Kamera: Local refreshing classic arena rock

Local Scene column

BY TOM LOUNGES
Times Correspondent
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Friday, September 2, 2005 12:08 AM CDT

One of the things I love most about my job as a music scribe, are those instances of stumbling across the occasional CD by an unfamiliar band and discovering some amazing music contained within.

It just makes things even cooler when that band happens to be from right here in the region.

That very thing happened just last week, while I was trying to whittle down the ever-growing stack of promotional and demo CDs that arrive almost daily to my desk. The CD that did the trick this time was a 14-song collection titled, "X-Posure," by the Northwest Indiana group Kamera (www.kameramusic.com).

The Kamera sound is best described as being classic arena rock in the vein of Survivor, Boston, Night Ranger, etc. Fans of such keyboard-guitar-driven bands will love Kamera's CD, which is largely powered by the nimble digits of guitarist-keyboardist Vince Michaels.

The lead vocals of Greg Flores are rich, vibrant and wide ranged, like the best album rock singers of that genre's glory days.

Though I have not had the pleasure of seeing Kamera perform live yet, you can do so Sept. 11 at Leroy's Hot Stuff in Porter. The band is donating their time and talent at a benefit Poker Run/Concert being held for Billy Witte and his family.

Witte has been a lifelong resident of Chesterton and has two young children with his wife, Lisa. Witte was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2001, has since undergone two stem cell transplants, numerous radiation and chemo regimens, and just recently survived a heart attack.

From the Sept. 2005 Issue of Strutterzine:

Here we have something special, because the first official KAMERA CD is filled with high quality pure 80s AOR that is similar in stye and quality to HARLAN CAGE, SHY, STONE SOUP, AVIATOR… In fact, this CD has an unbelievable start which simply blows away the latest JOURNEY release! This is AOR like it used to be made, which means big sounding bombastic AOR with lovely melodies in the guitarsound (a la NEAL SCHON), catchy hooks and melodic memorable choruses (a la SURVIVOR), cheerful keys and all packed in mostly mid to uptempo rocksongs. Opening track of this 70+ minutes counting CD is the superb midtempo AOR song “Chance” that sounds like HARLAN CAGE a lot, but also has some similarities to STONE SOUP, SHY, BOYSTOWN and SURVIVOR. This is more like it and highly recommended to any AOR fan! So off we go, although needs to added here that the following songs are not as good as that classic AOR opening tune, but still songs like “Blind secrets” and “Bad timing” are nice AOR songs a la SHOOTING STAR/THE AFFAIR. The dut-dut keys from the 80s are making a big return in the song “Empty feelings”, which is a great uptempo AOR rocker in classic SHY/AVIATOR style. Up next is another not that sensational track called “Arcadia”, although still 80s AOR (a la REFUGEE). Actually the whole CD continues in this formula, so a mix of very sensational AOR and just plain Melodic Rock (although still very good). Absolute highlights are “Everywhere I go” (midtempo AOR Classic a la HARLAN CAGE), “It’s over” (strong Pomptastic AOR/Melodic Rock a la WHITE SISTER and some ICON’s ‘An even more perfect/Night of the crime’ era), “What kind of girl” (another lovely midtempo AOR Classic) and the closing 3 uptempo AOR rockers (“Look before you love” a la NIGHT RANGER, “When we said hello” and “Chasing shadows”). Especially the final track “Chasing shadows”, which was also featured on their reviewed demo from a few years ago, is an absolute AOR Classic like a mix between AVIATOR and 80s HONEYMOON SUITE and maybe one of the best pure AOR songs from the past few years! Concluded there’s only thing to do if you’re a fan of classic AOR, buy this CD a.s.a.p. to finally hear out of the underground/independent scene from the USA a band playing True Classic 80s hookladen AOR!

From the Sept. 2005 Issue of The Midwest Beat:

 Northwest Indiana’s Kamera have released a 14-song CD titled, X-Posure, that has been getting spins on X-ROCK 103.9’s Night Rock Radio program. Their sound is akin to Survivor, Boston, Night Ranger, etc. Good arena rock stuff.  Catch Kamera on September 11 at Leroy’s Hot Stuff in Porter, at a benefit for Chesterton’s Billy Witte, who is battling cancer. More info: www.leroyshotstuff.com

The best local music of 2005

You don't have to go far from home to find great CD releases

BY TOM LOUNGES
Times Correspondent

This story ran on nwitimes.com on Sunday, December 18, 2005 12:24 AM CST

As a newspaper music columnist and features writer whose beat is largely the regional scene, these hard-working ears have the opportunity to check out a LOT of local artist's albums.

An endless stream of new local music finds its way to my desk throughout the year. Ultimately, I DO manage to eventually check out everything that comes my way.

Some stuff may be teeth-gritting to get through, but most have merits of some type -- be it in the songwriting, the artistic performance, the production, the packaging, etc.

My mission was to revisit the many regional releases of 2005 and cull 10 favorites from the herd. A tough challenge indeed, for Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana is home to some truly talented and gifted musical artists, of various genres and styles.
 

Since the influx of CDs that find their way to me consists of many computer-burned "demos" (raw, unmixed, non-commercial releases) and EPs (extended play singles), the first job was to establish a criteria before the culling could begin.

Here it is! To make this "Top 10 of 2005" list, each CD had to have been released since November of 2004, be commercially available to the public, be fully pressed and packaged and contain a minimum of eight songs.

Quite honestly, there were way more than 10 local releases that found favor with my musical palate over the last 12 months, but these are gems among many diamonds in the rough. These run the gamut of pop, rock, jazz, R&B and country.

1. ELECTRIC X -- "Radioville" (Independent)

2. THE HIGHWAY BAND -- "Nine Fine Wines" (Independent)

3. MARK LONSWAY -- "Not Your Typical Cowboy" (Jabberwocky Records)

4. SUSAN MAY -- "Black Coffee" (Southport Records)

5. KAMERA -- "X-Posure" (Kamera Music)

Twenty years ago, this band would have been all over the radio, sales charts and opening shows for the likes of Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon and Styx.

While this brand of keyboard and guitar-driven "arena rock" may not be the flavor of the day in 2005, there is no denying that Kamera has mastered the style.

Superbly played and produced remarkably well, fans of the aforementioned bands will take a real shine to "X-Posure," which barely made the cut for this list having come out in November 2004.

Vocalist Greg Flores is on the money and the ample vocal and instrumental support is layered well and works. Perhaps Kamera can kick start a resurgence in the area for prog-rock with those tired of the pop-punk scene.

Highlights: "Chance" and "Everywhere I Go."

KAMERA  by  Corine Jurgerson

Get ready to be exposed to Kamera (pronounced camera), a melodic rock/progressive five-piece band from Chicago/Northwest Indiana influenced by bands such as Van Halen, Queensryche and Journey. 

Kamera formed back when vocalist Greg Flores and lead guitarist/keyboardist Vince Michaels were fresh out of high school. 

Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, the band endured many incarnations (which also included bassist Marshall Barber – who later left to pursue other opportunities but would inevitably return), but never quite got off the ground. 

Flores and Michaels held a strong vision that they wanted Kamera to be more than just a “cookie-cutter band”, and refused to give in to the musical trends such as stadium rock and grunge that seemed to envelope the passing decades. 

By the late ‘90s, Flores recruited another former schoolmate, Terry Holder, to create Kamera’s thunderous drumbeats. 

It truly seemed as though Kamera were about to take off.  The band began performing in clubs and even collaborated with engineer/producer Jim Bartz (Survivor, BoDeans) to produce their demo EP. 

But all the pieces were still not in place at that point.  Scott Nobles was added to the mix to play keyboards, but Kamera still lacked a bass player.  

The members decided to put things on hold for about a year.

After that needed down time to re-think things, Flores, Michaels and Nobles decided to give the band another shot.  Holder also returned and soon they managed to get Barber back into the fold as well.  Now the pieces were finally in place and each felt it.

Today’s Kamera has a unique, melodic rock approach that certainly defies today’s “cookie cutter” pop sound.  

Kamera’s first full-length CD – X-Posure – was released in August 2005.   The lyrics to the fourteen tracks on the album were primarily written by Flores and explore themes such as relationships and everyday situations. The musical arrangements were developed as a collaborative effort by the band.

Almost immediately their song – “Everywhere I Go” – was added to regular rotation on the Night Rock radio program that airs on Sunday nights via X-ROCK 103.9.   “It’s currently one of the most frequently played local songs in our music library,” noted the show’s host/music director, Tom Lounges 

To ensure that there is no shortage of Kamera’s distinctive tunes, the band is already writing material for their next album and plans to head into the studio to record again in 2006.

Although they have already gained popularity in Europe – Strutterzine Magazine in the Netherlands proclaimed, “Kamera is the latest AOR sensation from the USA… an instant winner for the AOR fans.” – they aren’t necessarily pushing to get signed to a huge label. 

“You always hear a billion horror stories about what goes on at the labels,” Holder explained.  “In the short-term, we’d really just like to get word out about our band regionally.  The Region Rumble is a great chance to do that.  Any musician in this area who doesn’t want to play on the Star Plaza stage is nuts.” 

For more information about Kamera, visit their website at www.kameramusic.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…

by  Tom Lounges / Editor

After a lot of ear fatigue due to checking out demos of the 50-plus artists who submitted entries for consideration in regards to playing at the 7th Annual Midwest BEAT Region Rumble, our panel has finally narrowed it down to the last 10 bands standing. 

On Saturday, January 14th at Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, the following Indiana/Illinois groups (in no particular order yet) will rock their hearts out for 40 minutes each –– Asteria, The Recs, Tyrant’s Reign, Ripley Street, Ditchwater, Detour, Kamera, Farewell To February, Seven By Seven (formerly A-Train) and Lazer Band.