29.12.2019
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Grammy-nominated Jon Butcher is one of a select handful of influential recording artists comprising the legendary Boston music scene. MTV vids and hit songs, “Life Takes A Life”,”Wishes”, “Holy War”, “Goodbye Saving Grace”, and “Waiting For A Miracle” comprise the underpinnings of a music career that continues today. Jon Butchers’ signature sound and particularly his guitar work represent a skillful mix of Americana- rock, r&b, jazz and folk, all of it focused through a prism built from the blues.The year was 1981 and The Jon Butcher Axis (Jon Butcher, Chris Martin & Derek Blevins) had taken the Boston music scene by storm. WBCN was playing their songs while the band performed to sold out audiences at iconic venues such as The Channel, The Paradise and others. Their big break came when the week after Christmas, they got the nod to open for the mighty J. Geils band on a short run of dates throughout the Northeast. A month later the Geils Band called again, this time with an invite to do the North American leg of the Freeze Frame tour, highlighted by three sold out Boston Garden shows (all while the band had no record deal and no booking agent).Drummer-producer Hirsh Gardner, was a member of the hard rock band NEW ENGLAND, formed in 1976 in the Boston area.
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Their first single “Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya” became a national hit and cracked the Billboard Top 30. NEW ENGLAND was produced by Mike Stone and Paul Stanley (Kiss). The album was recorded at multiple studios including Davlen Sound (Toto, Fleetwood Mac,) in Los Angeles, Jimi Hendrix’s famous Electric Ladyland Studios in New York City and the legendary Trident Studios (the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel) in London, England. The band promoted the album touring across North America with Kiss and special guest of Journey / ACDC throughout 1979.Nowadays, Gardner has put aside his musician hat and become a producer where his greatest personal joy of being a producer is pushing the artist to be the best he can be.