Ex-Evanescence Guitarist Ben Moody Thanks Avril For His Solo Career

This post is for those who are wondering what happened to Evanescence. To Ivan and Anonymous who commented. Cheers!

The album will feature 13 tracks, including first single Call Me When You're Sober, and 'Good Enough'. Lee reported that 'Good Enough' is not like any other ballad she has written before as its background is more happy. Others tracks listed on The Open Door are 'Weight Of The World' and a cover of Lacrimosa from Mozart'sRequiem

The album has progressed slowly for a number of reasons, but perhaps chiefly because of Amy Lee's desire to allow the creative process to fully take its course and not rush production. Besides that, other distractions have included other band members' side projects, health problems concerning guitarist Terry Balsamo. The release was pushed to October, allegedly because "Wind-Up [the band's current record label] wants to make a few changes to the upcoming single 'Call Me When You're Sober' and the controversy revolving around the dismissal of their former manager. Lee stated on Evboard that Evanescence's new album will be wrapping up in March 2006.

The Evanescence website was also updated after a long period of stasis to reflect the aforementioned press release.

Picture taken from www.wikipedia.com

This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time now. Here’s why I posted these pictures of Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson. Read on.

There’s someone that links the two. His name is Ben Moody. No, this is not some boy-girl-relationship Hollywood gossip. Still interested?

Ben Moody was the lead guitarist for rock band Evanescence, a band that he formed while in high school with Amy Lee. So what does he have to do with Avril and Kelly?

Ever noticed how Avril’s and Kelly’s songs have that similar rock edge? Ever wondered why some of the songs and style have a similar feel and sound? Also noticed similarities in the vocal harmonies?

This is because Ben Moody was involved in the song writing process for some songs with both Avril and Kelly. He co-wrote the tracks "Nobody's Home" and "Take Me Away" with Avril on her sophomore record, Under My Skin. He also collaborated with David Hodges and Kelly Clarkson on Clarkson's most recent album, Breakaway. Moody and Hodges helped co-write Clarkson's single "Because Of You" and "Addicted." And guess what? “Because Of You” was also co-written by Avril.

Avril’s album, Under My Skin debut at No. 1 in U.S.A, U.K., Germany, Japan, Australia, Canada, Spain, Ireland, Thailand, Korea and Hong Kong and sold more than 380,000 copies in U.S.A in its first week. Her track "Nobody's Home" did not make the top forty, though it reached the number one spot in Canada.

Avril Lavigne also worked with the following song writers. Chantal Kreviazuk, Butch Walker of Marvelous 3, and her former lead guitarist Evan Taubenfeld. Kreviazuk's husband, Our Lady Peace front-man Raine Maida, co-produced the album with Butch Walker and Don Gilmore.

Clarkson’s single releases from Breakaway however, proved very successful, and allowed it to become certified five-times platinum in the U.S. on January 18, 2006^[14] and quadruple platinum in Canada on September 29, 2005.^[15] In Australia, the album reached number two. Her single, “Beacause of You” went on to peak at No. 6 in the US.

I couldn’t help but to notice the similarities in the song writing and especially the vocal harmonies in both Avril’s and Kelly’s songs, so it prompted me to do this. I just had a very strong feeling it was either Avril and Kelly influenced each other or they collaborated. I also had a strong gut feeling that they could have shared the same song writer. My other guesses were that they had the same vocal coach or the same producer. I was close enough.

With the right song writers, producers, the entire management and promotions teams and A&R, I can safely conclude that the artiste will likely be a hit. A little saccharine packaged product will not hurt.

Thanks to Alda for the initial info that sparked this off.

Text reference from www.wikipedia.org

P/S: Avril and Kelly are my current favourite female singers.

So it’s 2:30am now and I just got back from a crazy long day filled with music of all sorts of genres, vocals with all sorts of ranges and guitars of all different shapes and sizes.

I left the house so early this morning I couldn’t even remember what time it was that I left. It wasn’t extremely early, but it was early enough for a Sunday morning. I headed over to Central Market for the World Press Freedom Day gig organized by CIJ. The sound on the Front Of House was good but the stage sounded a little funny. Monitoring the whole band was a little difficult and I think we could have done a lot better. But overall, I had heaps of fun just rocking out, acoustic style! We could play the louder songs which we hardly play during acoustic shows. The feel was just right. I had an awesome time watching the other bands, catching up with friends and musicians.

Thanks Sonia and Hasbee for organizing this wonderful event and taking care of us. You guys rock!

And as usual, I stayed till the end of the show. It was about 6pm and I was clueless, not knowing what to do next. “To go home and come out again later for Troubaganger or just hang around KL till Troubaganger starts?” those were the words playing in my head the whole time. In the end I decided to hang around CM with Saiful and gang to catch up and chat over drinks.

Then it was time to head over to La Bodega for Troubaganger’s 1^st Anniversary! The place was packed again and all the performers were simply awesome. Wish I wasn’t so hungry and tired so I could have met them all.

Again, I stayed till the end of this show, also because I played open mic right at the end. Though the crowd had thinned down a lot by then, I still played anyway. It’s always a warm feeling about La Bodega because every time I step through the door, it feels like stepping home. I played Shooting Star, a song that is not on the Midnight In St. Kilda album and dedicated it to Fikri, the singing waiter at La Bodega. He’s been requesting for that song ever since I played it a long time back and I think it’s been months. Somehow, the mood was just right for the song tonight and Fikri sang along too. Then I ended the two song open mic set with a slower version of Scratch, just because the mood was right. That’s what La Bodega does. The songs really bounce off the atmosphere and ambience of the place, according to its feel and mood. I never really know what to plat at La Bodega gigs and the spontaneity really adds to the thrill.

Two gigs in a day. It reminded me of the first time ever that I played at La Bodega for open mic. It was right after playing a few stages at Fete De La Musique in 2005.

Congratulations Azmyl Yunor, Tan Sei Hon, Jerome Kugan and Jasmine Low for keeping Troubaganger alive and kickin! I truly appreciate our friendship and all the tremendous support from the four of you.

Happy Birthday, Happy 1^st Anniversary Troubaganger.

Thursday night was a blast! I headed out to jam after a long day at work and I was indeed exhausted even before the session. Somehow, I felt that my day actually started at jamming. It always refreshing and regenerating. Miss jamming with the band.

I headed to The Laundry after jamming. I didn’t plan to go at first because I knew I’d be dead tired. But heck, I went anyway to catch Rhapsody play and to catch up with friends. Man, would I have regretted if I had not gone. It was like walking in to a family reunion, except that it was a million times better! No family politics and childish games. It was just good fun hanging out with friends, who I think are family to me.

Because I came from jamming, I had my guitar in the car and when Reza asked if I wanted to open mic, I thought, why not!

All the acts were simply amazing that night and it was just awesome soaking it all up. When it came to open mic, I was literally shivering, thinking, “how am I gonna deliver?”, but I jamming earlier warmed me up already and I just did what I love doing the most. Because I just came out of jamming with the band, I played the two songs, Down and Scratch as if I were playing with the band. I could almost hear them just behind.

I told myself while driving to The Laundry, “I’m just gonna stay for one set and leave”, but I ended up staying all the way till the end. It’s my disease. I never leave a gig half way. I somehow always stay till the end. I don’t know why. It’s a good disease though.

It’s one of those adrenalin charged night. It was indeed.