days with Darkness Descends, contacted me on Facebook. Well, Chris is currently on the road with Michale Graves as his bass player, but it’s his solo work that earned him this feature this week. Chris, who goes by the name Dean as a solo artist, says he’s currently in the studio working on a dual CD called Ocean of Storms, which will consist of about 26 acoustic based songs. Chris also said that Darkness Descends will also be releasing a new EP this year, plus he and the drummer and producer from his CD just finished producing Alyxx Elena, an up and coming female rocker! Big things happening for Chris Dean and his solo stuff is really good too! I got to hear songs off of his first CD, Life’s Lessons, like “Everything Fades,” “Blast From The Past,” “Gone With The Wind,” and “Bleeding Her For More,” which were all pretty damn good for a punk solo artist.
Dean is a self-taught guitar-smith with tons of passion combined with years of determination and an overachieving brain hungry for more knowledge. Dean grew up in the small North Jersey town of Waldwick and comes from a working-class family, so when it came time to learn the techniques of the trade, he would make friends at a local music shop and would discuss the wonderful world of guitar and the endless possibilities. Through the years, at every single VFW hall or firehouse punk show, Dean would study the hands of the talent on stage and their every move. The itch to plug in his ax somewhere and KRANK it to 11 was even stronger with this young notorious adolescent. Starting and joining several bands out of the back page ads of local music magazines like The Aquarian Weekly, many life lessons were learned. Dean’s first taste of success came in 2011 when he joined his best friend Angry Jay North along with Chuck Gowan and Zaki Ali to form Darkness Descends, which led to SIRIUS XM radio play, two album releases and a co-headlining stage spot on the Bamboozle festival. These accomplishments only fed the Deam monster. In 2013, Dean landed his first six-week U.S. tour as the guitar tech for Darrow Chemical Company. Before the completion of the tour, the lead guitarist Loki had to leave early due to a severe family emergency, so the band asked Dean to fill in on lead guitar, and it was, as he stated, one of the best moments of his life.
In 2016, Dean began composing his debut solo CD, Life Lessons, which he released on Friday the 13th in October 2017 everywhere. As I said earlier, Dean is currently on tour with Michale Graves and is doing some really cool work with female rocker Alyxx Elena, but most of all another solo CD is on the way, but this time it will be a double solo CD. A feat I’ve never seen accomplished by any local artist anyway. For more info on the super busy Chris Dean, visit Dean8string.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
I know that I mentioned these guys a couple weeks ago, but now they released a music video for their aforementioned single “Fake.” I’m talking about my boys from BoundAlive again. I mentioned the song a couple of weeks back, but now the guys have visualized the song, and it’s awesome! I cannot wait to share the stage with these guys again at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ on March 30 with Sekond Skyn, The Walk Arounds, Painted Doll, and Monster Magnet. Check out the new BoundAlive music video for “Fake” on YouTube. For more info on BoundAlive, visit BoundAlive.com.
Speaking of new music videos, the crew from Dinosaur Eyelids recently released a new music video for their song “Day Zero.” The song rocks! It might be the production, but the song had this Clutch feel to it. “Day Zero” had a great vibe and even greater vocals! Dinosaur Eyelids recently celebrated the video release with their one hundredth show last Saturday night at the Mill Hill Basement in Trenton, NJ. Check out Dinosaur Eyelid’s music video for “Day Zero” on YouTube. For more info on Dinosaur Eyelids visit DinosaurEyelidsNJ.com.
And finally, my old pal, Dawn Botti and her band New Day Dawn recently played a sneak peek of their second single off their new CD on Jim Rotolo’s “Homegrown Spotlight” on WDHA. The song is called “In Too Deep,” and I have to admit, after hearing the clip, there is some really good music coming out of Jersey. I’m really proud of what I’ve been hearing lately! New Day Dawn opened for Buckcherry last weekend at the Capitol Room in Harrisburg, PA, which is always a good time. For more on New Day Dawn and their new CD, visit NewDayDawn.info.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember…We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
3/16—Roughhouse/Corners of Sanctuary/SYMETRIA/Conquer at Will—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/17—Resurge/Incognito Theory/War for the Crown/Lynch Mob—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
3/17—Brand of Julez/Sometimes the Devil/Baelfire/Sunday Brave—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/23—Judas Priestess (All Female Tribute to Judas Priest)/Psychoprism/Orbynot/Uncrafted/Atomic Minds/Anatomy of the Sacred/Sampere—Dingnbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/23—Black Water Rising/Lower The Veil/Warhammer/BlackSky/Flatleaver—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
3/24—RONIN/Pop Evil—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
3/24—40 Below Summer—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
3/24—Crimshaw CD Release Party/BLACK DAWN/Brand of Julez—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
3/30—Rahway/Sekond Skyn/BoundAlive/The Walk Arounds/Painted Doll/Monster Magnet—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
3/31—Under Blood Red Skies/Empire Fallen/Gathering After Ashes/Shivers, The Lifeless Butler—Dingnbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/31—The Pain Method—The Village Pub, Lindenhurst, NY
3/31—Lunatic Fringe/Our Fears/In This Lifetime—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
4/4—Krosis/Silent On Fifth Street/Terrform/Subverse/The Inversion Circus—Dingnbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/6—Metal Life Crisis/Elm Street /DIRKSCHNEIDER—The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
4/6—Jersey Campfires Presents Corevalay/Sunday Brave /Low Roads Ghost/Amigos, Amigos!/Prodigal Sons—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
4/13—Buckcherry/Another Day Dawns/War For The Crown—Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg, PA
4/14—The Dark Matters (Reunion Show)/In The Presence of Wolves/Reese Van Riper/Comb The Desert/Black Lagoon—Dingnbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/18—Life Of Agony/Borgo Pass—Saint Vitus, NYC
4/19—Life of Agony/Pain Method—Saint Vitus, NYC
4/20—Queen V’s Spring Fling—The Cutting Room, NYC
4/21—Janet Gardner of VIXEN/SINERTIA/Loaded Gun/Sunday Brave/Knightlife/Alden—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/27—Psychoprism/Sunless Sky/Legion/Imperial Crypt—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/28—Missi Fieretag’s Birthday Bash featuring KILLCODE/Arc’d Angel/Baelfire/Resurge/COMMON WEALTH—Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
