When it comes time to be the Prince of Darkness, Don Mullinax undergoes an otherworldly change.
Mullinax, known on stage as Shooter Osbourne, is lead singer/front man for the Ozzy Osbourne tribute band Black Illusion. The band plays tonight at Amos at The Lake Bar and Grill, Lake Norman/Cornelius.
Mullinax takes his role as the master of heavy metal seriously. "On stage I actually feel like Ozzy," Mullinax says.
"I go from mild-mannered Don to wild man Ozzy just as soon as I'm out there. With the music, the wardrobe, lights and the band, I am Ozzy."
Based in Charlotte, the tribute band includes three musicians with altered names/personas. They are J. Wylde, guitars; P.J. Diablo, bass, and B. Aldridge, drums; aka Blanco Diablo Jamie Ray, guitar/vocals; Patrick Jason, bass/backing vocals; and Brad Snipes, drums/ backing vocals.
Wondering if all this is fun? "Of course, I have a blast," Mullinax said. "It's actually become my life and anybody that knows me can see the connection.
As Ozzy, wearing fringe, a big cross necklace and all the right accoutrement, Mullinax is "all over the stage, interacting with band and fans alike."
"I feel if people are going to pay for a ticket to see something specific then that's what they're gonna get," he said. All aboard tonight with Black Illusion - Ozzy Tribute Band, at Amos at The Lake Bar and Grill, 19501 W. Catawba Ave. Lake Norman/Cornelius. Call 704-895- 6875 for info or visit amosatthelake.com. Get band details at facebook.com/blackillusionrox; myspace.com/blackillusionrox; and maximumbands.com/ozzy_tribute.
Remy St. Claire sings from 'Black and White'
Witnessing the emergence of an artist like Remy St. Claire - Tuesday at the Double Door Inn in Charlotte - is a compelling opportunity.
To get to a point where putting his career into motion would even be possible, this singer/songwriter left Savannah, Ga., where he was an art school student. He moved to the Charlotte area and headed straight into the studio to begin recording, which resulted in the seven-track debut "The Black and White Album," due to be released in April.
"I called it 'Black and White' because I'm a big fan of the positive and negative in artwork," St. Claire said.
"I prefer bare-bones art and bare-bones music; plus black is a favorite color and symbolizes something basic."
After color, what about influences?
"There's so many," he said. "When actually recording, I had been listening to several different bands, especially the old blues guys - Robert Johnson, Roy Brown, Howling Wolf, (John) Coltrane, and others." More recent artists have served as inspiration too, including The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones and The Who, among others.
St. Claire describes his style as "an open rock format. I could come out and play just about anything jazz, blues, rock, or just play one of my songs a different way," he said. "Some songs have structure; some are more free-range."
With just a couple of live shows under his belt, St. Claire is looking forward to the Double Door gig and a chance to connect to an audience who might find the music interesting enough to build a sense of camaraderie.
"I just write the songs. I've made the record," he said, "now I can play my heart out and hope that they'll take it for what it is and find something they like."
Get your introduction to the bluesy rock-edged musical magic at 1218 Charlottetowne Ave. in Charlotte. Proceeds from this show go to The Second Harvest Food Bank in Charlotte. Call 704-376-1446 or go to doubledoorinn.com for show info. For more on St. Claire, the music and the musicians, visit purevolume.com/remystclaire; and reverbnation.com/remystclaire.
Who else is playing?
There'll be the wearing o' the green Thursday for St. Patrick's Day. Find the luck of the Irish at these area celebrations and "may your blessings outnumber the Shamrocks that grow."
Tonight: Oneppo Brothers at McHale's On Main, Rock Hill; Fused Echo at The By-Pass Bar and Grill, Rock Hill; Weekends at the End Zone, Rock Hill; Scoot Pittman Trio at Wild Wing Café-Ayersly-South, Charlotte; Sourvein, Jucifer, Hour of 13, Babyshaker at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Rebelution, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The Green at Amos Southend, Charlotte; Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings at McGlohon Theater, Charlotte; Sideways Eight at Bopper's Bar and Billiards, Charlotte; Bluegrass Showcase with Moonshine Racers, Old Invention at the Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Snake Oil Medicine Show at the Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Angwish, Illicitizen at Smokey Joe's Café, Charlotte; Dex Romweber Duo, The Have and Have Nots at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; The Dollyrots, One Another, Dirtbag Love Affair at The Milestone, Charlotte; Josh Abbot at Puckett's Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Wiggle Wagons at The Saloon-NC Music Factory, Charlotte; Cliff Roberts Eberhart; Romantica, Nick and the Babes; at The Evening Muse, Charlotte; Sara Evans at Coyote Joe's, Charlotte and Black Illusion at Amos at the Lake, Cornelius.
Saturday: Chris Castle and The Womack Family Band at McHale's on Main, Rock Hill; Sho Tyme Band at the End Zone, Rock Hill; Good People Band at Wild Wing Café-Ayersly-South, Charlotte; MPA Live Fest at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Rehab at Amos Southend, Charlotte; Mama's Love, Native Sway at The Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Sick Puppies at the Pavilion-Epicenter, Charlotte; Phase 2 at Smokey Joe's Café, Charlotte; George Porter Jr. and The Runnin' Pardners at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Bruce Molsky; Air Station, Brandon Kirkley, Rob Jones at The Evening Muse, Charlotte; Scott Little Band at Puckett's Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Belmont Playboys-CD Release at The Saloon-NC Music Factory, Charlotte; White Hills, 2013 Wolves at Milestone, Charlotte and The Sammies at Snug Harbor, Charlotte.
Sunday: MPA Live Fest at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte and Fang Island at Milestone, Charlotte.
Monday: Monday Night AllStars at the DoubleDoor Inn, Charlotte; Find our Muse Open Mic at The Evening Muse, Charlotte and Bill Hanna's Vintage Dance Band at Grand Central Events, Charlotte.
Tuesday: Remy St. Claire at the Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Pubcrawlers, 25 Minutes to Go, When It Hits at the Milestone, Charlotte; The Gibson Brothers at the Evening Muse, Charlotte and Leo Kottke at McGlohon Theater, Charlotte.
Wednesday: Oneppo Brothers at the End Zone, Rock Hill and Todd Snider, Gigi Dover and Eric Lovell at the Visulite Theater, Charlotte.
Thursday: St. Patrick's Day on Main with Mike Federal Band, Stirling Bridge, Rock Hill; St. Patty's Day Party at Hooper's, Rock Hill; St Patty's Party with Motel Glory, Fernadina, Bracing For Impact, more at The Money, Rock Hill; Rusty Pilot Acoustic on St. Patrick's Day at the End Zone, Rock Hill; Machine Funk at Visulite Theater, Charlotte and Shamrock 'n' Roll at NC Music Factory, Charlotte.
And that was "all she wrote."
Email to jetstar413@aol.com; send materials/press kits/photos/CDs to: Debby Jet Jennings PO Box 13, Catawba, SC 29704; and get more info at myspace.com/jetrockmedia. Deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday.
