Maryland Guitarist Wes Anderson Releases New Single "Goodbye" featuring Stephen Richards of Taproot

Maryland guitarist Wes Anderson will release his new single "Goodbye" featuring TAPROOT vocalist Stephen Richards this Friday, August 30th on all digital platforms, in collaboration with THC MUSIC (Taproot, American Head Charge, Simon Says).

Pre-Save "Goodbye"

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Says Anderson, "I've been a massive Taproot fan for literally decades, and pretty much grew up on them. Working with Stephen on this is a huge notch on the belt for me, and he absolutely brought his "A" game to this song. I've always loved his ability to seamlessly go from beautiful harmonies to guttural screams in the same phrase, and this song showcases that rare ability. Very rarely do I get a vocalist on a song that is so involved and excited about a project. I think it's a special song, and I can't wait for the world to hear it."

"Goodbye" follows up Anderson's June release of the Reggae-tinged rocker "Heads Are Gonna Roll", featuring Skindred vocalist Benji Webbe, with founding Alien Ant Farm bassist Tye Zamora, and drummer Donald Spangler (Ballyhoo!).

As former lead guitarist for Shanghai Superstars (2010 - 2012), Fiction 20 Down (2012 - 2015), Big Infinite (2015 - 2018 ), and now releasing music and performing as a solo artist, Wes Anderson has nearly 30 years as a touring and performing musician, building a reputation as a solo artist with collaborations with P-Nut (311), Jahred Gomes (Hed P.E.) and many more, spanning multiple genres and collaborators on each track, all of which start out with Wes and a guitar, and, through collaboration, take on a new life of their own.

“Heads” marked the first new Hard Rock track for Anderson since 2021’s “Out The Way”, which featured vocals from (hed) P.E. vocalist Jahred Gomes. In addition to Metal, Funk, and Punk-infused Rock bangers, Wes is also a producer and multi-instrumentalist cranking out recent and upcoming hip-hop collaborations with The Kaleidoscope Kid, Kosha Dillz, MC Bravado, ¡Mayday!, and the incomparable Madalen Duke.

With nearly 30,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and several independent single, EP, and LP releases charting on iTunes, national touring, major endorsements from companies like Dean Markley Stringsand Paul Reed Smith, and a Maryland Breakout Artist of the Year award, it is clear Wes has the talent, drive, and vision to take his music to the masses.

After a decade plus hiatus, TAPROOT released their long-awaited album SCSSRS in 2023, and are performing at Louder than Life and Aftershock Festivals later in 2024.

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Sacramento’s SIMON SAYS Reunite with Original Line-up After 20 Years, Sign to THC MUSIC for New Album to be Released in 2024!

Sacramento Emocore/Nu-Metal pioneers Simon Says have reunited with their original lineup - Vocalist Matt Franks, Guitarist Zac Diebels, Bassist Mike Arrieta, and drummer Mike Johnston, for the first time in over 20 years, and have announced they have signed to THC: Music (Taproot, Eve To Adam). The reactivated band are working on material for a new studio album to be released in 2024 via THC: Music/Amplified Distribution, and booking select live dates to support it. Additionally, THC will release remastered versions of the band’s out of print independent LPs Little Boy and Perfect Example, which will hit digital outlets in December.

Additionally, the band’s 2 major label releases Jump Start and Shut Your Breathhave both been made available on all digital and streaming platforms for the first time.

The band have released the following video talking about the reformation:

Simon Says formed in the buzzing Sacramento scene of the early 90s, among the ranks of contemporaries like Far, Papa Roach, Will Haven etc, and released their first demo EP in 1994, followed by two independent LPS, the cassette only Little Boy, and the follow-up Perfect Example, which would sell more than 5000 copies, and define the sound that would see the band signed to Hollywood Records a short time later. In 1999 Simon Says released their major label debut Jump Start, which yielded the hit modern rock singles “Life Jacket”, and “Slider”, which both charted in the Top 40 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts.

The band would go on to release their darker and heavier fan favorite sophomore LP Shut Your Breath in 2001, which spawned the single “Blister (Nothing)”, which again found its way onto the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, and saw the band touring Worldwide performing alongside Creed, Staind, Filter, Limp Bizkit, Foo Fighters, Blink 182, Deftones, Monster Magnet, Rollins Band, Kid Rock, Type O Negative, and many more, before disbanding in 2001.

Franks, Diebels, and Arrieta, with drummer Dave Marich, formed the short-lived Key To Arson, which released the independent LP Light ‘Em Up, before disbanding in 2004.

Despite the 20+-year hiatus, the members of Simon Says have stayed active, not veering far from their musical roots, with guitarist Zac Diebels producing music in his Sacramento studio, and dabbling in his project Automatic Static with Simon Saysvocalist Franks, who also plays bass in progressive Sacramento band SAGES, with Far drummer Chris Robyn. Bassist Mike Arrieta had a brief stint in Cleanse, while drummer Mike Johnston found a niche as one of the top internet drum instructors with mikeslessons.com, spawning the celebrated Youtube drum instruction page “mikeslessons” with over 230k followers.

Simon Says will release a 3-song digital EP in early 2024 featuring a brand-new studio track, plus re-recorded and updated versions of an as-yet undisclosed track from Jump Start, and a re-recorded version of “Dyslexic Smile”, a Shut Your Breath B-Side the band was pressured by Disney CEO Michael Eisner and their Disney owned label Hollywood Records, to remove from the record.

The band will follow up with an as-yet untitled full-length LP, tentatively slated to be released in May 2024.

Says vocalist Matt Franks, “It really happened by accident. We got back together and got in a room to even discuss this stuff, because of the huge amount of fan interest in the first two records, which, at the time, were not even available digitally. So, we got together to discuss that, and try to figure out how to reconnect with our former label, Hollywood, and find a path to release for those records, which really sparked a renewed interest and friendship for all of us, after getting in the same room after so long.”

He adds, “As so much time had passed, you realize hurt feelings from 20 years ago don’t really matter anymore, and I think we all have kind of a renewed appreciation and respect for each other, and the ability for us to even be able to play music together. We’re just thankful there are so many fans still pulling for us, and looking forward to whatever new experiences this next chapter will bring, for us, and the fans.”

Visit Simon Says on the web at simonsaysus.com, or at facebook at facebook.com/simonfnsays.

TAPROOT ANNOUNCE RELEASE OF NEW STUDIO ALBUM SC\SSRS, MACHINE SHOP ALBUM RELEASE

Michigan Hard Rock Mainstays TAPROOT have announced the release date for their upcoming 7th studio album SC\SSRS, the first since 2012’s The Episodes, set to hit stores September 29th via THC MUSIC/Amplified Distribution. Produced by guitarist/vocalist Stephen Richards at The Loft in Saline, MI, SC\SSRS is the musical brainchild of Richards, recorded and written over the last decade, first as material for a new Taproot album, then with the intention of a solo release, before coming full circle back to Taproot.

Says Richards, “I had written most of this record to be the next Taproot release years ago, following The Episodes, when some health and other issues arose, we decided to take a break that turned into a longer than anticipated hiatus. After my mother's passing, I decided I needed to record these songs and share them with friends and fans that were interested in hearing what was next. I've spent the last 6 years doing as much as I could around my personal life to make it happen, and after all of the hard work, the other guys jumped behind me to support and we decided to get it out there and release what IS the new Taproot record SC\SSRS.”

Bassist Phil Lipscomb adds, “Steve had all these great songs recorded that he'd originally written for the next Taproot record that he was planning to just release independently as part of his solo project, but we started talking, and I encouraged him that we should just do it as a Taproot record and pay it the respect that it deserves. And that's exactly what we did.”

SC\SSRS will be available for pre-order 3/15 from taprootmerch.com.

Taproot also welcomes new guitarist Taylor Roberts, and the return of original drummer Jarrod Montague, who will join the band for select upcoming shows (with all other shows featuring longtime drummer Dave Coughlin of Sponge) including their “reunion” appearance at Blue Ridge Rock Fest in September, and the SC\SSRSalbum release party, which will mark the band’s first club show in 6 years, September 29th at The Machine Shop, in Flint, MI.

Tickets go on sale Friday morning at 10 am EST and a VIP Upgrade is available at taprootmerch.com.

Taproot also recently announced the release of Best of Besides, a 17-track collection of remastered demos and rarities, mastered by Richard Easterling (Tantric, Zen From Mars) in stores and digital May 5th, available for pre-order now at taprootmerch.com

Taproot formed in 1997 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and went on to sign to Atlantic Records, releasing their Ulrich Wild (Static-X, Pantera, Mindless Self Indulgence) produced debut album GIFT in 2000, followed by extensive touring including appearances on Ozzfest 2000 and 2001, and tours with Deftones, Incubus, Papa Roach, Slipknot, Mudvayne, Disturbed, and Linkin Park.

The bands sophomore release Welcome, their first pairing with legendary producer Toby Wright (Alice in Chains, Metallica, Korn, Primus) which Rolling Stonecalled, “a self-preserving transition from new metal to art metal”, went on to sell over 500,000 copies and spawn the hit Rock singles “Poem”, which peaked at #5 on the Mainstream Rock charts, and “Mine”, helping propel "Welcome" to over 50 million digital streams. The band would continue heavy touring with Alien Ant Farm, Chevelle, joining Disturbed on the Music As A Weapon Tour, and Linkin Park. Vocalist Stephen Richards would also appear on the track “P5hng Me A*wy” on Linkin Park’s 2002 remix album REANIMATION.

2005 saw the release of Blue-Sky Research, also helmed by Wright, the band’s final release for Atlantic, which spawned the hit radio single “Calling”, co-written with FAR vocalist Jonah Matranga, and saw the band collaborate with Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Nick Hexum (311), and Stephen Carpenter (Deftones), with heavy touring again, with the likes of Chevelle, Staind, P.O.D., and Flyleaf.

Taproot released several more full-length studio albums, including 2008’s Our Long Road Home (Velvet Hammer), 2010’s Plead The Fifth (Victory), with the single “Fractured (Everything I Said was True)” reaching the top 20 on the Active Rock Chart, and 2012’s The Episodes, while continuing to tour consistently through 2013, when the band went on an indefinite hiatus, returning only to play a sporadic handful of local Michigan shows, before reforming officially this year.

Taproot will play BLUE RIDGE ROCK FEST in September, and The Machine Shop in Flint, MI on 9/29.

For More Information Please Visit:

https://www.instagram.com/followtaproot/

https://www.facebook.com/TaprootMusic

Officialtaproot.com

Taprootmerch.com