A MN Metal Thanksgiving with JJ Snell

by Doug MacRostie

For a special Thanksgiving Edition of Centerstage MN turkeys will rain from the sky and the cranberries will flow like blood as we give thanks to MN Metal!!! I'll be joined by JJ Snell of Borotva Promotions; he organizes and promotes many of the concerts and events in the Grand Rapids area and we'll talk about the bands and scene he's a part of. JJ has been played music in multiple bands and has worked on Grand Rapids events for years. The next show he has lined up is THIS Sat, the 28th, at the Ground Floor in Grand Rapids with Take Cover, The Jamestown Story, Cities Never Sleep and more starting at 6pm.

One reason I think it's worth spending a full hour with JJ on this topic (and actually, it isn't ALL metal, but indie and pop-rock as well) is I'm a huge metal-head as well and too often this music is overlooked, ignored or feared. And beyond that, JJ brings in bands that have a positive message (even if you would never guess it with song names like 'Napalmed Bodies,' hehehe) and gives kids a fun, badass and safe place to rock out and have a good time with friends instead of going out and causing trouble. I hope that presenting this music and concerts on KAXE will help give credibility and build parent-support for the metal scene that is getting stronger each day in Grand Rapids. You need to look beyond the black clothes, crazy haircuts, growls and tattoos, people!

And, if you don't believe I'm a metal head, here's a vid of the band I was in back in college at UMD, Alone (I'm stage left...aka the right of your screen :D). P.S. the guitarist on stage right is Chad Snell from Marcell, now bass player with Take Cover.

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org and the show is rebroadcast Sunday mornings at 6.