Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain have been writing, singing, and playing guitar together since they were young. Today they are the core of Boston-based Aloud. The songs on their sophomore album Fan the Fury are an engaging collection of observations, each expressed with urgency and true emotion.

After touring for years in cafeterias, prisons (Ok only one…Riker’s Island), parties, dive bars etc., we finally got a shot at opening up for our first national act…a LEGENDARY 80’s band…

In part 2 of my interview with fusion guitarist Ed DeGenaro we discuss his country project, his new album, and his battle with music piracy:

AC: And Neck Bone is a nod to your country influences. Are you still playing with your country project?

ED: Yeah….I gotta eat. (Laughter.) I’ve only sold about 100 copies in the last two months of “Less is Seldom More”. But then again, you know, it’s readily available on your favorite download site for free.

AC: Do you have to deal with a lot of piracy?

ED: Of my stuff? Yeah! I’d say I spend a day a week chasing down blogs that host my album, like on Rapidshare and those kinds of sites, just to have that shit shut down - and a week later it’s up again.

Getting to a venue and finding out that you’re playing in the dark because the lighting is poor or non-existent. The best thing is to buy a small lighting rig since they can be had for the price of a small amplifier these days. Lights should be considered an integral part of your show and you should always assume that the lighting will be inadequate to make you look good.

The world is full of great guitarists. Spend just half an hour on Youtube and you will be convinced that every bedroom in the world now houses an unknown prodigy. Standing apart from this crowd has become no small feat, but Seattle based guitarist Ed DeGenaro has managed to do it by blending an unusual approach to the guitar with a bottomless musical imagination. The result is tasty jazz-fusion, seasoned with Latin, country, and rock, and topped with a dollop of humor. It is a musical flavor that is uniquely his own. Recently I got a chance to chat with Ed about his guitars, his music, and his new CD “Less is Seldom More”.

It has been said, “If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong.” This series of articles is aimed at artists who have few road-miles under their belt. Think of it as friendly advice on how to enjoy the performing experience even more. Sit back and read the experiences of others. First up, sound issues…

I recently auditioned for the bass position in a new band. It started off a little rocky, but fortunately ended well, and the whole experienced helped to reinforced some of the lessons I’ve learned over the years about the role of the bass in a rock band. In this post, we break down the key responsibilities taking on the low end in a band situation.

You’ve been rehearsing your songs, promoting your gig, and chose the perfect t-shirt to wear on stage tonight. Now it’s time to pack your gear for the gig. This is a crucial step in the process because one forgotten item could potentially turn a great gig into a nightmare. In this open question post, I ask you to list the must-have items that you bring with you to every gig - aside from your primary instrument.