Blackbox 13 was formed September of 2011, members include Joe Nassar, vocals, Joe Wiehl, lead guitar, Todd Turgeon, drums, and Cory Kay, bass. All players currently  live in Las Vegas, Nv. In a short amount of time we have been able to accomplish a three song demo and a video for the fisrt song “Silent Wall.” Each member has brought to the table an amazing assortment of accomplishments . Cory Kay of Zombie Shaker Box, Joe Nassar of Light the Black Sky, Joe Wiehl, and Todd Turgeon, formally of 13 years, joined forces to create a raw crunchy straight ahead rock sound. With such a diverse array of musical influences each member is truly schooled in their craft. Cory was the member of Blackbox13 who decided to order some custom picks from Steve Clayton, Inc.
Cory’s accomplishments over the years have been playing in sold out shows around the Las Vegas, also setting attendances records in Utah. He has had the honor of winning several awards at the “LA Music Awards” for “Best Rock Album of the Year“, also winning “Best Metal Band” in Las Vegas, Nevada for “Las Vegas Rocks Magazine“ and winning a “Battle of the Bands”… all in 2010. Thru his musical journey he has also been able to be the opening act in large venues for such acts as Godsmack, Hellyeah, Slash and Joan Jett. Cory has some information to share about his custom guitar picks from Clayton, Inc: “I put a lot of thought into each pic design. Not only do I play with them, I also throw them out into the audience during my shows, something I’ve been doing for years. Clayton has given me the opportunity to promote all the bands I have played in over the years. I am looking forward to an amazing journey with Blackbox13, going into the studio in 2012 and hitting such states as California, Arizona, Utah and, of course, Nevada.” To find out more about Blackbox13, visit their sites:
http://www.youtube.com/BlackBox13Band
http://www.reverbnation.com/BlackBox13
http://www.BlackBox13Band.com

Cory ordered his guitar picks on our acetal pick material, in the rounded triangle shape. To created and order your own custom picks, visit www.claytoncustom.com today!

We have recently endorsed Alex, Matt and Jason of Go Radio! Here is a little bit about the band:
It’s a truly rare occasion when a debut by a band is met with the kind of feverish fan anticipation that has encircled LUCKY STREET, the full-length debut by Tallahassee, Florida melodic rockers GO RADIO. But then again, none of those other groups have JASON LANCASTER at the helm.The GO RADIO singer/songwriter, who’s been crafting unflinchingly honest, breathtakingly beautiful music since venturing out on his own in 2007, boasts arguably the most goosebump-inducing combination of raw vocal talent and songwriting prowess in rock today. Backed by a gifted band with two stellar EPs under their belts, LANCASTER and GO RADIO are only just beginning to explore the seemingly endless potential for their mind-blowing creations.

The band–which also includes bassist MATT “BURNS” POULOS, drummer STEVEN KOPACZ and guitarist ALEX REED–immediately turned heads with the release of their self-released EP Welcome To Life in 2008, which bowled over listeners with its poignant, heartfelt lyrics and irresistible melodies. Attracting the attention of Fearless Records, the band inked a deal with the label, releasing the band’s second EP, Do Overs And Second Chances, in 2010. The EP, which featured the stunning ballad “Goodnight Moon,” landed at #8 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, going on to sell more than 15,000 copies in the U.S. In that span the group has toured extensively, heading out on high-profile runs with A Day To Remember, Secondhand Serenade and the Fearless Friends Tour with Mayday Parade among others. Despite the early success, 2011 promises to be the band’s most pivotal moment to date.

Known for their kinetic live performances and intimate interaction with fans, a packed slate of touring in support of LUCKY STREET–including a full run on the 2011 Vans Warped Tour–is the other crucial ingredient in bringing such vital art to the masses. GO RADIO aim to recruit a bonafide army of listeners, from multiple genres, as diverse as the band’s inimitable sound.

“We constantly put ourselves out there. Any chance we get to reach a new audience and get new ears, we’re down for. We’re not going to say, ‘Because you like breakdowns, you’re not gonna like GO RADIO,’ because you might,” says LANCASTER. “That’s how you build these things–one fan at a time, brick by brick. If it weren’t for everybody latching onto the band and finding something they enjoy about it, I’d still be playing acoustic guitar in my den right now.”

GO RADIO’s new album LUCKY STREET is out now on Fearless Records.

We are excited and pleased to start 2012 off with the first Pick of the Week, made for the band SOURMASH! SOURMASH is an accomplished group of musicians hailing from Pennsylvania assembled to pay tribute to the guitar-driven music of the south.  Labeled as ‘100 Proof Southern Rock’, this band performs like the whiskey from which its name is derived – smooth with a strong finishing kick.  The band’s high-energy performances have become legendary in its brief existence.  Formed in 2010, the band has been a consistent headliner for motorcycle rallies, festivals, and clubs.  In addition, the band has opened for national acts, such as Blackberry Smoke.
The powerful SOURMASH performances showcase the band’s many talents.  Strong and clear vocals; a grinding three-guitar attack; lush harmonies of both voice and guitar; and the thunderous panache of bass and drums combine to define the SOURMASH sound.   The musicians also display their abilities playing keyboards, harp, mandolin and fiddle to increase the aural excitement.  The highlight of the show, however, is the participation of the crowd.  Whether the audience is dancing, singing along, or shouting “Hell Yeah!” – it is that energy that keeps SOURMASH alive.
Take a shot!
SOURMASH is:
Craig Harnish – Vocals
Tim Henry – Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
Nick Farine – Guitar
Chuck Carner – Bass, Harp, Vocals
Ken Harnish – Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals
Matt Knapp  – Drums, Fiddle
To find out more about SOURMASH, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sour-Mash/146397668710547 or https://www.sourmash-rock.com. We loved the design made for the SOURMASH pick, because it has a high amount of detail an intricacy, and it came out really well on our acetal material picks. To create and order your own custom picks, visit www.claytoncustom.com today!

This week’s pick of the week was created by Danny Jones for the Danny Jones Band (DJB). “Danny is a versatile guitarist from in Northern California. Danny started playing guitar at the age of 12 after seeing childhood friend Larry Lalonde of Primus play Ted Nugent’s Cat Scratch Fever and Van Halen’s Ain’t Talking About Love. Danny became obsessed with the guitar; he began taking lessons with George Cole. George was a huge influence on Danny in his younger years, getting Danny interested in playing jazz standards, classical and country guitar. In Danny’s late teens, he began to study with Joe Satriani. Joe had a major impact on Danny’s style and songwriting. In the 90′s, Danny won the Best of the Bay contest two years in a row and received airplay on FM 97.3. Danny has also appeared in Guitar World, Guitar for the Practicing Musician & Guitar Player Magazine. Danny recently has had songs used in the commercial field for Krank Amps radio trailers as well as instructional dvd’s for Cesar Gracie & Gracie Fighter. Danny’s Band has opened shows for Ronnie Montrose, The Eric Martin Band, Telsa Guitarist/Frank Hannon, Bass Legend Stu Hamm and Uli Jon Roth. In 2009 Danny was one of the 10 Finalists chosen by Guitar Player Magazine for their Superstar Competition. You can catch Danny gigging in the SF Bay Area with his instrumental trio DJB, in which you will find players like former Whitesnake bassist Uriah Duffy trading licks with Danny!!” To find out more about DJB, visit http://www.dannyjones.net/ or  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Danny-JonesMusicianGuitarist/237045499667619. Danny’s picks were made on our acetal material, which is the best for supporting designs with a variety of shading like the DJB logo. You can created and order your own custom guitar picks from Clayton at www.claytoncustom.com!

This week’s pick of the week was created for the band In The Fold. “The band started with four members in about 2000/1 with Jim Beardow: guitar, Joe Ng: guitar & keyboards, Brendan Streeter: drums and (Jason Slater): bass. They did a short demo CD with three songs recorded but no vocals as they were experimenting with sounds. Jim was then offered a job in the big old USA and has since married, had child and stayed settled over there. Jim now plays with a band called Shwa in America on guitar. The rest of them drifted apart until a couple of years ago. They started writing music again as a three piece band and recorded three songs in October last year and are due to go back in the studio in January where they have even more songs. They are all based in the south east of England (Sussex and Kent). They are yet to gig with their new line up, but once the next recording has been completed, They hope to get out there. Links to the band are; http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/In-The-Fold/10150094620730403 and http://www.reverbnation.com/inthefold. The design that was used on In The Fold’s custom guitar picks is taken from what has become their kind-of signature picture for the band until they get some more photos etc. done. It was one of about 5 photos taken for them by a local photographer friend. It is actually of an abandoned mental asylam in East Sussex which has since been demolished. The design was printed on our acetal picks, which are the best material to support full color photo designs. To create your own custom guitar picks, visit www.claytoncustom.com today!

This Week’s Pick of the Week was ordered for musician Madison Emiko Love, who performs under the name Madlove. Here is a little about her in her own words:  “My friends call me Mad. I’m part Japanese, French, English, and American. I grew up and still live in Los Angeles. Singing has always been my way of getting through whatever good or bad is happening in my life. I write songs for anyone who’s feeling social struggles, peer pressure, loneliness, and frustration, just like I do. Music is my escape, and I use it to keep track of all my feelings as they’re happening. My lyrics are all true, based upon real guys, wishful relationships, and issues that girls like me are facing everyday. My hope is that you will relate to the music and lyrics, and realize that we are all struggling together, and that none of us are alone.” Find out more about Madlove at http://www.livemadlove.com/ Mad’s picks were made on our acetal pick material, which is perfect for art that includes photo images. To order your own custom guitar picks, visit www.claytoncustom.com today! Custom picks also make the perfect holiday gift!!

This week’s Pick of the Week was made for musician, singer, songwriter and band leader, Kyle Reed. The genres of Kyle’s music include Alternative and Acoustic. His label is Indie. “Kyle travels pretty much everywhere with several beat up notebooks containing pieces of his life in the form of songs and lyrics. Some of the songs contained in these notebooks see the light of day quite often while others not so much, some are works in progress, some are just sketches and some stand right up and get your attention, top all that with excellent musicianship, an ear for melody and an uncanny knack for arranging and you have well crafted, musically engaging songs that capture your attention and burn their way into your memory banks. An up and coming singer/songwriter, Kyle Reed is pushing his way into the music world, playing 4-6 shows a week with his band or solo and writing music whenever he can… currently in the studio working on a album which he hopes to release this coming spring. For more info… please check out news feeds to see what’s up with Kyle Reed!” http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kyle-Reed-Band/216181001758585 We chose Kyle’s pick this week because we like the classic style of his design. He used a black background against our acetal material guitar picks, and it turned out really nicely. You can create and order your own custom picks today at www.claytoncustom.com!

We loved this custom guitar pick so much that we had to share it in our blog! This is a really pretty fall tree design that was printed on our acetal picks in the small teardrop shape. We offer acetal material in three shapes and eight different gauges for customization. Teardrop picks are generally preferred by our jazz guitarists, so if you are jazz player and are looking for a great guitar pick to add a custom design to, the one shown in this image may be the best option for you! You can create and order your own custom picks today at www.claytoncustom.com. Also, be on the lookout for upcoming sales and promotions…we will be having several before the end of the holiday season!

This week’s Pick of the Week was created for the band Taking Fire. “Near the end of 2009, former members of A Bitter End Ash Abdullah, Gabe Zagarolli, and O’bryan Ruiz hooked up with virtuoso guitarist and guitar instructor Albert Burrola and young phenom guitar shredder Anthony Burrola. All sharing in similar musical taste and the need to create the most dynamic, intense, and melodic music they could, the five musicians began collaborating on their first album together under a new name; Taking Fire. Brutal, intelligent, thought-provoking and inspiring are of but a few words that describe Taking Fire’s brand of metal. Since their union, the band has played all over the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, gaining new fans at every show. Recently, Taking Fire finished up the recording of their debut album ‘Battle Plan.’” Find out more about Taking Fire on their ReverbNation site at http://www.reverbnation.com/c./rpk/174536. Taking Fire’s picks were made on our acetal material in a rounded triangle shape. The logo for the band is a perfect fit for the oversized rounded triangle picks. Design and order your own custom picks today at www.claytoncustom.com!