Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze – 9/28 – 10/11

Ventura MusVentura Breeze logoic Scene
Folk fest to Metal fest
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

High at the top of my list of things to do over the next few weeks is the Topa Topa Folk Fest being held at the beautiful Libbey Bowl in Ojai on Saturday, October 1. Ticket sales have been brisk, which is great because I’d love to see this one sell out as it also helps to benefit the Turning Point Foundation. Headlining the folk fest will be Jake Smith better known as The White Buffalo whose music has been featured on such TV shows as “Sons of Anarchy” and “Californication.” I’m also excited to see Grizfolk after watching local talent Brendon Willing share his adventures via social media after joining the band over a year ago. Actually, the whole lineup is pretty cool with Jaime Wyatt, Todd Hannigan, Shane Alexander, Lee Koch, Bryan Titus and so many more talented folks. Find out more at www.OnesToWatchProductions.com. You can help make a difference while enjoying a great day of music, hope to see you there!

Another Turning Point Foundation fundraising was held at the Traveler’s Café on Thursday, September 22 when Shawn Jones entertained the room. It was the perfect opportunity for people to check out one of Ventura’s newest restaurants offering up live acoustic music on select days. Shawn by the way heads back to Europe the first week in October for about a month with shows in Italy and Ireland.

The highly anticipated return of Cirth Ungol (their first show in 25 years) is finally upon us as they headline Frost and Fire II at the Ventura Theater on October 8, and to sweeten the deal even further, Metal Blade Records released the band’s classic “Paradise Lost” on CD and vinyl. Frost and Fire II actually spans three days (October 7-9) and three venues (Bombay’s, Sans Souci and the Ventura Theater). This heavy metal festival isn’t for the light of heart and will most likely sell out (Day one already sold out at press time). To get the full line up of bands and schedules go to www.FrostAndFireFest.com.

Plan B will be celebrating their 4th anniversary with their popular Second Sunday Supper for October (on the 9th), featuring The Vonettes. The venue is also working on Friday nights for live music on a regular basis.

Squashed Grapes is excited to welcome Ronnie Hudson on Saturday, October 8. Hudson is most notable for his hit song “West Coast Poplock” which would later appear on Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur’s song, “California Love” and Snoop Dogg’s “Poplock 2”. Hudson also played bass on the legendary Grammy-winning soundtrack “Shaft” by Isaac Hayes, and his work is featured in other films including “The Social Network”, “Iron Man II” and “South Central.”

Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com, and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

Ventura Music Photos: August 2016

Made West Brewery – August 28, 2016
Lee Koch
Lee Koch Band


Amigo’s – August 28, 2016
Karen Eden Trio
Karen Eden Trio


Bank of Books – August 27, 2016
RJ Mischo – photo credit: Evelyn Kelly Johnson
RJ Mischo & Band


Saloon BBQ Co. – August 18, 2016
Dead Country Gentlemen – photo credit: Wendell Ward
Dead Country Gentlemen

 


Squashed Grapes – August 18, 2016
Eric Harrington 
Eric Harrington


Ventura County Fair – August 9, 2016
America – Photo credit: Felix Cortez
America


Grapes and Hops – August 6, 2016
Bryan Titus
Bryan Titus

 


Ventura County Fair – August 6, 2016
Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind

 


Ventura County Fair – August 5, 2016
Old Dominion
Old Dominion



Ventura County Fair – August 4, 2016
Styx
Tommy Shaw of Styx


W20 at the Watermark – August 4, 2016
Karen Eden with Olivia Newton-John
Karen and Olivia

Ventura Music Photos: January 2015

Billy O’s – FINAL Weekend of Main Street Location
Ill Repute & others.  Thanks to Albert Munoz for photos!
Ill Repute


Grapes and Hops – January 25, 2015
No Mad Trio: Rufus Philpot (Planet X) on bass, Steve Hass (Manhattan Transfer) drums, Matt Rohde (Associate Musical Director for American Idol, toured with Jane’s Addiction, Christina Aguilera).
No Mad Trio


Discovery – January 25, 2015
Natural Vibrations
Natural VibeKarlos Paez
Karlos Paez


W20 at The Watermark – January 25, 2015
Shawn Jones
Shawn Jones View from Watermark


The Saloon BBQ – January 25, 2015
Crooked-Eye Tommy
Crooked-Eye Tommy


Discovery – January 24, 2015
Lee Koch

Lee KochJosh Damigo (from San Diego opened for Lee)
Josh Damigo


Squashed Grapes – January 24, 2015
Karl Hunter Quartet


Squashed Grapes – January 17, 2015
Jacob Szekely
Jacob Szekely


Bombay Bar and Grill – January 7, 2015
Tommy Marsh hosts The Session with guest Mikey Mo

Discovery One-Year Anniversary

Discovery Ventura celebrated their one-year anniversary with several nights of amazing music from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Lee Koch, Josh Damigo, Natural Vibrations & Junior Reid.

If you haven’t checked them out yet, you really need to do yourself a favor and stop in the next time they have music!  Here’s a link to their website:  www.DiscoveryVentura.com

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy


Lee Koch

Lee Koch Lee Koch


Josh Damigo (from San Diego)
Josh DamigoNatural Vibrations / Natty Vibes
Natural VibeKarlos Paez

Karlos Paez

Ventura Music Photos: October 2014

Bombay Bar and Grill – October 31, 2014
Mandex
Mandex - Aaron Orbit


Squashed Grapes – October 31, 2014
Donna Greene and the Roadhouse Daddies


W20 at the Watermark – October 31, 2014
The Bomb
The Bomb


W20 at The Watermark – October 26, 2014
Heavy Petty
Heavy Petty


Grapes and Hops – October 26, 2014
Jade Hendrix
Jade Hendrix


Squashed Grapes – October 24, 2014
Doug Webb Group:  Doug Webb, Danny Carey, Steve Fister, Jimmy Earl, Matt Rohde
See more on this performance:  Grape Blog
The Doug Webb Group

 


Saloon BBQ – October 18, 2014
Steve and Sally Williams

Steve and Sally Williams


Squashed Grapes – October 18, 2014
Paul Weitz Group with Donna Deussen

Paul Weitz GroupDonna Deussen


Bombay Bar and Grill – October 18, 2014
Taylor Rae
Taylor Rae


The Wine Rack – October 18, 2014
Jill Martini Soiree
Jill Martini Soiree


Final performance at Yolie’s – October 17, 2014
(Hi Hat Entertainment looking for new location)
R&B Bombers
Photo credit:  David C. Smolen
R&B Bombers


Squashed Grapes – October 16, 2014
The Pulse Daddies:  Trey O’Toole, Karl Hunter, Hans Ottsen, Dirk Shumaker
The Pulse Daddies

 


Squashed Grapes – October 14, 2014
Charles Lloyd & Dorothy Darr, Screening of movie, “Arrows Into Infinity”
(Charles Lloyd will receive the NEA Jazz Masters Award 2015. He was the Honoree at the 2014 Monterey Jazz Festival Jazz Legends Gala, hosted by Herbie Hancock. Lloyd was also the recipient of the 2014 Alfa Jazz Fest International Music Award.)
Josh, Charles, Dorothy, Adam and Pam


Amigos – October 12, 2014
CRV: Carmen & the Renegade Vigilantes
CRV


Bombay Bar and Grill – October 12, 2014
Notes for Notes Benefit
Sgt. Pepper
Sgt. Pepper


W20 at The Watermark – October 12, 2014
Tommy and the High Pilots
Tommy and the High Pilots


BBQ Saloon Bar – October 12, 2014
The Dan Grimm Band w/ special guest Tommy Marsh
The Dan Grimm Band


Grapes & Hops – October 12, 2014
Kilo Hues (San Diego)
Kilo Hughes


Squashed Grapes – October 9, 2014
The Lounge Trio:  Cougar Estrada, Randy Tico & Adam Clark
Randy Tico and Cougar Estrada


Amigos – October 7, 2014
Nathan McEuen, Jonathan McEuen and John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
McEuen Family


Amigos – October 5, 2014
The Tossers The Tossers


Grapes & Hops – October 5, 2014
Brandon Ragan Brandon Ragan


Amigos – October 5, 2014
Karen Eden & Joe Hamilton: Fundraiser for team “Lick Cancer

Karen Eden & Joe Hamilton


Pier Under the Stars – October 4, 2014
Caliente 805
Caliente 805


Bombay Bar and Grill – October 3, 2014
Jason Cruz and Buddy Darling

Jason & Buddy


Bombay Bar and Grill – October 3, 2014
Lee Koch
Lee Koch


The Garage – October 2, 2014
The Shivas (Portland, OR)
The Shivas

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 10/1 – 10/14

Ventura MusVentura Breeze logoic Scene
It’s a Colorful Fall Music Season!
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

Lee KochCongratulations to Plan B Wine Cellars as they celebrate their 2-year anniversary with good food, wine and of course live music! You can “Toast the train” while listening to Cuppa Joe; dancing shoes and lounge chairs are encouraged.

Speaking of local wineries and music, Squashed Grapes welcomes back The Doug Web Group with Danny Carey of TOOL on drums. This one is guaranteed to sell out once again; it’s highly recommended you get your tickets sooner than later.

Bombay Bar and Grill has a number of events to look out for this month. Ones to Watch Productions present the Lee Koch Band, Derek Jennings & Zeke Berkley on Friday, October 3. There will be a fundraiser to benefit Notes for Notes and the Boys and Girls Clubs of greater Ventura featuring a performance by Sgt. Pepper on Sunday, October 12, 4-7 pm. And if you are a fan of reggae, you won’t want to miss Junior Marvin & Nappy Ridden on Friday, October 10. Marvin joined Bob Marley & the Wailers in ’77 and over the past few decades has played with Soja and O.A.R. His latest collaboration with Nappy Ridden joins the two forces for Foundation to Creation supporting the creation of a new American reggae sound, steeped in funk, soul and rock.

One of my favorite annual fundraisers is Pier Under the Stars where local restaurants, breweries and wineries offer very nice samplings. The event is down next to the pier on Saturday, October 4 with music from Caliente. This one always sells out so get your tickets while they last at www.PierIntoTheFuture.org.

I’m pleased as punch that Monday, September 29, Ventura’s City Council unanimously approved the pilot concert series license agreement with Fitzgerald-Hartley Company and Nederlander Concerts for 2015.  As Councilman Tracy put it, “The proof will be in the pudding”, which is true, but the potential is so exciting!

The Majestic Ventura Theater has been busy booking shows for October: Jimmy Eat World on 10/2; The Aquabats on 10/4; The Dirty Heads on 10/10; Belanova on 10/11; Joey Bada$$ on 10/16; Matisyahu on 10/21; Ab-Soul, Simply Ty & Geezus on 10/24 and Erasure on 10/26.

If you’re a fan of Buffalo Springfield, Poco and Loggins & Messina, you won’t want to miss out on a special performance called, “An Evening with Jim Messina with Rusty Young ‘Sittin’ In’” on Saturday, October 11 at Ojai’s Libbey Bowl. A former resident of Ojai, Messina will be back treating fans with their hit songs while fundraising for Community Memorial Health System construction projects in Ojai.

And finally, Ventura Rocks will be amongst the vendors 4-6 pm on Sunday, October 4, hoping to raise funds for Strides Against Cancer at Amigos. Local artists, Karen Eden and Joe Hamilton, will be donating their time and The Tossers will perform afterwards at 6 with British cover tunes.

If you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com.

Ventura Music Photos: February 2014

Photos of Music in Ventura this month

Bombay Bar and Grill – February 28, 2014
Diana Boydstrum, Diego Gambino and Pam Baumgardner
Getting out, taking in music, hanging with good friends.  Ventura Rocks!Diana, Diego an Pam


Amigo’s Surf Cantina – February 27, 2014
Gypsy Blues Band with Morganfield Burnett
Gypsy Blues Band with Morganfield Burnett


Bombay Bar and Grill – February 26, 2014
Kevin Seconds (7 Seconds), Steve Soto (Adolescents, Agent Orange) and Russ Rankin (Good Riddance)


Paradise Pantry – February 26, 2014
Xoco Moraza and Todd Hannigan
Todd and Xoco


The Star Lounge – February 23, 2014
Mighty Cash Cats


The Star Lounge – February 23, 2013
Kyle Hunt
Kyle Hunt


Sans Souci – February 23, 2014
Jukebox Mutiny
Jukebox Mutiny


Amigo’s Surf Cantino – February 23, 2014
Jerry and the Big Beats
Jerry and the Big Beats


The Patio at Player’s Casino – February 22, 2014
Kelly’s Lot – Fundraiser for CARLVC.org


Squashed Grapes – February 22, 2014
Paul McCallum & Friends

Squashed Grapes


Yolies – February 21, 2014
Rick Holmstrum Band
Rick Holmstrum Band


Squashed Grapes – February 20, 2014
Buckner, Flowers, Genova & Christie


Bombay Bar and Grill – February 16, 2014
The Bomb
The Bomb


Amigo’s Surf Cantina – February 16, 2014
Tommy and Paddy Marsh w/ Pam Baumgardner of VenturaRocks.com
Paddy - Pam - Tommy


Ventura High School Auditorium – February 15, 2014
Ventura Music Festival:  Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band
Eddie Palmieri


Bombay Bar and Grill – February 15, 2014
Doubt Aplomb, Rubberneck Lions, Mandex


Cafe Fiore – February 13, 2014
Christopher Hawley
Christopher Hawley


W20 at the Watermark – February 13, 2014
Ventura Social Club with Lenny Castro
Ventura Social Club w Lenny Castro


Bombay Bar and Grill – February 9, 2014
RB BombersRB Bombers


EP Foster Library – February 9, 2014
Toni Jannotta Jazz quartet
Toni Jannotta


Surf Brewery – February 8, 2014
The Hard Times Band
Hard Times Band


Bombay Bar and Grill – February 7, 2014
Owen Bucey
Owen BuceyAaron Orbit
Aaron Orbit


Peirano’s – Friday, February 7, 2014
Shawn Jones with Sam Bolle


El Rey Cantina – Friday, February 7, 2014
Xoco Moraza & Friends


Amigo’s Surf Cantina – Thursday, February 6, 2014
Gypsy Blues Band
The Gypsy Blues Band


Bombay Bar and Grill – Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Mikey Mo with Tommy Marsh


Squashed Grapes – Wednesday, February 5, 2014
The Jazz Report


Green Art People – Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Aloha Radio


Amigo’s Surf Cantina – Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Catfish Fry and Doug Johnson blues swing jam & open mic featuring
Brittney BurchettJoe Billingiere


Billy O’s – Monday, February 3, 2014
8Stops7
1795658_583630848394930_1628919344_n

Ventura Music Photos: January 2014

Green Art People – Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Dan Grimm Band
Dan Grimm Band



Green Art People – Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Jonathan McEuenJonathan McEuen with Phil Salazar


Bombay Bar and Grill – Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Tommy Marsh and Bad Dog’s special guest, Donna GreeneDonna Greene


Discovery Ventura – Saturday, January 25, 2014
Rey FrescoRey Fresco


Discovery Ventura – Saturday, January 25, 2014
Rubberneck Lions


Amigos’s Surf Cantina – Saturday, January 25, 2014
Damien Bujanda & Oly Larios (Players for Iron Butterfly)


Pierpont Inn – Saturday, January 25, 2014
Jon Gindick’s Harp Band CampJon Gindick's Harp Camp


Sans Souci – Friday, January 24, 2014
The Winchester RebelsThe Winchester Rebels


Bombay Bar and Grill – Thursday, January 23, 2014
Gypsy Blues Room
special guest the Jon Gindick Jam Camp Harp Line Up
Featured performers: RJ Mischo, Cheryl Arena, Brian Purdy, Hash Brown and Jon Gindick
Jon Gindick


Discovery Ventura – Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting Day
Pam Baumgardner of Ventura Rocks with Jeremy Pemberton of Discovery
Discovery Ventura


Peirano’s – Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Valencia and Friends


Ventura Harbor – Sunday, January 19, 2014
After the Smoke
After the Smoke


Bombay Bar and Grill – Saturday, January 18, 2014
Mandex



Squashed Grapes – Saturday, January 18, 2014
Flowers, Ottsen and Clark


Amigo’s Surf Cantina – Thursday, January 16, 2014
Mark Masson with Joanie Collins & Jacob Scesney
Mark Masson


W20 at The Watermark – Thursday, January 16, 2014
New Music Showcase – Colbie Caillat

Colbie Caillat

Dean Dinning


Bombay Bar and Grill – Sunday, January 12, 2014
Crooked Eye Tommy Fundraiser
Crooked Eye TommySeparate photo gallery:  http://venturarocks.com/blog/crooked-eye-tommy-fundraiser/


Bombay Bar and Grill – Saturday, January 11, 2014
Army of Freshmen


The Tavern – Saturday, January 11, 2014
HEY YOU!
Hey You!


Bombay Bar and Grill – Friday, January 10, 2014
Warning!


Squashed Grapes – Friday, January 10, 2014
Two Trees Jazz Project


Amigo’s Surf Cantina – Thursday, January 9, 2014
Coda


Paradise Pantry – Thursday, January 9, 2014
Lee Koch with Jesse Olema
Jesse Olema - Lee Koch


Bombay Bar and Grill – Thursday, January 9, 2014
Derek Jennings
Derek Jennings


Green Art People – Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Shaky Feelin’ (with Jacob Scesney sitting in)
Shaky Feelin' w/ Jacob Scesney


Our Ventura – Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Show taped at CAPS-TV
Pam Baumgardner - George Alger


Yolie’s – Saturday, January 4, 2014
Benefit 4 Jacob – Headliner Albert Lee
Albert LeeSeparate photo gallery:  http://venturarocks.com/blog/benefit-for-jacob/


Bombay’s Bar and Grill – Friday, January 3, 2014
Dan Grimm and Band
Dan Grimm band


W20 at the Watermark – Friday, January 3, 2014
Shawn Jones
Shawn Jones band


Squashed Grapes – Thursday, January 2, 2014Benjamin Buttner Quintet featuring:
Guitar – Benjamin Buttner
Bass – Freddy Johnson
Keyboards – Kevin Stoller
Drums – Burleigh Drummond
Horns –   & Jacob Scensney

Zoey’s Love Notes 1/19/13

A VERY special evening of song from some of Zoey’s favorites. Out of love for what they do, these talented artists gathered together on this one night to thank Zoey’s for providing an environment of community, family, collaboration and creativity. A truly magical evening for those in attendance as well as for the artists who shared the stage in support of Zoey’s.

Interview – Lee Koch

Interview with Lee Koch
9/19/12

Ventura Rocks sat down with Lee Koch just after his sound check before his show at Zoey’s recently.Lee Koch

Ventura Rocks:  Ok, let’s just get this out of the way right now.  Now do you pronounce your last name?

Lee: Cook, like C.O.O.K.

Ventura Rocks:  Doesn’t look like that at all.

Lee:  Not at all. K.O.C.H., but I believe I’ve come across other people over the past few years that spell and pronounce their name the same way.  I never thought I’d meet another person who spells and pronounces their name the same way except my family.

Ventura Rocks: And where are you from originally?

Lee: Temecula, California.

Ventura Rocks: Do they have a big music scene there in Temecula?

Lee: No. Not at all!  There are touring acts who play like at the casinos around there, but that’s about it.  And then there are bar bands and cover bands, but there’s no venues like Zoey’s here [in Ventura], where you can pay ten bucks and see a really great band you’ve never heard of.

Ventura Rocks: Right!

Lee: Actually one day my wife and I hope to do something like that some down there in that area.

VR: Your own club?

Lee:  Keep in touch with Polly and Steve [Zoey’s owners].

Ventura Rocks: Absolutely!

Lee: They’ll show us how to do it out in that area and guide us.

[At this point Nicole Koch stops by and gives hubby a kiss.  Nicole is pregnant with their first baby, and she is glowing! After Nicole walks away Lee is now glowing as much as his wife.]

Ventura Rocks: Your first?

Lee: Yea.  We’re about halfway, she’s due February 1st.

Ventura Rocks: (Don’t you love when the man uses “we” when referring to pregnancy? Their love for one another is almost tangible!)  Wow! Congratulations!  Do you know if it’s a girl or a boy?

Lee: No! We’re going to wait. We like surprises.

Ventura Rocks: You crazy kids.

(laugh)

Ventura Rocks:  Well that’s awesome.

Lee: Yea, we’re excited.

Ventura Rocks: How long have you been married?

Lee:  Two and half years.

Ventura Rocks: Well that’s super cool.

Lee: Yea, a lot of pivotal happenings going on right now with music, and obviously a baby; it’s good; it feels like you’re really living life.  After being on the road, and then getting that news and doing that whole surreal TV thing!

Ventura Rocks:  So tell me how the “TV thing” came about.

Lee: Well actually I had stepped out of music to pursue a bakery with my wife and my older brother.  I have friends who already run one in Temecula so I worked there to educate ourselves so one day we could open one of our own.

Ventura Rocks: Now are you a baker or a business people?

Lee: Neither.

Ventura Rocks: (laughs) I’M A MUSICIAN!

Lee: Yea! But we just wanted to try a different avenue and we’re both hard workers and we thought we’d collect some business savvy along the way.  We already learned how to bake decently.  And then The Voice came along with an email from a guy who manages the runner up from the first season.  His girlfriend saw me do a show at Zoey’s, she bought a CD and brought it back home to him and said, “You gotta listen to this guy”.  At that time, his artist, Dia Frampton, was doing really well, she had an indie sort of voice and she ended up taking 2nd place on The Voice.  So her manager sent me this email, and I wrote back and said, “Thanks anyway, but I’m getting into baking and I’m not really going to perform music anymore.  You know, I’ll always write, but not perform anymore.

Ventura Rocks: You were really thinking you’d never perform again?

Lee:  Yea, I had actually quit.  I performed my last show at Zoey’s as a performing musician.

Ventura Rocks: Wasn’t that hard?

Lee: Kind of, but I never get too hung up on stuff.  You hear people say that they’re going to make it no matter what, against all odds, and that’s great, more power to them. I love hearing success stories.  But I don’t really beat things over the head.  I kind of do it until it gets exhausting.

Ventura Rocks: Do it as long as it feels right?

Lee:  Yea, I think I just felt stuck doing the local bar scene and I had come full circuit.  I love all those places and I’m so happy I got to meet all the great people I had, but I think I was just done after five years of doing it. I did an album I was really proud of and I said I did my music thing, now let’s see what else I can do.  I’d still do music for myself, my family and my friends.

Ventura Rocks: So you said no to The Voice.

Lee: Yea, I said no, and then he got back to me again and he said it seems like you have nothing to lose, why don’t you  try it out and maybe it will get you a couple of cool shows and sell some CDs from it, and get you a little bit of exposure.  So I said, Yea, he’s right, it would probably be fun and what if I actually got on TV; that would be a trip!  Something to tell my kids. And so it happened…barely, by the skin of my teeth.  There were 120 people that it got whittled down to that did the blind audition. I probably was like the 90th person to go and by then I thought all the teams would be full, but I grabbed the 48th spot out of 48th.

As soon as I made it onto a team, Nicole and I agreed that that was kind of the push we would need, the exposure we would need to get back into music and give it one more go. For all that to happen and to not try to jump back into music, it would almost be arrogant in a way.  Oh yea I could do this, but I’m not gonna… you know, people would kill to get that kind of exposure.

Ventura Rocks: Absolutely.

Lee:  It would almost disrespect the people that have been so supportive of my music by not pursuing it again.  And I thought, that’s not really my style. A lot of people had my back and a lot of people really supported me during the show. So the only thing to do, and the right thing to do would be hit the road again.  We hit the road in March, so that we’d be cross country while my episodes were airing, and that’s exactly how it played out.  A lot of people recognized me because the show was fresh, and I got to play a lot of venues that I would not have been able to otherwise. I pulled The Voice card and even if it’s not my idea of validation of good music. It’s still other people’s.  If someone famous tells them it’s good, then they believe it’s good. If that’s how they think of me as a good musician, then I’ll take it and I’ll go play for them and share my original stuff.  That was my main goal, to get my written stuff out there.

Ventura Rocks: What size audiences have you been playing for?

Lee: Some festivals with about 1200 people, but I’m use to 50-100. So anytime there’s a few hundred people, that’s a good size crowd for me.  I’m still an unknown in the industry for sure, even after being on national TV.  A lot of people are on national TV nowadays, it gets played up and a lot of the other contestants are like, “As soon as I get on NBC, I’ll be famous.  It’s surefire.”  But I didn’t’ think that going into it. There were a lot of people that were let down as they were getting eliminated, but I was totally content because I knew I would just run with the momentum until it stopped and then hopefully we had built our own organic momentum.  That’s kind of where it’s going.

Ventura Rocks:  You already had so many people who believed in you.

Lee: Yea definitely, the fans I do have, are super supportive, they’re like super fans…but not in a weird way like where they stalk me. I know most of them personally and they have become friends, some of my best friends these days are people that we’ve met at shows.  We just kept in touch and they really connected with my lyrics we usually have a lot in common, it’s just really cool.   So I just got to show some respect to them by continuing to do this music.  Like I said, I will always write, but I’m going to keep recording and performing for those people who want to come out; they really long to hear me play these songs, which is really flattering.

Ventura Rocks: You have a new project you’re working on now?

Lee:  A new album.  I’m going to go in next month where I did my debut album with Jesse Siebenberg and use pretty much the same formula, I’m going to introduce about 10-12 new songs. And we’re just going to build them with some great musicians that we know and some new ones who have freed up recently.

Ventura Rocks:  So the tour is wrapping up?

Lee:  The tours been great.  We’ve been on the road since March; we went up to Alaska, across the South to the East coast and back to do this West coast tour for the last two months.   So from March until now, mid September, we’ve only been home for about a month.

Ventura Rocks: You’re wife has been on the road with you?

Lee:  Oh yeah.  That’s the only way we’d do it. As long as we’re together whether it’s baking or music, we just want to be together, and now with our little baby.  Any extra money that we raise from this fundraiser that we’re doing through Kickstarter, which is done in four days…

Ventura Rocks:  How far are you away from your goal?

Lee:  We’re two-thirds.  We’re at 16 grand, we need 24.  If we do go over, by the grace of God, we’re going to put it towards a small motor home and take the baby out after the next album is done, and just keep doing this as a family.  And whatever musicians are brave enough to come along with the baby…we’ll see!


Lee Koch Note:  Lee made is target on his birthday 46 hours before the deadline.  Total pledges after all was said and done were $25,360.  Looking forward to the new release and watching Lee hit the road with family in tow…as long as it feels right.

We hope it’s for a very long time.