REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS
The Answer
January 2008
www.seguesounds.com
Liner notes inside the album perfectly state "The Mixers exemplify what happens when you care enough." Those who follow the band are exposed to countless performances throughout each year, filled with multiple sets of original and covered music and a guaranteed party atmosphere. Translation: This is a true, working rock 'n' roll band.
UNCOVERED, the latest LP release from The Mixers, reveals the band's focus and drive was not lost in the studio. It seems most, if not all the members contributed music, artwork, studio space, engineering, and sweat to hatch this record.
Standouts include "Love Broke the Wall," "Bookworm," "Just Let Me Know," "Irresistible," "Last Chance" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love." Songs from The Mixers range from blues to rock to ballads and could easily grace the airwaves of radio stations like KFOG, a Bay Area icon.
So, if you care enough about supporting the work of real-life rock 'n' roll bands, you'll buy a copy of The Mixers' UNCOVERED.
Tom Babbitt
drummer, songwriter
"Drew Blood's kick drum locked such a solid groove that it took the entire Maggie McGarrys crowd with it. You guys are my favorite new band."
Joe Morosco
songwriter, pianist, drummer
"This group is tight. The drummer seems like he's part of the Bass. Great Sax man. I can tell The Mixers will always have an audience to entertain."
Jason1225
posted on pandora.com
"Amazing, we work for a company called Myxer in Deerfield Beach. We work right on the beach, this is great beach music. Great music. Keep it up."
S.J.M.
Comment sent to themixersrock.com
"The drummer is awsome, he can play all the beats including the Funk-a-dunk, the Flat Tire, the Chicken Wing and the Dirty Sanchez".
PALO ALTO DAILY NEWS January 2008
Having established themselves as one of the Bay Area's best cover bands, The Mixers marked the release of their all-original CD "Uncovered" at Woodside's Pioneer Saloon. The Mixers play classic rock, ska/reggae and rockabilly covers, as well as a growing number of their own tunes. On their Web site, you can hear tracks from "Uncovered" as well as spot-on performances of songs made famous by such acts as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and English Beat. "Touch Your Hair" is a gently soulful love song that invites a slow dance and a caress.
Excerpt of interview done for TRACY PRESS 8/11/05
A CLASSIC ROCK ROAD LESS TRAVELED
Press staff report Published on Thursday, August 11, 2005, in the Tracy Press.
If the assumed rule for bar band covers is to stick with well-known songs, then Bay Area band The Mixers is happy to break the rule. The classic-rock band, which will play at Tracy’s The Great Plate Bar and Grill on Aug. 12, digs deep into albums of yesteryear to make up its play list on a given night, said vocalist Michel Mendoza. “You will probably never hear us do ‘Brown-Eyed Girl,’” said Mendoza, who joined the band in summer 2003. “We have a road-less-traveled philosophy. There are archive classics from some albums that just need the attention.” That’s not to say the artists the band will play are obscure, though. Mendoza said that among the musicians the band picks from are Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach and The Band. From a vocal standpoint, Mendoza said he especially enjoys singing The Band’s “The Weight” primarily because it allows his band to try some multi-part harmonies during a show. “Whenever we hit them just right, we look around at each other,” he said. What bar patrons will hear Aug. 12 is designed to get the body to move and the pulse to race, Mendoza said. In addition to playing songs from the vault, the Mixers will also “mix” in a few original songs of their own, he added. One of them he described as having elements of both Bo Diddley and Bob Marley. Whether the songs are their own or someone else’s, Mendoza said, the energy from his band will be contagious. “We get so excited about what we’re doing that we jump around like a bunch of kids,” he said.
Excerpt from CONTRA COSTA TIMES 3/9/06 Tony Hicks (music critic)
"This is not your Daddy's cover band!!! These guys play gems from The Beatles all the way to The Alarm"
Quote from Shay Quillen, pop music critic SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS
"Any band that covers the Hollies, Arthur Lee & Love, as well as the Zombies is OK in my book!!!. The originals sound good!!."
Review posted by UNKNOWN AUDIENCE MEMBER on local entertainment blog on Sept. 14th, 2007
"I finally got to see this band in action last night at a great pub/sports bar in San Leandro called The Englander. These five guys (and one woman) focus mainly on the music that is now referred to as "classic rock": the Stones, CCR, the Doors, etc. But they also reach back to the 50's occasionally for a rockabilly rave-up, or briefly into the 70's for something mellow from the Buckingham-Nicks Fleetwood Mac era. So I guess you could say there's something in their set to please everyone. I was impressed with how they approach the old stuff, breathing new life into it without losing the original spirit of the tune. Some might argue this point, but their versions of the Stones material sound a helluva lot better to me than the Stones themselves these days. These musicians know their stuff, but they play in a low-down roadhouse manner that demands that you get up off your fat butt and dance. In addition to the classics, The Mixers have a repertoire of some truly fine original songs. Check them out on their website, and while you're there, you can find out about upcoming shows. This group is here to satisfy your craving for great rock 'n roll, whenever you're ready!"
Quote From Lateniente Liz KMFB RADIO Ft. Bragg,CA
"Recently KMFB received & I listened to the Mixers "Uncovered". Tapping toes, jumping up to boogie. They're a primo..band!!!!"
JULIE'S STORY
Its a not a new idea. It’s been said before. A band is a lot like a marriage. Only worse. Or better!
Instead of the traditional two members, a band has four or five. Or in the case of The Mixers, six. Each needing time to shine, wanting to argue their point of view. Disagreeing almost violently at times. Yet suddenly, finding the excitement and the ecstasy in what was created together, was the shared goal. To succeed, this group of disparate individuals must have not only the musical talent, but also the passion, ambition, fortitude and tolerance. And yes - even the love to carry it off.
The Mixers, like every band that has survived more than a few minutes, have been on a pretty memorable journey. Beginning with an idea and just a few gigs, they jammed, saw what was what, stretched out, rehearsed, performed, recorded, considered, rehearsed and performed again. At performances and shows from Santa Cruz to Mendocino, audiences responded enthusiastically again and again. Growing appreciation and support from audiences has spawned a more audacious ambition. New material, new arrangements, new ideas and new songs were born.
The Mixers exemplify what happens when you care enough. If you have the CD in your hands you know it is evidence of the commitment to the music these six talented musicians have always had.
If not, you soon will. It is The Mixers “UNCOVERED".
Excerpts of interview by Erin Kleider of PACIFICA PRESS with Andrew Mayo, bassist - The Mixers
HOW DID YOUR BAND GET STARTED?
The band has been in existence for about 15 years and has undergone several evolutions, the current lineup is the most exciting ever. All have been professional musicians and all are still driven to keep music in our lives. We got together because of a mutual love of really good music and the desire to perform it in front of a live audience.
WHAT ARE YOUR BANDS INFLUENCES? (THIS IS MORE ABOUT YOUR ORIGINAL WORK).
The Blues is the basis for all our music. From that base, we have developed a style that incorporates Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Pop which is designed to pull people out of their chairs and get them to shake their booties. Each band member influences the other. For example, Ken Graven, our sax player is a also top-notch guitarist. JD Smith, our keyboard player is studio level guitarist and harmonica blower. Drew Blood, our drummer is the youngest band member and likes edgy, current stuff. We have two front-line singers. One, the lovely Kim Smith, belts 'em out. Our other singer, Michel Mendoza, has been performing since he was a kid and is one of the hardest working guys on stage you can imagine. He puts 110% into every song and will rock the house. All these talents come together to deliver a unique show and sound that has great appeal.
COULD YOU GIVE ME A DESCRIPTION OF YOUR ORIGINAL WORK? (I NOTED MANY STYLES THERE, BUT AM HAVING A HARD TIME DESCRIBING IT AND THOUGHT PERHAPS YOU'D BE WILLING TO HELP OUT HERE).
We try to write originals that are unique and compelling. In addition, our philosophy is to create a set that offers 14 - 15 tunes rather than a jam band that plays 3 - 4 songs per set. We believe that it's better to play a wide variety of styles that will appeal to more people. Our primary goal is to emotionally touch our audience and cause them to become involved with us. Thus, we move the audience, then they move us, in an ever increasing upward spiral. Also, playing a wide variety of styles demands that we are constantly challenged as musicians.
WHO WRITES MOST OF YOUR MUSIC OR IS IT A TEAM EFFORT?
We're blessed because we have four song writers in the group. We all contribute music to the mix. One of us will bring in an idea and we begin, each playing as they hear it. The result is always a surprise, always different and always fun for the audience (and us.) We take a more formal approach when a band member presents a song they have written. In that case, we take direction from the songwriter and play his musical vision, but always with the specific style of each band member.
WHAT LED YOU TO CHANGE FROM BEING A BLUES BAND TO A BAND WITH A MORE ECLECTIC STYLE?
Over time, we realized we have the musical chops to play anything we wanted. While the Blues is still the basis, we found a wider appeal for a larger range of music. It also allowed us to be able to play in more venues. We have a large book of music and all of it is strong material. The good news is our ability to constantly hone our set as the audience demands.
COULD YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF THE COVER SONGS YOU ARE CURRENTLY DOING OR A LIST OF BANDS AS I PROBABLY WON'T PUT THE SONG TITLES IN THE ARTICLE?
Our covers include everything from Muddy Waters to Bob Dylan to The Clash to The Rolling Stones to Bob Marley to The Doors and everything in between. We generally concentrate on the more obscure tunes because we are not human juke boxes. Anyone can listen to KFOG on the radio and hear Top 40 stuff. In addition, we always put our own arrangement and style to everything we do rather than be literal copycats. We think this strategy is a more powerful and meaningful way to achieve our goal of reaching out and touching people.
WHAT'S NEW AND ON THE HORIZON FOR THE MIXERS?
A lot. First, we've just released “UNCOVERED”, a CD of music written and produced by The Mixers. We've also released “COVERED”, a compilation of covers that we perform. While all that is going on, we're producing a unique promotional tool that will help us book larger corporate gigs. And, finally, we will produce a CD full of classic blues tunes just so we don't forget our roots.
