whatever happened to you by dodd michael lede

But it soon became a fully orchestrated band effort, with one exception; there wasn't an actual band.

"When I started, it was just me, an acoustic guitar, and a handful of songs I had written over the course of the past year. But now, the songs have been rearranged with rhythm tracks, percussion instruments, and layers of guitars by several friends and borrowed musicians," says Dodd, "I had members of my previous bands come in and make a contribution to what I was doing. I couldn't get them to commit to being in a band, but they did commit to helping me see this project through."

Comparisons have been made to the likes of Edwin McCain and Duncan Sheik, but Dodd credits his influences as Aerosmith & Lenny Kravitz. His songwriting is ever-present with memorable melodies and radio hooks, but the topics tend to be dark and moody. Avoiding pessimism and questionable concepts of musical fashion in favor of more substantial and enduring values, Dodd's vision remains clear and focused. There is a sense of maturity about his songwriting. Although these songs are played live acoustically, there's no mistaking that the underlying influences are very rock & roll.

With a string of regional dates in support of whatever happened to you, Dodd seems poised to acquire a steady following of new fans. He maintains a show schedule of 12 to 16 shows a month, and plans on expanding his current curriculum to include Oklahoma and Louisiana in future months. He maintains a charismatic showmanship founded during his earlier band years, although these days performs regularly as a solo artist. He muses about having traded in his electric guitar for the quieter tones of an acoustic, but he is not willing to compromise his rock & roll roots. He continues to wear his rock & roll past on his sleeve like a badge of honor.

Judging by sales during the first month of its release, whatever happened to you shows enough promise to open doors. Reviews have been favorable and the industry is beginning to take notice. Atlanta based, Shut Eye Records CEO, Pete Knapp wrote, "Dodd's folk-meets-rock acoustic sounds are a welcome change from the usual alternaemocorepop that we receive so often. With songs as good as here 'til tomorrow, I am confident that Dodd will do rather well in this industry of music."

With melodic chord structures, vocal hooks and harmonies, and layers of guitar driven grace and tone, this set of songs should solidify Dodd's place as a songwriter in his own right. From the beginning line of "things will be different this time" (blue sky feeling) to the closing, "I'm so tired of watching me fall down" (watching me fall down), the inspirations and personal demons create an autobiography of true stories set to music. The end result is a collection of stirring and evocative songs.

Recently, Dodd was chosen out of 5,000 bands worldwide to represent "Cornerband's 30 Best Band Promotion". For more information, check out the website at www.generic-joe.com.

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